Resources for Family

When you think about getting treatment for a substance use disorder, you probably think of two key components: detoxification and rehabilitation. Those first two portions of treatment programs are so well known, they go by nicknames—detox and rehab. You probably noticed that we just called them the “first two portions of treatment.” Maybe you are...Read More

Looking backwards and forwards — what does it have to do with sobriety?  All of us seem to be predisposed to thinking about the past and worrying about the future. We lose sleep over things we regret and also over things we are worried about. We let past mistakes lower our self-esteem, and we let...Read More

We have all had it happen. A song gets stuck in our head, and it seems like nothing can shake it loose. Some songs are well known earworms, and others might be specific to a given individual. Either way, once you hear an earworm of a song, it can stick with you for hours—or even...Read More

In a recent blog post, we took a look at a few terms and phrases that might be described as “recovery jargon.” We covered the process known as urge surfing to fend off cravings. We defined the phrase “dry drunk.” And we took a look at the vagaries of the pink cloud, which can cause...Read More

You need to understand the language of recovery. Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with two people who work in the same field—a field different than your own? At some point, the conversation turns to work and what each of you like, hate, and tolerate about your gigs. Maybe your two companions start...Read More

You have probably heard the old song that opens: “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” It is a nice thought, isn’t it? As the summer arrives in full force, it is nice to think that perhaps the living will, in fact, be easy. Turns out, however, that the season of the year has very little...Read More

How Can You Help Your Loved One? When someone in your life is struggling with drugs or alcohol, it is only natural to want to help. It is also natural to wonder just how you can help. After all, a person with a substance use disorder is often unpredictable, unwilling to listen, and unable to...Read More

In the first entry in this miniseries about the different kinds of therapy, we explored cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and family systems therapy. Finding the Right Therapeutic Approach Our point, as you may recall, is that “therapy” is a generic word that can be applied to quite a...Read More

Variety Packs You are probably familiar with variety packs. You find them in the grocery store, and they tend to have small individually packaged portions of something. Ten little cereal boxes with two boxes of five different kinds of cereal, for example. Or a big bag of candy that has mini versions of several of...Read More

You have regained your sobriety and started your recovery journey. You have established some good routines—going to recovery meetings, keeping a gratitude journal, getting outside to enjoy the fresh air and beauty to be found in the natural world—and you are feeling pretty good about your ability to manage cravings and maintain your sobriety over...Read More