nurse wearing surgical mask during the covid-19 pandemic

Reflections on COVID-19 Pandemic and Increasing Access to Treatment for Doctors and Nurses Seeking Recovery from Alcohol or Drug Abuse

“It’s not stress that kills us; it’s our reaction to it.” – Hans Selye, Nobel Prize-nominated endocrinologist, coined the physiological term “stress” On February 29, 2020, the first COVID-19 death was reported in the U.S.[1] In the nine weeks since that date, the coronavirus has caused more than 68,000 deaths with over 1.17 million confirmed…

poker game showing Common Addictive Behaviors

Common Addictive Behaviors

When we think of addiction, we automatically think about people with substance use disorders. The stereotypes often cloud our judgment. While drugs and alcohol can cause physical and psychological dependencies, there are also some common addictive behaviors. How does someone become addicted to a behavior? How Do Common Addictive Behaviors Develop? It is easier to…

man and woman smiling knowing about covid-19 pandemic and rehab

Don’t Let the COVID-19 Pandemic Stop You from Going to Rehab — 9 Good Reasons to “Go” Plus Some Thoughts & Statistics to Consider

Sure, the current coronavirus pandemic is nothing to sneeze at (pun intended). On March 5th, 2020, the CDC had reported there were 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., with 11 deaths attributed to the disease. As of yesterday (4/27/20), just seven weeks later, there have been nearly 1 million confirmed cases and over…

woman looking out window thinking about opioid use disorder

If You’re Suffering from Opioid Use Disorder, a Recent Update on Treatment & Support Offers Added Hope & Encouragement

In a recent report by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) updating how opioid use disorder (addiction to opiates) should be diagnosed, assessed and treated[1], a number of important guideline revisions, as well as new recommendations, have been put forward to the addictions professional community, taken together offering increased hope and encouragement for those…

woman stretching in the morning and using humility in addiction recovery

Rehab 101: Some Reflections on How the Principle of ‘Humility’ Fits into Recovery

“For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all.”               – Bill Wilson, 12 Steps & 12 Traditions Last night, I participated in a Zoom “remote” 12 Steps meeting of people in recovery and the discussion topic was ‘humility.’ Toward the end, a fellow with over 30 years of sobriety—a doctor on…