Red Wine a Day Keeps Heart Disease Away? A New Study Debunks the Adage
A new study debunks the concept that drinking modestly protects the heart. Instead, its conclusion is that there is no level of drinking that does not present heart disease risk. The risk is minimal if people consume an average of seven drinks per week (as compared to abstaining). But the risk rises dramatically as […]
Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before/After Bariatric Surgery
There are times on the road to wellness, when the only thing one can say is, “No fair.” I remember thinking no fair when six months sober, a long dormant eating disorder popped up like the head of a Hydra. Just when I had my alcohol use disorder (AUD) licked, another trial presented itself. And at […]
Studies Show 75% of Individuals With Addiction Recover
In a world of doom and gloom news, addiction from drugs and alcohol gets its share of bad press. The CDC reported more than 100,000 overdose deaths from April 2020 to April 2021. This is the single highest death toll recorded in a 12-month period. We also hear about the tsunami of increased alcohol […]
The Importance of Human Connection. Pandemic’s Silver Lining?
There is no argument – 2021 has been a tough year on our mental health. We have been challenged by the seemingly never-ending COVID pandemic. And in the behavioral health field the increase in overdoses, caused by multiple factors linked with the pandemic, resulted in more than 100,000 deaths. Is Connection the Pandemic’s […]
Flying High: Why Airports Are Triggers for Those in Recovery
The holidays are coming, and we have begun to venture back to the friendly skies. It seems that everyone is donning a mask and getting on a plane going somewhere. For those of us in recovery, walking through a brightly lit airport has the potential to trigger memories of a high flying past. And […]
Remembering Early Recovery in an Empty House
I had what will probably be a once in a lifetime experience this summer. Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women in Grand Rapids, Michigan was closed for a short time for restoration. This is something that happens rarely in the 24/7 world of residential addiction treatment. The 170-year-old floors were restored, and everything […]
Why Do I Need a Recovery Tool Kit?
At the start of my recovery, years of people pleasing had dulled down who I really was. I developed an ability to respond to any situation in the way I thought I should rather than the way I actually felt. On top of that, years of drinking dulled the pain of living a life […]
Drug and Alcohol Recovery Achievements
The Recovery Research Institute recently looked at a representative sample of adults who reported “resolution of an alcohol or drug problem”. These adults were examined for achievements in family, life-style, and economic and community participation. The working definition of recovery is: “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live […]
The Best Sober Vacations to Take This Summer
Vacations are good for the body and soul, right? For those in recovery, the answer can be yes and no. The fact is vacations (even well-deserved vacations) can be stressful to folks in recovery. And when there’s a boat party on every sandbar or a history of overindulging on past vacations, a holiday can be […]
Exercise for Stress and Anxiety – 5 Days X 30 Minutes!
I like setting small attainable goals. Tell me to exercise for my stress and anxiety, and I find myself in a quandary. Should I get up early and hit the nature center for a bracing hike (or will that take too long)? Wait, I could do Pilates in the living room and lunges with weights […]
