Are you self-medicating? Self-medication is a term used to refer to a person using substances to treat mental, emotional, or physical pain. Many people do this, but not everyone realizes what’s happening. For that reason, many people who self-medicate end up developing a substance use disorder. If their mental health symptoms stem from a mental health disorder, they...
Read MoreYour close family member is dependent on drugs or alcohol. It’s taken over their life. Perhaps they started drinking in their teens. Now, 30 years later, they’re experiencing numerous health complications. Can a person with a lifelong addiction stop using substances? Can they maintain long-term recovery? Many who have a lifetime of drug or alcohol use don’t believe...
Read MoreNo matter how hard you try, sometimes it’s impossible to think about anything but the drug you know you need to get through the day. Cravings are intense desires to use a substance, and they won’t go away without hands-on support and a change in behavior. The intensity of cravings can leave a person struggling emotionally and physically. Why Do Cravings...
Read MoreRealizing a loved one may be struggling with drug addiction is difficult. Often, we try to deny what’s occurring because it’s too overwhelming to process. Yet substance use disorder can happen to anyone, and when it does, it is often the support of close family members that helps people to recover. There are various causes of addiction – stress, genetic...
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