by Richard Amaral | Sep 27, 2018 | Addiction Psychology, Depression, Mental Health
I recently read Anthony Kiedis’ biography, “Scar Tissue,” and it gave me a deeper glimpse into the dark world of addiction. Kiedis is the frontman and co-founder of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, a funk-rock band that’s been around since the early 80’s. I knew that Kiedis...
by Richard Amaral | Sep 12, 2013 | Addiction Psychology, All Entries
This past Monday (September 9th) was International FASD Day. FASD stands for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. This date was chosen to help remind people of the importance of being alcohol-free during the nine months of pregnancy (09/09). FASD – What is it and...
by Richard Amaral | Aug 22, 2013 | Addiction Psychology, All Entries
Last week, I was in beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia, facilitating workshops on “Motivation” and “Trauma and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.” The workshops were sponsored by Community Health Associates of British Columbia. This...
by Richard Amaral | Jul 18, 2013 | Addiction Psychology, All Entries
A few days ago, Cory Monteith, a rising star in television, died from the deadly combination of alcohol and heroin. Monteith is not the first person to die from an addiction to alcohol or drugs, and sadly, he won’t be the last. In this post, I’ll be talking about why...
by Richard Amaral | Jun 12, 2013 | Addiction Psychology, All Entries, Depression, Mental Health
When I was a young kid, my teachers would ask, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” I hated that question because I never really understood what it meant. Once I started working in the field of addictions and mental health, though, the logic behind the question...
by Richard Amaral | Jun 5, 2013 | Addiction Psychology, Depression
When we hear the word “relapse,” most of us think of addiction. However, it can also refer to a relapse of moods, such as depression and anxiety, and problem behaviours. For example, you can be in a good mood but suddenly relapse back into a state of unexplained...
