Heroin overdose rates have skyrocketed in the past few years. With the introduction of powerful synthetic opioid like fentanyl, overdoses have become much more common and much deadlier than they were in the past. Overdoses require prompt medical attention and the use of medications like Narcan to reverse the effects, but even immediate treatment may…
Alcohol abuse seems, at first glance, to be less harmful than other drugs. After all, it is legal and most people can indulge without major consequences. When alcohol use turns into alcoholism, however, the damaging effects it causes to the body can be tremendous. Alcohol can lead to immediate death from alcohol poisoning, but more…
Many recovery programs suggest that acceptance can be an effective tool for achieving serenity and maintaining one’s sobriety. However, the concept of faith and acceptance in recovery can be misconstrued as meaning that one should sit back and accept all things, good and bad, as the way that things are supposed to be. Acceptance does…
Many men and women suffering from addiction have molded their lives and personalities around their drug use. It becomes “normal,” and giving up the perceived comfort that comes from substance abuse can be a frightening prospect. After all, we often used drugs and alcohol as a means of medicating ourselves from other, deeper problems in…
Our lives are made up of a series of moments. In sobriety, we are finally able to let go of the anxieties, despair, and internal conflicts that were always present in our lives during active addiction. We are finally able to “stop and smell the roses,” appreciating the simple moments in our lives that we…
Intravenous injection is the most dangerous way to take drugs. The immediate effects of the drug make IV use an extremely risky practice. The potential of overdose is much higher than with other routes of administration, and there is also an increased risk of other health complications such as bacterial and viral infection. The most…
Going through the treatment process only to relapse quickly afterwards is a common story in the recovery community. We often think that once we detox and receive therapy in treatment, we are “cured” of our addiction and can move forward in our lives without ever using drugs or alcohol again. This misconception is often the…
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) explains, “Addiction is a family disease that stresses the family to the breaking point, impacts the stability of the home, the family’s unity, mental health, physical health, finances and overall family dynamics” Addiction causes major consequence to the family and loved ones of the suffered. Healing…
Loneliness and isolation are so common among men and women suffering from addiction that they could be considered prerequisites for substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol become a substitute for the social interaction and approval that we crave, but ultimately exacerbate our feelings of loneliness and tendencies to isolate from others. Even in sobriety, loneliness can…
Addiction is a disease that does not only affect the sufferer; it affects everyone who has a relationship with the person who is addicted. Psychologists view families as “organizations” or “ecosystems” in which each member of the family plays a role. When a member of the family become addicted to alcohol or drugs, it changes…