A new year means a “new you.” So many of us promise ourselves that this is the year we conquer our bad habits and emerge a new person. We make a plan longer than our holiday shopping list of all the unhealthy or bad habits in our lives and try [...]
A very dangerous and pervasive outcome of addiction in the tendency to isolate. Circumstances like conflict between friends and family members over one’s addiction can cause the addicted person to seek solitude. Warped thinking caused by extended substance abuse can rationalize the need for one to be alone because it [...]
What is cotton fever? Cotton fever is a condition that is associated with intravenous drug use. Although there are few medical or professional and peer reviewed articles that document cotton fever, it is well known among intravenous drug users. The symptoms of cotton fever occur after an intravenous drug like [...]
Anyone who has a loved one or close friend suffering from addiction encounters the fact that addicts manipulate the ones closest to them. It is most often family and friends who are manipulated in some way by an addict’s behavior and that can lead to many questions: Why do addicts [...]
Alcoholism and drug addiction is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. The mental aspect of addiction leads to delusional thinking that is characterized by denial and delusional thinking. Denial can be so powerful in addiction that the addict cannot comprehend the gravity of their situation. But what happens [...]
The opioid crisis in America has been raging for decades. Recent government regulations seek to eradicate this crisis from the country, but the problem is complex and its effects are far reaching. Many chronic pain patients rely on opioids to help them function and lead a normal life, but new [...]
When you are experiencing a difficult time or high levels of stress, how do you get through the hard stuff? Do you have a strategy to overcome your stress and anxiety? So often we can learn unhealthy ways to cope with our hard times or persistent problems, so we turn [...]
It certainly is the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season brings great times of fun and celebration filled with time with family and friends. There are so many opportunities to celebrate, but that also brings with it plenty of opportunities to drink, and if you are in [...]
Alcohol dependence and abuse has traditionally been considered a mental disorder. Changes to the digestive system and healthy gut bacteria, however, are present in certain psychiatric disorders. This shows a potential link between the gut-brain interaction and the development of alcohol dependence. While many studies focus solely on the mental [...]
Shame and guilt are present in nearly every case of substance abuse and alcoholism and they are powerful and painful emotions that can hinder recovery. We feel shame as a natural emotion that not only affects our behavior, but creates a physiological response to the automatic nervous system. We blush, [...]
