Author name: Liv Gillespie

In traditional 12-step addiction recovery models, a sponsor is a person who has completed the steps and has achieved a level of sobriety where they no longer feel compelled to consume alcohol or drugs. They’re also usually stable in their work and relationships and practiced at managing their emotions effectively. A sponsor assists someone new

Although it’s relatively common to see celebrities and big names in the entertainment industry check in to rehabilitation centers around the country, is Hollywood the only industry with a high rate of substance abuse disorders? It’s a good question, and the answer is no. Some industries are especially rife with substance use triggers: high stress,

It can be frustrating to have a loved one who is clearly showing signs of drug or alcohol addiction yet refusing to get the help they need. You may have exhausted yourself from emotional battles with your loved one that you always seem to lose. If you’re feeling stuck, consider the following suggestions to help

Have you or a loved one recently been considering entering treatment for Xanax use disorder? Perhaps you’ve recently seen a medical professional for your mental health, and they’ve prescribed you this popular drug. While it can provide very helpful short-term relief for certain conditions, its addictive properties make it risky, especially when used outside of

Some people consider themselves “spiritual” while others do not. But spirituality in its broadest sense–the search for connection to something greater than ourselves and/or the search for meaning in our lives–plays a role in all of our lives. In the addiction recovery context, developing one’s sense of spiritual connection can be especially powerful in sustaining

It’s March, and it’s action-packed: Women’s History Month, Disability Awareness Month—National Reading Month! It’s also the month of a famous holiday filled with pride (and drinking): St. Patrick’s Day. The nature of this Irish American holiday is clear to everyone who knows about it. On St. Patty’s Day, it’s a given that alcohol will take

Drug or alcohol addiction rarely results from an easily identifiable root cause. Factors playing a role in addiction can include genetics, epigenetics, neurobiology, psychology, cognition, and environment. But regardless of what leads a person to develop substance dependence and addiction, everyone can make the decision to take back control of their health and reach out

In December of 2022, The New York Times republished an article about a large group of people that is ignored in the addiction recovery context: senior citizens. Nearly a million people 65 and up struggle with opioid and alcohol abuse—and it’s not something we talk about very often. It can be hard to accept that

When someone becomes physically dependent on a drug—whether it be a prescription drug, an opioid, marijuana, alcohol, or club drugs—reducing consumption of that substance or quitting it altogether can cause uncomfortable or medically significant adverse effects. These effects are called withdrawal. At times, withdrawal effects can be so painful or shocking that a person needs

Many doctors report that their patients feel attacked or harmed by the labels that family, friends, and society assign to them in addiction recovery. Words like “addict” tend to make people with substance use disorder feel reduced and diminished. The words and labels we use matter, especially when we are in recovery or supporting someone

Hitting rock bottom means different things to different people. For some, it’s losing a relationship, a job, a home, or a beloved possession. For others, hitting rock bottom entails losing access to a privilege, such as driving or traveling—or the chance to perform or engage in a creative endeavor. Whether hitting rock bottom spells out

You are probably familiar with the expression “forgive and forget” –or perhaps more so with its variation, “forgive but never forget.” Whether forgetfulness should be paired with forgiveness or not, the truth is that forgiveness is important for our health and plays a huge role in addiction recovery. Before we dive into the science of

Before entering an addiction recovery program, you may learn that the program consists of both individual and group therapy. If you haven’t participated in it before, you may wonder what to expect. What will you “have” to talk about in individual therapy? What if you don’t like or trust the other people in your group?

