Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Addiction and Recovery Articles
Candace Plattor is The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Addiction and Recovery". You can find complete information on Candace Plattor and her products by visiting Candace Plattor.
SelfGrowth.com Recommended Articles:
Coming Out of Our Comfort Zones: Recovery From Addiction - by Candace Plattor- ***How Much Alcohol Is Too Much? The Facts Might Surprise You - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2011 from Dr. Neill NeillJackie asked me how many drinks could her husband have in a day before she should worry. She says he drinks three or four beers in the evening on work nights and a lot more on weekends when he doesn't have to go to work the next day. She thinks he may be a functioning alcoholic. Kevin worries ...
Views: 2339(3 votes) - Are You Afraid to Get Well? - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2003 from Susan PeabodyI believe that to get well we have to face our fear. In 1982, when a friend suggested I go to a 12-Step program, I blurted out, “I can’t, I’m afraid they might cure me.” Little did I realize what I was saying about myself. It was years before I was able to face the fear I expressed to my ...
Views: 2338(2 votes) - The Role of Group Therapy in Primary Addiction Rehabilitation - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2009 from John DerryGroup therapy is complementary to, but distinct from participation in Twelve Step groups. Through the group process, growth is facilitated, isolation is reduced, and the concept of sobriety as an interpersonal experience is fostered. Indeed, group therapy is frequently considered the treatment ...
Views: 2338(2 votes) - The Rising Trouble of Meth Addiction Among Teens - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2011 from Dr. Mark AgrestiHow much do your youngsters know about the risks of Meth dependency? Don't you suspect that your teenagers or their close friends might be addicted to Meth? Meth is one of the most addictive banned substances currently available. Sad to say Meth addiction has been becoming increasingly ...
Views: 2335(1 vote) - How Can I Get Rid of My Fears and Doubts - by Submitted on Aug 12, 2010 from John GilmoreIt's easy to have doubts about almost everything nowadays. When we look at the morale of the world in which we live, the economy, the finances, and the functionality of governments we see a picture—a very clear picture, of a bombed out city. How can you stay positive in such a world? There ...
Views: 2331 - Live with an alcoholic – you need to take time out for you. - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2011 from John McMahonPeople who live with an alcoholic have a tendency to spend a considerable amount (if not all) of their time trying to manage the alcoholic. They are trying to anticipate whether he will drink, when, how much and what the outcome will be. Or if he has already started drinking then they are ...
Views: 2320 - The Hard Facts on Drugs - Oxycodone - by Submitted on May 03, 2009 from SelfGrowth.com ArticlesThis particular drug has had devastating effects on people’s lives, causing deadly addictions, and very severe physical dependencies to it. Developing an addiction from this drug can happen in many different ways: Doctor prescription for long-term pain management Doctor ...
Views: 2316 - Drug Alcohol Intervention - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2010 from Robert And Shelley JakobsenTreatment works. However, getting the individual to treatment is easier said than done. The exact nature of their problem may not be readily identifiable and those who could help are too close to the problem to be helpful. Family members, corporate colleagues and most clergy are not in the ...
Views: 2313(1 vote) - Male Eating Disorders made Public - by Submitted on May 21, 2013 from Rebecca CooperRecently, People Magazine came out with an article about Ashley Hamilton talking openly about his struggles with an eating disorder. I applaud Ashley for coming out about having an eating disorder. The shame, guilt and misunderstanding of eating disorders makes it hard for anyone to come forward ...
Views: 2309(1 vote) - Common Sense Tools for the Friend of Someone Who is Brainwashed! - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2017 from Dr. Anne BrownMost of us know or have known someone we care about who has come under the influence of a perpetrator using him/her for self-serving purposes. Very smart, educated, healthy people can, for some unknown, reason come under the spell of opportunistic, toxic, and insecure people. It is very ...
Views: 2304 - How Can You Help Employees To Quit-Gambling Effectively? - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2008 from Shawn JordanIt is common practice for companies to offer support for employees being distracted by substance addictions, such as alcohol abuse and smoking too much, but little exists for a problem that is often difficult to notice – and treat effectively - a gambling addiction. It is not uncommon for ...
Views: 2303 - How Alcohol Addiction Affects a Family - by Submitted on Feb 06, 2013 from Gareth CarterIs someone in your family addicted to alcohol? If that’s the case, then it’s important to know the damage it can cause if no immediate action is taken. Alcohol addiction is often called a ‘family disease’ as the harmful effects of it do not only affect the alcoholic, but also the people ...
