The Importance of Sober Spaces for Queer Folks

• Mandy Sandhu
• 31 Jul 2020

There is no denying that gay bars and nightclubs have played a pivotal role in LGBTQ+ history and the emergence of the Pride culture. For many years, it's been the only accessible and safe space for Queer people to be themselves without fearing discrimination or violence.  Hence, LGBTQ+ individuals in recovery from substance abuse or drug addiction struggle to express...

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A Brief History of Addiction in the Queer Community

• Kate Pindera
• 24 Jul 2020

Data from various national surveys conducted worldwide consistently show that people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) face significant risks of substance addiction. But why is this the case? When did this all start? To shed light on this topic, let’s delve deeper into the history of addiction in the queer community.  The Role of Gay...

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The Dangers of Alcohol & Drug Abuse in Gay Nightlife Culture

• Mandy Sandhu
• 17 Jul 2020

Despite the LGBTQ+ community's relentless efforts towards spreading awareness on sexual and gender diversity and pushing for equality, oppression, and discrimination against them as a sexual minority still exist. Based on studies, these struggles remain to be the biggest contributing factors to the alarmingly high rates of alcohol abuse and drug addiction among individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,...

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The Connection Between Mental Illness and Addiction

• Anthony Sarra
• 10 Jul 2020

Like in every part of the world, mental illness and addiction is a looming health crisis in our country.  A Canadian health survey in 2012 revealed that approximately 2.8 million Canadians or 10.1% of the population reported symptoms consistent with at least one of six mental or substance use disorders. These numbers continue to soar each day, with 1 in...

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Getting to the Root Cause of Addiction vs. Just Detoxing

• Anthony Sarra
• 3 Jul 2020

Drug detox can pave the way towards the start of a potentially promising drug addiction treatment, but it cannot cure addiction on its own. When done appropriately with the guidance of a medical professional, it can be instrumental in helping anyone struggling with substance abuse take the first step to break free from their dependence.  But drug detox is not...

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Why Queer Folks Are at Higher Risk for Substance Addiction

• Mandy Sandhu
• 21 Jun 2020

Substance addiction treatment is a critical topic in the Queer community. For years, several studies have found that people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ+) have a significantly higher risk of substance abuse than heterosexuals. In this blog, we'll break down the factors that frequently contribute to these high-risk cases of addiction and how it highlights...

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How to Celebrate Pride Month If You’re Sober

• Mandy Sandhu
• 16 Jun 2020

June marks the celebration of Pride Month. It’s a fun and festive occasion for the LGBTQ+ community to honour how far they’ve come in terms of fighting for equality and celebrate #LoveIsLove. However, if you are struggling with sobriety, Pride Month can also be a cause of anxiety, frustration, and isolation because of the risk of getting compromised in the...

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Why Family Therapy Is an Important Part of Addiction Recovery

• Kate Pindera
• 15 Jun 2020

The wounds of addiction can cut deep, hurting not only the person who is struggling with the disease but their loved ones as well. It has the potential to foster an unhappy and hostile environment for everyone in the family, which can continue into and beyond recovery unless it is appropriately addressed. Here at Freedom from Addiction, we believe that...

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Mental Health Effects of Social Distancing and Isolation

• Anthony Sarra
• 11 Jun 2020

COVID-19 has forced doors shut and has put billions of people worldwide in strict social isolation involuntarily. Humans are social creatures by nature, and social isolation has made the struggle to cope with such a stressful situation ten-folds more difficult. It entailed getting physically cut off from your network of family, friends, colleagues, or basically anyone who could have been...

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Things to Do at Home While Self-Isolating

• Kate Pindera
• 6 Jun 2020

The global pandemic has forced countless people around the world to stay indoors out of fear of contracting the life-threatening COVID-19. It’s normal that confinement of self-isolation might feel constricting and frustrating to some people. However, if you’re finding yourself using recreational drugs or alcohol more often than ever before, or tempted by boredom and your substance use disorder to...

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