Arnold M. Washton

Last updated
Dr.
Arnold M. Washton
NationalityAmerican
Alma materThe Graduate School, City University of NY (Ph.D.)
Occupation(s)Psychologist, Author, Researcher, Clinical Professor
Known forContributions to addiction psychology and the treatment of addictive disorders
Notable work"Treating Alcohol and Drug Problems in Psychotherapy Practice: Doing What Works"
Website https://recoveryoptions.us/

Arnold M. Washton is an American psychologist, author, researcher, and educator working in the field of addiction psychology since 1975. He has written several textbooks for graduate students and practitioners, self-help manuals published by the Hazelden Foundation, and over 30 articles in professional refereed journals. His work has influenced national policy and the development of best practices in addiction treatment. [1] He continues to provide professional training seminars approved by the American Psychological Association and sponsored by academic institutions, including the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Education

A native of New York City, born and raised in The Bronx, Washton began his education in psychology at New York University where he earned a B.A. degree in 1968, followed by an M.A. from Queens College of The City University of New York 1973 and a Ph.D. in psychology from The Graduate School of the City University of New York in 1978. [5]

Career

Starting in the early 1980s, he brought to public attention the emerging epidemic of cocaine use in the United States and spearheaded an effort to formally recognize cocaine “addiction” as a phenomenon worthy of medical classification. [6] [7] [8] This challenged the long-held but mistaken belief that cocaine was not truly “addictive” because abrupt discontinuation of cocaine use did not give rise to definitive withdrawal syndrome as is the case with heroin and other opioids. Washton’s work has also contributed to a greater understanding of the role of medication assisted treatment for addiction, including the clinical value of opioid antagonists such as naltrexone and naloxone. [9] [10] [11] Washton has developed specialized approaches for treating addiction in high-fuctioning individuals including corporate executives, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. [12] [13] He has promoted evidence-based treatment protocol for substance abuse, including marijuana abuse, [14] [15] [16] and has published on protocols for outpatient treatment of substance abuse. [17] [18]

He has been quoted in the press as a commentator on addiction issues, especially on topics related to challenges faced by professionals struggling with alcohol and other drug problems. [19] [20] [21]

Clinical work

In 1998, Washton founded Recovery Options, [22] a private practice in New York City. With his wife, Loraine Washton, he formed The Washton Group [23] in Princeton, NJ, offering a range of online telehealth addiction and mental health services. The Washton Group specializes in the treatment of executives, professionals, and their families. Treatment incorporates group and individual therapy to support diverse substance use goals, including abstinence, harm reduction, and alcohol moderation. In clinical practice, and in publications, he advances the thesis that "willpower" should not be viewed as a necessary and sufficient condition for recovery. [24] [25]

Academic positions

In addition to his clinical practice, Washton provides professional training and continuing education webinars approved by the American Psychological Association many of which are sponsored by Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. [3]

Public service and policy advocacy

Washton has served on the Substance Abuse Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Psychological Association and has provided expert testimony on drug abuse trends in America to both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. [5]

Publications

Washton has written ten textbooks published between 1987 and 2023, four monographs published by the Hazelden Foundation (Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation), [26] and over 30 articles in refereed journals, including early investigation of the efficacy of Naltrexone. [27] "Treating Alcohol and Drug Problems in Psychotherapy Practice: Doing What Works", co-authored with Joan Zweben, was published in 2006 and updated in 2023. [28] [29] [30]

