Addiction and Recovery Articles

Our behaviors are major causes of our depression. These behaviors are grouped into three categories: 1. Relationships 2. Activities 3. Copings Relationships The unhealthy relationship is a common cause of depression. So, an important part of depression treatment is to improve the relationships. The loneliness and the low -level of communication can worsen depression. Appropriate relationships and talking about our feelings reduce effect of negative thoughts that create our depression. Destructive behaviors

If I Wanted to Leave Alcoholics Anonymous. . . Dick B. © 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved First of all, I don’t! But let’s just say: (1) That I’m thinking of drinking. (2) That I’m really not “willing to go to any lengths” to prevent that from happening. (3) That I’m beginning to prefer my former friends, former ideas, former hangouts, and former brand of gin. (4) That I’m developing a resentment against A.A., against the people in A.A., against the meetings of A.A., ag

We all have one thing in common… we were once all children… and having been children we each progressed through seven, predictable stages of development as we matured into adulthood. Not one of us escaped this progression and not one of us completely masters the tasks which challenge ...

The Real Time Lines —Two of Them—That Marked the Beginning of A.A. March 12, 2012 Akron Events September 1931 Russell Firestone gets saved and healed of alcoholism with the help of Rev. Samuel Shoemaker on the train back to Akron from the 50th triennial General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church—a General Convention of the Episcopal Church—held in Denver, Colorado, September 16-30, 1931. October 1931 through January 1933 Russell and his friend James D. Newton t

It’s not easy to be free of drug addiction. There are many treatment options available for drug addiction including medication and psychological therapies. There are rehabilitation centers to help addicts get out of their addiction. The recovery process does not end as the treatment is completed. An addict needs to stay away from drugs and build his resistance towards it to prevent relapses. Another step of full recovery starts after treatment or rehabilitation program is ove

One time in a land far away a client asked me if I could help her save her 15-year marriage. Her husband was threatening to leave her, was stonewalling and was generally emotionally cold, but she said he was willing to see me. I worked with him for several months, and they stayed together. However, one day a year later as I was preparing to leave the community, she approached me, very troubled. This is what she said: “You’ve turned my husband into everything I ever wanted in a husband. But I don’t want to be with him.”

When you or your loved one decide to make the important step toward seeking drug or alcohol treatment, the next critical step in the recovery process is determining the level of appropriate care by receiving a professional addiction assessment. This is the first intake procedure to evaluate the extent of addiction as it determines the type and level of treatment a patient needs.

Is 2013 the year that you are finally serious about your recovery or are you just talking to hear yourself talk? Sure, you may have gotten clean but what are your intentions to make sure you stay that way? Are you prepared to fight the toughest battle you will likely ever face? To stay clean you have to do everything in your power, literally pull out all of the artillery to manage relapse. Relapse prevention is the most important step in recovery. Relapse prevention can be a bit time consuming but it doesn’t have to be difficult. The simpler that it is the better your chances of success are.

Many people question whether drug rehab can work for patients who attend clinics against their wills. Rehab specialists have developed a number of highly effective treatment methods for drug addiction, but most of these methods rely heavily on the cooperation of patients themselves. The lifestyle changes necessary for lasting sobriety require personal breakthroughs and self-reflection – neither of which is possible with non-cooperative patients. Still, thousands of drug add

“What we call normal in psychology is really a psychopathology of the average, so undramatic and so widely spread that we don’t even notice it ordinarily.” This is a quote by Abraham Maslow, the theorist who gave us the idea of the hierarchy of needs (once your basic needs are met you begin to ...

Not everyone who drinks regularly is an alcoholic or has a drinking problem. But substance abuse is a major problem within the older population. It is not always obvious, because many older adults drink in private rather than in bars. Because our culture generally identifies problems with alcohol as a moral issue, it can be difficult to have a productive conversation that supports discussion and healing. Here is some important information about alcoholism, risk factors for co

When a loved one is addicted to alcohol, it puts massive strain on the people that love them the most. Family members will often feel angry and resentful towards the individual for what they have done during the time they were addicted, which is understandable. However, once their loved one has completed a stint in alcohol treatment, it’s now solely up to the recovering alcoholic to make amends for what they have done.

