Addiction and Recovery Articles

As a psychiatrist that specializes in addiction (including teenage alcoholism and teenage drug abuse), I am amazed at how lax some parents are about teenage substance abuse. As every one who has raised a teen knows, it is the age where your child asserts his independence, and pushes back when you lay down the law. It is imperative that your "troubled youth" doesn’t become the boss of YOU or your tee WILL continue to abuse drugs and alcohol. Here’s an example of a teenage subs

If you think that addiction only happens to teenagers, the unemployed or simply to people different from yourself, perhaps people that are less intelligent, less fortunate or less wealthy - think again. What if I told you that addiction can and does happen to top business executives, doctors, lawyers or even mothers who stay at home and look after their kids?

There is a growing body of research focused on the dynamics of addiction within the context of family relationships. Drinking parents have profound and lasting effects on their children's physical, social, and psychological development. Children of alcoholic parents are twice as likely as those with non-alcoholic parents to experience inadequate supervision, neglect, physical abuse, and imprisonment . Offspring of drinkers are more impulsive, less likely to delay gratification, and prone to aggression and hyperactivity.

Are you on your way to becoming a drunk, like I was for too many wasted years of my life? A new study this year from researchers at the University of Califo ia and Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care System finds one in five men in the United States and other developed countries are at risk ...

Honesty is being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, fair genuine and loyal, along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft. The truth shall set you free. This statement is so true. Honesty has many valuable attributes. On a personal note honesty has taught me to be honest with my feelings, as well as how to deal with my feelings in the moment. Consequently, honesty taught me to be aware of the consequences to my actions. In addition, being honest has prevented me from bottling up my emotions and ultimately exploding on innocent people.

People around the world have used opium for thousands of years. Texts from the first civilizations in Sumer and Mesopotamia describe its frequent use, and archaeologists have even found that ancient peoples devoted entire sections of their cities to its use. Although most people today only understand its recreational use, the drug has also been used for medicinal and even spiritual purposes. However, most modern people use opium for either recreational or pharmaceutical purpo

The Unmanageable Lifer What brought You to A.A. or a 12 Step Fellowship? By Dick B. Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved. A Little Chunk of History For Openers Some of us get all wrapped up in difficult words when we enter A.A. or another 12 Step Fellowship. We wonder what in the heck it means to be "powerless over alcohol." We wonder if our life has truly become "unmanageable." But a little bit of history might show us how much more simple the early AAs kept these

If I’d heard it once, I’d heard it 100 times. Same record. Same song. Sure the jacket covers, labels, and package shapes were different, but basically it was the same old refrain: “I’m not in love with my partner any more.” By way of introduction, the pair had blurted out, “We’ve decided to split up, and we want to figure out why we didn’t stay in love so we don’t make the same mistakes with our next partners.”

As drinking and driving becomes less tolerated, many communities have volunteer programs, as well as paid services, to get people home safely if they’ve been drinking and shouldn’t drive. Their existence is a reminder that parties, family gatherings, weddings and other celebrations push up alcohol consumption.

Jackie 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 that his wife's three or four glasses of wine in the evening could be the beginning of alcoholism. Alcoholism runs in her family.

Group 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 of choice for addiction, allowing for positive peer interactions, improvement in communication skills, mutual support, confrontation of ego defenses and an overall substitution of the euphoric state of intoxication with the elation of the group.

We need relaxation for fruitful daily activities. The heart is the most active muscle in our bodies. It beating 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, the heart takes a short break before each beat. If not this short relaxation, the vital activities of the heart will not continue. So, we need to rest after every activity. With the same to take relaxation that the heart can continue its activity for long time.r

People 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 trying to make sure that no harm comes to the family, home or the drinker or trying to get him to stop drinking. Do you identify with this situation? Do you spend most of your time looking after, worrying about or wondering how you can change your drinker?

This 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:n nnnnn n Doctor prescription for long-term pain managementnn Doctor prescription after an operation or injurynn Already existing opiate users experimenting with itnn Illegal street purchase, frauding prescriptions, purchasing onlinen nnnnn nAll of this can potenti

You know that you have got a problem with booze when: 1 before every party or social occasion your partner asks you “not to drink too much tonight”. 2 you feel that everyone in your company drinks too slowly or doesn’t know how to let their hair down and have a good time – like you. 3 you are having extra drinks when you go to the bar, because (see number 2). 4 you hate going to any social occasion if there is no opportunity to drink. 5 you think about drinking constantly, can’t wait to finish work to go and have a drink, can’t wait to be fini

Treatment 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 business of treatment. A qualified professional intervention specialist is. You and your loved one may never have this opportunity again. No intervention should be undertaken without advice and counsel of a professional experienced in the intervention process.

