A Journey to Gratitude: Reflections on Recovery At 18, entering rehab was not about embracing change for me; it seemed more about appeasing my parents and a judge. Yet, fast forward to October 2023, I have celebrated 40 years of being clean and sober (yes, I still enjoy attending 12-step meetings and have a sponsor). …
Dual Diagnosis: Understanding and Addressing Co-occurring Substance Use and Psychiatric Disorders Dual diagnosis refers to the presence of a substance use disorder alongside a psychiatric disorder, presenting a complex challenge in treatment and management. Originating in the early 1980s in the U.S., the concept emphasizes the intertwined nature of substance abuse and mental health issues.…
Addiction treatment for doctors changes everything Doctors recover from addiction at a much higher rate than others and it’s not because they are smarter. Similarly, recovery rates for people who go through drug courts are much better than average. What do rehab-seeking doctors and drug court participants have in common, when it comes to better…
Make no mistake, vaping behavior is a gateway to harder drug use. Getting hooked on nicotine through smoking is already the top addiction. Now, vapor delivers nicotine to the brain much more effectively than smoke. Higher blood concentrations of nicotine occur in “vapers” versus smokers, generally. But set aside physical addiction, the chemical and structural…
“Through the program, many of us have found a serenity we never thought possible.” Al-Anon At first, it may be a shock to hear, “the truth is, family members of those in recovery need recovery, too!” You might think, “what the heck are you talking about?!” And while that reaction is understandable, research confirms alcoholism and…
HITTING BOTTOM, THE MYTH: HOW DUAL DISORDERS HIJACK THE BRAIN “When you think you’ve hit bottom, the disease hands you a shovel and says DIG DEEPER!” Insight is lost. Loss of control over one’s own actions is the hallmark symptom of addiction and dual disorders. Wanting and intending to quit or cutback on using, but instead…