Emotions have a way of sneaking up on a person. One moment, you are feeling perfectly fine, but then a stray memory makes you feel sad. Or you are working steadily on a project, but then a series of small setbacks add up to mounting feelings of frustration. Or you are feeling down in the...Read More
Family Systems Therapy can be particularly beneficial in the context of addiction recovery. Substance use disorder, (formerly known as substance abuse), and addiction not only affect the individual struggling with the addiction but also have a significant impact on the entire family unit. Family members may experience feelings of helplessness, anger, guilt, and anxiety, and...Read More
You’re sitting at home one night watching your favorite show or reading a new book or helping your kids with their homework when all of a sudden the lights go out. It’s a blackout. After you find a couple of flashlights or light a few candles, you will turn your attention to the source of...Read More
Most of us have a pretty good idea of what an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting is like—at least in broad outline. People gather together in someplace like a church basement, share something from their lives and recovery journey (if they are so inclined), and enjoy some coffee and cookies. That much has been depicted in countless...Read More
You have regained your sobriety and started your recovery journey. You have established some good routines—going to recovery meetings, keeping a gratitude journal, getting outside to enjoy the fresh air and beauty to be found in the natural world—and you are feeling pretty good about your ability to manage cravings and maintain your sobriety over...Read More
Trauma and Substance Use The connection between trauma and increased risk of substance abuse disorders is well documented. As a result, most treatment centers and medical professionals in the addiction field can be described as “trauma informed:” their treatment philosophy and methodology takes into account the experiences that might be undergirding a person’s struggles with...Read More
Some prescription drugs become well known in popular culture, especially drugs related to the treatment of anxiety. Any number of neurotic or anxious characters who appear in comedies—think of any character ever played by Woody Allen, for example—may namecheck a pharmaceutical to get a laugh. Use and Misuse Xanax, a drug often prescribed for anxiety,...Read More
As a parent of an adult child who has a drinking problem, you want the best for your child. Unfortunately, things are not as simple as they once seemed and life now is very confusing. Although you still have the same love for your child, once they reach their 18th birthday they are legally considered...Read More
Many a child has heard a parent say something akin to, “Watch your tone of voice when you are talking to me!” It is the kind of thing a parent says when a child is disrespectful or sarcastic or flippant. The child’s parent may take as much issue with how the kid said what they...Read More
We probably do not have to tell you that many, many people have at least one pet. Current statistics reveal that 66 percent—that’s two thirds—of American households include a pet. That means there is a pretty good chance that you, the person who is reading this blog entry right now, have a pet. But there...Read More
