Understanding Addiction

Happy New Year! I’m sure we’re all hoping that this year brings renewed optimism, through the creative, caring, and sensible use of all that’s available in this era of rapid change. In that spirit, I discuss my thoughts about “good drugs” and share my recent experience of DMT. My twin boys are now thirteen, so […] (Read the rest.)

I just got back from a two-day meeting on animal models of addiction. And here’s what I learned: animals way way down the evolutionary ladder also like opioids and psychostimulants. And flies like alcohol. That should make us feel less lonesome. I was asked to be the keynote speaker for the meeting, because the organizers […] (Read the rest.)

Doctors are taught from year 1 Medicine (if not before): First, do no harm. And yet, in treating addicted individuals, doctors often do more harm than good — by obstructing or totally derailing the recovery process. That should never happen! I want to show you what I mean by telling you part 2 of Sally’s […] (Read the rest.)

I haven’t been blogging since last spring, and even then it was pretty sketchy for a couple of months. Why the melt-down? For one thing, I was on drugs. Uh-huh, it’s true. And I was in pain and fairly miserable. So today’s post is about my own drug use, not anyone else’s. No theories to […] (Read the rest.)

Last post I shared a conundrum with you. I’d written a chapter for a book for addiction doctors. But when I learned the title of the book I decided (after all that work!) to withdraw it. Was that the right thing to do? Your comments convinced me it wasn’t. My chapter urged practitioners to view […] (Read the rest.)