What exactly does it mean to blackout? It seems that definition takes on a different connotation depending on who we are talking about. For the deadbeat dad or homeless man on the corner, blacking out is understood in negative terms, wherein a person consumes too much alcohol in a bout of binge drinking, and as…
Going through an addiction, even when rehab has aided in recovery, is a long and grueling journey. When the high wears off and an addict begins to pick up the pieces of their life, they often face an amalgam of problems. Recovering addicts must hold down a job, commit to sobriety, establish new routines, and…
Addiction takes a huge toll on relationships. Other than parents’ relationships with their children, marriages tend to suffer the most under the strain of addiction. Certainly, there are few issues in a relationship that wreaks as much havoc as addiction does. Substance abuse or addiction usually brings lying, cheating, stealing and/or manipulating along for the…
Drug and alcohol abuse is as old as human civilization. In the United States, addiction has been acknowledged as early as the 1600s. Although addiction is now understood and treated as a disease, society once viewed it as a character flaw of the individual. Early aversion therapy included prayer, adding bird dung or a…
Guilt and shame can create problems for anyone entering recovery. Guilt and shame are powerful emotions that play a vital role in the healing process. People who are new to recovery often struggle with issues of guilt, and shame surrounding their addiction and the acts committed while intoxicated and addicted. Powerful emotions play an integral…
There are a lot of great books to read for addiction recovery. Those who join narcotics anonymous start with the basic text, Narcotics Anonymous 6th Edition. Narcotics Anonymous also publishes It Works How and Why – The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous along with an accompanying workbook. These three books provide a…
What are the different types of drugs is a common question for parents looking to educate and protect their children? The number of drugs and pharmaceuticals that are regularly monitored for employment and addiction can range from up to a three panel to a sixteen-panel test. The United States government categorizes drugs into five different…
Our society has reached a critical point in the fight against substance abuse. Drugs, which have historically permeated the societal niches of impoverished and crime-ridden communities, have now made their way into the everyday lives of adolescents. The ease of access is overwhelming, the peer pressure is suffocating, and the unchecked mental disorders of this…
Congratulations. Your loved one is finally seeking help for their addiction to drugs or alcohol. This has no doubt been a long road, so you can breathe a sigh of relief. Seeking help for an addiction is an important first step on the road to recovery. While millions of Americans struggle with substance abuse problems,…
Alcoholism affects the entire family. No matter how old you are, it is very difficult to deal with an alcoholic parent. It rarely gets easier, even as an adult. First, know you’re not alone. Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the U.S. by far and plagues more than 17 million Americans each year.…
