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If you have a loved one preparing to come home from rehab, you may be filled with mixed emotions. Completing rehab is a monumental step, and while you are likely excited and proud of your loved one, you may also be worried about them leaving the safe environment of a rehab facility. You could also […]

It’s over. You made it through detox or a full treatment program for addiction. And you attained your overarching goal! You’re walking through the exit of the facility to re-enter the world at large. Moving from the confines of a protected space can be daunting for a newly sober person. Gone is the intensive structure […]

These are difficult and unprecedented times. The added stress of a global pandemic, subsequent financial strains, and the fact that there are so few outside distractions available compounds the difficulty of staying in recovery. Here are a few suggestions on how to maintain sobriety during the COVID-19 outbreak. Managing Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic […]

The Importance of Aftercare Stopping your substance use and completing rehab is really only the first step of your journey. This is why developing an aftercare plan (a structured plan for continuing your recovery efforts) is an incredibly important step in preventing relapse. Many treatment professionals will talk about a “continuum of care,” which refers […]

Relapsing after a period of sobriety can be problematic for two major reasons: 1) it can restart the destructive cycle of addiction, and 2) relapsing may more easily lead to an overdose, in some situations. For example, someone who has been sober from opioids such as heroin or painkillers for an appreciable period of time […]

Why Sobriety Can Feel Boring at First When people first recognize they have a substance use problem, one of the many obstacles they have in getting sober is the fear that their life will be boring without drugs or alcohol. Indeed, early recovery can feel rough at first. Life in active addiction is often chaotic, […]

What Is Aftercare? Aftercare, or continuing care in the substance use disorder context, has evolved to mean a few things. As originally conceptualized, continuing care was a period of lower-intensity treatment following a more intensive initial period, such as residential treatment or an intensive outpatient program (IOP). Thus, the concept of aftercare was known as […]

What is the Definition of Relapse? A relapse is when a person returns to using drugs or alcohol after a period of sobriety. While a lapse is a brief “slip” where a person may drink or use, but then immediately stop again, a relapse is when a person makes a full blown return to drinking […]

It is human nature to compare yourself to others, especially people you respect, who you feel have some form of control over their lives, and who seem to have it all. For some, this comparison process is healthy. It encourages self-assessment, inspires new ideas and options, and encourages healthy competition that motivates persistence and progress. […]

Addiction is a brain disease that does not discriminate. In 2023, roughly 48.5 million American adults aged 12 or older suffered from a substance use disorder, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).1 There are many reasons why a person may turn to drugs or alcohol initially, including using these mind-altering […]