The Shame of Addiction
I saw it again last night as I faced an audience of people in treatment for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), aka addiction, and their family members, all of whom were present to hear my lecture. I saw the crushing emotional pain that surrounds this family disease on their faces, in their body language, in the way…
Read MoreMothers Who Love an Addict | Alcoholic
Mothers who love an addict | alcoholic have it doubly hard in my opinion. We not only try to help the person with the drinking | drug abuse problem and/or addiction, we try to keep our non-drinking | non-drug abusing children safe in all manner of ways. We don’t want them to know what’s really…
Read MoreSober Conversations | Secondhand Drinking
Secondhand drinking has been an ongoing topic on my blog and in my consulting and presentation work for several years, now. It is a term to describe what happens to family members and friends and the stranger on the street, to the co-workers and fellow students and society at large. It is what happens to…
Read MorePaleo Lifestyle and Addiction Recovery
Paleo Lifestyle and Addiction Recovery – what is the Paleo Lifestyle and what does it have to do with addiction recovery? The following is a guest post by Dr. Herby Bell. Dr. Bell is a Chiropractor, Recovery Coach and owner and director of Recovery Health Care, an integrated approach to addiction treatment in Redwood City,…
Read MoreWhen Does Drinking Alcohol Become a Problem
When does drinking alcohol become a problem vs a night of fun or a complement to a lovely meal with friends? What can a person do to keep from crossing the line from “safely” drinking alcohol to abusing alcohol or developing alcoholism? Is there such a line – isn’t drinking either normal or alcoholic? You…
Read MoreTalking to a Child About Secondhand Drinking | a Parent’s Drinking
Talking to a child about secondhand drinking | a parent’s drinking – HOW do you do it? How do you sooth a child whose mommy or daddy yells at them or belittles them when they’ve been drinking. How do you explain to a child their daddy and mommy still loves them when you don’t believe…
Read More3 Reasons People Tolerate Secondhand Drinking
There are three key reasons people tolerate secondhand drinking – the most common of which is not understanding the term. The others relate to a lack of awareness of the causes of secondhand drinking – namely alcohol misuse – and the reasons some people are able to reduce the amount they drink while others cannot.…
Read MoreGenetics and Alcoholism – Is a Child Destined?
Genetics and alcoholism – is the child of an alcoholic destined to become an alcoholic? The answer is, “No.” It is but one of the five key risk factors contributing to a person developing the disease of addiction – in the case, an addiction to alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)…
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