a group of people talk about what is smart recovery

Who Should Consider an Intensive Outpatient Program?

Intensive outpatient programs, or IOPs, are part of the continuum of care for addiction treatment. IOPs are intended to treat people who need something more than early intervention or general outpatient treatment but don’t need medical detox or 24-hour supervision. These are often people with co-occurring conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders. Typically, someone… Continue Reading Who Should Consider an Intensive Outpatient Program?

a man has his teeth examined as he wonders can wisdom tooth extraction lead to addiction

Can Wisdom Tooth Extraction Lead to Addiction?

About five million Americans have wisdom teeth extracted every year. It’s usually quick, safe procedure that takes a few days to recover from. People often feel quite a bit of pain those first few days, which is why oral surgeons prescribe pain medication for patients recovering from dental surgery. Unfortunately, that medication can be addictive.… Continue Reading Can Wisdom Tooth Extraction Lead to Addiction?

a group of people talk about 6 myths about addiction recovery

6 Myths About Addiction Recovery

Recovering from addiction isn’t easy, and it’s even harder if you have unrealistic ideas about recovery. You might feel like you’re not progressing as fast as you should or that you’re having problems no one else has. In reality, although everyone’s story is unique, there are very few unique problems in addiction recovery. However, having… Continue Reading 6 Myths About Addiction Recovery

a man asks his therapist what are the risk factors for addiction

Why Emotional Regulation is Fundamental to Addiction Recovery

Emotional regulation is our ability to turn the volume up or down on our emotions. We need emotions just like we need thinking and breathing, but when we let our emotions control us, we often run into trouble. Emotions may be excessive, counterproductive, or just inappropriate. For example, it’s normal to be sad over a… Continue Reading Why Emotional Regulation is Fundamental to Addiction Recovery

a man asks his therapist what happens during benzodiazepine withdrawal

What Happens During Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?

Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. They are typically prescribed for occasional use for people suffering from anxiety or insomnia. Unfortunately, you can develop a dependence on benzodiazepines in as little as two weeks of regular use. What’s more, they are among the most difficult drugs… Continue Reading What Happens During Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?

a woman uses meditation as one of her coping skills for addiction recovery

6 Coping Skills for Addiction Recovery

Learning healthy coping skills is one of the most important parts of addiction recovery. For many people who struggle with addiction, substance use was their primary means of coping with life’s difficulties. Whether the issue was stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma, drugs or alcohol helped to relieve the distress. Recovery may appear daunting because you… Continue Reading 6 Coping Skills for Addiction Recovery

a doctor talks to his patient about the long term effects of opioid painkillers

What Are the Long-term Effects of Opioid Painkillers?

Opioid painkillers were never intended for long-term use. They work very well for people who have been badly injured, people who have just undergone a medical procedure, such as a surgery, or people with terminal illnesses. Unfortunately, many people believe they are the only way to treat chronic pain, such as back pain. Others just… Continue Reading What Are the Long-term Effects of Opioid Painkillers?