What’s the Link Between Addiction and Cluster A Personality Disorders?
The link between addiction and personality disorders more generally but now it’s time to get specific, read on for an in-depth look at the science behind the link between Cluster A personality disorders and substance abuse problems. A personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves […]
Mental Health Awareness Month in South Africa
Dual Diagnosis: Addiction and Other Mental Illnesses During mental health awareness month, we educate professionals and the public alike with a specific focus on addiction as a brain disease and how it often occurs alongside other mental health problems like major depression, ADHD and bipolar mood disorder. This phenomenon is termed dual diagnosis. About 40% […]
What’s the Link Between Addiction and Personality Disorders?
Personality disorders: There is a lot of baggage, and many myths, that come with this phrase. But one irrefutable truth is that there is a strong link between addiction and personality disorders. Read on for an in-depth look at the science behind this link. Having a personality disorder is often confusing and scary for both […]
3 C’s to Addiction Recovery for Empowered Families
Addiction is a family disease, everyone plays a role and is affected by the addiction, whether you’re a parent, child, spouse, sibling or even a close friend. Families often go through overwhelming emotions related to their loved one’s addiction including guilt, hopelessness, anger, frustration and helplessness. Here are the 3 C’s to addiction recovery that […]
Does My Partner Have a Drinking Problem? The 10 Tell-Tale Signs
Despite many signs indicating an alcohol addiction in a friend or relative, many families wait until the consequences are extremely severe before they take action. If you are asking the question Does my loved one have a drinking problem, there are probably already strong indicators of addiction. But to help you clear up any confusion, […]
4 Reasons Why an Addiction Intervention Should Be Run by a Professional
An addiction intervention is a tightrope walk and getting the correct balance is essential which is why it should be run by an experienced professional, preferably a qualified interventionist. Informal addiction interventions can do more harm than good and damage future attempts to intervene and help a loved one get into much-needed treatment. A skilled, […]
Am I an Addict? Take This Addiction Self-Test
An addict is someone who keeps using a substance compulsively despite clear harm, having lost the ability to reliably control how much or how often they use. This addiction self-test will help you find an honest answer to whether that describes you. Asking “am I an addict?” or “am I an alcoholic?” already means you […]
International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day: 9 September
The world commemorates International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day every 9 September, at 09:09 – 9th day of the 9th month at 9 minutes past 9. SA Has the Highest Rate of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Nowhere in the world in the world is it more important to recognise this day than in […]
What Happens to Babies Exposed to Alcohol?
Using alcohol during pregnancy can have serious, and even fatal, consequences for babies, which begs the question, what happens to babies exposed to alcohol? It may be very difficult for pregnant women who are addicted to alcohol to read this post but it is intended to educate, not to judge. We urge you to seek […]
Help for Me: Understanding That Addiction Is a Brain Disease and Why It Matters
Addiction was first described as a brain disease by scientist Alan Leshner in 1997. Twenty-five years later, scientific research and discovery show that the theory is still true and relevant today. Understanding that addiction is a brain disease helps individuals understand they have a medical condition, helping them overcome much of the shame related to […]