Craving is not a word reserved only for drug or alcohol addiction. Craving began when we were born. Because of our need to survive our brains came wired with circuitry to want, need, appreciate, and to pursue natural rewards such as food, water and sex. But in today’s society weContinue Reading
Are you addicted? Are you struggling with losing control of your daily activities or the use of a substance? Sometimes it takes more than willpower to overcome the problem. Many people are addicted to activities other than alcohol or drugs. Activities that consume much of your daily routine such asContinue Reading
People who have succeeded in their battle with drug or alcohol addiction have a clear memory of where they have been and how damaged their lives became. Recalling the terrible consequences of their drug abuse is a great motivator to stay drug and alcohol free. But obstacles may interfere withContinue Reading
Overdose deaths from substance abuse involving methamphetamines, cocaine and most recently opioids, have been growing exponentially for nearly forty years, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health in a report recently published in the journal Science. Middle-aged Americans overdose on different drugs than youngerContinue Reading
New guidelines for prescribing Opioids for acute pain have been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stepping up its efforts to combat Opioid abuse. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, opioid abuse is a common factor behind the alarming epidemic-like increase in suicide ratesContinue Reading
Children who grow up in a stressful tumultuous household with both parents could be far worse off than growing up in a single-parent home. Living with one or both alcoholic or drug addicted parents is probably a life not worth remembering. Children brought up with physical abuse, harsh punishment andContinue Reading
In years past, having an affair required a chance encounter, a little luck, perhaps a willing co-worker, juggling time schedules, making excuses. People had to attend ‘fake’ work conferences or out-of-town seminars, use fake names at hotels, and pay with cash in the hope they wouldn’t be recognized by family,Continue Reading
Memories of traumatic events can lay dormant just beneath our consciousness, often for days, weeks or months. A triggering event can cause intense emotional and physical sensations that bring the trauma right back as if the event is happening all over again. There are important reasons why memories of traumaticContinue Reading
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in the mesolimbic system of our brain that controls all natural reinforcing behaviors such as learning, eating, drinking, pleasure, motivation and sexual activity. It is also the primary neurotransmitter that most addictive drugs are known to release. Dopamine plays an important role in reinforcement andContinue Reading
Oxytocin (OXT) and Arginine Vasopressin (AVP) are hormones that are released from the posterior pituitary gland in the brain. They are released during sexual activity and in large quantities during orgasm. They are implicated in giving the experience a quality of satisfaction. It is also an important component of theContinue Reading