Co-Occurring Disorders: Opioids Many individuals with opioid addiction also have co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.  A co-occurring disorder is a substance use disorder and other mental health disorders occurring together in one individual either at the same time or separated by a period of time.  An opioid addiction is an addiction...Read More

Why Do Co-Occurring Disorders Happen? There is no clear reason as to why co-occurring disorders happen.  There exists a relationship between substance use disorders and mental health disorders; however, there is no evidence to support that one causes the other even if one occurred first.  There are a few reasons as to why co-occurring disorders...Read More

Stress Management and Anxiety Disorders Individuals who experience anxiety are familiar with the feelings associated with having an anxiety disorder.  These feelings include restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, excessive worry, sleep problems, and physiological symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, increased respiration, and a general feeling of being overwhelmed. The disorders most often associated with anxiety include...Read More

What are the Differences Between Anger and Rage? Anger and rage are two separate emotions.  Anger is a feeling that a person experiences when they have been wronged.  It is appropriate to express anger provided it is done in a healthy manner.  A person who experiences rage has little to no control over the emotion,...Read More

What Researchers Tell Us About Alcoholics Anonymous There exists a number of researchers who consistently attempt to find solid evidence of the treatment efficacy of Alcoholics Anonymous or AA. AA has been in existence for many years and millions of individuals have benefited from attending AA meetings. Still, researchers wish to know more about how...Read More

Theory of Behavioral Change One theory that seeks to understand how people change is called the Transtheoretical Model or TTM. This theory has been around for over 40 years and seeks to explain how behavior change occurs. TTM is structured around five stages of behavioral change and was primarily designed to explain how individuals implemented...Read More

Treatment for Gambling Addiction   Gambling addiction is a problem affecting over seven million Americans. The urge to gamble is so powerful that many gambling addicts will resort to illegal activity or immoral behavior to fuel the addiction. Gambling addiction is not about money or the lack of resources to fund gambling activities. There are...Read More

The White Elephant   The term white elephant refers to a large obstacle that one tries to get around. It also means that there is a big issue that everyone is aware of but chooses to ignore. The white elephant in the room has been used in substance abuse treatment and recovery to describe the...Read More

The Importance of Integrated Treatment in Substance Abuse   The mind, body, and spirit are found in all human beings. We think and feel with our minds, experience pleasure and pain within our bodies, and feel spiritually connected to a higher power. Substance abuse treatment should also encompass the whole person and incorporate the mind,...Read More

Codependency The term codependency is often referred to as a relationship addiction. Codependent behavior is learned and prohibits one from having a healthy relationship with others. The relationships formed by the co-dependent person are one-sided and often abusive. Codependent relationships are often seen in families of alcoholics or drug addicts. Despite the term being used...Read More