Share People who have participated in an in-patient treatment facility for chemical dependency ask this question a lot – “How many of us will relapse?” It’s natural that a newly recovering addict would want to know his or her odds of staying sober. People wonder if one drink or using on one day, as an …
Read more »Share The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine recently presented a revised definition of alcoholism: “Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, …
Read more »Share Alcoholism, which is also known in the rehab community as “alcohol dependence syndrome,” is a disease that is characterized by the following elements: Craving A strong need, or compulsion, to drink. Loss of control The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun. Physical dependence The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as …
Read more »Share Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychological, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. Alcoholism is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. A Primary …
Read more »Share Almost Everyone Relapses at Least Once Research evidence shows roughly 90 percent of alcoholics who seek help, are likely to experience at least one relapse over the 4-year time frame following treatment. Preventing relapse is a goal everyone involved shares. It helps to know most relapses are associated with three high-risk situations: 1) Frustration …
Read more »Share In Part I, we talked about the book, The Brain That Changes Itself, a book by Norman Doidge, M.D. In this second part, we wanted to focus a bit more closely on how specifically neuroplasticity can actually change the daily life of a recovering addict or alcoholic. As you begin your recovery, you are …
Read more »Share We’ve been reading a truly fascinating book, The Brain That Changes Itself – Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge, M.D. The premise of this extraordinary book is straightforward and amazing. Scientists in recent years have discovered that the human brain is plastic – no, not plastic in …
Read more »Share Recovery from alcoholism or drug abuse, or both, is one of life’s real challenges. No surprise there – recovery is hard, hard work. But addicted persons have other challenges to their recovery beyond the initial hurdle of getting clean or sober. One of those challenges is cross addiction. In the interview below, Louise Beirne, …
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