If you have relied on alcohol or drugs for any length of time to escape from reality or to relieve bad feelings, learning to live sober can be very challenging. The intense symptoms of withdrawal from substance use disorder are only the beginning. Although you may wish you could just get through detox and then live happily ever after, […]
When addiction runs in the family, you want to be proactive in talking with teens about drugs and what it means for them, but you may not know how to go about it. Today’s blog is a compilation of tips: the grandparent’s guide to talking with teens about drugs. In many families and cultures worldwide, grandparents
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It’s truly a beautiful feeling when we open ourselves up to vulnerability and change, but encouraging change in addiction treatment can be more difficult. It takes courage to actively choose and approach our goals, to seek and accept help for addiction and mental health struggles. But sometimes this isn’t our journey; sometimes we’re watching our
If any good thing has arisen from the collective trauma that we are all experiencing through the spread of COVID-19 and subsequent prevention methods, it is a spotlight on just how much we need each other especially when it comes to addiction treatment and beyond. Throughout the last six months, our ability to adapt to
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Looking ahead at recovery can be a mixed bag. On the one hand, you’re excited to get started on your new life post-treatment. On the other hand, you’re filled with doubt and uncertainty over just how all this is going to work. What should you do? Just plunge ahead and hope for the best? Don’t
People with a dual diagnosis suffer from both substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Mental health professionals and addiction specialists are well-aware that these individuals often have worse outcomes than those who only deal with one issue. A team of Norwegian and American researchers identified the factors that commonly
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Addiction impacts the entire family system. The addict typically experiences feelings of despair, hopelessness, guilt, shame, loneliness, and worthlessness. The family also experiences similar feelings. Families may have increased anxiety, loss of their own identity, diminished work functioning, isolation, and an overall decrease in life satisfaction. Working with families while patients are in treatment is
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Getting into treatment for addiction isn’t easy, but getting out can be even tougher. There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and each one presents challenges when your body and brain are aching for a fix.
Relationships are the lifeblood of recovery. Good ones can nourish your self-esteem and bolster your resolve in the darkest moments. But toxic relationships — the ones that bring you down even when you’re feeling your best —don’t just rub you the wrong way. They can put you at high risk of relapse.
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Carl is a soft-spoken screenwriter who grew up in an impoverished, alcoholic home. For most of his adult life, Carl has turned to alcohol to cope with grinding depression and a gnawing sense of not being good enough. One night after a weekend of drinking, Carl had a blackout. He awoke in his car with