Here are some popular games and activities for breaking the ice:

The M & M Game: For this game you will need a few bags of regular M & M candies. You will want to pass the bag around and tell each person to take a handful but not to eat them until you say that they can. Once everyone has gotten a handful of M & M’s they will then need to share one fact about each other for each M & M they have. (Can be as simple as “I like the color blue, I drive a motorcycle, I have a sister – or can be deeper more personal things also.)

Two Truths and a Lie: In this game, each person says three things about themselves. Two of them should be true, and one of them should be false. It’s then up to the crowd to decide which statements are true and which one is a lie. For example, someone could say “I climbed Mount Everest, I can play the accordion, I wrote a novel.” The other members of the group would then have to say which they think is false. After everyone guesses the lie, the person will reveal what it was.

People Scavenger Hunt: This is a fun activity that will help others get to know one another better. You will need a list for the group to use as checklist for their scavanger hunt where you will list things such as “Has Brown Hair”, “Wears Glasses”, “Likes to eat Pizza” and other general things that should apply to at least one person in the group. You will then have the members of the group go around and talk with each other until they find someone who qualifies and write that person’s name down on the paper. Once everyone has found someone, you can then have each person go around and read who they’ve met and found that meet each item on the scavenger checklist.

Do you have any other ideas for icebreaker games for small groups? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Not all spiritual books are created equal however. Some are excellent reads, and others are just kind of a lot of baloney that make you feel even more confused or uncertain. We’ve decided to spend some time reading these books and pick the “best of the best” that can help someone overcome addiction and stay recovered for good.

Our picks for Spiritual Books About Overcoming Addiction:

Mindful Recovery: Mindful recovery is a book that is meant for someone who has already made the decision to quit and looking for ways to remain sober and deal with life without the use of drugs or alcohol. It’s written in a non-threatening manner that gives many suggestions on how to avoid addiction for good. Combining both Eastern and Western practices along with science, it is a nice refreshing book available about overcoming addiction spiritually. Click here to learn more about Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction.

Willpower’s Not Enough: This book is written in a very straightforward style and really helps a person understand addiction and the triggers that can cause someone to continue their addictive behavior. It offers many practical suggestions and the encouragement and hope one needs to overcome their addiction. It does not focus on any one particular addiction, but can work for just about any addiction problem one may face. Click here for more on Willpower’s Not Enough: Recovering from Addictions of Every Kind.

The Last Addiction: This book is the one for someone looking for a book that is based on Christian faith and Biblical teachings. It goes into much detail about what makes us prone to addictions and what can be done to to change the way of thinking to help overcome addiction for good. The book brings hope and courage to anyone facing any type of addiction – not just necessarily drugs and/or alcohol. Learn More about the Last Addiction.

The Spiritual Self: Written by Abraham Twerski, the founder of Gateway rehabilitation program based in Pittsburgh, PA, this book takes an insightful approach in understanding how spiritualism – independent of religion – can help overcome addiction and lead to successful recovery. Having written over 50 books on topics ranging on self-help and addiction, if you enjoy this book, it is certainly worthwhile to check out his others. Learn More About The Spiritual Self: Reflections on Recovery and God.

Freedom From Addiction: Deepak Chopra is a leading author in holistic healing, and we found this book to be equally enlightening as many of his other books we’ve read and enjoyed. In addition to teaching how to overcome addiction and avoid relapse, this book also focuses on finding meaning to life and dealing with the underlying causes of addiction. It is very different from many of the other books we’ve read, but still worth browsing through for additional insight. Learn More About Freedom from Addiction.



Do you have any other spiritual books for help with addiction to suggest? Have you read any of these books and want to share your thoughts? We’d love to hear your comments below!

