Most alcoholics don’t even know they have a problem. So what are the signs of alcoholism and when should you, as a family member, start worrying that you might have a problem? Joining us to answer these questions is Dr. Sadaqat Ai. He is a graduate of Dow Medical College, Karachi, and is a recognized[…]
Category Archives: Willing Ways Articles
18
Jan
Jan
Some people wake up “the morning after the drinking” with a throbbing headache, a sick nauseous stomach, and a fluffy tongue. Veisalgia is the little-known medical term for this condition, but the rest of us call it a hangover. Why is it called a hangover? While some believe it refers to “hanging over” the commode,[…]
14
Jan
Jan
On accepting your feelings, rather than attempting to escape. As far as I’m aware, there has been no time in the history of the human race when the majority of human beings attempted to accept their feelings rather than escape them. Escape is a natural way of avoiding pain and unpleasantness. This technique works for short-term relief, but it[…]
14
Jan
Jan
Getting dopamine from your best connections not your worst vices. Dopamine is trending as the most popular neurotransmitter. And why not? There are days I think it rules the world or at least the day-to-day activities of my friends and family. The craving you have when you smell the coffee brewing in the morning—thank dopamine. That elation you feel[…]
14
Jan
Jan
Change is possible. If you need help with substance abuse, seek it. Does Addiction Recovery Require a Change in Consciousness? For the last ten days, I’ve been at conferences hosted by Yale University and the University of Helsinki. With my colleagues in the field of consciousness studies, we’ve been discussing change—in particular, how much change[…]
14
Jan
Jan
Confessions of an Unabashed TV Junkie As those of you who follow developments in the field of psychiatry and diagnosis know by now, the American Psychiatric Association with its release in 2013 of the DSM-5, introduced us to a new psychiatric/behavioral disturbance called “Binge Eating Disorder(BED). While heralded by some like the long-overdue legitimization of pathological eating behavior,[…]
14
Jan
Jan
Smaller gray matter volumes are linked to likelihood of certain drug addictions. Over the years, I’ve witnessed a handful of close friends destroy their lives because of an addiction to drugs. Of all the various drugs my peers have used, heroin and crystal meth (methamphetamine) seem to have the uncanny ability to get inside someone’s brain and hijack their pragmatic decision-making ability. Christopher[…]
10
Jan
Jan
Understanding what prevents healing can be the first step toward recovery. Trauma experienced in childhood has a special ability to wound, especially when it includes emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or neglect. The falloutechoes through the years and causes negative consequences, such as higher risks of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, obesity, behavioral problems, and health problems such as heart disease. One study that followed hundreds of adolescents over[…]
10
Jan
Jan
New research suggests non-specific Internet use can be an addictive experience. When Internet addiction was first proposed as a psychological disorder in the 1990’s1, it wasn’t taken too seriously. These days, however, very few people would try to argue that there is no such thing as problematic or excessive Internet use. Hundreds of research studies have found[…]
10
Jan
Jan
The psychological damages of alcohol abuse trump the physical risks. A new study from the University of Colorado at Boulder reports that the psychological and social consequences of heavy drinking outweigh the physical hazards of alcohol abuse. This is especially true in terms of mortality rates. Heavy drinking was found to create a domino effect that can lead to premature death. Christopher Bergland is a world-class endurance athlete, coach, author,[…]