Every May, we celebrate National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM), a declaration that encourages United States citizens to observe the month of May by honoring the current and former members of the U.S Armed Forces, including those who died serving their country. Introduced in 1999 by Senator John McCain, both the Senate and House of Representatives…
When it comes to defining terms in the addiction treatment world, some definitions are straightforward, while others leave room for interpretation. Many people define addiction differently, but not every definition is concise or even correct. Without a clear understanding of addiction, recovery can be difficult. How can one determine which addiction definition is correct? Defining…
As we all know, making New Year resolutions is a common practice. A new year is seen by many as a new beginning and a chance to improve on the previous year. Those in recovery know all too well that change, a new start, and letting go of old behaviors is important. Sonja Lyumbomirski a…
With Christmas and New Year’s almost here, it is important for people in recovery to have a plan of action to help maintain sobriety during the holiday season. Holiday stress, expectations, and endless holiday parties and gatherings make this time of year difficult for individuals who are trying to abstain from drugs and alcohol. The…
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare a 90 day public health emergency in an attempt to combat the U.S. opioid epidemic. With 91 Americans dying daily from opioid overdoes, Mr. Trump has been under pressure for months to accelerate the federal government’s response to the crisis.…
National Depression Screening Day is to be held this year on Thursday October 5, 2017. Created by the nonprofit, Screening for Mental Health, NDSD is dedicated to raising awareness and screenings for people with depression, and related mood or anxiety disorders. The purpose of the day is to screen as many people as possible and…
The National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control, estimates that drug overdoses killed 64,070 people in the United States last year, a rise of 21% from 2015. To put this into perspective, the drug overdoses in 2016 killed at almost double the rate from both firearms and vehicles. Additionally,…
The entertainment industry was saddened by the unexpected death of “True Blood” actor Nelsan Ellis on July 8, 2017. On July 10, 2017, Ellis’s family revealed that he had died as a result of attempting to withdraw from alcohol on his own, without medical supervision. In a statement released through Ellis’s manager to the Hollywood…
President Trump has declared May 2017 as National Mental Health Awareness Month. The proclamation recognizes the millions of American families affected by mental illness and calls to redouble our efforts to ensure that people who suffer can get the care and the treatment they need. The proclamation reports that nearly 10 million Americans suffer from…
Survivors of sexual violence process trauma in a variety of ways, ranging from rage and grief to apathy and disassociation; it is important to understand that there is not one pattern of response to a sexual assault. Subsequently, individuals who experience sexual assault are at much higher risk of developing substance abuse issues. Research shows…