Author name: Kyle Schwartz

In the above video clip, Michael Botticelli makes a compelling argument for the necessity of changing the stigma attached to addiction. In it, He makes an impassioned plea from personal experience.

In the first two parts of this series we have examined how to approach the subject of treatment with a loved one suffering from drug or alcohol addiction. Further we looked at how to help that individual make the transition into treatment.

Over the last twenty years increasing amounts of research has been done showing the link between exercise and a reduction in all sorts of symptomatic disorders. It has long been known that exercise is beneficial for reduction in cardiac problems, diabetes, obesity, etc.

When it is time to seek help for drug and alcohol addiction there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. The decision whether to stay close to home for treatment or to go out of state can often be seen as a minor part of the decision.

In our last article in this series, we discussed strategies on how to effectively have the initial conversation leading toward an addict entering into treatment and how a family can detach with love from the addict in order to help both themselves and the addict.

Through our organization website last night I received a question that was so succinct and addressed such an important issue I wanted to take a few minutes today to reprint it here (editing out all personal details) and to address the issue publicly. Please find this below.

Making the transition to a life in recovery is never easy. This is true whether the individual has been addicted to alcohol, opiates, heroin, or anything else. Often the transition is as big for the family as for the addict.

Last week I wrote an article in our blog that detailed the stages of the withdrawal process from alcohol. The response was so great to that piece that I thought I would add another similar article on the the stages of withdrawal from heroin.