Is 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 closest to them. When a loved one’s alcohol addiction is left to flourish, it can cause serious damage to family life and in some cases, the consequences of it can be irreparable. If it’s a husband or wife is suffering with an alcohol addiction, it can put serious strain on a marriage.

I 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.

10 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 always failed. I swore up and down I was never going to use again and I really MEANT IT! I hated who I was and the things I was doing. Even with the most sincere desire to change I failed time afte

Imagine you've just entered into a crowded market and suddenly you feel hot flashes, difficulty catching your breath, your heart races. People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. A panic attack may be a one-time occurrence, but many people experience repeat episodes. Two to four percent of the people in America suffer from panic disorder.r

Did you know that you have the power to change your life by simply changing the way you think? Sounds profound, doesn't it? It really isn't. It's liberating! Positive thinking has the ability to significantly alter the outcome of certain situations. Just think about it. When was the last time your optimism helped you overcome an obstacle in your life? Chances are you're going to say last month, last week or even yesterday. Adopting a positive attitude can open doors for you. It can cause people to help you in ways that you never dreamed before.

Mutual 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 of focus.

America’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 soak in after a long, hard day to relax -- these so-called bath salts are intended to be snorted, smoked or injected – and users are getting high off of them.”

Fortune cookies are true…so I now believe. Two days before our Friday December 2008 wedding, Korrel (now my wife) ate at a Chinese restaurant, where she received a fortune cookie that read: "A lifetime of happiness lies ahead of you." The next day, on Thursday, she went out for Chinese again and her fortune cookie read: “The coming Friday will be an exciting time for you." Was this a coincidence or was a specific message brought by the Universe to my lovely bride-to-be?

What 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. Anything! You don’t want to leave her presence because you hope that some of that passion will rub off on you. When you find yourself stuck in a boring situation (whether it’s your j

It 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 can be painful and difficult for persons struggling with Diesel Heroin addiction. Unfortunately, the family members and close friends also struggle with the addict. Cutting the individual

A 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 degree of physical dependence. However, physical opioid dependence alone is not sufficient to make a diagnosis of addiction. A person can be physically dependent - like a cancer patient might be when prescribed opioids for severe pain - and not be addicted.

Since 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 through addiction recovery to put their experiences into words. While many therapies allow addicts in rehabilitation to communicate their conscious thoughts and feelings, art therapy is one

In 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, increasing numbers of people quit smoking or never started. The voices of those wanting smoke-free workplaces and restaurants got louder than the chorus of smokers shouting, “It is my inalienable right to smoke whenever and wherever I want to.”

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 journal which she kept betwee 1933 and 1939); The Oxford Group (also known as “A First Century Christian Fellowship”); andr Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. KEEP IT SIMPLE: To learn about those key

What 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!

Ben 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 depression has gradually worsened since then. Ben’s story begs the question—did drug use cause his depression or vice versa? To use a cliché, which came first, the chicken or the eg

Recently 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 ...

Anger 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 accusing your spouse of making you angry, or alte atively, stuffing the anger to avoid a fight. Either approach ultimately leads to reduced communication, distancing and alienation from your partner.

The Nature of AddictionnnWhen you started smoking you will have been lulled in to a false sense of security, thinking you can give up whenever you want until you actually try to stop and can’t.nSome people would have started smoking when they were young and most when they were teenagers. nEveryone in the world no matter who they are want to be accepted. We all fear rejection and ridicule and the majority of young adults have added pressure such as peer pressure and building

Those of us who no longer rely on alcohol and drugs to make us ‘feel ok’ know how important it is to keep our eyes on the ball. The consequences of complacency for people in recovery from addiction don’t bear thinking about and we know that staying ahead of the game is essential if relapse is to be avoided.

These days you can’t turn on your television without sitting through a pseudo therapy session. From the trendsetter Dr. Phil to Tony Soprano’s “shrink”, to new series like HBO’s “In Treatment,” and reality TV series “Intervention” and “Celebrity Rehab,” psychotherapy has become home ...

