Developed in the 1970s by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment for people with serious self-harming behaviors or those with complex or severe mental disorders. DBT has also been successful with many substance abusers as addiction can be viewed as a self-harming behavior. Addicts often suffer numerous negative consequences from…
E-cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes and vaporizer cigarettes are battery-operated devices that release doses of vaporized nicotine or non-nicotine vaporized solutions. E-cigarettes were first introduced into the US market in 2007 as a device to help smokers cut back or quit smoking altogether. The use of e-cigarettes has risen dramatically in the United States…
Many people want to know the optimal amount of time to stay in drug and alcohol treatment to have the most positive effects. We posted a blog on this a couple of years ago, but the question is raised so often, that we thought we’d talk about it again. According to the National Institute on Drug…
Most people use drugs and alcohol as a way of numbing feelings and not dealing with uncomfortable emotions like anxiety, sadness and anger. All of these feelings can be relapse triggers, so it’s critical to identify healthy coping skills in early recovery. Today we’re going to talk specifically about anger. The following are our top…
As one of the oldest drug and alcohol treatment agencies in the Bay Area, we hear it all the time: “There’s nothing fun to do if you’re sober” or “I’m bored – there’s nothing to do if you don’t (drink, smoke pot, put drug of choice here).” For people getting sober in the Bay Area…
According to the National Retail Federation, about 157 million people will celebrate Halloween this year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half of all traffic fatalities during Halloween involve a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher. With these kinds of statistics, it’s certainly…
Marijuana use among college students is at the highest rate it’s been since 1980. According to the 2014 Monitoring the Future Study, 5.9% of college students report daily or near-daily marijuana use. Basically, one in every 17 college students is smoking marijuana on a daily or near-daily basis (defined as use on 20 or more…
Now in its 26th year, National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans about the people affected by mental and/or substance use disorders and to remind them that these people can live healthy and rewarding lives when they receive appropriate care. Recovery Month celebrates the gains made by those in…
A common thing we tell clients in drug and alcohol treatment centers is to stay away from “people, places and things.” What we mean by this is that clients (especially in early recovery) shouldn’t hang around with people they used to use drugs and alcohol with, go to places where they used or partied or…
In a previous blog we discussed the top five health risks of alcohol which include liver disease, pancreatitis, cancer, ulcers and gastrointestinal problems, and immune system issues. Today we’ll discuss items six through ten. 6. Brain damage Alcohol alters brain receptors and neurotransmitters and interferes with cognitive function, mood, emotions and reactions on multiple levels. Because…