Journal of addictive diseases
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This is a review of the most current thinking on physician impairment with regard to definitions, prevalence, etiology, diagnosis, detection, intervention, treatment, treatment outcomes and prevention. The impaired physicians movement needs to be concerned with what is effective.
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To determine the antiemetic drug preferences of practicing adult oncologists and to estimate the frequency of use of marijuana smoke as an antiemetic agent. ⋯ Marijuana in any form was believed to be efficacious for 50% of patients with pre- or post-chemotherapy nausea or vomiting. However, one of four patients who received it complained of bothersome adverse effects. At the time of the study, cannabis was prescribed or recommended relatively infrequently by American clinical oncologists (i.e., those who actually prescribed chemotherapy). Even if it was freely available and restrictions on its use liberalized, smokeable marijuana, according to responses given on this survey, would not be used much more frequently by American oncologists.
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Review
The epidemiology of the comorbidity of psychiatric and addictive disorders: a critical review.
Assessing the prevalence of the comorbidity of psychiatric and addictive disease using epidemiologic methods results in artifactually high rates. Use of a clinical sample will yield falsely high rates, because substance use is associated with exacerbation of mental illness. Cross sectional design will inflate rates of psychiatric comorbidity in addicts, who attribute substance use to psychological symptoms until well into recovery. ⋯ The psychiatric symptoms which are common in active addiction generally clear within weeks to months of treatment for addiction but do not respond to standard psychopharmacologic treatment for primary mental illness. When lengthy follow up periods are employed, substance induced psychiatric syndromes typically resolve. We conclude that while patients treated in psychiatric settings often have comorbid and independent addictive illness, patients treated in addiction settings uncommonly have comorbid psychiatric illness despite common psychiatric symptoms.
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Biography Historical Article
William James' legacy to Alcoholics Anonymous: an analysis and a critique.
When evolving a philosophy and a "modus operandi" the pioneers of Alcoholics Anonymous made significant use of William James' Varieties of Religious Experience. Indeed, although AA carefully picked and chose various of James' ideas which seemed particularly relevant, James' imprint is clearly stamped upon AA philosophy and methodology. Here, I will review James' work and explore what specific ideas were particularly relevant to AA's evolution as a self-help movement. The implications of this heritage will be explored.