Recovery

More often than not, diagnosed cases of substance misuse and addictive disorders are accompanied by co-occurring mental health disorders. According to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA), an early 1990s study showed that 50 to 75 percent of addiction recovery patients had been diagnosed with some form of a…

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has become the de facto treatment program for addiction recovery in America. The nonprofit, volunteer organization’s peer-based meeting groups and 12-step program are universally accepted in the addiction recovery community as effective methods for achieving initial sobriety as well as maintaining long term abstinence from substance abuse.  There are no hard statistics…

Mixing socialization with the imbibing of some form of mind-altering substances is a common practice among Americans to help alleviate social anxiety and supposedly elevate the overall mood and public discourse of a social interaction. A variety of illicit drugs are also utilized for a similar purpose, but alcohol is the most popular and legal…

When a loved one – be it a significant other, a family member, or even just a friend – is in trouble, the natural reaction is to lend a helping hand and provide some form of assistance. At the very least, the desire to help generally persists even when given no opportunity to tangibly provide…

Individuals with addictive behavioral disorders who are still actively misusing illicit substances often spend a large amount of time and effort deceiving others, as well as themselves. Lies about finding ways to obtain illicit substances or hiding their substance misuse from employers or loved ones can consume a large portion of their daily routines. Although…

When researching treatment programs for addiction recovery, there are several constants you should be aware of and come to expect from each rehab facility. These constants include a dual-diagnosis approach to treating addictive and co-occurring mental health disorders, on-staff licensed practitioners in counseling and psychiatry, and the utilization of a variety of therapeutic modalities to…

The start of winter, officially marked by the solstice on December 21st, benefits greatly from a flurry of activities associated with joy, family gatherings, fond memories for the newness of a changing season, and for some, a small degree of stress. With a handful of lingering fall weather days, the first snowfall, Christmas lights strung up,…

With the Rocky Mountain National Park literally in our backyard, Choice House has taken full advantage of the surrounding nature setting by promoting a unique therapeutic modality involving physical activities in the outdoors and wilderness. Being outdoors and engaging in physical activity are both exercises that have been proven to decrease depression and improve the…

Movies have the power to transport viewers to other worlds, but they can also accurately reflect real life experiences like addiction and recovery. Watching accurate depictions of addiction and recovery can inspire understanding for those unfamiliar with addiction while also giving those in recovery a chance to commiserate and contemplate their own struggles. An added…