His addictive behaviors started early. As a kid he remembers playing video games addictively, experimenting with tobacco when he was only 10 years old, and with alcohol by age 13.
Addiction in a Relationship: A Wife’s Story.
When Mitzi and Brad met and started dating, Brad was sober, but he shared with Mitzi that although he had a history of addiction, he had been sober for quite a while.
Celebrities Recover… So Can You!
Celebrity deaths due to drugs or alcohol, or a mixture of substances often make shocking headlines and happen all too frequently. The list is long: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, Lil Peep, Mac Miller, Tom Petty, Prince, and Chyna, to name just a few. People who seemed to have it all have died, proving that they are fighting their own battles with addiction – and sometimes losing the battle.
Children of Addicts: Sesame Street Brings Unseen Stigma into the Spotlight.
When we talk about addiction, the last thing that may pop into our heads is Sesame Street. But the makers of the enormously popular children’s educational show recognized an issue most of us don’t think about—the impact of opioid addiction on the children of addicts.
Relapse is not a Four-letter Word.
Relapse. A word that strikes fear in the heart of anyone who loves someone battling addiction. A word filled with shame for those who have achieved sobriety and then began to drink and/or use again.
Substance Use + Pregnancy = A Magnitude of Issues
In the United States, over six-million women become pregnant every year. Approximately 9 out of 10 of those pregnant women take medication. About five percent of pregnant women use one or more substance that is addictive. Almost ten percent of pregnant women have smoked tobacco within the past month.
Think You Understand Addiction? Take our Quiz!
Sometimes what we think we know might not be entirely true. Take our ten-question quiz to see how you score.
Legal Ramifications of Substance Use During Pregnancy
Unfortunately, expectant mothers struggle with withdrawal just like any other person suffering with drug addiction. Often the withdrawal becomes too difficult, and withdrawal symptoms are relieved by turning again to the substance.
Opioids and Heart Disease
The fact that the United States is in the midst of an “Opioid Crisis” or an “Opioid Epidemic” is old news. Statistics are staggering when we look at the number of people who are addicted to opioids and the rising number of opioid deaths each year.
Women and Addiction.
According to a National Institute on Drug Abuse article published in June 2019, 19.5 million females (or 15.4 percent) ages 18 or older have used illicit* drugs in the past year. *The term “illicit” refers to the use of illegal drugs, including marijuana according to federal law, and misuse of prescription medications.