Addiction and Recovery Articles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEnnFORBES.COM NAMES SOBER LIVING BY THE SEAnAMONG TOP 10 LUXURY REHAB CENTERS nnNEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Sober Living by the Sea, which provides hope and treatment to those in need of assistance for alcoholism, chemical dependency, substance abuse and other harmful addictions, has been named one of the top 10 rehab centers in the world by Forbes.com. Billing itself as the “home page for the world’s business leaders,” Forbes.com – the Internet arm

Everything about heroin has changed full throttle during the past fifty years or so. The mid 1960’s saw a surge of illegal heroin being smuggled into the US and by 1970 there were close to a million heroin addicts in the US alone. Much of this was blamed on Vietnam, the Corsican gangsters, and the French Connection that allowed for easy smuggling.

As someone that has spent nearly forty years studying human behavior, compulsion, mind body relationships and addiction, I have seen over and over again how addiction can be shattering to our hearts, self image, and sense of stability in the world.n nI am in the process of designing a program for women who are in committed relationships with men that are compulsively involved with pornography; for women whose hearts and sense of self are breaking, for women who long to have a

Figuring out the truth of your justifications for your drinking is crucial to eliminating your denial. These are often asked by my alcohol class students when they take my alcohol awareness classes. Myth #1: I can cease drinking anytime I want to.

Do you need to give up drinking completely if you have a problem with alcohol? There are conflicting opinions on this. The AA approach says that abstinence is the only way that works for sure. But being abstinent is no guarantee against a relapse, and some would say that it is just avoiding the problem, not dealing with it. So how about learning some new habits around alcohol instead - because you have learnt how you behave towards alcohol already, so surely those habits can

Old School A.A. and Old School A.A. Groups Todayr Dick B. © 2011 Anonymous. All rights reservedr Reflections and Suggestions about Pioneer A.A. that Could Help You! Utilize "Old School A.A." Approaches Todayr There is no real substitute today for beginning with one-on-one sponsorship, fellowship, and witnessingr Right now, just about anyone can join a group, attend a conference, take a class, buy tapes, and study some materials on Pioneer A.A.'s biblical roots and program. Bu

INTRODUCTIONr

As the Director of Admissions for a residential treatment center for over seven years, I learned the hard way why initial assessments are crucial. I have found it to be essential from the inception of a clinical relationship to have as much information and as broad an overview of your new client ...

Defining Symptoms Depression is an experience that can have a very wide range of symptoms from mild feelings of disappointment, sadness and tiredness to dark feelings of hopelessness, despair and sometimes suicide. It might be helpful to understand depression as “REPRESSION,” a pressing down and damming up of anger, emotions, energy and action. Like a river cut off from fresh water, without new energy flowing through us, we are led eventually into feelings of stagnation and deadness. Causal Factors

The Salvation Army: an A.A. Sourcer Article One Dick B. © 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved It took many years of research before I was able to find and discuss the many strong links between the Salvation Army and Alcoholics Anonymous. And the links were of several different types: - The Salvation Army work with drunks and derelicts is legendary, and very successful as well. My introduction to their work first came through the pages of Harold Begbie, Twice Born Men (NY:

The challenging goals challenge our current abilities and to achieve these goals requires more creativity and effort than other goals. The challenging goal has two great advantages for individual and organizations. The first advantage, the challenging goal creates our motivation and the second advantage that unlocks our potential. Motivationr

Lately you’ve been finding yourself stewing about how you’ll handle your last child leaving home, and you need to talk with your husband about it. You start to tell him what you’re feeling, but his eyes glaze over and he tunes you out. You wonder how it came to this and if it’s fixable? You used to be able to talk about anything. Just to be clear, I should point out that I hear this almost as often from men as from women. Wives tune out their husbands too…

Did you know there is danger in doing well in recovery? This comes as a surprise to many people in recovery. So, you are probably wondering how doing well in recovery could possibly lead to problems. Here are some situations for you to consider: Many people stop doing everything the program says to do when they begin to feel they are doing well. The 12 Step program works when people work the program. But, when you stop working the program the program stops working. Some examples include: -Not going to meetings as often.rn-Not going to meetings at all.r

The question of motivation is one that has become much more widely asked with the rapid growth of the self-development industry over the last few years. The question tends to be asked in two different ways. Firstly, people are asked or told how they can motivate themselves in numerous different ways. Secondly, people are told how they can be motivated or inspired by other people, either directly or indirectly.

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 ...