Pride Month Special: Alcoholism in the LGBTQ+ Community

When you think of the LGBTQ+ community, what's the first image that comes to mind? Was it an image or a Pride parade or a nightclub? Since we've been a visible community, we've been associated with drugs and alcohol. The namesake of the Stonewall riots, which launched the modern gay rights movement, is a bar in the Greenwich neighborhood of Manhattan. We are associated with the nightlife, and many of us also have a problem with substances. It's a topic that's not often discussed but needs to be brought into the open.Statistics on the LGBTQ Community and AlcoholAlthough society is far more accepting of gays and lesbians than during the preceding decades, it's not that way for everyone. People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning often face social stigma, discrimination, harassment and violence not encountered by people who identify as heterosexual. There's also still shame and guilt associated with sexual orientation. Drugs and alcohol provide an easy way to cope with—and forget about— the negative feelings some have about who they are. As a result, LGBTQ people are at increased risk for various behavioral health issues, including substance use disorder (SUD).Data from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) suggests people who identify as gay or lesbian are twice as likely as heterosexuals to suffer from alcohol addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents are 90 percent more likely to use alcohol and drugs than their heterosexual counterparts. The NSDUH also found that LGBTQ adults are more likely to engage in casual, binge and heavy alcohol use than their heterosexual counterparts.In addition to LGBTQ adults, youth community members are also at a significantly higher risk than their straight peers. Almost forty-five percent of LGBTQ individuals between the ages of 18 and 28 reported binge drinking at least once in the past month. Another 10.2 percent engage in heavy alcohol use, defined as binge drinking at least five times in the past month.Although alcohol addiction in the LGBTQ community has gained more awareness in recent years, it's still greatly under-treated.Mental Health and the LGBTQ communityLooking at the data on mental health among LGBTQ-identified people in the U.S., the raw numbers are just staggering.According to a 2020 study by The Trevor Project, 40 percent of LGBTQ youths considered suicide in the last year, and the number jumps to more than 50 percent for trans and nonbinary young people. According to SAGE, the largest and oldest nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of older LGBTQ adults, 53 percent of older adult LGBTQ people feel isolated and are twice as likely to live alone.The COVID-19 pandemic poured gasoline on an already raging fire. Diseases of despair were at already-high levels in terms of addiction, depression, trauma, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness, but the pandemic only heightened preexisting mental health challenges.My colleague and AspenRidge Recovery's Executive Clinical Director Dianna Sandoval spoke with NBC News earlier this year to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the LGBTQ community."We're already seeing higher levels of mental health challenges in the LGBT community being compounded with isolation," Sandoval said. "Because it's so difficult for folks to connect even to the small communities they've built for themselves, due to social distancing, there's an even greater distance between people in the LGBT community. Some people just don't feel that same sense of connection over Zoom."Now, as vaccination rates climb and businesses reopen at full capacity, there's reason to hope the stresses may be reduced. Still, the fact remains that addiction and mental health are underdiagnosed and treated.And let's be honest—alcohol and drugs can be fun. Night Circuit parties (think raves) are also nothing but dancing, drinks and drugs. Alcohol is an ingrained part of the gay community as well as the larger American culture. It's well known that some people use alcohol and drugs as an escape from reality. When your existence consists of disapproving parents or societal shaming, an escape seems deserved and warranted. But using substances as coping mechanisms is never healthy and can lead down the path to addiction.If you or someone you know struggles with substance abuse, call AspenRidge Recovery at 855.281.5588 today or visit AspenRidgeRecovery.com. One of our client advocates will help you find the best treatment option for your situation, even if it isn't with us. We're experienced in treating members of the LGBTQ community and accept most insurance. We also have virtual outpatient programs accessible in multiple states. To learn more, visit ReachOnlineRecovery.com

About Natalie: A Daughter's Addiction, A Mother's Love

The phone rings. I check the caller ID and realize it is rehab. Natalie has been there for three weeks. My heart skips a beat. I answer.“Mommy?” It is Natalie’s voice. She sounds like she is ten years old. She sounds eager but not desperate, and because of the number, I at least know where she is. In the milliseconds in between the time when I first hear her voice and I greet her back, my mind races with a thousand horrible scenarios that explain this phone call. She is usually permitted to call only at six o’clock on Tuesday and Thursday. It is a Monday afternoon.“What’s wrong, baby?” I ask, wondering if this is a poor choice of words. I have been told, by my children, that it is slightly insulting that this is always my first question, that I assume something must be wrong.“Nothing,” she tells me. This is always how my kids first respond to my initial question whether this is fact or not.“It’s good to hear your voice,” I tell her.“Thanks,” she chirps. “Mommy (I love when she calls me this; she sounds youthful and sweet), I don’t have a lot of time. I’m in my therapy. But I wanted you to do me a favor.”I realize then that the counselor is listening in on the line as well. No worries. I really don’t mind. “Anything,” I tell her and visualize the therapist jotting down the words “supportive mother” on Natalie’s chart and adding a few points to my score.“Could you go up into my room?”“Sure,” I tell her and move from the kitchen toward her bedroom. To fill the time while I am hurrying up the stairs, I ask, “How are you?” even though I’m not sure if small talk is encouraged or permitted during such an obviously purposeful call.“Good,” she tells me, her voice sounding a little weak and thin.“I’m proud of you!” I tell her (more points), a little out of breath. I am out of shape and shouldn’t be. It is only a few steps.“I’m in your room. What do you need?” I cleaned the room from top to bottom while Natalie was gone and had tried to make it warm and welcoming, adding some “mom” touches: a new heart-shaped pillow, a new bulb for the lava lamp, and a “welcome back” sticky note on the mirror. I am pleased with how it looks.“There’s shit in my room,” Natalie tells me through the phone. “Censor yourself; language,” I hear the therapist instruct.“There’s stuff in my room,” Natalie amends. “And I need you to get it out so that it’s not there when I get home.”“Oh, okay,” I say, wanting to cooperate but thinking this is unnecessary.Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, I had found plenty of “stuff ” in Natalie’s room. Some in plain sight, other stuff hidden. I found and stepped on syringes on the floor. There were pills strewn all over the bottom of the closet and empty stamp bags, spoons, and lighters everywhere—out in the open as well as hidden behind her bed and in her pillowcase. And then there were more of all of the above secretly stashed in purses, backpacks, books, pillows, stuffed animals, and jewelry boxes.“I’ve cleaned pretty well in here, honey,” I tell her. “And I did find some things (an understatement). So, we might be okay.”“We’re not, and you didn’t find it all,” she tells me flatly. “Okay,” I agree, noting that now she sounds older and worn.“I need you to go to the air vent,” she tells me. “Crouch down and pull the metal part off.”“Daddy…” I am about to tell her that Peter and I had checked in there, but I let my voice trail off and don’t finish. Peter had seen on a movie or read somewhere that this was a common place for addicts to hide drugs so we, being “on it” parents, had already looked there. But we hadn’t found anything.Natalie tells me to stretch my arm deeper into the vent, “around the corner and reach,” and I pull out a bag full of syringes and pills.Next, she instructs me to take off Miss Lizzy’s head. Nooo! Not Miss Lizzy! I whine in my head, devastated that Miss Lizzy is involved in all this horribleness. She has always been so innocent. Enough pills to medicate an elephant fall from Miss Lizzy’s pretty blond, smiling head.I need to run back down to the kitchen to retrieve a screwdriver to take off the light switch cover in order to get the stamp bags of heroin out of the crevasses between the wires.“I am proud of you, honey,” I say when Natalie tells me this is all of it.“Natalie, are you sure that’s all of it?” the therapist asks, breaking into the conversation.“It is,” Natalie tells her. The way she says it, I believe her.The therapist announces that the allotted time for this phone call is up. We exchange quick “I love yous,” and the line goes dead.I am sure I have done a poor job of hiding my devastation and the fact that I have aged ten years since we began this phone call ten minutes earlier. I visualize the therapist deducting all of my previously given bonus points and marking “exhausted” and “running out of steam” in the chart. I’m not sure I care anymore. Not at the moment anyway. I think I couldn’t love Natalie more. Which is true and will always continue to be. But I am tired. Exhausted, actually, so I lie down on the bed to rest.Miss Lizzy is in my arms; she and I go way back. I lie there for a few moments, wondering how in the world we ended up in this horrible, godforsaken place. I realize that no matter how long I lie there, I am not going to get any less tired, so I begin to get up.But just before I do, still on my back, I catch a glimpse of something above me in the overhead light fixture. I squint to see what it is but cannot tell for sure. I get up and pull the desk chair to the middle of the room beneath the light. I carefully unscrew the center anchor screw and pull down the glass shield covering the bulbs. When I do, a flurry of stamp packets fall on top of my head.This excerpt is from Christine Pisera Naman’s new book, About Natalie: A Daughter's Addiction. A Mother's Love. Finding Their Way Back to Each Other. Reprinted with permission from Health Communications, Inc. Available at Amazon and elsewhere.

