Mental Illness Intertwined with Methamphetamine Abuse A recent article by Oregon Public Broadcasting details the strain methamphetamine, particularly the new, more potent iteration of the drug, has been putting on the state’s mental and behavioral health system. In 2020, 2% of Oregon’s adults used methamphetamine, making it the state with the highest meth use rate in the country. This sizable population has led to crises at facilities like the Oregon State Hospital, where, according to employees, overcrowding is being ” driven by a flood of patients whose mental illness is intertwined with met ..read more

Creative Care Celebrates National Recovery Month September is National Recovery Month and Creative Care welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise and experience in an effort to increase awareness of an issue that affects all of us. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 20 million Americans were diagnosed with a substance use disorder in the past year. Of this group, 38% reported struggling with a co-occurring mental health condition. Additionally, of the 42 million Americans suffering from mental illness, 18% also had a substance use disorder. Finally, of the 20 million ..read more

The Complicated Genetics Behind Substance Use Disorders Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have begun to parse out the complicated genetic architecture that increases the risk of alcohol abuse and other types of addiction. By using the new genomic computational tool, H-MAGMA, combined with data from genome-wide association studies, Hyejung Won, PhD, and her team were able to identify genes associated with heavy drinking and cigarette smoking. Furthermore, they found links to these genes and other substances of abuse. For example, they discovered genetic associat ..read more

Overdose Deaths on the Rise The CDC recently released drug overdose data from 2020 and highlighted some disturbing findings. 2020 saw 91,000 drug overdose deaths, an unprecedented 30% increase from 2019. However, overdose deaths increased by 44% among Black people and 39% among American Indian and Alaska Native people. Compare this to the 22% increase in fatal overdoses among white people during the same time period. Furthermore, only 1 in 10 American Indian or Alaska Native people and 1 in 12 Black people received treatment for substance use. Dr. Debra Houry, acting principal deputy director ..read more

The Dangers of Medical Marijuana A recent article in the Harvard Gazette examines a new study by Massachusetts General Hospital linking medical marijuana use to an increased risk of substance use disorders (SUD). Moreover, the research also shows that individuals who use medical marijuana to alleviate symptoms of certain mental health conditions are at an even risk of developing a substance use disorder. With 37 states along with the District of Columbia and three territories allowing the use of medical marijuana, this is an issue that affects a large part or the country. Furthermore, as the s ..read more

CDC Highlights the Need for Dual Diagnosis Approach A recent article in The Hill examines the latest Morbidity and Mortality Report from the CDC. For their assessment, the CDC used 2019 NAVIPPRO data. The National Addictions Vigilance Intervention and Prevention Program (NAVIPPRO) Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV) tool is a self-administered, computerized, structured clinical assessment tool administered upon admission to a substance use treatment facility. It assesses seven biopsychosocial domains according to a severity rating and collects information about lifetime and pa ..read more

Mindfulness as a Relapse Prevention Tool The topic of relapse is unavoidable when the recovery of co-occurring substance use disorders, and a strong relapse prevention plan is a pillar of successful dual diagnosis treatment. This week we will be looking at mindfulness as a relapse prevention tool via an analysis by F. Curtis Breslin, Martin Zack, and Shelley McMain. In doing so, we will examine some of the thought processes that increase the risk of relapse, how mindfulness can change a person’s relationship to these processes, and its utility as a complement to other evidence-based treatment ..read more

The Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Substance User Disorders Anxiety and substance use disorders are among the most commonly diagnosed co-occurring mental health conditions. In fact, anxiety disorders carry a 33-45% prevalence rate for a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD). Furthermore, that SUD is more than twice as likely to be a more serious drug or alcohol dependence than drug or alcohol abuse. Today we will be looking more closely at a specific type of anxiety disorder, that is, social anxiety disorder, and its relationship to substance use disorders.   What is Social A ..read more

Opioid Addiction as an Attachment Disorder An upcoming American Psychological Association-sponsored webinar will examine opioid addiction as an attachment disorder. Among the topics it will consider is the attachment theory view of substance abuse as connection-seeking behavior and the altered neural activity of those with attachment issues. As attachment-focused interventions are one of the foundational elements of dual diagnosis treatment at Creative Care, this week we would like to take a closer look at the connection between opioid addiction and attachment disorder.   A Quick Look at ..read more

Inclusivity and Safety for All Individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ along with their allies observe Pride Month in June as a means to bring awareness to the struggles they’ve overcome and those that still persist, and to celebrate their community. Creative Care prioritizes inclusivity and safety for all and recognizes that traditional approaches to psychotherapy have often marked these individuals as outsiders or have rendered them invisible. In response, we have devised a strategy that incorporates all facets of a Client’s identity into their treatment. Our mission is to build bridges and tear ..read more