Most people aren’t aware that anxiety is a leading cause of drug abuse and relapse in the United States. Because of that, finding ways to manage anxiety effectively is an integral part of rehab. Thankfully, that’s just what biofeedback therapy does. However, how does biofeedback therapy help manage anxiety? Can integrating biofeedback therapy with other…
High-functioning alcoholism is as serious as other types of alcoholism, and sometimes even more so. It’s challenging to convince a high-functioning alcoholic to get help because they usually don’t think they have a problem. A classic alcoholic sees the physical and situational impact of alcohol abuse. Their problems are more obvious. There are clear-cut reasons…
Being married to an addict feels like a betrayal. Drugs and alcohol are their priority, not you and your family. You may have tried everything you can think of to help your addicted spouse. It’s not working. You’re starting to accept you can’t beg, cry, scream or coddle them into sobriety. Here’s what you can…
People with bipolar disorder abuse marijuana more than any other drug. Some are trying to self-medicate their bipolar symptoms. Medical marijuana isn’t an approved method for treating bipolar disorder in states where medical cannabis is legal. The combination of marijuana and bipolar disorder can make an already difficult mental illness worse. Research shows about 70%…
No one gets sober with the intention of relapsing, but it happens. In fact, it happens quite a lot. Addiction relapse rates hover between 40% and 60%. Try not to beat yourself up. While you shouldn’t diminish the significance of a drug relapse, it’s what you do next that’s most important. I Relapsed. Now What?…
Allison came to a support group meeting desperately seeking insight into how to save her marriage. Her husband of 10 years had developed a drug addiction after extended use of opioid pain medicine. She knew his behavior had changed, but she was in denial for many months. Her husband was becoming more moody and withdrawn,…
Pain management treatment has come a long way over the last couple decades. When I first started practicing medicine in the late 1990s, if a patient had a back injury, you’d write them a prescription for 30-40 tabs of Vicodin or Percocet and have them take it every six hours. It was all about relieving…
Hypnosis is a state of human consciousness involving heightened, focused attention, reduced peripheral awareness and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.
People who experience unbearable trauma as children often dissociate from the experience―both in the moment and as they grow―because the pain of the experience runs deep. Unless they have therapeutic help or a supportive caregiver who can guide them through it, they tend to store trauma away and may even pretend it never happened.
Twelve-step alternatives are just as effective as the 12 Steps, according to a recent study by the Alcohol Research Group. The study looked at over 600 people’s support group involvement and substance use over 12 months. We need more research to make any definitive claims about alternatives to AA and similar groups. But I’m not…