By Christian Castaneda, LCSW, Program Director at Promises Malibu When you’re in addiction recovery, the whole world can become a trigger for drug relapse. If you’re addicted to alcohol and you walk past a bar where you see old friends, it may stimulate your memory of old times. If you are addicted to pornography, you …
By Christian Castaneda, LCSW, Program Director at Promises Malibu Addiction recovery is about letting go of the substances and behaviors that got you into trouble and learning new ways of coping with life. It requires being in touch with true feelings and old trauma. You also have to find new ways to deal with sex …
Managing Celibacy in Addiction Recovery: Why Can’t I Have Sex for One Year? Read More »
By Kenneth England, MFT, Primary Therapist at Promises Malibu Creative people have long been associated with lavish use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. Many talented people have been molded by the idea that drinking and drugs inspire their craft. Although scientists have long looked for a direct link between creative inspiration and drug use, …
Mindfulness: A Healthy Alternative to Substance Abuse for Creative People Read More »
Many people don’t consider caffeine a drug, but it is the most commonly used mood-altering drug in the world. While about 1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide a day, tea, chocolate, cocoa beverages, soft drinks and energy drinks also contain varying amounts of caffeine. The stimulant effects of caffeine on the central nervous …
The Russian athlete doping scandal first surfaced on the eve of the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games in 2016. In December 2017, after a lengthy and much-delayed investigation, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a controversial Russian Olympic ban, barring dozens of athletes from representing their country at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South …
Russian Athletes Banned: Olympics and Paralympics Teams Read More »
Experts say that equine therapy and other therapies, like zip-lining and art therapy, can help people recover from sex addiction. How can being on a horse or expressing yourself through art make a difference? Experiential therapies or action therapies can sometimes accelerate healing where other therapies, such as traditional talk therapy, prove less effective. Equine …
The #MeToo movement has gone viral following sexual harassment and sexual misconduct allegations against a growing list of celebrities. It’s a powerful and needed movement that’s only beginning to shed light on the depth and scale of the problem. “I’m glad people are coming forward,” says Sherry Young, PhD, CSAT, a senior clinical outreach director …
A Legacy of Trauma: How Sexual Abuse Can Impact Future Generations Read More »
‘White Knuckling’ No Way to Hold on to Sobriety James W. had five months of sobriety, the “white-knuckle version,” he called it, when he decided to have a drink with his friends during a trip to the Ozarks. He had this covered, he thought. He could have just one. So he lied to his friends, …
Repaired Health and Relationships After Rehab Journey Read More »
People receiving the top treatment for pain—prescription painkillers—can rapidly transition from pain relief to painkiller addiction. And yet, your doctor may be the unwitting instigator of this misery, if you don’t ask the right questions from the start. The risk for addiction after receiving an opioid painkiller prescription, including generics of hydrocodone and oxycodone and …
4 Things Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Your Painkiller Prescription Read More »
By Karen Williams, MS, LAC Intensive Outpatient Program Clinical Manager at Promises Scottsdale Group therapy works because it creates connection and reduces toxic shame through open, honest communication. Many aspects of the group dynamic contribute to the reasons why group therapy works. Here are 10 of them: 1. Hearing Your Story The first time people …