“Ask yourself the secret of your success. Listen to your answer, and practice it.” – Richard Bach, American writer (born 1936) When we hear the word “success,” we may have a mental picture of someone who has it made, someone who realizes his or her dreams without having to go through a whole lot of…
While all links are not necessarily causal relationships, the close association between two conditions often warrants attention. Such is the case when it comes to alcohol use and instances of domestic violence. Alcohol use does not cause domestic violence, but the fact that it is so often present when domestic violence takes place deserves attention.
For drug addicts and alcoholics who are new to recovery and the peer support group experience, finding a good sponsor can mean the difference between success and failure. In some extreme circumstances, it can even mean the difference between life and death. That might sound overly dramatic. But addiction is a life-threatening illness, and the…
It is hardly controversial to suggest that there are buried conflicts and past traumas that play a role in the onset and the continuation of drug and alcohol abuse. But some of the hidden reasons that underlie addiction often escape detection because no one is actually looking for them, usually because the connection is unsuspected.…
“Polysubstance dependence” is listed as a substance disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TR (DSM-IV-TR) published in 2000, the latest revision of the manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose and treat mental health illnesses. Polysubstance dependence is diagnosed when a person meets the criteria for dependence on a group of…
“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” – Janis Joplin, American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer, and music arranger, died from an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol (1943-1970) It is almost impossible to be able to really see ourselves in an honest light if we are unable or unwilling to…
