While this is probably no surprise to those of us who love animals, pets are incredibly helpful to people in recovery. It turns out that interacting with pets has been shown to release serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These are the same chemicals that are often released by drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Pets can ... Read More
Learning Center
FHE Health is dedicated to educating the American public—especially individuals, families, and communities—about mental health and substance abuse topics. In our Learning Center, you'll find articles on alcoholism, substance abuse, behavioral and mental health, and other treatment-related issues. Our articles are written both for the person in need of treatment as well as loved ones seeking more information. We also provide information for those who have gone through treatment and are building a new life in recovery.
Pets and Addiction Recovery
Working Sober
A huge part of recovery is developing tools to avoid relapse. After we detox, the challenges of clean living begin. There are so many triggers in our lives, and if we don't explore them and become aware of them, we might relapse into our prior negative coping methods. Hard Work Work, is one of the biggest stress ... Read More
What is Wellness?
Wellness is one of those words we often hear, but can have a nebulous definition. People throw it around all the time--vegetable X promotes wellness, exercise Y is a wellness-centered activity--but what does this actually mean? At its simplest, wellness is the state of being healthy, but we can break it apart into ... Read More
Substance Abuse and People with ADHD
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is not easy. People with this disease have an extremely hard time concentrating. Depending on the severity of their ADHD, they can have trouble staying focused, daydream frequently, fidget, forgetfulness, chattiness, trouble following directions, frequently lose ... Read More
Meditation Misconceptions
If you are in recovery from drug or alcohol abuse, meditation is one of the most powerful tools you have to prevent a relapse. More importantly, meditation can help you learn to appreciate your new lifestyle. Unfortunately, many people have a fundamental misunderstanding about what meditation is. Exercise for Your ... Read More
Counting Shots Instead of Sheep
It's a hot muggy South Florida night. You can't get to sleep...again. You've got work in the morning, your boss has been complaining about how tired you look in the morning, and you need to sleep, but no matter how long you lie there, sleep doesn't come. So, you do what you've done time and time again and open up the ... Read More
Opioid Crisis Overwhelms Foster Care System
South Florida's opioid epidemic isn't just affecting users of the drugs, but also the children many addicted adults are charged to protect. This problem is growing from about 45 kids a month to about 100. Neglect Dependency on a drug causes a person to act differently than they would under normal circumstances. ... Read More
Withdrawal Symptoms of Benzos
Benzodiazepine, often abbreviated benzos are a type of sedative with varied uses including anti-anxiety, sleep aid, and for before dental procedures. With prolonged use, users can develop dependency on them. This can result in decreased efficacy of the drug, cognitive decline, and clumsiness. They also bring with them ... Read More