There are many different kinds of mutual aid groups for addiction. There is SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery, LifeRing, Celebrate Recovery, and others. Despite the growth of new options in recent decades, 12-step programs remain the most popular option by far. Someone struggling with addiction can find a 12-step meeting in almost any part of the… Continue Reading Do You Have to Be Religious for 12-step Programs to Work?
When you first enter treatment, you will probably be full of doubts. You may not be sure you even want to get sober. On top of that, you will be in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people, doing unfamiliar things. It’s normal to try to orient yourself. You want to know if you’re doing the… Continue Reading Why Comparing Yourself to Others is Bad for Recovery
Celebrate Recovery is a specifically Christian 12-step program designed to offer relief from “hurts, hangups, and habits.” The program began in 1991 as a way to help people struggling with addiction or codependency. Since then, its scope has expanded and there are now meetings in churches all over the United States. According to the Celebrate… Continue Reading What is Celebrate Recovery?
Recovering from addiction is not just a matter of abstinence. It requires a holistic approach that includes therapy, medical care, building social connection, and making healthy lifestyle changes. Being active outdoors is one of the best things you can do for a healthier lifestyle. It combines several elements for a whole greater than the sum… Continue Reading How Outdoor Activity Can Supercharge Your Recovery
In the last few years we’ve had no shortage of bad news about the opioid crisis. The death toll keeps rising and the media is full of stories about detailing how opioid addiction has destroyed families and communities. Finally, it looks like there may be some good news on the horizon. A recent report by… Continue Reading The Opioid Crisis May Be Starting to Taper
Refuge Recovery is a program for addiction recovery based on the Buddhist tradition. Refuge recovery adapts the principles of Buddhism, including the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, specifically to fight addiction. It works on the assumption that Buddhist ideas, which were developed to end human suffering in general, are also applicable to the… Continue Reading What is Refuge Recovery?
There is no age limit on addiction. Some older people struggle with addiction just because they always have and addiction hasn’t managed to kill them yet. Other people develop addictions late because of new life challenges. Either way, substance abuse is more dangerous the older you get. The substances continue to cause damage but the… Continue Reading Addiction in Older Populations
Most people are familiar with ‘meth mouth’, the bad teeth of long-time meth users. Photos of meth mouth are sometimes used in anti-drug advertisements. Is this just a scare tactic or is it a real problem? And if it’s real, what causes it? Meth mouth does appear to be a real phenomenon. According to the… Continue Reading Why is Meth Bad for Your Teeth?
People in recovery are often discouraged to discover their money situation is in bad shape. They may have made a lot of bad decisions during active addiction, including taking on a ton of debt and ignoring other financial obligations. When they get sober and have to face these problems, it can feel overwhelming. Here’s how… Continue Reading Fixing Money Problems in Recovery
There has been a lot of research into the link between schizophrenia, or psychosis more generally, and marijuana use. A statistical link has long been evident. By some estimates, about half of people diagnosed with schizophrenia struggle with addiction too. Two recent studies shed some light on the complicated relationship between marijuana and schizophrenia. The… Continue Reading Is Schizophrenia Related to Marijuana Use?
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