Almost four decades ago, the then governor of California signed into law a bill requiring prisons to make punishment and incapacitation, rather than rehabilitation, the primary goals of state penal facilities. As a result, the prison population went from around 20,000 people to 172,000 and the state built 11 new prisons to house inmates. That […]
Here’s an interesting fact that many people are likely unaware of; regardless of what illness the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a medication for, physicians are free to prescribe that same drug for any other condition they deem medically appropriate. This practice, referred to as off-label prescription drug use, is extremely common. […]
In rural Southeastern Indiana, the city of Austin is home to a small community of 4,200 citizens. The quaint township has had an operating post office since 1854. Now, however, the city is home to one of the worst outbreaks of HIV in U.S. history. According to an official report by the Centers for Disease […]
Pushback against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as simply a psychological condition rather than a physical brain injury began about 10 years ago. The attachment to the emotional horrors made sense. But the idea that soldiers exposed to the rigors of combat were not sustaining unseen brain injuries did not sit well with some neurologists or, […]
Resistance to change is a normal human impulse. Even in the worst of circumstances, the familiar is often more comfortable than trying to rework a bad situation. When meaningful change does occur, as it has in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a small fishing town just shy of 30,000 residents, its impact resonates far beyond the borders of […]
An estimated 24 million people suffer from addiction or dependency to drugs and alcohol in the United States. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that only 11 percent – 2.6 million – receive the treatment they need. The PHP medical abbreviation stands for “Partial Hospitalization Program.” The IOP medical abbreviation stands […]
Experts in the field of addiction have, for years, known that Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the most effective method of treating individuals addicted to heroin and opioid painkillers. As the epidemic of opioid abuse continues to ravage cities across the country, lawmakers and the media are only now catching up. The Partnership for Drug-Free […]
Humans are always seeking shortcuts. Medieval alchemists spent much of their time attempting to transform lead, a relatively worthless metal, into priceless gold. In more contemporary times, some people try to gain a leg up at work or school with the use of pharmaceuticals. The intense popularity of so called “smart drugs,” such as Modafinil, […]
