Social media addiction has been much in the news lately. While experts agree that calling obsessive social media use an addiction is hyperbolic, especially considering the damage that substance addictions can do to your life, excessive social media use is still a cause for concern. Many studies have now found associations between social media use… Continue Reading 5 Ways to Beat Social Media Addiction
Dealing with cravings is one of the biggest challenges of addiction recovery. Sometimes they seem to come out of nowhere and they can be very intense. Your brain starts to engage in all sorts of crazy logic to justify using “just one more time.” You might find yourself pacing your room, feeling like you’re about… Continue Reading How Long Do Drug Cravings Last?
Self-awareness is one of the most important skills to improve recovery from addiction or mental illness. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your own emotional reactions, triggers, patterns, and effect on others. It’s a major factor in understanding why you do what you do and why others react the way they do. Having greater self-awareness… Continue Reading 4 Ways to Build Self-awareness in Recovery
Relapse rates after treatment can be very high. Depending on the drug, how long you’ve used it, and which studies you consult, the relapse rate might be as low as 40 percent to as high as 90 percent in the first year. What’s more, relapse is much more likely if you’re a man. One study… Continue Reading 6 Reasons Men Relapse After Treatment
Drug courts are courts specifically for drug-related offences. Defendants who end up in drug court will have the option of entering treatment or beginning a 12-step program in exchange for a dropped or reduced sentence. They agree to the terms of drug court rulings, which typically include periodic drug tests to ensure the defendant is… Continue Reading How Do Drug Courts Work?
Making the transition from life in treatment or a sober living home back to life on your own can be tricky. If you have been used to living in a structured environment around sober people, the sudden freedom and social pressures of normal life can be difficult to navigate. One solution to this problem is… Continue Reading The Benefits of Sober Roommates
Going home after treatment can be a strange experience. Not only have you been away for at least a month, you are sober, perhaps for the first time in years. You’ve spent a lot of time with a therapist and with other people in recovery. Life probably looks a lot different from when you started.… Continue Reading What Should You Do When You Get Home After Treatment?
There are many aspects of sports that would seem to protect you from addiction. Regular exercise improves your mood, emotional regulation, and self-control, protecting against the depression and anxiety that often lead to substance use. Team sports add an element of social connection and a sense of belonging that can also protect against addiction. Perhaps… Continue Reading Why Athletes May Be Vulnerable to Addiction
For most people in addiction recovery, their instinct is to keep it to themselves. They may have become quite comfortable talking about their active addiction history with a therapist, group, and certain family members, but they are usually aware that addiction, especially to drugs like cocaine, meth, or heroin, is beyond the ken of most… Continue Reading Should You Share Your Addiction History?
Recovery from opioid addiction must start with detox. Unfortunately, opioid withdrawal is perhaps the most unpleasant of any drug. It is often described as a terrible flu that you know would stop if you just start using again. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, sweating, fever, runny nose, yawning, and bone… Continue Reading 4 Ways to Take the Edge Off of Opioid Withdrawal