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 […]
Substance Use Disorders Linked to Severe COVID Illness
In a recent National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) article, Dr. Nora Volkow addresses COVID-19 vaccines for those with substance use disorders (SUD). SUDs are among several health conditions the CDC identified as increasing the risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19. NIDA analyzed health records from 73 million patients in U.S. hospitals and […]
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 […]
Men’s Addiction Treatment – Take the Tour
Sanford House at John Street for Men is a residential treatment facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following the success of Sanford House at Cherry Street for Women, Founders Rae and David Green looked for a site for their men’s facility. Their goal was to create the same type of gender specific environment for men, […]
Addiction Stigma – How Person-First Language Helps
Stigma is defined as “a mark of disgrace or infamy”. Stigma in addiction comes mostly from the symptoms of a person’s behavior and other aspects of a substance use disorder. Addiction Stigma It is known that persons who are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs can behave aggressively or dishonestly with erratic behaviors and judgment which […]
Anatomy of Addiction Episode 2 – Women and Addiction
Today’s podcast episode is called Women and Addiction. By every marker, women are using alcohol and drugs more, and feeling the adverse effects more. Here’s the catch – women can’t drink or use drugs like men. We’re not built for it! Let’s discuss with Lynnel Brewster, RN, LPC, LLMFT, CCTP, AcuDetox Specialist, and Rae Green, […]
Surge in Overdose Deaths Increased by Pandemic
Preliminary data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show the highest overdose death toll since the 1990s, when the opioid epidemic began. According to preliminary federal data, there was a 29 percent increase in deaths from overdoses during the period between October 2019 to September 2020, compared with […]
Anatomy of Addiction Episode 1: Brain Science (101)
We are inundated with information about the rise in alcohol sales during the pandemic. The opioid epidemic and drug overdose deaths are headline news. Likewise, there is breaking news daily about the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and anxiety. Brain Science 101 But what exactly is addiction? How do you know if you […]
Recovery Expectations vs Reality – I’m Sober, What Now?
We have a nasty habit of glamorizing “getting well.” Our recovery expectations envision peak health… how our lives will look (perfect) and bodies will feel (also perfect)… The thoughts we’ll have and the ones we won’t. Sometimes, we use the idealized and far-off future to excuse our behavior. Once I’m not using, then I’ll […]
Practicing Self-Love – 3 Things I Love About Myself
When I wake up in the morning and take a long hard stare in the mirror I can easily list 3 things I dislike about myself. But when I try to list 3 things I love about myself, it gets a little more difficult. I never realized how often I put myself down or […]
