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 [...]
Recreational marijuana isn’t yet legal in PA, but in 2016, Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana, also referred to as cannabis. We often write about how not everyone in recovery needs to avoid marijuana, but it’s probably a good idea to steer clear of it, especially after completing residential treatment or outpatient services with St. Joseph Institute. [...]
Young people have enough to worry about between schoolwork, extracurricular activities, jobs, and puberty. Toss in high substance abuse risk, and they may just implode! But nobody’s imploding today, because St. Joseph Institute in Port Matilda, PA, is here to help you empower your children to stay safe. We know that substance-use prevention education can [...]
Marijuana has been around for thousands of years, but it’s still a topic of heated debates around substance dependency. The research we have on marijuana doesn’t give us clear answers on its overall safety and validity in the recovery process, but this article can help you understand the difference between medical and recreational marijuana, and [...]
What’s red, achy, hot to the touch, and totally silent at the same time? If you guessed inflammation, you’re 100% correct. But if you’re in recovery from substances, how does inflammation come into the picture? Let’s find out. What Is Inflammation? Simply put, inflammation is your immune system’s way of saying: “Hi, I’m responding [...]
Fewer than 7 drinks per week. That’s it. That’s the definition of light drinking, according to a massive study from the BMJ Group in 2025. Depending on how you grew up and your previous history with alcohol, getting down to 7 drinks could be a huge challenge. You may also feel like just one drink [...]
