Relapses are a real danger for people after they complete a program of detoxification and rehabilitation. Re-exposure to old temptations and triggers can undo all the hard work of regaining sobriety. So, the question most people ask is, how do you prevent relapse after rehab? You need a plan, structured by a professional recovery center, that will guide you through the challenges of returning to a…

What can or should you do when you have a friend with addiction? You may feel like there is something you should do to help them get back on track. But what? How do you get involved? And, are you ready to get that involved? Starting down the assistance and support road is a decision you must not make lightly. It can be as difficult and weigh on you as it does on your friend. Note: The first and mo…

What happens after rehab depends on many factors, driven by your specific needs and circumstances. Recovery from addiction is a long process that starts with the decision to get sober. That decision led you to detox and rehab, the foundation for continued sobriety. The program you follow after rehab will help you avoid relapses. Rehab is a crucial step towards recovery, but what happens after reha…

Understanding and treating polysubstance abuse presents a unique set of challenges. Because a person with this addiction uses multiple drugs, they experience different symptoms and impairments depending upon the combination of drugs used. In addition, the effects of each drug can become more severe when used in combination with others. Polysubstance abuse can be intentional or accidental. Intentio…

Treating addiction is a complex process. Treatment options can include a wide variety of therapies selected to give the individual patient the best chances of full and lasting recovery. Therapies can include yoga, art, music, rehabilitation in hospitals or treatment centers, psychological counseling, each with the goal of helping the patient overcome addiction in a different way. The use of CBT an…

The use of yoga to help heal addiction is another example of the integration of Eastern medical and spiritual practices with Western approaches. Western medical providers are using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture as complementary treatments to help manage pain, avoid certain types of surgery, and manage the side effects of powerful prescription drugs. Providers in the drug and s…

Mention rock and roll therapy for addiction and your likely reaction may be a snort of disbelief. After all, doesn’t the frequent news about addicted or dead rock musicians make the music more synonymous with substance abuse rather than treatment? The famous line, “Sex, drugs, and rock and roll,” was first used in 1969 to describe the youth culture of the day. And, there is plenty of evidence to s…

We understand that staying motivated in recovery can be challenging. A lot is going on, mentally and physically that can make a relapse seem like the best option. But it is important to fight those urges and to stay on track now that you are on the road to recovery. The good news is there are things you can do and actions you can take to help maintain your motivation and make it through your rehab…

Are there any guidelines for how you should talk to someone with an oxycodone problem? As a matter of fact, there are. People who are abusing any substance will be more (or less) receptive to talking about their problem depending on where they are in their cycle of addiction. Because of this changing “landscape” of receptivity, it is critical to know how to approach the individual. This article pr…

In recent years, people have become more aware of family dynamics, the patterns of how people behave and the roles that family members take on which can define us as living with a “functional” or “dysfunctional” family. The definition of Families has also changed, from the “traditional family” of two parents (a mother, and father), to a myriad of arrangements we now refer to as a “family.” But how…