Whether we’re talking about current events or sharing personal stories of people in recovery, our goal remains the same: helping those struggling with addiction and their loved ones seek the help they desperately need. This year, Vertava Health posted over 120 blogs all aiming to do just that. While some were more popular than others, each blog sheds new light and a different perspective on the disease of addiction. As 2017 comes to a close, here’s a brief look at the most popular blogs from this past year.
1. Is Addiction A Disease Or A Choice
Guest blogger and internationally recognized author Lorelie Rozzano takes on a highly debated topic in our most popular blog of the year: Is Addiction A Disease? Or A Choice? Like most people, she was skeptical when addiction was introduced as a brain disease, but over time, her opinion started to sway.
2. 5 Things To Know When You Love An Addicted Person
Loving someone who is struggling with the disease of addiction is painful and hard. While you may rush to fix their mistakes and help them seek much-needed treatment, these things can cause more harm than good. When loving someone with an addiction gets difficult, these are the five things you need to remember in order to move forward together. [middle-callout]
3. Dear Mom. You Did Not Fail.
Being the mother of a child struggling with addiction can be the hardest job imaginable. Not only do mothers feel the pain of their child’s addiction, they frequently bear the guilt of not doing enough to help their struggling child. As protectors, mothers will often ask: is there more than I could have done or, what did I do wrong? Internationally recognized author Lorelie Rozzano shares her personal stories of helping mother’s overcome their child’s addiction.
4. 5 Things You May Be Sacrificing In A Loved One’s Addiction
Addiction never just affects the person struggling, but everyone around them. If you’re one of the millions of Americans currently grappling with a loved one’s addiction, you understand this better than anyone. Before you run to save your addicted loved one from another mistake, understand that sometimes our best intentions only give way to dysfunctional and toxic relationships.
5. Feeling Resentment Towards A Loved One’s Recovery
Addiction can leave behind deep emotional scars that don’t just heal once a loved one is in recovery. On the outside everything may look okay, but on the inside, many people living with a loved one in recovery are harboring feeling of anger or resentment. As these feelings fester, they will only cause more damage and heartache. Here are some tools to help you cope with feelings of resentment towards a loved one and their recovery.
6. 4 Things You Can Do To Help A Loved One Who Doesn’t Want Help
In an ideal world, someone struggling with addiction would willingly seek the help that they need. However, more often than not, this is not the case. While many argue that you should never force someone into treatment, there are equally as many people who don’t agree with this opinion. If you’re caught somewhere between the two and now sure what your next step should be, here are four things you can do to help a loved one who refuses your help.
7. Should Families Ever Force Relatives Into Rehab?
It’s one of the most widely debated topics in the world of addiction: should family ever force their relatives into rehab? Many argue, no, that rehab will only work if the person struggling with addiction is willing and ready to change. On the other hand, research has shown that even when rehab treatment is court ordered, many people will continue their treatment path and enter long-term recovery. Read up on both sides of the debate.
8. 7 Signs You’re Self-Sabotaging Your Addiction Recovery
Stress, isolation, negative-thinking: if you’re experiencing any of these regularly and are not doing anything to change, there is a good chance that you’re self-sabotaging your addiction recovery. While the road of recovery isn’t always easy, if you know what to look for, you are better equipped to avoid or overcome challenging obstacles in your path. Learn how to recognize the seven signs that you’re sabotaging your shot at recovery and headed towards relapse.
9. Secondhand Drinking: Are You Affected?
Secondhand drinking describes the impacts on a person who is on the receiving end of a person’s drinking behaviors, and ongoing exposure can change a person’s brain function. If you think you or someone you love may be affected by secondhand drinking, read the article above to learn more about the signs, symptoms and treatment options.
10. White House Advisor Kellyanne Conway’s Comments On Addiction Spark Controversy
When White House Advisor Kellyanne Conway suggested that those suffering from addiction need “a four letter word called will” to overcome their disease, it left many Americans outraged. Her comment was made as a response to a question asked during the tv show, ABC This Week, regarding a new healthcare bill that would cut insurance for those suffering from addiction. Read more on the backlash Conway’s comment created above. — We’ve covered a lot of ground in 2017. From politics and highly debated topics to personal stories of recovery and relapse, our goal remains consistent. As this year comes to an end, Vertava Health is looking forward to sharing new voices and perspectives in 2018. If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction, call to speak with one of our treatment specialists today at 844-470-0410.
