Employee substance abuse problems cost U.S. employers hundreds of billions of dollars each year in health care and lost productivity. The 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 18.9 million adults suffer from drug or alcohol dependence or abuse. Of that number, 52 percent were employed. That means the odds of your business being effected are high. Read more →
Many people wonder, who becomes an addict? The truth is, addiction does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter someone’s age, race, gender, financial background or social status. As was the case for Christina Huffington, the 24-year-old daughter of the editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and prominent spokesperson, Arianna Huffington. Christina Huffington has recently spoken out about her struggles with addiction (primarily cocaine), an eating disorder, and anxiety (It is not uncommon for someone to suffer with more than one addiction, secondary addictions such as an eating disorder, or other disorders). Read more →
What is the true relationship between smoking and anxiety? During the past several years, research has shown a strong correlation between lower risk for relapse and longer periods of abstinence, being directly related to smoking cessation during the detox phase of drug and alcohol recovery. I have found that clients often assume that smoking helps relieve their anxiety symptoms. When the truth is, the anxiety is usually a major symptom of nicotine withdrawal. So the anxiety they think they are relieving by smoking is actually being caused by the smoking in the first place. Read more →
When is drug and alcohol use a problem?
This is one of the most common questions we get: when is drug and alcohol use considered a problem? The truth is, it varies with each individual. Often times our gut instincts tell us there’s a problem before an online quiz or therapist reassures our intuitions. But if you are wondering whether there are signs to look for, Dr. David Sack lists five patterns of drug and alcohol use that could indicate you or a loved one has a problem:
Liver disease is on the rise among women, and denial about their drinking habits might be to blame. A recent study in London found that hospital admission for liver disease as a result of drinking has risen an alarming 112 percent in the past decade among women under thirty. Read more →
One of the top reasons why an individual won’t seek help is the addiction stigma. People are reluctant to enter treatment in fear of what their family, friends or coworkers might perceive about them. Stigma also impedes those already in recovery and distances those who advocate for addiction groups. So what are some ways in which we can fight the addiction stigma?
First let’s address what the addiction stigma is. There is a misperception that an addict or someone suffering from substance abuse is automatically a character-flawed, weak-willed person, who is immoral, bad, or a failure. Often times it’s this perceived negative stigma that affects an individual and deters them from seeking help. Because in reality, addiction is a brain disease that needs physical and psychological treatment. Addiction also shows no discrimination. It is seen across all spectrums of race, ethnicity, gender, and socio-economics. In fact, some groups that researches are seeing an increase in substance abuse may surprise you. Read more →