Substance Use, Addiction, and Recovery in the LGBTQ Community

There are many dates that stick right in the mind, for one reason or another. For the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S., and, indeed, across the world, one of those dates would certainly be the anniversary of the “Stonewall Uprising,” a New York City riot resulting from the truncheon-happy local police raiding one of the city’s gay bars, way back on June 28th, 1969 - and the origin of the Pride movement.This historic date is the reason we celebrate Pride Month every year during the month of June.Matthew Shepard (December 1st, 1976 - October 12th, 1998)There’s another date, too - October, 12th, 1998 - a tragic, yet pivotal date, which involved the violent gay-hate murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming student, by other young college students, which led to a national backlash over how the LGBTQ+ community were being treated at that time, and even legislated for.It is still regarded as one of the U.S.’s most famous gay-hate murders.In fact, it was only after lengthy, cross-party wrangling in the U.S. congress over 10 years later that President Obama was finally able to sign the Matthew Shepard Act (2009), a law which defined certain attacks motivated by victim identity as hate crimes.No such law existed prior to this Act. The men who dealt out the horrific beating (and it was horrific - Matthew was tied to a fence-post, and pistol-whipped so hard it crushed his brain stem) that led to the young gay man’s death were convicted of first-degree murder, and rightly each given a life sentence.However, they were not charged with a hate crime, as, in 1998 Wyoming, no such law actually existed, regardless of how obvious the link had been in countless, previous gay-hate murders.Fortunately, some things have changed. However, sadly, some other things have remained exactly the same.Did you know that young gay and transgender individuals, despite tremendous progress in the past couple of decades, are still twice as likely to suffer with a mental health disorder or a drug addiction or both as their heterosexual peers?In this article, we’ll look at why the LGBTQ+ community is at an increased risk of both mental health and substance use issues, the U.S. statistics that support this, the important questions you need to ask when finding professional and affirming treatment for your LGBTQ+ child, and what resources are available to support them in their recovery from substance addiction.It’s 2021, but in many ways, society still has a lot of work to do to make itself as inclusive as it purports to be.The LGBTQ+ Community and Increased Substance Abuse RiskAs the LGBTQ+ community and its allies celebrate Pride Month 2021, this year with a mix of in-person and virtual events to avidly raise awareness about the issues of being LGBTQ+ in today’s America and beyond, the fact remains that those who identify in this way have always been far more at risk of a mental health disorder, a substance use disorder (SUD), or a combination of both, known as “co-occurring disorder” or “dual diagnosis,” and, even now in 2021, they continue to be.In this respect, nothing’s changed.Using data from the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an October 2016 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was actually the first to identify the extent of substance abuse and addiction among LGBTQ+ people.The latest SAMHSA: LGBTQ+ report, published in 2020 and based on data from the 2019 NSDUH survey, has similar findings, namely:Adults who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) have higher rates of substance use and mental health illness than heterosexual adultsSerious mental illness among the LGB population - ages 18-25 and 26-49 - has significantly increased compared to 2016Major depressive episodes with severe impairment among all LGB men and women, aged 18-25, has significantly increased compared to previous yearsSubstance use disorder (SUD) significantly increased the probability of suicide among those within the LGB population aged 18 and olderThe transgender community experienced an even higher risk of substance use than the rest of LGBTQ+ community“One of the biggest things I struggle with… is accepting myself, honestly. This society does not cater to me or to people like me, so I’m always in a constant battle of validating my own identity while having society tell me to throw it away.”- Alora Lemalu, LGBTQ+ activist and artist, from Springfield, MissouriWhy Is the Substance Use Risk in the LGBTQ+ Community Significantly Higher?The primary reason for this increased risk is “Minority Stress Theory.” This states that, as one of society’s minorities, there are intrinsic yet inescapable elements simply by being the member of a minority, such as greater discrimination and more stigma.“When you are a person who is under chronic stress, that chronic stress results in negative health outcomes. The mind and body may react in multiple ways, and substance abuse is one of those ways.”- Jeremy Goldbach, PhD, LMSW, professor, School of Social Work, University of Southern CaliforniaAdditionally, LGBTQ+ youth face fundamental and unique issues, such as:HomophobiaHarassment (both physical and mental, in-person and online)Lack of family supportFamily ejectionHomelessnessMany of these young people, unsurprisingly, will use and abuse substances just like their peers do, in an attempt to deal with this hostility. Furthermore, common meeting places for the LGBT community tend to be bars and clubs - environments where it is far easier to access substances like alcohol and illicit drugs.U.S. LGBTQ+ Community and Mental Health: Facts and StatisticsIn terms of their mental health, for LGBTQ+ people, the story remains the same. For LGBTQ+ youth, the increased risk of mental health disorders mirrors their increased risk of substance use and addiction. Additionally, these young people are more likely to engage in “polydrug use” - mixing substances to magnify the resulting high and other effects.In doing so, these youth are also magnifying their risk of a fatal drug overdose.The most recent survey regarding mental health within the LGBTQ+ community was undertaken by The Trevor Project, with their “2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health.” The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, and the survey they conducted represents the experiences of nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youth (aged 13-24) across the U.S.Following their detailed analysis of the collected data, their expansive report on LGBTQ youth mental health emphasizes the need for greater investment in mental health care and new policy solutions to deal with LGBTQ suicide. The survey’s various findings include:42% of LGBTQ youth, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth, seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year; however, nearly half of these could not access the mental health care they neededAn overwhelming majority of LGBTQ youth also reported recent symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorderMore than 80% of LGBTQ youth stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had made their living situation more stressful70% stated that their mental health was “poor” either “most of the time” or “always” during the pandemicNearly 40% of LGBTQ youth who had a job reported that they lost it during the pandemic30% of LGBTQ youth reported having trouble affording enough food in the past month, including half of all Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth, and more than 1 in 3 Black and Latinx LGBTQ youth75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, and more than half said they experienced this discrimination in the past yearThe survey also discovered the immensely negative impact of LGBTQ youth being forced to undertake controversial “conversion therapy”:Those who were subjected to conversion therapy reported more than twice the rate of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who were not13% of LGBTQ youth reported being subjected to conversion therapy, including 21% of Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth and 14% of Latinx LGBTQ youthTransgender and nonbinary youth reported being subjected to conversion therapy at twice the rate of cisgender LGBQ youth (cisgender is defined as a sense of personal identity and gender that corresponds with an individual’s birth sex)LGBTQ youth who reported being subjected to conversion therapy were, on average, only 15 years old at the time, with 83% reporting that it occurred when they were younger than 18“Conversion therapy” (also known as "reparative therapy" or "gay cure therapy") is an attempt to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. Many U.S. states and other countries, such as Canada, Germany and Mexico, have banned (or are currently in the process of banning) the so-called “therapy,” due to its hugely negative impacts, eg. suicide, depression, and anxiety.“The past year has been incredibly difficult for so many LGBTQ young people because of multiple crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the hostile political climate and repeated acts of racist and transphobic violence… LGBTQ youth face unique mental health challenges and continue to experience disparities in access to affirming care, family rejection, and discrimination.”- Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director, The Trevor ProjectLGBTQ+ Teenage Addiction Treatment: 9 Important QuestionsWhen your child is suffering with a substance use disorder, or a co-occurring disorder, it can make your child and you extremely stressed, and even fearful. The natural temptation would be to grab the first offer of help that comes along. Please, don’t do that. It’s vital you take the time to ask the right kind of questions first.It’s important for you, as their parent or guardian, to understand that not all addiction treatment programs are the same. Unfortunately, LGBTQ patients, and especially transgender patients, have high than average rates of walking out of their treatment, and causes for this can range from a lack of support, therapists who don’t understand, inadequate facilities, disrespectful staff, to unresolved bullying by other patients.So before you sign on the dotted line of the first addiction treatment patient form place in front of you, ensure you ask these important questions of the addiction treatment facility:Do you have any LGBTQ-identified clinicians, counselors, or other support staff?Discussing personal issues and experiences with a counselor can be difficult for most people. However, these discussions are critical in successful addiction recovery. Obviously, a counselor who has experienced similar attitudes and issues will be able to earn the trust of their LGBTQ+ patient far quicker. Be sure to find out if rehab staff are LGBTQ+ themselves, or at least have stated they’re happy to work with members of the community.What LGBTQ certifications / training does your staff have to treat my child’s needs?LGBTQ+-related certifications and training are no guarantee of a perfect program of treatment, but it shows these staff are knowledgeable about identity and gender experience.How will your program make my child feel welcome and included?It’s vital that your child feels welcome, safe and content within an addiction treatment setting. Additionally, it is important that confidentiality is given a high priority, especially with information about sexual orientation or gender identity.Does your program offer specialized groups for LGBTQ people?Research has consistently highlighted that addiction treatment programs with groups specifically for LGBTQ+ patients have far better outcomes and success rates. Effective therapies for LGBTQ+ individuals include motivational interviewing, social support therapy, contingency management, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Ask if these are available as standard within the program.How does the treatment program address trauma, self-harm, depression or other mental health issues?It is well known that many LGBTQ people who enter addiction treatment suffer with a co-occurring disorder, meaning they have also been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. If this type of disorder applies to your child, make sure that any treatment program you are considering offers co-occurring treatment, and will treat both conditions simultaneously.How will you address the special needs my child has due to their identity?Asking questions about the LGBTQ-specific needs of your child is to ensure as best as you can that they have the best possible chance of success in their recovery. Is the vocabulary prospective counselors are using respectful, up-to-date and informed?Furthermore, will hormonal therapy be adequately managed if your trans child is in residential treatment? How does the treatment facility address HIV, STDs, hepatitis and other health issues if they need to? Obviously, stay away from any programs offering “Conversion Therapy.”What has the provider’s experience been with treating LGBTQ people like my child?Treatment providers should be able to tell you about how they have served your child’s population previously. For example, you can ask how the recovery program has helped other LGBTQ patients in the past. Did those patients complete the program? How successful were those programs?What are the bathroom and sleeping arrangements?If your child is transgender, ask if the treatment facility has co-ed bathrooms, showers and sleeping areas. Will they share a room with people who share their gender expression? Asking for a private room and bathroom can be an option, where possible.How familiar is the program with LGBTQ resources in your community for your child’s continuing care plan?On completion of the program, your child may move to a lower level of care. Understanding your child’s needs from this point on is important. Be confident that any “Relapse Prevention Plan” provided by the treatment facility addresses all of your child’s needs from this point onwards.LGBTQ+ Addiction Recovery Support & ResourcesThe LGBTQ community has many addiction recovery support organizations, programs and groups that can access to help your child, other family members and yourself, such as:PFLAGFamily Acceptance ProjectChild Welfare Information GatewayNational Network of LGBTQ Family GroupsNALGAP: National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and Their AlliesAlcoholics Anonymous (special meetings for LGBTQ+ people)

