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Alcohol Use and Its Deadly Consequences According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), nearly 18 million people suffer from an addiction or dependence on alcohol.  Commonly referred to as Alcohol Use Disorder, millions of people across the country currently live in a household where at least one family member abuses alcohol.  […]

Is Easy Access to Alcohol a Risk Factor for Teens and Young Adults? According to the American Medical Association teens and young adults generally have easy access to alcohol.  The majority of teens surveyed said that they can obtain alcohol from their own homes without their parents knowing.  Teens also look outside the home to

Does Alcoholism Run in the Family? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism genes may account for 50% of the risk for someone to develop Alcohol Use Disorder.   These genes may explain why alcoholism seems to “run in the family.”  Certain genes affect things like behavior control, a known risk factor for

Helping a Loved One Seek Treatment for Alcohol Addiction When someone you love is suffering from addiction, there is usually no easy way to handle the situation.  Until they are ready to get treatment, most addicts are unable to see that there is anything wrong.  They may not recognize the pain that they are causing

Supporting Loved Ones in Recovery There are a number of ways that friends and family can support a loved one going through alcohol addiction treatment.  It may have taken months or even years for a person to want to get help.  It is important that close family and friends respect the space that an individual

MHA Conference We had a memorable time this week at the Mental Health Association of Orange County Conference. Over 900 people were in attendance including mental health care professionals, agencies, public health providers, elected officials, family members/care givers and many more. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about all of the mental health

Why a Support System is Crucial to Recovery Success Drug and alcohol addiction rarely affects just one person.  There are usually loved ones that have been impacted by the addiction for years or even decades.  Whether they are a child or spouse who has experienced neglect or abuse because of alcohol dependency or a parent

Can Alcohol Consumption Trigger the Onset of a Headache? Current studies present conflicting results on whether alcohol alone is a trigger for a headache but for a portion of the population it can have devastating results.  According to a research article published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health: “Alcoholic drinks

Looking Beyond the Physical Aspect of Recovery Many people believe that sobriety is solely physical.  Recovery, and thus sobriety as a key component of recovery, has two counterparts: physical and emotional.  Physical sobriety, the act of abstaining from alcohol, is the most tangible aspect of recovery.  Many believe that once they complete the physical act

Common Triggers for Recovering Addicts One of the most difficult things for people in sobriety is the potential for relapse.  Relapse is a very real and common event for those recovering from drugs and alcohol.  Generally, a trigger is at the root of the relapse.  Triggers may be different for everyone.  Some of the most