In one Mesopotamian creation story, the sea-entity Tiamat created a host of creatures and filled their bodies with poison. Today’s overdose crisis isn’t mythological—it’s very much real. But it can feel like some vast, formless monster is filling up innocent bodies with poison. Especially as new substances appear in overdose cases. If you're living with [...]
You may or may not know the influential psychologist B.F. Skinner. Basically, he’s the guy who thought rewards and consequences could shape behavior in both lab rats and people. While some of his ideas still influence the psychological approaches in recovery treatment today, living without substances usually feels a lot less like training a lab [...]
If you lived through the 2008 housing crash (or even saw your parents navigate it), you probably remember how unsettling it felt to watch homes, a staple of daily life that felt guaranteed, suddenly become out of reach. For many adults today, close friendship can feel surprisingly similar. You may look around during recovery and [...]
Information is power in recovery, especially when the drug supply changes so quickly that even the government struggles to keep up. You may work hard to protect yourself, support a loved one in recovery, or stay informed about the risks around you, only to hear about yet another new, deadly substance showing up on the [...]
If you grew up with a father whose drinking came before everything else, you may still carry the weight of that experience—and anger if your dad won't get or stick with treatment. If you've ever wondered why he won't get help, you've come to the right place for understanding how AUD impacts his ability to [...]
If you’re struggling with substances and looking for a totally opposite lifestyle, this next line might sting: there isn't a tidy opposite of substance use disorder (SUD). At St. Joseph Institute in Pennsylvania, staff and alumni offer something warmer and, yes, messier: self-acceptance that helps you rebuild trust in yourself, forgive past mistakes, and practice [...]
As a mom, you might love your kids deeply and still feel exhausted, guilty, lonely, or overwhelmed by how much everyone needs from you 24/7, and the pressure may be pushing you toward coping with alcohol. If friends, family, or even the little voice inside your head starts alerting you to more problematic drinking patterns, [...]
If you’re a man in recovery, you may see yourself as someone who solves problems instead of someone who processes feelings. So, when it’s time to sit in therapy, even knowing what to say can be a struggle. Plus, you could feel bored, skeptical, restless, or perhaps threatened by the idea of talking about emotions [...]
You might see driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol as a one-time mistake, but sometimes it connects to a deeper pattern with alcohol use disorder (AUD). And while research points toward a link between heavy, frequent drinking and driving while drunk, not every person who drinks and drives needs treatment. But if AUD is [...]
You’re not the only one wondering how many more times it’s going to take before things finally click, before you get to experience the redemption people talk about in recovery. But relapsing always takes a toll, especially when you’re doing the work and still hitting setbacks. It’s not you—it’s substance use disorder (SUD). SUD doesn’t [...]
