Very rarely do we see people come into recovery from addiction brimming with positivity, honesty and a caring attitude toward others. Instead, it’s much more typical to find “newcomers” feeling weighted down by distrust and defensiveness, callousness and alienation (if not resentment and malevolence), and a substantial amount of self-centeredness. However, as the saying goes,…
As we enter into the month of June, it’s time once again to recognize Men’s Health Awareness Month. Every June since 1994, people across the country have dedicated this month to men’s health initiatives. It’s an important time to remember the many health issues that men face. Whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional, as we…
Recovering from an addiction is challenging. Recent studies show that more than three-quarters of people who receive addiction treatment relapse within the first year. Nonetheless, healing is possible for everyone. Because of how common addiction setbacks can be, particularly in the first weeks following treatment, it is critical to understand and recognize potential addiction setbacks…
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month is recognized in the United States annually in June. PTSD Awareness Month was created to increase public understanding and knowledge of PTSD’s causes and symptoms alongside advancing the discussion of its available treatments. Everyone can get involved in making a difference in the lives of those who have experienced…
According to research published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, most physicians who abuse or become addicted to prescription drugs describe their motivation, not as being pleasure- or recreational thrill-seeking, but rather: To relieve stress To diminish physical pain To cope with emotional challenges or upset To cope with undiagnosed depression Nonetheless, if you are…
According to a current assessment published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Opioids are the most effective and widely used drugs in the treatment of severe pain.”[1] Given they’re so commonly used, what is problematic is how addictive these powerful pharmaceutical drugs are. The Mayo Clinic states, “Opioids are highly addictive, in large…
The title of this article is not a teetotaler’s threat. It’s a recounting of the infamous words countless doctors have told people who try to quit drinking on their own. Of course, the reasoning and science behind this declaration could easily slide right by a man or woman struggling with an alcohol dependency problem, making…
Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder are common forms of mental illness. A person with one of these disorders may find it hard to communicate what they are facing or how much it impacts their daily life. Often, they keep working, keep trying, and continue to fight their symptoms, but it’s exhausting and…
Having occasionally felt myself to be “in the trenches” of recovery myself—as perhaps you have, as well—I’d say some of the most challenging, frustrating and baffling experiences in learning to live this new way of life (especially early on) occur when our insides don’t match our outsides—that is, when what we’re doing at any given…
It’s sometimes hard to be social when all of your friends think hanging out at a local bar or drinking the night away is the normal experience. It does not have to be like that, especially if you are in recovery. The key is to look for new ways to have fun that don’t put…