Do Your Research! Three Ways to Approach Addiction Treatment that Change Outcomes
Do Your Research! Three Ways to Approach Addiction Treatment that Change Outcomes Did you know that people spend more time looking for a new car than they do researching the addiction treatment center they intend to send their loved on to? This is a terrible mistake, because not all treatment centers or their programs are […]
One Résumé at a Time: Five Tips for Job Hunting in Recovery
One Résumé at a Time: Five Tips for Job Hunting in Recovery Going to a job interview can be daunting in the best of circumstances. Now that you’re in recovery from addiction, you may bring a whole host of other concerns to the interview, like how to discuss the lapses in your résumé. As you […]
Kinder is Stronger: The Case for Self-Compassion
Kinder is Stronger: The Case for Self-Compassion When you have experienced a traumatic event or developed post-traumatic stress disorder, it is difficult to have self-compassion. The wounds and untreated symptoms from living with trauma are frustrating, making it hard to go easy on yourself. Yet, developing self-compassion is an important part of overcoming the past […]
While We’re Focused on Opioids, Alcohol Abuse Remains a Leading Cause of Death
While We’re Focused on Opioids, Alcohol Abuse Remains a Leading Cause of Death Did you know that according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 88,000 people “die from alcohol-related causes annually, making it the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States”? In fact, recent statistics show that […]
Not on the News: Four Under-Reported Facts about the Opioid Epidemic
Not on the News: Four Under-Reported Facts about the Opioid Epidemic If you’ve been paying attention to the news recently, you know that the United States is currently facing an epidemic of opioid abuse like it’s never seen before. While any news station will tell you how bad the situation is getting, it can […]
Three Meditation Myths that Keep You from a Healthier Life
Three Meditation Myths that Keep You from a Healthier Life Meditative practices offer a simple, intuitive approach to improving your life and mental well being, yet many who could benefit from meditation are quickly deterred by misinformation. Meditation is not difficult, it has a huge positive impact on the brain, and anyone can make […]
What to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center
What to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center I very often get letters from frustrated, frightened parents of grown children who are addicts. These family members are desperate for help because they have sent their loved ones to countless treatment facilities to no good end. The addicts are still using and the family […]
Skeletons in the Closet: Three Health Conditions We Need to Talk About
Skeletons in the Closet: Three Health Conditions We Need to Talk About Not every topic is considered “polite.” There are some subjects people are encouraged to avoid in general conversation, like religion and politics. But certain health conditions are too often swept under the rug to avoid perceived embarrassment, and as a result people are […]
Don’t Give Up: How to Maintain Hope for the Addict in Your Life
Don’t Give Up: How to Maintain Hope for the Addict in Your Life I frequently receive late night calls, especially on the weekend, asking for help for a person with substance use disorder in need. Last weekend, a colleague needed a placement for a long time alcoholic. The alcoholic had previously “failed” at two facilities, […]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: 3 Reasons You Can’t Ignore Trauma
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: 3 Reasons You Can’t Ignore Trauma When you face difficult times, you have two options: work through the difficulty you’ve encountered or try to avoid it. For many who have lived through a traumatic experience, going around or burying traumatic memories can feel like the only feasible […]