Can you have a sober Halloween in New Orleans? The answer is yes! Halloween has grown into a holiday that is more than just kids trick-or-treating door-to-door. It has become a holiday for adults often with elaborate parties that involve alcohol and/or drug use. But it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of ways to celebrate a sober Halloween while in recovery.
Here are some local events in New Orleans this Halloween: Read more →
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a great time to talk about breast cancer risk, alcohol and NAD therapy. It’s important to remind our readers that there is a strong correlation between drinking and increasing one’s risk of breast cancer. Hundreds of thousands of women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and the numbers are increasing. It’s important for women to know that there are behaviors that can reduce their risk as well as others that increase their risk, one being drinking. 
Research is consistently showing that all alcoholic beverages (beer, liquor, and even wine) increase a woman’s risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. This is because alcohol can increase the levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol might also increase risk because it damages DNA in cells which can contribute to the development of cancer.
A dual diagnosis is when someone has co-existing or co-occurring problems with mental illness and drugs/alcohol. The relationship between substance abuse and mental illness is complex and getting the right treatment can be more complicated than each condition alone. But it is important to know that this is a common problem: many people who struggle with substance abuse also struggle with a mental illness and vice versa.
Who is at risk?
Any one can struggle with co-occurring disorders, but there are people that research has found to be more at risk. For example, military vets or those with physical illnesses are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, PTSD and have an increased risk for abusing drugs like marijuana, cocaine, opiates, stimulants, and alcohol. And those individuals who suffer with severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are more at risk for substance abuse. But the numbers are very high for anyone who struggles with a mental illness to also be battling some form of substance abuse. Read more →
Being sober in New Orleans sounds impossible. It’s the city that care forget with bars in the French Quarter that never close, and a city of partygoers that never stop reminding themselves laissez les bon temps rouler. But September is National Recovery Month and a time to celebrate those who have embarked on their journey into sobriety, even in New Orleans. It is a time to reflect on what makes a recovery strong. There are many things you can do on a daily basis to help keep your recovery strong, regardless of where you call home and whether you’ve been in recovery for weeks or years. 
One of the most important things that we like to emphasize during National Recovery Month is stress management. Stress can be a quick saboteur to recovery, regardless of how long you’ve been in recovery or how confident you might be. Even among the laid back vibe of the Big Easy, stress can get the best of you and your recovery. Being sober in New Orleans means it’s always a good idea to take this time to check in with yourself and see how you are managing. And remember, stress isn’t always about major life events, it can also be daily hassles that add up over time! Read more →
Families are gearing up for another school year and every New Orleans parent should know of these substance abuse
warning signs. Whether your teen or young adult is headed to Lusher, Jesuit, Tulane or Loyola, etc., pay close attention to warning signs your high schooler or college student might be displaying. Those who are most at risk tend to demonstrate the following red flags:
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What defines a drinking problem isn’t always clear cut and often depends on the individual. We live in a drinking culture. 
Social events, after work happy hours and client dinners, and sporting events are all places where the lines of what is acceptable alcohol consumption are often blurred. Casual drinking can sometimes turn into alcohol abuse without someone even realizing it. Some of the signs of a drinking problem can be subtle and easy to miss. See if you recognize any of them:
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