The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Mitigating March Madness

by Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling March Madness has developed into a national conversational event rivaling the Superbowl in intensity and interest. The knockout format and diversity of teams provide hardcore boosters and casual fans alike with myriad story lines and potential betting scenarios—in fact there are over nine quintillion possible NCAA brackets. President Obama has filled out his picks live on TV. We believe it is time to help balance the conversation and make sure that the public understands that some who bet will develop problems and that these problems are serious but treatable. As... Read more →

Introduction to Special Series on Addiction within Relationships

This month, to mark Valentine's Day, The BASIS focuses on the many complicated ways in which addiction impacts, and is impacted by, relationships with loved ones. Earlier in the month, The WAGER began this series by describing a study that investigated the link between problem gambling and family violence. The DRAM continued our focus by exploring problem drinking within marriage and divorce. Last week's ASHES shows us that partner supportiveness plays an important role in the decision to quit smoking. Finally, today's STASH wraps up this series by describing a study of the connections among sexting, substance use, and sexual... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 10(3) - FYEO: Relationships between sexting, substance use, and risky sexual behavior

Although concerns about alcohol and drug misuse among youth are longstanding, concerns about cell phone misuse are more recent. For example, worries about “sexting” are popular (e.g., Husdon, 2014). Sexting refers to sending sexual content via text messages. Both substance misuse and sexting have the potential for harmful consequences. This week, STASH considers the relationships between youths’ “sexting” behaviors and other risky activities (Benotsch et al., 2013). This article is part of our Special Series on Addiction within Relationships. Method Participants included undergraduates aged 18-25 who were enrolled in psychological classes and participated in research studies for course credit. The... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 10(2) - You think I can, I think I can, I think I can: Partner supportiveness and smoking cessation

Most married couples share smoking status – they either both smoke or both abstain. But in some marital relationships, one partner tries to quit but the other does not. In these relationships, research shows that smoking cessation is particularly difficult and relapses are common (Homish & Leonard, 2005). One factor that has the potential improve these odds is partner support for quitting. However, research in this area is mixed (see Collins, Emont, & Zywiak, 1990), and no research has examined the role of more general spousal support on smoking behavior and cessation across time. In this third installment of our... Read more →

Helping Families with Addiction

Note: This contribution from Dr. Howard Shaffer is part of our month-long Special Series on Addiction within Relationships. Since I began working with addictive behaviors almost four decades ago, the question people ask me most often concerns the drug and/or alcohol use of a loved one. Some of the worried relatives ask what they can do to stop another family member from drinking, gambling or using drugs. Often they want to stop a relative from doing some combination of these activities. Others want to share the hopelessness and despair they experience when a family member acts out of control. These... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 10(2) - When it comes to problem drinking, there are limits on the “marriage advantage”

In 1958, British epidemiologist William Farr concluded, on the basis of groundbreaking research with married and non-married people, that “Marriage is a healthy estate…. The single individual is more likely to be wrecked on his voyage than the lives joined together in matrimony.” More recent research confirms the idea that marriage confers an advantage for one’s health (Schoenborn, 2004). However, when one spouse drinks heavily, it creates strain for the entire family and puts the other spouse at risk for problem drinking. In these cases, divorce might actually have some positive health consequences. Today, as part of our Special Series... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 19(2) - Violent tilt: Gambling and family violence

Problem gambling can lead to financial hardship and stress, affecting interpersonal relationships, job performance, and family dynamics. This means that problem gambling not only affects the gambler, but also family members, co-workers, and friends. This week’s WAGER looks at the association between problem gambling and family violence (Suomi et al., 2013), as part of our Special Series on Addiction within Relationships. Methods The researchers surveyed 1,030 consecutively admitted clients at 11 treatment agencies across three provinces in Australia. Clients were seeking gambling-specific counseling or family counseling/family violence services. To screen the clients for problem gambling within the family, staff members... Read more →