Stressful addiction-related family issues certainly apply year-round, but they are especially difficult at holiday time.
Families, Addiction and the Holidays – A Difficult Mix
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Living with Addiction
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Do Recovered Alcoholics “Come Out” or “Just Say No” in Social Situations?
Featured ArticleWhy isn’t there more guidance on how to decline alcohol, considering the many social situations in which alcohol flows freely in our society?
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How I Prevented My Kids from Being Alcoholics
Featured ArticleMy three adult children enjoy drinking, but aren’t alcoholics. Can you do this as a parent, even if you yourself have had a drug or alcohol problem?
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Do’s and Don’ts in Psychotherapy for People Who Have Addictions
Featured ArticleSociety negatively labels the drug-addicted in a way that sets them apart from the masses, rather than seeing them as humans with common behavioral symptoms arising from understandable feelings, emotions and conflicts.
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You Can’t Rescue People with Drug Problems
Featured ArticleWhen “rescuers” intervene, the aggressive approach can create discord and the people being “saved” tend to resist. A better alternative to rescuing is respectful, cooperative dialogue that engages people in discussion.
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New Study Reveals Sharp Spike in Alcohol Use Disorders
Featured ArticleApproximately 30% of adults in the United States have had an alcohol use disorder (AUD) at some time in their lives. Despite the high number, only a small percentage ultimately seek professional help.
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Forms of Self-Deception that Often Characterize Addiction
Featured ArticleAchieving self-knowledge is already a difficult task, but the difficulty level can be particularly increased among those struggling with addiction. In fact, self-deception often goes hand-in-hand with chemical dependency.
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Harm Reduction in Action: Here is Ed’s Story
Featured ArticleThis may just be one example of harm reduction allowing one alcoholic to improve his quality of life. But he didn’t die. I didn’t “let him” use and watch him spiral…
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Death After Treatment for Heroin Dependence
Featured ArticleAlthough a few areas such as New York have made progress in this direction, the country lags behind and remains mired in a slough of ignorance and overdose death.
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Is Sex Addiction a Real Disorder?
Featured ArticleThe short answer to this question, at the present time, is no. Do a substantial number of individuals struggle to regulate their sexual thoughts, urges, and behaviors? Yes.
First Study to Show Alternative Recovery Groups as Effective as AA
A large number of observational and quasi-experimental studies support associations between participating in 12-step groups and better substance use outcomes, as well as psychological and social functioning.
Does High Self-Esteem Really Protect You from Addictive Behavior?
Self-esteem is a “positive predictor” of exercise addiction. In other words, higher levels of self-esteem correlated with more pathological exercise behavior.
Safer Opioids: A Well Kept Secret for Chronic Pain
As a chronic pain patient of more than five years, I have to say I was a bit miffed when, not too long ago, I found out about oral buprenorphine products for pain.
The Real Reasons for the Opioid Epidemic (And How We Can End It)
The opioid epidemic is fueled by the same thing that fuels all addictions: disconnection, depression, anxiety, and deep mental and emotional pain.
Focus on Spring: The Link Between Mania and Addiction
Mania and addiction can often go hand-in-hand, but they don’t have to ruin your enjoyment of spring.
MRI Studies Show Chemical Aversion Therapy Reduces Alcohol Cravings
Numerous studies have demonstrated that conditioned taste aversion therapy is highly effective for alcohol cravings.
What’s the Harm in Using “Harm Reduction?”
I think that the term “harm reduction” suggests something “less than” the ideal which, in the case of substance use disorders, is considered abstinence.
The True Nature of Addiction: Disease or Something Different?
Addiction impacts the individual on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Lasting recovery means doing the work of healing on all four levels.
Demystifying Trauma and Addiction (Part III)
By overcoming judgments and limiting beliefs, you’ll recognize the truth in this principle: “Judgment is self-condemnation. Self-forgiveness is freedom.”
The Continuing Crusade for Cleaning Up Addiction Language
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: people with active substance use disorders (SUDs) are not “dirty.” So why are they described with “dirty” words?
