What happens when you struggle with a substance use disorder that doesn’t respond to medication alone? Are you doomed to suffer for the rest of your life, or are there other alternatives? Addiction is a complex and multifaceted illness, and everyone struggles differently. Some have childhood trauma, others start with prescription medication, some come from
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When I first started using at fifteen, it didn’t occur to me I was self-medicating. All I knew was that the pain and turmoil inside me lessened when I drank or used drugs. Long before I picked up my first substance, I chose unhealthy roles to cope with my emotions. My first role was the
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Have you ever heard your addicted loved one say, “I’m only hurting myself?” You probably want to scream, are you kidding me?!The truth is, they’re not.That’s why it’s important to have outside help. When you love someone struggling with addiction, it hurts. You’ll be overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, worried, and anxious, all at the same time.
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In moderation, a glass of wine is a great way to unwind from a long stressful day. An ice-cold beer at a barbeque can be a conversation starter. A hot toddy will warm your insides on a cold winter day. Social gatherings are built around good food and good drink. But what happens when you
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When I first got high at fifteen, it didn’t occur to me I was self-medicating. All I knew then is that when I drank or used drugs, the pain and turmoil inside me lessened. Long before using, I chose unhealthy roles to cope with my emotions. My first role was the Invisible One. I was
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Addiction is a disease, that if left untreated, can have fatal results. Yet many families still buy into the shame and stigma, fighting their life and death battles alone, in secrecy, behind closed doors. One worried mother recently broke her silence and reached out to me. This mother had never talked to anyone before and
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It’s 3 a.m. and your son has not come home – again. You want to cry, or wail, or pound on the walls until your fists turn bloody. But you know that won’t change anything. Tears well in your eyes, as your husband sleeps beside you. For one crazy moment, you want to reach over
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Addiction comes in every shape, sex, color, and size. It affects every economic class and neighborhood and touches one in seven families across North America. We tend to believe addiction is about drug and alcohol abuse, and it is, to an extent. But drugs and alcohol are only a small part of the problem. The
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The Real Reasons You’re Not Getting Clean And Sober. People think they know you, but they don’t. Truthfully, you barely recognize yourself. Lately, you can’t even look in the mirror. You try not to think about it, but deep down, you know… your addiction is taking a massive toll on you and your family. Money,
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Survival In Families With Addiction. When a family member struggles with addiction, everyone in the family feels it. Living with a substance abuser is intense, scary, painful, and chaotic. To minimize chaos balance is sought within the family system through a mode of dynamics and survival. Family dynamics are the patterns of relating, or interactions,
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Recovering from addiction is both challenging and rewarding. To change one’s life, you must first admit there’s a problem. However, addiction is complicated and denial plays a vital role in this illness. Substance abusers minimize the severity of their problems, and recovery means more than just remaining abstinent. Abusing drugs and alcohol is only 15
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Nicole says her older brother Jim has become a stranger to her. She and Jim were close as children, but all that changed when Jim entered the eighth grade and started smoking marijuana and then moved on to harder drugs. Nicole went on to graduate high school and university, while Jim dropped out of school
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Life doesn’t always go as planned. You stumble, you fall, and for the most part, you pick yourself up and learn from your mistakes. Every experience we go through is meant to teach us something. But what happens when instead of learning from our mistakes, we keep repeating them? For people struggling with substance use
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No more would she live for othersShe stopped putting herself lastShe stopped settling for crumbsShe stopped asking whyIn front of the mirror, she finally understoodIt was time for her to lead the way Who’s Protecting You–From You? It’s not news that addicted persons are dying in their quest to get high. Nor is it surprising
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Addiction is an ugly disease that appears unseeing, unhearing, uncaring and unloving. You’ve probably talked to your loved one about getting clean/sober until you’re blue in the face. But you can’t seem to break through their enormous wall of denial. You’ve racked your brain trying to come up with the right words. You‘ve rehearsed it
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The first time I saw Dave he was black and blue and sporting a broken jaw. The night before Dave had been jumped by the goon squad but he didn’t let that stop him. That day I was on the opening shift. I unlocked the bar doors and there he was! The man of my
