If this is your first holiday season in recovery, you may find yourself wondering how you'll stay sober through months of parties with family and friends. At St. Joseph Institute for Addiction's Pennsylvania substance abuse treatment center, we recommend defusing potentially awkward situations by bringing a tasty non-alcoholic drink for everyone to share. You're Not [...]
Denial is often described as one of the primary roadblocks to addiction recovery. Admitting that you feel lost and powerless is never easy, so it's understandable that men and women struggling with substance abuse would prefer not to acknowledge the extent of their problem. However, there's a good reason that the first step of the [...]
What Is CBT? When many people think of going to therapy, they are imagining the traditional Freudian psychoanalysis they've seen on TV and in movies. They picture laying on a comfy couch while a therapist asks about their childhood to determine how these experiences have caused their current problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is nothing [...]
Gratitude If this is your first Thanksgiving in recovery, there's much to be grateful for. The skills you learned in St. Joseph Institute’s Pennsylvania drug and alcohol treatment center have built the foundation for a better life. Take some time to reflect on how far you've already come, then get ready to build an even [...]
Learning to cope with cravings is one of the main challenges you'll face in early recovery. Urge surfing, a concept pioneered by the late psychologist Alan Marlatt, can help. About Urge Surfing Marlatt was a leading clinical psychologist in the field of addictive behaviors from the 1980s through the 2000s. His work focused on brief [...]
Since its inception in 1991, Celebrate Recovery has become a vital source of support for millions of men and women living with substance use disorders. The program is offered at over 35,000 locations around the world—including churches, rescue missions, recovery houses, universities, and prisons. If you've completed residential treatment and are preparing to make the [...]
Evidence-based addiction treatment helps build the foundation for a lasting recovery, but it's understandable to worry about how to afford the care you need. However, there are many options available—regardless of whether you have access to private health insurance coverage. Paying for Treatment with Insurance The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to [...]
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a goal-oriented form of psychotherapy that focuses on solving immediate concerns and helping people with substance use disorders develop the skills they need to stay sober. It’s much less intensive than other forms of psychotherapy, which means it can typically be completed as part of a 30-, 45-, or 90-day [...]
Staying sober often seems like an impossible task in the first days of recovery. However, journaling is one self-care strategy that can help keep you accountable and on the right track. Understanding the Benefits of Journaling in Recovery There's no "quick fix" for drug or alcohol addiction, but journaling can offer a number of benefits [...]
Cravings Are Normal Experiencing cravings for drugs or alcohol is a normal part of the addiction recovery process. It's nothing to be ashamed of, although the experience can be uncomfortable. In most cases, cravings pass on their own within 10 to 15 minutes. However, you can help limit your cravings by tweaking your diet to [...]
