The opioid epidemic keeps getting worse every year. In 2107, more than 47,000 people died of opioid-related overdoses. With growing awareness of the problem, there are now more treatment options than ever. However, for many people, fear of withdrawal is a major obstacle to seeking treatment. Opioid withdrawal is almost never fatal but it is […]
22
May
May
Residential addiction treatment is a great way to start recovery but it’s still just a start. In treatment, you learn healthy coping skills, you have time to break old habits, you get started making healthy lifestyle changes, and you get therapy for any co-occurring mental health issues that might underlie your addiction. After treatment, you […]
21
May
May
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40 to 60 percent of people will relapse within a year getting treatment for a substance use disorder. Contrary to popular belief, a relapse isn’t something that just happens out of nowhere. Although some people may have a personal crisis that quickly leads to relapse, there are […]
20
May
May
Relapse is common in people recovering from addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, between 40 and 60 percent of people relapse within a year of receiving treatment for addiction. However, relapse doesn’t mean failure. Many people relapse several times before succeeding in recovery. What matters most is what you do after a […]
20
May
May
Cravings are one of the biggest challenges in addiction recovery. They are typically most frequent and intense early on and they get less frequent the longer you’re sober. However, they never go away completely. A craving makes you feel like you must use again, even if you know, rationally, that you don’t want to. Here […]
19
May
May
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a condition people sometimes develop following a traumatic incident. Symptoms of PTSD typically include re-experiencing the trauma, in the form of flashbacks or nightmares, avoiding things that remind you of the trauma, being unable to remember significant aspects of the trauma, being unable to sleep, startling easily, and becoming […]
17
May
May
One of the main reasons people decide to finally get help for addiction is that they see how it has damaged their relationships. Addiction makes you prioritize substance use above everything else in your life, including friends and family. You may cancel plans, ignore family obligations, or spend the rent money on drugs or alcohol. […]
17
May
May
What you do for a living might have a significant impact on whether you develop a substance use issue or relapse after treatment. Common factors in jobs that increase your addiction risk include high stress, long or irregular hours, dangerous conditions, isolation, and easy access to drugs or alcohol. Sometimes the best thing you can […]
16
May
May
Social support is one of the best predictors of success in recovery. Creating that social support is a central element of good treatment programs, which emphasize both group therapy and family therapy during treatment. Quality aftercare emphasizes preserving that sense of connection and helping people make sober contacts while transitioning back to their normal lives. […]
16
May
May
According to the World Health Organization, depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people. An estimated 20 percent of Americans will experience a depressive episode at some point. That means most of us will know someone who has struggled or will struggle with depression. It might even be […]
