For those in recovery from substance use disorder, the holidays present enormous challenges. The media promotes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve as a prime time for happy families. But many people aren’t that fortunate. Pangs of loneliness may loom exceptionally sharp during what’s supposed to be a merry time of the year. And the…
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Those who struggle with social anxiety disorder feel uncomfortable in large crowds or with people they don’t know. As a result, holiday celebrations become sources of frustration and anxiety. Office parties may spark fear, and even something as simple as meeting friends at a local restaurant may cause unusual levels of distress. In its simplest…
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Your brain is your body’s computer. It uses neurons to send and receive messages throughout the central nervous system, including the spine. Nerves branch out from this central system and run throughout the body. They receive messages from the brain that tell them what to do. Therefore, you know to lift your arm to hail…
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Individualization is a guiding principle of addiction treatment. Generally, this means that an addiction rehab program must suit the needs of the individual. What works for your friend may not work for you, in other words. To choose the right rehab program for yourself, explore the many options available, and make your decision based upon…
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Online learning is more stressful for some families than it is for others. And when teenagers are the ones learning online, problems often become more frightening than they would otherwise. Teens are notoriously social creatures, and when they must learn from home, they may feel lonely or cut-off from the rest of the world. For…
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Structure plays a huge role in recovery from addiction. As a result, when children must transition from a regular school day to online learning, it can throw parents in recovery quite the curveball. When you’re used to waking at a certain time, making breakfast, and putting children on a school bus, sudden changes may be…
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Addiction isn’t always about drugs and alcohol. Substance use disorder is the one we hear about most, however. As a result, when someone mentions having a friend or family member who struggles with addiction, we may first assume they’re battling a dependency on opioid drugs, alcohol, or methamphetamine. In truth, someone with the right risk…
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Do you worry that your loved one may experiment with self-medication? Generally, this is the act of taking a chemical substance or prescription medication without a doctor’s direct order. If you’ve ever taken a friend’s tranquilizer to calm yourself before a big meeting, you’ve self-medicated. Likewise, if you’ve ever watched a friend try to drink…
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Addiction affects everyone who interacts with the person who has a problem. When you love a person who has a problem with alcohol or drugs, you want to help them in any way possible. You can’t decide to get help for them. That decision has to be something they willingly make. However, you can try…
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Your loved one has made the brave decision to get help for their addiction. Now you want to help them find the best addiction rehab center possible to help them get clean. How can you do this? If you haven’t known anyone who went through the program, you can’t rely on personal recommendations. Choosing the…
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