New Intergenerational Trauma Workbook Offers Process Strategies for Healing

In the Intergenerational Trauma Workbook, Dr. Lynne Friedman-Gell, PhD, and Dr. Joanne Barron, PsyD, apply years of practical clinical experience to foster a healing journey. Available on Amazon, this valuable addition to both the self-help and mental health categories is perfect for a post-pandemic world. With so many people uncovering intergenerational trauma while isolated during the extended quarantines, the co-authors offer a direct approach. The book shows how to confront and ultimately integrate past demons from within the shadowy depths of the human psyche.Addressing such a difficult challenge, the Intergenerational Trauma Workbook: Strategies to Support Your Journey of Discovery, Growth, and Healing provides a straightforward and empathetic roadmap that leads to actual healing. Dr. Gell and Dr. Barron explain how unintegrated memories affect a person negatively without the individual being aware of what is happening. Rather than being remembered or recollected, the unintegrated memories become painful symptomology.By following the clearly outlined steps to healing in the workbook, finding freedom from what feels like chronic pain of the mind and the body is possible. Yes, the emotional wounds of childhood often fail to integrate into the adult psyche. Never processed or even addressed, they morph into demons. In response, the workbook is all about processing.Clearly-Defined Chapters about Processing Intergenerational TraumaThe workbook is divided into clearly defined chapters that provide a roadmap to recovery from trauma. In the first chapter, the authors focus on "Understanding Intergenerational Trauma," providing the reader with an orientation to the subject matter while defining key terminology for future lessons. From a multitude of perspectives, they mine the depths of intergenerational trauma. Expressing with a clarity of voice balanced with compassion, they write, "Intergenerational trauma enables a traumatic event to affect not only the person who experiences it but also others to whom the impact is passed down through generations."The chapters carefully outline how the workbook is to be used and the psychological underpinnings behind the exercises. Moreover, they use individual stories to demonstrate the ideas being expressed. Thus, moments of identification are fostered where someone using the workbook can see themselves in the examples being presented. Overall, the organization of the workbook is well-designed to help someone face the difficult challenge of dealing with their legacy of intergenerational traumaIn terms of the chapter organization, the authors make the smart choice to start with the microcosm of the individual and their personal challenges. By beginning with the person's beliefs and emotions using the workbook, these chapters keep the beginning stages of healing contained. Afterward, a chapter on healing the body leads to expanding the process to others and the healing of external relationships. As a tool to promote actual recovery, the Intergenerational Trauma Workbook is successful because it does not rush the process. It allows for a natural flow of healing at whatever pace fits the needs and personal experiences of the person using the workbook.A Strong Addition to Self-Help Shelves in a Time of Trauma AwarenessIn a 2017 interview that I did for The Fix with Dr. Gabor Maté, one of the preeminent addictionologists of our time, he spoke about how the United States suffered from traumaphobia. The rise of the 21st-century divide in our country came about because our social institutions and popular culture avoid discussing trauma. Beyond avoiding, they do everything they can to distract us from the reality of trauma. However, after the pandemic, I don't believe that these old mechanisms will work anymore.Losing their functionality, people will need tools to deal with the intergenerational trauma that has been repressed on both microcosmic and macrocosmic levels for such a long time. The pain from below is rising, and it can no longer be ignored. In need of practical and accessible tools, many people will be relieved first to discover and then use the Intergenerational Trauma Workbook by Dr. Lynne Friedman-Gell and Dr. Joanne Barron. In this resonant work, they will be able to find a way to begin the healing process.

