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How Your Brain Chemistry Craves Alcohol

Posted on August 2, 2017 ·
brain chemistry

During my years as a drinker, I was around many people who were slaves to liquor.  I don’t really know how many of them thought of themselves as having a problem.  But I do know that a lot of people emphasize the fun they’re having when drinking and their desire to drink. Heavy drinkers find millions of ways to joke about their drink, to half-heartedly mock themselves, etc.  But the truth it, they are powerfully driven to drink, and that’s a hard thing to admit. Well, if you’ve ever … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Recovery · Tagged:
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Can You Get Addicted to Marijuana?

Posted on March 30, 2015 ·

Can You Get Addicted to Marijuana? Hummm... in fact, it's a bit more complicated. I find this topic fascinating, and I’ve therefore done my homework on it.  The question of becoming addicted to pot, grass, weed, chronic, wacky tobaccy, is quite interesting, perhaps a bit complicated. There’s the thorny distinction between dependence and true addiction (like to cocaine), and we’ll give it due consideration.  But first, some of the key facts. The National Institute on Drug Abuse tells us … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Drug Addiction · Tagged: ,
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Endorphins: Your Key to a Natural High

Posted on November 10, 2014 ·
main image, endoph

Endorphins are easy to generate. If you ask anyone—a heavy drinker or otherwise—why people drink, the first thing you’ll get is some kind of look like you’re a bit thick.  After that, they’ll tell you about the way it loosens you up and numbs your face and suppresses your problems and leaves you this booze-logged sloppy mess with little idea what’s going on and no desire to find out. And all of that is true.  But for its depressant properties and inhibition smashing skills, alcohol also does … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sober living · Tagged:
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Am I an Alcoholic if I Drink Every Day?

Posted on November 25, 2013 ·

Am I an Alcoholic if I Drink Every Day? What's an alcoholic? You're here because you have an important question.  You drink on a day-to-day basis, and you're coming to that awful, nagging feeling that you'e an alcoholic.  You don't know if you need help or not, and, wisely, you don't want to be in denial. You come home from work and have a cocktail to unwind; maybe it's a glass of wine with dinner; every few nights you hang out with Dave nd Luis and play some Xbox over half a six-pack.  It … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Alcohol addiction, Sober living · Tagged: ,
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Truth about alcohol’s damaging effects on the brain

Posted on September 14, 2013 ·

Today’s topic is separating fact from fiction: what is true about alcohol's damaging effects on the brain. I’m going to tear down myths about alcoholism and the brain, while highlighting the true- and often troubling- realities that are associated with drinking and the brain. Fact: Booze Can Damage Memory. I’m nothing if not a researcher: studies show that heavy use of alcohol can harm both long-term and short-term memory. In one study, heavy alcoholics consistently made more memory-based … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Detox, Recovery, Sober living · Tagged: