Internal Vs External Unmanageability

The first step of Alcoholics Anonymous is: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” What, then, does it mean to lose manageability in one’s life? Most people assume that “unmanageability” refers to losing control over external aspects of our lives, like relationships, finances, and employment. However, there is also the…

What Should I Tell My Doctor?

Our decision not to use mind or mood-altering substances is no reason to allow our health to suffer. Physicians have our best interest in mind, but it is our responsibility to openly communicate with them about our disease of addiction. Most medical professionals will be understanding and help guide us toward a solution with minimal…

What is Enabling?

When a loved one is struggling with addiction or alcoholism, we want to be as supportive as possible. However, sometimes our love can cause us to hurt them rather than help them. Our attempts to support them can turn into enabling behavior, which exacerbates the nature of their addiction. If someone in a state of…

What are the Effects of PCP on the Mind and Body?

Phencyclidine, commonly referred to as PCP, is a dissociative drug with dangerous mind-altering and hallucinogenic effects. Although popular in the 1980’s, since 2012 PCP has gained a resurgence in popularity. The effects of PCP on the brain and body can cause potentially lethal immediate effect and long-term health complications. PCP was first used in the…