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[one_half_last]Welcome to the Addiction Blog RoundUp for this week! I hope you find something to interest you here – happy reading!
Blackouts – Are They Real or Just an Excuse?
Regardless of how you relate to addiction issues, I am sure that at some point, you have wondered about blackouts. Lisa Fredericksen over at Breakingthecycles.com has a great post this week about this very topic. She talks about the frustration of the non-drinker and give some detail about the brain function. Be sure and read the whole post.[/one_half_last]
Alcohol and Sleep – How are your Sleep Patterns Being Affected?
Here is another issue I hear a lot about in my practice – alcohol and sleep. I hear a lot of people say “I just have a drink (or 3 or 4) before bed because it helps me sleep”? This post over at Sober College dispels that myth. It may help you go to sleep, but it does not help you stay asleep and as the post notes, it disrupts in several ways.
Marijuana Legalization: How Parents Can Keep Teens Safe in New Drug Landscape
Since marijuana has been legalized here in Colorado (and other states), I know that many parents have been asking themselves this question. The Drug Policy Alliance has released an updated copy of it’s booklet Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs by Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD. This is another resource to help parents to open up the discussion around drug and alcohol use. It uses a framework of safety – an alternative to the scared straight and zero tolerance messages.
I love (smile) Mrs. D’s post this week over at Mrs D Is Going Without. She has started a gratitude list of some of the best things about being sober. Can you add to the list?
Finally, a post for coping during the holiday season. On the My Road to Abstinence Blog, the post from this week is about drinking, or more specifically, not drinking during the holidays. At the end of the post, there is a good list about “staying off the sauce” during the holiday party season. I would add one to the list: Make an escape plan with someone else who will be at the party and have the person agree to be your support system. Devise and agree upon a signal that you can give to the other person that indicates that you have to leave if things get uncomfortable. Then, don’t hesitate to use it if you need to. Your sobriety is much more important than a holiday party.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading – have a great weekend!
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or codependency issues, Contact me today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation to talk about how we can work together or find the right person for you.