It is important to note that drugs in and of themselves serve a multitude of purposes, and not all are bad. In fact drugs statistically save more lives than they take on an annual basis. When prescribed by a physician and used correctly, drugs can aid in the body’s natural healing process and make the…
While pursuing professional treatment for an addiction is almost always the best option for an individual suffering from even a mild drug or alcohol addiction, the very real question that usually accompanies a decision to pursue treatment is what costs are associated with it, and how expensive the final bill may be. In fact, some…
A recent study indicates that how much you drink now can have an acute effect on your health as you age. The BMJ study suggests that heavy drinking as a middle-aged individual (described as the consumption of 14 or more units of alcohol a week) likely correlates with a higher risk of dementia as you…
Through engaging in a 12-Step recovery program, we begin to feel a connection to a power greater than ourselves for the first time. This can alternately be described as a “psychic change”—our thoughts and behaviors have shifted to a point where we no longer feel the need to use drugs or alcohol. This “spiritual experience”…
Mental illness and drug use seem to go hand-in-hand. Usually, mental illness leads to drug abuse as an attempt to self-medicate symptoms. However, using drugs also can lead to mental disorders by causing drastic changes in the chemistry of the brain. These brain changes can either cause mental disorders later in life, or cause latent…
Sobriety can seem like a scary prospect. After all, we have spent so much time in a state of addiction that we don’t know any other way to live. For most of us, drugs and alcohol were a way to control our emotions and problems—without these substances, what are we to rely on to make…
Boredom was often a contributing factor in our drinking or using. We felt restless and discontent, so we filled our time with alcohol and drugs because we felt that it was the best way to pass the time. In early sobriety, it is imperative that we find healthy ways to fill our time and stay…
Everybody needs a motivational boost from time to time. We can easily fall victim to depression or self-pity in early recovery that keep us from feeling excited about all that sobriety has to offer. If we can stay inspired, we won’t lose the spark that keeps us going in our recovery. Inspiration seems to come…
People rarely consider cannabis, or marijuana, to be a drug that requires treatment. However, the disease of addiction is indiscriminate. Although physical dependence does not develop, people can become just as psychologically addicted to cannabis as any other substance. A man or woman who has the disease of addiction can face major consequences and lose…
Alcoholism and addiction are generally spoken of as two different things. The differences, however, had more to do with social factors rather than the disease of addiction. When looking at the reasons why a person develops alcoholism and addiction, there are virtually no differences. Historically, the first recovery programs were designed for the treatment of…