Relapse triggers are situations in which your environment, your emotions, or someone or something around you causes you to crave alcohol or drugs. The triggers reignite your urge and cause you to want to act on it. Triggers are difficult to overcome because they create a pattern that you must break. The best way to…
Generally speaking, addiction and relationships do not mix. While it is possible to stay in a relationship with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the relationship is often affected by the addiction. It often creates a dynamic that is built around substance abuse. As the spouse, child, or parent of someone struggling with…
With the fourth of July coming up shortly, many people are preparing for a celebratory time. Picnics, cookouts, and fireworks mark this special occasion of celebration. For many, the atmosphere around the fourth of July can become rowdy as people stay up late partying and lighting their own fireworks. For those who are in recovery…
If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance abuse problem, you may be wondering what are synthetic drugs? Synthetic drugs, also known as designer drugs, are chemically-created drugs that are meant to give similar effects as drugs like opiates, stimulants, or hallucinogenics. Unlike drugs like heroin or cocaine, synthetic drugs are, in…
Drug addiction and substance abuse problems impact countless families. When looking for solutions, you must know that addiction and family are related. Even though it may seem like the only person impacted by addiction is the user, the truth is that it impacts everybody in the user’s network, including family members. When you abuse drugs…
Once you have completed drug detox and rehab programs, you will emerge sober and ready to fight back against the risk of relapse. However, getting sober is not the same as staying sober. To learn how to stay sober, it is always smart to get professional guidance. Here are some of the most effective ways…
The prescription says to take one or two tablets every six hours or as needed for pain. You’re not sure, but you feel that maybe you’re crossing the line into chemical dependency. Are there signs of opioid addiction? Most importantly, what should you do once you notice them? Following Doctor’s Orders or Signs of Opioid…
DISCLAIMER: Justin Bieber recently publicly admitted that he has struggled with an addiction to the prescription tranquilizer Xanax. He has also talked about receiving treatment for depression. Here, we want to take a look at the complicated relationship between substance abuse and mental illness, as it has manifested in Justin Bieber’s life. “Drugs put a…
“A lot of alcoholics talk about how they look back and can see that they never knew, never really could predict, when they’d get too drunk, when they’d cross the line from what felt like normal heavy drinking into raging, out-of-control drinking.” ~ Caroline Knapp, Drinking: A Love Story Are you a “social drinker”? Are…
Charlie Sheen looks to be recovering from an addiction that has lasted decades. His problems with substances have created a lot of challenges in his private and professional life. Sheen has recently been talking about his success with one year of sobriety from alcohol. He showed off his one year coin from Alcoholics Anonymous on…