Laura Millán

Relapse prevention is part of the recovery process. Learning the dangers of relapsing and learning what you can do to directly prevent yourself from relapsing will be one of many critical skills that you learn while in recovery. While expecting relapse is not a healthy way to go about the recovery process, having a plan in place to help you if you do relapse is critical. Recovery is a journey that leads to self-knowledge. People who fight and successfully overcome addiction will likely learn more about themselves in that process than at any other time in their lives. So without

October 11, 2021

Dementia and alcohol have a strong connection. While not everyone who drinks develops dementia, the chances that someone who already developed dementia also drinks regularly is staggeringly high. Dementia is usually thought of as a form of Alzheimers, though it actually is a much larger category. Dementia is actually any degenerative brain disease that affects memory, reflex, or social interactions. With this in mind, and knowing how alcohol affects the brain, it’s really no wonder that so many people with dementia potentially developed it from a binge drinking habit. Dementia in a Nutshell Dementia is a complicated disease that encompases

October 07, 2021

Guilt and shame play a major role in anyone’s journey to recovery. Guilt and shame are generally seen as negative emotions as they put people in embarrassing states of mind, but they each serve a purpose and when these emotions are understood they can be put to good use. So first, let’s understand both guilt and shame, understand their relationship to an addiction, and finally, understand their role in someone’s recovery. Guilt and Addiction Guilt is a negative emotion that someone experiences generally when they feel like they’ve done something wrong in the past. Guilt has to do entirely with

October 01, 2021

A little glass of wine to relax, a quick beer after work to cut the edge, a shot or two to get your mind off of things. All things said in the moment that seem like acceptable reasons to have a drink at the end of your long day. But what if these “harmless” phrases and thoughtless drinking was actually a lot more sinister than you ever would have thought? Today we will look at five reasons that you should take a second thought before you take your first drink at the end of the day. 1. Creating a Negative

September 28, 2021

Regardless of your familiarity with addiction, everyone experiences peer pressure in some form or another. Unfortunately, addiction and peer pressure can go hand in hand. Peer pressure can be the beginning of some people’s addictions, and peer pressure can be the reason that so many stay addicted. Learning to deal with peer pressure in your communities can help you overcome your addiction and help you overcome your triggers, and help keep you on the path to sobriety. Below we will discuss the different kinds of peer pressure and how you can learn to manage them responsibly. Peer pressure is a

September 16, 2021

Getting sober after a lifelong battle with alcohol is a massive accomplishment, and not one that everyone gets to celebrate. If this is you, you know the challenges that need to be overcome in order to get to where you are today, and you know what kind of challenges others face as they start or continue their journey. If you are coming out of recovery, you know that being in recovery is a lifelong process, not one that can be forgotten about and then picked up when convenient. This means making daily habits that help reinforce your decision to stay

September 15, 2021

Popular culture has everyone believing that they know exactly how to spot an alcoholic. From the classic drunks at Moe’s pub in the Simpsons to many other stereotypical alcoholics that exist in today’s media. While those stereotypical archetypes didn’t spring up from nothing, they only describe one type of alcoholic, one that’s loudly crying for help. In real life, alcoholics are much harder to spot, and while this might not be your job to pick out an alcoholic out of many, it’s helpful to know the symptoms so that you can help your friends or loved ones should the time

September 14, 2021

If you have been experiencing feelings of guilt because you drink more than everybody else, you should know that you are not alone in this feeling. Many people across the world struggle with alcohol dependence. However, that shouldn’t become a reason to stay in this condition. There is a different life, where you can be completely sober and guilt-free. A life free from addictions and burdens of alcoholism. Can’t stop while others can? One of the most common misconceptions is that no one would understand you and your problems. In fact, in many cases, it’s quite the opposite as a

September 13, 2021

The desire to drink some cold alcohol on a hot summer day may not attract a regular person. However, alcohol-dependent people may find this idea to be not just attractive, but a perfect excuse to day drink since it’s “just for refreshment”. What might be an even better excuse? Summer BBQ parties! They sound like an innocent and fun activity for people that don’t have a tendency to drink too much. For people that have weakness for alcohol beverages this may be a perfect trigger of eager desire to drink. Thinking about drinking One of the most efficient ways of

September 11, 2021

What’s it like to be drunk? Do you enjoy being drunk? These seem like crazy questions to ask, especially to someone who regularly drinks. If they’re getting drunk all the time, they must really love the feeling of being drunk! If you’re anything like most people though, you might haven’t asked the question and honestly tried to answer it. It might be a more complicated question than at what first meets the eye. Do you remember your first drink? Most people remember not liking it. Why do people keep coming back? Societal pressure perhaps. Drinking is ingrained into our culture

September 09, 2021

Alcohol abuse and PTSD are two common problems. Unfortunately, due to the nature of PTSD, it can often lead some to be more vulnerable to alcohol abuse. Many people who struggle with PTSD turn to alcohol to mask their symptoms. While this might feel like a good decision in the short term – in the long run, it only accentuates your problems. Understanding both of these conditions can better help one treat loved ones (or yourself) should you know anyone who is suffering from this. What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that affects people who have

September 04, 2021

Being in recovery is a difficult situation. It can be even more difficult if you go through it alone. Hearing other’s stories and being a part of a support group is one incredible way that you can make your recovery just a little bit easier. Being in these support groups aren’t only for you to receive – one of the best parts of being in a support group like these ones is that you get to share your story along with others as well. It might be hard to recall some of the stuff you have been through – but

August 27, 2021

When you think of binge drinking, what do you think of? Most people think of the hard parties or the late nights out without any stoppage. One might think that one night out isn’t the end of the world, and while one might not be, are you aware of the effects of long term binge drinking? For some people, it simply amounts to stumbling around, slurring their words, or getting sick, but the truth is that binge drinking looks much more serious than any of those things. It’s not always easy to spot someone who binge drinks. The effects are

August 26, 2021

Alcoholism isn’t a choice. While that first drink may have been, those that continue to be addicted are not making the conscious decision to continue being addicted. Addiction robs a person of the ability to make the decision to stay sober, and alcohol cravings are sometimes just too hard to overcome. This is not something that anyone should have to experience, however if one doesn’t know what it’s like, it can be hard for them to truly relate to the struggle that someone who is addicted faces. If one wants to truly stop being addicted to alcohol, they need to

August 25, 2021