Views: 2301(2 votes) - Signs Of Alcohol Abuse: When Use Becomes abuse. - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2011 from Charles SomerMany people often wonder what alcohol abuse is and what the signs of alcohol abuse are? While most people will find that they do drink a single drink every night, they will assume that this doesn't constitute abuse in any form. The truth of the matter is that there are different levels when it ...
Views: 2301(2 votes) - Addiction As Disease Does Not Equal "Get Out of Jail Free" - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2009 from Peggy FergusonSometimes family members have a hard time with the idea that addiction is a disease. When this is the case, it often has to do with the issue of responsibility. Sometimes family members believe that "disease" is equated with a "get out of jail free card" or not being held responsible. This is ...
Views: 2297(2 votes) - Are Smart Phones Fueling Addiction? - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2017 from Narendra SharmaSmartphones are growing increasingly popular over the years., and they don’t look like they’re going away any time soon. Although this has been a blessing in many ways, it’s also caused some social issues that need to be addressed. One of those issues is the connection between smartphone usage ...
Views: 2286 - Drug Addict - 7 Years Notice? - by Submitted on Sep 30, 2011 from Ray BakerI guess we all have tales of strange things that have happened to us in our lives and what follows is just one of the odd things from my life. In the summer of 1992, I received a phone call (out of the blue) from an Immigration Officer based in London. At first I thought he had contacted the ...
Views: 2286 - 10 Tips to Stay Sober http://www.addictsfriend.com - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2011 from Addict's Friend10 Tips to Stay Sober 1. GET HELP! How many times have you said " I'm done, I'm never using again, I mean it this time, No more, It's not worth it" etc.. etc.. and when you said it u REALLY meant it? Your not the only one! We all do it; including me! Even with the best intentions I ...
Views: 2285(2 votes) - From addiction towards healing - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2009 from Roger FontaineWhat are the steps to take to go from addiction towards wellness? This is the question which this article addresses as I outline the steps which my personal recovery took and which has been truly a miracle in my life and in the effects on those which I affect daily, mostly including my wife and ...
Views: 2279(4 votes) - The Impact of Your All or Nothing Thinking on Self-Esteem and Weight Loss - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2013 from Michelle MorandThis article will help you to understand a very important piece of what stops you from achieving your goals with food and weight loss and provides you with some specific examples of what to do to change that once and for all. As I enjoy the peace, the safety, the trust and confidence I feel ...
Views: 2278(3 votes) - Freedom From Self-Defeating Behavior (an excerpt from "Beyond Dependency" an e-book - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2004 from Guy FinleyAn angel has two wings. On each of these wings is written one of these two words: YES and NO. As we are about to learn, these two simple words represent special principles that are the wings of spiritual freedom. For instance, we must learn to say YES to self-study, prayer, meditation and ...
Views: 2277(1 vote) - ***Change Your Life Whether You're a Functioning Alcoholic or an Overworked Mom - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2011 from Dr. Neill NeillWill You Use this Key Step to Change your Life? Commitment is one key to losing weight, getting in shape, learning a new skill, finding your soul mate, getting a better job, learning a new language, running a marathon, going back to school, drinking less, spending time with your kids or ...
Views: 2274(12 votes) - Eating Disorders, Addictions, and Alternatives to Traditional Therapies - by Submitted on May 31, 2013 from Marty LernerRather than a specific therapy, there is a philosophy that appears to hold the key to binding all this treatment and recovery stuff together, Interestingly enough, an anthropologist named David Reynolds introduced me to this “philosophy” several years ago. Dr. Reynolds, who last I heard lives in ...
Views: 2269(2 votes) - GOALS and SELF-ESTEEM - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2009 from Keith BrayGoals and Self-Esteem In my own funny way, I have always had goals. For a long period of time, my self-esteem was low. Safe to say, I was not a fan of me from the inside out. The process of "life recovery", as I have experienced, is a process that is from the inside out. To quote an old ...
Views: 2269(3 votes) - 40 Years of Being a Smoker, I Amazed Myself and Stopped in One Day - by Submitted on Apr 25, 2010 from David FordGoing back six years or so, I was smoking two or more packets of cigarettes a day, and on stress days probably more,and had done so for well over thirty years, so I decided to switch to hand rolled ones. My decision used the logic that by not getting all those nasty chemicals and additives ...
