It Takes a Village: Why You NEED a Support System

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”? Well, it takes that same village to help you through your recovery phase. As social creatures, humans thrive on interaction. It’s the reason why friendships are so sacred, relationships are so common, and family members are so close. When dealing with…

What happens if you relapse?

Most addiction recovery plans and treatment options focus on one thing: preventing a victim of addiction from ever touching the substance they were addicted to again. Actually, if the plan works well enough, the ultimate goal is to dissuade the victim from having any inclination to touch any illegal substance, and to have no interest…

How do I convince myself to stick with treatment?

The hardest part of any addiction recovery effort is often not the treatment itself. Rather, it is the mindset of the individual receiving the treatment. Because addiction is essentially a hijacking of the mind, individuals will often face their biggest battles in recovery when their will comes to a crossroads with the disease and what…

two friends stand up paddleboarding at Laguna Beach

You’re Not Who You Think You Are: The Mind Altering Effects of Drugs

Throughout history, drug use has been associated with a number of incredibly horrible side effects, ranging from anxiety and confusion to manic depression, paralysis, and death. In fact, in the 1800s, the presence of opium in China led directly to two wars! Though there are two centuries between then and now, drugs are still a…

How Do I Encourage My Loved One to Get Help?

Addiction, like many chronic illnesses and diseases, is an issue that affects a lot more than just the victim. In many cases, in fact, the victim may be the only one that does not have a problem with the disease and its debilitating effects. Family members and loved ones often tend to be the most…

It’s Psychological: How You Could Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Drugs– like guns, gambling, and other vices– are inanimate objects or concepts that, in and of themselves, can do no damage. However, we as human beings are quite the opposite. We are quite capable of doing horrible and irreversible damage on our own– and we often use inanimate objects like drugs to do so. Studies…

Why Ignoring Addiction Simply Doesn’t Work

Far too often, those suffering from an addiction to any one of a number of substances, attempt to downplay the severity of their dependency by ignoring addiction. Unfortunately, studies have shown that many of their would-be saviors do, too. Is it a coping mechanism? An attempt to err on the side of caution, in case…

You’ve Been Taught Wrong: Disproving Common Myths about Illicit Substances

Most people grow up with what they consider to be a “basic understanding of drugs”, based on many common myths.   “Marijuana isn’t so bad,” they say. “Natural drugs aren’t as harmful as synthetic ones.” Here are 5 of the most common myths about drugs and addiction… and their startling truths. Sharing prescription medication isn’t really…