Teen Brain Development and Alcohol
Teen brain development and alcohol – believe it or not – alcohol does not work the same way in the teen brain as it does in the brain of an adult. Why? A picture is worth a thousand words, and I thought the following images may help readers better understand the impact of alcohol (or…
Read MoreMake Time to Worry (and NOT) – Help for Families of Alcoholics | Addicts
Help for families of alcoholics | addicts – make time to worry (and NOT) – because we Worry. Worry. Worry. So much so that we can’t seem not to worry! At least that was true for me. Over the past decades of loving and living with various loved ones’ alcohol abuse and alcoholism, I was…
Read MoreWhat To Do When You’re Concerned About a Loved One’s Drinking
What can you do when you’re concerned about a loved one’s drinking ? are there signs you should look for? is there really anything you can do? It generally starts out as a feeling — a nagging feeling — a sense that a loved one’s drinking (whether it’s a spouse, parent, child, friend or sibling)…
Read More10 Tips To Help Parents Help Their Children Avoid Underage Drinking
My daughter had her first alcoholic drink at 14. She and her girlfriends passed around water bottles of vodka at a sleepover — after the host parents had gone to bed. As someone who has personally survived the ravages of various loved ones’ drinking, I desperately wanted to help my daughter avoid the perilous path…
Read MoreSo What Is Codependency?
So what is codependency? This is a question often asked and often passed over as not applicable to me. It certainly was a very difficult concept for me to grasp. And for the longest time (like almost 4 decades at the time), I didn’t even try because I didn’t think it had anything to do…
Read MoreIs Addiction a Disease?
Is addiction a disease? “No way,” claim most people. “Cancer is a disease. All they need to do is put down the bottle or stop taking the drugs they’re abuse.” I was participating in a forum discussion recently on this question, “Is addiction a disease?” I was moved to comment because so many of the…
Read MoreRecovering From a Disease in Anonymity
Recovering From a Disease in Anonymity – important to so many but detrimental to so many others. Is there a balance? Can it be both ways? Think about it…if your loved one had cancer, both your loved one and you and the rest of your family would be surrounded by supportive friends and family. Your…
Read MoreWhat Were You Thinking?
What were you thinking? How many of us have asked (okay, sometimes yelled) at our teen, “What were you thinking?” after another of their “stupid stunts?” That’s just the problem, they’re not thinking! Not only that – they can’t – or at least not the way an adult might. Thanks to new brain imaging technologies,…
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