A common story in pop culture is that of the celebrity’s rehab troubles; either they’re checking in or going back.
MSU professor of psychology Dr. Michael Bordieri talks with Tracy Ross on Sounds Good about addiction and the difficulty in finding effective treatments.
Bordieri says discussing addiction can be tricky; it’s a topic that has strong ties to morality and law. He says treating it as an illness and focusing on outcomes could bring results.
The professor goes on to say that addiction is more widespread than people realize, and has especially taken root in rural communities.
This has been theorized to be a result of prescription medication serving as a gateway drug to harder substances like heroin.
When looking at rehab options, Bordieri says facilities should take a more treatment-oriented approach. He says when looking at locations online, he found more information about amenities than health outcomes.
As for treatments that vary based on the item abused, research is still underway. But some services like Alcoholics Anonymous have found success, something Bordieri says could be attributed to a sense of community and equipping abusers with the psychological tools to help themselves.
