Recovery from Opioid Use: How John Did It

John, a 73-year-old man, lives a comfortable family life in one of Philly’s great neighborhoods. He is healthy, funny, loves the Eagles and Italian restaurants. His neighbors appreciate his willingness to help and love chatting with him when he walks his dog. But John didn’t always live this way. His long-healed injection scars tell the story of his recovery. “I started using heroin as a teenager in the 1960s,” John said. The high helped him avoid stressors. “I didn’t need to care about anything. It made me feel calm in [...]

2025-01-29T08:51:49-05:00January 23rd, 2025|Addiction & Recovery, Lived Experience|

Are ‘soul ties’ codependent relationships?

While love is wonderful for our well-being, not all relationships are healthy. ‘Soul ties’ refers to an intense connection between two people who share a lot in common, such as beliefs, hopes, and tastes. Unfortunately, not all soul ties are positive. Some soul ties lead people to stay in unhealthy or even destructive relationships that can hurt their mental health. How can that happen? The beginning of a romantic relationship activates what is called an “attachment style.” Every person develops their attachment style from their very early relationships as the [...]

2024-02-07T11:16:47-05:00February 14th, 2024|Addiction & Recovery|

International Overdose Awareness Day

Did you know that drug overdose rates are increasing sharply year after year and resulted in about 100,000 deaths in 2021 – compared with only 11,000 overdose deaths in 1999, according to the National Safety Council?  Opioids play a role in about 70 percent of these deaths. And it’s so important to understand that pills and other substances you might get off the streets – including marijuana – may be laced with fentanyl or other addictive components. So why are people subjecting themselves to these substances and why are others [...]

2023-08-23T14:33:17-04:00August 17th, 2023|Addiction & Recovery|

Avoiding the Holiday Pressure to Drink

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many people – especially for the 18 million Americans who have an alcohol use disorder as holiday celebrations often center around alcohol. The CDC has found that the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day sees a dramatic increase in DUI offenses and other alcohol-related issues. Seventy percent of people report higher alcohol use during the last two weeks of December. People drink for many reasons. They may drink to feel relaxed, because they enjoy the taste, or because they feel [...]

2023-02-07T12:08:50-05:00December 5th, 2022|Addiction & Recovery, Holidays|
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