Teenagers shouldn’t be drinking alcohol, plain and simple. Unfortunately, the truth is that many teens will experiment with alcohol during their high school years. Some will pass the point of simple experimentation and may develop full-on alcoholism. If the latter sounds like your son, talk to him about it as soon as possible. Studies show … Read More
For many teens, high school is a time of experimentation. Sometimes this experimentation is harmless, like a new haircut or a change in style. Other times, these experiments can have a darker impact. The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior survey found that 29% of high school students reported drinking in the last 30 days, with 14% … Read More
The teenage years can be awkward and difficult for many kids. Too often, a good kid may fall in with the wrong crowd at school and begin experimenting with substances like drugs or alcohol. In a 2015 survey, almost 36% of teenagers reported having tried marijuana and nearly 13% reported abusing prescription drugs. If you … Read More
When we showed up at our first AA meeting, the idea of ever reaching step 12 in AA may have seemed like a far-off fantasy. For some, it may have seemed impossible. But here you are, ready to embark on your final step. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we … Read More
Back in step 10, we turned our focus from our past to our present. Now, as we begin to understand and work step 11 of AA, we’ll start to think about the future, particularly in regards to our spiritual path. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood … Read More
By this point in your recovery journey, you’ve done a lot of hard work in clearing out negativity from the past. You’ve admitted your life became unmanageable, turned control over to your higher power, understood and asked God to remove your defects of character, and made amends with those you’ve harmed. In step 10 of … Read More
Congratulations: you’ve finished step eight and by now, you should have a list of names of people that you want to make amends to. Logically, step nine in AA is to move forward and actually make these amends. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do would injure them or others. … Read More
Reaching step eight of AA means that you’ve spent a great deal of time working on yourself, reflecting inwardly on your character flaws, admitting them out loud, and finally turned control over to your higher power to remove them. In step eight of AA, we begin to turn our focus outward. In steps eight and … Read More
Steps four through six in AA have been working up to this point. In step four and five we explored and came to terms with our shortcomings. In step six, we mentally prepared for having our higher power remove our character defects. Now, we’ve reached step seven in AA, where it’s time to actually ask … Read More
Step six in AA is incredibly freeing. In the last two steps, you made a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself and admitted the exact nature of your wrongs to yourself, your higher power, and another person. Now that we’re so familiar with these faults, it’s time to let them go while we work … Read More
The infamously scary step number four is finally behind you. Step five in AA is next, and it builds on the exercise we completed in the last step. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous build on each other and … Read More
By this point, you’ve already admitted and accepted that your life as an addict has become unmanageable, began a relationship with a higher power, and committed to turning over all your control to this power. In Alcoholics Anonymous, next is step four of AA, the infamously scary step: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory … Read More
In step two of AA, you were exploring your relationship with God or another higher power and beginning to wrap your mind around the idea of surrendering control to this power. In step three of AA, you’re making the conscious decision to actually do this. Made a decision to turn our will and lives over … Read More
If you’re at all familiar with the 12 steps of AA, you probably know that they’re a very spiritual program. But what is step 2 in AA, the second step is where participants begin to create a relationship with a higher power, a relationship that they’ll explore more deeply as they move on to other … Read More
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable. It can be scary and challenging to take the first step and admit that you have a problem with addiction. However, the only way you can start down that path toward sobriety is by taking the first step forward. Step 1 … Read More
Even those who have never had first- or second-hand experience with addiction are likely somewhat familiar with the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is one of the most well-known programs for addiction recovery and for good reason: it’s also one of the most effective programs. According to AA, up to 75% of its members … Read More
The moment you begin suspecting your partner of a drug addiction can be shocking, particularly if you’ve never known anyone who has been addicted to drugs. What should you do in this situation? How can you be certain your suspicions are correct? Below, we’ve listed a few common warning signs to be on the lookout … Read More
Your body is great at healing, but your mind kind of sucks at it. … Read More
The holidays can be a rough time of the year for anyone, and is especially when staying sober through the holidays may be a struggle for you or a loved one. Families have separated, the Fear of relapse brings worry and doubt. For the families of alcoholics and addicts, we worry, will my son or … Read More
Because alcohol is so easily obtainable and a common part of most adults’ social lives in the US, it can be difficult to discern whether your partner’s drinking habits are normal or a sign of a problem. Chances are, though, that if your partner’s drinking concerns you, you can trust your gut. Learn these 5 … Read More
AA’s Big Book states that “We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality—safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem had been removed. It does not exist for us.” Recovering from a substance addiction is more … Read More
