Intravenous injection is the most dangerous way to take drugs. The immediate effects of the drug make IV use an extremely risky practice. The potential of overdose is much higher than with other routes of administration, and there is also an increased risk of other health complications such as bacterial and viral infection. The most…
Going through the treatment process only to relapse quickly afterwards is a common story in the recovery community. We often think that once we detox and receive therapy in treatment, we are “cured” of our addiction and can move forward in our lives without ever using drugs or alcohol again. This misconception is often the…
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) explains, “Addiction is a family disease that stresses the family to the breaking point, impacts the stability of the home, the family’s unity, mental health, physical health, finances and overall family dynamics” Addiction causes major consequence to the family and loved ones of the suffered. Healing…
Loneliness and isolation are so common among men and women suffering from addiction that they could be considered prerequisites for substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol become a substitute for the social interaction and approval that we crave, but ultimately exacerbate our feelings of loneliness and tendencies to isolate from others. Even in sobriety, loneliness can…
Leonard Cohen once said, “My mind was always very cluttered, so I took great pains to simplify my environment, because if my environment were half as cluttered as my mind, I wouldn’t be able to make it from room to room.” In early recovery, our minds are often so filled with anxious thoughts, fears, resentments,…
Addiction is a disease that does not only affect the sufferer; it affects everyone who has a relationship with the person who is addicted. Psychologists view families as “organizations” or “ecosystems” in which each member of the family plays a role. When a member of the family become addicted to alcohol or drugs, it changes…
Resentment is an everyday occurrence for everyone, whether or not they suffer from addiction or alcoholism. For those in recovery, however, resentment can cause a person to once again seek solace and comfort in drugs and alcohol. Everyone gets upset with others at some point—we step on the toes of others and they retaliate, leaving…
Many recovery programs focus on spirituality as a means of overcoming addiction and maintaining sobriety. 12-Step recovery, for example, focuses on experiencing a spiritual awakening and living a spiritual life to achieve sobriety. Others, like Refuge Recovery, are founded in the spiritual principles of Buddhism and utilize the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. The…
Addiction is never cured. Overcoming the disease requires consistent mental and spiritual maintenance. Our nights are yet another time to exercise the recovery practices we have learned as a means of ensuring our sobriety in the day to come. We take the opportunity before we go to bed to bolster our spiritual connection and commitment…
Many newcomers will enter the rooms of 12-Step recovery meetings, see the word “God,” and run for the door. There is a common misconception that 12-Step recovery programs are religious in nature, and that spirituality comes from developing a dogmatic approach to the concept of a Higher Power. Many members of recovery programs do hold…