News & Announcements

(Toronto, ON- September 15, 2009) Addiction rates in Canada are on the rise, led by new and emerging addictions in the areas of sex and the Internet which are becoming intrinsically intertwined. The accessibility and convenience of the Internet has made it the "supplier" for those struggling with sexual addiction , problem gambling , and gaming, to name a few. While the Internet is playing a pivotal role in changing the face of addictions in Canada, the prevalence of drug and alcohol addiction continues to be as high, or even higher, than ever before. Substance abuse in Canada grips millions of individuals and their families, and puts workplaces and society at risk. In the end, substance abuse costs Canada $40 billion per year, yet most Canadians struggling with an addiction do not receive the help they need.

Misty Harris, Canwest News Service

Published: Tuesday September 22, 2009

Grandma collected one too many cookie jars? She may need rehab.

Chronic dependence on things such as hoarding, shopping, playing video games and even using Twitter is being treated in Betty Ford-style clinics across North America, despite the fact not one of these so-called "new addictions" is officially recognized as a disorder - at least, not yet.

On Oct. 1 and 2, mental health experts will gather at the Ontario Science Centre for one of the widest-ranging addictions symposiums ever held in Canada - an event that will see the proposal of clinical criteria defining where normal indulgence ends and disordered behaviour begins.

There's a fine balance between drinking to gain an edge at work, and problem drinking, Sharon Kirkey reports in the third of a five-part series on Canadians' drinking habits.

One in every 25 deaths worldwide can be linked to diseases or injuries related to alcohol consumption, concludes a Canadian-led study, which equates the libation's burden of harm to that of smoking almost a decade ago.