Understanding Alcohol Poisoning: Symptoms, Response, and Aftercare What Is Alcohol Poisoning? Alcohol poisoning occurs when you consume too much alcohol quickly. But many people are unaware that alcohol poisoning can produce harmful side effects and can even be deadly. If you drink a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, you may experience different symptoms of alcohol poisoning immediately. Usually, this level of intoxication is accidental; you don’t realize how much alcohol...

The Link Between Negative Thinking and Addiction: Understanding Distorted Thoughts Introduction There is an undeniable link between negative thinking and addictive behavior. Negative thoughts may affect some people more severely than others. And individuals struggling with substance abuse are particularly vulnerable to turning negative thinking into distorted thoughts. These distorted thought processes often lead to intense emotions. Ranging from excessive hyperactivity and happiness, to inappropriate outbursts of anger, the intense emotions are generally deemed “unreliable.”...

Overcoming Emotional Triggers in Addiction Recovery Introduction For those who have just started their recovery journey, it’s important to be aware of what are called “triggers.” Triggers are types of reactions that can push someone back into their addictive cycle, or even a full-blown relapse. Triggers look different for everyone but they all share common patterns that you can learn to identify. Ultimately, identifying them can turn into overcoming them so that you can live...

Understanding Fentanyl: Risks, Abuse, and Treatment What Is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. This means it’s produced in a lab and chemically modified to be stronger than other opioids such as heroin or morphine. It’s usually prescribed to patients in severe pain, most commonly after serious surgeries. Although Fentanyl is used in a number of legal prescriptions, it has become increasingly associated with overdose deaths in recent years because of its potency and addictive...

Trauma-Informed Care in Addiction Recovery: Understanding and Benefits Introduction For many people, recovery from substance abuse and addiction involves multiple approaches and methods. And since each person and their path to recovery are unique, recovery centers usually offer different types of therapies to meet these needs. One of these approaches that applies to many people recovering from addiction is known as Trauma-Informed Care. In short, trauma-informed care is a broader type of approach rather than...

Family Therapy in Addiction Recovery: Strengthening Bonds and Healing Together Introduction More often than not, families play a significant role in their loved one’s recovery process. Since drug or alcohol users have a hard time recognizing that they have a problem, family members often step in. This is usually called an “intervention,” which is a meeting set up between the family, the person struggling with addiction, and a professional. But after the intervention and inpatient...

Understanding Prescription Drug Abuse: Causes, Risks, and Help Introduction Prescription drug abuse has been one of the fastest growing substance abuse problems in the United States. After alcohol, prescription drugs are the most commonly abused substances. Prescription drug abuse can also be harder to identify or pin down because the drug is usually prescribed by a medical professional. Prescriptions may initially be given for chronic pain, injury recovery, or psychiatric conditions, but at some point...

The Importance of Making Amends in Addiction Recovery Introduction If you’ve struggled with addiction or substance abuse, you’re not alone. There are millions of people struggling alongside you. And you’re the last person who needs to be told what a hard journey it is. But the good news is that addiction is a treatable condition. With proper care, attention, determination, and resilience, you can overcome addiction. Unfortunately, individuals don’t live in a vacuum. We are...