Recovery

Addiction treatment can lead to a better outcome in a custody battle. By seeking help for their addiction, the parent can demonstrate responsibility, improve their mental and physical health, create a safe environment, establish consistency, and develop a support system.

Participating in Dry January can also be a great opportunity to reset and reevaluate one’s relationship with alcohol. It is the perfect time to test the theory that “I can quit drinking any time I want to”.

We cannot change other people, but we can change how we respond to them and their behaviour. We need to look after ourselves this Christmas and over the holidays. Setting boundaries and sticking to them is a great place to start.

Alcoholics are masters at hiding in plain site. The fact that alcohol is such an accepted part of our culture means there are tons of opportunities to drink without raising suspicions. High-functioning alcoholics hold down jobs, maintain relationships and seem to have...

Imagine something so powerful that it uses you. It’s like that for those of us who are susceptible to addiction. We voluntarily take our first drink or drug and then it takes over. We develop a psychological dependency – an emotional and mental process that goes hand-in-hand with addiction.

Addiction is not a moral failing or weakness. Those struggling with addiction aren’t bad, although they do bad things to maintain their habit. They are just very sick. Addiction is a brain disease that rewires the cerebral cortex resulting in poor judgment and impulse control. It manifests in compulsive substance use in spite of harmful consequences. It’s progressive in nature ending in jails, institutions, death or recovery.