The Benefits of Outpatient Addiction Therapy
Drug rehab becomes necessary when dependency turns into addiction; when the person loses their ability to control their drug usage or behavior. All addiction treatments start with detoxification, but after that, you have a few options: inpatient or out. People with severe addictions should start with inpatient rehab and continue on with outpatient afterward. WHY […]
The Dangers of Eating Disorders
When you hear the word addiction, you probably think about heroin or cocaine—not a behavioral addiction, like gambling, gaming, or anorexia. 20 percent of people suffering from anorexia or bulimia die prematurely from complications related to their disorder, including suicide and heart issues. Eating disorders in general produce the highest mortality rate of any category […]
Tips for Emotional Healing After Rehab
Graduating from rehab is an enormous milestone. Emotionally, you’re in a much better place. However, your recovery journey is far from finished, and you can expect some ups and downs in the coming months. The purpose of rehab isn’t to solve your emotional problems, but to give you the tools and know-hot to battle them […]
Dealing with Winter Blues in Recovery
It’s getting colder. It’s getting darker. Winter is coming. For some people, this is the hardest part of the year. Being indoors can be great, sure—especially around this time. Who doesn’t love sitting around a fire with family, watching Christmas movies, eating cookies, and sipping cocoa? Still, some of us need a certain amount of daylight and […]
Tools for Building a Sober Life
When you graduate from rehab, your journey isn’t over. Long-term recovery is like walking up a down escalator. Your sobriety won’t define your life, but you will have to actively pursue it — for the few months, rigorously. Some additional tips: BELIEVE IN THE SYSTEM Accepting that your addiction has power over you isn’t the same as […]
Learning Martial Arts in Recovery
Addiction is time-consuming. When you give up drugs or alcohol, you wind up with a lot of spare hours on your hands, which, if you want to retain your sobriety, will have to be filled with something else—something exciting, productive, and challenging. One way to strengthen your mind and body is through martial arts. Martial […]
Helping a Friend Stay Sober
When a good friend relapses, it can be heartbreaking, infuriating, or just plain baffling. There are a number of ways to help them stay sober—the most important of which is encouraging them to continue treatment. Addiction treatment doesn’t end when the addict walks away from the rehab clinic; it continues forever. Even if they say […]
Admitting Mistakes In Recovery
It may sound cliché, but it’s the hard truth: everybody makes mistakes. No matter how many times those words are spoken, there will always be those who have trouble admitting their errors – not just to others, but to themselves as well. That’s common behavior among patients of addiction. The right mix of chemicals and […]
What To Do After a Relapse
All recovering addicts should fear relapse on some level, because it’s a major setback. Just one sip or puff can undo months of physiological detox and cause cravings to return full-force. However, that’s all it is: a setback. Catch yourself When you put down the bottle or pipe after a slip, you’re essentially “quitting” once […]
A Look at the Nicotine Withdrawal Timeline
Nicotine affects many different systems within the body—most importantly, the brain. Over time, the brain becomes accustomed to the presence of nicotine. Nicotine withdrawal can be unpleasant. The cravings many smokers experience during acute withdrawal is comparable to those of opiate addiction. For days, sometimes weeks, it’s all the addict can think about. If you’re […]
