A Growing Problem in Seniors and Substance Abuse

While it may seem that substance abuse is isolated to a younger crowd, dependence is prevalent in all communities.

Breaking Stigmas in Mental Health Treatment: Say What You Mean

The term “suffering” is obviously negative. People living with a mental illness can live fulfilling, happy lives.

Self-Determination and Recovery

Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits.

Understanding The Cycle of Addiction

Addiction isn’t usually on the top of our minds when we have a drink, take prescription medication, or use illegal drugs. That’s because it’s not something that happens right away. Little by little, your brain adapts, altering your judgment and perceptions. Before you know it, you can be trapped in the cycle of addiction, with seemingly no way out.

Tips for Preparing for Rehab

Now that you have committed to going to an addiction treatment center, it is time to prepare for detox and rehab. You want to make your stay as comfortable and fulfilling as possible. Preparing for rehab essentially involves deciding what you will take and what you need to expect when you arrive. Preparing in advance also relieves some of the stress or hesitation you may feel.

Fear in the Early Stages of Recovery

Before recovery, people often live with a great many fears. You might be afraid of someone finding out about your substance abuse or addictive behaviors. Possibly, you might fear getting arrested or going to prison for DUI. You might be afraid of hospitalization, institutionalization, failure, crisis, relapse, or a diagnosis of a psychiatric or substance use disorder.

Loneliness and Addiction

Loneliness is often viewed as a negative state of existence, although some alone time is needed to recharge. A Harvard study mentions “25% to 60% of older Americans suffer from loneliness. Another site reflected loneliness in younger audiences with “79% of Gen Z, aged 18 to 22 feeling lonely” and secondly, “71% of Millennials reported feeling lonely.” The link between loneliness and addiction should be something that people are aware of during these uncertain times. 

Chemical Communicators: How Drugs Speak To The Brain

The brain is a complex network of neurons that communicate through the use of chemicals. These chemical compounds are referred to as “neurotransmitters” because they carry information between braincells. Each unique neurotransmitter carries different information and is responsible for different tasks within the brain.

Overcoming Addiction Stigma

There are many reasons why an addict might choose to avoid receiving help for their addiction. The primary misconception is the belief that the addiction has progressed so far that the user either does not realize how they are hurting themselves, or they simply want to keep using. This frequently leads to an impression that people who suffer from an addiction are weak-minded or somehow lesser to their fellow humans.

The Changing Face of Addiction

When you picture a person with substance use disorder, what is the first image that comes to mind? For many people, that first image is of a homeless person huddled on the street of a city with a bottle of alcohol in their hand, their teeth yellowed and falling out from a lack of personal hygiene and drug use. They live in poverty and are easy to spot, and their horrid condition is a result of their continued substance abuse.