Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Did you know that addiction literally changes your brain? Abusing addictive substances physically alters the structure of your mind, leading to a destructive spiral. Does this sound familiar to you?

Photo credit: Connie Ma

Today we're speaking with author and activist Christopher Kennedy Lawford. He has spent twenty years in the film and TV industries as an actor, lawyer, executive, and producer. He's the author of three New York Times best selling books, Symptoms Of Withdrawal, Moments Of Clarity, and Recover To Live.

In November 2016, the Surgeon General made history by releasing an in-depth report on addiction in the United States. 

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy compares this report to the milestone Surgeon General report on the dangers of smoking, which was published in 1964.

The new report states that over 20 million Americans are addicted to drugs, but only about 10% are receiving any sort of addiction treatment. Get the full summary here.

Are there specific issues for women struggling with addiction?

The roots for women suffering from addiction are often emotional and/or related to trauma.

Lisa Erickson is a mindfulness and meditation expert and has devoted a lot of her career exploring this and how it specifically impacts women.

If the title of this post gave you pause, you’re not alone. The idea that there is a positive purpose to any part of your addiction likely flies in the face of what you’ve been taught about recovery.

You’ve probably heard a lot of shaming messages about your addiction, so the idea that there may be something positive may feel strangely subversive. But we invite you to consider the possibility...  

Residential addiction treatment can be boiled down to a single item – breaking the addictive cycle. Whether it's addiction to alcohol, opiates, gambling, food, or other substances, getting a person to stop a habitual destructive pattern has challenged addiction treatment professionals for decades.