It is never easy to start the conversation to someone you love about their addiction, so how do you talk to a loved one about their addiction? It’s not something that comes naturally to most people, and it’s something most people hope they’ll never have to do. Certain ways of communicating produce better results than … Read More
Are you curious about how to identify drug paraphernalia? If you’re concerned that your loved one might be taking drugs, one of the first things you’ll want to do before staging an intervention is finding evidence. Of course, one of the easiest ways to find evidence is to look for any hidden drug paraphernalia. But … Read More
When dealing with a loved one who is suffering from addiction, the line between supporting them through a hard time and enabling them to continue can easily be blurred, and ultimately we don’t want to be loving an addict to death. We’ve spoken about this difference on the blog before, but we know that showing … Read More
Unfortunately, if your loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they probably won’t wake up one day and decide to stop using. They’ll need the help of someone they care about (you!) to help them realize they have a problem and get them into treatment. So, how can you get your loved one to … Read More
What do you do when you begin to suspect that someone you love might have a drug problem? Don’t know the signs of your loved one has a drug problem? First thing’s first: educate yourself on substance abuse and addiction. Learn the signs of drug abuse and what to do if you notice them in … Read More
If someone you love is suffering from a substance abuse problem, the idea of helping them recover can be intimidating. How do you talk to your loved one about it? Do you need to stage a full-on intervention? How long should you wait before getting them into a treatment program? Why do people even become … Read More
Binge drinking, late-night partying, and experimenting with drugs are seen as a normal part of the American college experience. But it’s not all harmless fun. College students in the United States are at a high risk of developing addiction or abusing substances. Approximately 80% of U.S. college students have abused alcohol, while the number of … Read More
Loving an addict is hard. Of course, you want to show them you still love them and support them through their recovery journey. Knowing exactly how to support him or her can be tricky, though. Sometimes, it may feel like you’re helping them when you’re actually enabling their addiction. It can seem like a fine … Read More
Exercise has a ton of benefits for a person’s mental health and can do a lot to aid an addict in recovery. It doesn’t have to be complicated, either! Simply heading outside for a 30-minute walk each day is enough to receive the benefits. Alternatively, training for a marathon, taking up yoga, or working on … Read More
If you have a close friend or family member suffering from addiction, you might be wondering how long recovery takes. It’s certainly an understandable question – addiction is hard to cope with, both for the addict themselves and for their loved ones. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is not as clear-cut as you’re probably … Read More
Xanax, the brand name of the drug alprazolam, is a highly addictive benzodiazepine usually prescribed to treat panic and anxiety disorders. Tolerance to Xanax can develop quickly, so addictions can develop even when it’s taken as prescribed. When taken, Xanax produces a “chill out” effect on the brain and body. Users who take Xanax will … Read More
There is absolutely nothing easy about having a loved one who is suffering from an addiction. Even when they are in recovery, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed wanting to help but not knowing how. There are plenty of ways for you to support your loved one through his or her journey to lifelong recovery: Educate … Read More
Meth, short for methamphetamine, takes an extreme toll on the body, both physically and mentally, making it one of the most addictive and dangerous substances out there. In both the short- and long-term, meth can produce negative side effects, and always carries the risk of overdose. If you’re worried that one of your loved ones … Read More
There are probably a lot of people reading this article and are considering checking into treatment for drug or alcohol use, and they are all wondering the same thing. “How long should I be in there?” Unfortunately the answer is probably not as straightforward as you would probably like. There are lots of factors involved … Read More
It’s every parent’s nightmare. No one wants to believe that their little baby might be involved in anything so unsavory and dangerous as drug use. It could be anything; weed, pills, coke, meth, heroin, maybe even something you can’t identify. I doesn’t necessarily matter what you found. The problem is the same: your son is … Read More
There may be many different ways that you can find out that your son is using drugs. Money and prescription medicine going missing, changes is your sons mood and behavior, and sickness are signs that your son may be using. Or maybe you just find drugs or paraphernalia outright, confirming suspicions that you may have … Read More
Crack is the most common name for crack cocaine, which is a highly potent illegal stimulant. Derived from powder cocaine, crack is made by mixing cocaine with ammonia or baking soda and heating the mixture until rocks form. Because of the high purity of crack in comparison to regular cocaine, it is extremely powerful, and … Read More
GHB is a psychoactive sedating substance that is commonly referred to as a “club drug” or “date rape” drug. Though used occasionally in its prescription form, Xyrem, to treat narcolepsy, GHB is most often used illegally, and is sought after for its euphoric and intoxicating effects, as well as the effects of sedation and amnesia. … Read More
“Pink cloud” is a term that is commonly used to describe the state of being heavily invested in a program of recovery in early sobriety, and is generally the result of being propelled forward by the sting of a horrible first step experience. A pink cloud is prolonged and intensified by a spiritual experience due … Read More