The Addiction & Recovery Resource Blog

Celebrating Your Sobriety Birthday

• Mandy Sandhu
• 2 Oct 2020

The road to sobriety is not an easy one. It’s full of ups and downs, challenges you never thought you’d overcome, and plenty of new experiences. Everyone has gone through their own struggles while healing and each hurdle you overcome is a milestone representing personal growth. These moments should be celebrated, including your sobriety birthday. People around the world celebrate...

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Private Addiction Treatment Centres vs. Government Funded: Which is Better?

• Mandy Sandhu
• 16 Sep 2020

As mounting research continues to shed light on the complexity of substance use disorders, society has outgrown the notion that it’s a mere habit one needs to walk away from with sheer willpower. Instead, there is now a growing awareness that addiction is a chronic brain disease that’s plaguing millions of people worldwide. Now, more than ever, the critical importance...

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How Poor Public Funding Affects Substance Abuse Treatment Centres

• Mandy Sandhu
• 9 Sep 2020

Many countries around the globe are dealing with addiction at colossal levels - around 11.8 million people die from substance use every year. In the United States, nearly 21 million Americans struggle with at least one addiction and require access to substance abuse treatment centres, but only 10% receive proper treatment. The same is true for Canada; studies suggest at...

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The Importance of Emotional Recovery When Overcoming Addiction

• Mandy Sandhu
• 27 Aug 2020

Emotional recovery plays a pivotal part in the complete healing process from addiction. It helps unpack painful emotional trauma that may have led to substance abuse and provides continuous support to make sure it doesn't hold any power over them anymore as they transition into a new life of sobriety. Without it, relapse will always be a possibility. The emotional...

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Is Addiction a Mental Illness?

• Mandy Sandhu
• 20 Aug 2020

Addiction and mental illness share many intersecting aspects that almost blur the lines between the two conditions. For many struggling to overcome their addiction, they see substance use disorder as a mental illness that needs to be treated. Is this line of thinking correct? Continue reading to find out. Addiction by Definition The definition of addiction is “the fact or...

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The Difference Between Dual Diagnosis & Co-occurring Disorders

• Mandy Sandhu
• 13 Aug 2020

Mental health and addiction are closely linked with overlapping contributing factors. Studies suggest that people with mental illness are twice as likely to have a substance use disorder than the general population.  In this article, we’ll talk about dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders, which are terms commonly used to describe these conditions and their role in a person’s addiction recovery....

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Dangers of Misdiagnosing Mental Illness While Abusing Drugs

• Mandy Sandhu
• 6 Aug 2020

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada, with 1 in 2 Canadians having (or have had) some form of mental illness by the time they reach their 40s. Unfortunately, mental illness misdiagnoses are also disturbingly common, hindering people struggling with clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and other types of psychiatric problems from achieving healing and wellness.  In this...

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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

• Mandy Sandhu
• 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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