Addiction has been referred to as a disease of mind, body and spirit. The role and affect of mind and body are relatively self evident, whereas the spiritual dimension seems more difficult to conceptualize.

It is no secret that maintaining spiritual peace or balance in these tough economic times can be difficult. Fear, anxiety, and worry are pervasive emotions in those around us, in those we work with, in those we are close to. But there is a way to keep your spiritual equilibrium. Having the ...

For many people, bringing up the subject of drugs is difficult. Your teens may try to dodge the discussion, and you yourself may feel unsure about how to proceed. To boost your chances for a productive conversation, take some time to think through the issues you want to discuss before you talk with your parents or teen. Also, think about how you might react and respond to questions and feeling. When You Talk About Drugs - Tell your parent or teen that you love them and that you are worried that he/she might be using drugs or alcohol.

One of the most famous phrases surrounding alcoholism is that “denial is the first sign.” Of course that is absolute hooey because there are millions of people who abstain completely from alcohol who would deny being an alcoholic. But the facts are the facts. First fact, life-long teetotalers never are accused of being an alcoholic. For many years I have been sober and yet when accused of being an alcoholic, there is no denying that fact. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic!

Where there’s emptiness there’s hunger. Passionate hunger fuels a need for connection and completion. We are innately driven to fill emptiness in a self-transcendent way through whatever we can attach to that offers us the promise of fulfillment. In our desperation, the longing for wholeness, cohesion, connection, power, and love may cause us to compulsively latch onto a drug, a thing or a person. There may be a momentary illusion of wholeness that results, and that compels us onward to acquire more.

Have you ever felt you were giving too much to others? taking on their problems or allowing them to dump their problems on you? Is it hard for you to say no or tell another person how you are feeling without guilt or shame? These may be signs that your boundaries are fuzzy and could benefit from being worked on. So what are boundaries and how do they help us? How do we start to say no without being afraid of rejection or anger?

We normally associate alcoholism with increased tolerance to alcohol. Alcoholics often are able to drink a great deal before the usual symptoms of intoxication kick in — slurred speech, falling asleep, getting loud, poor balance, and poor judgment which could lead to and accident or a DUI charge. However, there are exceptions. Some functioning alcoholics do indeed show signs of intoxication with as little as a single drink. There are at least two different reasons why this might happen.

Alcoholism and drug addiction are two maladies that have severely afflicted scores of people across the globe. Now, whether these two should be categorized under diseases like cancer or heart disease is a debate that seems to rage on and create great controversy. The medical community today generally seem to support the view that addictions should be classified as a disease, as they meet the criteria that are necessary to term it as such. These criteria are: 1. Primary 2. Progressive 3. Chronic 4. Fatal

Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health care industry has seen a vast shift in trends and how the healthcare industry operates. The industry itself was already growing and changing before ACA. The move to electronic health records systems has been vital in order to ensure quick and efficient patient care, but many private practices have yet to decide how they will store their medical records in the future. Innovative technology, such as wearable tech (G

Alcohol has historically, and continues to, hold a fairly important part in social engagements and bonding for many people all around the world. Drinking socially or moderately consuming alcohol for many is considered to pleasurable and perceived to reduce stress and anxiety. However, it's also known that alcohol consumption - especially when consumed in excess - is often linked to a number of negative outcomes: as a risk factor for diseases and health impacts; crime; road in

“Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upo Adam, And nowhere is there reference to his waking up.” rn(ACIM T.C2.I.3.6) Older Souls An older soul, who understands the real purpose of our time here is to awaken or reclaim our Spiritual Identity as soon as possible, will often choose more difficult, painful and challenging life circumstances, relationships and lessons. The more supportive the environment in the world, parents, partners, careers, finances, etc., the greater will be the belief, trust and attachment to the material world for support and security.

Every relationship has boundaries, and this can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Contrary to the popular belief of most hopeless romantics, relationships are not "partners meet and live happily ever after" types of affairs. Real relationships are composed of two individuals with often ...

