I see the damage and Shame of addiction. Last month I was in the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, BC. One of the worst hit areas in Canada and the effects of drug addiction and mental Illness. It’s beyond a description of emotional pain to watch the death in untreated persons suffering with addiction and the look …
Another way to look at Chronic Relapse for substance abuse disorders can be based on an Attachment disorder. Attachment disorders is a psychological model attempting to describe the short- and long-term interpersonal relationships between human focusing on our four different attachments in relationships. Secure Attachment occurs when children can rely on their caregivers to address …
Marijuana is the most used illicit drug in the United States. It acts by binding to cannabinoid receptors in the brain to produce a variety of effects, including euphoria, intoxication, and memory and motor impairments. These same cannabinoid receptors are also critical for brain development. 1. Marijuana and its related products are widely available in …
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral …
A significant factor in the vicious cycle of addiction is relapse. Like depression or PTSD, addiction is a co-occurring disorder that can be triggered by the smallest thing and can easily spiral out of control after months of hard work. So, the main aim of aftercare is to prevent relapse: that is, staying sober. • …
Gratitude Too often people fixate on what is wrong in their life and all the things that irritate them. This contributes to stress, anger and agitation that doesn’t lead to good choices or help good relationships Concentrating on what is good in one’s life can help center the focus on what is truly meaningful. Gratitude …
During the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world shut down causing a lot of people to be out of work and sheltering in place. People who are in recovery from substance use disorders were highly affected. In-Person meetings were paused for over a year in some places, and while Zoom meetings were available, what …
The addict is their own worst enemy, yet they lash out at everyone else especially their family. Addicts tend to lie, cheat and steal. As a result, their family members will fight and argue. The situation becomes intolerable. The family has become dysfunctional, how can they begin to heal? When one person is sick the …
Many people consider trauma to be the gateway drug to various addictions. Although it is not guaranteed that someone who has experienced trauma in their lifetime will wind up becoming an addict, it is fairly common. The reason being that trauma can activate survival tactics that lead to addiction. Trauma, especially childhood trauma can influence …
The addict is their own worst enemy, yet they lash out at everyone else especially their family. Addicts tend to lie, cheat and steal. As a result, their family members will fight and argue. The situation becomes intolerable. The family has become dysfunctional, how can they begin to heal? When one person is sick the …
Families struggling with their Loved Ones Addictions Read More »