Category Addiction Education
Recovery isn’t about flipping a switch or waving a magic wand. As a treatment provider, I believe it’s part of my mission to build a structure through which recovery is possible. We can pray that addicts simply stop using whatever… Continue Reading →
Over the years, I’ve spent so much time with people struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD) that I almost believed that opioids were the only drugs of abuse. Obviously, opioids aren’t the only drugs of abuse. But I have seen… Continue Reading →
I try to keep abreast of research within the substance abuse treatment field. it’s important that I keep on top of the latest and greatest evidence. But sometimes, the research is kind of dumb. The methods may be sound and… Continue Reading →
As a substance abuse counselor, I try to stay on top of research. Especially when it covers trigger/anxiety management. Usually, triggers and anxiety are like peas and carrots and are almost always found together. In my experience, if we can… Continue Reading →
There was a time that I was normal. And by normal, I mean there was a time in my life that I didn’t think abut demons, ghosts, and other non-physical but really mean entities. Believe me, demons, especially, are really… Continue Reading →
When it comes to an addict’s behavior, I hate to say, “things can’t get much worse,” because, sadly, things can, and probably will, get worse. I’ve written and taught, several times, that “rock bottom” means one of two (2) things:… Continue Reading →
While there isn’t much anyone can do to “cure” an addict, there are two (2) things people can do for their addicted loved one: 1) Learn to say no; and, 2) Seek to become the best version of themselves that… Continue Reading →
Talking with someone struggling with an addiction can be frustrating. Not for the reasons that you might think, but because they’re so mired in shame that almost every thought he or she utters is a projection of that shame. So,… Continue Reading →
Within any given family, people play certain roles. That is, there’s usually someone filling a “hero” role, someone filling a “good cop” role and, the one I see very often within substance abuse treatment, someone filling a “scapegoat” role. Often,… Continue Reading →
There’s a societal wall that keeps day to day life functional. On one side of the wall are people who suffer with poverty, illness, addictions and other forms of socio-cultural trauma. On the other side of the wall are those… Continue Reading →