A common narcissistic behaviour is excessive entitlement. The narcissistic personality is a False Self – a person who is entrenched in their egoist mind – which is always dissatisfied. Narcissistic individuals use and mine people in order to gain narcissistic supply - which is attention, significance, materialism, acclaim and any other resource which will further there self-absorbed need for ‘more’. Narcissistic individuals have no ability to define you as a separate

Recently a reader left a question on my site about the symptoms of neuropathy. Her question was, "What is alcoholic neuropathy? I have heard the term and am interested in understanding it." She went on to add the comment, "It is just amazing when you read the comments from other people, and it is like they are just describing the events of your own life." Alcoholic Neuropathy: Symptoms

Video game or Internet addiction is a controversial idea, unlike like other behavioral addictions, which does not have definite remedies of cure. The enactment of video game habits as addiction is another area of controversy. Many experts still lay down to the thought and deny video game habit to be a major disorder or a serious addiction. Also, not to forget, Internet addiction counts under similar symptoms and circumstances. While video gaming research is showing some distu

Get to know as many of your teen's friends as you can. Knowing his friends will help you tabs on his life and may help keep him out of trouble. If he and his friends hangs out at your house, introduce yourself and ask a question or two. If they don't hang out there, find ways to meet them, offer rides to and from events, have them over for dinner, etc. Stay alert to changes in his social circle, too. (When teens switch, it sometimes means trouble.) And if something doesn't seem right to you, act on it. If you don't like your teen's friends, figure out why.

Talk of sex addiction is everywhere . Celebrities are admitting it. Tiger Woods went to rehab for it. Was that great PR to get public sympathy or can sex really be an addiction? ‘Why care if you’re a sex addict?’ Clients have asked me this question many times. But ask any sex addict, and they’ll tell you that they care. They’re troubled by their behavior and they want to change. Is sex addiction really an addiction or is it an excuse for having multiple affairs?

Before recovery, we were driven by a hundred forms of self-centered fear. During steps 6 and 7, we began to release some of these character defects, but some habits are hard to break. Like feeding into our fears. But when we can pause and work our program of recovery, we remember that we are ...

Healing the Pain Body 1. How Our Pain, Fear and Defensiveness Surfaces The “Law Of Attraction”r

It is probably fair to say that the issue of sex and sexual relationships does not feature very heavily in the pecking order of emotional issues and emotional drives that tend to fuel an individual's alcoholism or addiction. It is however a hugely important issue that often plays a crucial role in an individual's active alcoholism, and the fear of sex, and of sexual relationships and of sexual orientation can hover largely over the dark cloud of early recovery for many people.

If you are about to be admitted into alcohol addiction treatment, then it’s important to know how to get the most out of your stay in rehab. This article will provide you with the best alcohol addiction treatment tips, which can help you make it a success. Go Small, Not Big Ever hear the phrase ‘Rome wasn't built in a day?’ Telling yourself that 'from this day on, I want to remain sober' can seem a bit tough at first. Try to achieve things within your reach. For example, you know you’re not allowed to drink alcohol, so think about what you can do to stay busy.

Seven years ago I was asked by a friend if I was "religious and if I believed in God?" As a (formerly) practicing agnostic I quickly answered:"no." However, I defended myself by explaining that I lived my life according to universal principals of "right and wrong." Because I believed that our deeds create a lasting effect on the world, I felt confident in my everlasting future. In other words, I wasn't worried about there being a heaven or not. I told my friend that when I die, I am banking on knowing that my impact on the world will be ever lasting.

You may be a single parent by choice, divorced, widowed, never married or thinking about what parenting would be like without a partner. Whatever your situation may be, my desire is to bring a column to you that is a sacred space to share your feelings, be acknowledged, and become part of a ...

