Addiction

Most of the news headlines about the American opioid crisis are pessimistic. They often focus on fatal overdose statistics and dramatic crime reports that highlight the futility of the “War on Drugs.” In recent months, however, reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown progress. CDC statistics show a 4 percent decrease in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2024, and only

Many popular culture observers consider the first decade of the 21st century to have been the “Golden Age of Reality Television.” The VH1 series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew aired during the late years of this period. It documented the lives of many showbiz celebrities treated for substance abuse and addiction at the Pasadena Recovery Center in California. As can be expected from a Golden

Two of the most celebrated Hollywood films about alcoholism feature plotlines showing the struggles endured by partners and spouses. In 1945, The Lost Weekend was the first major production to include a storyline about an alcoholic’s girlfriend. Five decades later, When a Man Loves a Woman flipped the script, with Meg Ryan playing an alcoholic housewife who imposed a significant emotional burden on her husband,

Following the death of Matthew Perry in October 2023, the Los Angeles Police Department requested the assistance of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate two physicians accused of providing the famous Hollywood actor with ketamine. One of the doctors who pleaded guilty to supplying Perry with the ketamine that resulted in his fatal overdose is a San Diego resident, and the investigation revealed

Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of the legendary musician Elvis Presley, passed away in early 2023. A year later, her talented daughter Riley Keough published From Here to the Great Unknown, a memoir she co-authored with her mother about Presley’s turbulent life. Beyond the tragic overdose death of her father, the “King of Rock,” to her bizarre marriage to Michael Jackson, the “King of

In March 2024, CBS News featured a special segment about TikTok star Victor Oliveira, who is known as “The Good Boss” on the popular social network. Oliveira is a 35-year-old small business owner from Boston who was released from a Massachusetts state prison in 2012 after serving a sentence for drug trafficking. These days, he’s followed by 3.5 million TikTok users who praise his charitable

In February 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study outlining the demographics and characteristics of young Americans who abuse substances such as alcohol and drugs. The study indicated more than 2 million teenagers across the U.S. engage in patterns of substance abuse at least once per month, with cannabis use being most common, followed by binge drinking. An interesting section

Since the World Health Organization began compiling reports about addictions after World War II, the incidence of substance abuse has been consistently higher than behavioral addictions. However, some mental health researchers have been questioning this trend. Substance abuse has been studied as a public health issue for much longer than behavioral addictions, and the primary reason is a matter of measurability. The data collection and

According to global surveys tallied by the World Health Organization, 45 percent of adults don’t drink alcoholic beverages. This percentage includes people in recovery, people who abstain for religious reasons, and others who simply feel liquor isn’t for them. In the remaining 55 percent, approximately 300 million (about 5 percent) struggle with either alcoholism or other substance use disorders.  If looking at these percentages prompts you

Mike McDaniel, head coach of the Miami Dolphins, was recently voted by the National Football League Players Association as the most appreciated and relatable coach. The 40-year-old McDaniel has been with the Dolphins since 2022. He was previously a secondary coach with the Houston Texans, but he got sacked because of recalcitrant alcoholism.  After spending more than two years in recovery, McDaniel returned to the NFL