Some Addiction Goes Untreated

According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 23.2 million people, or 9.4 percent of the United States population, aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem in 2007. Of these individuals, 2.4 million people totaling 10.4 percent of those who needed treatment, received treatment at a specialty facility such as a hospital, drug or alcohol rehabilitation or mental health center. Thus, 20.8 million people, or 8.4 percent of the population aged 12 or older, needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem but did not receive it. These estimates are similar to those in previous years.

Chemical Dependency Counseling and Relapse Prevention

Counselors want to help each patient understand the physical and mental consequences of substance abuse and teach patients ways to restore physical health while learning to recognize and stop behaviors and symptoms that can lead to relapse. Doctors motivate patients to accept and enjoy long term recovery through supportive individual and group education. Psychologists offer education about alcoholism and addiction. During treatment, patients learn various methods of healing and find what technique works for rehabilitation including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and general education around staying sober. Occasional meetings with alumni afford the patients the opportunity to hear success stories and learn about the experience of sobriety. Before leaving treatment, doctors give patients an individual relapse prevention plan, including helpful techniques and a comprehensive list of appropriate support systems to help maintain sobriety.

In the United States alone, millions of individuals, even those with parents or grandparents who have battled addiction, never develop addictions. These chemical alterations in the brain can foster dependency, especially in people who have encountered past issues with drug or alcohol dependency. Concierge doctors Concierge Doctors is a relationship between a patient and a primary care Doctor in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. This may or may not be in addition to other charges. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care. Other terms in use include boutique medicine, retainer-based medicine, and innovative medical practice design. VIP Physicians The VIP health members enjoy the benefit of having access to on-site laboratories and the best diagnostic equipment available in medicine today. The ability to make most diagnoses in a single visit saves concierge patients the time of having to return to the office for a follow-up visit. This, in complement with a dedicated patient care concierge and the ability to network and consult online through a patient portal sets the VIP physician health model above most other concierge practices found nationwide. VIP Medicine VIP Medicine is a type of medical practice now found in many metropolitan areas across the country. VIP Medicine has come to represent a higher level of healthcare for those who want a more personalized relationship with their physician. At the upper echelon are the practice associations, like IPA Health, which integrate the traditional concierge model and match it with an advanced care. Concierge Medicine Concierge medicine goes by many names, boutique medicine, retainer medicine, executive health, VIP medicine, and personalized medicine. By any name, concierge medicine is the solution for doctors trying to maintain their integrity and independence in today’s difficult healthcare environment. Concierge Medicine Association Concierge Physician Associates is a medical practice that specializes in comprehensive primary, preventive and wellness care. Retainer Medicine Retainer medicine is practiced by physicians have decided to drop out of all third party payer programs. These practitioners have offered a limited number of patients the opportunity to pay a fixed annual fee in exchange for premium services and amenities. Retainers Doctors generally limited by a drastic amount the number of patients, which they will service. Los Angeles Concierge Medicine Concierge Medicine is your premiere destination for unparalleled medical care, vaccinations, blood tests, and a wide array of services. Concierge Physicians California At Concierge Physicians California, THE PATIENT ALWAYS COMES FIRST. Our goal is to provide each of our VIP patients with a warm, thorough, convenient Executive Doctor Executive doctor and associated physician groups are coming together to customize health programs for groups of executives and independent businesses with an objective of reducing the lost productivity time. At the core of many executive healthcare packages is an executive physical. In many instances, the doctor will travel to company facilities in order to perform a basic physical for all executive members. Concierge Medicine California Concierge Medicine is your premiere destination for unparalleled medical care, vaccinations, blood tests, and a wide array of services. VIP Medicine VIP Medicine is a type of medical practice now found in many metropolitan areas across the country. VIP Medicine has come to represent a higher level of healthcare for those who want a more personalized relationship with their physician. At the upper echelon are the practice associations, like IPA Health, which integrate the traditional concierge model and match it with an advanced care. Concierge Physicians California At Concierge Physicians California, THE PATIENT ALWAYS COMES FIRST. Our goal is to provide each of our VIP patients with a warm, thorough, convenient Executive Doctor Executive doctor and associated physician groups are coming together to customize health programs for groups of executives and independent businesses with an objective of reducing the lost productivity time. At the core of many executive healthcare packages is an executive physical. In many instances, the doctor will travel to company facilities in order to perform a basic physical for all executive members.

Gambling Disorders Studies

The beliefs of a society about a health condition can have a huge impact on the people who suffer from the disorder. Public opinion can influence public health policy, public and private harm minimization efforts, research funds and treatment support. At the individual level, negative public views of a disease and the stigma it creates can strongly discourage individuals from admitting that he or she has the problem and seeking treatment for the condition. There is little data available on public opinion of gambling disorders; however, a new study published in the Journal of Gambling Studies fills this void with a systematic examination of public opinion on gambling disorders.

Researchers conducted telephone surveys with 8,467 adults in the Toronto area and questioned people about their opinions of how to best understand gambling disorders. Researchers asked if gambling disorders should be treated as a disease or illness, a wrongdoing, a habit, not disease or an addiction similar to drug addiction. Researchers also inquired if people with gambling disorders can get well on their own or must seek treatment to improve and polled adults on whether people with gambling disorders can reduce their gambling to that of a social gambler or if they need to quit altogether. The survey also gathered information on the gambling behavior and demographics of the respondents.

The researchers found that most people viewed gambling disorders as an addiction similar to drug addiction, with one-third seeing gambling as a habit and 17 percent viewing gambling as a form of wrongdoing. Responses to whether gamblers needed treatment to recover showed a split jury, and three out of four thought that abstinence from gambling activities must happen for recovery. Examining the demographics, the researchers found that being female, married, younger and without gambling problems paralleled believing that treatment and abstinence were necessary. In addition, people who viewed gambling problems as a disease or addiction also believed that treatment and abstinence for recovery are necessary.

The researchers noted that public perceptions reported in their study mimic the results of a 2003 study that examined the views of the public on alcohol use, with 71 percent of respondents saying that abstinence must occur for recovery. This popularly held belief is also the view of much of the scientific community as reflected by the upcoming changes the American Psychiatric Association is making.
Finally, researchers concluded that people with gambling disorders were less likely to think that treatment and abstinence were necessary for recovery. This may be because many people who meet the clinical guidelines for a gambling disorder do not think they have a problem and even those who believe they do have a problem are unlikely to seek treatment.