The Effects of Addiction on Family and Friends

Addiction is often called a family disease because its impact extends far beyond the person struggling with substance abuse. When a loved one is battling a substance use disorder (SUD), it creates emotional, physical, psychological, and financial strain on their entire support system. Parents, siblings, children, and close friends all feel the ripple effects of […]
Is Alcohol Detox at Home Safe?

For those struggling with alcohol addiction, the thought of seeking professional help can be intimidating. Because of this, they may want to try detoxing from alcohol at home. But is alcohol detox at home safe? The answer is complex and depends on a number of factors. Many so-called home alcohol detox remedies are not reliable […]
Addicted to Drama

Why are People in Active Addiction and Recovery so Dramatic? Why do they constantly drag you into their drama? I can remember being newly sober and thinking I was in high school again because of this new level of drama. It seemed to me everyone in rehab was a volcano about to erupt: people were […]
Resilience & Recovery from Substance Abuse

Resilience is the ability to bear up against and bounce back quickly from tough or difficult situations. Babies, children and teens are generally more resilient than their parents realize. And although recovery from substance use/misuse hinges on the ability to stay: Focused Motivated Patient Resilient Younger, more resilient, more impatient substance users/misusers innately tend to […]
Drug-Seeking Behavior: Everything You Need to Know

Drug-seeking behavior is behavior that is meant to decrease discomfort or pain. People seek dopaminergic-drugs in order to feel better because dopaminergic-drugs increase dopamine in our mind’s/brain’s pleasure center. The more frequently one seeks dopaminergic-drug(s), the more readily they are unable to use infrequently. Addiction is defined by the loss of choice to stop using. […]
Medication-Assistance: Why We Choose Naltrexone over Methadone

Naltrexone is a fairly new addition to the medical portfolio of medication-assisted treatment compared to Methadone. Methadone was frequently used to detoxify heroin addicts in the 1960s. It rapidly became a substitute addiction for heroin. Typically, methadone was dispensed in methadone clinics with very little, if any, co-delivered recovery-sensitive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or self-help […]
10 Questions to Ask Yourself Daily in Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment is a time that marks personal growth. You have to be courageous and strong to enter recovery from drugs and alcohol. An addiction is easy to get, but hard to overcome. Many enter the treatment process broken down in the mind, body and spirit, which is why at Royal Life Centers at Sound […]
How To Start Your Day in Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment seeks to help you end your bad behaviors and replace them with healthy habits instead. Part of addiction treatment is learning a new way to live, giving you the skills and tools you need to rebuild a happy, healthy, successful and meaningful life in sobriety. Alcohol and substance use disorders disrupt each aspect […]
Drug Addiction: Does Your Environment Make it Harder to get Sober?

What is an Environmental Cue? An environmental cue, or trigger, can be anything that brings back thoughts, feelings or memories that are associated with addiction. Any person, place, or thing that is associated with using drugs or alcohol can be a trigger. Seeing these environmental cues, or triggers, creates an immediate response to the “reward” […]
20 Ways to Relax: Addiction Treatment Relaxation Techniques

Addiction recovery is all about replacing bad habits with healthy habits, and learning a new way of life. It is important to take time for yourself to relax in addiction recovery, as many emotions can arise during the recovery process. Addiction treatment can be emotionally and physically exhausting, as you are re-learning valuable life skills […]