A study by the Research Council of Norway has concluded that psychedelics do not link to mental health problems or suicidal behavior. A study of roughly 130,000 adult citizens in the United States found no “evidence that psychedelic use is an independent risk factor for mental health problems.” Of the 135,095 randomly selected people, 19,299 […]
Addictions have become one of the most critical health issues of modern society, costing many lives and affecting countless individuals and families. We have learned a lot in the last century that helps us better understand the complexity of addictions, however it is also apparent that conventional treatments have not made much of a dent […]
Last December, the new US “drug czar” Michael Botticelli surprised many when he publicly acknowledged that addiction “is not a moral failing.” This stance, along with the growing belief that the War on Drugs has failed, marks a radical and much-needed shift in authoritative opinion on addiction. This new understanding has huge implications for the […]
Detoxing can seem like it would be difficult when in reality it’s quite easy and super beneficial for your health. Whether you’re applying for a new job, in need of a tolerance break, or just want to sit smoking cannabis, there are a few things to know about cleansing your system of cannabis. Here’s how […]
Agassi confesses he “hated tennis and took meth” and Dr. M reveals his demons while struggling to help addicts on Vancouver’s mean streets Are you now, or have you ever been, in the realm of the “Hungry Ghosts”? The Hungry Ghosts is one of the six realms in the Buddhist Wheel of Life — the un-fun one where people […]
What causes drug addiction? One Canadian physician argues that the problem isn’t the drugs themselves. Dr. Gabor Maté believes — based on research and his own experience working at harm reduction clinics in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, a poor area that has one of the worst drug problems in North America — that the root of […]
Twenty years ago, having a Spirit “attached” to you was called a possession. Thanks to the movie, Poltergeist and ones like it, that term is no longer politically correct or considered to be gentle enough to use in professional practice when working with clients compassionately. Just the word ‘possession’ elicits horrifying imagery. In many healing […]
How is it possible to have compassion for someone whom you believe is choosing to live a life of drug addiction? Someone who chooses drugs over their families, over their children, over their job? As we explored with Dr. Drew previously in the #14Days on the Wagon series, stigma surrounding addiction is often tied into the widespread belief that […]
If there’s one constant among addicts of all types, it’s shame. It’s what makes us lie and hide. It’s what keeps us from asking for help – though we don’t think we need it, since we’re also good at lying to ourselves. About why we eat. Or shop. Or gamble. Or drink. Dr. Gabor Maté […]
As governments, health authorities, first responders, addiction workers and medical personnel struggle to cope with the opioid epidemic and shocking rise in overdose deaths, they do so in a culture devoid of a deep appreciation of the complexity of addiction and its sources in human experience. Most people do not understand how desperate users are to […]