Imaging shows how addiction changes the brain

How Does Addiction Change The Brain?

Addiction can happen to anyone, regardless of age or background. It is a chronic issue that affects the brain and can lead to compulsive drug or alcohol use, even with negative consequences. Addiction is often viewed as a lack of willpower or moral weakness, but in reality, it is a complex disease that changes the…

A woman experiencing empathy in recovery

Why is Empathy Important in Recovery?

Early recovery is a time when our emotions return and may even be heightened for a period of time. We spent so much time deadening our emotional natures with drugs and alcohol, that it is only natural that we will begin to feel a strong resurgence of emotion in sobriety. One such emotion, empathy, often…

Man exhibiting critical thinking in recovery

What are the Benefits of Critical Thinking in Recovery?

Critical thinking is not necessarily what you think it is. It is not even a radical concept or idea that is new but the truth is recovery tends to involve a lot of emotion and less thinking. If you are in an addiction recovery program, you are dealing with lots of changes, new routines, friends,…

Man being told about medically assisted detox

What is Medically Assisted Detox?

The first step toward sobriety is often detoxifying the body of any traces of drugs or alcohol. This is done in order to break one’s physical dependence and pave the way for rehab treatment. Some drugs, like alcohol and opioids, create such strong physical dependence that one must receive medical support throughout the process to…

A woman who may be needing treatment

How Do I Know if I Need Treatment?

The decision to go to treatment can easily be the best decision a person ever makes. Many men and women who have successfully recovered from addiction and alcoholism can remember a time when they were on the fence about whether or not they needed treatment. Many of us needing treatment feel we can overcome our…

Distraught man wondering, "Can alcoholism be cured?"

Can Alcoholism be Cured?

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and fatal disease. Although there is no absolute “cure” for alcoholism, we are able to recover from the hopeless state of body and mind that has resulted from the disease. Rather than a cure, we have recovery programs designed to maintain sobriety and remove symptoms of the disease. Alcoholism can…

Several people enjoying the health benefits of hiking

What are the Health Benefits of Hiking?

When we were in active addiction or suffering other mental health issues, we rarely cared about exercise or getting out into nature. When we enter into sobriety and are in the process of healing, however, hiking can be a great way to improve our physical and mental health. Hiking provides the aerobic exercise we need…

fmla for rehab

Using FMLA for Drug Rehab

What should people think about before going through the admissions process for a rehab center? Apart from checking if they have health insurance for rehab, they should also check if they can use leaves covered by FMLA for rehab attendance.Addiction is a complex and chronic disease that can affect both the body and the mind.…

insurance for drug rehab

Best Insurances to Pay for Drug Rehab

Before you go through the admissions process at an addiction treatment facility, it’s best to determine if you can use your health insurance for drug rehab costs.Many insurance companies didn’t cover substance abuse treatment in the past. Most denied addiction treatment coverage based on whether substance use disorders or other co-occurring mental health conditions were…

gut

Is a Healthy Gut Good For Mental Health?

When you think about your gut health, you might be thinking about what’s going on in your stomach. However, the ‘gut’ actually represents the interactions of the entire digestive system, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and rectum. The gastrointestinal tract is a thirty-foot-long muscular tube that transports food from your…