New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute
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Recently I was driving in my car listening to sports radio when I heard an ad for one of the sports betting apps. At the end of the advertisement the announcer said “Problem with Gambling? Call 1-800-Gambler.” This was auspicious timing as I recently just finished high specialized training on gambling addiction. With gambling increasing […]
Recently I was driving in my car listening to sports radio when I heard an ad for one of the sports betting apps. At the end of the advertisement the announcer said “Problem with Gambling? Call 1-800-Gambler.” This was auspicious timing as I recently just finished high specialized training on gambling addiction. With gambling increasing in New Jersey we at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Morris County thought it was time to write a piece on gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction (also called problem gambling) is the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Essential features of gambling addiction include:
These are two really common questions. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem that has financial consequences. An alcoholic who doesn’t drink is still an alcoholic. Likewise a gambler addict who does not have debt is still a gambler addict.
For those who have a problem with gambling the likelihood of them being able to stop on their own without help is very low. Problem gambling is a psychological condition in which the gambler will most likely continue to gamble until the hit a bottom or an intervention occurs. Additionally describing problem gamblers as having a “lack of willpower” could alienate the problem gambler and prevent them from seeking help.
There is not rule about “losing more than x makes you a problem gambler.” The amount of money lost does not necessarily matter. The most important factors in determining whether an individual struggles with problem gambling is the impact that it is having on their lives. Individuals who struggle with problem gambling will exhibit some of the essential features discussed above.
An estimated 2 million U.S. adults meet the criteria for gambling addiction and another 4-6 million meet some of the criteria and would be considered at risk for developing gambling addiction. This is rarely discussed because many people who struggle with gambling hide the effects for their loved ones. Usually the extent of their problems are only discovered when a life event occurs such as foreclosure on their house, legal issues, retirement, or their death.
Here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we need seek to intentionally scare you. We actually didn’t realize the extent of the problem until we received our specialized training. If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling please do no wait to contact us. Gambling addiction can be effectively treated but progress is not likely to occur without treatment.
Recently parents have been asking us at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute about vaping. We also noticed that school districts as well as private schools had to address the rise in vaping among their students. We always seek to educate clients and parents so we took some time to find an answer. What […]
Recently parents have been asking us at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute about vaping. We also noticed that school districts as well as private schools had to address the rise in vaping among their students. We always seek to educate clients and parents so we took some time to find an answer.
Public sentiment around e-cigarettes seems to focus on two main points:
The e-cigarette industry overall has done a tremendous job running advertisements to perpetuate these points. Traditional cigarettes are viewed as dirty and unsafe while e-cigarettes and vaping are seen as trendy, cool, and safe. Another common message is that teens vaping isn’t the worst thing since it will decrease the likelihood of them smoking traditional cigarettes which are known to be harmful.
We believe strongly in the importance of looking at what research says instead of what marketing campaigns say. So we looked at research on the safety of e-cigarettes and teen use. What we found was very interesting.
A research team from John Hopkins University explored how safe e-cigarettes actually were in 2018. The researchers found that e-cigarettes can potentially release significant amounts of toxic metals in the vapors that smokers inhale. They found significant levels of lead, chromium, manganese and nickel. These metals leak from the heating coils.
Chronic inhalation of these metals is linked to brain damage and cardiovascular damage, lung issues, liver problems, and even cancer. While this was a relatively small study the results were so strong that it makes it difficult to believe that e-cigarettes are completely safe.
Now I can hear teens saying “Whatever that is only one study.” Normally I would agree with them except there are more studies. A study from NYU found that nicotine from e-cigarettes can cause cancer in mice.
So vaping may be safer than traditional cigarettes but it appears that they are far from safe.
Now the other main point that we explored was the relationship between teen vaping and smoking of traditional cigarettes. Did vaping really cause decrease in teens smoking?
To answer this question we turn to research conducted at USC. Researchers there found that teens who vape are six times more likely to begin smoking as those who never vaped. Researchers attribute this dramatic increase to the normalization of e-cigarette and vaping products.
Here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we will continue to look at research on the effects and safety of e-cigarettes. Parents should be aware that vaping may not be as harmless as the advertisements say. Continue to check back with us here at NJFAI as we will certainly continue to write about this issue as research continues. You can also always reach out to us for consultation.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vaping-health-effects-rising-use-among-teens/
https://www.pnas.org/content/115/7/E1560
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/1/e20160379
I know Heroin is Bad But is it Really In My town? We are the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Florham Park work with a lot of clients from surrounding towns struggling with addiction. Our clients come from Madison, Chatham, Mendham, Morristown, Short Hills, Summit, East Hanover, and other surrounding towns. In […]
We are the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Florham Park work with a lot of clients from surrounding towns struggling with addiction. Our clients come from Madison, Chatham, Mendham, Morristown, Short Hills, Summit, East Hanover, and other surrounding towns.
