January 20. 2012 | Rob Doyle
Have you ever heard of a High-Risk Drinking Calendar? Harvard University’s Office of Alcohol & Other Drug Services publishes one annually. This is not one of those calendars with picturesque landscapes that reflect each season, nor does each month feature a different impressionistic painting. Instead, it is simple one page calendar with certain dates printed in red, amber, or green. Red dates rate the highest risk for drinking at Harvard. For example, January 28th is a red date…
January 20. 2012 | Rob Doyle
Mention date rape drugs and most people imagine a sleazy guy slipping an exotic chemical into woman’s drink so that he can take advantage of her sexually. In reality, the alcohol is the most common date rape drug, and has been for centuries. Research tells us that alcohol is involved in most cases of sexual assault. The victim, the perpetrator, or both individuals will likely be under the influence of alcohol around the time of a sexual assault. Several factors enter into this…
January 20. 2012 | Rob Doyle
For years, I spent most of my time doing clinical trials. This work relied on very accurately diagnosing the individuals who would participate in the studies of various psychiatric medications. I took this work very seriously, because the results of these studies would often determine whether a new drug would make it to market or not. My colleagues and I went to great lengths to make sure every patient met the full criteria of the disorder being studied. If the candidate for a study…