Participating in any holiday during a recovery journey to sobriety can require some complex navigation. If you’re feeling nervous when it comes to planning your Thanksgiving this year, know that you’re not alone. Many people recovering from substance abuse disorder report feeling overwhelmed and triggered when the holidays roll around. Attending family parties, planning large

Iowa is one of the most proactive states in the country when it comes to preventing and treating addiction. For most of its residents, Iowa recognizes and readily provides substance abuse treatment and support in over 125 treatment centers. But just because Iowa reports lower substance abuse rates than other states does not mean that

It’s always a little awkward to have to tell someone older than yourself a hard truth. Maybe a young employee has to train an older newcomer. Maybe a teacher has adult students older than herself. Or maybe a teenage or adult child needs to have a difficult conversation with their parents about childhood trauma, finances,

While some may view having a brain as a blessing, others see it as a curse that leads to overthinking, unhappiness, and poor learned behaviors. Philosophy about consciousness and self-awareness aside, everyone has a brain, and everyone needs to keep it in good shape to sustain addiction recovery. What’s most important to remember: A healthy

When we think about mental health treatment, the word “prescription” may come to mind. Doctors often prescribe antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, and other medications to help stabilize a patient’s mental health. This is called a “prescriptive approach,” one that involves diagnosis, medication, and not much else. Take prescription antidepressants as an example. According to Scientific American,

It’s no secret that music can be good for the soul. Psychologists testify to the healing properties of listening to music. Some of the perks include: Subtle, calming effects on the environment An energy boost, depending on the genre and time of day Improved sleep patterns Calmer driving Improved mental capacities Reduced anxiety For those

Measuring success in recovery can be tricky. Is success one substance-free day, following the “one day at a time” philosophy of many recovery programs? Is it months or years of sobriety? What about relapse? After all, addiction is a chronic disease, and chances for relapse are high, between 40 and 60%. We would argue that

Summer Vibes Can Bring Anxiety in Sobriety Summer is an important time to be active, get all the Vitamin D that you safely can, and relax. But, what happens when you’re newly sober? How can you combat the anxiety that summer vibes might transmit? For many, these vibes might mean beers, hotdogs, and baseball. For

Who Uses Meditation & Why? What do Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, and Hugh Jackman all have in common? Well, aside from being successful entertainers, ridiculously lucky, and incredibly wealthy, all four of these stars experience a lot of stress! It was this mind-altering, physically aggravating presence of stress that drove these celebrities to

Identifying Unsupportive Relationships Long-term, successful sobriety requires strong, supportive relationships. In many ways, getting sober is a group effort: of the person in recovery, their treatment team, their family, and their recovery community. Many clients, when they first arrive in treatment, hold a lot of resentment, grudges, and residual hurt from close relationships. These feelings

Comorbidity, Co-occurring Disorder, & Dual Diagnosis: What’s the Connection? While the three terms above are sometimes used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between them. The term comorbidity refers to a diagnosis of any two or more diseases or disorders, like chronic insomnia and diabetes, or Parkinson’s and heart disease. While the diseases do not have

Study Drugs When someone hears the term “study drugs,” several things may pop into their mind. Perhaps the prescription drug Adderall comes to the tip of their tongue. Or maybe someone thinks of that uncanny movie with Bradley Cooper, Limitless, which was inspired by the use of study drugs like Adderall. In the movie, Cooper

Addiction Has a Ripple Effect Substance abuse does not just affect the person using drugs or alcohol: it has a ripple effect that often touches friends, parents, partners, and, unfortunately, children. Children who live with parents who struggle with addiction experience adverse effects in adolescence and adulthood. If you are a parent struggling with substance

Nutrition: What’s the Big Deal? On a very basic level, without proper nutrition the human body just doesn’t function well, if at all. People need to eat well and diversely, exercise regularly, and sleep peacefully every night in order for their bodies to work optimally, repair themselves, and fight off sickness. If the body does

The Power of Essential Oils If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably dodged more than one essential oil (EO) sales rep rattling on about how lavender changed their life. And, like me, you’ve probably decided that anyone who would spend hundreds of dollars on scented oils to lose weight or lengthen their attention span isn’t

More Than the Marketing If your main exposure to yoga has been through advertisements for yoga clothing or the latest online class, you might view it as just another health craze that pops up every few months–and one that is primarily for people who are already extremely flexible, strong, and graceful. However, if you ignore

There’s an ongoing misconception that addiction and dependence are one and the same. But while they’re undoubtedly connected, an addiction involves a psychological drive to continue using a substance despite the harmful consequences, while dependence is a purely physical phenomenon. Addiction Versus Dependence Let’s take the consumption of coffee as an example. People may joke