You’ve made the resolution and chosen a date to quit drinking and using drugs. A healthier, happier life that you control is in your future. The journey starts with believing in yourself and your power to change. You can do this. As you count down the days to your new life, this is the time…
Being thankful in recovery
If you go to an AA meeting, you’ll inevitably hear an old-timer introduce themselves as a “grateful recovering alcoholic.” How can someone be thankful that they’re an alcoholic and addict? It’s because they didn’t just achieve sobriety, they found recovery. People in recovery aren’t just grateful that they’ve stopped drinking and using, they’re grateful for…
Mental Health and Addiction
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It is a day of raising mental health awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health issues. There is a mental health crisis in America, and addiction is the leading cause. Addiction and mental health challenges are closely related, with one often leading to the other. It is…
Motivation and Rewards Help College Students with Marijuana Addiction
Are you starting to feel negative consequences because you’re using too much marijuana? Are you unable to cut back? You may have Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) and need real help to get control back over your life. You’re not alone. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 6 percent of adults…
Addiction Treatment Works Better with Rewards and Technology
If you’re interested in decreasing your substance use and living a healthier life, Contingency Management (CM) is a novel, evidence-based approach that you should know about. CM has been shown to be highly effective in helping individuals reduce substance use, make positive lifestyle changes, and maintain abstinence. Until recently, CM has largely been limited to…
Fentanyl and Meth: What you need to know
May 9th is National Fentanyl Awareness Day in the United States. The use of illegally-made fentanyl is driving a national health crisis as people use it unintentionally and die from overdoses. Fentanyl is now involved in more deaths of people under age 50 than any other cause in the country, including even heart disease, cancer,…
Gaslighting and Addiction
Every year, the Merriam-Webster dictionary selects a word of the year. For 2022, it’s “gaslighting.” The dictionary publisher noted that look ups for the word increased by 1,740% over the course of the year. Gaslighting and addiction are intertwined. Read on to learn more about how addicts gaslight others as well as themselves, and what…
Overdose Awareness and Prevention
International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31st. We here at Affect join those fighting to help people win the battle against Substance Use Disorders by helping to raise awareness and give information and resources when overdoses occur. You can get involved, honor a lost loved one, or donate at www.overdoseday.com The number of overdoses is…