Overcoming addiction is extremely difficult for anyone caught in its trap, whether it's for cannabis or any other substance. Yet, in most cases, the same pattern can be observed. There are many ways to break free from addiction and they all share the same goal: helping people return to a happy, productive life.
The addiction cycle and how to break it
Addiction to something, whether it be to cigarettes, alcohol, other drugs, or to certain behaviours (shopping, gambling, pornography, etc.), is hardly ever experienced as something pleasurable by a person who suffers from addiction, but rather, as a form of enslavement. Consuming substances, or chronically repeating a behaviour, is no longer a choice that can be controlled through willpower.
As soon as a person has entered into an addiction cycle, they feel incapable of breaking free, without really knowing why.
From Pot Smoker to Lamplighter
I was fourteen when I smoked my first joint. I lived in an outlying region and it was our way of having fun among friends on the weekend. During the week, I studied hard, I got good grades, I was into sports and I had a good social life.
Five years later, I decided to pack up and head to Montreal. I did all sorts of small jobs, and though I had few opportunities to play sports, I had more and more opportunities to smoke pot. At the time, I thought pot helped me relax and it quickly became a daily routine. And, of course, the people I hung out with with were regular smokers too.
Seven Ways to Start Talking About Drugs With a Teenager
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 taboo and difficult subject, but keep in mind that your child has probably already been in contact with people who use drugs, to varying degrees of severity.
Portage Blog
The Opioid Epidemic: Addiction with a Prescription
More than 2,000 deaths by overdose between January and July 2018 in Canada; 72,000 deaths by overdose in 2017 alone in the United States (more than the combined number of deaths due to motor vehicle accidents and guns): such is the toll of the opioid crisis in North America. Many people who fall prey to… Read more »
I Always Wanted to be Part of a Catalyst for Change
We interviewed Kathie Rodger, Director of the Portage Atlantic Centre for adolescents, to learn about her professional career and her role in our organization. Q: Hi Kathie, can you tell us how you started your career? Sure! I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I was younger. After fantasizing about becoming a… Read more »
Alcohol and Drug Use in Women
Have women fallen into the insidious trap of alcohol and drug use? Recent studies on the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among women worldwide tend to show an increase in their consumption of both. Social pressure, post-traumatic stress – the reasons for the increase seem to be on the rise as women are caught… Read more »
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