A drug-addicted mother, like any other mom, wishes for the happiness of her children. However, she faces greater challenges than other mothers, in part because she must attend to her particular needs, as well as those of her child. Portage’s Mother & Child program allows her to do both, because it does not separate her… Read more »
I am not a Victim Only I am responsible for my actions and my decisions. I could forever blame my difficulties on my parents, the people around me, my mental health issues, my alcoholism, my lack of education, my lack of discipline or even on my broken childhood. But I’d get nothing good out of… Read more »
Innocent Beginnings I started using cannabis around the age of 12, to deal with all the anger and the feelings of injustice I felt about what was happening in my home country, Morocco. Smoking weed helped me make new friends and look cool. I started off by smoking once a week with older friends, and… Read more »
It’s not easy for parents to start a conversation about drugs with their children. But youths become vulnerable targets as soon as they set foot in school, where they quickly meet people who use drugs. That’s why parents must take the time to discuss this matter with their children. Sure, drug use is sometimes a… Read more »
Having to deal with drug addiction and mental health problems at the same time makes everything twice as complicated. Mickaël tried many times to get a handle on his life, but to no avail. Suffering From Drug Addiction and Mental Health Problems “At 17 I was diagnosed as mentally ill. My doctor and his team… Read more »
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, a 45-year anniversary is traditionally associated with vermeil, more commonly known as gilded silver, an alloy of precious metals valued for its strength and resistance,… Read more »
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 stars have managed to pull through tough times. Here are eight stars who held on to life in spite of their feelings of hopelessness or… Read more »
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 Wilfrid Laurier School Board offers mandatory on-site school programming to our residents. Since its inception, the Portage Academy has helped many adolescents who had dropped… Read more »
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 the 28 Days Sober Challenge, we’ve listed 28 benefits you could reap from going alcohol-free. 1 – Weight loss. Reducing your alcohol intake diminishes your… Read more »
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 our goals. A low dopamine level can lead to a lack of motivation, fatigue, addictive behaviour (drugs, alcohol, tobacco), mood swings and memory loss. Eating… Read more »
