5 Stages of Addiction: Understanding the Development of a Substance Use Disorder
How Does Substance Use Disorder Happen? Addiction doesn't develop overnight. It is a chronic, progressive illness. The signs of a substance use disorder can be easy to miss in the early stages, which is why many people delay seeking treatment. [...]
Mindfulness in Recovery: What You Need to Know
What Do People Mean When They Talk About Mindfulness? Mindfulness refers to being fully present in the moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Although the concept is based on Buddhist traditions, clinical psychologists have [...]
Understanding the Role of Mental Health in Addiction and Recovery
Mental Health in America According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults in the United States struggles with mental illness each year. Mental health issues increase a person's risk of developing a substance use disorder, [...]
Navigating the Holidays in Recovery
The Holidays & Recovery If this will be your first sober holiday season, it's normal to feel a bit nervous. The holidays can be a time of excitement and reconnection—but they can also lead to stress and anxiety that fuel [...]
Addiction Is Not a Choice
One of the biggest myths about addiction is that people are choosing to live a lifestyle that is constrained by the burden of substance abuse. This couldn't be further from the truth. Addiction is not a choice. People Don't Choose [...]
Understanding Ativan Addiction
Anxiety disorders are quite common, but those who turn to medication to relieve their symptoms are often unaware of the potential risk of addiction to popular anti-anxiety prescription drugs such as Ativan. In fact, many people seeking treatment for Ativan [...]
Addiction Recovery Means Breaking Free From the Trap of Codependency
Building the foundation for a lasting recovery requires rethinking past relationship dynamics. Often, the people we work with at our Pennsylvania residential addiction treatment center are involved in unhealthy codependent relationships and need help breaking the cycle of toxic behavior [...]
Tips for Telling People You’re Going to Rehab
Once you've made the decision to seek treatment for your substance use disorder, you may wonder how to share the news that you're going to rehab. This can be an intimidating conversation to have, but it's an important part of [...]
Burnout and Your Recovery
Burnout is a toxic mix of stress-induced exhaustion, depression, and cynicism. Burnout can come from many sources—including work, family obligations, and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. It's crucial that you promptly address the symptoms of burnout to avoid [...]
Codeine Is an Overlooked Gateway Drug
Contrary to what you may believe, addiction doesn't always develop overnight. Often, it's a slow progression of substance misuse. A person starts using larger and more frequent doses of one substance, develops a tolerance, and then turns to a more [...]
