Going cold turkey!: An autoethnographic exploration of digital disengagement

As the dust of society-wide digitalisation settles, the search for meaningful technological encounters is becoming more urgent. While the Nordic countries embrace digitalisation, recent concerns regarding technology overuse have been gaining increased attention. This tendency is exemplified in practices of limiting digital use, called digital disengagement – an apparent paradox in Nordic societies where digital is the dominant paradigm. In this article, we explore the emergence of disconnection-centred devices called “dumbphones”, which cater to individuals wishing to escape hyperconnected lifestyles. Drawing on a new materialist perspective, we present a content analysis of dumbphones’ advertising material, followed by a collaborative autoethnographic study in which we replace our smartphones with dumbphones. We critically weigh the promises of the dumbphones against the actual experience of digital disengagement in Sweden. Our findings illustrate a struggle with digital technologies, even despite their absence, due to emerging workarounds and societal expectations of use.

Factors associated with tobacco cessation attempts among inpatients in a psychiatric hospital

IntroductionSeveral effective evidence-based tobacco treatment approaches can optimize cessation attempts; however, little is known about the utilization of such strategies by people with mental illnesses (MI) during their cessation attempts.AimsTo examine methods used during and factors associated with tobacco cessation attempts among people with MI.MethodsSelf-administered cross-sectional survey data were obtained from 132 tobacco using inpatients from a psychiatric facility in Kentucky, USA.ResultsOur study found ‘cold turkey’ as the most reported method by inpatient tobacco users with MI in their prior cessation attempts regardless of the psychiatric diagnosis category. Multivariate logistic regression found ethnicity (OR 26.1; 95% CI 2.9–237.1), age at 1st smoke (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0–1.1), importance to quit (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.0–1.4), and receipt of brief tobacco treatment interventions (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0–1.3) significantly associated with quit attempt in the past year.ConclusionDespite the existence of various evidence-based approaches to enhance tobacco cessation among people with MI, ‘cold-turkey’ was the most preferred method in this sample. In addition, this study highlighted ethnicity, importance to quit, age at 1st smoke, and receipt of brief interventions as important factors to consider when tailoring tobacco cessation in this population. Though ethnicity is a non-modifiable factor, an informed provider may intervene skillfully by addressing socio-cultural barriers specific to an ethnic group. Lower ratings on the motivation ruler and early age of smoking initiation could also inform providers when using motivational interviewing and other evidence-based tobacco-cessation approaches.

An Old Spanish Custom

Deirdre and Helene spend their last Christmas together at the Hollywood Hotel. Shortly thereafter, Helene commits herself to Patton State Hospital for treatment of her drug addiction. Her doctor pulls her off of all medications cold turkey, and the trauma of withdrawal kills her two days later. Just twelve people attend Helene’s funeral.

Efficacy of Vaping as a Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking Cessation Among Adults: A Review of the Literature

Evidence shows that successful treatment of nicotine addiction improves mortality, despite age at cessation. The extreme hazards of smoking stress the importance of patient-physician discussion that is a significant factor in tobacco cessation. Discussion alone and other methods such as “cold turkey” have proven to have low efficacy at cessation which has led to the development nicotine replacement therapy to help augment cessation.

We Can't Go Cold Turkey: Why Suppressing Drug Markets Endangers Society

This essay argues that policies aimed at suppressing drug use exacerbate the nation's opioid problem. It neither endorses drug use nor advocates legalizing the consumption and sale of all substances in all circumstances. Instead, it contends that trying to suppress drug markets is the wrong goal, and in the midst of an addiction crisis it can be deadly. There is no single, correct drug policy; the right approach depends crucially on the substance at issue, the patterns of use and supply, and the jurisdiction's culture, institutions, and material resources. Decriminalization is no panacea for a nation's drug problems. Nevertheless, either de jure or de facto decriminalization of personal drug possession is a necessary condition for mitigating this crisis.