American Addiction Centers Blog

  An addiction may be hard to explain and even harder for many to understand. It’s a medical disease that’s both treatable and recurrent. It includes complicated interactions between brain circuits, the individual’s life experience, the environment, and genetics. And specifically, substance abuse can be a challenging addiction to face, but with help and treatment, […]

The band started playing a familiar tune from years past. What was the name and who sang it? A friend knew it was “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin and added that this artist died from a drug overdose. Jimi Hendrix did too. Jim Morrison was another. Elvis, Kurt Cobain, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse […]

Over 50% of individuals with mental illness, spinal cord injury, or traumatic brain injury abuse either alcohol or drugs. In honor of Disability Pride Month, we want to acknowledge all those with a disability, inclusive of those individuals who happen to struggle with an alcohol or drug addiction. Substance abuse is a challenge that impacts […]

One of the key components of addiction recovery is learning how to resist triggers and cope with the emotional and physical discomforts that used to drive us to drink and/or use. Holistic activities that promote harmony and balance between the mind and body, such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and music therapy, are excellent tools for […]

Do members of the medical community use and abuse substances? “Doctors aren’t immune to addiction” is a Harvard Health blog’s answer to this question. What is the extent of these struggles? The rate mirrors that of the general population. “It is estimated that 10%-15% of all medical professionals in the United States will misuse drugs […]

When someone attends treatment for a substance abuse disorder, it can feel like a relief to the individual. But it doesn’t matter if the treatment lasts 30, 60, or 90 days. It’s only one step on the path to a lifetime of recovery. Recovery is not the same as addiction treatment, nor is it the […]

Those who have battled with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and have gotten sober despite the obstacles, each have their own unique journey. Substance use disorder (SUD) or an alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a huge impact on the users as well as their families. And although that initial impact may be negative, the […]

For people in early addiction recovery, finding new and interesting activities to engage in that do not involve alcohol and drugs can be a challenge. But incorporating one or more sober hobbies into your new lifestyle can help strengthen your recovery and improve your overall quality of life. Honing your cooking skills is an excellent […]

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, bleak statistics continuously scrolled our television and computer screens. Each day was met with a growing rate of pandemic-related deaths and infection rates. For many of us, these numbers left us anxious and uncertain of the future. As the pandemic continued, new startling statistics began to emerge. Whether […]

In the new non-fiction book The Second Chance Club, all seven of the parolees profiled, who revolve in and out of lock up in New Orleans, suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD). Is that the norm, the prevalence of drug addiction in the U.S. jail and prison population? The percentage is difficult to pinpoint. […]

As part of the LGBTQ+ community, being proud of who you are and how you stand in this world is liberating. And one of the underlying reasons why that liberation is so significant and why there is a celebration of pride is due to a time when so many felt too ashamed to simply be […]

After his breakout roles in the 1983 films The Outsiders and Class, 18-year-old Rob Lowe was thrust into the Hollywood spotlight. Alongside fellow “Brat Packers” like Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, and Andrew McCarthy, he became one of the hottest teen idols of the decade — and adopted a fast-living lifestyle fueled by alcohol and drugs. […]