December 2019

Christmas parties, carol singers, roast turkey and Christmas cheer… most people think of Christmas and New Year as a happy and festive time, but that may not be the reality for many people in active addiction or early recovery. There are many triggers associated with this...

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) is several symptoms that appear after an alcoholic person suddenly stops drinking. The symptoms may appear anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on the quantity and time frame which alcohol was last consumed. A person with alcohol withdrawal syndrome can experience the following symptoms such as:

We tend to associate addicts with two extremes in terms of sociability. On one hand, we imagine a person using harmful substances to become the “life of the party” and become more sociable. On the other hand, we have a depressed individual who uses drugs as a gateway to escape the loneliness. The truth is, most addicts fall somewhere along these lines where they all experience feelings of isolation. Anyone who’s suffered from addiction knows that having a crippling dependence on harmful substances can stem from deep bouts of loneliness.

If you were to ask a group of people about a list of drugs, you’re unlikely to find alcohol included in the list. Alcohol is perhaps the world’s most acceptable drug and is one of the leading causes of substance abuse. Merriam-Webster describes the word drug as anything that causes addiction and dependence that results in a marked change in the individual’s behaviour. Anyone who has dealt with an alcoholic up-close and personal knows the harmful effects it provides, especially when consumed in large doses.