4th Step Inventory Guide The 4th step inventory is perhaps one of the most well-known pieces of twelve-step programs. Originally introduced in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, the fourth step states that we ”Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” As this step can be difficult, confusing, or sometimes overwhelming, we created…
How do you know when it’s time for treatment? Many people feel fear and shame about using substances, and as time goes on, they may normalize substance use even through increasing consequences – leading both the people using and their loved ones to ask – when is it time to go to treatment? While each…
Holidays can bring up triggers for addicts and alcoholics, especially those new in recovery. Being around family if you’re really healthy or have long-term recovery can also be challenging. Why? Because it’s often the case that an addict isn’t the only one in the family with our particular DNA, and also there’s an amount of…
Sept. 21, 2017 “Are all Rehabs the Same?” Wellness in Treatment If you think that all rehabs are the same, then you are mistaken. Some people know this from firsthand experience after being at more than a few treatment centers. However, if you are a first time client, or a loved one looking for the…
How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System? Methamphetamine is used by over a million Americans every year according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It is a highly addictive stimulant that has grown in popularity in recent decades, and can cause lasting side-effects. Like many other stimulants, meth leaves the body…
Understanding Polydrug Use Although we may think of addiction in terms of a single drug or substance like opioids, cocaine, or alcohol, many addicts have what is known as polysubstance dependence. Polydrug use refers to the use of multiple drugs at a time. Especially common among younger populations, taking more than one drug at a…
Xanax Overdose Causes and Symptoms Xanax® is the trade name of the drug alprazolam. It’s a type of benzodiazepine, a class of tranquilizers. Most often prescribed to help treat panic and anxiety disorders, alprazolam is a central nervous system depressant. Overdose is not common but definitely a possibility, and the xanax detox process can be…
How to Quit Vaping Many people start vaping in order to quit smoking. While it might help you trade one habit for another, you may still be doing damage to your body with vaping. In order to understand how vaping effects the body we have to turn to the scientific research that has been done…
Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, and Support Suboxone® is the trade name of a drug that is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid used to help those dealing with opioid withdrawal symptoms, and naloxone blocks the effects of opioids in the brain. Together, they can help prevent relapse in those trying to…
This is a story about a young woman with a heroin addiction. I shall call her Claire. Claire had two small children and a husband whom she was very close with. At the time I worked with her she was around thirty years old. She came to me for two reasons, she was highly addicted…