Why Are 12 Step Programs Good for Recovery? Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship for men and women who have drinking problems that was founded in 1935. There is no age or education requirement to join these fellowships and there are over two million members worldwide. Narcotics Anonymous was founded in 1953 to help those...Read More

Cocaine and Depression Cocaine and depression are a toxic combination. It has been said that psychologist Sigmund Freud used to take cocaine in order to treat his depression before cocaine was known for its addictive qualities. Cocaine can either lead to depression or those with depression will use cocaine as a way to feel better....Read More

What Is the Serenity Prayer? You might hear the Serenity Prayer at the end of a 12-step meeting or you may have it hanging as a reminder in your home.  The words are simple yet mean a lot.  The simple version is: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage...Read More

Finding a Job After Rehab You may think that no company will want to hire someone with a substance or alcohol abuse past but the truth is that it is possible to find employment after rehab. It is hard for everyone who is unemployed to find work. It is important to seek help from your...Read More

What Happens to the Physical Body During Detoxification? When a person decides to stop drinking or taking drugs, often they will need to undergo detoxification or detox.  Detox occurs before one enters treatment.  The purpose of detox is to get the alcohol or drugs out the person’s body and to stabilize them physically.  Toxins are...Read More

Tolerance, Dependence, and Withdrawal In substance use disorders, there are different factors that contribute to the disorder such as tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal.  There are some who believe that these three terms are interchangeable when in fact they are distinct terms and mean different things. Tolerance When a person uses alcohol or drugs repeatedly, the...Read More

Why Is There a Controversy of Kombucha Tea? Over-the-counter health products are not always safe. Kombucha tea has been around for nearly 2,000 years. It was first brewed in China and then spread to Japan, Russia, Europe, and the U.S. This is a fermented and sweetened tea that is made with black or green tea....Read More

The Spouse and Gambling Addiction Relationships are affected by addiction including social relationships, work relationships, and family relationships.  The spouse of an addict also experiences the effect of addiction.  Gambling addiction is a disorder where participation in gambling activities becomes necessary and the individual cannot stop.  A person gambles despite negative consequences including increasing debt,...Read More

The Problem Gambler’s Thought Processes A gambler has many thoughts throughout the day.  Where can I gamble today?  Who can I borrow money from so I can gamble today?  How will I hide my gambling from my spouse or my boss?  These are just some of the questions that the gambler will have.  There are...Read More

Why Does Tanning Addiction Increase Chances of Cancer? For those that live in a cold climate or who just feel they are too pale like to go to tanning salons to have the perfect tan. According to Addiction.com, 30 million Americans use sunlamps, tanning booths, and/or sunbeds to get a tan. Indoor tanning addicts never...Read More