Views: 2267(2 votes) - Sex Addicts: Why Can't They Stop? - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2013 from Dorothy HaydenMost addicts would stop if they could. It’s been said that of all the addictions, sex is the most difficult to manage. This syndrome is a complex mixture of biological, psychological, cultural, and family-of-origin issues, the combination of which creates impulses and urges that are virtually ...
Views: 2266 - ***The Support Group Groupie - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2011 from Dr. Neill NeillMutual support can be a double-edged sword. Joining a support group can lead to renewal, likening it to pressing the REFRESH button on life. However, a support group can also keep you stuck pressing the REPLAY button and hearing the same thing over and over. The picture of your life can get out ...
Views: 2264(2 votes) - Making Sobriety Permanent - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2007 from Scott WisenbakerWith the very best of intentions three men leave treatment honestly believing that relapse is not possible after all that they have seen and learned. The first man returned to his upper middle class home, to his wife and lucrative career. On top of the world the man dismisses any need of ...
Views: 2263 - The Naked Truth About Sexual Addiction - by Submitted on May 08, 2009 from Peggy FergusonThere is nothing sexy about sex addiction. Compulsive sexual behavior is not a pastime or hobby. Sexually addicted people use all kinds of excuses and defense mechanisms to deny the truth to themselves. The naked truth about addiction is that once it is addiction, the addict is spiritually and ...
Views: 2260 - America's New Drug Problem: 'Snorting Bath Salts' - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2011 from William (Bill) JensenAmerica’s New Drug Problem: Snorting ‘Bath Salts’ I saw this headline on Foxnews.com this morning (01/24/2011) and thought the same as many of you probably did: “What will they think of next?” As the article states: “….these are not your average bath salts that you pour into the bathtub to ...
Views: 2257(2 votes) - Autonomy and 12-Step Therapy: Can They Co-Exist? - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2012 from Andre PelserAutonomy is a fundamental ethical right that allows mental health and substance abuse clients to make informed decisions about the course of their treatment. Legally speaking, autonomy is a liberty interest that is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. Ethically speaking, autonomy underscores a ...
Views: 2254(2 votes) - Basics of Eating Disorder Recovery - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2011 from Marty LernerThere are a few “implied” assumptions I have regarding the basic building blocks to recovering from any addiction – of which I consider most eating disorders to be. Let me be candid and put out there one of the most important assumptions I have – recovering from an eating disorder begins with a ...
Views: 2252(2 votes) - The Danger of Diesel Heroin - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2014 from Lara SchusterIt is known as Diesel, Red Rock, Smack, Horse, Black Tar, White Junk, Salt and Brown Sugar, but by any other name, it is still heroin. According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, nearly 3.8 million people in the U.S. struggle with heroin addiction. Life and Health of an Addict Life ...
Views: 2249 - How A Life Coach Can Help With Chocolate Addiction - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2009 from Amanda MillerIn my first session with a client we explored what made her realise that her chocolate consumption had become a problem, and the trigger for her to seek help from a Life Coach rather than her Doctor or a nutritionist. She had said that she eats when she feels depressed, she feels unattractive ...
Views: 2246(3 votes) - Addicts - Change Your Attitude – Change Your Life - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2009 from Kathy WilliamsonWhat type of person grabs your attention and motivates you? Usually it’s a person who is very passionate about what he or she is doing. She’s on fire and her excitement floods the room she is in. When she talks something inside you gets stirred - the desire also to be passionate about something. ...
Views: 2244 - Opioid Dependence and Withdrawal - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2011 from Jeffrey StuckertA person is said to have physical opioid dependence if they have high 'tolerance' of opioids, meaning they need more of the opioid to get the desired effect. Opioid withdrawal symptoms occur when the substance is stopped. Most patients who seek treatment for opioid addiction also have some ...
Views: 2243(2 votes) - Typical Kinds Of Love Addicts - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2012 from Susan PeabodyIn the last decade, a lot has changed in the world of love addiction. Not that love addiction itself has changed. It is pretty much the same insidious disorder it always has been. What has changed is how the world looks at it. Twenty years ago, our understanding of love addiction was still ...
Views: 2239 - 4 Proven Resources for Breaking a Substance Addiction - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2015 from Anica OaksAccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug abuse rates declined by almost eight percent from 2002 to 2013. However, there is still a large treatment gap, which results in over 20 million Americans failing to receive needed substance abuse help. Below introduces four excellent ...
