The holidays come with travel plans, gift-giving, merry-making, and awkward family issues, which bring stressful topics such as money, family, religion, and general stress to the surface. For individuals struggling with addiction or recovering addicts, the holidays can be doubly difficult and triggering, which could easily lead to a relapse. Additionally, during a time of…
Sadly, there is a proven connection between addiction and childhood trauma. The traumatic events experienced in your childhood can and often do follow you into adulthood and create a series of mental health issues that may also cause you to self-medicate through excessive drinking or drug use. If you or someone you love is struggling…
Heroin is an illicit, powerful, and deadly drug that has the potential to drastically change everything in your life, including your emotional state, the function of your brain, and your physical appearance. While the short-term effects can be tragic, there are many long-term effects of heroin use that could forever alter or end your life.…
You are probably already aware of the damaging long-term effects alcohol addiction has on the human body. Still, you may not know the full scope of how alcoholism affects relationships. Alcoholism has a simultaneous destructive effect on physical and mental wellbeing, meaning drinking and relationships are intrinsically connected. If you or a loved one is…
There are many steps to alcohol recovery, and while each one is critical, the first step is the most important and the hardest. What is the first step toward recovery after spotting the early signs of alcohol addiction? Admitting that you have a drinking problem and that you need professional help from an alcohol addiction…
Marijuana has been one of the most popular recreational drugs for decades and continues to be used by millions every day. Marijuana is now legal for recreational and medicinal purposes in many states, like Oregon and Colorado. But is marijuana addictive? Despite widespread perceptions to the contrary, frequent marijuana use is associated with the development…
Family therapy is a proven effective kind of psychological counseling capable of assisting family members in learning how to communicate more effectively and healthily resolve conflicts. Many of the issues your family may be experiencing could result from one or more members of your family struggling with substance use disorders or mental health issues. Co-occurring…