It can be hard for some people to put their lives on hold to get addiction treatment. Many people need to balance their treatment with their career, family, or education, making residential treatment an unrealistic option. Thankfully, most rehab facilities will offer outpatient programs. Outpatient programs do not require patients to stay on campus, meaning…
Everyone loves a good story. We all have different tastes in the kinds of stories we enjoy. Some of us like thrilling stories. Some of us like fantasies or science fiction. When we read a story we get lost in the narrative. Enmeshed with the world on-page, we identify with the characters, we make meaning…
Medical professionals utilize a number of psychotherapy methods to help people overcome addiction and many other mental health disorders. As time moves on and medicine improves, different treatment methods become more and more common. Many people participate in cognitive-behavioral therapy, but not everyone is aware of the benefits of dialectical behavior therapy. When looking for…
It’s no secret that substance abuse issues cut across all professions. Department of Transportation (DOT) policy requires those who violate the drug and alcohol policy undergo an evaluation by a substance abuse professional. Those working in the world of a substance abuse professional (SAP) include doctors, therapists, social workers, and addiction counselors. All who fill this role…
Once you decide to seek treatment, it’s better to get started as quickly as possible. However, many people have reservations even after making a firm commitment to seeking help for addiction disorders. They may also have concerns like who will take care of their pets or making sure their bills are paid while they’re away…
During the COVID-19 crisis we hear a lot about vulnerable populations. This is the intersection where your addiction and COVID-19 meet. Vulnerable populations include: the elderly, those with underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and those with compromised immune systems. Unfortunately, if you have an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol you fall into a…
Beating a dependency on alcohol takes more than willpower. Too many people consider themselves to be failures if they fail to stop after their first or even 20th attempt. They beat themselves up while asking the question, “How hard is it to quit drinking, and why can’t I do it?” The basic answer comes down to chemistry, or…
As parents, none of us ever imagines that we might one day be the parent of an addict. Yet, millions of mothers every year are faced with the undeniable fact that their child suffers from a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, over 24 million people in the United States are addicted to an illicit substance at…
I felt like an abject failure. After 30 days in rehab, I relapsed in just six days. I lost my job, and my parents told me I couldn’t see my children until I got my life together. What was wrong with me? I had every opportunity to change, and it didn’t work. I couldn’t even…
A bad habit is a hard thing to break. Habits are deep, complex relationships and associations in the brain. If habits were simple relationships they would be easier to become aware of, stop, and change. In many ways, drug and alcohol addiction is a habit. A part learning process, part compulsion, part memory, the routines…