American Addiction Centers Blog

After a successfully completing an addiction treatment program, a strong support network of friends who understand the struggles that someone working through recovery faces is crucial to ensuring long-term sobriety. Good friends are not only important as a way for a former drug user to voice his or her frustrations about life in recovery, but […]

For someone who wants to give up drugs for a healthier, more fulfilling life, time spent in an inpatient substance abuse treatment center can have a transformative effect. Professional counselors, therapists and medical specialists do everything they can and use every tool at their disposal to help someone in recovery break the habit of self-destructive […]

Many symptoms of alcohol and drug withdrawal are the result of the toxic effects these chemicals have on the brain and the body. In the first days and weeks following cessation of drug and alcohol use, individuals may experience acute withdrawal symptoms, which can be more severe for some than others and will vary depending […]

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” This famous quote can easily be applied to addiction. Have you tried over and over again to get clean, only to find yourself continuing to slip back into your behaviors and patterns? If the answer is yes, then maybe you should look […]

While there is no one way or guaranteed way to prevent someone from abusing drugs and alcohol, there are things that everyone can do to prevent substance abuse. Here are the top five ways to prevent substance abuse: 1. Understand how substance abuse develops. Substance abuse starts by: Using addictive drugs (illicit or prescribed) for […]

The causes of addiction are so varied from person to person and so difficult for even drug rehab programs to identify that many suffering from drug addiction have a hard time recognizing that there is even a problem in the first place. While certain genetic and physical traits certainly factor into substance abuse, a deteriorating […]

While it is of course in the best interest of drug addicts to get inpatient substance abuse treatment from rehab centers before their lives are threatened by their addiction, sometimes it takes an event such as an overdose before people will realize that they need help. Many former addicts have said that it was only […]

The sudden passing of acclaimed actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman reignited the national discussion over drugs and those who struggle with addiction. Experts have posited dozens of theories for why Hoffman, who had been sober for nearly 20 years, suddenly went back to a habit he had tried too hard to rid himself of. Russell Brand, […]

One of the main reasons why people who need help for drug and alcohol addiction do not go to rehab centers or detox centers is because of the stigma associated with having dependence on these substances. It is important that the public understands there is nothing shameful about seeking help for and being open about […]

Low self-esteem is a common hurdle that many addicts face before choosing drug rehab.The downward spiral of substance abuse can lead users to feel that their lives have fallen so out of sorts that the only solution to their problems is the drug that got them there. This image of the malcontent drug user – […]

More than a hundred million people will tune into the Super Bowl this Sunday. As “the biggest event on the betting calendar with more action on it than any other game,” some experts say they wouldn’t be surprised if total bets hit the $100,000 mark—marking the greatest betting numbers the Super Bowl has ever seen. […]

Thanksgiving is a time for friends, family, fun… and a whole lot of feasting. According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American consumes 4,500 calories and 230 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day. While the seemingly endless meal of turkey, potatoes and stuffing galore (plus leftovers, of course) is anticipated by so many, Thanksgiving […]