ADDICTION
Sixty eight million people are addicted to illegal and prescription drugs in America, and an additional 17.6 million people are addicted to alcohol, almost one third of the population (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence 2013). Drug and alcohol use among adolescents has generally declined over the past two decades. Past-year use of illicit drugs for all grades combined was 27.2 percent in 2014, down from its peak at 34.1 percent in 1997, and binge drinking is down to 19.4 percent, down from 30 percent in 1997. This is encouraging news. However drug and alcohol addiction are significantly higher among the poor, and up to 80% of children who are in foster care come from families touched by addiction. Overwhelmingly, these are the children that wind up in youth correctional facilities.
Articles:
Chiesa, A. 2014. "Are mindfulness-based interventions effective for substance use disorders? A systematic review of the evidence". Substance Use Misuse. 49 (5): 492–512.
Garland, EL. 2014. "Mindfulness training targets neurocognitive mechanisms of addiction at the attention-appraisal-emotion interface". Front Psychiatry. 4 (173).
Black, DS. 2014. "Mindfulness-based interventions: an antidote to suffering in the context of substance use, misuse, and addiction". Substance Use Misuse. 49 (5): 487–91.
de Dios, M.A., Herman, D.S., Britton, W.B., Hagerty, C.E., Anderson, B.J., Stein, M.D. 2012.“Motivational and mindfulness intervention for young adult female marijuana users” Journal of substance abuse treatment. 42 (1) : 56-64.
Links:
Thomkrobok Monestary Thailand- Mindfulness-based therapy for addicts in recovery: http://wat-thamkrabok.org/
Youth.gov- A government agency for youth in America: http://youth.gov/youth-topics/substance-abuse/risk-and-protective-factors-substance-use-abuse-and-dependence