In a previous blog, I offered to follow-up with more discussion on harm reduction approaches to drug and alcohol use. In the original blog, I cited Erickson (2018:189) saying, “Harm reduction, also known as harm minimization, is a strategy for reducing harm to drug users and the people close to them, in cases where complete... Continue Reading →
The wellness wheel is a model of eight parts that make up a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. It is a visual reminder that our lives are made up of many facets and that each one is important and should be recognized. If we are out of balance in one area, that will affect other areas... Continue Reading →
It’s that time of year again where kids are getting up to early morning alarms, school lunches are packed, and busses slow down traffic in the morning and afternoon picking up and dropping off children. September has always felt like a “fresh start.” A time to reorganize and recommit. I love the fun-loving vibes of... Continue Reading →
In a previous blog I asked if someone could be addicted to being at a bar. I presented the example where Bert, a teenager was at a bar named Water Bar in my birth Caribbean village of Trafalgar, Dominica. Bert accused one of the adult men who was waiting outside the bar with him before... Continue Reading →
Can someone be addicted to going to a bar? Seriously, I am talking about a person who does not drink alcohol, do any drugs, or engage in any gambling or other elicit activity. Is it possible that someone’s socialization, in and of itself, can be an addiction? Or, does an addiction require some sort of... Continue Reading →
Although I identify as a Black person of African and Caribbean heritage, and American socialization, I am still struggling with the word “Black people.” As I selected those two words as the first for the title of this blog, I imagine that some people may feel certain ways when they read it. They may wonder,... Continue Reading →
I know many people who believe that they are addicts, and are well aware of the damage that their alcohol and/or drug use is causing to themselves and those around them. However, for one reason or the other, they are either uninterested or unmotivated to completely abstain from drinking or using. For such people, approaches... Continue Reading →
Everyone in the family is home for the night and yet no one is talking to each other. Your kids are alone in their rooms on their tablets, dad is watching TV in the family room and mom is scrolling through Instagram on her phone. These days there is no shortage of things to keep... Continue Reading →
Life is full of first times, and first times are frightening! Can you remember the fear you felt the first time you got behind the wheel of a car? The first time you asked someone out on a date? Or the first time you started a new job? Often when we are faced with doing... Continue Reading →
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