Six Steps for Sobriety You’ve taken that first big step and stopped using substances, now what? If you follow this advice on how to stay sober in six steps, you have a fighting chance. First, congratulations on getting clean! We all know how hard that is. If you’re reading this, perhaps you were also smart…
You want to graduate, but don’t feel motivated to go to school. After all, you’re still in recovery and you want to focus on that. There’s all sorts of excuses a person can come up with, but the truth of the matter is that part of your recovery means changing yourself for the better. Getting…
Advice for Families of Drug Addicts When a child becomes addicted to alcohol or drugs, parents often feel helpless. The pain is profound and the frustration mounts over time. Parents worry about the consequences to their child’s health, the impact on their personal relationships, their schooling or their jobs. As the addiction escalates, addiction can…
Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain, affecting the reward and motivation centers. “Is alcoholism genetic or hereditary?’ is a question that has turned to science for answers. Indeed, scientists have argued about the genetic and hereditary influences on addiction for decades. To truly understand the influence of genetics and heredity, we must understand…
Understanding Alcohol Abuse To some people, enjoying alcohol in moderation is o.k. The problem is, everyone’s definition of “in moderation: is different. When people use alcohol as an escape route for social, personal or career pressures, alcoholism can result. Long term, the effects of alcohol can cause to liver damage and other debilitating conditions. Most…
Parents Play an Important Role It probably comes as no surprise that parents play a significant role in preventing alcohol and prescription pill addiction. Parents who teach their children healthy living and sense of responsibility are being proactive. When parents spend time talking about addiction and its dangers, the seed is planted. It makes it…
Long-Term Effects of Prescription Pill Abuse Prescription pill addiction affects individuals of all ethnicities and genders—here are the long-term effects of prescription pill abuse. Many studies have been done on the long-term effects of prescription pill abuse. When prescribed for you by a doctor, these medications can indeed be helpful or even life-saving. It’s when…
What Is Adderall? To understand the seriousness of Adderall abuse and addiction, it helps to understand what Adderall is. Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine that is used primarily to treat the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It has benefits with sleep disorders and in managing some forms of severe depression as well.…
The 12 Step Recovery Program One cannot talk about recovery without discussion about the 12 Step Program. Even casual observers are familiar with the term. In essence, it is a set of tenets and guidelines to help move people through the process of recovery. In case you’re curious, here are the 12 steps. We admitted…
The Long Term Effects of Cocaine Studies on the long term effects of cocaine on the body and mind have revealed a great deal of information. Researchers have found that with repeated exposure to cocaine, the brain starts to adapt, resulting in the reward pathway becoming less sensitive to natural reinforcers. While this is going…