Addiction | Substance Use Disorders | Treatment
Why We Love an Abuser?
Why we love an abuser – and for the readers of this blog – why we love someone who’s an alcohol or other drug abuser – is an unanswerable question when you’re living with it. I know in my case, it took me decades to finally get the help I needed to answer this question…
Read MoreEnd Stigma | Shame Surrounding Addiction
Not until we end the stigma | shame surrounding addiction can we take the first steps to effectively treat it. Why? It is the stigma and shame that causes the people who suffer with this chronic, often relapsing brain disease (and those who love them) to believe they just don’t want recovery badly enough. And…
Read MoreAddiction Relapse – Do You Have to Start Recovery Over
There is a perception that addiction relapse means a person has to start their recovery from the beginning – day 1. In some groups, this practice is followed as part of the group’s guidelines, and for some people – especially those who’ve found their recovery through these groups – this practice is critically important to…
Read MoreSetting Boundaries With Addicted Family Members
Setting boundaries with addicted family members – Why do we keep moving them? And how do we know they’re an addict or alcoholic? Does that even matter? I remember those days… If you drink, again, I’m leaving. If you get another DUI, I’m done! OK. I can go along with you only drinking on Wednesday,…
Read More5 Reasons People Relapse After Years of Sobriety
This post was first written in 2014, but the 5 reasons people relapse after years of sobriety are still important to understand. So I updated with current information in 2020. I was driven to write this post after receiving phone calls and emails following the news of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death and an outpouring of…
Read MoreAlcohol-Induced Blackouts – Are They Real?
Alcohol-induced blackouts – seriously — they can’t remember what they did or said? How many times have you found yourself uttering incredulous gasps, “What do you mean you don’t remember?” or engaging in an argument with someone you care about because of something they said or did while they were drunk? Have you ever had…
Read MoreSomeone’s Drinking Ruined the Holidays?
Someone’s drinking ruined the holidays? Perhaps you’re anticipating it will. “They’ve ruined just about every birthday, wedding, anniversary, Thanksgiving, graduation…need I go on? And yet they promise – PROMISE – this time it will be different. This time they’ll keep it to one or two or only drink beer or wine – ‘no hard stuff.’”…
Read MoreRelapse | How Often Does it Happen and Why
Relapse is when a person in recovery or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs use disorders starts drinking or using again. I discuss five reasons people relapse after years of sobriety in my post of this same name. These include: Not understanding the basics of how the brain works Not understanding relapse is a hallmark…
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