Blog

How Oxycontin Caused an Increase in Heroin Abuse

When Purdue Pharma released a new, abuse-resistant version of Oxycontin in 2010, many thought we had taken a solid step toward reducing the abuse of prescription drugs. As it turns out, they were correct; the new coating on Oxycontin did reduce prescription drug abuse. A study released by the drug manufacturer reported that since the reformulation of the … Read More

Book Review: Love First

Love First is a comprehensive book on intervention. The book extends far beyond a mere outline of the intervention process and provides more than a cursory explanation of addiction. In addition to covering typical issues and problems associated with the intervention process, the authors include a section of tools and resources. Between the detailed explanations, … Read More

Physical vs. Psychological Addiction: What’s the Difference?

“Ecstasy not considered that addictive” ran a headline in the Calgary Herald, an online journal in Canada. This headline may catch people’s attention, but it is very misleading. In fact, one could argue that it’s a flat-out lie. Sure, it is true that ecstasy has a lower potential to cause physical dependency than some other drugs, … Read More

6 Practical New Year Resolutions for a Recovering Addict: Part 1

New year’s resolutions have become something of a joke. So unless you’re part of the 8% who actually succeed in achieving their goals, you’re probably not banking on this holiday tradition to actually make a difference in your life. But recovery is different because recovery is a day-by-day process and not a once-a-year deal. Recovery is … Read More

12 Addiction Stories from 2012

Everybody has a story; life is full of stories. Some stories inspire us, some teach us lessons. Here we have a 12 different people and their stories about addiction and recovery. 1. Dan’s Story A former Duffy’s guest tells of his skepticism upon first arriving at Duffy’s, his desire to give up, and a counsellor’s love … Read More