Basic Details About NAD+ Treatment in Addiction Recovery

When a person has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, the substances alter their brain functions. With continued substance use, one of the body’s most essential molecules gets depleted. That molecule is NAD+. Addiction recovery is not impossible, but it can be difficult. With the aid of NAD+ treatment, a relatively new holistic IV infusion that boosts natural amounts of NAD+, recovery is not only more of a possibility, but it promises to make recovery more successful and sustainable.What Is NAD+?NAD+ refers to Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide. Every cell in your body has it. It is a coenzyme of vitamin B-3 or niacin, making it a small molecule that helps activate enzymes by binding to protein molecules. Enzymes are necessary because they handle over 5,000 biochemical reactions within the body. NAD+ is of specific significance because it handles more bodily responses than all other vitamin-derived molecules in our bodies. For a healthy body with neurological systems, internal organs, and a brain performing with excellent efficiency, we need adequate amounts of NAD+.Optimal efficiency of your body is not possible when a person has substance use disorder and misuses drugs. The drugs and alcohol deplete natural levels of NAD+ and make it hard for their bodies to convert the energy they get from digesting food. Some theories even suggest certain people may be more susceptible to developing substance or alcohol use disorder and possible co-occurring disorders if they rarely produce enough NAD+ naturally.There are ways to increase NAD+, which include:Consuming vitamin-rich foodsEating raw foodsExercisingEating proteinFastingWhen a person enters a luxury rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, California, clinicians may introduce patients to some of the above practices to help in their addiction recovery. Although there are ways to have healthier lifestyle practices that can boost feel-good chemicals like endorphins and replace lost NAD+ in the body, NAD+ treatment is a proven method of detoxifying and harnessing the restorative power of NAD+ for addiction recovery.Who Does NAD Help? Is It Right for Me?There are many benefits to NAD+ treatment, which is why it can provide help for a broad range of conditions. You may be a suitable candidate for NAD+ therapy if you are:Hoping to increase energy levels and lessen fatigueSuffering from a decline in cognitive functionWanting to enhance a weight-loss regimenRecovering from alcohol use disorderRecovering from substance use disorderExperiencing serious anxietyHaving a problem with symptoms from PTSDWishing to fight against the signs of agingHowever, it isn’t necessary to have a medical condition or substance use disorder to benefit from NAD+ treatment. Because it is a versatile treatment, it can provide complete body wellness and ensure you perform at peak levels.How Does NAD+ Treatment Work?NAD+ treatment restores and supplements the levels of the coenzyme in your body. Using an IV, a doctor delivers a concentrated dose of NAD+ into the bloodstream in a specialized saline solution. In this way, the NAD+ is immediately available for use by your cells.With intravenous transmission, the potent molecule can bypass the metabolic and digestive system, which gives you a total absorption rate with minimal waste and maximum effect. The IV drip is the only way to guarantee you get complete bioavailability. Your body can then covert the supplemental NAD+ into molecular energy.For the best results from NAD+ treatment, experts recommend you receive two weeks of NAD+ therapy. The requirement is typically one infusion per day for 10 days. At the beginning of detox, you can expect sessions that last from seven to eight hours. The reason for this is to provide you with larger doses of the supplement that will support you through the process. After a few days, the sessions will shorten and will be approximately four to six hours. Patients have a private room for their NAD+ treatment to read or entertain themselves with a personal device. Patients who receive NAD+ therapy at a luxury rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, California, report that their withdrawal symptoms diminish after a few minutes.In all human studies so far, NAD+ treatment has shown no long-term adverse effects. There is possible temporary discomfort during the treatment and people report short-term side effects like:DiarrheaFatigueMild headachesStomach discomfortThere could be other side effects, which are possible with all intravenous infusions, such as:Feeling short of breathItchingJoint or muscle painHives or rashNauseaCoughChills or feverFeeling short of breathEffects of NAD+ Treatment in Addiction Recovery One obstacle to addiction recovery is the discomfort felt when you stop using drugs or drinking alcohol. The pain of withdrawal causes many people to have a relapse. The results that patients report after receiving NAD+ treatment is a significant decrease in cravings for drugs or alcohol—usually after the first treatment. Patients also say they have minimal withdrawal symptoms, which could speed up the recovery process. Other improvements you can expect after treatment include:Increased mental clarityIncreased energyImproved focusImproved concentrationBetter moodOverall enhanced brain function.NAD+ treatment is not a cure for substance or alcohol use disorder. It’s a natural remedy to combat the pain of withdrawal symptoms, which can be an obstacle for many people choosing a path of addiction recovery. NAD+ is a healthful beginning to a successful recovery.

Holistic Healing for First Responders

No matter what your job is, it likely has a big impact on your life. Most of us spend at least 40 hours a week working, and our jobs become intertwined with our identities. But what happens when the same job that you love and are passionate about also brings you harm?This is commonly the case with first responders. Police officers, military personnel and EMTs commonly come face-to-face with situations that most of us would run from. Over time, encountering these situations can take a mental toll. It’s hard to put an exact number on trauma, since experts disagree about the definition of trauma. However, it’s widely acknowledged that police and military professionals experience trauma at higher rates than the general population.What is occupational trauma?Occupational trauma is trauma that occurs within the setting of someone’s work. As with all trauma, there’s no one-size-fits-all definition, or simple explanation of what can trigger trauma. A situation that might be traumatic for one individual might not develop trauma in their colleagues. In other situations, a seemingly minor circumstance might ignite trauma.Certain occupations are exposed to more events that can create trauma. Police, military and EMTs regularly encounter death, abuse and individuals that have been traumatized themselves. It’s not surprising that many people in these occupations begin suffering a mental toll. Often, this manifests as PTSD.At the same time, these occupations come with a unique culture, which sometimes makes it difficult to talk about mental health or seek treatment for trauma. A robust occupational trauma program is able to address an individual’s trauma and understand the context that it has occurred within.What happens during treatment for occupational trauma?The treatment for occupational trauma isn’t wholly different from treatment for other forms of PTSD. At Sunshine Coast Health Centre in British Columbia, treatment for occupational trauma is focused on helping people cope with symptoms, while creating a personally meaningful life. The program is designed to align with an individual’s values and beliefs.The PTSD program at Sunshine Coast includes scientifically-backed treatments like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), one-on-one talk therapy and Somatic Therapy. However, it also incorporates treatments that are particularly important for first responders, including exploring compassion fatigue and resilience techniques.Occupational trauma programs also focus on healthy coping mechanisms. Too often, people with PTSD turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with their trauma, and become addicted. At Sunshine Coast, the occupational trauma program removes any shame around addiction, and helps address the root cause of substance abuse so that people can go on to live healthy and sober lives.What is somatic therapy?Recently, Sunshine Coast Health Center expanded its PTSD program to include somatic therapy. This approach encourages people to release tension held in their body, as part of processing the trauma in their minds. The approach is led by Davis Briscoe, a somatic counselor with a background in massage therapy. Briscoe facilitates Sunshine Coast’s OSI (occupational stress injury) and Trauma Group in order to bring somatic therapy to people who have job-related trauma.“We’re excited for him to blend his experience in somatic counseling into the group therapy for clients and alumni with PTSD, occupational trauma, and other trauma experiences,” said Casey Jordan, chief marketing officer at Sunshine Coast. “We are constantly improving our trauma and PTSD treatment programs.”Police, military, and healthcare workers regularly step into situations that most other people avoid. When that takes a toll, they deserve to have treatment that fits their beliefs and alights with how they find meaning in their life. An occupational trauma program can help achieve that.Sunshine Coast Health Centre is a non 12-step drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in British Columbia. Learn more here.