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If you’ve never struggled with addiction, you’re lucky. You’ll never know the hopelessness of being addicted, or of wanting to stop and not being able too. Imagine something so powerful that it uses you. It’s like that for those of us who are susceptible to a substance use disorder. We voluntarily take our first drink
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With addiction in the family, the line between helping and enabling is blurry. You might think you’re helping when you do for your addicted loved one, what they could and should, be doing for themselves. But what you’re really helping is the addiction taking over your loved one. Imagine addiction as a monster that’s hijacked
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Grieving The Loss Of Someone Who Still Lives When you love someone who struggles with addiction, an internal battle plays out. On the one hand, you’re grateful they’re alive. On the other, you’re mad as hell at them. Somewhere in the middle, you’re sick and exhausted, and you don’t know what to do. It’s different
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Before you judge, take a walk in their shoes… A Day In The Life Of An Addicts’ Mom The shrill ringing of the phone had me bolting up in bed. As I reach to answer, I remind myself to breathe. I handle the receiver as if it’s a deadly viper. I loathe it. The phone
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When helping turns deadly… Signs And Symptoms Of Enabling Behaviors. Addiction is an insidious illness that compromises every aspect of life. It also negatively impacts the lives of family members. Addiction changes the way people think, feel and behave. These changes can most often be seen through unhealthy behavior patterns such as isolating, disconnecting from
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Dear Mom, I know you’re tired. Your child’s addiction is tearig you apart. You avoid people who ask too many questions because honestly, you don’t have any answers. How does one explain what it’s like to watch their precious child struggle with addiction? You’ve kissed their face a thousand times. You’ve watched them sleep and
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In the last decade, we’ve come a long way towards understanding addiction. Once thought of as an immoral issue associated with weak-willed persons, now most people view addiction as a disease that’s progressive in nature, delusional in thinking, and maladaptive in behavior.Addicted persons are our parents, siblings, spouses, friends, doctors, lawyers, firefighters, pilots, teachers, servers,
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Addiction is finally getting the attention it deserves as a legitimate medical issue and not simply a “problem” associated with “weak willpower.” Today, medical professionals, scientists, and addiction specialists have a much better understanding of how addiction changes the structure and function of the brain. While the decision to quit is ultimately up to
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Does it hurt to be real?’ asked the Rabbit. ‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘But when you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’ ‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ asked Rabbit, ‘or bit by bit?’ ‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse.
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If you’re struggling with addiction, and promised to seek help, later – after the holidays are over, later is here. It’s time to pay up. Making good on your promise is always scary. I felt overwhelmed walking through the front doors of rehab. I was dope sick, homeless, and owed everyone money and yet I
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If this is your first Christmas clean/sober, you can expect to feel overwhelmed, sad and a little envious of your friends who can still use. It seems like the whole world is gearing up to party. You might fall into the ‘poor me’ trap that says your days of fun are over. As your old
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We often assume that money is the biggest barrier to getting help for drug and alcohol addiction—and it is a significant factor for some people, especially those without insurance. Yet, celebrities like Courtney Love and Charlie Sheen prove that money is only part of the equation. Both are financially well off, yet they’ve struggled with
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Opinion by Guest Writer Lorelie Rozzano, an internationally recognized author and advocate. IF YOU STRUGGLE with addiction as I have, you know the dark, hopeless place that exists on the other side of being high. It’s the thing that every addict tries to avoid—reality. Reality is the time and place when you’re not high or intoxicated
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Imagine taking all your painful feelings and experiences and using them as fuel for self-improvement. What if you took every tear and sob, every muffled scream, every negative thought, and gathered them all together. Now imagine an empty glass jar. Take those painful thoughts and images and place them inside the glass jar. Be thorough.
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Addiction Lies To You In The Scariest Voice Of All – YOUR OWN.
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Addiction is called a FAMILY DISEASE because the 8 essential symptoms of addiction and codependency are the same. Codependency is a condition that affects an individual’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. It is also known as “relationship addiction” because people with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive
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#174 They’re our children and friends who faced an early end Why did you take them, God? Was it because they struggled so? Many others have used drugs, why did these ones have to go? Why did you take them, God? We all want to know Was it because they shot drugs in their arm?
