Alcoholism and Recovery Archives - Fifth Avenue Psychiatry

The Transition from College Drinking to Professional Life

PSYCHIATRY NYC September 12, 2023

A common issue that occurs in our practice deals with the difficulties of transitioning from drinking behaviors in college to drinking behaviors in young adult/professional life. In college, there is an emphasis on partying, drinking socially, and using substances as a reward for working hard during the week in classes. This type of behavior has created a “work hard, play hard” mentality that has impacted the professional executives we work with in therapy. Research shows that frequent binge drinking between ages 18 and 25 years old appears to be a major risk factor for alcohol dependence in adulthood (Tavolacci, et al. 2019). In this article, our Manhattan addiction professionals will highlight some thoughts and behaviors that people develop in college,

Substance Abuse’s Impact on Relationships at Work

PSYCHIATRY NYC February 7, 2023

Interpersonal relationships are between two or more people and can consist of one-on-one interactions in person, via social media or email, in social settings, or the workplace. In the workplace, substance abuse can affect these relationships differently depending upon the nature of the relationship, whether among peers or in a manager/employee relationship. One of the most obvious ways addiction affects interpersonal relationships is the change in the company an addict keeps. Once drug abuse becomes a habit, the user will choose to remove themselves from family and friends who show concern and surround themselves with other users. This provides a sense of belonging and eliminates questioning, accusing, or accountability to abstain. Although drug abuse certainly affects familial and significant-other relationship

Peer Pressure and Drug Use in High-Level Positions

PSYCHIATRY NYC December 20, 2022

High-Stress Careers and the Prevalence of Peer Pressure No one is exempt from peer pressure, not top athletes, movie stars, or even executives in fast-paced, high-level companies. Executive peer pressure is often associated with the need to act successfully and show leadership, even when not in the office. Along with this comes the pressure to do what those before you did, and do what other high-level executives may be doing, including the use of alcohol, drugs, and other addictions to deal with the stress of high-pressure positions. This pressure and need to resemble the crowd are especially prevalent in the hospitality and recreation industry. Although the fun and excitement of the hospitality and recreation industry may bring professionals around illicit

Q & A: The Complex Cycle of Alcohol Use and Depression

PSYCHIATRY NYC October 10, 2022

By: Tracey Basett, Psy.D. The relationship between depression and alcohol use is a very complicated one. This is because both depression and alcohol can exacerbate the effects of each other in unhealthy ways. Although there is the common perception that depression causes alcohol misuse, the majority of studies show that alcohol use actually increases the likelihood of depression (1 & 2). In addition, studies also report a co-morbid relationship between depression and alcohol that actually increases with age. It has been shown that the combination of Alcohol Use Disorder and Depression is “associated with higher risk of alcohol dependence, suicide attempt, lower global functioning, and life dissatisfaction” (3). The complex relationship between alcohol and depression for a lot of people

Alcohol and Anxiety | Manhattan Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Anxiety and Alcohol Use

PSYCHIATRY NYC September 8, 2021

By Ronnit Nazarian, Psy. D A common theme that I have found while speaking with patients who overdrink has been that they also experience an underlying anxiety disorder. Moreover, they have mentioned having difficulty finding something that helps them disconnect from their stress and anxiety that works as well as having a drink. To most people looking in from the outside, a person who experiences anxiety and a person who experiences drinking problems are often viewed as two separate individuals. Contrary to common belief, however, research shows that approximately 50% of individuals who experience alcohol problems also meet the criteria for one or more anxiety disorders.1 Alcohol use and anxiety are strongly linked and often called co-morbid disorders that interact

The Importance of In-Person Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment During the COVID 19 Pandemic

PSYCHIATRY NYC October 19, 2020

There have been many mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased depression, anxiety and exacerbations of PTSD as a result of isolation, changes in lifestyle and fear. Along with increases in suicidality and domestic abuse, one of the most dangerous mental health effects of the pandemic has been increased substance abuse.1Along with all the dangerous effects of substance abuse there have been “an increasing number of reports from national state and local media,” including New York, of “an increase in opioid and other drug related mortality.”2 What is the Cause of Increased Substance Abuse During the Pandemic? The cause of increased substance abuse is many. More people are using illicit drugs and alcohol to cope with their symptoms

Meditation and Mindfulness for Alcoholism and Addiction

PSYCHIATRY NYC December 16, 2019

Meditation and Mindfulness for Alcoholism and Addiction Written by Olga Megwinoff, MD There is so much referring to meditation and mindfulness. Every mental health guru speaks of mindfulness and media outlets are saturated with everything meditation. It is definitely trendy and even in my own neighborhood, in the non-trendy suburbs, we started a meditation group. When something is so trendy, it can be easy to dismiss as a valuable and important tool in psychotherapy. Nonetheless, I am ever grateful that I pursued this method of treatment as it changed my views and opened the door to the great teachings and understanding of the mind from the eastern psychology perspective. In this, my first blog, I will try to explain in

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction

PSYCHIATRY NYC November 21, 2019

By Britt Gottlich, Psy.D. I often meet with people who say they are unsure of whether they have experienced trauma or not. So, what is trauma? Most people define trauma based on how trauma is portrayed in the media. But, in reality, it is a very subjective experience. Something that may be traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. The American Psychological Association defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster.” The way I like to understand trauma is based on an individual’s interpretation of the event. As children, we live under the assumption that “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.”

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Addiction and Alcoholism

PSYCHIATRY NYC November 4, 2019

By Tracey Basset, PsyD Making the decision to seek help for a substance use problem is challenging enough. On top of that, for a lot of people, they face the challenge of choosing where to go, who to see, and what type of therapy will benefit them most. This can be a very confusing and daunting process. My aim for this post is to provide some useful information about the benefits of one type of therapy, my favorite type of addiction therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy? CBT is based on the notion that the way we think influences how we feel and, subsequently, how we behave. Think of it like a domino effect—something happens, you form a

Better Recovery With Medically Supervised Detox

PSYCHIATRY NYC June 19, 2019

The effects of alcohol account for one in three emergency room visits every year. This is due in part to the effects of alcohol detox and withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal is the body and brain chemistry readjusting to a permanent sober state, once the individual is no longer consuming alcohol. Chronic alcohol use changes brain chemistry by inhibiting neurotransmitters that induce feelings of relaxation and excitability. Without alcohol these neurotransmitters work in overdrive, similar to a rebound effect.

Category: Alcoholism and Recovery