All of us at RecoveryView.com hope you can slow down a little in the midst of your holiday preparations to just enjoy yourself and beauty of the season. Take note of the little things and store them away to boost your spirits in the New Year and keep the joy. We are so grateful you have joined us on our journey this far, joining efforts and interests to promote recovery from addictions awareness and treatment options. We strive to bring hope and strength to all those who are suffering now, so maybe next December they, too, can embrace the season in gratitude. A special thanks to our friends at The Pat Moore Foundation for sponsoring this Holiday Edition of RecoveryView.com.
Many of our authors have given their perspective on a how to have a healthy, happy holiday season. Dr. Tian Dayton reminds us to focus just as much on our emotional sobriety as our physical this time of year. CC Nuckols looks back at the origins of Christmas and notes how we can apply the intention and themes into bringing peace and joy to others.
Dan Griffin explores the gender differences in recovery, and suggests what men need, specifically, to be successful in maintaining long-term recovery. Andrew Kessler’s View from the Hill focuses, this month, on California’s proposition to legalize marijuana, taking a closer look into what it involves and how it may affect drug policy and even addiction in the future.
Single parenting is difficult enough throughout the year, but when the holidays arrive, a whole new set of emotionally charged issues surface. Preparing yourself for a holiday without a child can be heart-wrenching, to say the least. Sherry Gaba offers her personal experience and professional expertise on how to survive and – dare we say it? – even enjoy the holidays as a single parent.
Carole Bennett offers sage advice to families of those suffering with addictions. They are often forgotten when the holidays roll around, but are frequently the ones who pay the price for their addict family member’s issues. She outlines practical tips on maintaining loving and healthy boundaries for these friends and families.
Dr. Jack Hinman brings to light the unique issues those who are adopted encounter when entering residential treatment. He outlines appropriate approaches by both the adoptive families and the staffs of the residential treatment center to ensure those needs are thoughtfully addressed.
Much has been made of sexual addiction, with celebrities making infamous headlines. However, these are primarily men, and the fact is, women also wrestle with sexual addictions. Alexandra Katehakis and Caroline Frost educate us on what it looks like and how to effectively treat the addiction in this population.
Dr. Stuart Finkelstein and Dr. Carol Workman bring to light another unrecognized and under-served population: seniors and prescription medications. This informational article describes how addictions can begin and how they are often unwittingly maintained by the seniors’ own doctors.
Dr. Kevin Fleming is curious about what predisposes the brain to addiction in the first place and delves in deeper in his article, “What’s Really the Addiction?” Finally, Maureen Felker goes into detail about the necessity and effectiveness of interventions with eating disorders as a truly life-saving step.
We hope you enjoy our holiday edition, and delight in Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa with child-like joy and wonder.
Happy Holidays!
