At St. Joseph Recovery Center, we know that you may not always know you need help for substance use disorder (SUD) until negative effects clearly start to manifest. For some people, that might mean developing serotonin syndrome from illicit substance use. In a nutshell, serotonin syndrome means your body has too much serotonin, and this [...]
Recovery begins with being honest with yourself and those around you. After all, how can we expect our loved ones to support us and help us maintain a substance-free life if they don’t know we struggle with substances in the first place? Transparency and open communication can set the foundation for long-lasting change, so acknowledging [...]
Recovery houses are typically alcohol and substance-free homes for people who have transitioned out of inpatient care for substance use disorder (SUD). Once there, these individuals have the opportunity to grow in an evidence-based, structured living environment that helps them cope with real-life stressors, gain necessary long-term recovery skills, and receive social support from peers [...]
Kensington is a region of Philadelphia that lies about four hours southeast of Port Matilda. If you’ve seen Kensington’s streets today, you may have noticed the stark signs of substance use, economic hardship, and street-level health crises. This reality didn’t happen overnight. Adversity in Kensington is generations in the making. Policy gaps, economic shifts, and [...]
Recovery is hard, but what about recovery as a mom? Imagine waking up every day trying to hold yourself together while also trying to hold a family together. Daily pressures don’t pause just because she’s trying to recover. If anything, they intensify, and that’s the reality for many mothers navigating substance use disorder (SUD) in [...]
If you’re searching for a book to curl up with while you’re in recovery or hoping to recommend a resource to a loved one supporting you, you’ve found the right article. Below are a few books about recovery that can educate, comfort, and clarify your situation. Impossible People: A Completely Average Recovery Story Recovering from [...]
Finding the right living environment can make or break your recovery journey. After completing residential treatment in Pennsylvania, recovery housing can offer a stable, supportive place to build a healthier lifestyle as you gear up to tackle independent living. What’s more? Research supports the case for recovery housing and the effectiveness of its support services [...]
Every year, millions of people around the globe celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. It’s a day of parades, shamrocks, and gatherings filled with festive energy that can often include heavy drinking. Temptations to drink and the cultural normalization of unhealthy drinking might trigger cravings for those in recovery for alcohol use disorder (AUD), [...]
The words people use in conversations about substance use can build bridges or reinforce barriers. Some well-known recovery-related terms carry a stigma, making it harder for clients and their families to find and get help without fear of judgment. At St. Joseph Institute in Port Matilda, people can find a shame-free environment to heal, learn [...]
Would you be surprised to know that rural Pennsylvania communities have a harder time managing harmful alcohol use than city and suburban populations? The severity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) can differ depending on where you live, and rural residents often deal with unique stressors that can worsen substance issues. Unfortunately, rural communities deal with [...]