The answer to these questions is that anything from Hollywood is likely going to be a little less than “realistic” – however some are pretty close and accurate. Movies about drug addiction that depict drug use and its effects realistically may be helpful for others to understand addiction better, as well as help others understand what can really happen by getting involved with drugs or alcohol. Some movies about drugs and alcohol may effectively scare teens or others into avoiding ever becoming involved with drugs or alcohol. They can be helpful for friends and family members who need to understand drug and alcohol addiction, movies about drug addiction may even help addicts realize that they have a problem and should seek help before its too late.

Below we’ve listed some movies about drug addiction:

Acts of Worship: This movie is about a young girl’s struggle with addiction in a non preachy or glamorized manner. Parents who have children at risk for drug addiction may find this movie beneficial. Learn More

Trainspotting: Trainspotting is one of the most well known movies about drug addiction. It is about four Scottish friends who battle with drug addiction and one who tries to get away from it all. The scenes are very graphic, so a strong stomach helps! This may be a good movie to watch for a teen who is experimenting with softer drugs, as it may possibly scare them from being involved with heroin. Learn More

Basketball Diaries: This early Leonardo DiCaprio film is about a teenager who enjoyed playing basketball but begins to get caught up in addiction. The withdrawal scenes and other scenes can show what happens as heroin begins to control one’s life. Learn More

Addiction: This documentary is about addiction and the effects it has on other people as well as some interesting research about drug addiction. Learn More

Clean and Sober: This 1988 film starring Michael Keaton may seem slightly out dated, but it still has the basics of a high profile businessman going through cocaine addiction and rehab. Learn More

Drunks: This movie is about men who meet to talk about their drinking problems. It is a somewhat realistic example of how raw and uncensored rehab can be. Learn More

28 Days: 28 Days stars Sandra Bullock as an alcoholic going through rehab. It’s a little on the light hearted side, and not entirely realistic, but does have some good points on what you can expect during rehab and shows that rehab is not quite as scary of a place as some think it may be. Learn More

Traffic: This movie is about a newly pointed drug czar, his own teenage daughter falling into drug addiction, and the “war on drugs”. It’s an interesting movie, though somewhat glamorized and overdone. If anything, it is a good movie about addiction for parents to watch to understand how important it is to be involved in their child’s life. Learn More

Our list of movies about drug addiction may not be the best movies ever or all Academy Award winners. They are rarely found on lists of “top 100 movies of all time”. However, all of these movies that depict drug use and its effects could possibly be good examples for the prevention of drug abuse and addiction and teaching others what addiction and treatment can be like.

Know of any other movies about drug addiction? Share them in the comments below.

Searching Google is also a highly effective way of finding alcoholism education materials. You just need to know what to look for!

Below I’ve added a custom Google Search Box that will help you refine the results of millions of websites to help you find relevant information. You may want to try the following phrases in our custom search box:

Alcoholism Brochure, Alcohol Poster, Alcohol Pamphlet, Alcohol Worksheet, Alcoholism Information Images, Alcohol Lesson Plan, Drug Abuse Brochure, Alcohol Curriculum, Alcohol Prevention Materials, Alcohol Publications, Alcohol Classroom, Alcohol Printable, Alcohol Print-outs

Another tactic to use to find new and fresh materials is searching images on Google, especially if you search for terms like “Alcohol Brochure”. This can make it much easier to sort through the listings and quickly find something that would be visually appealing for your needs.

You may also find it beneficial to visit local and neighboring hospitals, churches, and alcohol abuse treatment centers for additional information regarding alcoholism. Your state welfare office, or even the local magistrate’s or other county offices may also have additional resources for materials you can use to help educate people about alcoholism.

Finding alcoholism education materials doesn’t have to be difficult – just knowing the right search words can help you uncover a goldmine of resources online!

Kudzu, a natural herb, is gaining more attention as being an alternative natural treatment to quitting drinking effectively. Kudzu is not a new herb, it like most other plants and herbs has been around for thousands of years and known for its ability to help with alcohol blood concentration.

