Jeff Zacharias LCSW, CAADC, RDDP
Yesterday I was honored to present at Chicagos Center on Halsted on the topic of Addiction Treatment and the LGBTQI Community.
Presenting at the Center on Halsted at an event focused on the unique needs of the LGBT community in regards to addiction reminded me of an article I wrote for Renew Magazine. It focused on the importance of the LGBT community in creating their own close support system and family by choice as a means of recovering from addiction.
I feel it would be helpful to provide a link to this article and even though it was written around the year-end holidays, creating a family is important anytime of the year.
Renew Magazine Sober Voices Blog: Recovering With Pride
Sometimes, we must create our own family
The holidays are quickly approaching. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and many other traditions are just around the corner. You know what else approaching stress, and for many, increased anxiety and depression.
The traditions associated with the holidays often stem from our families of origin and are passed down over time from generation to generation. It all sounds a bit 1950s Norman Rockwell-ish, but the reality of what constitutes a family in 2012 is much different than that of 50 years ago. Nowhere is this difference more evident than in the LGBT community where families often look much different than that of our heterosexual counterparts
