Wondering if it’s time to go to rehab? Chances are, if you’re reading this, the answer is yes. Jokes aside, here are some guidelines for those who are unsure if their “partying” has crossed a line. You Are Having Health Issues If you are having...

Getting ready to leave treatment and feeling unsure about your next steps? Are you wondering if a sober living home is right for you? Leaving the safety of treatment can be scary! Most people will be faced with returning to their jobs, families, and friends...

Benzodiazepines—often known as “Benzos”—for short, is the class of drug that includes Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin, among others. These act as central nervous system depressants that work by slowing brain activity, and are generally prescribed to treat alcohol withdrawal, anxiety, panic attacks, and seizures. While...

The old adage is true: addiction is a family disease. And as such, a family can play an essential role in a loved one’s treatment and recovery. As addiction can take a massive toll on a family’s wellbeing, getting help for yourself while the addict...

Prescription drugs – much like anything else – can be lifesaving when used as intended but can often turn into an addiction. No one should have to suffer from extended pain or other debilitating conditions. When over-the-counter drugs won’t cut it, such as when recovering...

What Is Withdrawal and How Does It Work? Withdrawal is a phrase used to describe the physical and psychological symptoms that occur when a substance is reduced or abruptly stopped. When someone has depended on drugs or alcohol for a long time (or even just...

A co-occurring disorder is defined as having a substance abuse disorder as well as one or more mental health issues. These can be tricky to navigate while still in the throes of addiction as one issue often amplifies the other. Many people resort to self-medicating...

If you are just starting out on what is, hopefully, a lifelong journey of recovery, it might seem like tough going. We get it and have been there. Early recovery can be marked by anxiety, depression, regret, and fear about the future. Not to mention...

Oddly, it can be astonishingly difficult to diagnose oneself as an alcoholic or an addict. Our lives can be burnt to the ground, in smoldering flames all around us, and yet we still can’t see it. The spectacular levels of denial and delusion surrounding addiction...

Swainson Brown was a beloved chef at a restaurant on Shelter Island, near New York City. One night in August, he consumed cocaine, which authorities said he had no idea was laced with fentanyl. Mr. Brown was among six people in the community who died in three...

Let’s be honest—choosing the right treatment center for the right length of time can make the difference between life and death for someone struggling with addiction. And figuring out how long you should stay for the best chance of success can be confusing! Here are...

For years now, we have heard about the seemingly never-ending scourge of the opioid epidemic. In fact, on this blog, we have written extensively about the soaring rates of overdoses associated with opioids that break records each year. Turns out, a parallel crisis exists, but...

As we’ve written about before on this blog, America is in the midst of an overdose epidemic of epic proportions – and it seems to be getting progressively worse. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) just released their annual statistics on the country’s overdose deaths,...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published its ever-more grim overdose statistics, and it’s not looking good. The data set is published annually and tracks the previous year’s deaths attributable to overdoses as well as where those ODs occur and what drugs...

Overdoses are again on the rise as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. As we reported earlier, fatal ODs surged in tandem with the arrival of COVID-19 and its associated interference with routines, jobs, recovery activity, and essential health services. Recent research suggests that trend has...

 Finding the right treatment for you or your loved one’s specific needs can be challenging. Mental illness does not respond to a “one size fits all” approach—which is why our program is designed to offer personalized treatment to address an individuals’ unique needs. Our goal...

New data is pointing to a dangerous nationwide uptick in drug overdoses since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. Recent reporting indicates the spike is being driven by myriad social and economic factors – including a loss of funding for treatment programs, increased social isolation,...

First things first: understanding what drives addiction is not generally enough to beat it. However – an understanding of the way addiction hijacks the brain can help to explain why so many people who want to quit find themselves totally powerless. Cognitive researchers have made...

Recent figures released by the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 2018 saw the first decline in drug overdose deaths since 1999. Overdose fatalities dropped by 4.1%, compared to 2017, and the drop mostly involved natural and semi-synthetic opioids. Despite the improvement, the numbers remain...

As Shawn took a seat on his first day of treatment, the group counselor stood up and issued a dire warning: “Look to your left. Now look to your right. According to the statistics, two of you won’t make it.” In Shawn’s case, it was...

For the first time in over three decades, the US in 2018 recorded a drop in the number of drug overdose deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control’s annual survey. The decline came almost entirely from a dip in the number of deaths associated...

Long-lasting recovery from compulsive and self-defeating behaviors is possible, and seeking treatment is a perfect place to start. Although, admittedly, choosing a treatment center can be a daunting and overwhelming prospect. Here we offer some guidance you can trust to help you find your way to...

By Megan Krause Believe it or not, your brain really does want to be healthy. It might not always seem like that, we know. Sometimes it seems like our brain is attacking us from a million different angles. We’ve been there, too. Our brains have...

The Opioid Epidemic The opioid epidemic continues to rage across the country, with a record 72,000 drug overdose deaths estimated in 2017, up sharply from the previous year, which itself was record-breaking. The statistics are heartbreaking, and often leave us feeling powerless in the face...

Cherie McMahon had always been a nervous kid. Her anxiety increased in her 20s, compounded by bouts of depression and obsessive-compulsive behavior. She was plagued by stress and self-doubt. She had insomnia. Her relationships began to suffer. Last summer, the 34-year-old Phoenix native finally had...

September is National Recovery Month—a time when people whose lives are touched by addiction come together to celebrate stories of hope and change. Every year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors Recovery Month to bring attention to substance use disorders and honor those...

Early estimates suggest that 2017 is the deadliest year yet for drug overdoses in America. Some 72,000 people died—that’s 200 people a day or one death every eight minutes. This means drug overdoses in 2017 killed more people than guns, car crashes, or HIV/AIDS ever...

Can you get sober if you don’t believe in God? The short answer is: sure you can, come on in! But there is more to the story… Often people in need of help for their alcoholism or drug addiction wander into treatment centers or 12-step...