“Came to believe that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.” First I ask, do I believe that there is a power greater than I am? This is a big step for the alcoholic/addict as we have always been our own higher power.

There is a high rate of self-injury without suicide intent, as well as a significant rate of suicide attempts and completed suicide in severe cases. Patients often need extensive mental health services, and account for 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations. Yet, with help, many improve over time and are eventually able to lead productive lives.

Suicide is a major, preventable public health problem. In 2004, it was the eleventh leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 32,439 deaths. The overall rate was 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people. An estimated eight to 25 attempted suicides occur per every suicide death.

For individuals who are in early recovery, or anyone who is feeling like they are having a hard time with the whole recovery process, see a counselor and an acupuncturist in your area. You will feel better about your ability to hang in there during difficult times and along with meetings it will support better long term recovery and quality of life

To aid those who suffer with PTSD, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is supporting PTSD-focused research, and related studies on anxiety and fear, to find better ways of helping people cope with trauma, as well as better ways to treat and ultimately prevent the disorder. This research fact sheet will highlight several important areas that NIMH researchers have recently learned about.

“Authentic spirituality awakens the soul, reconnects us with the sacred, and fills us with the passion of life. Spiritual development is not about religious rituals and practices; it is about waking up to the wonder of life.”
-David N. Elkins

When we come off of a substance, any substance, our bodies have withdrawals. If we drink too much caffeine, take prescriptions drugs, consume alcohol and or even sugar it will produce a reaction in our body when we stop. This reaction can last for hours to weeks, and it can be annoying to life threatening. The main organ that is responsible for “cleaning” our body is our Liver.

Chinese medicine will seek not only to help with the cravings that we have, a craving of this or that, but it will attempt to “heal” the “root” of our addiction; the loneliness, the anger, the stress, the separation.

Everyone has a story, some are short and to the point, some are long and drawn out, but my hope here is that someone out there might take the time to listen and perhaps impart some words of advice. My story (and I will try to keep it as brief as possible) starts 13 years ago, when my 44 year old mother passed away from cancer. I was 18, my brother was 13. It was obviously a devastating time for my family and everyone handled it differently.

Drug or alcohol dependence disorders are medical conditions that can be effectively treated. Millions of Americans and their families are in healthy recovery from this disease.