Is it Time to Evaluate Your Relationship with Alcohol?
In 2019, I inadvertently joined a movement I didn’t even know existed. Within hours of researching information on reducing my alcohol consumption, I was introduced to new phrases like sober curious, Dry January, sober sprint, plus Quit Lit (publications devoted to decreasing alcohol intake). I discovered resources like This Naked Mind, Club Soda, and Alcohol…
Read MoreTreating ADHD and Cannabis Use Disorder
Joyce Cooper-Kahn, PhD, interviews Kevin M. Gray, MD Kevin M. Gray, MD, is professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and assistant provost for research advancement at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist and physician-scientist, Dr. Gray is dedicated to addressing youth substance use and related problems by…
Read MoreMy Child Survived an Overdose
A YEAR AGO, MY YOUNG ADULT DAUGHTER, after nine years of sobriety, overdosed on heroin in our home. Because she survived, we are more fortunate than many families. My purpose here isn’t to relive her overdose or frighten readers unnecessarily. If you know someone affected by the disease of addiction, my experience may give insight…
Read MoreWhen ADHD and Substance Use Disorders Coexist
FOR PEOPLE WITH ADHD across the lifespan, the co-occurrence of other disorders is generally the rule rather than the exception. Experts estimate that at least 60-80 percent of children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD have at least one other condition. Conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, learning disorders, and anxiety and mood disorders are the most…
Read MoreBenefits and Risks of Medication Treatment
THE DECISION TO MEDICATE a child with ADHD is difficult. Likewise, deciding whether someone should begin or stop treatment for ADHD as an adult can also be hard. There is a lot of conflicting information. The news and social media have accounts of people benefiting from medication, while there also are stories extolling grave dangers associated…
Read MoreQuestions About ADHD Medication
Questions About ADHD Medication THIS UPDATE examines some of the recent research on medications for ADHD. MEDICATION & SUBSTANCE USE RISK Is risk for substance use reduced in adolescents with ADHD who are treated with stimulant medications? Many parents of youth with ADHD are concerned about whether treating their child’s ADHD with stimulant medications may…
Read More