Celebrity deaths due to Addiction: Part One
This 3-part series examines celebrity deaths due to addiction over the past decade. This is Part 1: Celebrities are just like us. They might have bigger houses, better wardrobes and nicer toys; but, ultimately, they are human beings. They have feelings. They have pain. They have bad days. They have inner demons. They have addictions. […]
Recap of Shades of Hope on ‘The Dr. Oz Show”
Shades of Hope was featured on two episodes of the Emmy-nominated “The Dr. Oz Show”. Both episodes featured Sandi, a single mother of two, who battled food addiction for 20 years. Sandi remained addicted to food despite seeing multiple doctors and therapists for her issues. Sandi used food as medication and routinely binged in private. […]
Shades of Hope featured on A&E’s ‘Intervention’
Shades of Hope was featured on an episode of the Emmy award-winning show “Intervention” on A&E. “Intervention” is a television series that profiles people with addictions or other destructive behaviors that have led them to a point of crisis. Each episode ends with a surprise intervention held with friends and family led by an intervention […]
Marijuana Abuse and Addiction
According to the National Institutes of Health, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Marijuana is generally depicted as harmless in popular movies and television shows. Movies like “Harold and Kumar” and the Showtime series “Weeds” along with HBO’s series “Sex and the City” trivialize marijuana use. Marijuana is far […]
Food Addiction: A growing concern
A surprising new type of abuse has recently gained quite a bit of media attention – food addiction. Food addiction has been featured as a topic on various television shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN’s Larry King Live, The Dr. Oz Show, Intervention and Ruby. Tennis Champion Monica Seles wrote about her struggles with […]
Relapse prevention during the Holidays
The holidays are a dangerous time for relapse amongst addicts. This time period is supposed to be about joy and celebration but often turns into a stressful time filled with anxiety, tension and sadness. The period from Thanksgiving through New Year’s is overwhelming for everyone. It can be especially difficult for those with addictions and […]
Alcohol Addiction: Signs of alcoholism
For most people, drinking alcohol is a pleasant social activity. However, approximately 1 out of every 13 people in the United States abuse alcohol, have alcohol dependency issues or are alcoholics. Alcohol abuse can lead to alcoholism or alcohol dependency. Alcohol abuse includes drinking too much at one time or continuing to binge drink regularly. […]
Prescription Painkiller Abuse: A growing epidemic
Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical treatment. Prescription painkiller abuse is a serious problem and a growing epidemic in the United States. Prescription painkiller addiction often begins benignly. For some people, use escalates slowly. They start with the amount of medication that is prescribed to them. After extended use, the […]
Internet Addiction: Does the web have you trapped?
The Internet is a fascinating paradox – the world wide web connects the world and isolates people simultaneously. Someone in the USA can chat online with a stranger in Australia while never getting past a nod to their next door neighbors. Many people spend hours staring into their computer screens without even contemplating moving for […]
Shopaholics quiz: Do you have a shopping addiction?
Oniomania sounds like an obsession with onions, but it is actually the uncontrollable desire to buy things. Many Americans are afflicted with an addiction to shopping and/or compulsive overspending. Those with this addiction, sometimes referred to as shopaholics, experience the highs and lows of other addicts such as drug addicts or alcoholics. Compulsive shopping can […]