Recently, I had a serious medical condition requiring surgery. It left me in the hospital for almost 2 months with pain I had never experienced before. It also left me on opiates the whole time. I never felt any real sense of euphoria or “buzz” but I did feel anxious about taking pain meds. I still have pain and a healing journey ahead of me but the pain is manageable with Tylenol. I remain grateful. Interestingly enough, I never felt a physical or real mental craving – Thank You God. However, during these times, thoughts (Stinking Thinking) would float in my head like “Now you just blew years of sobriety.” “Drinking is better using those pain pills.” The thoughts seem to come out of nowhere. Today, I can think them through and talk to others in recovery so they don’t stay in my head. What I did to avoid getting…
Addiction Education
A question that is asked a lot. Sometimes it’s hard for friends and family members to understand why their loved one can’t just quit using the substance that is hurting them. The reason it’s so difficult for people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction is that it isn’t just a habit—it’s a disease. When a person takes drugs or drinks alcohol over a period of time, it can change their brain circuits. In fact, addiction changes the way that crucial parts of the brain function so much that the person has a very hard time stopping their use of drugs or alcohol—even when they want to. Researchers call this the “brain disease model of addiction.” They view drug and alcohol addiction not as a problem caused by a lack of willpower, but instead as an illness that needs treatment. Addiction beats up your brain Brain science research has shown that addiction harms the brain in at least three…