If you believe a family member is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, it’s time to take action. The question is, what can you do. Many people with addiction realize they need help, but they may not be willing or able to accept it easily.
For many people, social anxiety is a mental health challenge. When you’ve decided to stay sober, it may be challenging to get through parties and other social situations while staying true to your recovery.
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers are a great start to overcoming addiction. They have an amazing track record of changing and saving lives. Rehab centers are effective because they remove addicts from harmful environments full of temptations.
It's said that you don't recover from an addiction by stopping using. You recover by creating a new life where it is easier to not use. If you fail to create a new life, then all the factors that brought you to your addiction can find you again.
Isolation and addiction go hand in hand. In the early stages of addiction, many use alcohol or drugs in social settings to feel less alone and more connected. As the use becomes more repetitive and progresses, the brain chemistry shifts in a way that produces obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions.
Addiction causes a lot of pain, hurt, and grief, and sometimes people think that in recovery, everything will be different. Life in recovery is much better, but there are still highs and lows.
Although many view battling addiction as a personal experience, that’s not the full story. It’s true that addiction can have devastating effects on the user, but many forget about the other people involved – the family.
Addiction forever changes the lives of those affected by it, and those who witness loved ones experience it. The more we understand why it’s so powerful, where it comes from, and why it affects individuals differently, the better chance we have at fighting it.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of unintentional death in the United States. Opioid addiction is driving the epidemic. The Public Health Institute believes that solving the opioid crisis will be a collective effort.
Depression and addiction are often linked. Symptoms of depression can drive people toward substance abuse to help cope with their condition. However, self-medicating with drugs or alcohol usually leads to a downward spiral and addiction.
