Codependency is defined as, “excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, typically a partner who requires support to due an illness or addiction.” According to Mental Health America, Codependency is often a learned behavior pattern that is often passed down through generations and can affect spouses, parents, siblings, friends, and other family members. In the past, codependency was mostly likened to partners who cared for someone struggling with alcoholism or addiction. Today, that group remains the largest population of people who are living with codependent patterns, although it can affect people who are not in a chemically dependent relationship. Relationship Addiction What has also been called, “relationship addiction”, people who engage in codependent behaviors are often a part of what some people would call a one-sided relationship. In other words, people gravitate toward relationships that are manipulative, filled with distrust and control and can also be emotionally or physically abusive. These patterns can be learned or picked up through many different characteristics of relationships such as: Having an abusive parent Having an alcoholic or addict parent Being in a relationship with someone who struggles from addiction, a mental disorder or a dysfunctional family system Growing up with a sibling who struggled with addiction or a mental disorder Abandonment trauma Codependency is largely characterized by a person’s inability to form healthy relationships that consist of trust, loving connection, compassion, boundaries, and support. How Family Trauma can Create Codependency Professionals often say that addiction is a family disease, and codependency is similar in that regard. Primarily, people who struggle with codependent behaviors learn them from a parent or from living in...
Getting sober is scary, but do you know what is even scarier? Continuing to live a life fueled by addiction, mental illness, and destruction. If you are in the rooms by your own accord, chances are, you are probably well aware of how bad your addiction has become. If you feel as though you have been forced here against your will, either via your parents, the courts, police, etc., at least try to pick up with you can in the meantime. Either way, being a newcomer in the rooms can be intimidating and uncomfortable. Here we are, facing a potential drug or alcohol addiction, surrounded by a room full of strangers discussing their fears, their joys, and really opening up with each other. For those of us who made it our business to keep other people away from us, this is the last place we ever thought we would end up. However, in order to stay sober, and to actually feel happy, there are some simple tips that can help ease the process and get you back on your feet a lot faster. Go To Meetings Coffee, reading, chatting, helping clean up, and introducing yourself to people. It all comes with the territory. It may not seem important or vital as a newcomer to make it to meetings until you hear someone tell your story at one. That’s when it clicks for many of us. We may try to compare ourselves with others, saying we weren’t as bad or we were worse, until one day it happens. We are sitting in a meeting and someone shares exactly what we need...
Although it is definitely less talked about, and widely considered to be much safer than other forms of painkillers, Tramadol, otherwise known as Ultram, is still very addictive and can be very dangerous. What is Tramadol? Tramadol is an opioid painkiller that is often prescribed to treat moderate pain. It is frequently prescribed for people who have chronic issues with pain, such as lower back, arthritis, and fibromyalgia as it is considered the be less addictive than other opioid painkillers. However, new cases are popping up all over the country of people becoming addicted to their tramadol medication, and even of people using the drug recreationally. Just like with any other opioid painkiller, the effects of Tramadol are intended to subdue pain. The most common side effects of the drug are: Sedation Fatigue Dizziness Nausea Loss of motor control Insomnia Mood swings Memory and concentration issues While most other opioid medications are listed on the DEA’s Controlled Substance list as Schedule II substances, Tramadol makes the list as a schedule IV drug, as it has been deemed to be less addictive. Tramadol Addiction Since it is an opioid medication and does create a tolerance effect in users, prescribed or recreational, Tramadol can be extremely addictive. The difficulty here is that many people who get the drug prescribed to them assume it must be safe. However, over time, and with prolonged use of the medication, either used as prescribed or in excess, will cause the user to develop a tolerance to the drug, therein requiring a larger dose each time in order to receive the desired effect. Users will also experience...
Although Colorado is primarily known as a “marijuana” state, recent records show that alarming rates of Meth use have been occurring over the state, bumping the overdose death toll past 1,000 lives between 2016 and 2017. According to the Denver Post, the number of overdose deaths surpassed the traffic death toll by the hundreds and is quickly becoming the fastest growing drug for fatalities in the state, right after heroin and opioids prescriptions. Why Meth? Since the mid-nineties, the media and the DEA have been very adamant about the dangers of meth use, and most of us have seen the horrifying before and after pictures that show the physical damage of methamphetamines. But if it is so dangerous, why is it that people continue to flock towards it? According to NPR, “Meth is particularly insidious because it’s cheap, readily available, and “very common. Everyone does it.” Most people who abuse or become addicted to methamphetamine are primarily not trying out that drug first. It is usually a gradual slip starting from recreationally using other drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, or prescription medications. After a while, when the person becomes addicted and starts to lose money, they look for cheaper alternatives that can still provide that intense high they are looking for. The Meth Death Toll According to Denver Recovery Group counselor, Melissa McConnell, who performed an assessment of the drug overdose numbers released by Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment, “Meth was found in the systems of 280 Coloradans who died of overdoses in 2017… more than five times that recorded in 2012.” One of the most dangerous aspects...
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