Share Family and Community Services' Alcohol and Drug Program is hosting a free education series that started this week and runs through July.
The program runs Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Share (2615 Clarke St., Port Moody) and is open to everyone in the Tri-Cities and will have important information for those who have an alcohol or drug problem, or for those concerned about their use. It will help those people affected by others' use to understand addicts.
There is no cost for this group, whose format consists of a video, a brief presentation and open discussion. Topics will vary from week to week:
May 8: Medical aspects and effects of alcohol and drug abuse. What happens to the body and mind under the influence.
May 15: Alcohol - How dependence develops; controlled using; effects on pregnant women. Also you will learn briefly about drinking, drugs and driving.
May 22: Cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana - the struggle to recover, and what long-term recovery looks like.
May 29: Marijuana - use, misuse, abuse and addiction.
June 5: Heroin and other common depressants/opiates - how one gets addicted, struggle and recovery.
June 12: Anger - understanding your anger and learning how to manage it more effectively.
June 19: Trauma - How substance misuse often occurs with people who have experienced childhood abuse. How these experiences may cause relapses or continued misuse.
June 26: Mental illness, depression and addiction - understanding the links between the mental illness and addiction will be tonight's goal.
July 3: Stress - learning how to cope with little and big problems without using.
July 10: Relapse prevention - discussion on the psychological, emotional and physical aspects of relapsing and what can be done.
July 17: Substance affected - how others misuse of alcohol and drugs affects us. How to help others.
July 24: Stage 2 recovery - life in the future.
For more information, phone 604-936-3900.
