Podcasts to Help You Through Social Distancing
So you’re stuck at home. You want to keep your mind stimulated, but you also want to avoid the news. How about a podcast? Here are some podcasts about addiction, sobriety and mental health.
Curbing Cravings While Stuck at Home
The boredom, isolation and stress many are dealing with now may be a recipe for alcohol or drug cravings. Fortunately, cravings don’t mean relapse is inevitable. Below are some techniques that can help curb the urge to drink or use while socially distancing.
Telemedicine: Remote Support During Social Distancing
As people stay inside to stop the spread of COVID-19, addiction treatment is adapting. Many AA programs are holding their meetings by video. And some treatment centers, ourselves included, are now offering telemedicine services.
Early Sobriety Tools to Use During a Pandemic
A lot of people are having a hard time right now. That includes—maybe especially—those who have struggled with addiction. Tons of news articles are circulating about the effect isolation has on recovery. But I’m not seeing much about how well-equipped people in recovery may be to face this. Those of us who have gotten sober have weathered our own crises.
Isolation and Recovery During COVID-19
A common saying is that the opposite of addiction is connection, which makes this an extra scary time for sober people. In order to take care of each other, we need to stay away from each other. That is hard.
12-Step Meetings in 2020
Those who got sober through the 12 steps were excited to hear last week that Alcoholics Anonymous – long criticized for lacking scientific evidence to back its effectiveness – got a stamp of approval from the Cochrane Reviews.
Coping Skills for a Crisis
As we at Amatus believe strongly, everyone is unique. Each person is going to have a different reaction to the current pandemic. As such, the things that help us cope will be different. Please keep that in mind as I share some things that have been useful for me.
Liquor Stores Deemed Essential. But Why?
Aside from the economic advantage provided by keeping liquor, beer, wine and spirits stores open, it is likely a strategic public health practice that has led to this decision.
Substance Use In Response to Public Health Emergencies
With every natural disaster or public health emergency, there is a ripple effect. Apart from the threat of COVID-19 itself, a lot of people are unable to work. Many small businesses are struggling.
Mental Health and PTSD In Response to a Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is already impacting our collective mental health. Mental Health America saw a 19% increase in screening for anxiety in February alone—and that is from only one source.