How Does Drug Craving Manifest in People Addicted to Prescription Opioids?Prescription DrugsBy PromisesJanuary 22, 2015Drug cravings are prominent urges to consume more of a mind-altering drug or medication. The presence of these urges is one of the symptoms that doctors look for when diagnosing various forms of substance use disorder (substance abuse/substance addiction). In a study published in September/October 2014 in The American Journal on Addictions, a team of… Details
Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone? Watch For These 15 SignsOther AddictionsBy PromisesJanuary 22, 2015Smartphones are becoming an increasingly ubiquitous part of daily life, but how do we draw the distinction between ordinary use and addiction? Dr. David Greenfield, an expert in technology and Internet addictions, suggests that as many as 90 percent of Americans overuse, abuse or misuse their smartphones, and he has developed a diagnostic quiz to… Details
The Dangers of Going Home After RehabRecoveryBy PromisesJanuary 21, 2015After spending months or years revolving your life around drinking and drugging, spending time in a rehabilitation facility has helped you get a fresh start. You are probably beginning to understand the nature of alcoholism and addiction. Treatment has separated you from your drug of choice and allowed you to start to get used to… Details
Self-Centeredness vs. Self-Care in Addiction RecoveryRecoveryBy PromisesJanuary 20, 2015In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, it states that alcoholism is a disease of self-centeredness. This can also be said of addiction to any substance or any unhealthy behavior, such as gambling or sex addiction. While you were actively addicted, your need to drink or drug trumped any other need or it definitely came… Details
Using Phrases Like ‘Rock Bottom’ Is Easy; Living With Them Is HardDrug Addiction InfoBy PromisesJanuary 18, 2015One of the most widely repeated pieces of advice on dealing with addiction in a loved one is that “tough love” is the best approach. He or she has to hit “rock bottom,” you’re told, and when that happens, there will be a tremendous transformation. The son or daughter who once wanted nothing but to… Details
Does Clinical Depression Respond Better to Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment?DepressionBy PromisesJanuary 16, 2015When clinical depression strikes, what is the best way to receive treatment? Are patients better off checking into a 24-hour treatment facility where they can receive round-the-clock help, or are they better served by day programs, which allow them to maintain much of their daily life while working to overcome their depression? A Small Study… Details
5 Books to Read in Treatment or Early SobrietyStaying SoberBy PromisesJanuary 15, 2015When you’re overcoming an addiction, staying sober is a full-time job. Whether it’s the rigid schedule of a rehab center or your own internal battles with cravings, you have a lot on your mind in the earliest stages of recovery. But then it all falls away—fewer rehab commitments you’re just spending less time thinking about… Details
Fitting In At AA or NA MeetingsRecoveryBy PromisesJanuary 12, 2015Do you feel like you don’t fit in when you go to meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous? Many people who are newly sober feel uncomfortable at first and resist the idea of going to AA or NA meetings. They may express reasons why they feel they don’t belong and are quick to insist… Details
Why Does PTSD Only Affect Certain People?PTSD & TraumaBy PromisesJanuary 10, 2015Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition characterized by a damaging reaction to exposure to traumatic events that pose (or seem to pose) a serious threat to life or well-being. Doctors and researchers are well aware that only some of the people exposed to highly traumatic circumstances will develop this condition. In a… Details
The One-Hour-Per-Week Therapy SessionTherapiesBy PromisesJanuary 10, 2015Therapy has become almost commonplace in the modern era, at least throughout the developed world. As therapy has become run-of-the-mill, the one-hour-per-week therapy session has become standard along with it. Given the dominance of the one-hour weekly session, it is somewhat surprising that there is so little in the way of actual scientific basis for… Details
