According to best-selling author and motivational speaker Hal Elrod, "Personal growth is about progress, not perfection." As you're setting your goals for your recovery, the team at St. Joseph Institute's Pennsylvania residential addiction treatment center urges you to focus on the journey rather than the destination. Understanding the Difference Between Process Goals and Outcome Goals [...]
Residential addiction treatment centers often incorporate the 12-Step approach into their services, recognizing the historical significance and community support it offers. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 74% of substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States utilize the 12-Step model in their programs. Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous [...]
If you're glued to your smartphone or laptop for much of your day, you're not alone. A recent study revealed that people ages 16 to 64 spend an eye-popping 6 hours and 37 minutes per day on their devices. Since this is equivalent to 44% of a person's waking hours, many mental health experts recommend [...]
Amid the nonstop blur of holiday shopping and celebration planning, it's easy to forget the most precious gift you can give yourself—the gift of sobriety. When you're struggling with a substance use disorder, choosing to seek residential addiction treatment and begin your recovery journey is a profound act of self-love. If drugs and alcohol have [...]
Breakups can be brutal. They rank up there with losing a job, moving to a new city, or discovering that your favorite ice cream flavor has been unexpectedly discontinued. Before you sought treatment for your substance use disorder, your first instinct may have been to drown your sorrows with your favorite whiskey, wine, or beer. [...]
Although we've seen significant progress towards improving the public's understanding of substance use disorders in recent years, people in recovery often still struggle with stigma that affects their ability to move forward after seeking residential addiction treatment. At St. Joseph Institute, we urge our clients to keep in mind that addiction is considered a disability [...]
Gaslighting is a manipulative psychological tactic where a person tries to make someone doubt their own thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. The term comes from a 1938 play titled "Gas Light," written by British playwright Patrick Hamilton and later adapted into a 1944 version starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. In the play, a husband engages [...]
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is most often associated with military veterans, but this serious mental health condition can develop in any person who has experienced a traumatic event. Many people with PTSD turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their symptoms, which can lead to the development of a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD). If [...]
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 2.8% of U.S. adults suffered from bipolar disorder in the past year. An estimated 82.9% of these individuals were considered to be seriously impaired, which is the highest impairment percentage of all mood disorder types. For some individuals with bipolar disorder, mood swings can lead [...]
Watching a parent, child, friend, or other loved one struggle with a drug or alcohol addiction is like standing at the edge of a turbulent ocean. The ebb and flow of their battles mirrors the relentless push and pull of the tides—leaving you feeling overwhelmed by the ceaseless cycle. When your loved one refuses to [...]
