About alcoholism disease and treatments
Larry Hagman became a television icon as J.R. Ewing on Dallas and Major Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie. Behind his successful career, however, Hagman experienced years of heavy alcohol use that eventually contributed to serious liver disease. He was diagnosed with cirrhosis in 1992 and later developed a malignant liver tumor. In August … Read more
Patrick Swayze was known around the world for movies such as Dirty Dancing and Ghost, but behind his successful career were personal struggles that included problematic alcohol use and, later, a devastating diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. His experience provides an opportunity to discuss addiction, cancer risk, coping with serious illness, and the importance of family … Read more
“Why can’t you just stop?” is a question many people struggling with addiction hear, yet it overlooks the challenges involved in changing compulsive behaviors. To someone on the outside, quitting alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, or another addictive behavior may seem like a matter of making a firm decision and sticking to it. When negative consequences … Read more
Infidelity can cause profound emotional pain, leaving individuals questioning the trust, intimacy, and security they once felt in their relationship. Physical infidelity involves sexual or intimate contact with someone outside the agreed-upon boundaries of a committed partnership, while emotional infidelity occurs when a person develops a secretive or deeply intimate emotional connection with someone else. … Read more
When someone is trying to overcome addiction or change an unhealthy behavior, the advice often sounds simple: “You just need more willpower.” But recovery is rarely that simple. Substance use disorders involve changes in motivation, reward, stress responses, habits, and decision-making. Expecting willpower alone to overcome these influences can leave people feeling ashamed when they … Read more
Late-night binge drinking can look spontaneous from the outside: someone finishes a stressful day, pours a drink to relax, and suddenly several drinks have disappeared. But excessive drinking rarely occurs in isolation. Stress, loneliness, poor sleep, emotional distress, environmental cues, social habits, and easy access to alcohol can combine to create a powerful pattern. Understanding … Read more
Jon Hamm is widely known for his award-winning portrayal of Don Draper on Mad Men, but behind his professional success, he has also publicly acknowledged a struggle with alcohol addiction. In 2015, Hamm’s representative confirmed that he had completed treatment for alcohol addiction. Hamm later spoke positively about treatment and therapy, describing the value of … Read more
Love should provide safety, respect, trust, and the freedom to be yourself. Yet some people remain deeply emotionally attached to partners who repeatedly hurt, manipulate, intimidate, or control them. From the outside, friends and family may wonder, “Why don’t they just leave?” The answer can be complicated. An abusive relationship can contain periods of affection, … Read more
When we hear an inspiring addiction recovery story, it can sound as though one dramatic moment changed everything. Someone entered rehab, stopped using substances, rebuilt relationships, and created an entirely different life. But successful recovery stories are rarely that simple. There is no single secret medication, therapy, treatment center, or motivational speech that guarantees lasting … Read more
Have you ever walked away from a painful relationship, determined to make better choices, only to find yourself attracted to someone who reminds you of your previous partner? Although the person may be different, the relationship follows a familiar cycle of intense attraction, overlooked warning signs, emotional ups and downs, disappointment, conflict, and heartbreak. Repeatedly … Read more