What is SMART Recovery?
SMART Recovery is a non-profit that offers free support groups for people living with substance use disorders. They are often seen as an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for people who are turned off by AA’s focus on a higher power. SMART refers to itself as having a “scientific foundation, not a spiritual one.”[1] SMART […]
What You Can Learn During National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) is an annual observance designed to raise awareness about drugs and alcohol within the teen community. Since 2010, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has provided educational events in communities to help teens understand drug use. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week’s ultimate goal is to rebuke […]
Dangers of Binge Drinking During March Madness
Basketball fans worldwide look forward to March Madness, which is the single-elimination college basketball tournament every year. College basketball is a billion-dollar industry in the country, and the big March tournament is a moneymaker for both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and schools that participate. But more than that, it’s a lot of fun […]
Do I Need Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment?
Many people take prescription medication, especially opioid painkillers or central nervous system depressants such as Xanax. Others may use prescription drugs recklessly, and the abuse of these drugs can lead to the need for treatment. Abuse of prescription drugs is dangerous and can even be deadly for some. That’s why our TruHealing Centers team thinks […]
3 Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
The abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. It’s considered one of the fastest-growing drug abuse problems in this country. An estimated eighteen million people countrywide have at one time misused prescription medication. Addiction and abuse of prescription drugs are just as dangerous as what you find on the street, like heroin or crack […]
Coping with Strong Feelings Sober
A big part of recovery is learning to cope with strong emotions—the kind we previously dealt with by using alcohol or drugs. This change doesn’t happen overnight; it’s something to work towards throughout recovery. Learning to sit with strong feelings not only helps protect against relapse—it gives you emotional resilience and improves your quality of […]
4 Signs of Painkiller Addiction
There is a common misconception that if a physician prescribes a drug, it is always safe to use. That is only true for those who follow the instructions and use the medication as intended. It is also only true if the person who the medication is for is the one who takes it. The painkiller abuse […]
What is the Difference Between Coping Skills and Defense Mechanisms?
Coping with stress and challenges is a big part of recovery—and life. Everyone has ways of coping, whether those methods are healthy or not. Not every source differentiates between coping skills and defense mechanisms. However, coping skills are typically seen as intentional, conscious practices that people build over time. Meanwhile, defense mechanisms are unconscious ways […]
What are Nicotine Cessation Programs?
Substance use disorders and cigarette addiction commonly co-occur. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), reports of past-month smoking are three times higher among people in addiction treatment than in the general population.[1] Nicotine cessation programs in addiction treatment tackle the substance and the cigarette addiction at the same time. There […]
Do I Need Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol abuse may begin with infrequent binge drinking or a single drink a day. Over time, it turns into an alcohol addiction where it is hard to control how much is consumed in a sitting. When this happens, alcohol detox becomes critical to break the physical dependence a person has on the substance. This leads […]