Addiction and codependency go hand in hand. We’ve all heard of codependency. These days, like narcissism, codependency is a term many people throw around without knowing what it means exactly. This condition is somewhat of a mental and emotional disorder where a person (who lacks a feeling of wholeness) depends on other people around them to meet their physical and emotional (or spiritual) needs. Are…
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based subset of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that addresses unwanted thoughts and behaviors, focusing on the development of acceptance and change through a variety of methods, including self-governed emotional regulation and meditation/mindfulness. Dialectical behavioral therapy has grown and expanded to address negative and hindering ways of thinking, learned patterns of behavior that have been conditioned but unhelpful to us,…
You may have heard “purple drank” or “lean” referenced in music, primarily by rappers. These are street names given to the mixture of cough syrup that contains both promethazine and codeine along with a carbonated beverage such as Sprite. From what I’ve seen, the syrup is always dark purple. “Candy” seems innocent enough as it’s somewhat humorously referred to in many songs, but it’s a…
Although it’s not a requirement for a drug addict in recovery, relapse often happens and is a part of many recovery journeys. Relapse is not a single event; it’s an insidious process that eventually leads to an addict taking that first drink or drug. So, what often leads up to a relapse? Things start to slip in an addict’s program: meeting attendance dwindles, nightly inventories…
Here’s what helps with Suboxone withdrawal. Suboxone withdrawal can be seriously shitty because suboxone has a long half-life and lasts a lot longer than many other types of opioid withdrawal. However, there are ways to deal with it. This might be controversial, but I believe that Suboxone is a horrible drug, and I believe that the best way to come off it without it being…
If you’ve stumbled onto this blog, you’re probably what to do about your addiction (or maybe your loved one’s addiction). I won’t bore you with a long intro paragraph on the stats surrounding opioids – you get it: they can kill you and permanently damage your brain and body. So, let’s dive into 5 steps you can take TODAY to deal with your addiction. Here’s…
Here’s what the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has to say about acceptance in AA. “And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly that…
Overcoming anxiety is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced. The everyday demands of life, between paying bills, working, staying connected to family, and trying to stay healthy, can turn any person’s life into nothing short of an anxious mess. You might be a person who has dealt with anxiety all their lives, or maybe this is something new only to your adult…
Here are some of the signs that either you or a loved one might be living with high functioning depression (HFD). Nearly every person will experience some form of depression in their lifetime, and you can even safely say that every living human knows at least one person who is living in what the medical community calls “high functioning depression.” It is important to note…
So, what does detox feel like? I can tell you from (far too much) personal experience that it’s not fun. In fact, depending on the drug you’re detoxing from, it can be horrible. Is that meant to scare you? That’s not my intention. These are just facts. There’s a reason addicts like me avoid detox at all costs. There’s a reason we try so hard…