Holiday stress, anxiety and depression are relapse triggers for the newly sober and just plain stressful for recovering folks depending on the health and sanity of your family. While the Holidays can be a fun, family time, for many, they are also a sad, depressing, no family time. See picture – is this your family?
I remember when I quit smoking. I was 30. I’d been “trying” to quit for 2 years. Trying is like deciding, but not taking action. Actual change requires action. and overcoming the fear of change. We humans like to be comfortable. We like the familiar. Change represents the unknown. Who will I be as a
Do you worry that you drink or use too much alcohol or other drugs? Wondering if maybe you struggle with alcoholism or addiction? On the one hand, you know you “should” seek help. On the other hand, you don’t want to give up the high, the escape, the relief from anxiety or depression that using
Are Americans addicted to fear? In some ways, yes. Here’s one story about why we are: A cute, athletic teen was running near her home. She noticed a car following a short distance behind her. As she paused to look at the car, three scary looking men got out and started after her. She ran
Photo by 910416 © Igor Kharlamov | Dreamstime.com We don’t necessarily think of senior citizens having substance abuse issues, but about 17% are vulnerable to developing a problem because of life changes such as loss of spouse or friends, health restrictions or the changes of identify that retirement brings. Check out this guest blog by
I can’t tell you how many women I’ve talked with over the last 10 years that have told me some version of “Porn is ruining our relationship,” or “porn caused our divorce.” And, through Covid, with everyone locked up in their homes, this distraction, that can lead to an addictive problem, has only gotten worse.
If you are in treatment for an alcohol or drug addiction, exercise can be an amazing tool for your recovery. Working out can improve your mental health by providing you with an outlet for negative emotions, such as anger, stress, and anxiety. Also, having a new fitness routine can reduce cravings because it gives you
By the time I was 15, my mother’s alcohol problem had become severe. My parents’ marriage ended. Divorced, no career skills, she was only able to find a low-paying job. She kept sliding downward financially. My dad wasn’t great about child support. Evictions, loss of a car, and domestic violence in her new relationship (and
By the time I was 15, my mother’s alcohol problem had become severe. Her marriage ended. Divorced, no career skills, she was able to find a low-paying job. She kept sliding financially downward. My dad wasn’t great about child support. Evictions, loss of car, and domestic violence in her new relationship all contributed to her
Let’s take judgment about opioids out of the picture and name it for what it really is: a public health crises. People struggling with opioid addiction (or any addiction) are people who need compassion and help, not judgment. “Most people who become addicted [to opioids), like me, do so after a prescription for a painkiller