The American Psychological Association defines forgiveness as the process of recognizing and letting go of anger directed at someone who caused you pain. This anger can lead to emotional distress in the forms of guilt and resentment. Therefore, the ability to shake off the pain from your past is a central aspect of long-term treatment…
Details
Defense mechanisms are behaviors that people use to detach themselves from unpleasant actions, thoughts, or events, and can be positive or negative. For example, sublimation is a positive defense mechanism in which someone chooses to channel strong emotions and feelings into an appropriate activity such as exercise; so instead of lashing out at others like…
Details
In the United States, the third leading preventable cause of death is alcohol, accounting for over 88,000 deaths per year. A study published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information analyzed the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality rates in Russia. They found that since the early 2000s, overall alcohol consumption and mortality rates in…
Details
Recovery is a personal process, and each stage has its developmental milestones to reach the next stage, as well as its risks of relapse. There is not an individual set amount of time for the stages, as recovery is just as individualized as the addiction to drugs or alcohol. There are generally three stages of…
Details
According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, over $600 billion is spent each year in the United States due to substance abuse. The abuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs incur costs related to decreased work productivity, crime, and subsequent court costs and health care. Consequently, substance abuse treatment may help reduce these…
Details
Opioids are physically, mentally, and psychologically damaging to the user. Problematically, as opioid use and addiction are steadily increasing, the use of opioids during pregnancy is also on the rise. Unfortunately, the use of these harmful drugs can result in a drug withdrawal syndrome in newborns known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) or Neonatal Opioid…
Details
Adversity is a state of hardship, difficulty, or misfortune that one deals with in life. There are six types of adversity that one can face, and facing adversities in life can break or make a person. It may lead one person to improve their life by finding ways around their challenges, or it may lead…
Details
During treatment for addiction to drugs or alcohol, there are stages characterized by the early, middle, and late stages. Since addiction is an individualistic experience, each stage differs due to the condition of the person suffering from substance use disorder (SUD), the therapeutic strategies that are effective for them, and the characteristics of guidance from…
Details
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, excessive drinking can severely impact health in a multitude of ways. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, alcoholic beverages are human carcinogens or substances that can cause cancer in living tissue. From the brain to the liver, to the immune…
Details
Mindfulness is the reflective practice of concentrating on the present moment and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, with no judgment. According to a study recently published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, mindfulness may help people suffering from addiction to opioids. Furthermore, it may lead to less pain and fewer cravings for…
Details