Believe it or not, there are simple methods that have been shown to rewire the brain out of destructive habit loops or addictions. But many do not know these methods exist. The current model of addiction treatment uses repeated episodes of detox in expensive facilities for brief stabilization. Once the recovering addict has detoxed or "graduated" from the program, he is released. As a result, he often falls back into the same destructive behaviors. Those who have worked at a

Self Respect is the ability to maintain dignity in the face of stress, rejection, criticism, or any activity that can erode one’s value systems. In a world of imposing immensity and persistent change, the forces that can strike at anyone's value systems can be extreme, unprecedented, and persistent. Yet, we cannot contain or control those exte al events. There is no special stress that will always threaten every person. What threatens is the difference between what is imposed

Anorexia is an addiction to food deprivation. While anorexics do eat, they derive pleasure from limiting and restricting their calories, sometimes to the point of starvation. Anorexia can cause serious health problems as the body struggles to cope with an absence of nourishment. The challenge of recovering from anorexia is learning to trust food again. For anorexics, food is the enemy. Food equals fat. Food intake is something to control, monitor, and ration according to a st

How can you tell if your child is using drugs? It is difficult because changes in mood or attitudes, unusual temper outbursts, changes in sleeping habits, changes in hobbies or other interests are common in teens. These changes often signal that something troubling is going on and may involve alcohol or drugs.

When it comes to addiction people cannot help themselves from creating this silent rating scale in their mind, like he’s just an alcoholic, she does too many prescription pills, and he is junkie because he does heroin. It is this kind of judging that creates the stigma that has created an almost permanent barrier for addiction recovery today.

The Second Step to Serenity: Meditation for Day 8nnExcerpted from "Prayer Steps to Serenity: The Twelve Step Journey"nnBy L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.nn "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."—The Second Stepnn "Because Jesus himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."—Hebrews 2:18nnnWhat strong, encouraging words I find in the Second Step: believe, power, and restore. Until I first believe, I wil

n nThis book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Addiction and Recovery. Addiction is a condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. Recovery helps you restore yourself to a better state or condition. John McMahon is the Official Guide to Addiction and Recovery .nn 7 Tools to Beat Addiction , by Stanton Peele, is a valuable resource for people interested in Positive Psychology , and it is available through Amazon.com an

Crystal Meth is simply methamphetamine, which is very popular among drug users. This is generally crystalline in structure, whose street names are "icy" and "cristy". This is a very addictive type of drug. Statistics have shown that 42 percent of those who have tried it for the first time feel the need to try it once again. This drug affects the body mentally and physically. Crystal Meth addiction is an issue that has been plaguing the modern world. It is known as the intense

A child living at a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory is exposed to immediate dangers and to the ongoing effects of chemical contamination. In addition, the child may be subjected to fires and explosions, abuse and neglect, a hazardous lifestyle (including the presence of firearms), social problems, and other risks. Chemical Contaminationrnr

The biggest problem with addiction recovery is that there are so many people that have failed one or more times. This causes those to become discouraged when in reality it never was their fault that they were not successful. There are millions of addicts hooked on drugs or alcohol and unfortunately only a small, actually very small, number seek professional treatment and very often the treatment is substandard at best.

These articles were published as a column in “L. A. Health” under the title, “A Hypnotherapist’s Casebook.” No. 1. Hypnotherapy for healing. A little over six years ago I was between jobs. I had been working in Psychiatric Hospitals and other institutions, as an Admissions Counselor, Chemical Dependency Counselor, Case manager and Discharge Planner.

Codependency: Don’t Dance! Ross Rosenberg, M.Ed., LCPC, CADC www.HumanMagnetSyndrome.com www.RossRosenbergTherapy.com Codependency: Don’t Dance!

Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 millio American adults. These disorders fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, AD is chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not treated. Anxiety Disorder And Alcohol Abuse

Physicians who treat opioid addiction also have the option of utilizing 'medication-assisted treatment', and the most common medications used in the treatment of opioid dependence today are methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine (Suboxone).

By Mark Lamendolarnwww.mindconnection.com/BehaviorMod Many people are afraid of being assertive, or consider assertive behavior to be impolite. Usually, that’s because they confuse assertive behavior with aggressive behavior. Instead of confronting a problem, they use other strategies. And those strategies, being maladaptive, quite often make the situation worse. Being assertive is the best way to foster good relationships, manage your boss, deal with petty people, and avoi