Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Benzodiazepines are a prescription medication and are relatively common. They don’t cause euphoria like opioids and they aren’t ubiquitous like alcohol. Since they’re fast-acting, unlike SSRIs, you can take them only when you experience acute anxiety or can’t sleep. Benzos seem like a convenient and relatively harmless drug, yet it’s very hard to quit. What’s […]

It’s common for people wanting to get sober to shut themselves in their rooms and wait out the storm. The appeal of this approach is obvious. It’s free, for one thing. You also get to be somewhere safe, comfortable, and familiar while you spend a few days feeling awful. No one wants to see anyone […]

Adderall has a reputation as a drug for overachievers. Every semester, students take Adderall to help them finish term papers and study for final exams. People working overtime use it to help them meet deadlines. The problem is that Adderall is basically prescription meth. Using it to get an edge at work or in school […]

Most people know the feeling of waking up feeling sick after drinking a bit too much. While that feeling will go away within a day or two, regular drinking can impair your immune system, leading to more frequent infections and illnesses. In addition to being hungover, you are more likely to get the flu as […]

It’s not easy to face the possibility you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. When you do finally accept that you need help, you may face a new challenge: telling your friends and family. How do you tell the people who care about you that you have a problem with addiction? What will they […]

People who are considering attending 12-step meetings are sometimes put off by the idea of a higher power. 12-step proponents often point to the loophole in step three that they ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him’. As we understood Him–see? Nothing […]

When you first get sober, you are faced with a conundrum: You have to make several major changes at once to maintain sobriety, but trying to make too many changes at once often results in failing to make any changes. How do you make the changes you need to make and still have a reasonable […]

Getting sober is a big life change. It means quitting a substance you are physically dependent on, changing your habits that formed around using, making new friends, and adopting a healthier lifestyle. As with any change, it will feel weird at first but you will eventually feel normal again. Whether you experience sobriety as a […]

Creativity has long been associated with drugs and alcohol. Writers are especially known to drink and musicians are especially known to use drugs. And drink. If creative pursuits are especially important to you, either professionally or recreationally, the belief that you need drugs or alcohol to be creative can be an impediment to recovery. Fortunately, […]

Alcohol is often described as a social lubricant, when it’s really more of a social anaesthetic. It gives you temporary relief from the anxiety associated with social interaction but it doesn’t do anything to improve those interactions. In fact, it does the opposite. It’s hard to listen and participate in a meaningful conversation if you […]

We often call alcohol a social lubricant. It makes us less self-conscious and more willing to open up to others, and we believe this leads to deeper relationships. People trying to get sober often worry that by giving up alcohol, they will also be giving up social connection. This is especially true for people who […]