The use and effects of Marijuana have changed many times, often drastically between generations. This post provides visual information and a term dictionary to provide information about THC Substances for parents. It is highly probable that at some point a family member will encounter, or even considering using one of these substances. Smoking a joint still conjures images of Woodstock and hippie summers in our mind. However, consumption of marijuana has changed. Smoking weed is no longer the most popular method.  This does not weigh in on the...

What is Kratom? Kratom, also known as Mitragyna Speciosa, is a tropical tree that is native to Southeast Asia. The leaves of the kratom tree contain compounds known as alkaloids, which have psychoactive properties. These alkaloids, such as mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, interact with the body's opioid receptors. This results in effects similar to those of opioids, such as pain relief and a sense of well-being. Kratom has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to alleviate pain and improve mood. In recent years, it has gained popularity as...

During the course if a stay at a treatment center, the emotions of the AP will change. Sometimes you will notice great resolve from your AP to commit to change and other times it will feel like they can’t see the forest through the trees. They don’t see the entirety of their addiction and the pain that it caused.  One of the most important elements of rehab is sober time, the more time someone has the better their chances of staying sober for the long term.  When your...

I often hear, "I went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and it didn’t work." Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not a single meeting, it’s a program. Almost daily, I get a version of “AA doesn’t work for me” or “I went to a meeting and didn’t like it." I have gone to thousands of meetings since I got sober in 2006, people are often surprised that I still go to meetings.  “Why do you still Have to go?” they ask. I continue to goto meetings because it works, that's...

Understand Addiction Before we have a successful intervention, we need to empathize with our loved one over what they are going through. We do this by gaining a basic understanding of addiction. When we enter an intervention with sympathy and understanding, the person of concern will see us as an ally rather than an enemy.  To spot the growth of an addiction look for aspects of a person's life that have been lacking attention. An AP will put on a front, especially when they have a productive work...

Rachael’s father called me in the middle of a crisis. His ex wife and daughter were both heavily drinking. Their situation could have easily escalated into an intervention that required a formal confrontation (Level III). However, I was able to intervene in time with Rachael’s father, complete the prep work (Level I) and hold a soft confrontation (Level II). The following is a conversation I  shared with Rachael six months after her family’s intervention. When your dad called me, he knew that you and your mother (his ex wife)...