PTSD Awareness Day – June 27th
Back in 2010, Senator Kent Conrad spearheaded a campaign to create an official form of recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a “day of awareness.” Senator Conrad was passionate about the creation of an awareness day as a tribute to North Dakota National Guard serviceman, Staff Sergeant Joe Biel, ...
Pride Month: How Addiction Impacts the LGBTQ+ Community
Pride Month is here! The month-long celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community is a time for fun, raising awareness and reflection. The LGBTQ community faces many hardships, from accepting their own identities to coming out to facing social and political adversity. Studies show that an estimated ...
Mental Health Month: The Connection Between Addiction and Mental Health Grows
While mental health has become a widely talked about topic in recent years, May is the official observance for mental health awareness. In its 70th year, Mental Health Month was launched by Mental Health America in May of 1949 with a mission of reaching millions of Americans through the media, ...
50 Addiction Facts in 50 Days to Celebrate 50 Years of Spectrum Health Systems
50 days from today, the team at Spectrum Health Systems will be celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary. Since our inception, we’ve seen a lot of positive changes in the addiction treatment field and recovery community. While many improvements have been made, there’s still much work to be done. We’ve worked ...
Addiction and Depression: A Vicious Cycle
According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 7.9 million Americans have been diagnosed with both depression and addiction. Each disease can be difficult to deal with on its own, so dealing with both at the same time is obviously more challenging. With depression being one of ...
The Importance of Children of Alcoholics Awareness Week
While the nation continues to confront the public health crisis that is addiction, events like Children of Alcoholics Awareness Week help remind us of often forgotten victims. Alcoholism remains a prominent issue in the US, and as a result, one in four children live in a family impacted by parental ...
Why Are Women Overdosing More Than Men?
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contained some troubling statistics. Overdose deaths among women aged 30-64 have rapidly increased. From 1999 to 2017, the number climbed a staggering 260 percent. And the drugs causing them have evolved as well, with more overdoses being attributed ...
Jeffrey Born’s Story of Opioid Addiction, Torn Relationships, and the Overdose That Changed His Life
There’s a stigma against people who struggle with addiction that often exists because people believe it could never happen to them – but it can. Addiction is a disease that knows no boundaries, has no preconceived notions and leaves no clues as to who it will touch next. Jeffrey Born ...
A Startling New Trend: Viral Overdose Videos
Social media has changed our world, for better or for worse. When it comes to addiction, it’s a double-edged sword. While it opens up a whole new avenue for support – online communities and educational resources – it also makes someone’s personal struggles quite public. A recent report from the ...
Is Your Middle Schooler at Risk? What Every Parent Needs to Know About Addiction
Remember middle school? Braces, binders, first dances and budding friendships were always top of mind. But it’s around this age that less innocent topics begin to show up as well. Children between 13 and 17 are the most easily influenced age demographic, which can make them more susceptible to experimenting ...
How One Veteran Tackled Physical Pain, PTSD and Addiction
Every year, in the second week of November, this country honors its heroes. Veteran’s Day is a stark reminder that courageous men and women have fought hard for America’s freedoms. In the addiction community, it inspires us to pause and reflect on the effects of war on our soldiers, long ...
The Patriots Welcome Josh Gordon and Help Raise Awareness of Addiction
If you’re a sports fan, you’ve heard of Josh Gordon. His entrance to the NFL was highly anticipated. Drafted as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns in 2012, he logged 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie year. But by the time his career in ...
How Addiction Affects Our Most Precious Population
Our older citizens have made our communities what they are today with years of love and hard work. That’s why its particularly sad to see the sharp rise in addiction among people over 65. Not only has the issue become far more prevalent, it is also under-diagnosed – allowing the ...
What We Can All Learn From Demi Lovato’s Relapse
Pop singer Demi Lovato’s story is common. She was six years sober before she overdosed in her home on July 24. She was revived with naloxone and transported to the hospital. Relapse is often part of the lifelong recovery journey and should not be viewed as a failure. In fact, ...
Remembering Alcohol Use Disorder Amidst the Opioid Epidemic
As we come to a close on Alcohol Awareness Month 2018, we want to stress that raising awareness of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) should continue to be a priority. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 88,000 people die every year from AUD and other alcohol-related ...