In Praise of Tuesday’s 6pm Meeting, Free Coffee* and Knowing Smiles

Even before they get into recovery (and, hopefully, they do get there one day), alcoholics already know all about the idea of a “Higher Power” - the concept that there is an unseen, spiritual force above all of us in the great scheme of things, more powerful than our humble selves, and far more in control of everything than we are.In fact, you could say alcoholics, when they’re actively drinking, have been regularly worshipping one specific “higher power,” albeit straight from the neck of the bottle, on a daily basis for years and years, and sometimes even 24/7, on a particularly inspired day.As an AA acquaintance, after an especially freezing winter’s night meeting in Seattle, once said to me: “Let’s face it - they don’t call it spirituality for nothing, you know. S-p-i-r-i-t-uality. That’s so stupid, even old drunks like me can understand it.” Yes, she really did s-p-e-l-l it out like that. “F.E.A.R. = Face Everything And Recover”- Old Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) ProverbSo, here’s the thing.Regardless of what you may believe to be true of Alcoholics Anonymous, whether you think it’s just old and bearded, God-fearing guys getting together every week, and telling each other drinking war stories, or simply an exceptionally good example of how we can find real healing for ourselves and for each other within a supportive community network, there has always been one specific point that has always been vehemently debated.Everyone from the addiction experts, the medical clinicians, and the mainstream media, right down to a couple of die-hard drinkers arguing in a bar, the question remains the same, and so do the arguments for and against.The question is this: Does AA actually work? You may have missed it, as the following results came out during 2020 when the majority of our minds were rightly firmly focused elsewhere, but now there is proof - and clear, 100% proof, at that (and yes, pun intended). It’s official - well, as official as these things can be.Yes, AA really does work.AA Provides Powerful, Cost-Effective Addiction TreatmentHold the front page. What? Let’s repeat that… Alcoholics Anonymous really does work. Tuesday’s 6pm meeting, “free” coffee (pop your coins in the jar, please, newcomers), friendly faces, knowing smiles, even the old war stories that say, “It’s okay, brother, sisters, I’ve been in that hell you now find yourself in. I got out, and you can, too. You’re not alone,” and everything else - put it all together, it works.AA works. Now we know. Got that? OK, if that isn’t enough, now here’s the real bombshell - the “hold-the-front-page” headline:Active involvement in the AA’s 12-Step program is as good as any other form of addiction treatment.Based upon the clinical results of 27 peer-reviewed studies, representing over 10,000 participants, and in the very first analysis of its kind, supported by the U.S. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), active involvement in the AA’s 12-Step program performed as well as first-line clinical interventions at the end of treatment for keeping people abstinent from alcohol - and, therefore, sober.Clear-headed, 100% sober.Furthermore, in the majority of these 27 studies, which had to go through rigorous criteria to be included, full participation in AA even performed better over timed follow-ups - specifically at 6, 12, 24, and 36 monthly intervals - after the end of first-line clinical treatment for ensuring sobriety.That’s definitely worth repeating: Full and active participation in AA even performed better over time than first-line clinical treatments in keeping recovering alcoholics alcohol-free and in recovery.The proof comes from an ongoing review study, “Alcoholics Anonymous and Other 12-Step Programs for Alcohol Use Disorder,” which is being conducted through the esteemed Cochrane Library’s program of systematic clinical reviews, considered the gold standard in scientific rigor for medical research.This particular report, produced by the Recovery Research Institute, a leading nonprofit research institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (and an affiliate of Harvard Medical School), represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date review and analysis of the medical research community’s current and historical scientific literature on the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous.More on the report, its evidential findings, and what it all means for the field of addiction treatment and recovery later in this article.Lockdowns, Locked Doors and Lost RecoveriesLet’s just remind ourselves of what the COVID-19 pandemic did to the absolutely huge number of AA meetings, here in the U.S.: When the stay-at-home orders came and the quarantine lockdowns began, every one of these meetings either had to move online or come to a temporary end.The once open doors of church halls, community centers, town halls and the like were now firmly closed, and the tough-looking padlock locking you out told you everything you needed to know about the fate of your usual 6pm Tuesday evening meeting. “F.E.A.R. = F*** Everything And Run”- Alternative AA version Knowing what we know now about exactly how effective these AA meetings are in keeping their regular attendees safely on the recovery wagon, it stands to reason that, when the lockdowns came, countless alcohol addiction recoveries simply fell by the wayside, lost to those who had previously relied on the camaraderie, the warm friendship, and the sense of real fellowship their local meetings provided to keep them focused, alcohol-free, and firmly in recovery.Fortunately, things are changing. According to the latest government figures, around 62% of U.S. adults have had at least one vaccination shot, and over 135 million are now fully vaccinated.Last month, the White House proudly declared the country was finally getting to grips with a virus that has taken over half a million lives across the nation to date, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently stated, "We do need to start being more liberal, as we get more people vaccinated."Importantly for the usual participants of AA meetings, no doubt extremely fed up staring into a computer screen, very soon they will once again be meeting in-person - together again, with the free coffee* and the knowing smiles.Always on the Edge of Accepted Addiction TreatmentAlcoholics Anonymous, one of many 12-Step programs and similar mutual-aid programs around today, is easily the world’s most widely available and most used support group for recovering substance addicts. During its 85-year history, it has supported countless millions of alcoholics, spread all over the globe, to find a manageable and sustained recovery from their own personal version of this chronic disease.However, as we said earlier, AA’s efficacy has always had the clinical doubters and expert naysayers, and so, as viable addiction treatment, it has always been right out there on the edge of accepted treatment.Regardless, it does have its rightful place in the “Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition),” published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which states, “Participation in group therapy and other peer support programs during and following treatment can help maintain abstinence.”Hopefully, the editors at NIDA will now edit the sentence to read “does help maintain abstinence.” Who knows? On the basis of this article, they may even publish a Fourth Edition...Back to the doubters. The late 20th century saw clinical scientists and addiction experts begin (once again) to question and debate its actual effectiveness, often citing a lack of cohesive and reliable data for analysis. Fortunately, we now have that data - an additional 30 years' worth, both cohesive and reliable, to draw on for analysis.Not only that, the researchers have now:Developed highly sophisticated methods for evaluating AAThoroughly tested its clinical interventions, andDeveloped a rigid methodology to compare these interventions to other treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET).Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF)In addition, their analysis included another recognised treatment strategy, directly allied to AA, and known as “Twelve-Step Facilitation” (or TSF, for short). TSF is an active engagement strategy included as standard in many professional treatment programs which directly links current program participants to 12-step mutual-aid organizations like AA, and encourages the active engagement and involvement of those people.Effectiveness and Cost Study of Alcoholics Anonymous (2020)So, sadly without a suitable fanfare, let’s provide a more detailed summary of the study’s findings, in terms of both the effectiveness and cost benefits of AA and TSF compared to other first-line clinical interventions, namely the standard therapies of CBT and MET:EffectivenessAlcoholics Anonymous and Twelve-Step Facilitation (AA/TSF) produced rates of alcohol abstinence, and subsequent alcohol use, comparable to first-line clinical interventions, and outperforms them over follow-up; for example:a 21% lower risk of a return to alcohol use among AA participants compared to those receiving other clinical interventions at 12-month follow-up.a 66% lower risk of a return to alcohol use among AA participants compared to those receiving other clinical interventions at 6-month follow-up.Specifically, AA/TSF was found to be better than other standard treatments (eg. CBT and MET) in achieving:Continuous abstinence, andSpecifically, AA/TSF was as effective as other standard treatments in reducing:The intensity of drinkingAlcohol-related consequences, andThe severity of AUD.Lastly, AA/TSF showed a higher percentage of days abstinent from alcohol use; for example:at the 24-month stage, an average improvement of 12.1% days, andat the 36-month stage, an average improvement of 6.6% days.CostIn addition to the overall effectiveness of AA/TSF as an addiction treatment in its own right, the Recovery Research Institute researchers took the opportunity to assess cost comparisons between the 12-Step program and the traditionally recognized therapies.In a 3-year follow up study of individuals with severe AUD, the researchers found that AA participants had alcohol-related outcomes comparable to outpatients receiving clinical addiction treatment, yet their alcohol-related health care costs associated with AA participation were considerably lower - 45% lower, in fact, representing a cost-saving of $2,856 per participant.What Does AA’s Proven Effectiveness Mean for Addiction Treatment?The report’s implications are undeniably extensive, affecting current and future recovering alcoholics, their families and loved ones, the field of addiction treatment and recovery, including both the medical researchers and addiction treatment businesses, and, particularly when you consider the cost-saving aspects, even right up to the policy makers in federal government.For example, if a recovering alcoholic is opposed to AA in some way, they really should consider alternative mutual-aid organizations, such as Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), LifeRing, Refuge Recovery, and Women for Sobriety, and then actively participate in the group of their choice.Certainly, far more research is needed around AA and other mutual-aid programs to discover what it is about the concepts and practicalities of each that drives these levels of engagement. With the additional benefit of significant cost-savings, hopefully, in the future, it will result in professional addiction treatment being far more accessible to more people who need it.Increased access to alcohol addiction treatment is certainly something that desperately needs to happen, and happen soon, especially when you consider the following recent statistics:Only 7.2% of people, aged 12 and older, who had AUD in 2019 received any treatment, andFurthermore, only 6.4% of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, who had AUD in 2019 received any treatment.*(Pop your coins in the jar - thanks) 

