Addiction Affects Millions of Americans Many people suffer from severe addictions that can ruin lives and are extremely difficult to control. Nearly 2 million enter roughly 12,000 addiction treatment programs each year (…). Adi Jaffe is completing his Ph.D. in psychology at UCLA, where he specializes in addiction issues. A former drug addict who spent […]
Prevention of Adolescent Substance Abuse
Prevention: Pervasive, consistent messages to young people about drugs and alcohol can be an effective tool. Effective prevention requires that the same messages about alcohol, drugs, and tobacco be delivered by multiple messengers-schools, parents, peers, and the community-repeatedly throughout childhood and adolescence. Prevention delays onset of use The primary goal of prevention is to delay […]
Alcohol, Violence, and Aggression
Alcohol, Violence, and Aggression Scientists and nonscientists alike have long recognized a two-way association between alcohol consumption and violent or aggressive behavior (1). Not only may alcohol consumption promote aggressiveness, but victimization may lead to excessive alcohol consumption. Violence may be defined as behavior that intentionally inflicts, or attempts to inflict, physical harm. Violence falls […]
Stages of Recovery & Impact on Parenting
The following article presents four developmental stages of family recovery described by Brown and Lewis, and describes for each stage, the possible impact of the family environment—in particular, parenting practices on child development. These different stages of recovery appear to correspond to unique parenting challenges. The following is based on a compilation of knowledge from […]
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome? Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a severe memory disorder usually associated with chronic excessive alcohol consumption, although the direct cause is a deficiency in the B vitamin thiamin. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), the professional handbook that aids clinicians in diagnosing patients’ mental disorders, refers to Korsakoff syndrome as […]
Healing from Co-dependency
The concept of ‘co-dependency’ (also called ‘co-alcoholism’ when alcoholism is involved) refers to an unhealthy pattern of relating to others that results from being closely involved with an alcoholic or addict, whether they are seeking a drug treatment center or not. Co-dependency is a generic term. It has been defined in various ways, but all […]
Low Risk Drinking Guideliness
Guideline #1 Do not drink when: operating a boat, motor vehicle, tools or machinery; using medications that interact with alcohol; engaging in sports or other potentially dangerous physical activities; working; making important decisions; if suffering from serious physical or mental illness Guideline #2 If you drink try to stay within these daily and weekly guidelines […]
Shame
Shame Shame, as the conductor of the affective orchestra in humans, is a powerful, elusive and tricky emotion that can protect or destroy the organism – depending on the circumstances. Often referred to as the pathological affect of abandonment, indignity, alienation and failure, the healthy function of shame, which is to protect and motivate the […]
Mental Illness
The Issue Most Canadians are affected by mental illness, either directly or indirectly, through family, friends or colleagues. Yet there is still a stigma attached to this range of diseases that is a barrier to correct diagnosis and treatment, as well as to the acceptance and support of people with mental illness within the community. […]
Stress Management
Stress Stress is a fact of daily life and is the result of both the good and bad things that happen. Too much stress can cause serious health concerns, but there are many ways of dealing with stress that can reduce your risk. Background Stress can come from major events in life such as getting […]
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. It is estimated that one in 10 Canadians is affected by them. These disorders can be successfully treated so it is important to recognize the difference between being anxious in response to a real event, and an anxiety disorder which produces fear or distress […]
Club Drugs
Club drugs are a group of psychoactive drugs that tend to be abused by teens and young adults at bars, nightclubs, concerts, and parties, they are: Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Rohypnol Ketamine MDMA (ecstasy) Methamphetamine GHB is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for […]
Binge drinking, alcohol abuse, or alcohol dependence ?
Understanding the difference: Binge Drinking - Alcohol Abuse - Alcohol Dependence. Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild to life-threatening. Alcohol dependence is considered the most severe alcohol problem, and it can be life –threatening. There is a lot of confusion around alcohol use, progression of dependency and alcoholism. For many people […]
Dealing with family member who’s an addict
Dealing with an addict: If it feels uncomfortable, chances are you’re doing the right thing Helping a loved one battle the disease of addiction is painful and can make for some tough choices. You are not alone. I want to say that right at the start, because if you’re anything like me, finding yourself in […]
How does addiction affect children ?
When a family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol, the family develops ways of coping with it. Some of these coping strategies are far from ideal: keeping addiction a secret, less communication within the family, not expressing emotions, and taking on some of the responsibilities abandoned by the addict. These coping strategies appear […]
What is Alcohol
Alcohol is a Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressant and slows down brain’s functioning. Some people think that alcohol is a stimulant because it makes people feel more energetic and lowers inhibitions. Types of alcohol: Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol) is a chemical name used for the alcohol present in beer, wine, spirits and liqueurs. It is produced by fermenting or […]