My New Favorite “F” Word
By: Michael Murphy, Transformations/Help For Our Heroes alumnus & Alumni Coordinator Last summer, after I graduated from Transformations I took what I had learned and hit the ground running. In…
Read moreReal people sharing real stories about their experience with substance abuse and mental health.
During my twenty-five year career in substance abuse treatment, I’ve frequently heard family members (and clients) insist that "Alcohol isn't his/her/my problem - drugs are!" and "Alcoholism isn't his/her/my problem - addiction is!" as if the same principles of recovery from chemical dependency don't apply to any dysfunctional situation where alcohol either isn't present or isn't present enough to be identified as the primary drug-of-choice.
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By: Michael Murphy, Transformations/Help For Our Heroes alumnus & Alumni Coordinator Last summer, after I graduated from Transformations I took what I had learned and hit the ground running. In…
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Who came up with New Year’s Resolutions? Whoever they were, they must have been a masochist. I have seldom seen a person stick to their resolutions; more often, I have…
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Thanksgiving time tends to bring the concept of gratitude to the forefront of our thinking, as it is typically a time of giving thanks for the things we have been blessed with. When most people hear the word gratitude, they think of paying attention to the good things in their life, sometimes acknowledging the fact that they are more fortunate than others around them.
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Sitting at my desk this morning, I said, “Hey Siri, what is the definition of transformation?” In her robotic, Australian accent (it’s my favorite of the options) she responded, “transformation: a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.”
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For as long as I can remember, fear ran my life. As a child, I let fear stop me from making friends, getting outside of my comfort zone and raising my hand when I had a question in school. I let fear keep me from standing up for myself, even when I knew it was the right thing to do. I let fear keep me from trying a new hobby that I was secretly interested in or even applying for a job that I wanted. I let fear consume my life. My life was no longer based on what “Lisa wanted”, but instead it was a life based on what I thought others expected of me. Needless to say, it was exhausting.
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When I first made the decision to give up alcohol and other substances, I was not aware at the time that I am a creature of habit, someone with an extremely addictive personality. Having thought of myself as a “normal” person apart from the excessive drinking and drug use, I truly believed my alcoholism was simply that – an addiction to alcohol and drugs.
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The Jewish New Year, or “High Holidays” is a period uniquely designated for reflection and spiritual renewal. In just a few days, individuals in Jewish communities across the globe will come together for a day of prayer and self-examination.
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Why do people relapse after leaving treatment?
Throughout my years as a substance use disorder recovery activist and interventionist, I’ve helped scores of people enter treatment. And while these folks flourished in a highly-structured setting,
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Picture this… July 26th, 2017. Humid, sunny, and hot. A girl, 5 ft. 4in., 107 lbs., wearing a hat, sweatpants, a sweatshirt, slippers, and wrapped in a blanket… shivering. She was smoking a cigarette and her mom came outside and handed her the
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