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LacEcho-fall2015 (13)

45 Years of Strength, Sustainability and Resistance

Portage opened its doors 45 years ago. Since then, it has relied, day in, day out, on over 400 committed employees to successfully fulfill its mission. In the Francophone folklore,...
lori-m-sousa-24794

8 Celebrities Who Gave Life Another Chance

For the 28e Semaine nationale de prévention du suicide (28th National Suicide Prevention Week), it’s a good thing to remind ourselves that after the rain always comes the sun. Many...
étudiant drogues alcool

Do You Have A Student Who’s Struggling With Drugs or Alcohol?

Portage helps youth overcome drug addiction while continuing their studies IN QUÉBEC Our centre in Prévost accommodates 30 English-speaking adolescents between the age of 14 to 18 years old. Sir...
Benefits alcohol free

28 Benefits of Going Alcohol-Free for 28 Days

Many studies have shown that going alcohol-free for a month has positive impacts on one’s physical and mental health. To help you get in the loop and take part in...
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Nine natural ways to boost dopamine levels… and increase resistance to drugs and alcohol

Dopamine is a key brain neurotransmitter that plays a role in motivation, productivity and concentration. Dopamine helps us plan better and resist impulses that could hamper our ability to reach...
Procrastination

Taking a different view of procrastination

We procrastinate about things that do not provide immediate gratification   Procrastination (from the latin pro, meaning ”forward”, and crastinus, meaning ”belonging to tomorrow”) is the tendency to habitually put...
10 signes que votre adolescent consomme de la drogue

10 Warning Signs That Your Adolescent May Be Doing Drugs

Adolescence is a time of life when teenagers seek independence and when they want more than ever to be accepted by their peers (Read I Took Drugs to Fit In)...
I did drugs to be loved

I Did Drugs To Be Loved

  Before Portage (How I started taking drugs/alcohol and why) I started using drugs because I thought it made me more valuable to other people. When I didn’t use, I...
Being a role model for my children

Being a Role Model for My Children

  Before Portage (How I started taking drugs/alcohol and why) When I was only 13, I started using drugs in the bars I was going to, first as a client,...
Therapeutic Community

Counsellor at Portage: Belonging to a Therapeutic Community

It was only after a few days on the floor that I knew I was in the right place at the right time. I had this trigger in my life...
J’ai été élevé dans la drogue

I Was Brought Up With Drugs

  Before Portage (How I started taking drugs/alcohol and why) I was brought up with drugs, violence, manipulation and lying for as long as I can remember. When I was...
J’ai pris des drogues pour m’intégrer

I Took Drugs to Fit In

Before Portage (How I started taking drugs/alcohol and why) I started taking drugs and alcohol at the age of twelve. I had just moved from a small town in the...
Marijuana Destroyed Me

How Marijuana Destroyed Me

Before Portage (How I started taking drugs / alcohol and why) I took my first puff of marijuana in October 2014. I did that to get back at my ex...
From Jail to Sobriety

From Jail to Sobriety

  Before Portage (How I started taking drugs / alcohol and why) Before Portage, my life was crazy. I was constantly in and out of jail; I had a horrible...
Pitfalls Drug Alcohol

The Treacherous Pitfalls of Drugs and Alcohol

We are not all equal in the face of addiction In a previous article (Are We All Equal in the Face of Addiction?), I mentioned a fascinating study that Pier...
getting out of addiction

Getting out of Addiction: Philippe’s Story at Portage

Portage welcomes and supports all those who make the life-changing decision to leave their surroundings and put an end to their addiction. Philippe came to Portage with the unconscious desire...
Addiction estranged him from his family

Alexander’s Journey: How Drug Addiction Estranged Him From His Family

For most people, adolescence is a bumpy road, fraught with difficulties. Teenagers are constantly wondering who they are, and what they want. Sometimes, their path diverges sharply from the one...
equal in the face of addiction

Are We All Equal in the Face of Addiction?

Chance or Predisposition? I always thought becoming a drug addict could only happen to others. I became one myself fairly late, at about 35 year-old, having never taken any drugs...