Detoxing and Withdrawal from Opiates – PART TWO: Medical Detox and Ongoing Treatment [Note to Reader: This is “Part Two” of a 2-part blog-post—“Part One” can be found in the archives.] Even with the increasing efforts of researchers in the field of addiction and the proliferation of addiction treatment centers around the country, the…
Rehab 101: Reflections on Being Encouraged to “Enjoy Your Life in Recovery” “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” — Henri Nouwen, Prof. of Theology at Yale, Harvard & Univ. of Notre Dame Looking back at the state of our hearts and spirits…
“Much of your pain is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.” – Khalil Gibran [Note: This blog-post is meant to address how those of us in recovery from addiction can deal most effectively with pain, focusing mainly on chronic pain. Although there may, at times, be some overlap,…
“The body is a boat that floats the soul in space and time.” – Saroj Aryal As people who are in recovery from substance abuse, there are a number of dimensions of our physical selves that need daily attention, if we’re to ensure we’re “covering the bases” properly. Besides the typically mentioned elements of our…
“Nothing truly valuable can be achieved except by the unselfish cooperation of many individuals.” – Albert Einstein While talking with a friend in recovery yesterday, he mentioned how important it was to him early on—when he first got into treatment for substance abuse—to let go of his intense grip on “self-sufficiency,” a character trait upon…
Drug rehab has taken on many different forms over the years, and the 12 step program is one of the earliest still-existing therapy options. This process provides many benefits that help to enhance a person’s recovery. Therefore, those interested in this care option must know how a 12 step program helps recovery. Doing so can help…
“Nature never sends a great man into the ground without confiding the secret to another soul.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “confide” as follows: ‘to trust’ And it defines “trust” as: ‘reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something’ So, what does confiding in someone, trusting someone,…
“If we have trouble seeing the miracle of recovery, we’d better look again.” – Just For Today[1] I recall vividly how quietly scared I was when I first came into recovery. One of my foremost fears was simply that I was never going to get free from the grip addiction had on me – it…
Sometimes, when we finally commit to looking for help, what we find just complicates things. Indeed, what most people know about therapy, they’ve learned from TV and movies. In films, whenever someone needs help with addiction or mental health treatment, they see a psychiatrist or therapist. It doesn’t matter what title the script gives to…
I once told someone in my addiction recovery network about a guy who would brag about the length of his clean time, but always seemed angry. My friend’s reply was, “I actually know who you’re talking about. He may be abstinent, but that’s not the same as recovery.” I’ve seen over the years just how…