Our founder, Gene Duffy is a living legend, a daily inspiration, and our all-time favorite person to quote. Not long after he became sober, Gene dedicated himself to helping others find freedom and recovery (read Gene's story). Patrick, a Duffy’s counselor, said, “What I know about Gene Duffy is that he was absolutely passionate about helping alcoholics and addicts who were suffering.” Patrick is right: of all who knew Gene, they will remember his fiery, contagious, and unrelenting passion. But why did he care so much? Below is an excerpt from Gene's reasons for ... Read More →

She’s on call virtually all day, every day. She does the impossible. She’s the real superhero. And she goes by “Mom.” In celebrating Mother's day, we often show our appreciation and love through an emotional card, beautiful flowers, and a phone call. We thank her for giving us life, for caring for us—changing endless diapers, bandaging our cuts—and for being the one person who never stopped worrying about us. But, who’s always there to worry about her? Who’s there to notice her struggle? According to ... Read More →

Question: Should I pressure someone struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction into rehab? Do people who are forced into treatment get anything out of it? Answer: Yes, and yes. People who are not initially willing or ready to go into treatment have the same chance of recovery as those who come voluntarily to treatment. For years, conventional wisdom has stated otherwise: that treatment will work only for those who seek it. However, very few addicts seek treatment on their own. The nature of addiction makes it nearly impossible for the dependent person to admit or even recognize that he ... Read More →

Nobody can avoid the effect of drinking too much, nor escape the consequences thereof. Even if you’re famous. Even if you’re Reese Witherspoon. According to CNN, the Legally Blonde actress was in Atlanta for the filming of a new movie when she was charged with interfering with the arrest of her husband, Hollywood agent James Toth, on a drunken driving charge--and even telling the officer that this was “going to be on national news”. Well, she was right. The arrest itself may not have attracted much attention had it not been for the colorful ... Read More →

Alcohol is not only embedded into our culture, but it is shaping our future. Today, more than ever, alcohol affects the economy, raises the nation death toll, and touches the lives of our children—who are our future. Over 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol. Each day, over 10,000 children under age 21 take their first drink. Our children are the future. Impact their decisions about alcohol use, and you are changing our future.  ... Read More →

If you're a serious or heavy alcoholic drinker, you might have experienced a blackout before. A blackout is different than passing out—this is a moment where you are basically functioning, walking around, talking, performing tasks, but aftewards you have no recollection of what happened.  What is a Blackout?  Real Blackout Stories The following are true blackout stories told by Gene Duffy, our founder. These are powerful reminders of how subtly dangerous excessive alcohol use can be.  Blackout Stories: How the Hell Did I Get Here?  Blackout Stories: What Can't You Do During ... Read More →

One weekend. No alcohol. Can you do it? To create public awareness for its Alcohol Awareness Month , the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence extends an open invitation to all Americans to refrain from drinking alcohol during the weekend of April 5th through 7th and calling it their Alcohol-Free Weekend.  Why Should I Take the Alcohol-Free Weekend Challenge? For many social drinkers, abstaining from alcohol might seem unnecessary. If you’re not addicted to alcohol, why is it so important for you to go without it for a weekend? Even if you do not consider ... Read More →

Held every April, Alcohol Awareness Month is a national effort to highlight the effects of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. At Duffy's, we are passionate about helping those who are struggling with alcohol, so we are excited to participate in this special month on our blog.  Who Sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month? The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) What is the Goal for Alcohol Awareness Month? The goal for Alcohol Awareness month is to raise awareness and to support recovery.This is a time dedicated to support prevention, research, education, intervention, treatment and recovery from alcoholism and ... Read More →

A New Obsession I'll never forget the first time my friends and I got a case of beer and got drunk together. I loved it. I wanted more. Nothing was ever the same after that because unless there was booze and drugs involved I wanted nothing to do with it. The booze and drugs took hold of me from day one. I never knew what would happen. . . I could hook up with a pretty girl, get in a fight or black out and wake up covered in vomit. But I still loved it. It was adventure in a bottle ... Read More →

For decades, society has dreamed of a miracle drug that can end substance addiction. We've hoped for a way to make recovery from addiction effortless and painless--that “quick fix” for addiction itself. Lunbeck, a Danish international pharmaceutical company, claims to have finally bagged that dream and squished it into a little tablet dubbed Selincro. Have we finally found a "miracle fix" for addiction? Touted as the “first major innovation in the treatment of alcohol dependence in many years,” Selincro is one of the few medications to be approved by the European commission for the reduction ... Read More →