Mental Health

How Do I Know If I Need Drug Addiction Treatment?

April 6, 2020 / Inspiration, Intensive Outpatient, Medical Consequences, Mental Health, Outpatient

Addiction is a difficult disease to define. When does therapeutic drug use cross over into abuse? What is the difference between frequent social drinking and alcohol use disorder? Should comfort-seeking drug use (such as mild-sedative ingestion before bed every night) be considered a disorder? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has acknowledged the difficulty at hand, and set forth guidelines to help users know when to seek help, and to help physicians make accurate diagnoses. Prior to the publication of the current DSM-5, the manual distinguished between abuse and dependence in terms of severity, with “abuse” being …

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December 2015’s Dream Journal

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Addiction Science, Art Therapy, Chicago, Dream Journal, Heroin and Opioids, Holistic Care and Treatment, Inpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Medical Consequences, Mental Health, Mindfulness, New Orleans, Nutrition, Outer Banks, Outpatient, Prevention, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics, Sleep Hygiene

Dream Journal Volume XXXV / December 2015 Note from Dr. B. The holidays can be a difficult time for individuals in recovery: frustrating family members, crazy Christmas parties, stressful shopping trips, etc. You don’t have to let the season get you down though! There are plenty of ways to stay centered and sober during the winter season. Make sure to listen to your body and avoid letting yourself get hungry. Maintain a regular meal plan full of nutritious fruits and vegetables. Eating a plateful of cookies may seem like a good idea when you’re at an event, but the inevitable …

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November 2015’s Dream Journal

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Addiction Science, Alcohol, Art Therapy, Chicago, Co-Occurring Disorders/Comorbidity, Criminal Justice, Dream Journal, Drug Testing, Drugs and the Brain, Heroin and Opioids, Holistic Care and Treatment, Inpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Intervention, Medical Consequences, Mental Health, Mindfulness, New Orleans, Outer Banks, Outpatient, Pain, Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines, Prevention, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics

Dream Journal Volume XXXIV / NOV 2015 Note from Dr. B. The ongoing opioid overdose crisis has prompted the CDC to take action in the form of developing new guidelines for qualified prescribers. First and foremost, the CDC stresses that opioid therapy should be utilized only if all other treatment options have been exhausted. Opioids can vastly improve functionality and quality of life, but the benefits must be weighed against the risks of tolerance, addiction, overdose, etc. If opioids are absolutely necessary, the prescribing physician and patient should work together to formulate a safe plan of approach and establish realistic treatment …

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Reverence and Respect – October 2015

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Addiction Science, Alcohol, Art Therapy, Chicago, Co-Occurring Disorders/Comorbidity, Criminal Justice, Dream Journal, Drugs and the Brain, Heroin and Opioids, Holistic Care and Treatment, Inpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Medical Consequences, Mental Health, Mindfulness, New Orleans, Outer Banks, Outpatient, Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines, Prevention, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics, Women and Drugs

The Dream Journal Volume XXXIII / October 2015 Note from Dr. B. The Walk on Washington was a great success! The Two Dreams staff gathered in Washington DC on October 4th in a collective effort to support policies that will improve addiction recovery and end the stigma against those with the disease. Major media networks covered the event, so our voices were heard all across the nation. Fall is a time of transformation, and we look forward to affecting more change as we move towards the end of the year. Monthly Tradition “Tradition Ten – Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on …

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Keeping it Simple with Service – September 2015

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Alcohol, Art Therapy, Chicago, Dream Journal, Holistic Care and Treatment, Inpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Mental Health, Mindfulness, New Orleans, Outer Banks, Outpatient, Prevention, Recreation, Young Adults/Teens/College-Aged

Dream Journal Volume XXXII / September 2015 Note from Dr. B. September is National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate healing and to speak out against the stigma surrounding addiction. The Two Dreams staff members stayed busy this month, especially on the 26th. Clients and staff alike attended the 6th Annual Walk Against Addiction in North Carolina, which was designed to raise awareness of the epidemic that addiction is becoming in America. Our Clinical Director for Two Dreams Outer Banks, Brett Dunning, was a featured speaker at the event. He spoke out against the stigma that patients experience, and emphasized that …

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Innovations in Behavioral Health Conference – Q/A With Our Outreach Coordinator Nancy Davis

April 6, 2020 / Heroin and Opioids, Holistic Care and Treatment, Intensive Outpatient, Intervention, Mental Health, New Orleans, Outpatient, Suboxone Treatment

Nancy Davis, our Two Dreams New Orleans Outreach coordinator and Administrator, recently attended the Innovations in Behavioral Health Conference in Nashville on June 22-23. Innovations in Behavioral Health is a new conference being offered by Foundations Recovery Network, and is beneficial for those looking to broaden their knowledge and skill set in the treatment industry, medical field, and business management. With our new IOP and OP treatment facility in New Orleans fast approaching its opening day, we thought Nancy Davis would be the perfect person to attend this conference. We recently sat down with Nancy to discuss her experience at …

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Lose Interest in Selfish Things – July Dream Journal 2014

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Addiction Science, Alcohol, Dream Journal, Drugs and the Brain, Holistic Care and Treatment, Inpatient, Medical Consequences, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Nutrition, Outer Banks, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics, Sleep Hygiene

Dream Journal Volume XIX / July 2014 Note from Dr B. It gives me great pleasure to announce that I have been featured in the current issue of Addiction Professional Addiction Professional. I emphasize in the article the call to come together as treatment providers and programs and set aside our differences. This message parallels our theme for this month, which is about losing interest in selfish things and gaining interest in our fellows. The disease we face is complex and relentless, and to keep evolving as a community we must face it together. Monthly Promise #7: “We will lose interest in …

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Step Two – February Dream Journal 2013

April 6, 2020 / 12 Steps, Dream Journal, Heroin and Opioids, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics

VOLUME II / FEB 2013 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. NOTE FROM DR. B. Last month we discussed accepting the new identity as an alcoholic and/or drug dependent person and that honesty is required to admit that such an identity fits us so that we can recognize that the diagnosis applies to us as well. This month, we highlight Step 2 which recognizes the need for help and the truth that continued use leads to continued negative effects. Step …

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Step Three – March Dream Journal 2013

April 6, 2020 / Dream Journal, Heroin and Opioids, Mental Health, Pain, Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines, Research/Trends/Statistics, Substance Abuse in Military Life

VOLUME III / MAR 2014 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. NOTE FROM DR. B. Our best wishes were with Dr. Barthwell this past month as she was called into a four week intensive Spinal Rehabilitation Program. After three surgeries, multiple hospitalizations and emergency room visits, she took the necessary steps to confront her pain and has experienced pain-free days for the first time in years. Follow her full story of recovery here. VOLUME III / MAR 2014 Two Dreams …

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Admit Powerlessness – June Dream Journal 2013

April 6, 2020 / Alcohol, Dream Journal, Heroin and Opioids, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines, Public Health, Recreation, Research/Trends/Statistics, Women and Drugs

VOLUME VI / JUNE 2013 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. GUEST COLUMNIST Our featured guest writer this month is nationally-renowned consultant and lecturer Chris Schroeder, who has been actively involved in helping those afflicted by alcoholism, and has remained committed to the development and improvement of addictive illness recovery for over 22 years. This month he teaches us about Step One, and how to admit powerlessness. VOLUME VI / JUNE 2013 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by …

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