Drug and alcohol dependence can dramatically alter your life in a profoundly negative way. One of the worst parts of dependence is that it ensures that you will have a significantly more difficult time stopping substance abuse alone than if you had help; we cannot simply will ourselves out of an addiction. While we can…
Stigma occurs when someone has a negative, discriminatory view of someone because of something outside of their control, such as the disease of addiction. Because of the negative effects of addiction, the disease comes with a lot of stigmas. Sadly, many people treat those struggling with the disease negatively simply because they are battling the…
Boundaries help you know where you start and another person ends. You are responsible for yourself. They are responsible for them. It sounds simple. But when you’re suffering from addiction, it can become difficult to identify the boundary lines. You may feel responsible for someone else’s happiness or be unable to say, “no.” Then you feel resentment.…
Substance abuse is common in the United States, and many people fail to receive the treatment they need for recovery. In fact, millions of people typically need treatment each year. However, only a small percentage typically receive the care they need to heal. Often, people hesitate to undertake treatment because they’ve heard something from a…
If you have recently been released from an inpatient treatment facility, you may be wondering how you will move on. A lot of people start their journey at a sober living home. Eventually, you will have to move on from sober living and venture into the outside world again. Remember that you are not alone…
Addiction recovery is a long process. It begins when something motivates the addict to change and ends when the individual has regained their financial, physical, emotional, and relationship health and positively changed their behavior. Two University of Rhode Island psychologists, James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, broke the process into five stages. Those stages of recovery…
If you’re in a relationship with someone who has an addiction, you have a higher chance of developing codependent behaviors. Part of a codependent relationship can include enabling the other person’s addiction or harmful behaviors. Enabling is not something that a person does with ill intent or intent at all. Rather, enabling is something someone…
Isolation can sneak up on a person, making it tough to stay in touch with loved ones, stay active, and maintain a healthy mindset. When times get stressful, we tend to become more worried about our health in general. Staying inside and away from others, however, can have long-term impacts on alcohol consumption. Look to…
Codependency often exists alongside addiction. Another way codependency is referred to is as a sort of relationship addiction. Someone who is codependent often has problems establishing boundaries with others, may exhibit people-pleasing tendencies, and may try to fix others. A person who has an addiction is often in a relationship with someone who is codependent.…
When you complete an addiction treatment program, you’ll be faced with questions. Do you have a place to live? Is it drug-free? Will you be exposed to too much “real life” before you’re ready to manage those situations effectively? Sober living allows for a smoother transition for those leaving a program. In this setting, you continue to…