How to Have a Sober St. Patrick’s DayRecoveryBy The RanchMarch 11, 2015St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to be a holiday to celebrate the saint who, they say, drove the snakes from Ireland. It has long been a day of particularly rowdy celebration because the saint’s day is a break in the middle of Lenten fasting, a day when Irish Catholics are allowed to cut loose during… Details
Gambling Addicts Motivated by Big Financial RewardsArticles>Addiction ResearchBy The RanchMarch 8, 2015People diagnosed with gambling disorder are much more likely to prefer gambling situations that provide large financial rewards in return for a heightened level of risk, a new study has found.
5 Surprising Ways Drugs Can Affect Your HealthArticles>Drug Addiction, Helpful ArticlesBy The RanchMarch 7, 2015Illegal drugs can cause a variety of health problems. So can prescription drugs when they’re misused. Many of these problems are widely known, such as loss of short-term memory associated with marijuana, tooth damage from methamphetamine, and anxiety linked to cocaine. But these drugs can also have serious — even fatal — consequences that might… Details
Quitting Smoking Boon to People in Alcohol TreatmentArticles>Addiction ResearchBy The RanchMarch 6, 2015Many alcohol treatment programs avoid addressing smoking-related issues for fear of interrupting their primary treatment goals. But in a study published in September 2014 in the journal Psychological Medicine, researchers from three American universities looked at the impact that smoking cessation has on the course of alcohol treatment and found that smoking cessation can cut… Details
What Are the Treatments for Sex Addiction?Articles>Early RecoveryBy The RanchMarch 5, 2015Sex addiction is one of several possible terms used to describe patterns of sexual conduct, sexual thought and/or sexual fantasy that seriously impair a person’s ability to maintain a sense of well-being or to follow a stable daily routine. In the U.S., there is no standard definition for this form of behavioral addiction, and the… Details
Female Veterans Face Much High Mental Health Risks During PregnancyArticles>Trauma and PTSDBy The RanchMarch 3, 2015Doctors and researchers know that women face a range of mental health challenges during pregnancy, but new research concludes that prior military service ups that risk significantly.
You Have a Family History of Addiction, Now What?Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchMarch 3, 2015Addiction is a complicated disease. It has genetic components, but having a gene or a set of genes for addiction does not mean you will become an addict. It isn’t a death sentence or even a life sentence for that matter. But it is scary. Whether you just found out the truth about those skeletons… Details
Domestic Abuse Sparks Highly Damaging Changes in Mental Health of Older WomenArticles>Trauma and PTSDBy The RanchFebruary 28, 2015Researchers from the United Kingdom’s Queen’s University Belfast examined the impact that long-term exposure to intimate partner violence has on the mental health of older women and concluded that affected older women have increased risks for depression as well as increased risks for certain other forms of mental illness.
Getting Past the Loss of a SponsorRecoveryBy The RanchFebruary 28, 2015For many alcoholics and addicts in recovery, a sponsor is a lifeline to sanity and sobriety. Whether you are feeling sad, angry, elated or on edge, the first person you typically call is your sponsor. A sponsor is probably your most trusted friend in sobriety. The relationship between you and your sponsor can be a… Details
Self-Compassion Can Ease Shame Associated With Sex AddictionArticles>Sex AddictionBy The RanchFebruary 26, 2015A self-compassionate attitude can help offset the influence of shame and rumination that often plague recovering sex addicts, a new study finds.