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There’s a hole in my soul That I can’t control It makes me cry And wonder why? Its depth has no bottom It grows bigger each day I feed it pills, drugs and booze But it won’t go away It’s a hungry monster And always wants more It not satisfied ever It keeps me poor.
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The enemy I battled lived in my own mind. I wish I’d heard stories like this when I needed help. I hope my story helps you.
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I know you promised not again But here I am and ready when You feel tired, your head gets loud Sun-filled skies, roll in grey clouds Life seems to lose its precious shine Loving family fades to whine Bit by bit, it disappears The angers back, so are tears. You decide you’ve had enough Your
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You don’t have to use drugs, to get sick from them. Families suffer just as much as the addicted person does. Some say more. While the addicted person is high, the families eyes are wide-open. It can be an ugly view. Living under extreme stress changes you… and not for the good. Families may not
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Christmas is a time to celebrate family, laughter, long talks and great food. Many of you are busy right now preparing for the days ahead. The pantry has been stalked with all your favourite foods. Presents are wrapped. Stockings are stuffed. Countless hours have been spent in the mall looking for that perfect gift. You’re
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Reading this post will upset some of you. I don’t write from a position of wishful thinking, but rather from one of personal experience. I’m a recovering addict who works in the field of addiction. I’ve sat with hundreds of addicts and their families, and one thing is very clear; Addiction needs help to progress
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Thoughts tumble back and forth, playing hide and seek. They’re teasers, barely revealing themselves before racing off again. A flash of color, red, yellow and gold. It was a cold day in the dying, autumn landscape. This is what’s it’s like to live inside my mind, where ten things are happening all at once. As I sit,
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Nichole’s mother and father were both addicted to methamphetamine. Enabled by her grandfather mostly, their reckless lifestyle didn’t catch up with them until their mid 40’s when they were out of excuses and had to serve time in prison and jail. Nicole’s story is amazing and truly inspiring. Although her mom and her have had
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Hey little girl, I’ve got something you need. A pill to make you pretty, oh yes indeed! Just one taste and you’ll be mine Your head will spin, you’ll feel so fine! I’m cunning, baffling, and powerful too. I’m larger than life and bigger than you. I’ll tell you things that aren’t even true For
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With a little time in it’s easy to forget the devastation addiction wreaked in my life. My clean comfortable bed does not resemble it’s former soiled, sweaty self. My healthy body no longer shakes. My teeth are fixed. My skin is clear. Looking at me you wouldn’t know I was once a hopeless drug addict.
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A Letter To My Addicted Adult Child. My Dear Child, I feel like I’m saying goodbye to you and in a way, I suppose I am. I will always love you. I want the very best for you, and I’m prepared to do the most unnatural thing a mother will ever do. My mind screams I’m
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144 people die each day across North America from overdose. This means; Mothers are losing their babies. Lovers are losing their partners Children are losing their parents. Sisters are losing their brothers. Addicts are losing their lives. And no one is immune. If you’re struggling with addiction, there’s medication that will help you with your
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The words you use don’t just communicate meaning, they also describe your personality, beliefs and dictate your quality of life. There will always be Nay Sayers and Doomsday Prophets among us, but nothing is more self-defeating than the word can’t. Can’t is a lie. What does can’t really mean? You can’t … fly. But wait
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Pain can be a beautiful thing. It tells us when something’s wrong or we need to make changes. From pain emerges growth and from growth, wisdom But not everyone learns from pain. Addicted individuals don’t cope well with difficult emotions due to a chemically imbalanced brain. Instead of feeling their pain, folks with this illness react
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Don’t tell me I can`t I can Don`t tell me it`s a bad idea It`s not Don`t tell me it won`t work It will Don`t put your fears and worries on me I don`t want them If you choose to live your life in a box – of societies making I won`t Don`t tell me
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Today families all across North America will be sitting down at the dinner table to celebrate Easter. Mom is up early making the dressing.The turkey is defrosting in the laundry room sink. Children wake up excited and raring to go. Others might have taken this time as an opportunity to catch up on their beauty
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