The Arc of Addiction – A Disease Model
Addiction is a disease. The most common addiction is alcoholism and about 85% of inpatient rehab patients meet the criteria for this condition. The disease components seem to be the same from addiction to addiction, so these principles are easily transferrable to you if you have a primary opioid addiction or any other addictive process. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION
Clean House
What’s waiting for you when you get home? Are you being honest about what’s hiding around your house? Being exposed to alcohol and other drugs may trigger the still vulnerable, early-recovery brain before your “smart brain” has had a chance to become stronger.
Treatment Pitfalls: Revoking ROI’s
Many people enter treatment more due to the expectations of their family than through an internal desire to fully change. They’re also the most likely to manipulate the ROIs at opportune times, effectively tying the hands of clinicians. Find out about Release of Information in treatment. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION
Addicted Self vs. Healthy Self
The ‘addicted self’ is often more attractive to us than the healthy self, as the fear displayed by the healthy self can sometimes be construed as weakness. Don’t be fooled! The ‘healthy self’ has your best interest at heart…the addicted self really is invested in continued drug use. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION
Tobacco: The Greatest World Health Burden
Tobacco use is quite silent. It is a legal addiction and is not associated with significant criminal components. The number of people who seek residential or outpatient treatment for tobacco use disorders pales in comparison to that of other addictions.
Recovery Capital
The path of moving from early recovery to long-term recovery involves the concept of ‘building.’ Recovery Capital is a term used to describe assets helpful in preserving your abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Read about it.
Medical Detoxification: What to Know Before Treatment
Often referred to simply as Detox, the process can actually be highly dangerous for some people. If you or a loved one are entering treatment with the requirement of medical detox, it can be helpful to know some basic things about the experience.
Your Ten Dimensions
Balanced wellness can seem overwhelming, even for those not in recovery from addiction. Moving away from reactionary behavior and polarized thinking into a more balanced state of being is a primary foundation for recovery. Get started today!
Maximizing Therapy
How well-trained is the therapist in addiction treatment? Can I strike a balance between desire and best interest? Is the therapist naturally-gifted? These are some of the sensible questions to ask yourself (or to outright ask your therapist) for getting the most of your time, money and effort in maximizing therapy.
Second-Hand Tobacco Toxicity
The data never seems to be shocking to anyone who smokes. Especially with the effect on children and teenagers, most parents in treatment seem very aware that they are causing harm. That speaks to the severity of tobacco use as an addiction.