The Case Against Drug Decriminalization

Proponents of drug legalization argue that legalizing drugs would bring abuse from the darkness into the light, but Clare Waismann, RAS/SUDCC, founder of Waismann Method® and Domus Retreat, fears legalizing drugs would pour fuel on the fire of America's addiction and mental health crisis. "In the United States, we are currently lacking good, accessible and effective mental healthcare. Therefore, legalizing brain altering drugs is just putting gasoline on the fire." Waismann said on a recent episode of her podcast. The movement toward drug legalization or decriminalization might seem far-fetched, but the United States is rapidly moving toward decriminalization. In the past ten years, seventeen states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and 43% of Americans now live in the seventeen states and Washington D.C., where recreational marijuana use is legal. States have recently started decriminalizing psychedelics as well. Although some see this as progress, Waismann believes it can be dangerous. A simple example is that marijuana users are more likely to drive while under the influence, putting themselves and others at risk. Additionally, they're dabbling with a drug with serious adverse effects on brain regions responsible for memory, learning, impulse control, and cognitive abilities. Likewise, psychedelics can impact the mind and perception of the world even after use. Studies have shown that psychedelic drugs can lead to severe long-term health conditions, including persistent paranoia and perception disorder.Marijuana might be considered a harmless substance that can be used safely and responsibly. However, widespread legalization means that any adult, regardless of their mental health history, has access to the intoxicant without any health care management. That's irresponsible, says Waismann, and could spell disaster down the line. Consistent marijuana use can diminish people's motivation, which can lead to depression and unproductivity."Sometimes individuals use marijuana to manage psychiatric disorders that are not being adequately treated by a professional. However, marijuana is not a treatment, but a way to self-medicate the emotional distress. Therefore, the condition may continue worsening because the person doesn't receive the help they truly need," Waismann says. According to recent studies, marijuana use can cause aggressive behavior, exacerbate psychosis, or even lead to paranoia.Furthermore, the currently available marijuana is far more potent in THC concentrations, the psychoactive component which results in a higher risk for paranoid ideation and psychosis. Consequently, paranoid behavior is directly associated with aggressive and violent behaviors.Legalizing drugs is currently a growing risk to American citizens’ well-being. The expansion of private pay studies, showing that marijuana provides minor threats to the public's health, is causing state and federal legislatures to change laws that will significantly expand the accessibility of marijuana. Consequently this puts people at risk.Of course, the harm of drugs exists on a continuum. Using marijuana is not the same as abusing opioids, for example. If someone can work with their doctor to medicate with cannabis rather than powerful prescription pills, that should be encouraged. Private industries have spread a tremendous amount of information that compares harmful drugs like opioids to marijuana. It's ludicrous that we have to choose one evil over another. Instead, we can choose to use our resources to focus and treat why someone is seeking to alter their feelings. If you just cover up a condition with a band aid, you may not see it, but the problem will keep growing. You can numb unwanted emotions with substances to a certain point, but eventually, the drug won't be enough to ease the pain anymore, leading to unpredictable, risky situations.People must address any physical or emotional pain that is driving them to seek relief through substances. By addressing the root cause of the pain — whether childhood trauma, untreated mental illness, or a physical condition — people can learn to live life without seeking mind-altering substances. Helping people find the best chance to a better quality of life is the goal of the Waismann Method and Domus Retreat team. Our mission is to better the lives of those impacted by substance use through proven medical care, using comprehensive and individualized solutions. Our work is strengthened and inspired by the respect and compassion we have for every person who comes to us for help. We genuinely believe that when people reclaim their health, they strengthen their abilities to cope with mental health issues.With millions of Americans dependent on substances, it's clear that we need to do something more. However, legalizing drugs, especially drugs that further cause damage to the nervous system, is not the answer. Instead, we must strengthen the strategies that people use to address their physical and mental pain, to keep them from seeking drugs in the first place. We need to focus on the crises of pain, isolation, and emotional health many Americans are grappling with. Legalizing drugs is not a solution but a profitable and damaging delay in providing one. 

