The Coleman Institute Blog

“If we keep doing what we're doing, we're going to keep getting what we're getting.” — Stephen Covey

It is a pure joy to be in the profession of addiction medicine. Every day brings opportunities to learn, challenges to unravel, and patients who inspire our staff, validating the years of collective experience the Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine brings to the table.

It’s the middle of January and I have already slipped!

Well, this is why New Year’s resolutions don’t have a great track record of success. As a matter of fact, according to US World and News reports, 80% have succumbed by the first week in February. And the overall success rate is less than 8%. Not very good odds.

When a child is caught up in all the problems that go along with a substance use disorder (heroin, fentanyl, Percocet®, Roxicet®, Vicodin®, hydrocodone, Vicoprofen®, or alcohol, just to name a few), many parents put their own well being on hold.

The 4th and final law in James Clear’s Atomic Habits refers to the final part of the habit loop, the reward. In order for a new habit to form and be sustained, any reward must be satisfying.

If you think tramadol is a benign drug, think again.

This past spring we met Frank, a middle-aged man from the southwest who was using large amounts of tramadol daily, originally for back pain. His doctor prescribed a certain amount, the rest he purchased online.

He educated himself enough to recognize he had developed quite a tolerance to the tramadol, and although he was able to wean himself down to a slightly lower dose, the side effects of withdrawal prompted him to seek help.