Kudzu is a woody vine that originated in Japan and China before being introduced to the United States where the climate was perfect for it to grow “like a weed“. It is a flowering vine, and the leaves, roots, and flowers are completely edible. It has been used to treat hangovers and as a means of making a person crave less alcohol, though in traditional Chinese medicine it is also believed to be helpful in treating migraines, allergies, diarrhea and even be a possible anti-cancer agent.

Because Kudzu is an herb and not a traditional pharmaceutical, it naturally does not come with FDA approval for treatment of alcoholism. It is believed to reduce the blood alcohol concentration which helps an alcoholic lower their drinking consumption without experiencing the same withdrawal or cravings as they would by quitting drinking cold turkey. Because kudzu is believed to reduce blood alcohol concentration, it is believed that it can help lower the body’s resistance and dependence on alcohol.

Before you decide to try taking Kudzu to treat alcoholism, it is critical for you discuss it with your doctor and/or an experienced drug and alcohol counselor. Remember that going through alcohol withdrawal can be fatal – and so misuse of Kudzu could cause more discomfort or enable a drinking problem even further. However, for most people who are not quite yet at a severe moderate level of alcohol abuse (drinking less than 12 servings of alcohol per week), kudzu may be of benefit for those wishing to reduce and quit drinking alcohol on their own.

Kudzu, while it may or may not be a cure for alcoholism, also does not also offer the mental therapy that is often necessary to completely overcome alcohol addiction and cravings. It does not treat the habits or underlying issues that may be causing the alcoholic to drink in the first place. So while it may be effective as a natural herbal supplement in helping with alcohol cravings, it alone is unlikely to cure alcoholism. To effectively quit drinking for good, knowing how to cope with stress, deal with temptation, and satisfy cravings without the use of herbs or taking a drink is necessary.

Have any experiences with Kudzu and Alcoholism? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

You Might Not Care About You…

You might not care about you
or what happens to you
or whatever it is that you really do…

But would you care about me?
Or a father of three?
A teacher you liked?
The girl with the spikes?
What about babies? A sister or brother?
A cousin or doctor or mother?
The family pet?

When you drink and drive,
it’s more than just you affect.

There are innocent people
not drinking or driving
but people who get killed
by drunk drivers.

You might not care about you
or what it is that you do
but please respect the rest of us
Please don’t drink and drive –
take a cab, call a friend, or ride the bus.

The Friends I Once Knew

Lindsay, the only one in the car who wore her seatbelt.
And the only one who didn’t live to talk about it.

Sean who fought in Iraq
but didn’t survive the head-on collision.

Jason was lit up when he bailed into a tractor trailer truck

Jim Carroll said it best:
“Those are people who died, died -
they were my friends and they died.”

How to Say No

No is a two letter word.
It is short, and short is sweet.

Let’s practice.
“No.”

If you’d like, add a thanks
“No Thanks”

You don’t need an explanation.
If no is not the right answer, you do not have the right friends.
A friend understands No. A friend can accept No.

Let’s practice some more.
I don’t drink.
I am leaving.
I’m the designated driver.
No. No thanks.

It’s not hard. Practice, practice, practice.

Have any teenage drunk driving poems you would like to share? We’d love to hear them! Leave us a comment below, or submit your teenage drunk driving poems via our Contact form.

MorgueFile: MorgueFile, “where photo reference lives” provides many great photographs that are free for your use as long as you adhere to the image licensing terms. Simple search for terms such as “drugs” or “alcohol” and you will find many great pictures to use on your site.

Free Clip-art: This is another site with free clip art available that by searching for terms such as “drugs” and “alcohol” brings up many pictures.

Stock Xchange: This site provides ample photos and illustrations suitable to use for drug and alcohol clip art.

Microsoft Office: There are thousands of images available on this site. You must be careful though – they have a very strict no-commercial use policy, so be sure to read it before using any of their clip art in your projects.

Using drug and alcohol clip art can bring your printed and web materials to the next level. Hopefully this list will be helpful to you to increase awareness and make a difference!