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A woman's painful essay about how addiction destroyed the man she loved and how hard it is to be in a relationship with an addict.
Approximately 15 million Americans live with alcohol addiction. Learn the signs of alcohol use disorder and how you can seek help for this chronic disease.
Let’s be frank here. Most people want love. The craving for approval and affection from others is embedded into our DNA. There’s probably nothing else on earth (other than the survival instinct) that is as strong and primal as the longing for love. We need to belong. We NEED to feel loved. This is all normal. It’s a wonderfully exciting and ecstatic quest that we all walk sooner or later. But what happens when our search for love becomes tainted with unconscious motives? What happens when our search for love comes from a place of avoidance and fear? The answer:
I've recently met Candace Plattor and am so pleased to share her interview with you today. Candace is a therapist from Vancouver, writes an amazing
So much focus is put on the addict when it comes to recovery, but the family has also suffered pain and trauma, here are some ways for coping with addiction for family members.
Methamphetamine, or meth, is a powerful stimulant drug and one of the most addictive. Meth addiction treatment will help avoid overdoses and even death.
We often self-avoid as a way to escape our inner pain. These are the 10 most common ways we do this, especially after being narcissistically abused.
We've all experienced a moment when you just can't find the right words to say 'I love you' and describe the depth of your feelings, so here are the best love quotes for him that are sure to make his heart melt.
You're tired of living with an addict but can't leave. It's so painful and you can't let go. But there is a solution - you can regain your sanity by practicing detachment. Detachment is letting another person experience their own consequences. Instead of trying to rescue them, we give them the digni
There is no easy way to approach or handle a loved one struggling with addiction. Learn the top tips and tricks straight from a former addicts mouth in this 2 part blog.
This is a question I hear often but has a very complicated answer. While the definition of addiction is the same across the board and the behaviours for each type of addiction come out, in the same manner, the actual addiction itself does need to be treated differently. So I’m going to sa
How to Quit Meth Table of Contents https://youtu.be/Hh755Ob54gI The following is a transcription from the above video on how to quit Meth Hi, everybody, and welcome back. This is Dr. B with Addiction Recovery. As you know on this channel, we deal with substance abuse issues, and our more particular focus is to take scientific
In 1946 a study about the progression of alcoholism led to the creation of the “Jelinek Curve”.This theory splits alcoholism into 5 stages following a curve
In this blog post, we reveal our 20 best recovery and addiction inspirational quotes of all time. This is the list of our top 5!
Coping with an alcoholic is an incredibly stressful and hard thing - especially when they're a loved one, like a spouse or parent. Find 6 ways to cope here!
Learn more by reading the Duffy's Rehab blog. 5 Books Every Addict's Family Should Read.
Read our best and famous addiction quotes and sayings for overcoming a person, drug, sex, love, alcohol, mobile, and social media usage to gain mental peace.
Love addiction explained - Love addicts express their love to their partners in compulsive and self-defeating ways. Find out if you might be a love addict.
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Recovery from addiction is possible. Here are inspiring songs about recovery from addiction that need to be in your playlist.
The truth shall set you free.My husband says I’m pretty, down-to-earth, sweet and sometimes, a little bit offensive. Being true to myself, I’m going to go ahead and publish this article. I know this is a highly-criticized point of view but I'm going to say it anyway... The biggest (and most dangerous) lie about addiction is that it's a disease.Addiction is not a disease. There. Said it.
Codependent couples need to consider the crossroads, treatment, recovery, and the tough choice to stay or not.
