It’s no secret that substance abuse issues cut across all professions. Department of Transportation (DOT) policy requires those who violate the drug and alcohol policy undergo an evaluation by a substance abuse professional. Those working in the world of a substance abuse professional (SAP) include doctors, therapists, social workers, and addiction counselors. All who fill this role…
Beating a dependency on alcohol takes more than willpower. Too many people consider themselves to be failures if they fail to stop after their first or even 20th attempt. They beat themselves up while asking the question, “How hard is it to quit drinking, and why can’t I do it?” The basic answer comes down to chemistry, or…
As parents, none of us ever imagines that we might one day be the parent of an addict. Yet, millions of mothers every year are faced with the undeniable fact that their child suffers from a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, over 24 million people in the United States are addicted to an illicit substance at…
Being stuck in an alcohol addiction can feel like drowning in quicksand. You think you’re making progress getting out, only to get sucked right back down. A lot of alcohol addictions start with having a drink to be social or to make yourself feel better after a tough situation. Over time, you may start noticing you need…
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has become essential to millions of Americans battling an addiction to alcohol. It provides support and a sense of community to those looking to continue their path of recovery and sobriety. However, not everyone finds themselves comfortable with the more spiritual approach taken by AA. For them, there are some quality AA alternatives…
It’s the question that plagues many struggling with their dependency on alcohol, “How can I stop drinking?” It’s easy to feel like a failure when you see others seeming to have more success overcoming their addiction. What’s important is that you don’t give up and make the conscious choice to help yourself and not give…
What comes to mind when you hear the word “drugs?” How much do you know about drugs beyond the headlines? Have you used substances but dismissed the idea of having a problem with drugs? What would your reaction be if you found out someone you cared about had an issue with drugs? People’s knowledge about…
Most of us think of alcoholics as a stereotype, a person who can’t keep a job, who prioritizes alcohol over everything else, and who is actively and visibly drunk much or most of the time. While this stereotype can and does apply, as much as 19.5% of the 17.6 million people who qualify as alcohol…
One of the most important things I learned in treatment is the importance of setting goals. Goals are key to achieving our aspirations and even our dreams. Setting goals has helped me to prioritize, enhanced my confidence, and motivated me to grow as a person. Here we talk about setting realistic recovery goals for recovery.…
Drug and alcohol addictions are getting a lot of media coverage, but for most of us, they seem far away and even impossible to apply to ourselves. But if you’re drinking or taking prescription or illicit drugs, and doing so on a regular basis, you might actually be chemically dependent. Most of us think of…