“Until recently, it was generally assumed that if we wanted something, it was because we liked it. But science is now questioning that idea – and pointing the way to a possible cure for addiction,” wrote the BBC’s David Edmonds. Edmonds describes experiments that confirm that craving or wanting is largely driven by the… Continue Reading Wanting, Craving, and Liking in the Addicted Brain
Researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed a method for concentrating and releasing drugs in the brain with pinpoint accuracy. This could make it possible to deliver psychiatric drugs and other medications to specific areas of the brain where this is medically desirable. Until now, that has been almost impossible. Drugs administered through the… Continue Reading Releasing Drugs in the Brain with Pinpoint Accuracy
The holiday season is traditionally difficult for many, but with the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases, financial uncertainty, and fundamental changes to family and social traditions, many feel they are nearing a breaking point. The recovery community, in particular, requires additional support during this time. Recovery Ways would like to be a part of the… Continue Reading Recovery Ways Helps Utah Recovery Community Navigate Holidays with Free Weekly Virtual Series
Utahns with low-level drug convictions are back in court facing fresh charges more often following the Beehive State’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). A recently published legislative audit on the JRI said, “Utah has not achieved its goal to reduce recidivism.” Recidivism is defined as the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend. “Offender treatment services… Continue Reading Utah’s Criminal Justice Reform Falls Short Without Adequate Access to Addiction Treatment
It is my pleasure to announce Hans Watson, D.O., as Recovery Ways’ Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Watson trained in general psychiatry at Wright State University where he dedicated considerable time to aviation medicine. It was there he became a certified Flight Surgeon for the United States Air Force. Dr. Watson is a nationally recognized expert in multiple areas including psychotherapy, post-traumatic stress… Continue Reading Welcoming Our New Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hans Watson
Fentanyl is the drug most responsible for the increase in overdose deaths in recent years. It is “a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent,” explains the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). “It is a prescription drug that is also made and used illegally.” Illicit fentanyl is… Continue Reading Illicit Drugs Laced with Fentanyl Sold in Northern Utah
A dangerous substance from the 1960s is making a comeback in the United States. Phenibut, a central nervous system depressant with anxiolytic effects, used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions was developed in the Soviet Union for medical use in the 1960s. It is still used in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia to treat… Continue Reading Dangerous Misuse of Anxiety Drug Phenibut on the Rise
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in September 2020 that it would require a new warning label for a class of psychiatric drugs called benzodiazepines in order to better inform the public and health professionals about the serious risks of misuse and addiction. Benzodiazepines—sometimes referred to as “benzos”—are commonly prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, seizures,… Continue Reading FDA Announces Stronger Warning for Benzodiazepines
Every day, almost 200 Americans die of a drug overdose, often involving opioids. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “more than 30 percent of overdoses involving opioids also involve benzodiazepines, a type of prescription sedative commonly prescribed for anxiety or to help with insomnia.” Benzodiazepines (also called “benzos”) include diazepam (Valium), alprazolam… Continue Reading Psychiatric Comorbidities May Increase Risk for Polysubstance Use Disorder.
“Healthcare workers on the frontlines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic are being called heroes, and we can all see why”, wrote Matthew Lewis, et al. on Statnews in May. “They have been asked to treat huge numbers of very sick people in a shifting landscape without sufficient personal protective equipment or coordination. Some have seen… Continue Reading Heroes Health Initiative
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