Holidays can be a risky time for people who are newly sober. Statistics show that as many as 50 percent of people in recovery experience at least one relapse. For many people, relapses can be triggered by family functions where alcohol is being consumed, making July 4 a day fraught with danger. On the 4th…
Doctors and researchers know that some of the risks for developing alcoholism are passed on genetically from generation to generation. In a study published May/June 2014 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of California, Los Angeles assessed the potential impact of two genetic variations…
No family is conflict-free. But when one parent is addicted to alcohol, the amount of arguing that goes on in the home is higher than normal. That kind of home environment hurts everyone, including the children. The good news, according to a new study, is that if dad will take steps to deal with his…
The number of Americans addicted to either drugs or alcohol has reached roughly 130 million, according to a WorldNetDaily article. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in an average year 30 million Americans will drive while intoxicated and 10 million will drive while under the influence of illicit drugs. Even with…
Weddings, anniversaries, graduations, job promotions, retirement, weight loss and birthdays – these are just a few of the occasions that are celebrated in the course of a life. Parties or dinners are given in honor of significant achievements and milestones. And it is a very healthy practice. But when a person finishes time spent recovering…
Some people choose to drink in order to feel brighter and less inhibited in social settings. But perhaps a greater number choose to drink in order to dull the pain of life’s difficulties. Sometimes this decision to drown sorrows and stress in alcohol becomes a regular way of coping with any frustration or disappointment. That’s…
When newcomers try to get sober, one of the hurdles they have to cross is the feeling that they are unique. They think they don’t belong because no one in the room is exactly like them. Have you ever felt that way? Just like there are no two snowflakes exactly alike, there is nobody on…
A Hopeless Ultimatum: ‘It’s Me or the Drugs’. When you love an addict, you spend a lot of time and energy hoping he or she will change. You probably put up with a lot of unacceptable behavior. The addict may steal from you, lie to you and make promises that he doesn’t keep. He or…
What happens when those who care for others have a difficult time caring for themselves? Research shows that a disturbing number of doctors struggle with substance abuse. Where 8% to 10% of the general population abuses drugs or alcohol, some estimates have the range for physicians at 10% to 15%. While these numbers are frightening…
The disease of addiction doesn’t just affect the addict; it impacts all members of the family. If you have lived with an addict for any length of time, you know that the hold drugs or other substances have had on your loved one have caused extreme turbulence and unpredictability for your whole family. The stress…