Many people who struggle with addiction have more than one thing they're addicted to. Substances, gambling, nicotine, pornography, spending. These multiple addictions are also referred to as "co-occurring addictions" or "cross addictions". And they must be addressed for anyone wh
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The New York Times bestselling book offering a breakthrough scientific approach and treatment to conquering addiction and substance abuse. Addiction is not a moral failing or a lack of willpower. It is a disease of the brain that must be treated like any other chronic medical illness. Healing the Addicted Brain by Dr. Harold Urschel, a board-certified physician on addiction and founder of the Urschel Science Recovery Institute, combines the best behavioral addiction treatments with the latest scientific research on brain function, providing tools and strategies designed to overcome the biological factors that cause addictive behavior. This proven approach triples the success rate of patients from 30% to 90% for those who seek help. You will learn how to: Combat triggers and cravings Deal with difficult emotions Handle dual diagnoses Communicate with family Achieve heath and nutrition in recovery Regain enjoyment and pleasure Maintain long-term recovery Whether you or a family member or friend suffer from addiction, Healing the Addicted Brain offers you a comprehensive look at the new understanding of addition and will arm you with the latest treatment information and ideas to beat this disease and achieve sobriety. "Scientifically-based approaches that recognize the biological basis of addiction have brought major advances in the treatment of addiction. Dr. Urschel is at the forefront of this treatment paradigm."—Dr. Larry Hanselka, psychologist Product DetailsISBN-13: 9781402218446 Media Type: Paperback(New Edition) Publisher: Sourcebooks Publication Date: 04-01-2009 Pages: 288 Product Dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)About the Author Dr. Harold C. Urschel, III is the CEO and Founder of the Urschel Recovery Science Institute and the Chief of Medical Strategy of EnterHealth.com, which have the goal of combining the best behavioral addiction treatments with the latest scientifically proven medications. He is a board certified physician in both addiction and general psychiatry.Read an Excerpt Read an Excerpt Excerpt from Chapter One: It's a Disease! Everything you know about addiction treatment is wrong. I can safely make this statement to most laypeople—plus an alarmingly large number of health professionals—without fear of being contradicted. Why? Because most people know very little about addiction, and what they do know (or think they know) boils down to this: addicts can quit if they really want to; all they have to do is commit wholeheartedly to their treatment, which consists largely of "talking therapy"—individual or group psychotherapy or 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. That's the sum total of most people's knowledge of addiction treatment. But it's dead wrong. And it's the main reason that the success rate for addiction treatment is currently only 20—30 percent. This means that 70—80 percent of the participants in any given addiction treatment program will not be successful. No wonder people think that alcohol or drug addiction treatment doesn't work! Fortunately, recent scientific research has discovered new avenues of treatment by showing conclusively that addiction is a chronic physical disease that attacks the brain, damaging key parts of the cerebral cortex and limbic system. This brain damage cannot be reversed by talking therapies; only select new medications and continued sobriety can do that. But when used together, these new medicines and talking therapies can literally work wonders. In this chapter we'll look at the new scientific research on addiction and its effects on the brain. (Throughout the book I'll use the word "addict" to refer to both alcoholics and drug addicts, and "addiction" to refer to both alcohol and drug addiction, unless otherwise specified.) You'll learn what happens inside the brain of a person with an addiction, why talking therapy alone doesn't usually work, and how medications can help the brain repair itself, pushing the treatment success rate up as high as 90 percent! Myths That Lead to Unsuccessful Treatment of Addiction Addiction is a serious brain disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The shocking statistics say it all: According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 22.6 million Americans aged twelve or older abused or were dependent on a substance during the previous year (9.2 percent of the population aged twelve or older). Of these, 15.6 million abused or were dependent on alcohol but not illegal drugs. 3.8 million abused or were dependent on illegal drugs but not alcohol. 