The Stigma of Addiction and the Inadvertent Contribution of the Recovery Community
Does the recovery community inadvertently contribute to the stigma of addiction? by Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP Although the recovery community opposes stigmatizing individuals with addiction, the widespread use of the labels “addict” and “alcoholic,” and the view that addiction is a disease, actually contribute to the stigma of addiction. Alternative language, suggested here, could work […]
Coping in Times of Tragedy
It can be challenging to stay sober when you’re coping with tragedy. This last year has been full of grief, tragedy, and challenge. We continue to grieve together and are finding that many people are experiencing anger, sadness, confusion, grief and anxiety. With a surge of emotions that arise in response to tragic events, it […]
Rebuilding Your Life in Recovery: Part 1
Rebuilding Your Life in Recovery: Improving Your Work Ethic Returning to the workplace after rehab can often be a scary transition. We worry about what people will think, what they know about where we were, and whether we will be judged. The reality is that re-entering the workplace is a vital piece of recovery as […]
Men and the Stigma of Addiction
Have you noticed the stigma that exists when it comes to men and addiction? It is no secret that the stigma of males in relation to addiction exists in our society today. While it’s widely understood that this is a complex issue, it’s often oversimplified and overlooked. The stigma may include anything from negative attitudes […]
Women and the Stigma of Addiction
Are women stigmatized by addiction? When we think about the person who works a full time job, travels, enjoys a beer with sports, or finishes a long day in the office by going out to dinner and cocktails with a friend, which may turn into a late night of drinking, what type of person comes […]
Prince and the Opioid Epidemic
Just how do Prince and the opioid epidemic come together? The death of Prince has left many wondering what really happened and whether circumstances could have been different. Prince’s use of pain killers came as a surprise and many found it hard to believe he had been struggling with prescription drugs for quite some time. […]
Real Recovery vs. Ideal Recovery
By Tom Horvath, Ph.D. How often have you heard the following statements? “Using buprenorphine (Suboxone, Bunavail, Zubsolv, etc.) or methadone is not real recovery.” “Harm reduction is not real recovery.” “Using psychiatric medications is not real recovery.” “Moderation is not real recovery.” “Real recovery” is widely viewed as abstinence from all intoxicating substances. You can […]
Overcoming the Stigma of Addiction
Overcoming the Stigma of Addiction Stigmatization in our society is largely connected to the behaviors and concepts of our society, in part by the people that make up our community. Many of us who struggle with addiction of any sort find it is often difficult to seek treatment out of fear of judgment, shame, or […]
Preventing Relapse: The Role of Lifestyle Balance
In addiction recovery, if your life is filled with non-pleasurable activities, you are more likely to relapse. The relapse will provide an intense, but only temporary, satisfaction. Perhaps the greatest risk for imbalance comes when we are too focused on what we “should” do and not enough on what we want to do. Of course, we […]
Acupuncture and Addiction
Does acupuncture help in the treatment of addiction? Chinese medicine, such as acupuncture, has long been used to treat an array of illness. More recently, Eastern methods have become increasingly popular within many addiction treatment approaches, as a supplement to other therapies. Acupuncture is said to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and physical pain, cure insomnia, […]