Myths of Addiction

This is a recent talk I presented at the South African College of Applied Psychology Festival of Learning and at the University of Cape Town Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health addictions forum.

In it I dispel the myths that: 

• Addiction is caused by drugs, 
• once an addict always an addict, 
• addiction is progressive 
• abstinence is required to initiate treatment or for remission.

I feel strongly that if we allow these myths to continue, we will not develop practical and helpful treatment modalities or public policies. At the end of the talk I made some suggestions regarding treatment. Comments and criticisms are welcome!

Injecting Drug Use and Harm Reduction

I was recently quoted, along with a colleague and some of our out-reach workers in an article on increased levels of injecting drug use in the Western Cape.

The message is important, and unless substitution therapies are introduced it is likely that there will be a significant increase in overdose deaths and a spread in HIV and other infectious diseases.

This article was originally published on Ground Up and then on allAfrica. The article is by Ian Broughton, and the photo is by Andrea Schneider.

Healthcare workers worry injecting heroin on increase

Sunday 31 August was International Overdose Awareness Day. Health workers in Cape Town have warned of a possible increase in drug overdoses and the spread of infectious diseases, including HIV, if the use of needles to inject drugs increases.

Day 3 - Mind and Life XXVII - Craving, Desire and Addiction

Dr Nora Volkow

Dr Vibeke Amussen Frank

You can view the videos here.

The point of this summary is not to replace the complete video and nor is it fully comprehensive, but rather the intention is to give a brief overview of proceedings so as to assist the reader in determining which sessions they would like to watch in full. 

The third day of Mind & Life XXVII - Dr Laura Volkow talks about The Role of Dopamine in the Addicted Human Brain and Dr Vibeke Amussen Frank follows with Beyond the Individual: The Role of Society and Culture in Addiction.