We hear a lot about the benefits of dopamine and its ability to make us happy and feel good about ourselves. Low levels of dopamine may create the desire within the body to find a substitute. Often this manifests as substance abuse, leading to addiction. But what exactly is dopamine and why do we need…
A lifelong psychiatric illness, known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can develop following exposure to a sudden and life-altering event. It is estimated that military veterans comprise approximately twenty percent of the population inflicted with PTSD. Once considered self-induced, people paid little attention to PTSD. They paid even less attention to the link between substance…
Doctors prescribe the benzodiazepine Xanax in dosages determined according to individual needs. However, this is usually taken orally as a standard or extended-release pill or an orally disintegrating tablet. Snorting Xanax is a harmful misuse of the drug and can cause long term negative side-effects. Why Do People Snort Xanax? Xanax, often prescribed for anxiety…
Currently, there is no single method to predict who will develop a substance abuse habit. However, taking a step back can help us understand the nature of addiction and a person’s vulnerability to substance misuse. Across all social clusters, demographics, and backgrounds, addiction is a multi-faceted illness with no single social or economic group risk-averse…
There can be no doubt that the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for many people. Unknown aspects of the virus, its effects, and prolonged isolation from others have caused people around the world to experience heightened levels of anxiety. When we face daily challenges associated with addiction and its underlying causes,…
Self-reflection is the notion of looking back on our past, our activities, our decisions, and their outcomes. It is something we are encouraged to do when we’re in recovery or learning to manage our drive for substances. An essential part of moving forward is self-reflection. The process of self-reflection is important to recovery because it…
Doing the next indicated step is an important concept to follow in recovery. Distractions, including drugs and alcohol, can be why many people in recovery fall short into relapse. Although you may not like following a rigid schedule, there is something to establishing a routine to follow in recovery. Even though tomorrow is not promised,…
After having a time of suffering from addiction to drugs and alcohol, shame will no doubt take over your whole being. Shame is often accompanied by guilt due to the regret of the past, impulsive choices, and harming essential relationships. Your shame may have so much power over you that you may not see any…
If you have spent any time in 12-Step meetings, you have heard the words “recovery” and “sobriety” integrated into the shares. Although these words are used interchangeably, they do have different distinctions in their definition. Anyone attempting long-term cessation of drugs and alcohol will know the difference in what it means to be sober versus…
When someone you love is trying to get help from drug and alcohol addiction, you may find yourself even more cautious not to get them riled up enough to relapse. Walking around on eggshells may seem like the way to go, but just figuring out a way to be supportive is the most critical aspect. …