Content Reviewed by Jennifer Wheeler, Clinical & Community Outreach Substance use and addiction can result in intense consequences such as interpersonal relationship problems, financial instability, career issues and legal problems, among other things. After these consequences become clear, you may find yourself pulling your life together with the help of addiction treatment. However, treatment can … Read more
Content Reviewed by Jennifer Wheeler, Clinical & Community Outreach Empathy does not always come naturally; it often takes awareness and learning to be supportive of others. Sometimes, even well-intentioned statements can be hurtful. In the case of someone in drug or alcohol addiction recovery, words can even be triggering. Educating yourself about substance abuse, treatment … Read more
At any point in your alcohol recovery, you may experience cravings. Such impulses can soon return you to self-doubt and fear of relapse; this is because cravings can sometimes come from nowhere and feel irresistible. Learning to manage impulses is an essential skill that requires you to continue to grow and evolve in recovery. … Read more
When life is busy and stress is prevalent, getting good sleep can be difficult. Yet waking up feeling rested and replenished is such a great way to start the day. Good sleep feels great to the mind, body and spirit, while poor sleep or too little sleep can have the opposite effect on our entire … Read more
There are so many factors involved in going to work during or after addiction recovery treatment. What do you tell coworkers? What do they know about your addiction? What will they say if they find out? How do you explain any absences from the workday? Those are often the primary concerns, followed by questions such … Read more
When working to recover from a substance use disorder (SUD), such as chronic alcoholism, healing is only effective if you address all of the factors which impact substance use. For those who have co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders, the conditions are symbiotic. It is impossible to heal from one without treating and healing … Read more
For some, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is still controversial. Many cling to an old belief that MAT is a replacement drug for those with an addiction, but it is not. MAT can help people stay alive, stay in treatment and produce better results throughout their lives. What exactly is MAT and can it help you? What … Read more
The holidays are a time of year that often invoke images of family and friends together, decorating the tree, baking cookies and exchanging gifts. While these images are ideal, this might not be the reality for many people. For some, the holidays can be a time of anguish, pain and over-indulgent behaviors. This stress can … Read more
A recent survey showed that emergency department doctors aren’t ready to prescribe buprenorphine to patients with opioid use disorder, even though the number of patients visiting emergency departments due to opioid overdoses is increasing. Medications like buprenorphine can help, but doctors are reluctant to prescribe it due to a lack of support. Let’s take a … Read more