Why a Spiritual Approach to Addiction Recovery?RecoveryBy PromisesJune 18, 2018By Tiffany Dzioba, PsyD, LMFT, Executive Director at Promises Malibu & Malibu Vista For many people, spirituality is a loaded term. It’s a word that is often closely tied to religion, dogma and doctrines. Some people find the word intimidating. However, when it comes to addiction recovery and mental health treatment, one of the most… Details
Are We Becoming an Adderall Nation?Prescription DrugsBy PromisesJune 12, 2018We live in a time when we know the dangers of a highly addictive prescription drug entering into the mainstream. We’ve seen it before with amphetamines in the 1960s. And we see it now with opioid painkillers. With all this wisdom and knowledge, can we prevent it from happening again with Adderall? The real issue… Details
Top 10 Coping Skills You Learn in Drug RehabRecoveryBy PromisesJune 8, 2018One of the hardest parts about getting sober is learning how to cope with all the stress life throws at you without using drugs. In drug rehab, people learn to deal with this stress by developing new coping mechanisms. Different tools resonate with different people, but here are 10 of the go-to coping skills for… Details
Finding the Courage to Recover From AddictionTestimonialsBy PromisesJune 6, 2018Anthony decided from a young age that he was going to stay away from substances. With a family history of alcoholism and drug addiction, he wanted to be the “good kid.” He steered clear of experimentation all the way through high school. However, in college he began hanging out with friends who enjoyed going to… Details
Taking Time Off Work for Drug RehabAddiction TreatmentBy PromisesJune 6, 2018Nicole drank until she blacked out every night, but managed to drag herself out of bed each morning and go to work. Because she continued to work and pay her bills, she spent years denying that she had a drinking problem. Denial and other defense mechanisms are particularly strong among high-functioning alcoholics (HFAs). “HFAs may… Details
A Post-Surgery Sobriety Plan to Prevent Drug RelapseStaying SoberBy PromisesJune 5, 2018It is often said that any one of us is just a surgery away from an opioid addiction. That is what happened to Kevin, who after eight years in recovery relapsed into painkiller addiction following two unexpected abdominal surgeries. Kevin’s first surgery was an emergency surgery. He got through it and followed the diet and… Details
Finding Health After Surgery-Related Opioid AddictionPrescription DrugsBy PromisesMay 31, 2018After struggling to get sober in 2007, Kevin never expected to have to fight for his sobriety again in 2017. But an emergency surgery and extensive medical treatment led to an opioid addiction and a second chance at recovery. Philadelphia-born, Kevin first came to California in the 1990s, fresh out of college and hoping to… Details
From Mad at the World to Loving LifeTestimonialsBy PromisesMay 31, 2018Sara is a shy soul who feels most comfortable blending into the crowd. A self-identified people-pleaser, she remembers from a young age wanting to say the right thing and make others think she had it all together. From elementary school all the way through high school, she pushed herself hard and got good grades and… Details
How Marijuana Use Affects Your LooksMarijuanaBy PromisesMay 30, 2018Eyes: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical responsible for the marijuana high, lowers blood pressure, impacting cells in the eyes. Blood vessels in the eyes expand in response to low blood pressure, a normal response to maintain proper vision. Dilated capillaries and open blood vessels increase blood flow, leading to bloodshot eyes. Redness is more visible against… Details
How Opioid Use Affects Your LooksPrescription DrugsBy PromisesMay 30, 2018Despite heroin use impacting people of all socioeconomic strata, from Middle America to Hollywood, the stereotypical image of a heroin addict persists. Many people still think of heroin users as painfully thin individuals with track marks up and down their arms. Although opioid abuse comes with a host of serious short-and long-term side effects, some… Details
