When you think about it, drug and alcohol addiction is like a slow suicide.[1] You may not want to end your life in the heat of the moment. But you do permit the gradual poisoning of your mind and body. Some people also get strong suicidal thoughts and urges during their active addiction and subsequent … Continue reading Feeling Suicidal During Recovery
November 3, 2010
On This Page: Drugs and the Brain Cocaine and the Brain Cocaine Addiction Rehab Rehab at Michael’s House The fact that drugs change brain chemistry and alter brain function, affecting the areas that control inhibition, logic, sight, hearing, and thought process is a concept that most people learn at an early age. Elementary and middle … Continue reading Drug Abuse Makes You Stupid
October 24, 2010
Aaron Selchow of Los Gatos, California, lost his best friend to a car accident during his senior year of high school. Over the next three years, Selchow self-medicated his grief with drugs and alcohol until July, 2010, when, according to Mercury News, he overdosed on methadone and died at the age of 20.[1] His friends were devastated, … Continue reading Drug Overdose Death: Turning Tragedy into Hope
October 11, 2010
You have gotten past a lot of hurdles to get sober. It’s been a tough road, but it’s been worth it. The following seven things could derail your sobriety and set you back at square one. Find out what they are and learn how to keep your sobriety in check.
September 30, 2010
On This Page: Negative Thinking in Addiction Recovery Black and White Thinking in Addiction Recovery The Mental Battle of Addiction If you took a running tally of all the negative thoughts that pass through your mind in a few minutes, would they outnumber the positive or neutral ones? If you did this several times during … Continue reading The Mental Side of Addiction Recovery
September 26, 2010
There are few things that can harm a marriage as thoroughly as a drug addiction. Certainly, many people who struggle with substance use manage to save their relationships and sometimes even grow stronger through their recovery. But many marriages do not survive the damage addiction inflicts. Consider a few ways that an untreated drug addiction … Continue reading Drug Addiction and Marriage
September 17, 2010
When you stop using drugs, you begin to see the big, ugly gap you were trying to fill. This gap existed long before the addiction developed. In fact, it was probably a large part of the reason you began using drugs in the first place. There was a void or emptiness you didn’t know how … Continue reading Drug Addiction Recovery: Filling the Void
August 27, 2010
Addiction is influenced by your specific body, biology and brain chemistry. It is a result of your past experiences and your current environment. It reflects your personality and that of the people around you. It is the accumulation of an infinite number of factors that can never be duplicated or replicated. Knowing this, how could … Continue reading Drug Addiction: “You Don’t Understand Me”
August 15, 2010
You’ve been using drugs or alcohol for a while now. You recognize that you use in unhealthy ways or amounts, but you’re not really sure it’s a problem. You’re pretty sure you’ve managed to hide your use from your boss, your family, or your friends. You still feel okay, even if some aspects of life … Continue reading Your Drug Addiction – Who Does It Hurt?
July 24, 2010
Addiction is an emotional disease. You may have turned to drugs or alcohol as a way to run away from your emotions. You may have found your emotions too painful or difficult to handle. Substances promised an easy escape. However that escape ended up causing more emotional problems than it solved. Drugs didn’t make your … Continue reading Managing Your Emotions is the Key to Sobriety
July 20, 2010