Possible peer judgment should never stand in the way of your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. However, if you choose to remain friends with people who you once partied with, there stands a good chance that you are going to be judged for your recovery efforts. Understanding Differences in Personal Experiences One of the reasons...Read More

Over the last few years, the way substance abuse is treated has shifted from total abstinence-based programs that implement the 12-step program toward methods of harm reduction. What is the difference between Abstinence Versus Harm Reduction? The difference between harm reduction and abstinence is in methods of treatment and the overall perception of modern substance...Read More

With the season of spring break in full swing, it’s a ripe time to discuss binge drinking on college campuses. Spring break is a time when students tend to excessively drink. Many studies show that people increase drinking as a way to increase pleasure associated with celebrations and get-togethers.Read More

As addicts in recovery, we know that cessation of substance use is about more than giving up the substance and the friends and activities associated with it. We must also address the emotional issues underlying our use. Whether those emotional issues have to do with stress, anxiety, depression, fear, or a lack of self-esteem, there’s...Read More

For millennia, alcohol has been used as a social lubricant for communal gatherings. Its history of use can be followed as far back as 7000 BC in China, according to the Foundation for a Drug Free World’s website. As one of the oldest used substances, alcohol has been a popular drink for celebrations, ceremonies, and...Read More

For many people, the winter months can be an exceptionally rough time to stay sober, a time when we can become acutely aware of our loneliness. Emotional triggers like this create turbulent ground and risk of relapse for people in any stage of recovery. As hard as it can be when someone you deeply care...Read More

Alone, navigating through the emotional undulations of everyday life can feel overwhelming after quitting the use of drugs and alcohol. Adding to that, the distress of winter blues can feel debilitating and, in its worst-case scenario, can lead to unnecessary relapse. The winter blues, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of...Read More

The first thing you should know about recovery is that everyone has his or her own experience. While it would be nice to have a step-by-step guide of exactly what to expect, that just isn’t the reality. With that being said, the first year of recovery can be painted in rather broad strokes. Depending on...Read More

In the beginning, some twelve thousand years ago, people used mind-altering substances in an attempt to connect more intimately with the spirit world. Like trance dance and fasting, substance has been used since ancient times as a method to break through the barrier of reality so that communication with deceased ancestors could be possible.Read More

When I was struggling with substance abuse, I often found myself on New Year’s Eve, once again, making a New Years Resolution Goal to myself that I would quit cold turkey. Sometimes, I would make it two or three days. Other times, I wouldn’t make it past the first. The problem was, I was trying...Read More