Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) both emphasize clean (or sober) dates and time: but does this focus of addiction recovery programs harm or help  group members? This question necessarily wanders into the perennial debate around abstinence versus moderation in addiction recovery. So, is clean time in alcoholics and narcotics anonymous helpful or harmful?

Drunkorexia is a non-medical term describing the habit of reducing food intake (or even anorexia) combined with alcohol use. This calorie restriction is used to compensate for calories consumed through alcoholic beverages. It is not a new phenomenon, but it's not a safe one either. Restricted eating or anorexia plus alcohol use is dangerous.

Amy Winehouse, an alcoholic, lacked a social support system near the end of her life, according to a recent documentary about the ill-fated singer and songwriter. After watching the revealing and very sad, Amy, last week, I am reminded how critical it is for struggling alcoholics and addicts like Amy Winehouse, to surround themselves with a quality support system (Importance of Drug Addiction Support).

Combined drug intoxication, also known as mixed drug intoxication, is a potentially fatal condition characterized by simultaneous action of more than one psychoactive drug, including alcohol. Combined drug intoxication differs from overdose, in that overdose generally refers to a lethal amount of a specific drug, whereas combined drug intoxication often involves smaller amounts of multiple drugs. Often, the amount of any given drug present in a person who dies from mixed drug intoxication is not lethal by itself, but the combination of multiple drugs leads to fatality.

Substance abuse fuels risky behavior. As someone who has lived through my own addiction and that of many loved ones, here are my thoughts on minimizing risky behavior brought on by substance abuse.

The alcohol addiction disease model is a divisive concept between those who see drinking as a choice and those who believe alcoholism relieves an individual of the willpower to resist alcohol. This is even a dividing line between  addiction recovery programs LifeRing and Alcoholics Anonymous. It has been my personal experience, that when active in my addiction, my actions did not align with my moral code. When drunk, I did things I have no recollection of deciding. Furthermore, I cannot count the number of times I have heard a recovering alcoholic say, "I always swore I would never ______, but I did that when I was drunk." To me, this is evidence enough that after I take my first drink, the disease takes control of my brain and I lose any control or willpower I had against alcohol. My alcohol addiction is a disease.

Is it possible to have fun in sobriety? Once you get sober, you'll never have fun again, right? Leading a boring, sad life is a major fear for many problem drinkers that discourages them from seeking a program of recovery. But the myth that sobriety is dull is completely inaccurate. Here's how you have fun in sobriety.

Taking personal inventory in addiction and alcohol recovery on a regular basis is critical. Working through a situation by taking inventory in addiction and alcohol recovery is an empowering process.

Nearly one-third of adult Americans do not drink alcohol at all. Furthermore, another one-third of adult Americans consume less than one alcoholic drink per week. These figures from a Washington Post article astonished me; far more Americans don't drink alcohol or very light drinkers than I had realized. 

Alcoholics often wonder if it's safe to eat food cooked with alcohol. After all, alcohol is used to cook many foods: pasta sauces, chocolates, jams and even cakes. Recovering alcoholics are often faced with the question, is it safe for me to consume this food or not?