Women’s Addiction – “Pink Flags” for Moms Who Need Wine
I met with a thirty-something therapist last week who said she was concerned about her peers and their drinking habits. The “Moms who Need Wine” crowd, Starbucks cups filled with iced KJ at the soccer games. Play dates replete with chardonnay and imported cheese. Even baby-carriage walking groups with iced wine in the cup […]
10 Reasons a Michigan Winter is Good for Your Health!
At the beginning of winter 2020, there is no question what was in the minds of Michiganders far and wide. After almost a year of isolation, distancing and COVID-19, we are heading into the months when we normally sequester. How are we going to handle this? And when the first snow fell in October […]
Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care – Limelight Interview
A recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) is an infrastructure with the resources to address the full range of substance use problems within communities. The ROSC provides a continuum of care, working together with mental health and primary care resources. This includes prevention, early intervention, various treatment programs, continuing care, and long-term recovery. Recovery-Oriented […]
The Human Element in Addiction Treatment – Limelight
When you think about addiction treatment, you may not think about the staff, at all levels, who will implement the programs day-to-day. But the people who work at an addiction treatment center are important to one’s overall comfort, participation, and success. Â And when someone is vulnerable, a humane person-to-person connection can be the difference between […]
COVID-19 Relapse – Miley Cyrus Focuses on Sobriety
In a series of recent articles, Miley Cyrus, who was 6 months alcohol free, admits to “falling off” during the pandemic. She says she is now “focusing on sobriety” after a relapse a few weeks ago. Miley is not alone in her struggles. And by speaking out, and reclaiming her recovery, she serves as […]
Sober Cocktails from the Sanford Kitchen
Sober friends and recovery holidaymakers, we are in the heart of the 2020 festivities. Anybody else getting a little club soda logged? Even in the parred down events of this year, you might want to toast your favorite bubble-mate, the coming of a vaccine or 2021. There is something unnerving about a proffered champagne tray, […]
Opioids in the NFL – The Pressure to Perform
As of 2017, the opioid crisis has been designated as a public health emergency. 80-90% of opioid deaths happen in the United States, yet we are only 5% of the world’s population. The CDC reported that in 2019 opioid overdoses were up 4.6% and for 2020 we are on track for a 13% increase. […]
Addiction Recovery During COVID-19 – The GOOD News
Judith Snow is the Clinical Manager at the Sanford Outpatient Center, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And during a time when most of the news is negative about the rise of addiction, relapse, and overdoses during the pandemic, she is a breath of fresh air. As a proponent of Carl Rogers, Judith contends, “You have […]
Adults (Especially Women), Alcohol Consumption & COVID-19
We’ve been under the thumb of COVID-19 long enough now, that the statistics are beginning to come in. There has been a more than 50% increase in national sales of alcohol in 2020. And a new survey by RAND Corporation shows that those over the age of 30 increased alcohol consumption 14% during May […]
Figuring Out the Formula for Long-Term Recovery
I’ve been in recovery for eight and a half years. During that time, I have evolved into a completely different person: I lead an intentional and healthful life with a sense of purpose and meaning. I have never felt so alive and so empowered. My journey wasn’t easy, but it absolutely was worth it. […]
