Newly Certified Chinese medical Herbologist will be posting articles and answering questions for anybody who has questions, comments or concerns about medical herbs.  Are you concerned about a potential interaction? Will my western medicines mitigate the effects of the herbs?  Can medical herbs help my situation?  How are herbs prescribed? and for how long?  Will I need to take them forever? What are the costs involved? 

Stay tuned for future posts and ideas about medical herbs, western drugs, and the recovery process!  In the meantime, if anybody has any questions, please feel free to “ask away”.  Thank you, and be well

Why is it that at times we think a “one shot deal” will fix us all?  Why is that we tend to think, that as the recovery process evolves my medicine shouldn’t change with me?  Shouldn’t our medicines change as we change? Shouldn’t our focus of medicines change as we heal?  We are dynamic individuals, shouldn’t our medicine be the same?

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“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.”

This is a continuation of the work you began in step four. I take my list I have made, and I get honest with God, myself, and someone else. This is the purging, cathartic process that heals the pain brought forth in step four. (more…)

Scientists Reverse Depression-Like Behaviors In Mice Without Raising Serotonin Levels
New research adds to evidence of potentially better molecular targets in the brain to treat depression and other mental disorders, according to NIMH-funded scientists.

The researchers suggest that imbalances in the activity of an enzyme called GSK3ß may be closer to the root cause of mental illnesses than are low serotonin levels. Serotonin, a brain chemical, is the ultimate target of several current medications that work by indirectly increasing it to relieve symptoms. In preliminary findings, the scientists suggest that GSK3ß might be a more fundamental - and thus, perhaps, better and faster - target for new medications. (more…)

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible–the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.–Virginia Satir

defined as:
1 a: courteous behavior b: a courteous act or expression…2 a: general allowance despite facts : indulgence b: consideration, cooperation, and generosity in providing something (as a gift or privilege);… also : agency, means… -used chiefly in the phrases through the courtesy of… or by courtesy of… or sometimes simply courtesy of…

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“One must heal their own wounds before they can truly help another.” Anonymous Physician

We are looking for people to participate in a study sponsored by the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

The study will create a DNA collection from over 2,000 people to permit scientists to search for OCD-related genes. Indentifying genes that contribute to OCD may lead to the development of better treatments for OCD. (more…)

A person who is psychotic is out of touch with reality. People with psychosis may hear “voices” or have strange and illogical ideas (for example, thinking that others can hear their thoughts, or are trying to harm them, or that they are the President of the United States or some other famous person). They may get excited or angry for no apparent reason, or spend a lot of time by themselves, or in bed, sleeping during the day and staying awake at night. The person may neglect appearance, not bathing or changing clothes, and may be hard to talk to-barely talking or saying things that make no sense. They often are initially unaware that their condition is an illness. (more…)

Online Recovery Support has formulated an herbal formula that helps treat the symptoms of post acute alcohol withdrawal by helping to reduce cravings. (more…)

Great News!!

itunes has approved our podcast feed and it is now up and running. Click on the itunes icon and subscribe. You can have all updates from the site sent directly to your ipod and listen anytime you like, absolutely free.

We would also like to remind you to visit the forum section and join in on one of the discussions. It’s a great way to find support and meet new friends in recovery.

 Empowerment gives birth to responsibility; this responsibility is to serve. We need to serve where we find ourselves; wherever we are. You don’t need to identify with service, or speak of it. Better just to guide, love and care. Silence is a great aid in service; the more you are able to listen, the greater help you can be–energy escapes when you talk. And when you have achieved serenity, you will benefit others by your presence. When your inner noise is silenced, you will have a quick, clear perspective on all human situations; you will be able to reach out effectively in generosity and compassion.–Andrew DaPassano

Defined as:…
1 a: the occupation or function of serving b: employment as a servant… 2 a: the work performed by one that serves… b: help, use, benefit… c: contribution to the welfare of others… d: disposal for use… 3 a: a form followed in worship or in a religious ceremony b: a meeting for worship -often used in plural… 4: the act of serving: as a: a helpful act b: useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity -usually used in plural c: serve… 5: a set of articles for a particular use… 6: a. an administrative division (as of a government or business) b: one of a nation’s military forces (as the army or navy)… 7: a facility supplying some public demand b: a facility providing maintenance and repair… 8: the materials (as spun yarn, small lines, or canvas) used for serving a rope… 9: the act of bringing a legal writ, process, or summons to notice as prescribed by law… 10: the act of a male animal copulating with a female animal… 11: a branch of a hospital medical staff devoted to a particular specialty…

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“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

Step four is often looked upon as one of the more painful steps. It requires a high degree of honesty with ourselves and a fair amount of introspection. (more…)

The Chinese pharmacopoeia has over 30,000 herbs in it, one of the oldest and most researched is Ge Gen, or better know in the Western world as Kudzu.  Kudzu is a white starchy root used in China and Japan for hangovers and alcohol cravings.  There have been many recent studies that show by taking Kudzu your cravings for alcohol will be less.

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My good friend Mark L., a stand up recovery comedian, talks a lot about how we think,…”first thought wrong”. He makes a clear distinction of a normal person’s thinking , and the rest of us. It is not that normal people are better, it just means “most”. Most people don’t think like us that are recovering from addiction. How I identify with others a lot of times, is how I have similar thoughts of life. What follows is a great example of how we think. Can anyone identify?

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Everyone double-checks things sometimes-for example, checking the stove before leaving the house, to make sure it’s turned off. But people with OCD feel the need to check things over and over, or have certain thoughts or perform routines and rituals over and over. The thoughts and rituals of OCD cause distress and get in the way of daily life. (more…)

Online Recovery Support is looking for writers interested in having their material published on our site. The material needs to pertain specifically to recovery but can be from any perspective. The articles will be posted on the front page of Online Recovery Support or in one of the categories, and full credit will be given to the author if they wish. It is a great opportunity for therapists to promote their work, talk about what they are doing in their practice, or share new research they think may be helpful to the recovering community. We would love to hear from NAMI members and recovering individuals who have a story to tell. If interested, please contact us at etohtx@aol.com