National Recovery Month
National Recovery Month. This observance began in 1989 to recognize the achievements of those who have successfully broken free from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Further, it aims to recognize the hard work of people who work in the field of addiction recovery and to educate the public about the recovery process and the fact […]
Recovery High Schools
Every year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse conducts a survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders nationwide. It’s called the Monitoring the Future Survey. This survey has been very helpful in allowing doctors, researchers, law enforcement, mental health providers, and drug abuse services providers to view trends in drug and alcohol consumption and abuse […]
Al-Anon and Alateen
When it comes to addiction and addiction recovery these days, the focus seems to be on opioids and opioid abuse disorders. This is not surprising. The opioid epidemic is immense and has taken many lives; it continues to do so as it grows, and therefore it is fitting that the abuse of this particular class […]
Sesame Street & the Opioid Epidemic
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug use in the United States has been increasing. In a 2013 study by this government organization, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or old had used an illicit drug in the previous month. That’s 9.4% of our country’s population and is an increase from 8.3% […]
Collegiate Recovery
Due to our country’s current opioid crisis, plus the lure of other substances and subsequent development of substance abuse disorders, it’s no surprise that there are many thousands of college students that have suffered from addiction in the past, and who now are in recovery from addiction. Although drug and alcohol abuse among teens is […]
Deep Brain Stimulation for Addiction Recovery
It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but implanting tiny electrodes into a patient’s brain may actually be able to change behavior and further, it may help those struggling with addiction. This treatment is called deep brain stimulation and it is not new. This interesting method has been around for over […]
Compassion in Addiction Recovery
Compassion is an important quality to possess and to cultivate. This abstract word that describes a virtue means “to suffer together.” A longer definition might describe compassion as the result of seeing someone suffering, realizing they do not deserve it, and wanting to help them because you know you would want help if it happened […]
Gratitude for Good and Bad Will Give You Strength
An attitude of gratitude can change your life. Giving thanks for things that have happened to you and all the positive things you have and experience can give you strength and can serve to bolster your addiction recovery efforts. It’s easy to be grateful for the good things in your life, but you may be […]
Struggles of the Addiction Recovery Industry in the Time of COVID-19
It’s a tremendously difficult time for everyone in the world right now, and for people in the United States in particular. Coronavirus and COVID-19 have only existed for a few months, but in that time, and at the time of this writing, fifteen million people have been infected worldwide and nearly 700,000 have died. In […]
The Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer Movement
Beer has been around for centuries and is the world’s most consumed beverage of any type besides water and tea. That’s really crazy to think about, but it makes sense. Beer is easy to make and is cheap to produce. People around the world love beer, and it’s a big part of many cultures and […]