Denial Denial is a defense mechanism most often seen in drug addiction and alcoholism.  It allows the addiction to be maintained and even prolonged.  Denial involves behaviors such as dishonesty, pretending a problem does not exist, or even exaggeration of a problem.  Many addicts or alcoholics in denial avoid people or situations where their substance...Read More

Are Drug Addicts Simply Impulsive? To imply that a drug addict is simply impulsive, minimizes the problems associated with addiction.  Drug abuse is caused by many things including mental health issues, inability to handle stress or other problems, or unresolved childhood issues.  Impulsiveness is a component of drug addiction yet the drug addict will also...Read More

Alcoholism and the Family Alcoholism is a family problem.  In today’s world, the definition of a family can have different meanings.  There are blended families, single parent families, and grandparents who are raising children.  Even with these family structures, the alcoholic will influence every person associated with the alcoholic.  It is believed that for one...Read More

About 12-Step Meetings   When a person decides to attend a 12-step meeting, there might be some hesitation or uncertainty about what to expect.  There might be questions such as will there be anyone I know in this meeting or what do I talk about?  These concerns are normal and most individuals experience doubt when...Read More

When a person goes through something traumatic, the effects are damaging. Trauma is calamitous in every sense of the word – it changes a person’s life forever and effect all aspects of life. There are two sides to trauma –  the direct effects of it happening, and the short to long-term effects that remain after...Read More

Anxiety isn’t Always Anxiety Research has shown that approximately 40 million people suffer from anxiety – that’s about 1 in every 13 people that experience this. Some forms of anxiety are helpful – with the right kind of anxiety, we often perform our best under pressure and take precautionary steps before making a major decision....Read More

Co-occurring disorders are defined by the presence of a substance-use disorder and a mental health disorder.  Co-occurring disorders are what is referred to as “dual diagnosis.”  The term can also be applied to cognitive disorders and the presence of a mental health disorder.  Despite the use associated with other disorders, co-occurring disorders are typically used...Read More

Codependency is not a diagnosis but can feel equally like a mental struggle which causes physical pain. Read these signs to find out if you might be struggling with codependency. You have experienced trauma in your lifetime and you’ve never resolved it with treatment: Codependency is often born out of untreated and unresolved trauma. Trauma...Read More

Marijuana abuse begins when it is used habitually, and typically as a reaction or response to some other issue. Marijuana is smoked and inhaled, but the active ingredient in marijuana, THC can be extracted and used in food. It may not have the same harmful tar and nicotine ingredients as tobacco, but marijuana smoke can...Read More

Until recent years, co-occurring disorders were considered to be a rare case. Addiction and alcoholism, more formally referred to as alcohol use or substance use disorder, were treated as an isolated problem. Some might refer to the debate as the “chicken and the egg”. People assumed that the chicken and the egg were different- meaning...Read More