“We all know right from wrong. Yeah, maybe alcohol inhibits a person. But at the end of the evening, the little monster of shame, regret, or guilt is gonna be in your head saying ‘You really messed up, that was wrong.’” Alcohol and drugs are inextricably linked to a large part of rape culture. And… Continue reading Alcohol, Drugs, and Rape
Tag: PTSD
When My “Give a F**k” Broke
I stood on the edge of this abyss and began my free fall to find healthy. I had nothing left to lose. “I am fine,” was my go to response for years. When anyone would ask, I would answer with that canned response, and if the typical follow up question was “Really?”, I was prepared.… Continue reading When My “Give a F**k” Broke
PTSD Service Dogs Are Saving Lives
“If I could pin a medal on Aura, I would,” Evans asserts. “I feel safe in my own world since I’ve had Aura. She’s life saving.” United States Army Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans’ life changed forever in 2006. This was her ninth combat tour since joining the Army in 1979. It was early spring,… Continue reading PTSD Service Dogs Are Saving Lives
Vets Turn To Medical Pot, Despite The VA's Policy
The VA remains focused on studying the drug’s “problems of use” instead of its “therapeutic potential.” Once a month, the veterans’ hall in Santa Cruz, California, is home to an unlikely meeting, where dozens of former service members line up to receive a voucher for free cannabis products from local distributors. “I never touched the… Continue reading Vets Turn To Medical Pot, Despite The VA's Policy
The Importance of Women’s Recovery Spaces
Women’s meetings gave me the space to talk about the unspeakable, allowing me to move closer to becoming free from the fear that has kept me shackled.[Content Note: Discussions of IPV] I started my sobriety journey in a foreign city where there was one English speaking 12-step meeting daily, and a relatively small number of… Continue reading The Importance of Women’s Recovery Spaces
"I: The Series" Exposes the Underside of Trauma and Healing
We Q&A with filmmaker Mary Beth Eversole on trauma, the inspirations for her new series, and the challenges of making an indie film. Mary Beth Eversole is the creator and executive producer of I: The Series, in pre-production. The short film series explores the damage of trauma—from ordinary events to major catastrophes—and its impact on… Continue reading "I: The Series" Exposes the Underside of Trauma and Healing
Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide
In addiction treatment circles, conventional wisdom suggests we have to let people hit rock bottom before we can help them. But what happens if rock bottom is dying from suicide? Historical records as far back as ancient Athens have the underpinnings of the stigmatization of suicide. In 360 BCE, Plato wrote that those who died… Continue reading Shame, Alcoholism, Stigma, and Suicide
Ariana Grande Opens Up About PTSD, Anxiety
The pop singer describes how the suicide bombing that occurred at her Manchester concert in May 2017 affected her. In May 2017, Ariana Grande had just finished performing at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England when a suicide bomb attack occurred in the foyer of the arena, taking the lives of 22 people and injuring… Continue reading Ariana Grande Opens Up About PTSD, Anxiety