Walking for Lasting Addiction Recovery
A doctor friend of mine has an adage that applies to recovery from physical injury but also relates to addiction recovery. He says, “Use it or lose it.” In other words, moving your body, even on a slow walk, is good for what ails you. But do you know how good? Or that walking provides […]
6 Ways Michigan Summer Improves Mental Health & Recovery
Michigan Summer It’s Memorial Day weekend, and it finally feels like Michigan summertime has begun. 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 […]
Loneliness, Isolation a Mental Health Hazard – U.S. Surgeon General
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has released an advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. It says loneliness fundamentally affects mental, physical, and societal health. The subject is personal to Dr. Murthy, who wrote the bestseller Together: The […]
Myth Busting – Non-Drinkers Are Not BORING
On a recent long road trip, I listened to the podcast Smartless for 17 hours. This was my only entertainment other than noting the decor in rest area bathrooms and the displays in roadside gas stations (which morphed from Slim Jim and antifreeze to oranges and baby alligator heads). Smartless is hosted by Jason […]
10 Recovery Slogans – Why They Work
Much of my writing is intense (e.g., Family Guide to Understanding Relapse). So, I’m ready to try something a little lighter yet equally informative. For example, a part of the recovery dialogue revealed to me over the years is the use of slogans in recovery. At first, I thought they were silly. I couldn’t […]
A New Look at 10 Addiction Relapse Triggers
You are new to recovery and innocently pushing your cart down the aisle at the local Fresh Market. Let’s say it’s a gloomy Sunday afternoon. You round the corner, and there in front of you is the alcohol aisle. Aisles more like it, all shapes and sizes of beer and wine stacked and displayed artfully. […]
Michigan Alcohol Abuse Statistics [2023]
The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) has published current Alcohol Use Statistics [2023]. Not surprisingly, 60% of adults in the U.S. say that their alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic. 34% admit binge drinking, and 7% report extreme binge drinking. Men still comprise 62% of those diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, […]
Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus – the Wood TV Interview
Our seasoned team has fully functioned at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus since January 2022. Our signature addiction treatment centers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have been operational since 2015; however, Sanford West is still a relatively new facility, with programs rolling out regularly. We want to thank Rachael Ruiz and eightWest Wood TV for their […]
Ask Rae: Adult Children of Alcoholics Breaking the Cycle
Dear Rae: I am an adult child of an alcoholic (ACA), and I am in a relationship with someone who drinks too much and is abusive when he does so. I keep trying to “fix” the situation and drink more to make myself less anxious. This is not my first time falling for someone with […]
Importance of Interdisciplinary Team for Eating Disorders – Free CEU Event
There is still time to join us at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus for a free CEU training course for professionals. Sanford West is 12 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan. We’d love to have you visit our campus in person, but the training is also available online. Click the invitation below to […]
