What’s News Blog
Latest Allies in Recovery News
Fourth Largest Health Insurer U.S. Is Sued For Fraudulent, AI-Calculated Denial of Claims
If you’ve been thinking that concerns about artificial intelligence are overblown, this story may change your mind. But as with many abuses of new technology, human greed also plays a role.
What’s News Posts
Opioid-affected Families are Learning to Cope
Joanne Peterson has attended more than 100 funerals for opioid victims, and she long ago learned the words to all the songs she hears at the services. But she no longer attends the wakes. “I could not look at another young person in a casket,” Peterson said. “There are some days when I just start crying.” … read full article here
Finding the Best Addiction Treatment, With Hired Help
From the New York Times: For families who can afford to do so, hiring a private consultant is proving to be a great help for finding treatment options for an addicted Loved One. A consultant helped Juli Frawley's family through their daughter’s treatment for substance abuse.
How to Really Help Someone with Alcoholism
From addictionblog.org, Dominique Simon-Levine guest authors a post: A young woman named Kate came to see us, deeply upset about her mother’s severe alcoholism. As her drinking got worse, her mother had quit a high-paying job as a nurse, and was now almost a complete shut-in. Kate and her brother still lived with their mother, providing food and paying the bills. Read more here…
The End of Hitting Rock Bottom
SHORTLY AFTER 1 A.M. on March 27, Susan Knade awoke to the sound of her cellphone ringing. It was her 21-year-old daughter, Caroline, calling. She was crying. "Please," Caroline said. "Please, come pick me up." Caroline had been kicked out of her halfway house. She was entering heroin withdrawal….. (read more from the Boston Globe)
Your Worst Fears Have Been Confirmed
Families who find evidence of drug or alcohol use need a plan that goes way beyond the day-to-day reactivity caused by the chaos of life, especially when someone is struggling with alcohol or drugs. Read more on addictionblog.org …
How to intervene so an addict or alcoholic hears your message
You may believe that getting your addicted family member into treatment would take a miracle. Or you may think it can only happen if a professional is brought in. But an intervention does not have to be a big dramatic family meeting with lots of tears and pressure…(read more from addictionblog.org)
Alchohol Abuse Among the Elderly
AFTER 50 years of heavy drinking, a 72-year-old woman from Fairfield County was forced to confront her alcoholism when her son threatened to move out of the house he shares with her if she did not stop drinking. "I won't stay here and watch you die," he told her. Read the article on New York Times.