It is tempting to think of the recovery journey as moving in a straight line. The fact of that matter is that somewhere around half of all people who take the critical step of getting treatment for their addiction issues will relapse at some point.1 Relapse is such a common occurrence, in fact, that at…
We witness the power of the internet in general — and of social media in particular — every day. For most of us, there are few aspects of our life that have not been affected in some way by the power of these forces. Never before has it been so easy to connect with other…
Many people are surprised when they find out that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in America. While tens of millions of Americans suffer from this group of disorders, it is a sad truth that few of them will get the help that they need. The overall causes of anxiety disorders are…
Alcohol abuse is one of the most serious health problems facing Americans. Even though our society tends to normalize it, there are many dangers of binge drinking; and particularly teenagers and young adults are at risk. If you are worried that you or someone you care about has a problem, it is worth exploring the…
Very few people in today’s American culture see the real risks of alcohol abuse. Not only is alcohol available and advertised everywhere we look, but alcohol use — and abuse — are normalized by both media and film industries. The result is that when people inevitably do have problems with alcohol consumption, they often do…
When it comes to treating people with addiction issues, there are several misconceptions. One of the most common ones is that substance use problems are simply a matter of determination and will power. In reality, the medical establishment has known for years that addiction is a disease that affects brain chemistry. Like other conditions, it…
Researchers studying addiction have known for decades that when it comes to women and alcoholism, women’s needs are different from men’s needs. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has demonstrated, for instance, that women are far less likely to seek professional help than men are. They also point out that even though more…
It is a well-known fact that when a crisis hits, addiction numbers go up. In the U.S. — and around the world — as we quarantine ourselves and maintain a safe social distance from each other, individuals struggling with substance abuse are more likely than ever to put themselves into harm’s way or to relapse.…
There are many reasons to participate in an online addiction counseling program. Being encouraged to isolate ourselves because of the current global health crisis is a great time to take advantage of the counseling offered in programs like our virtual IOP and Day Treatment Program. Addiction is already an isolating condition. Now that we are…
We tend to think of the difficulty of recovery as happening early in the process. The first steps can be challenging both psychologically and physically. The early stages of rehab, including detox programs and the stages that immediately follow, are as demanding as they are critical. But the idea that recovery simply gets more comfortable…