There is a myth which continues to be perpetuated both by recovery professionals and those outside the treatment industry in regards to how to handle a relapse.  I often hear people say “relapse is a part of recovery.”  I want to go on record and say that this is categorically false! 

Addiction impacts the family in a variety of ways. This might seem like a pretty obvious statement, but reflecting on addiction and substance abuse in my own family, I realized how many subtle ways the disease and the process of recovery has affected my family and relationships betwee

Witnessing another celebrity die to this disease, I’ve read so many articles on the matter. And this is heartbreaking in so many ways. This disease is fatal, regardless of what material things you may or may not have. People die every day. What disturbs me regarding this, besides that

Drug use and addiction is often subtly celebrated in our society. Few would directly condone substance abuse or praise someone’s serious personal affliction, but some of the famous personalities and icons we grant distinction, and even admire, achieve cultural significance, at least i

“I’m not the addict. Why do I have to go to meetings or therapy?” As a professional interventionist one of the biggest points of resistance I face with addiction family support is the challenge to get families to engage in a recovery process of their own.  After the

Kratom is another name for the leaves of the mitragyna speciaosa tree.  While the tree is indigenous to Southeast Asia and the leaves have been used for medicinal purposes in that region for centuries we are seeing an increase in use for recreational purposes in the US.  The leaves ar

Prescription drug addiction has risen exponentially in the US the past 20 years. Prescription drugs of abuse are found in different categories, opioid pain medication, anti-anxiety (benzodiazepine) medication, sleep medication and stimulant ADD/ADHD medication are the most commonly ab

In recent weeks the news has been awash with horrific stories involving bath salts. This punctuates a significant trend in the last few years of the increased use and addiction to synthetic drugs.

Addiction cannot exist in a vacuum. It has to be nurtured and fed. The fuel is the addiction enabling of unwitting family and friends. In the absence of nutrients, living things whither and die. This same truth holds true for a living addiction. If we remove its source of life, it wil

In the last year there have been many changes in the widely accepted views on addiction within the medical community. These views are finally catching up to what most addicts/alcoholics already know, that addiction is a disease. If left untreated it will progressively get worse over t