a woman talks to a group about a non addictive drug to treat opioid addiction

How to Keep Anxiety from Damaging Your Health

Everyone worries sometimes, but if that worry is excessive, persistent, or irrational, it can harm your health. Anxiety has been linked to a number of health problems, including digestive issues, heart disease, pain, headaches, insomnia, and frequent illnesses. Anxiety can also lead to depression and addiction. However, there are healthy ways to manage anxiety. Here… Continue Reading How to Keep Anxiety from Damaging Your Health

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a woman lays on a hill and wonders is addiction a matter of nature or nurture

Is Addiction a Matter of Nature of Nurture?

For a long time, addiction was considered a character flaw or weakness. People who became addicted, usually to alcohol or possibly opium, were thought to be weak-minded people who made poor choices. Now, largely as a result of the efforts of Alcoholics Anonymous, most people believe that addiction is a kind of disease. Some percentage… Continue Reading Is Addiction a Matter of Nature of Nurture?

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a doctor and patient talk about 5 ways anxiety affects your health

5 Ways Anxiety Affects Your Health

Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes. It’s normal to feel anxious before a test or a job interview, but if you feel anxious most of the time and about relatively minor things, you may have an anxiety disorder. Signs of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, phobias, constant worry, and insomnia. Anxiety isn’t just unpleasant or inconvenient. It… Continue Reading 5 Ways Anxiety Affects Your Health

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a woman puts her head down on a pile of books that explain why language matters when discussing addiction

Why Language Matters When Discussing Addiction

We’ve come a long way in understanding addiction, but unfortunately our language doesn’t always keep up. We now know that addiction has a large genetic component and that your risk of addiction has a lot to do with social factors, trauma, and mental health. Despite this, much of our language about addiction remains accusative and… Continue Reading Why Language Matters When Discussing Addiction

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a man holds a marijuana leaf and wonders has marijuana legalization led to more addiction

Has Marijuana Legalization Led to More Addiction?

Eight states have now made recreational marijuana legal, and many other states are moving in that direction by making medical marijuana more easily accessible. Advocates of marijuana legalization consider this a positive thing because it leads to more personal freedom, hurts the profits of drug cartels, allows police to spend their time on better things… Continue Reading Has Marijuana Legalization Led to More Addiction?

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a man and his son sit on a bridge and talk about why expecting too much too soon endangers your recovery

Why Expecting Too Much Too Soon Endangers Your Recovery

One problem people often face in the first year of recovery is feeling disillusioned because sobriety is not the panacea they expected it to be. They may be doing very well, but perhaps they expected more. They feel deceived, disappointed, or cynical. They might start to wonder if they’re doing something wrong, or if sobriety… Continue Reading Why Expecting Too Much Too Soon Endangers Your Recovery

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a man asks his therapist what are the risk factors for addiction

What Are the Risk Factors for Addiction?

Substance use is extremely common. Most Americans drink alcohol at least occasionally, most have at least tried marijuana and a substantial minority use it regularly, and every day, people take prescription painkillers after medical procedures and stop taking them when their prescription ends. Why is it then, that roughly 10 percent of the population uses… Continue Reading What Are the Risk Factors for Addiction?

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a man explains to friends how motivational interviewing can help you overcome addiction

How Motivational Interviewing Can Help You Overcome Addiction

Lack of motivation can be a major impediment to getting sober. Only about 10 percent of Americans with substance use issues seek and receive treatment. The vast majority of those who don’t seek treatment are just not ready to quit. They might not believe they have a problem, they might fear change, they might fear… Continue Reading How Motivational Interviewing Can Help You Overcome Addiction

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