Why I Have Hope

In the last 3 months our world changed in what seems like a split second and we have all faced the profound fall out of COVID-19 on our communities and the world at large. The ramifications will be long-lasting and each day we are faced with loss of human life, economic security, and the rituals […]

Finding Hope for Change

If you love someone who struggles with substance, you may be facing increased stress during the pandemic. Maybe you are sheltering in place with the person you are concerned about and coming face to face with the fall out of their use of substances. Maybe you have not been able to have contact with your […]

It’s Okay to Cry

Our world has changed and you have probably read every article about how we need to cope by staying mentally and physically engaged and connected to those we love. All of it is sound advice and worth taking. But, what about your heartache? Your sadness about the world? People are dying and life as we […]

Inviting Change

If you have someone in your life who is using substances in a problematic way, you may often wonder what you can do to help them decide to change. You may be frightened or mad at them for making bad choices. It’s also likely you have absorbed the cultural message that there isn’t anything you […]

Blame, Shame and Stigma are Hurting Families

We all know that substance use disorders can exact a terrible emotional and physical toll on the person struggling. A person overusing substances can suffer lower quality of life, impaired functioning at work, school and in family roles, and financial, legal and health problems. What you may not realize is that a significant part of […]

Change is Hard!

If you are trying to change a habit, like drinking too much, eating too much, or taking too many pain pills, you have probably realized that changing behavior patterns is a complicated and often a very difficult process. Sometimes you may find that engaging in the behavior feels “compulsive,” like you can’t quite resist the […]

How to Help When Someone You Love has PTSD

If your loved one is trying to change their relationship to substances while at the same time managing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) it can be difficult to understand what is happening for them and how to be helpful. Substance misuse and trauma have a very unique and interconnected relationship. Studies have found that […]

When Substances Aren’t The Only Issue

For many people who struggle with mental health conditions like mood disorders, substance use is a common co-occurring problem. Studies have found that 47.3% of people with any bipolar disorder will have a substance use disorder at some point in their lifetime (that number goes up to 60.3% if we limit it to just Bipolar […]

No Pain, No Gain

People don’t use substances because they’re crazy. People don’t use substances because they’re bad people. People use substances because they get something they like, or want, or need out of it. As human animals, the things we do are motivated by what happens next: we repeat or increase our behavior if something good happens. These […]

Changing Behaviors with Honey

If you loved one is using substance in a way that is causing them problems and negatively impacting your family, you probably just want them to stop! You wish they would get their act together and cut it out. Or you are completely confused and scared by the choices they are making. Or nine million […]

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