It may not be entirely surprising to learn that drug overdose deaths increased during the pandemic. How could they not? The unprecedented stressors induced by COVID-19 would seem to logically result in higher numbers. According to Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), those...
As we emerge from a global pandemic, many among us are expressing anxiety and trepidation about life “returning to normal”. While the challenges of the pandemic were great and in many ways unprecedented, so too is the hurdle of coming back online after spending over a year in partial...
Unwinding with a glass of wine or a “quarantini” might seem like a good way to cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. But for some people, too much alcohol is making this ongoing health crisis worse. Nielsen reports alcohol sales in stores were up 54% earlier this year...
Addiction is blind, and you never know who may be struggling with substance dependency. Whether they’re your friendly suburban neighbor or a stranger passing by you at the grocery store, anyone can suffer from addiction. These people are loved by their families, associates, and friends. They also make one...
“Tomorrow isn’t promised.” It’s a piece of folk wisdom: direct, and based in plain fact. The Coronavirus has taught us, again, that our assumptions about the future are just that--assumptions. All religions and philosophies teach this, in one form or another. We make our plans and do the best...
I talk about “the pause” often because it was one of the most transformative tools I took away from BIG Power Yoga’s Teacher Empowerment Program. What has opened up for me through the practice of the pause is a world filled with opportunities and possibilities that did not exist...
How can we support our loved ones who have been struggling with addiction during these stressful times? A big part of having a healthy response is taking care of ourselves. If we encourage them to attend meetings, call their sponsor, worked the steps, and stay focused on the positive,...
For a long time, medical researchers were unsure whether Alcoholics Anonymous worked better than other approaches to treating people with alcohol use disorder. In 2006, a review of the evidence concluded we didn’t have enough evidence to judge. That has changed. An updated systematic review published Wednesday by the Cochrane Collaboration...
We’ve all heard someone say a friend is “fashionably late.” He shows up half an hour after the party starts, to let everyone know he has other stops on his social calendar. The last decade has given us “fashionably scruffy” looks for men, as some workplaces have allowed men...
This September we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Recovery Month! Originated and sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Recovery Month is an annual observance intended to promote understanding and education for all Americans about substance abuse and mental health treatment. The 2019 theme is Join...