In addition to our individual therapy work we speak quite frequently at events in different towns focused on raising awareness of alcoholism, drug addiction, and video game addiction. One of the most common questions we face from the audience is generally some form of “Is this really happening in our town?” Intellectually people know that the opioid epidemic is raging but if they don’t see the effects of this first hand (or know someone who has been affected by it) then they aren’t sure it is happening in their town.
I grew up in Florham Park which is located in Morris County where I went to Holy Family School from 1st to 8th grade and then went to Hanover Park High School in East Hanover. Many of my friends lived in surrounding towns.
At the time I knew people were using prescription painkillers inappropriately but did not think it was a big issue. Eventually I went on to college where I was focused on my academics. Towards the end of college during the time that I was already transitioning into graduate school I started to notice that those kids who had been using the painkillers weren’t making those same transitions as me. Some of them were pretty much were they were 4-5 years earlier. At the time I felt bad for them and just figured they were outliers and not representative of the towns I knew so well.
On my road to becoming a therapist I decided to focus on addiction. In graduate school I was in a highly specialized and intensive program for substance abuse counselors. While in this program I decided to start doing research on the rates of substance abuse in various counties in New Jersey.
During the course of my research I realized that those kids who I knew who were using opioids weren’t outliers. It turns out I didn’t know my towns as well as I thought I did.
| Morris County | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Suspected Overdose Deaths | 46 | 51 | 44 | 71 | N/A |
| Naloxone Administrations | N/A | N/A | 97 | 211 | 371 |
| Opioid Prescriptions Dispensed | 253,278 | 255,018 | 267,462 | 243,692 | 231,540 |
While we do not have the numbers for 2017 or 2018 my guess is that the number of overdose deaths most likely increased based on the trend from 2015 to 2016. When we look at the number of Naloxone Administrations (a drug that is administered to reverse the effects of overdoses) we see that the number of times it was administered grew roughly 400% from 2015 to 2017.
Clearly more people were overdosing. Luckily medical personnel, police, firefighters, and parents are receiving training to administer the Naloxone thus saving lives.
The from Morris County is not unique. Almost every county in New Jersey is seeing increases in overdose deaths. This is evident in the chart below.
The data above clearly illustrates that opioids can be very deadly. If you or a loved one are abusing opioids please do not wait to reach out for help. Read the other material on this blog and seek professional help.
Sources:
https://www.nj.com/politics/2018/07/as_opioid_deaths_rise_heres_how_one_nj_company_is.html
So My Child is Smoking Marijuana. Is It Harmful? At the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Morris County we work with a lot of high school students and young adults. Frequently parents contact us when their child is smoking marijuana and they are unsure of what to do. Commonly parents are fearful but […]
At the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Morris County we work with a lot of high school students and young adults. Frequently parents contact us when their child is smoking marijuana and they are unsure of what to do.
Commonly parents are fearful but rationalize the harmful effects by saying “I smoked weed as a teen and I turned out okay.” While this seems like a logical thought below we outline why it is not necessarily accurate. Now we realize that for many parents they experience this thought because they are full of worry about their child and they are trying to rationalize away the fears they have. Simply put marijuana today is different than in decades past.
Christian Hopfer, a professor of psychiatry from the University of Colorado’s medical campus set out to answer that exact question. During the course of his research he went around to different marijuana dispensaries to look study the potency of the marijuana.
Officials measure Marijuana’s by its tetrahydrocannabinol content (THC). This is the ingredient that causes the “high” feeling that smoking marijuana produces. The chart below shows the THC levels from 1983 up until 2010.
Between the 1960s and 1996 marijuana had about a 4% THC content. Then marijuana started to be engineered to be stronger and more potent. By 2011 it was up to 11%. Recently Christian Hopfer found in his visits to various dispensaries recently that the THC content was up to 25%.
The marijuana Christian found is 625% stronger than marijuana from the 1960s through 1996.
Simply put the marijuana today is not the marijuana that parents grew up smoking. Marijuana today is much stronger than the marijuana of years past. It only resembles marijuana in name and in form (and only sometimes).
Dabs, also known as butane hash oil (BHO), is a really potent form of marijuana that resembles honey. This concentrated form of marijuana has THC contents that range between 60-90%. Highly specialized dabs can have THC contents that approach 100%. With an average THC content of 80% dabs are 20 times stronger than the marijuana available when adults were teenagers.
Marijuana today hardly resembles marijuana from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Today weed is much stronger. Recent advancements in increasing the THC content have far eclipsed studies on the effects of today’s super strong marijuana. Researchers are still studying the long-term impacts of using such strong marijuana. If you or a loved one is struggling with marijuana please reach out to us at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute. We are happy to provide whatever assistance we can. For parents who have children that have been experimenting with marijuana please realize that this is not harmless behavior. Seek out further information and seek consultation with mental health professionals.
Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/24553-what-is-thc.html
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/04/29/not-your-fathers-cannabis/
http://www.cannabisrestorationandprotectionact.org/dab-vs-weed-how-strong-are-dabs-compared-to-weed/
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/dabbing-cannabis-oil-concentrates-dosage
Is Video Game Addiction Real? With the explosion in the popularity of Fortnite parents, educators, and community members are starting to look at the potential for video game addiction. Common questions parents are asking include “Is video game addiction real” and “Is my child addicted to video games?” As an expert on video game addiction […]
With the explosion in the popularity of Fortnite parents, educators, and community members are starting to look at the potential for video game addiction. Common questions parents are asking include “Is video game addiction real” and “Is my child addicted to video games?” As an expert on video game addiction I frequently encounter these questions. While I need to conduct an assessment to determine if an individual child is suffering from video game addiction, I can answer unequivocally that yes video game addiction is real. While we are just starting to have these conversations in the United States, Asian countries have been treating video game addiction as a public health crisis since 2003.
Recent studies have shown that up to 8.5% of U.S. youth are addicted to video games. I live and work in Florham Park which has a population of approximately 12,000 residents of which 15% are under the age of 18. Based on these statistics over 155 youth struggle with video game addiction in Florham Park alone. Expanding the scope to Morris County overall shows that up to 7,100 youth suffer from video game addiction.
This problem is very real and is affecting a large portion of our youth population. Florham Park, Madison, Chatham, East Hanover, Morristown, Summit, Short Hills, etc. are all family focused towns. These towns and other towns are unaware that video game addiction is a silent epidemic affecting huge numbers of our youth.
Below is a research chart that shows some troubling behaviors and consequences of youth and excessive video game play.
| Behavior | Percentage (%) of youth who report engaging in behavior |
| Play as a way of escaping from problems or feeling bad | 29% of boys
19% of girls |
| Have lied to family or friends about how much they play | 17% of boys
10% of girls |
| Sometimes skip homework to play video games | 29% of boys
15% of girls |
| Have done poorly on school assignment or test due to playing video games | 26% of boys
11% of girls |
| Sometimes skip household chores to play video games | 40% of boys
24% of girls |
Parents are typically angry when they realize that their children have lied to them or skipped chores to play video games. Anger is a normal response in these situations and is easily processed in therapy. Parents may have fear about what will happen if their child continues to perform poorly academically. Additionally parents hearts’ typically start to ache when they realize that such a large percentage of our kids are trying to escape problems or feeling bad.
Video game addiction is very real and is something that we need to start talking about. While it can be scary to realize that your child may be addicted to video games there is help for it. Once we admit that a problem exists we can start to work on addressing it. There is hope.
What Do I Do If I Am Concerned About A Loved One’s Video Game Usage?
If you are concerned about how much a loved one is playing video games or the impact it has you have several options. First you can read the other articles on this website about video game addiction. Second you can always contact us here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute.
Alcohol Use Among Teens At the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we see clients from Florham Park, Madison, Chatham, Morristown, Summit, and other surrounding towns. One of the most common inquiries we get is from parents after they catch their high school child with alcohol or their child gets into legal trouble. Other times […]
At the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we see clients from Florham Park, Madison, Chatham, Morristown, Summit, and other surrounding towns. One of the most common inquiries we get is from parents after they catch their high school child with alcohol or their child gets into legal trouble. Other times we get contacted by parents concerned about their children in college and their drinking.
Years ago alcohol abuse among teens and young adults was a major focus of governmental agencies, schools, and other organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. With the worsening of the opioid crisis the focus has shifted to trying to slow the rising opioid overdose death rates.
However alcohol continues to be the most used substance amongst teenagers. Boys usually take their first drink at age 11 and girls take their first drink at 13.
Millions of adolescents drink alcohol. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) conducts an annual survey called the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey. This survey tracks the use of alcohol and drugs among teens. The chart below shows alcohol use in the past year among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders.
Opioids are very serious and need to continue to remain in the spotlight. However as the chart above illustrates alcohol continues to be widely used among youth. The MTF study also found some other important statistics.
Ridgedale middle school is located in Florham Park and has approximately 340 students in grades 6-8. When graduation comes around in June just over 100 8th graders will move onto high school. The ceremony is on the front lawn of the school and many attended. Family and friends come out to celebrate the accomplishment and transition onto the next stage in life.
While this is a time of celebration I do feel a twinge of sadness as I look at the kids on the platform. I know statistically that among this group of very young adults that 8-10 of the 100 graduates have drank alcohol in the past month.
I find this so concerning because consuming alcohol is not a harmless activity. It can have tremendous negative consequences up to and including death. Right now parents and the country overall is hypersensitive to anything and everything to do with opioids. I applaud the efforts we are taking and hope to see them continue.
However please remember that alcohol use is much more prevalent and can have just as serious consequences.
First underage alcohol use is illegal. While here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we do not believe in telling parents how to raise their children we do seek to educate. We do not weigh in on the morality of drinking in the home with parents etc. However we do want parents to know that underage alcohol use is associated with adverse effects. A child’s brain is continues until they are in their 20’s. We are here to provide education, guidance, and assistance for those who have loved for whom alcohol is an issue. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol please call us to set up a consultation.
Sources:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/monitoring-future-survey-high-school-youth-trends
https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=alcohol-use-among-teens-is-epidemic-1-2443
