Author name: Stephanie Ballard PhD, LPCC, CADC

As a family member or friend who knows someone struggling with addiction, we may not quite understand the entirety of what they’re going through. As an outsider, we need to make sure we have a good grasp on how addiction is stronger than we may think. Anyone who has NEVER smoked a cigarette before will

The co-occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Alcohol Use Disorder is relatively common.  PTSD is a mental health disorder that can occur after experiencing a major traumatic event. Such events can include physical violence, sexual assault, combat, natural disasters, accidents, or death. In many cases, individuals experience such trauma directly. Some others, however, only

If you try to quit drugs or alcohol on your own, you are putting yourself at risk for serious health complications. When you stop using drugs or alcohol, you can go through intense withdrawal symptoms, depending on the type of drug used, duration of use, and the severity of addiction.