Views: 2237 - A.A. - How to Study, Understand & Take the 12 Steps - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2011 from Richard Burns, J.D. (pen name Dick B.),A.A.: How to Study, Understand, & Take the 12 Steps by Dick B. © 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Bible; Dr. William D. Silkworth (“The little doctor who loved drunks”); William James (The Varieties of Religious Experience); Anne Smith (and her personal ...
Views: 2237(2 votes) - Alcohol Awareness Classes Can Help Free You From Addiction - by Submitted on Aug 12, 2011 from Mike MillerWhat is great about being American? What do we have that people all over the world, including here in the good old USA cherish? In one word, the answer is freedom! As a counselor for both in class and online alcohol awareness classes I often discuss this concept with my students. Of course, ...
Views: 2236(2 votes) - ***Alcohol Addiction Treatment: From Twelve Steps to One Step - by Submitted on Mar 17, 2011 from Dr. Neill NeillIn the 1950s and 60s most adults in North America smoked cigarettes or other tobacco products. We thought nothing of it. However, increasing research evidence of tobacco health risks began to overpower the tobacco industry’s portrayal of smoking as safe and cool. As the evidence mounted, ...
Views: 2235(4 votes) - Caution! 37 Things Your Sex Addict Tells Your Real Self - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2013 from Dorothy HaydenThe True Self is capable of objectively observing the Sex Addict Self because it's not obsessively preoccupied with getting it's neurotic needs met. Psychoanalysts call this the “observing ego” and it is considered a sign of maturity. Proponents of Eastern spirituality call the True Self “The ...
Views: 2235 - The Complexity of Sex Addiction - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2013 from Dorothy HaydenAddiction to sexual behavior is a complex disorder that incorporates many aspects of your personality, bio-chemistry, socio-cultural environment, family-of-origin issues, thinking/feeling processes, self-esteem, and quality of relations with others. I see sex addiction as a prism; depending on ...
Views: 2233 - The Motivation to Change is Inside You: MET Therapy and How it Works - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2015 from Sarah Ann NiemannGrowing up you were probably told "you can do anything you want to do, as long as you set your mind on it," and as a kid you probably believed it, but being an adult is hard and you lose sight of that mantra, which was drilled into your head. Motivational Enhancement Therapy is there to ...
Views: 2233(2 votes) - Art Therapy And Addiction Treatment - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2010 from Benjamin MorelSince the surrealists developed automatic writing as a method of expression, art has explored the subconscious and the ways in which we can express our subconscious. Just as they struggled to express their thoughts and ideas in media other than words, it can be difficult for someone going ...
Views: 2232 - How Discipline Gave Me Freedom - by Submitted on Jul 19, 2012 from Debbi DickinsonDiscipline was one of those words I truly disliked for a long time. Growing up I associated discipline with negative words like detention or being grounded. As I became an adult, the word started changing meaning into being rigid, inflexible and most importantly boring. The last thing I ...
Views: 2232 - Prescription Drug Risks - by Submitted on Dec 11, 2008 from William BerryRecently we have had several clients present for psychotherapy treatment who are court stipulated to a drug program because of drug charges. Of course this is no surprise. But what is surprising is the level of charges and the clients we are seeing. For example, one of our clients could be ...
Views: 2228 - The Chicken or the Egg?: Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Abuse - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2009 from Sara SmoleyBen is now 25 years old and began smoking marijuana occasionally when he was 21 years old. Ben increased his marijuana usage when he was approximately 22 years old and graduated college. It was also around this time that he began to experience some depression and occasionally use cocaine. His ...
Views: 2228 - Gambling Addiction: 7 Days To Stop Your Gambling - by Submitted on Mar 28, 2010 from J CYou may be wondering whether you really can stop your gambling after your last big gambling loss. And while if you're thinking "I know I can stop", what you know right now might not be enough to help you stop. Let me explain. Before you try to stop gambling again on your own, here are 7 ...
Views: 2224(2 votes) - ***Anger Issues: What makes me Angry? - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2011 from Dr. Neill NeillAnger is a normal healthy emotion, albeit a negative one. We all have anger issues at one time or another. When you experience anger, it is your body trying to tell you something is wrong, that “something is rotten in Denmark.” But what? Not understanding your body’s message can lead to ...
Views: 2216(3 votes)