Why The Meadows Is the Best Place for Addiction Treatment

No one plans to become addicted, but after that initial interaction with alcohol, drugs, or dysfunctional behavior, they may like how it makes them feel and soon find themselves spiraling out of control. Individuals who engage in these types of escapism may have initially acted on it to feel good,… Read More

Do Religious Families Play a Role In Addiction?

By Thomas Gagliano, MSW In order to understand why religious families inadvertently and at times unintentionally create an environment where their children run to addiction rather than God as their coping mechanism, we must first begin by understanding the mindset of a child. When we look back on our childhood, we look back through adult lenses. Since then, we have grown by our maturity and life experiences, which may have distorted the truth of our childhood. Many of us carry messages that tell us we are bad children if we get mad at our parents or disagree with them. This message can have a profound impact on the way the person feels about himself or herself in adulthood. It is important to respect our parents but we can also have different opinions. A child needs to feel their opinion is important to their parents or the child may feel he or she isn’t important. Validating and acknowledging a child’s feelings is essential if they are to have self-worth. If children are afraid to share their true feelings and doubts in fear of reprisal then who can they trust? All of these messages set up the destructive entitlement that leads to addiction. It’s no coincidence that most addictions begin before the age of 18. Read More

TRICARE Expands Treatment Options for Mental Health and Substance Use

Per the Tricare press release posted on their website: TRICARE expanded mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services, adding intensive outpatient programs and expanding options for opioid treatment. In addition to other improvements, this expansion improves access to care and increases opportunities for mental health and SUD treatment. It… Read More

Chronic Pain Management and Opioid Addiction

By Tammy M. Bolles, LCSW Our stressed-out society is very focused on comfort. A spa, salon, or massage therapist’s office can be found on almost every corner. Who doesn’t enjoy an occasional foot rub or the ability to sit back for a pedicure without a care in mind? For most… Read More

Dr. Shelley Uram Featured on The Dr. Drew Podcast

Dr. Shelley Uram, a triple board-certified psychiatrist and Senior Fellow at The Meadows, was recently a guest on The Dr. Drew podcast. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky, a board-certified internist and addiction medicine specialist who is well known for his work both as a physician and as a TV and radio personality. On The Dr. Drew podcast, he takes listener calls and talks to experts on a variety of topics relating to health, relationships, sex, and addiction. Read More

‘Hooked Rx’ to Take Over Arizona Airwaves

In 1999, the leading cause of death was car accidents. Nearly twice as many people died in a car accident as died from a fatal drug overdose. By 2014, those numbers were reversed. There were almost 40 percent more deaths from drug overdoses than from car crashes. Most of today’s overdoses stem from prescription opioids and heroin, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More

U.S. Surgeon General Issues a Call to Action on Addiction

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s release of Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health at yesterday’s Facing Addiction Summit was an unprecedented moment in our country’s fight against addiction and substance misuse. It is the first time in history that… Read More

Marijuana Addiction is No Joke

Can a person really become addicted to marijuana? You never hear of any dying from daily pot use. You certainly don’t hear about it in the same way you hear about deaths and other tragedies caused by alcohol and other “harder” drugs. And, there are some serious medical… Read More

No One Is Immune to Depression or Addiction

You often hear people say that Americans live in a celebrity-obsessed culture. We tend to view being famous— or even just generally well-known— as the height of achievement. We sometimes also assume that you leave all “regular people” problems behind once you’ve reached the height of fame. “If you’re a… Read More

Inpatient, Outpatient, or IOP?

Inpatient, Outpatient, or IOP? Most psychiatrists and behavioral health professionals agree that addiction is a complex disorder caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. It can also vary in intensity; The DSM-5 defines addiction as a spectrum disorder that can be categorized as “mild,” “moderate,” or “severe.”… Read More