Our very own Dr. Horvath questions Dr. Peele about defining addiction, recovery and many other important issues on this SMART Recovery podcast. Click here to listen to the entire audio clip.

Problems are an inevitable part of life, but we have choices about how to handle them. We can avoid or deny problems, which often makes them bigger, or we can be proactive and resolve them. Some problems cannot be "solved," only resolved. We often need to practice acceptance. For instance, if I consider dying a problem, then accepting that ultimate reality is the only resolution. However, even problems that may require a large amount of acceptance can also benefit from problem-solving some of their components. For instance, I am not able to avoid death, but I can have influence over many aspects of it. From a self-empowering perspective, acceptance is often Plan B, with active problem solving being Plan A. Here are five basic steps for effective problem solving: Define the pro...

Tom Horvath, Ph.D. talks to San Diego's Fox5 and responds to children's concerns regarding their parents' addiction to technology. As Dr. Horvath points out, there is an upside to this, and some surprising truths. Be sure to click for full screen view.

Sometimes we know what we should do, but we struggle with motivating ourselves to actually get it done. Going to the gym, finishing a project, cleaning the house … these tasks can be difficult when motivation is lacking. However, a lack of motivation does not have to derail you from meeting your goals. Here are some tips to try when you are struggling with low motivation: 1. Remember why the activity is of value to you-- Most people don’t exercise just to exercise…. They do it because they want to be healthy and fit. Remembering why you want to do something can make doing it more desirable. 2. Start small-- If a task feels overwhelming, it can be hard to get started. Tell yourself that you will just do a small part of the task rather than committing to the whole thing. Often, you ...

If you were a woman with breast cancer, you’d probably want to know that there were several treatment options you had: radical mastectomy, lumpectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, holistic services, nutritional approaches, some combination of these options, do nothing, or wait until the next new treatment emerges.  You might be inclined to let your physician decide what to do.  However, most individuals would want to make a decision of this magnitude for themselves.  So, you would want to know how successful each approach is, what it costs, the recovery period involved, the side effects, and the likely complications.  You would want to talk to individuals who had used each approach.  You would search the internet.  You would get input from multiple sources.  Your final decision would probab...

If you were a woman with breast cancer, you’d probably want to know that there were several treatment options you had: radical mastectomy, lumpectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, holistic services, nutritional approaches, some combination of these options, do nothing, or wait until the next new treatment emerges.  You might be inclined to let your physician decide what to do.  However, most individuals would want to make a decision of this magnitude for themselves.  So, you would want to know how successful each approach is, what it costs, the recovery period involved, the side effects, and the likely complications.  You would want to talk to individuals who had used each approach.  You would search the internet.  You would get input from multiple sources.  Your final decision would probab...

[caption id="attachment_4919" align="alignleft" width="213"] Reinhold Niebuhr[/caption] Originally posted on March 8, 2013  on the Reunion San Diego blog For people opposed to “prayers”, AA meetings, traditional 12-step-based treatment and/or prayer in general, it’s too bad that the Serenity Prayer has been co-opted. What you probably don’t know, according to “The Secret History of the Serenity Prayer” by author Susan Cheever at TheFix.com, is that the prayer was originally conceived by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr – “not as an antidote to addiction, but as a response to the barbaric evil of Nazi Germany that threatened civilization itself during World War II.” Although some have challenged the prayer’s origins, Cheever cites Niebuhr’s original prayers as: “God give us the grace to...

Previous research suggests four to eight percent of women under the age of 44 are alcohol dependent. Further, up to 65 percent of alcohol dependent women have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder, and women are typically less likely to seek alcohol treatment as compared to men. Research also shows that many alcohol dependent women have high levels of stress in their marriage. Barbara McCrady of the University of new Mexico Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions and Elizabeth Epstein of Rutgers University led a study which found that couples therapy for alcohol dependent women may work well for women with supportive spouses. Couples Therapy vs. Individual Therapy The researchers compared alcohol behavioral couples therapy to alcohol behavioral individual therapy in a rando...

Article by Erinn Hutkin originally appeared in the Union Tribune on September 23, 2014 Toxic relationships do not only hurt psychologically, they can also be physically damaging. George Pratt, a clinical psychologist, author and licensed marriage and family therapist associated with Scripps Health, said a toxic or unhealthy relationship can exist among married couples, people who are dating and even those who are no longer a couple. No matter what the nature of the relationship, Pratt said, they have one thing in common: “Toxic relationships can exist in any kind of relationship, and they are bad for your health.” From disturbed sleep to added stress to increased risk of heart problems, toxic relationships can do damage to the body. However, in addition to knowing that a ...

So often, a return to drinking or drug use happens in a “screw-it” or “just-this- once” moment. Maybe it’s after a horrendous day or when everything seems to be going wrong at once. On the other hand, impulsive use can occur when celebrating something really great. The thinking commonly goes, “I’ll just have one or two drinks (or a few snorts), and that will be the end of it. But will it be just one or two? What about the next day? Have you been successful with short-term use in the past? That need for a quick fix, also known as immediate gratification, often drives use for someone with addiction, and the tendency can linger – sometimes for a long time. Part of overcoming the problem is recognizing and appreciating the value of enduring satisfactions versus momentary pleasures. On...