Middle-age is a time of life that brings change for many parents. One of those changes happens when a young adult moves out of the family home. Some parents experience what’s been dubbed “empty nest syndrome,” an informal term for the sadness, grief and loneliness felt after a child leaves home. For some, these negative…
Even with all of the right tools in place, individuals with addiction often find themselves relapsing soon after completing a treatment program for substance abuse. Relapse is a common occurrence, and those attempting to cease using drugs or alcohol can become discouraged as they find themselves in a seemingly endless cycle of recovery and relapse.…
Shame is the feeling of being inherently flawed, defective, and unworthy of love. Sexual shame occurs when this belief is fostered by traumatic sexual experience, usually in either childhood or adolescence (but also in adulthood). This trauma can be overt, covert, or even societal in nature. In other words, people who are sexually abused nearly…
When it comes to addiction, we often think most about the addict. He is struggling with a chronic illness that is incredibly difficult to treat. He has likely suffered in many ways, including health consequences, financial problems, job loss and/or other impacts on his life. But what about his family? How does addiction impact parents,…
Substance abuse treatment centers offer resources for those wanting to overcome an addiction. When helping a loved one make plans to receive treatment, or seeking it out for oneself, it is important to understand what successful recovery looks like. To ensure a healthy, balanced recovery, there are several important components that should be in place.…
Getting clean and sober is a tremendous accomplishment. It takes time and effort, and sometimes a fair amount of pain and struggle. But over time, the struggle fades and the day-to-day living becomes routine once again—you regain enough trust from your family to go back to functioning in the new normal way. You get your…
It can be a painful journey to the moment when a person is ready to seek help in overcoming a drug or alcohol addiction. Usually there has been a time when the person attempted to hide the addiction. Then there is often a period when substance abuse causes great turmoil within the family. By the…