3.2 million abused or were dependent on both alcohol and illegal drugs. Approximately 9—10 percent of children ages twelve to seventeen use illegal drugs, and about the same percentage report binge drinking. Each year, well over two million adults use pain relievers for non medical reasons. Over ten million full-time workers between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four abuse or are dependent on alcohol. There are roughly one million drug-related visits to U.S. emergency rooms every year. Americans spend close to $20 billion a year on treatment for alcohol and drug problems. Seventy-five percent of alcoholics never enter a treatment program Of those who do seek treatment for addiction, 70—80 percent suffer a relapse soon after "graduating" from these programs. But perhaps the most frightening statistic of all is the death toll. Alcoholism is the third leading cause of death in the United States, right on the heels of heart disease and cancer. And although no one knows exactly how many additional lives are lost to the abuse of and addiction to drugs, the figure is surely in the tens of thousands per year. Forty-five-year-old Simon, a high-level chemist at a Dallas-based manufacturer, was referred to me by a drug court judge when he was charged with his second DWI and facing a ten-year prison sentence. His life was in shambles. Alcoholism had put Simon's career in jeopardy and played a major part in the dissolution of his twenty-five-year marriage three years earlier. Since that time, Simon's drinking had progressed significantly. Of his three children, only his son was still speaking to him. Both of his daughters had banned him from their homes after he repeatedly showed up intoxicated and frightened their children. And alcoholism was beginning to take a toll on his health. His blood pressure and cholesterol levels were dangerously high, two classic signs of heart disease. And the whites of his eyes had taken on a yellowish tinge, indicating malfunction of the liver. All of these problems, his doctor told him, were directly related to his alcohol use. And yet he had never sought or received any treatment for his alcoholism. Simon's story is not unusual. A full 75 percent of alcoholics are not in treatment for an illness that causes nearly as many deaths as heart disease or cancer. Why isn't our current treatment system working? At the inception, our ability to prevent and treat addiction is drastically hampered by two myths. Myth #1: Addiction is a kind of "personality disease." People with addictions are often branded losers, sinners who refuse to face up to their evil ways, or weaklings who can't "suck it up" long enough to throw off their bad habits. The media does much to contribute to this belief. We've all seen the endless parade of stories about Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey, Jr., Liza Minnelli, and countless other celebrities who bounce in and out of treatment programs. But after spending $80,000—$100,000 a month for treatment, they all seem to race right out to a bar or to meet their dealers, diving head first back into old destructive behaviors. Since they appear to be getting the best possible (or at least most expensive) treatment available, the perception is that it must be their own fault that they can't stay sober; they must not be trying hard enough. Myth #2: "Talking therapy" is the only significant treatment. Talking therapy is a series of discussions through which the addicted person learns the coping skills needed to deal effectively with stress and other issues related to the addiction. Most health professionals—physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and addiction counselors alike—believe that the best possible treatment for alcohol or drug addiction is some sort of talking therapy, such as group therapy plus individual counseling, coupled with participation in an ongoing 12-step program. Unfortunately, this approach works for only a meager 20—30 percent of patients, a fact that has convinced most healthcare providers that addiction is not treatable. Show More Table of Contents Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 — It's a Disease! Chapter 2 — Changing Your Thoughts from Pro-Addiction to Pro-Recovery Chapter 3 — Combating Triggers and Cravings Chapter 4 — Medications to Initiate Recovery and Help Maintain Sobriety Chapter 5 — Your 12-Step Recovery Program Chapter 6 — Dealing with Diff icult Emotions Chapter 7 — Dealing with Dual Diagnoses Chapter 8 — The Recovering Family Chapter 9 — Lapse and Relapse Chapter 10 — Health and Nutrition in Recovery Chapter 11 — Regaining Enjoyment and Pleasure Chapter 12 — True Recovery—Maintaining Your Goals for Life Acknowledgments Index About the Author
I really enjoy having the freedom to put my thoughts -well, somewhere; writing is like my personal therapy. My brain, even though I am sure on a scan it would be lit up all funky, blotchy, and like…
As a wife who understands marriage challenges, I'm happy to recommend these two books on difficult marriage to help you find hope and be proactive.
There are many reasons why people do not want to go to rehab. If a person does not want recovery and rehab, they will find a million excuses and reasons why they can’t go. If a person wants recovery…
“61. Weak people revenge. Strong people forgive. Intelligent people ignore.” “62. My kids call it “yelling” when I raise my voice. I call it motivational speaking for the selective listener.” Funny Quotes And Sayings For Men “63. Alcohol is a perfect solvent: It dissolves marriages, families and careers.” “64. I survived because the fire inside […]
Although you may have the best intentions and mean well, enabling an addict actually contributes to their addiction. Learn the warning signs of enabling behavior and how to break the toxic cycle.
The decision to stay or leave a partner who abuses alcohol is a tough one. How do you know when to give up on an alcoholic husband or wife?
This is a letter to myself that I wrote in March 2016 (around 10 months sober), to keep and read when I needed it. I’ve read it more than a few times since then. Dear Self, If you’re reading this, I assume you are struggling to quiet the voice in your head that says you…
You're tired of living with an addict but can't leave. It's so painful and you can't let go. But there is a solution - you can regain your sanity by practicing detachment. Detachment is letting another person experience their own consequences. Instead of trying to rescue them, we give them the digni
