Blog

Addiction may be a chronic disease that affects both men and women, but that doesn’t mean that both genders experience it in exactly the same manner. There are distinct differences in substance abuse patterns for women.Gender and Substance AbuseStatistics show that gender is an important factor in substance abuse. Consider the following:The National Survey on...Read More

It’s not just your imagination…the change of seasons, in particular, the lack of natural sunlight we get in the fall and winter, can affect your mood and mental health. With it, your recovery can be affected as well. This is known as seasonal affect disorder (SAD). Addiction Recovery in Winter During the winter months, it’s...Read More

The holidays are a time when families look forward to getting together to enjoy the best of the season. This includes celebrating with music, food, and drink.During this festive time, you may be thinking about the year that has passed, as well as previous holiday seasons. In a number of families, there is someone who...Read More

The holiday season is a time when family and friends look forward to spending time together. For people in recovery, this time of year presents a double-edged sword that can put them at higher risk for a relapse. There are more events where alcohol may be served, and this time of year can be stressful...Read More

Addiction treatment doesn’t stop when a client completes residential inpatient treatment. It would be unrealistic and unfair to send someone home without offering a plan for aftercare post addiction treatment and expect them to remain sober. The aftercare is an important part of the recovery plan, and this stage isn’t something that should be overlooked. How...Read More

Addiction treatment requires an individualized approach if it’s going to be successful in helping a client achieve sobriety. Cookie-cutter approaches don’t work for this type of chronic illness. Experiential therapy is one technique that may be part of an overall treatment plan. It may be used in conjunction with other therapies, such as individual counseling...Read More

Programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are based on the idea that support is a key component in healing from substance abuse. Sponsors are an important part of the program, since serving others is one of its foundations. You can work a 12-Step program without a sponsor, but many people find...Read More

If you haven’t been to a 12-Step meeting before, you may be wondering what to expect from the experience. Walking into a new environment where you don’t know the other participants can definitely be a nerve-wracking experience, but recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous go out of their way to make any newcomers feel welcome.12-Step Meeting...Read More

At one time, doctors viewed opioids as effective, though highly dangerous, drugs.They were only used in specific situations, such as for patients who were terminally ill, who had just had surgery, or who had been severely injured. In the 1990s, opinions about this class of drugs changed, as pharmaceutical companies promoted their product as being...Read More