The importance of nutrition is often overlooked in the recovery process. If you’re eating enough to maintain your weight, you may assume you’re getting everything you need, but that may not be true. “Recovery” means gaining back what you’ve lost, and in addiction, one of the things that people have often lost is nutritional balance. […]
In Recovery for Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Nutrition Matters Read More »
When you think of alcohol abuse, what comes to mind? Your understanding of alcoholism might miss people who hide their harmful alcohol use. A person you know could be hiding their alcoholism in plain sight. Many people with alcoholism have jobs and parenting responsibilities. They take part in society and may include people you would
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One of the standard therapies used for addiction recovery and mental health treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). There are many versions and forms of CBT, but they share the principle that thoughts and core beliefs affect feelings and actions and that paying attention to our thoughts can help us change unwanted feelings and behaviors. The
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Alcohol abuse is a pervasive issue, affecting people from all walks of life. It’s easy to think you would know for sure if you or a loved one had crossed the line and become addicted, but it isn’t always obvious. If you’re keeping up your daily responsibilities, it’s easy to make the argument that your
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Many people think of ADHD as a problem for little kids. But ADHD affects over 8% of all adults, with half of them developing severe impairment. Also, ADHD has a connection that may surprise you: an increased risk of addiction. People with ADHD are three times more likely than their peers to have addictions.
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Stigma involves negative stereotypes, labels and discrimination against a group of people. Although people can be stigmatized for many reasons and in a variety of settings, health-related stigma can be especially problematic. An article in BMC Medicine notes that it affects all quality care elements: diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. The authors note that stigma about
Removing Barriers: Stigmas Keep Us from Getting Treatment Read More »
Addiction is challenging, and the stigma that surrounds it makes it even harder to manage. Social stigma, sometimes called public stigma, occurs when people have negative prejudices and stereotypes about a particular group, and unfortunately, people with addiction often find themselves in that category. Of the 18 most stigmatized conditions, illicit drug use disorder tops
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Words have power. What we say about addiction impacts the stigma around it. Saying words like “addicts,” “alcoholic” or even “drug-fueled” can cause problems. Stigma can lead a person to keep their addiction a secret. They may also avoid seeking help. You may not even be aware that you are promoting stigma, but a
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What do we mean by “stigma” in addiction recovery? The Society for the Study of Addiction defines stigma as “a sociocultural process in which social groups are devalued, rejected and excluded on the basis of a socially discredited health condition.” They note that it can be seen in at least three levels in addiction recovery:
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Family therapy has shown to be a very effective part of substance abuse treatment, but if the thought of it seems daunting, that’s understandable. It’s not unusual to feel nervous about something with which you may not be familiar. Let us demystify what family therapy is and help you and your family gain clarity on
What does Family Therapy Look Like? Read More »