I have the honor of speaking on a panel this week for a Pride Month event that supports addiction recovery among my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. I’ve been reviewing statistics and research in anticipation of this. It’s a sobering reminder, if you’ll pardon the pun. The numbers are terrifying. Folks who identify as LGBTQ+ are […]
Conflict and confrontation are things most people seek to avoid. Folks tend to walk on eggshells even when they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. It’s exhausting and a recipe for burn out through accumulating resentments. I have nothing but love for my brothers and sisters in active addiction and yet […]
A recent study released in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that online treatment for addiction may be even more effective than face to face treatment. According to the author of the study, the program is beneficial because “… it concentrate(s) on teaching new skills in an engaging way,” The abilities to engage and teach […]
“Running on, running on empty Running on, running blind Running on, running into the sun But I’m running behind” – Jackson Browne, “Running on Empty” Burnout was something I believed myself immune to. It was for people who weren’t as tough as me, for people who couldn’t work as hard as me, and for people […]
In the midst of an opioid epidemic, the Maine Department of Health & Human Services has “restructured” payments to residential addiction recovery programs in Maine. Language like that offends me. It’s like when a corporation wants to increase profits by putting people out of jobs and so it “down sizes.” Recovery ally, Erin Rhoda of […]
I spent some time with a colleague today. He is a kindred spirit, my chosen family, a dear friend, and most of all, he’s a wounded healer like me. He’s also a misfit like me, but he is a clean cut, good-looking guy who easily passes for “normal.” We talk often about the nature of […]
I remember the earliest days of the internet. In those days, if you didn’t phrase your search terms just right, you couldn’t find anything worthwhile. Things haven’t changed all that much. When I started this blog for Memorial Day, I asked Google, “Are we still losing 22 veterans a day?” Google very quickly informed me […]
I get frequent reminders that most doctors and nurse practitioners have little or no training in substance abuse and addictions. Consequently, there are two conversations I have on nearly a daily basis: No, chances are, you don’t live with Bi Polar Disorder (BPD) It’s a grossly over diagnosed condition because it shares symptoms with a […]
Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield released new data recently that shows surging rates of depression across all age groups. Specifically, it showed a huge uptick in rates of Major Depressive Disorder from 2013 to 2016. The problem with research is that by the time it’s collected, organized, and presented, it’s often two years later. It’s important […]
I usually refer to my Higher Power as “the Universe.” Today’s blog is named after a song by George Strait: “I’ve been to church I’ve read the book I know He’s there But I don’t look Near as often as I should…” I like the way that song feels. I don’t claim to know anymore […]
