Does a loved one have to “hit bottom” before they can successfully treat their alcoholism or other drug addiction? The short answer, “NO!” But before I continue, please know language to describe alcoholism or drug addiction has changed greatly in recent years, falling under the umbrella term, “substance use disorder.” Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd ..read more

Resources for parents of children with substance use and other mental disorders can be a huge help. Providing resources from a scientific, brain centered approach is even better. Why? Because substance use and other mental disorders change brain health and function. The brain is the organ that controls everything a person thinks, feels, says and… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop ..read more

Are you in recovery from from substance use / mental health / behavioral disorders? Are you trying to heal from the chronic stress-related impacts of secondhand drinking? There are four important things – beyond things like therapy or peer support programs – you can do to improve your brain’s health and function. This improvement can… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you re ..read more

“After years of sobriety she [or he] still won’t forgive or forget! What can I do? I’m so tired of being the bad-guy!“ I’ve often heard this from people in recovery. They believe they’re doing “everything right.” They’ve made their amends and walked on eggshells and given in to their loved one time and again… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when you ..read more

Loving an alcoholic can be crazy-making because so little is really understood or acknowledged about the impacts on the family member or friend who loves someone who drinks too much. Yet it is the family member or friend who is on the receiving end of the drinking behaviors. In other words, on the receiving end… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when ..read more

The workplace costs of secondhand drinking are significant to employees and to the company or agency’s bottom line. Secondhand drinking – the negative impacts of a person’s excessive drinking behaviors on others – directly affects nearly 80 million Americans. These are the husbands, wives, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, boyfriends, girlfriends and co-workers who repeatedly deal… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Ann ..read more

Detach with love? You can’t be serious?! After ALL they’ve done to me — no way! I’ve been in so many situations where my heart goes out to the wives, husbands, children and parents of loved ones with alcohol or other drug use disorders (aka alcoholism or addiction) who are brand new to this journey… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when your loved on ..read more

Alcohol By Volume (ABV) can be very difficult to determine. (Another term you often hear related to ABV is “proof.”) But it’s an important concept to understand in order to stay in control of one’s drinking, which is why I have updated my 2011 post on this topic. I’m updating this post because one of… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when your loved ..read more

The thought of divorcing an alcoholic * is terrifying for so many reasons, but when one has children, it can be paralyzing. Time and again I receive phone calls and emails from spouses expressing fears like these: “I am terrified to divorce because my children aren’t safe with him/her they drink.”  “He drinks and drives… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need ..read more

Why can’t an alcoholic have one drink? This question baffles not only the alcoholic (now diagnosed as a person with severe alcohol use disorder) but their family members and close friends, as well. The answer is in the details that explain the brain disease of addiction (aka brain disorder) – whether it’s an addiction to… Author information Lisa Frederiksen Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to ..read more