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The Museum of African American Addiction Recovery honors individuals who have achieved greatness and shown a long-standing commitment to the field of addiction medicine. Congratulations to Two Dreams founder and CEO Andrea Barthwell MD, DFASAM who is among the honorees in the Museum’s Hall of Fame! Find out more about the Museum of African American…

What is euphoric recall? Euphoric recall is a state in which individuals view the past with rose-colored glasses, so to speak. In this condition, people recall certain memories with exaggerated fondness, even if the actual event seemed undesirable at the time it occurred. Negative aspects of the past are downplayed, while the positives are embellished.…

The Research Society on Alcoholism reports that about 50% of all drinkers experience a “blackout” at some point in their life. Alcohol-induced blackouts are characterized by either partial or total memory loss regarding events that occurred while under the influence. A common misconception is that alcohol “kills brain cells” and that this somehow contributes to…

Personal boundaries are guidelines that each individual creates to identify his or her particular limitations. These boundaries can be physical, emotional, and/or mental, and are subject to change at any time. They lay the groundwork for a positive self-image and promote self-respect that is undefined by others. Without personal boundaries, one runs the risk of…

Four in five heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers. Source: ASAM 2016 Opioid Addiction Facts and Figures Why do teens choose to abuse prescription drugs? 21% say their parents don’t care as much vs. street drugs. 25% use them as study aids. 32% think they have fewer side effects than street drugs. Source: NIH…

In the United States, 2015… 16,000 deaths from homicide. 29,000 deaths from prescription painkiller overdose. Source: The CDC In the United States, 2015… 6,700 deaths from HIV/AIDS. 29,000 deaths from prescription painkiller overdose. Source: The CDC In the United States, 2015… over 60% of overdose deaths involved opioids and prescription painkillers. Source: Drugabuse.gov In the…

The legalization of recreational marijuana use and medical marijuana programs in a number of states has brought about an array of public health concerns. The link between cannabis use and mental health/substance use disorders is particularly concerning and requires additional study. In order to further elucidate the negative effects of marijuana, researchers interviewed tens of…

Chronic pain is accompanied by many distressing symptoms, including soreness, tightness, stiffness, shooting/​burning/​aching/​electrical forms of pain, fatigue, depression, weakness, irritability, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, general discomfort, and more. The NIH suggests that practicing yoga on a regular basis can increase functionality and reduce the severity of many of these symptoms. Yoga combines physical movement with breathing…

VOLUME X / OCT 2013 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. NOTE FROM DR. B. This month is a busy one for us! I will be speaking to parents at two different locations in Illinois…

VOLUME XVII / MAY 2014 Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle. NOTE FROM DR. B. Our theme for this month is ‘Being of Service to Others’. This is extremely important for our well-being and for…