After Addiction and Broken Dreams, a Life Gone Good
Each day, Brent Clark carries five index cards in his back pocket as a reminder of where he’s been and where he could be headed.
Musician Charts a Path From Addiction to Authenticity
When musician, singer and songwriter Michael Shapiro tells the story of his drug and alcohol addiction, he starts in 1976, when his father took him to see Carlos Santana perform.
Movie Review: Revealing ‘The Skeleton Twins’ in the Closet
Every family has its secrets, and the Dean twins, Maggie and Milo, are examples of what happens when the skeletons in the closet gradually start rattling. This is the premise of the movie “The Skeleton Twins.”
Abstinent Alcoholics Can Regain Brain Volume
The chronic, excessive pattern of alcohol consumption associated with alcoholism is known for its ability to damage several key aspects of brain function. One of the most common indicators of alcohol-related brain damage is a loss in the volume of tissue contained in the brain’s main structures. In a study scheduled for publication in 2014…
Four DUIs in 30 Hours? People Do Worse During Blackouts
You’d be surprised how many problem drinkers in a blackout have come out of it having flown to another country. To the untrained eye they may appear sober and rational while complete lack of reason and control have overtaken them, said Dr. Anita Gadhia-Smith, a Washington, D.C., specialist and author of From Addiction to Recovery:…
#14 Days on the Wagon
Are you ready to take a dare? Can you go two weeks without hoisting a pint, sipping chardonnay, or slinging a shot? What would it be like to abandon alcohol for two weeks? Parvati Shallow of CBS News challenges viewers to do just that. She writes, “Nearly 23 million Americans need treatment for a drug or…
Even in Addiction, It’s Never Too Late to Start Over
There are those who realize that they have a drinking problem and are able to cut back or simply stop. I wasn’t one of them. I abused alcohol for 20 years knowing that it was causing problems both physically and mentally, but didn’t stop until I had lost everything. Here’s what I learned from thinking…
Once-Broken Mom Moves Beyond Stigma to Strength
To those in AA, it’s known as The Big Book. Chrisi Hard’s copy is deep blue with the title Alcoholics Anonymous embossed in the same color on the cover, rendering the words almost invisible. “They design them that way,” she explains, “so that if you’re reading it in a coffee shop or somewhere, no one…
Who Do You Think You Are? Discovering the Person You Were Meant to Be
By Carolyn Hughes, BA Hons, CQSW — Who do you want to be? If you’ve experienced traumas that have left you numb, or the pressures of an image-conscious, success-driven society are forcing you to live your life trying to be someone you’re not, perhaps it’s time to start finding out who you really are. As…
Fish Oil May Help Prevent Alcohol Abusers From Dementia
Alcohol-related dementia is an unofficial term used to describe a decline in mental function caused by the habitual, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes this dementia under a more general heading called “substance/medication-induced major or mild neurocognitive disorder.” In a study presented in September 2013 by Loyola University Chicago, a team…