Medical professionals have recognized the disease of addiction for decades, but it’s been a longer road to acceptance for law enforcement and society. The stigma associated with addiction keeps people from getting the help they need and undermines the effectiveness of treatment and recovery. People living in recovery shouldn’t feel powerless against feelings of shame; […]
When a loved one decides to seek treatment and start the recovery process for addiction, you naturally may feel extremely positive and optimistic. But as supporting a loved one along this journey can also be incredibly challenging, it’s important to manage your expectations and be prepared for the impact his or her recovery process will […]
It can be difficult to know what to say when a friend or relative is going through treatment for a drug or alcohol problem. You want to encourage and cheer them on, but sometimes it can feel like a verbal and emotional minefield where it’s all too easy to step your foot in and inadvertently […]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! At least that’s how the song goes. The reality is often something short of wonderful. For many, the holidays mean stress. First there’s the financial pressure to buy gifts and spend, spend, spend. Add in the general busyness of the season and all that emphasis on time […]
In the early days of substance abuse treatment, the focus was on detox and “getting clean,” to the exclusion of almost everything else. As the field of addiction treatment has grown, professionals have come to understand that substance abuse is about much more than a chemical addiction. For lasting success, you need to treat the […]
Following the reported suicide death of actor and comedian Robin Williams, the topics of depression, mental illness and the possible link between these issues and creativity were once again catapulted to the forefront of our cultural communication. The Web and social media sites were abuzz with speculation and opinions. While frank, honest discussion is always […]
Joe Putignano is a Cirque du Soleil acrobat that performs death-defying leaps and dangles from a 40-foot-high catwalk. He is an addiction recovery success story, as he has nearly six years of sobriety after a harrowing heroin addiction. Pushing his body to the limits night after night doesn’t come without a price. Putignano’s shoulder has […]
We know tobacco is bad for you, but when individuals are tackling addiction to heroin, cocaine, meth or prescription painkillers, are you really going to deny them a few cigarettes? In a recent Scientific American podcast Christopher Intagliata addressed the topic of instituting bans on tobacco at rehab centers. At first glance it seems obvious. […]
It’s easy to have firm ideas about how much you’ll drink, but, as the hours pass, your judgment becomes impaired by alcohol. You may lose track of just how much you’ve had. Enter: alcohol-monitoring ice cubes. An MIT graduate student, Dhairya Dand, created the new tool after he wound up in the hospital after binge […]
If you are in recovery and start to feel like you are beyond relapse, this story is for you. It’s a cautionary tale that shows that everyone is vulnerable – even treatment professionals. It is important to start each day with a renewed commitment to sobriety and the choices that make it possible over the […]