Tag Archives: addiction

It would be difficult to find someone who hasn’t experienced some connection to addiction in their lifetime. Whether it be through personal experience, your friend’s, …

Habits, bad or good, develop over time. In other words, doing something once or twice doesn't constitute a life-change either way. If you've ever tried to end a "bad" one, you know that it can be challenging, to say the least. However, it's important to remember that it's not impossible! I find that focusing on bringing new, serving ways of doing things helps to diminish the desire to continue bad habits. For example, eating healthy and exercising might curb someone's appetite for smoking cigarettes. I also believe the following 3 action steps are necessary to end bad habits for good.

When we are young, many of us make the mistake of engaging in reckless behavior without considering the consequences. Been there-done that. For the most part, adolescent mischief doesn't end in disaster- except when these behaviors cross over into adulthood. One example of this is smoking cigarettes. In teenage years, smoking has a certain allure - it is rebellious and cool. This wasn't helped by the huge number of marketing campaigns that in the past, used smoking to help sell a product.

Everybody has bad habits. Some people enjoy a cigarette after lunch. Others keep a messy desk. And some need drugs or alcohol to get through the day. While some bad habits can annoy your coworkers, others can isolate you from your friends and family and even destroy your mental health. Some can kill you. These are the type of habits you want to get rid of as soon as possible: the addictions. If you think you might have a problem with any of these, it’s time to make some changes. Here are 3 things you can do to help end destructive bad habits for good.

Living with or knowing someone with a drug or alcohol problem is not an easy experience. Addicts suffer but, unfortunately, their erratic behavior can create confusion, feelings of rejection, and despair in those around them. This is why successful recovery often includes not only the addict but his or her family as well. Because the odds of overcoming any addiction are greater with support, it's important to educate yourself about the process. You will come up against many challenges that will strain your relationship with the addict. Don't worry, though, you can help an addict and still stay close.

In our youth, we're often told that we only live once. "Live life to the fullest!" they scream. Though these cliches for enjoying life are fun to embrace at the time, ultimately, they do more harm than good. Living a life full of exciting experiences and interesting adventures is one thing, but taking it to an extreme steals the very life you're trying to live. This one body you have is your ride for life. Cherish it. The alternative is sickness, disease, pain, and possibly dying young. My mom died when she was only 59 because of the things I'm about to share with you. Yeah, it's that real...and that important. You might want to ask yourself this: "Is my lifestyle killing me?".

Everyone has problems, right? Some of them are small and some make you want to bury your head in the sand. However, doing so won't help at all. You need to face your problems head on in order to eradicate them. Fear of the unknown has a way of stealing our courage if we are facing something difficult. Believe me, I've had a multitude of problems in my life that have done just this. Fortunately, I learned how to get through them with clarity and confidence by applying these 6 strategies.

There are few things in life more painful than watching the suffering of someone you love. Even worse, if you don't have the tools or information to help, you feel lost. Sometimes, you can do nothing but watch him or her drift away from you. If you've ever had extreme challenges, you know it can be difficult to ask for help or even admit that there is something wrong. So, how do you support a hurting loved one without creating a wedge or resentment? Even if it seems hopeless, there are things that you can do. Here are a few ways to help and support a loved one in need.

Many of us enjoy drinking now and then, but what happens when drinking becomes excessive or even an addiction? Addictions are characterized by a compulsion to do something, even when you know it’s not good for you. Has that social drink on a Friday evening become a daily event? Do you find that you turn to alcohol if you’ve had a bad day or you’re feeling down? Do you crave alcohol or feel like you need it? Are you desperate to drink even when you feel hungover, tired or run down?

I am not here to judge or decide whether anyone drinks too much. But what I do want to do is to bring a reminder …

When someone you love has a problem with alcohol or drugs, it is painful to watch them go down the slippery slope of substance abuse. You want to help. You want your loved one back. But it’s difficult to help someone who may not be thinking clearly or is having trouble seeing their problem. Unfortunately, they may only get help when they are either forced to or when something bad happens like illness, accident, or legal issues. But, you still try. The fact is, those who are dealing with addiction will either wake up and get help, stop on their own, or they will eventually suffer horrible consequences for their lifestyle.