Many of us fear what we don’t know. It’s not so much a weakness, but rather human nature. So picture this: you’re son or daughter, your friend, your co-worker…maybe he or she is drinking more often. Maybe you notice signs of drug use – always short on money, personal effects disappearing. Then denial sets in. […]
Latest Articles
The Difference Between ‘Getting Sober’ and ‘Living Sober’
There’s nowhere to turn, all bridges have been burned, nobody’s answering the phone for you, and if you reach deep into your pocket you’re coming up with, at best, pennies and lint. You can’t stand to look at your reflection in a store front window, but when you catch a glimpse all you see is […]
Top Warning Signs of Relapse
It is often said that a relapse begins long before the substance is actually ingested. It is my belief that there exist certain warning signs that are commonly associated with an eventual relapse. If identified early, it is possible to address these changes in thinking and behavior in a way that will prevent a relapse […]
Tips for Staying Sober this 4th of July
Happy 4th of July to all. What a wonderful time to enjoy a day off from work, head to the beach with family or friends, host a barbeque, and….have a cold beer or mixed drink? Well, not for some people. The Others. The Leftovers. For those who are afflicted with the disease of addiction and […]
4 Tips on How to Talk to Your Children About Drug Abuse
I grew up in the 1960s in a conservative Roman Catholic community in the Midwest. At that time, there were no widespread campaigns about drug and alcohol abuse; no one talked to kids about the dangers of either. There was a brewery in town where many of the residents worked, and everyone drank, frequently to […]
Treatment vs. Incarceration: Why Drug Rehab is More Beneficial than Prison for Drug Offenders
In 1956, the American Medical Association declared addiction a chronic brain disease. A disease can be defined merely as an abnormality that affects all, or part of an organism, and results in adverse symptoms. In the case of addiction, the abnormality is manifested in the brain (yes, there are real, observable biological implications!). The symptoms […]
4 Tips on How to Cope with a Drug Addicted Son
By John Palmer – BSW, Director of Professional Development at Turnbridge Drug Rehab for Young Men and Women Below is a compilation of 4 personal actions, and professional suggestions, I have taken, as they have provided me with the ability to deal with my emotions around my addicted child. Acceptance: Accept that you cannot fix […]
Parents of Drug Addicts: How to Stop Enabling My Child’s Addiction
Am I enabling my child’s drug addiction? Perhaps the answer to this question can be more easily identified in the context of an ‘either/or’ question: Am I enabling or am I helping? Depending on the situation, there exists a very fine line between the two. When it comes to our addicted sons and daughters, […]
Should I Enter a Halfway House after Treatment?
The drug treatment and extended sober living process should be looked at as an investment–very similar to the college experience. We want the best education; we should also strive for the best long term rehabilitation solutions for our addiction problems. Studies have shown that the longer an individual is involved with the structure and support […]
Teenage Addiction: The Consequences of Teen Heroin Use
A star athlete, an honor student, a son, a brother, a nephew; he’s outgoing and charismatic; he has a bright future ahead of him and on a probable path to college or university. What have I become? What’s happened to me? You’ve discovered he’s using Heroin. Does this sound familiar? All across America in […]