More than 85 million people in the United States alone have been touched by addiction. Each has a unique story, and for far too long, many have felt isolated, hopeless and stigmatized by this illness. Drug addiction is a “family disease.” During any kind of active addiction, it is extremely rare only the addict is […]
KATIE DONOVAN HAS BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK. BUT SHE NEVER LOST HOPE. by Shari Puterman Katie Donovan, 44, has been through hell and back battling a heroin addiction. For more than five years, the drug chipped away at every part of her, and she desperately tried to keep it from destroying everything. But […]
ADVOCACY Deni Carise weighs in on some of the benefits of gender-separated treatment for women struggling with co-occuring mental health and substance use disorders. Interestingly, there are not major differences between men and women entering substance use disorder treatment when looking at their substance use histories, type of drugs used, and frequency of drug use. However, […]
One of the first things that come to mind when you hear the word “alcoholic” is “Alcoholics Anonymous” (AA). And for good reason. Many of its long-time members swear by it and its effectiveness, fully crediting the support group for their success.But you know what? AA – as popular as it may be – […]
I beamed with excitement as my debit card chopped up the orange pill. My pupils enlarged and the world around me slowed down as the fragments went up my nose and made their way into my system. The effect of ecstasy was sudden. My body tingled and my cheeks widened with joy. I peered around […]
Women report a lower rate of addiction than men, but they still experience more severe addictions at a faster rate, all due to their biology. Women are more likely to use different drugs, use them for different reasons and experience different consequences than male counterparts. Plus, more women are drinking alcohol than in previous […]
After weeks of unstructured, long summer days, the kids are in school and there is comfort as the night falls. Crisp autumn days breathe life into your fragile sobriety. Battle weary, you survived backyard barbeques, pool parties and even a family reunion with your perpetually drunk aunt asking you over and over, “why-o-why did you […]
Tess Henry’s body was found in a Las Vegas dumpster on Christmas Eve. This is the story of the six years of addiction that led her there. ROANOKE, Va. — Last year, on the day after Christmas, I picked up my phone to hear the mother on the other end of the line sobbing. “It’s […]
In an effort to protect children in the midst of addiction epidemics, some states are jailing women for using drugs during pregnancy. But is incarceration the best approach? by Lauren Giordano / The Atlantic In a four-bedroom, white house by the airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2-year-old Jacob squirmed around in Mickey Mouse pajamas, his explosion […]
It’s tough for me to share this story with you, but if it helps just one person who is suffering from the shame of mental illness like me, I want you to know you are not alone. When I was six years sober, I had been struggling for months to get out of bed most […]
EVESHAM TWP. – Last Mother’s Day, Ashley Segars woke up in a rehab where she had sought treatment for substance use disorder the night before. Then a 24-year-old single mom, she was a detox and rehab veteran. But this attempt at recovery felt different, she recalled. “I completely changed my mindset,” Segars said, during an interview […]
Women abuse alcohol in different ways than men, 33.3% male (alcohol) and 42.3% female (alcohol). Women tend to do it while they are alone, so they can hide their problem. Drug abuse is often connected to mental health illness with women. Women suffer from anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, most of which have to do with […]