Very few people in today’s American culture see the real risks of alcohol abuse. Not only is alcohol available and advertised everywhere we look, but alcohol use — and abuse — are normalized by both media and film industries. The result is that when people inevitably do have problems with alcohol consumption, they often do…
When it comes to treating people with addiction issues, there are several misconceptions. One of the most common ones is that substance use problems are simply a matter of determination and will power. In reality, the medical establishment has known for years that addiction is a disease that affects brain chemistry. Like other conditions, it…
Researchers studying addiction have known for decades that when it comes to women and alcoholism, women’s needs are different from men’s needs. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has demonstrated, for instance, that women are far less likely to seek professional help than men are. They also point out that even though more…
It is a well-known fact that when a crisis hits, addiction numbers go up. In the U.S. — and around the world — as we quarantine ourselves and maintain a safe social distance from each other, individuals struggling with substance abuse are more likely than ever to put themselves into harm’s way or to relapse.…
There are many reasons to participate in an online addiction counseling program. Being encouraged to isolate ourselves because of the current global health crisis is a great time to take advantage of the counseling offered in programs like our virtual IOP and Day Treatment Program. Addiction is already an isolating condition. Now that we are…
We tend to think of the difficulty of recovery as happening early in the process. The first steps can be challenging both psychologically and physically. The early stages of rehab, including detox programs and the stages that immediately follow, are as demanding as they are critical. But the idea that recovery simply gets more comfortable…
As we all deal with the global health crisis, it is essential to remember that our mental health needs have not disappeared. Quite the opposite is true. As we distance ourselves from others, our mental health becomes all the more critical. And this is particularly true for people struggling with addiction. The boredom of “sheltering…
Of the roughly 21 million Americans with a substance abuse problem, only a little over 2 million have sought treatment of any kind. There are many reasons why this number is persistently low: there’s the perceived cost. Also, there can be a social stigma associated with admitting you have a problem. Plus, the idea that…
While the “war on drugs” rages on, alcohol remains perfectly legal, as it has been for most of America’s history. Not surprisingly, we do a great deal of drinking in this country. A little over 50 percent of people of drinking age are regular drinkers. That equates to about 98.5 million people. Of these, more…
Addiction does not go away in times of crisis. In fact, as large swaths of our country are practicing social distancing and isolating themselves, people with addiction issues are in a more dangerous position than ever. In quarantine, drug and alcohol consumption increases dramatically. And recent reports confirm that the current outbreak has been no…