What Real-Life Recovery Means to Me
(first published in The Sanford – internal newsletter) Years ago, when Sanford Behavioral Health was a 10-bed women’s facility, we had an alumni event. These days, we have robust alumni programs for eating disorders and addiction, but in 2017, it was the first time our clients had the opportunity to return to the place where […]
Do I Drink Too Much?
I used to live in The Bahamas, where drinking in the morning is called (somewhat facetiously) “Bahamian breakfast.” It was not shocking to see someone walking on the Government Dock at 7:00 a.m. with a beer in one hand and a power tool in the other. No one looked askance when a tipsy tourist slurred, […]
Sleep-Friendly Environments & Mental Health
One of the hallmarks of active addiction and other mental health conditions is insomnia. When you wake at 3 a.m. (blood sugar dropping) and rise like a vampire for a glass of cold water, it might be the worst time of day to be wide-eyed. Every problem seems insurmountable, rehashing regrettable behavior on an endless […]
Recovery Awareness Month 2023 – No One is Alone in Recovery
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and at Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is a word that is near and dear to our hearts. One of the tenets of our mission is to support and educate those in recovery, their families, and communities, but what does recovery awareness mean? The dictionary defines recovery as a return to a […]
Addiction Defenses: Denial, Justification, Deception, Manipulation
I wrote the complete series on people’s dynamics and defenses as they develop a substance use disorder (SUD) for the Sanford Behavioral Health Family Program. The primary defenses used as addiction progresses are denial, justification, deception, and manipulation. Denial, Justification, Deception, Manipulation For the family members of an individual developing an SUD, these defenses […]
6 Reasons a Michigan Summer is Good for Mental Health
Michigan summer feels hopeful and restorative. Green is the color of life, nature, renewal, and energy. The color green is also associated with fertility, growth, and harmony. Blue stands for serenity, stability, inspiration, wisdom, and health. So, what better place to explore than Pure Michigan now that summer is here with all its shades of […]
Mental Health Awareness Month – Join the Community
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the time to bring attention to mental health and its importance to overall health and well-being. At the same time, we are also experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States. In a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, Dr. Murthy raises the alarm about the impact of loneliness […]
High-Risk Recovery Situations – What Should I DO?
The National Council of Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines high-risk recovery situations as “those that threaten your recovery or trigger a strong craving to use substances.” One of the easiest ways to identify risk is by categorizing situations as people, places, or things. People, Places, or Things People may be those you have used […]
The History of Women and Wine Culture
The United States is the largest wine consumer in the world, exceeding the wine-producing European countries such as Italy and France, which long dominated world markets. According to the Beverage Information Group, 52 percent of women prefer wine, compared to 20 percent of men. Women make up 59 percent of wine buyers. It bears […]
Shame and the Self-Conscious Emotions
You are walking down a busy street and trip on an uneven sidewalk. Or you are looking at old photographs and unearth one from when you were in active addiction, wearing a party hat that says, KISS ME, I’M IRISH. Or, as an adult, your mother says something about your lack of progress at work, […]