Selected publications

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ Boundy, Donna (1985-11-17). "PROGRAM FOR COCAINE-ABUSE UNDER WAY". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  2. ↑ "Opioid Addiction and Its Treatment: What Every Psychotherapist Needs to Know". gsapp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  3. 1 2 "Prescription Opioid Use, Addiction, and Its Treatment: A Brief Digest for Psychologists_ | Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology". gsapp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  4. ↑ "Treating High-Functioning Problem Drinkers in Office-Based Psychotherapy Practice: A Clinician's Toolbox of Moderation, Harm Reduction, and Abstinence Strategies". gsapp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  5. 1 2 "Arnold M. Washton". Guilford Press. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  6. ↑ Washton, Arnold M; Gold, Mark S (October 1984). "Chronic Cocaine Abuse: Evidence for Adverse Effects on Health and Functioning". Psychiatric Annals. 14 (10): 733–743. doi:10.3928/0048-5713-19841001-09. ISSN   0048-5713.
  7. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Gold, Mark S., eds. (1987). Cocaine: a clinician's handbook. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN   978-0-89862-725-1.
  8. ↑ Hanbury, Raymond F. (1988). "Review of Cocaine: A clinician's handbook". Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2 (2): 97–100. doi:10.1037/h0084862. ISSN   1939-1501.
  9. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Resnick, Richard B. (1981-09-10). "Clonidine in Opiate Withdrawal: Review and Appraisal of Clinical Findings". Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. 1 (2): 140–146. doi:10.1002/j.1875-9114.1981.tb03561.x. ISSN   0277-0008. PMID   6765486.
  10. ↑ Gold, Mark S.; Dackis, Charles A.; Washton, Arnold M. (1984-04-27). "The Sequential Use of Clonidine and Naltrexone in the Treatment of Opiate Addicts". Advances in Alcohol & Substance Abuse. 3 (3): 19–39. doi:10.1300/J251v03n03_03. ISSN   0270-3106. PMID   6388273.
  11. ↑ Resnick, Richard B.; Schuyten-Resnick, Elaine; Washton, Arnold M. (1979-03-01). "Narcotic antagonists in the treatment of opioid dependence: Review and commentary". Comprehensive Psychiatry. 20 (2): 116–125. doi:10.1016/0010-440X(79)90042-7. ISSN   0010-440X. PMID   421447.
  12. ↑ Washton, Arnold M (1984). Stimmel, Barry (ed.). Alcohol and drug abuse in the affluent. New York: Haworth. pp. 89–96. ISBN   978-0-86656-332-1.
  13. ↑ Washton 2, Arnold M 2 (1984). "Upper-income cocaine abusers". Advances in Alcohol & Substance Abuse. 4 (2): 51–57. doi:10.1300/J251v04n02_05. PMID   6524506 – via Taylor & Francis.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Gold, Mark S; Washton, Arnold M; Dackis, Charles A; Chatlos, J Calvin (April 1986). "New Treatments for Opiate and Cocaine Users: But What About Marijuana?". Psychiatric Annals. 16 (4): 206–214. doi:10.3928/0048-5713-19860401-06. ISSN   0048-5713.
  15. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Stone-Washton, Nannette (April 1990). "Abstinence and Relapse in Outpatient Cocaine Patients". Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 22 (2): 135–147. doi:10.1080/02791072.1990.10472539. ISSN   0279-1072. PMID   2197390.
  16. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Gold, Mark S.; Pottash, A. Carter (April 1985). "Opiate and cocaine dependencies: Techniques to help counter the rising tide". Postgraduate Medicine. 77 (5): 293–300. doi:10.1080/00325481.1985.11698968. ISSN   0032-5481. PMID   3983028.
  17. ↑ Washton, Tatarsky, Arnold M, Andrwer (2013-10-28). Wallace, Barbara C. (ed.). Chemically Dependent (0 ed.). Routledge. pp. 28–38. doi:10.4324/9780203727430. ISBN   978-1-135-82276-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Stone-Washton, Nannette (January 1990). "Outpatient Treatment of Cocaine Addiction: Suggestions to Increase Its Effectiveness". International Journal of the Addictions. 25 (sup12): 1421–1429. doi:10.3109/10826089009088553. ISSN   0020-773X. PMID   1966835.
  19. ↑ PhD, Alice G. Walton. "How Highly Successful People Deal With Depression". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  20. ↑ PhD, Alice G. Walton. "Why The Super-Successful Get Depressed". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  21. ↑ "Mindful Moderate Drinking-- How to Drink Less, Enjoy it More, and Reduce the Risks". HuffPost. 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  22. ↑ "Addiction Psychologists". Recovery Options. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  23. ↑ "The Washton Group". The Washton Group. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  24. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Boundy, Donna (1990). Willpower's not enough: understanding and recovering from addictions of every kind (First HarperPerennial ed.). New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks. ISBN   978-0-06-091969-6.
  25. ↑ Gilbride, Thomas V.; Malow, Robert M. (1990). "Review of Willpower's not enough: Understanding and recovering from addictions of every kind". Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 4 (2): 118–119. doi:10.1037/h0084882. ISSN   1939-1501.
  26. ↑ "Hazelden Store: Arnold M. Washton, Ph.D." www.hazelden.org. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  27. ↑ Resnick, Richard; Aronoff, Michael; Lonborg, Greta; Kestenbaum, Richard; Kauders, Frank; Washton, Arnold; Hough, Gordon (1976). Clinical Efficacy of Naltrexone: A One Year Follow Up: (497452006-021) (Report). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/e497452006-021.
  28. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Zweben, Joan E. (2006). Treating alcohol and drug problems in psychotherapy practice: doing what works. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN   978-1-57230-077-4.
  29. ↑ PATON, A. (2006-12-15). "Treating Alcohol and Drug Problems in Psychotherapy Practice. By Arnold M. Washton and Joane Zweben. Guilford Press, NY. 2006, 312pp., 25. ISBN: 9781572300774". Alcohol and Alcoholism. 42 (2): 161. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl108. ISSN   0735-0414.
  30. ↑ Washton, Arnold M.; Zweben, Joan E. (2023). Treating alcohol and drug problems in psychotherapy practice: doing what works (Second ed.). New York: The Guilford Press. ISBN   978-1-4625-5092-0.
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