According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs in United States costs over 740 billion yearly (https://www.drugabuse.gov/relatedtopics/trends-statistics, accessed March 2018). However, statistics like this rarely include the toll that alcohol tobacco, and illegal drugs takes on family members,…

While self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are becoming more integrated into the professional substance abuse treatment network, many professionals are still hesitant to encourage clients to attend self-help groups after treatment. This study examined what factors predict the degree of cooperation between professional agencies and…

It appears that chronic drug use may develop as a means of coping in which individuals use self-medication to produce a more desirable state of being. Because drugs are often used to cope with stress, this study examined stress among recovering male drug addicts (N=23) from an urban substance abuse program by administering a self-report inventory…

Since there appears to be a connection between substance use (and abuse) and loneliness it is of theoretical and clinical interest to explore the differences of coping with loneliness which drug users employ. The present study examined the manner in which MDMA (Ecstasy) users in comparison with non-MDMA (Non-Ecstasy) users and the general…

The neuropsychological deficits which are found in a significant number of alcoholics participating in the rehabilitation process have been well documented. Recent concern has also been voiced that cognitive impairments present in alcoholics receiving treatment are more severe than what has been perceived through clinical observations.…

Couples therapy interventions can be used with alcohol abusers and alcoholics during three broadly defined states of recovery: (1) initial commitment to change; (2) change itself; and (3) long-term maintenance of change. Intervening with the alcoholic's spouse (and/or other nonalcoholic family members) can motivate and reinforce commitment to…

This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TCs) that deal with adolescent clients and TCs. Papers include: (1) Preliminary Consideration on "Adolescence and the TC" (David Deitch); (2) "Daytop's Full Service Adolescent Treatment Program" (Charles Devlin and Lois Morris); (3)…

This paper describes Laurelhurst Manor's family treatment program to help families affected by chemical dependency, a 7-month program which treats family members from the perspective of developmental stages and family roles. The center, located in Portland, Oregon, is a 40-bed, free-standing facility having a 20-bed adolescent unit and a 20-bed…

Experiential activities provide each participant with the ability to see, feel, and experience whatever therapeutic issue the facilitator is addressing, and usually much more. This paper presents experiential activities to address the 12 steps of recovery adopted from Alcoholics Anonymous. These 12 steps are used worldwide for many other recovery…

This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities that provide an international perspective on the therapeutic community (TC) movement as it is today. Papers include: (1) "What's Happening on an International Level" (William B. O'Brien); (2) "Therapeutic Communities of America"…

Statewide efforts by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to secure third-party payments for nonhospital alcoholism services gradually dissolved due to changes in political administration and overall priorities. San Mateo County, however, served as a demonstration county for the effort and has continued to explore third-party…

This document contains 10 papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TC) that deal with a variety of health-related subjects. Papers include: (1) "AIDS among IV Drug Users: Epidemiology, Natural History & TC Experiences" (Don C. Des Jarlais, et al.); (2) "AIDS and Therapeutic Communities: Policy Implications" (Don C. Des…

This document contains 19 papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TCs) that deal with the interface between the mental health establishments and the TC. Papers include: (1) "Psychiatry and the TC" (Jerome Jaffe); (2) "The Chemical Brain" (Sidney Cohen); (3) "Where Does the TC Fail?" (Ab…

This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TCs) that deal with drug education and prevention. Papers include: (1) "State of the Art of Drug Prevention Programs: A Five Year Retrospective of School Curricula" (Natalie Silverstein, et al.); (2) "TCs: Education for Wholeness"…

In Maine a program was initiated to integrate substance abuse services in community health center settings in order that more individuals and their families who are affected by chemical dependency could be reached and treated effectively. Integration was defined as the degree to which substance abuse services addressed the perceived community need…