The law of Sobriety takes the principles of the Law of Attraction and puts them to work for the specific purpose - to help individual’s recover from their addictions, whatever that addiction might be including alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, food, co-dependency, love, and or shopping. However, in order to understand the Law of Sobriety, you need to understand The Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction states your life is related to your thoughts – both conscious and unconsciously – those thoughts we put out into the universe.

“I was lonely. I was just going to have one drink. I know that I can never just have one, and I didn’t. I barely remember what happened. I’m lucky that I wasn’t hurt too badly and that I didn’t kill someone else. My new $35,000 Saab is gone and I had to spend the night in jail. I’m so ashamed. This is the last time. I‘m done with drinking. You know the worst part? I want a drink right now! I wish I took your advice, and started the Prometa treatments.”n nThis

nn Heroin or Diacetylmorphine is a direct descendent of the opium poppy; first cultivated in 3400 BC, and is used today as a painkiller and a recreational drug. Heroin was first produced in 1874 in the United Kingdom, and is a semi-synthetic opiate synthesized from morphine .n nnIt was first marketed as a non-addictive cough suppressant and morphine substitute between the years 1898 and 1910. In fact, a pharmaceutical company named Bayer advertised Heroin as an actual cure fo

For an alcoholic it is never easy trying to quit drink. Serious alcoholics will often face both physical and mental problems as they try to wean themselves off alcohol. While quitting may be hard, those who are successful will often find themselves overawed by the changes that occur in their life. So what changes can you expect? Making up for lost time. One of the most instant changes newly sober people discover is the amount of extra time they have on their hands. No longer

Unlike for alcohol or drug addiction, there is no formal diagnosis for Sex Addiction in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistic Manual (DSM IV). According to Chester Schmidt, chair of the DSM-IV Sexual Disorder Work Group, there is “no scientific data to support a concept of sexual behavior that can be considered addictive. (1)” Schmidt believed that what is called sex addiction is more likely a symptom of other psychological problems like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder.

Holiday traditions are essential, and there is a reason why we have kept them a part of our lives for so many centuries. Simply put it is because they add meaning to our lives, and help bond us to those we love. Last weekend I was watching Christmas Vacation (one of my guilty pleasures during and before the holiday season) and I started thinking about why this movie was so funny. A seemingly normal family has all the warm and fuzzy holiday traditions and dreams of the perfect family Christmas. Of course until everything goes wrong.

To our friends: My son Ken just wrote a letter to two who inquired about our projects. Because his letter properly reflects what we hope to do with you and what we hope you will do, being thus informed, I have slightly edited it and am sending it along. God Bless, Dick B. ______________________________________________________________________________ Aloha to you from Maui, Hawaii! The International Christian Recovery Coalition Approach to Christian Recovery Today Addressin

Introduction:

I think one of the main reasons people relapse is they stop working their program of recovery. In my years as an addictions counselor I have heard it over and over again when I ask what led up to a relapse…”I quit working the program.” There are many ways you can quit working the program. We are all different and what leads to relapse might be different. At least, the details are different, but, there are some definite consistent themes. I am going to list them here. See if you can relate to any of these.

When you have a suspicion your teen is doing drugs, what do you do? First, learn as much as you can. Check out all of SelfGrowth.com for information on drug and alcohol use by teens. Know that there is help available for you and your child. In most communities, you can get help from your pediatrician, nurse, or other health care provider, a counselor at your child's school, or your faith community.

I was talking to a human resource manager a few weeks ago about an employee who worked in his company. This employee was driving a company car and there had been numerous complaints from other employees that this man had alcohol on his breath at various times throughout the day. The HR manager ...

Are you one of many people who live with someone who drinks heavily? Do you wonder whether your partner is an alcoholic. Well you are certainly not alone. For many people living with problem drinkers means agony and confusion wondering whether their partner is actually an alcoholic or whether they are making a fuss about nothing. This is a very real problem for many reasons.

Whenever I tell others that as a therapist I teach anger management, the response is often similar. They usually range from “really, you teach anger management?” to the sarcastic, “yeah, that’s appropriate” followed by some laughter. Once in a while I get a more enlightened response suggesting I ...