Topics: Addiction | Practice Tools and Tips | Psychotherapy

How can you help increase the odds that Robert, or any of your patients, will succeed in recovery? Here are eight key strategies that support long-term recovery.

Topics: Addiction | Practice Tools and Tips | Psychotherapy

Addiction treatment often begins with high hopes and apparent success, but it’s important to remember that addiction is a disease with a relapse rate of 40%–60%. Be realistic: Expect that patients will go through cycles of relapse and recovery. Learn the warning signs for relapse, the measures you can take to prevent it, and what to do after it has occurred.

Topics: Addiction | Practice Tools and Tips | Psychotherapy

For many people, the word “recovery” means being in AA or another 12-step program where the goal is to stay abstinent. It’s a culture of mutual support where people help and assist each other toward the goal of sobriety.

Topics: Addiction | Psychopharmacology | Research Update | Substance Abuse

Naltrexone is an opioid blocker that is FDA-approved for the treatment of alcoholism. However, it is also effective off-label for treating opioid use disorder. The medication comes in two forms: an oral pill (brand name ReVia) and an injectable version (XR naltrexone, or Vivitrol). XR naltrexone is composed of 380 mg of naltrexone, given as an intramuscular injection once a month. During that month, patients who try to use opioids will feel little if any high. This works well to prevent relapse if patients keep getting the shot.

People with alcohol use disorder are often smokers, and it can be very hard for patients to reduce their drinking and smoking simultaneously. In this study, the researchers hypothesized that topiramate, which has shown promise as an off-label treatment for nicotine and alcohol use independently, might work as a “silver bullet” for both ­problems.

Topics: CME Post-Test

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 1 CME credit.