It’s understandable to worry that helping someone with addiction might enable them, but helping and enabling are two very different things. People who are going through addiction and recovery need to know that they have support; it’s important not to pull away because of the fear of enabling. Enabling is essentially participating in behaviors that…
Heartbreak isn’t always taken as seriously as other emotional experiences, but it’s a powerful form of grief. It’s not uncommon for people to relapse as they deal with the many emotions that arise during a breakup. Heartbreak and Early Sobriety Share Many Similarities The first time I experienced withdrawal was when I was still in…
Addiction is a prison in itself. A behavior that keeps you addicted takes control of your life, hence the need to stop it and begin your journey to recovery. You can stop addictive behaviors permanently by seeking a suitable addiction treatment program. The first step is to accept that you’ve got a problem. Next, seek…
In recovery, you can repair relationships that may have been damaged during active addiction. As I’ve found in my own recovery, one of the most important is with yourself. Repairing Damage from Active Addiction Low self-esteem and shame are often factors (of many others) that lead people to drink or use drugs—but addiction exacerbates them.…
“Hitting rock bottom” is when a person feels like they’ve reached the lowest possible point in addiction. This is often discussed as the point in which a person gets sober. However, you don’t have to hit rock bottom in order to get sober. Addiction is a progressive disease; negative effects tend to build as you…
Choosing a drug addiction treatment program for yourself or a loved one can be overwhelming. Over the last year, due to the increase in substance abuse during the pandemic, new drug rehab centers have popped up to meet demand. But how do you decide which ones are legitimate and reputable and which ones aren’t? We…
Addiction is often driven in part by fear—fear of facing pain or trauma, for instance—and fear can also be a barrier to sobriety. When you are afraid, you can’t be as intentional; the feeling is overwhelming, and you want to do anything to get out of it. Addiction, Fear, and Anxiety The prelimbic cortex drives…
Worrying about a loved one is painful. However, remember that heroin addiction is a disease. As with any disease, there are signs and symptoms. If you realize that your spouse has many, most, or all of the symptoms of this disease, it will be important to look into heroin addiction treatment programs. At TruHealing Centers,…
Can you tell me about your work with The National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA]? I’ve been at NIDA almost 10 years, and I’ve worked on justice issues pretty much the whole time. A few years ago, Congress made a big appropriation to the National Institutes of Health[1]—which included NIDA—to address the pain and opioid…
The actor Danny Trejo has been sober since August 23rd, 1968. He started attending AA meetings in prison, where he landed after trying to sell heroin to an undercover cop. Trejo first smoked weed at 8 years old, had his first drink by 12, and started shooting heroin at 14. He was in and out…