What Is Moderation? Do you have some concerns about your drinking but aren’t willing to give up alcohol completely? Have you thought about moderating your drinking? What does this mean exactly? It might be easier to start by defining heavy drinking. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines heavy drinking as: ForContinue reading Drinking in Moderation: A Harm-Reduction Approach
Legal Drinking
Do Lawyers Drink More than Other Professionals? Over the course of 15 years of working with individuals who struggle with alcohol use disorders, I’ve heard plenty of stories of attorneys entertaining clients for hours on end, of bottles of hard liquor tucked away into desk drawers at the firm, and work cultures that normalize excessiveContinue reading Legal Drinking
What I Learned from Nearly Two Years of Alcohol Abstinence
It’s been a long time since I had a drink. A really long time. The last time I drank was December, 2016. I didn’t intend to stop after this glass of wine, consumed at a dinner party alongside home-cooked Indian food. But then I noticed that a couple of months went by without my havingContinue reading What I Learned from Nearly Two Years of Alcohol Abstinence
Tips for Managing Anxiety and Maintaining Sobriety During Holiday Family Functions
Guest blog by Jennifer Scott Some people feel dread when it comes to celebrating the end-of-year holidays. Their dread often centers on having to spend the holidays with difficult family members, who somehow always manage to bring negativity to holiday events, creating the opposite of joy and cheer. What happens when family gatherings also tendContinue reading Tips for Managing Anxiety and Maintaining Sobriety During Holiday Family Functions
Avoiding Reality via Alcohol/Drug Misuse
One of the frequent goals of alcohol or drug misuse – which can eventually lead to addiction – is the avoidance of reality. Let’s face it – reality is tough. Whether it’s difficult emotions or circumstances, family members or situations, we often struggle to hang in there, and distraction and avoidance are common coping techniques.Continue reading Avoiding Reality via Alcohol/Drug Misuse