Addiction Archives – Page 2 of 4

How to Clean Up Your Online Reputation

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If you’re like many people, you live a good portion of your life online. You’ve been sharing bits of yourself on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MySpace, Flickr and other online venues for years. If you’ve been drinking and doing drugs, some of what you and others have shared about you may be less than flattering.

Now that you are getting into recovery and a life of sobriety, you might want to get rid of some of that evidence of your past life. You also need to get rid of any photos or comments (or online friends) that could act as a trigger and potentially lead you to a relapse.

Do this cleanup for yourself, so you can avoid running into reminders of your past and can concentrate on where you are now. Do it also so you can project a better image for future employers and others. (You might want to … Read more...

“Since My Divorce” Interviews Dr. Al

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Divorce coach Mandy Walker, who blogs at Since My Divorce, interviewed Dr. Al Mooney recently about how addiction, alcoholism and recovery can play havoc with a marriage and other relationships.

Check out her series of posts on addiction and divorce:

When Does Drinking Become a Problem in a Marriage?

Does Your Spouse’s Drinking Problem Mean Divorce?

How Do You Protect Your Kids From an Alcoholic Spouse?

How To Survive With Your Alcoholic Spouse in Recovery

Ask Dr. Al: What is Recovery?

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What is Recovery?

Getting and staying sober is the first priority when someone gets into recovery. But most soon learn that recovery is about so much more. Here are some basic truths about living in recovery.

Recovery is a way of life. Recovery is about building and enjoying a better life for yourself in sobriety. It’s about finding and developing loving relationships, solid friendships, strong community ties, satisfying work, and invigorating play. It’s about spending your life in good health and good spirits. It’s about living a good life steeped in the culture of recovery. What is Recovery

Recovery is about healing. Over time you’ll notice that your body is healing. Even better, your brain will be healing as well. Addiction hijacked your brain, making it very hard for you to make good choices. As you focus your thoughts and actions on sobriety and recovery, your cravings will disappear and your thoughts will … Read more...

Ask Dr. Al: Why are so many people using heroin now?

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It seems there has been an increase in the number of heroin users. Why?

Heroin use is indeed on the rise. Between 2002 and 2012, the number of people who abused or were dependent on heroin more than doubled, from 214,000 to 467,000 (another 202,000 had used heroin at least once in that year).

It’s a complex issue, but in large part it goes back to the misuse of prescription painkillers in recent years. These drugs became so much easier to get—legally and illegally—and many people were getting hooked on them. In recent years, the number of people abusing or dependent on painkillers rose from 1.4 to 2.1 million. Many people then found that prescription painkillers were too expensive to buy on the street, or found that their supply dried up, and turned to heroin, which is cheaper and easy to find. We’ve been left with a full-blown heroin epidemic … Read more...

Ask Dr. Al: How big of a problem is addiction today?

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How big of a problem is addiction today?

According to recent statistics, about 22.2 million people in the U.S. age 12 or older (8.5 percent) were abusing or dependent on drugs or alcohol in 2012. The largest subgroup, 14.9 million, misused alcohol only.

Most of those 22 million people needed treatment for their addiction. But sadly, very few get it. Only about 2.5 million got treatment at a specialized facility that year. That leaves more than 20 million people who needed treatment but didn’t get it.

Recovery Stories | Jerry Moe: Helping Kids at Betty Ford

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Jerry Moe worries about full-grown alcoholics and addicts, but he worries more about their children. He’s been dedicated for 36 years to mitigating the damage to boys and girls 7-12 years old. He leads a model Children’s Program at the Betty Ford Center, to help kids understand the past and present chaos in their lives. Jerry shared his story with The Recovery Book.

I’m focused on the one disease that tries to convince you that you don’t have it, thereby preventing you from reaching out for help until it’s close to destroying you and all you love. But children who’ve lived in fear and confusion can’t wait. They need help as soon as possible: explanations of “Why do my Mom and Dad fight and scream at each other all the time and do those wild weird things?” And they desperately need assurances that it won’t happen again … Read more...