4 Tips for Staying Strong as the World Reopens

A year ago, we were all reeling from the adjustments to pandemic life. Wearing masks felt confining and absurd; our tongues were still wrapping around new words like “social-distancing” and “quarantine.” And yet, over the past 12 months, pandemic life, with its social isolation, remote work and six-foot distances, has become our new normal. Now, as vaccines become more widespread and the world opens up, some people are finding that transition to be challenging and uncomfortable as well.This can be even more so the case for people who are newly in recovery. If you were newly sober before the pandemic, you might have found comfort in the fact that no one was out drinking and socializing — the world, for a year, hit pause, and that may have allowed you to focus on your recovery. Now, you might find yourself struggling to adapt to being sober during more normal times, or even concerned about relapse.If that’s the case, don’t worry. If you could stay sober during the pandemic, you’ll be able to maintain that during the reopening phase, even if your approach might need some adjustment. Here are some tips for staying strong and sober as the world reopens.Decide what stays and what goes. The past year has taught us that the world can keep turning even when we step away from our norms and routines. That was true as things shut down, and it will be the same as they reopen.Use that idea as a way to empower yourself. While there are some things we’re all eager to get back to (hello, restaurant dining) there are other changes during the pandemic that we’re loath to give up (like working from home). Take some time to decide what worked well for you during the past year, and what you might like to hang on to in the future.Set goals for the year. Sure, we probably all already set our New Year’s resolutions. But as things continue to open up, we’re facing another new beginning. Think about what you want to get out of this period of time, and set goals for it.Maybe you missed being of service, and are looking to utilize in-person volunteer opportunities. Perhaps you have enjoyed a particular online meeting and want to maintain your connection to that group. Write down your goals in order to stay focused on them through the transition.Recognize that change is tough. For months we’ve all been waiting for the end of the pandemic. But now that things are returning to normal, we’re also faced with the loss of the past year: the lives lost, the time apart from loved ones, and the milestones that we’ve missed.Because of that you might find yourself grieving, even during a time when you thought you would be celebrating. Recognize that this is a normal response — it’s understandable to be overwhelmed at a time when everything is changing, just when you’ve gotten used to the way things were. Practice self care to keep on track with your recovery even during this transition.Set the tone for the rest of your recovery. This year has hopefully been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Right now you’re adjusting your recovery to post-pandemic life, but that will be the norm for the rest of your life in recovery. Right now is a great time to think about what you want your routine to look like long-term. Identify your priorities for your recovery, and begin implementing those in your life today. By doing that, you can guarantee that you have the recovery that you want.Getting through the past year with your sobriety intact is no small feat. If you’ve done that, congratulations. If you need support during this transition time, don’t be afraid to reach out to your rehab team, your recovery group or any friends and mentors that you have made in the community. Everyone is going through a transition right now, and by opening up to others you can surround yourself with the support that you need to make your recovery successful.Learn more about Oceanside Malibu at http://oceansidemalibu.com/. Reach Oceanside Malibu by phone at (866) 738-6550. Find Oceanside Malibu on Facebook.

5 Side Effects of Smoking That Might Come as a Shock to You

Cigarette smoking has catastrophic consequences as it changes just about every organ in your body, which leads to general deterioration of the smoker's life and health. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that cigarette smoking is responsible for every 1 in 5 deaths across the U.S. It is deadlier on an annual basis than HIV/AIDS. Not only this, it also puts people at risk of heart disease and diabetes.Considering this array of diseases, it is necessary to seek proper medical help and sign up for an addiction treatment program as soon as you can.In case you’re not convinced that smoking is actually harmful to you, here are some side effects of lighting up that you might not be aware of:1. Risk of ALSA widely-held hypothesis that smoking causes ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) has been confirmed by a study in 2009. ALS is a devitalizing neurological illness, a progressive nervous system disease that affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing you to lose muscle control. Research has found that people who are regular smokers put themselves at greater risk of developing ALS than non-smokers. In particular, people who have been smoking for around 33 years have a two-fold risk of developing ALS at a later age.2. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)COPD, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an umbrella term used to describe complications in air flowing through your lungs. These diseases cause inflammation and affect the flexibility of alveoli; they also entirely destroy the walls between them. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Severe symptoms include a very high heart rate, weight loss, and discoloration of lips. There is no cure for COPD, only treatments that manage the progression of the disease.3. Pregnancy and Birth IssuesSmoking has been known to reduce fertility in women as well as men. It vastly affects the body’s ability to produce hormones, which makes it difficult to get pregnant, as well as damaging the eggs and sperm. For women who are able to conceive, smoking increases the probability of preterm labor, stillbirth, sudden death syndrome and low birth weight. One study found that smoking may put the baby at risk of contracting asthma. Moreover, women taking birth control pills while smoking are at a greater risk of developing blood clots. In men, smoking may cause issues with sperm quantity and motility.  4. Reduces Bone DensityIt's been 20 years since scientists first discovered that smoking puts one at risk of osteoporosis. In 2012, a study found that smoking also weakens the bones in general. Researchers discovered that smokers produce two types of proteins in massive amounts, which causes the production of osteoclasts and leading to the breakdown of old bone. In addition, the nicotine present in cigarettes destroys osteoblasts, the bone-making cells.5. Cognitive DeclineSmoking accelerates cognitive decline regardless of age; however, one study showed that older men who smoke experience a higher rate of cognitive decline. Researchers found that the decline was most evident in executive functions such as memory, problem solving, attention span, multi tasking, verbal reasoning, etc.The effects of smoking go far beyond the cancer scare we're all familiar with. Kicking the habit can save you from other life-long chronic illnesses and health complications. Although the effects are dire, you can take control of your health. Quit today and work on reversing the damage.