By the time many people reach an advanced age, they begin taking prescription medication. It’s now common even for people in their thirties to be on several prescription drugs, which often are added to throughout the years. This leads to the view that taking highly addictive prescription drugs (including opioids) is simply another part of…
Since the 1960 release of Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal masterpiece Psycho first terrified the public, the word “psycho” has been used and misused in our vocabulary. We use words like psychotic, psychopath, and psychodrama, but what do they mean? Despite its association with Hitchcock’s film villain Norman Bates, the word psycho actually derives from the Greek…
For many people, being a parent is a normalized experience with common, shared roles among people of varied backgrounds. Many people find that becoming a parent fulfills a major life goal, giving them a purpose toward which they direct their energy. While becoming a parent may be one of the greatest achievements we can have,…
As human beings, the unique identifiers we place on ourselves are some of the most important aspects of our existence. We define ourselves even without realizing it, by our jobs, education, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and intersectionalities. These concepts combine to form our singular sense of self. They define us in every interaction. Our identifiers provide…
In our world, women often face challenges and barriers in life experiences that are not necessarily felt by men. In the realm of addiction recovery, women may experience a greater degree of abuse that can lead to higher rates of substance use and the need for treatment. Trauma that occurs during childhood is devastating and…
Some of our happiest memories are the ones we spend our lifetimes trying to continually recreate. When we think of these times (for example, birthdays, Christmas mornings, and Thanksgiving dinners at our grandmother’s house), we remember everything we liked and keep those memories with us. Unfortunately, some of our strongest memories tend to be the…
Here you are. You have completed a treatment program and have moved on to the recovery phase of treatment. Everything is going great, and you should be the happiest you have ever been–but for some reason, you cannot shake that feeling of being down on yourself. Maybe it is a new feeling, or maybe it…
Take a moment and imagine this: suppose you are out in public in a crowd. It could be anywhere: a supermarket at midday, a cocktail party at night, or a restaurant for dinner. Wherever it is, the room is filled with people. Do you feel your heartbeat increase? Is your blood pumping with the adrenaline…
Now and again, everyone can get a bit down. Life circumstances do not always go the way we want them to. Sometimes the car will break down unexpectedly, or we do not get the promotion we are seeking. However, when sadness persists and does not go away easily, you may be experiencing signs of a…
When following the 12-Step method, many individuals seek to find a sponsor to assist them through their recovery journey. While having a sponsor comes with a lot of benefits, there are many important factors to consider when finding a sponsor. Importance of Having a Sponsor Sponsors are a resource to use throughout your recovery journey.…