Addiction is extremely prevalent in the United States, affecting as many as 23.5 million Americans. These addictions are often stigmatized by society and shown as a dangerous habit of the weak-minded and the criminal. Despite this stigmatization, addiction is often significantly more complex than the media depiction, and its deep connection with trauma and abuse
I relapsed again. I felt like crap and was afraid my husband would run out of patience and leave me. He can’t understand why I don’t just tell him when something triggers it, but it’s just not that simple. Any event, stressful interaction, or relationship difficulty can trigger a relapse. Since they are often
Even though I had been sober for a significant period of time, I was still struggling. In fact, it seemed the longer I remained sober, the harder it was getting to continue to do so. Every day while travelling to work, I passed by my favorite bar, and my old stoner buddies kept calling
Codependence is a dysfunctional relationship in which one person is unhealthily reliant on caring for someone else – pushing them to enable that person in drug or alcohol use. While almost no one plans to be codependent, it works much like an addiction in that it slowly builds up until a small thing becomes
SMART Recovery or Self-Management and Recovery Training is a not for profit, free self-help group designed to help individuals recover from any addiction. SMART Recovery directly contrasts 12-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous in that it promotes personal decisions and freedom, allowing each member to choose their own path and their own motivations to get
As a single parent, you face a huge burden of stress and responsibility that many other people simply don’t have to face. You are likely solely responsible for caring for one or more children, in addition to earning income, keeping house, and cooking meals. While being a single parent can be rewarding, the high
When speaking about addiction, drugs and alcohol usually accompanies the discussion. But, are drugs and alcohol the only substances that can be addicting? Are there other substances not categorized as drugs and alcohol that can be addicting? Also, can certain behaviors be addicting as well? Here is a top list of the
Traditional drug treatment programs have been successful with a large majority of drug addicts. However, some of them fail to respond to treatment or find themselves relapsing back into their old patterns. Several new programs have been developed to address specific aspects of treatment or to provide an entire new method of dealing with
Whether you’re recently sober or have been clean for some time, traveling anywhere on vacation can be a test of your sobriety. Because many vacation destinations and even business events focus heavily on alcohol and drinking in social settings, traveling may mean being constantly exposed to temptation, being pressured into drinking by friends and
Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction often necessitates seeking out professional rehabilitation help. Unfortunately, whether you intend to go to rehab for a short stay of 90 days, or a long one of 18 months, you are most likely concerned about what you are leaving behind. Your finances, including bills are an important
