A Journey to Gratitude: Reflections on Recovery At 18, entering rehab was not about embracing change for me; it seemed more about appeasing my parents and a judge. Yet, fast forward to October 2023, I have celebrated 40 years of being clean and sober (yes, I still enjoy attending 12-step meetings and have a sponsor). …
Life after rehab can be challenging and overwhelming, but it’s important to learn how to handle adjusting to a new way of life in recovery. Adjusting to life after rehab requires a lot of patience, perseverance, and support from family and friends. One of the best ways to strengthen the chance of success in sobriety…
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy used in addiction recovery. Psychologist Marsha M. Linehan developed the therapy to treat suicidality. Now substance abuse treatment centers in Tampa, FL, and elsewhere, use DBT techniques as first-line treatment for severe forms of mental disorders. They include those who don’t respond to standard treatments, such…
A popular expression at AA meeting is, “Never forget that resentment is a deadly hazard to an alcoholic.” We always think about the joy of breaking free from addiction. It’s true that there’s joy when this happens. However, a lot of emotions come up even when your life is going in the right direction. Let’s…
Doctors have the highest rate of addiction out of all other professionals. More than 100,000 doctors in the United States struggle with drug abuse or addiction, and the most common drug of choice is a narcotic — oxycodone or fentanyl. Do you need to learn more about partial hospitalization for health professionals in Tampa? Call…
Recovery 101 – Handling Our Emotions Sometimes Requires Acceptance, and THAT sometimes Requires ‘Letting Go’ The other day, I found myself getting “riled up” on a phone call with one of my sisters—interestingly enough we were talking about our older sister who’d been hospitalized twice in the past week due to alcohol poisoning—and once we’d…
A significant number of doctors, nurses, and physicians are likely to struggle with addiction at some point in their careers. As such, medical professionals struggle with alcohol abuse and addiction at rates that are similar to, or slightly higher than, the general public. There are certainly a wide-ranging set of problems associated with having a…
Holidays such as Valentine’s Day can put a lot of pressure on a couple, whether they’ve been together for a week or they’ve been together for ten years. If one or both of those in a relationship are experiencing problems with substance abuse, however, holidays and day-to-day life can become even more stressful. When one…
Heroin is a drug in the opioid family. Its short-acting nature means it has a significant impact following usage but leaves the bloodstream relatively quickly. The way it rapidly leaves the bloodstream means withdrawal periods for heroin are shorter than for other drugs. While this implies withdrawal symptoms will emerge within less than a day…
If you’re anything like me, you know your early days in recovery and the time you spent learning about addiction and recovery (whether in treatment or 12 Steps fellowships or both) were priceless, offering you an entire toolbox full of perspectives and practices for establishing a foundation for a new way of life, free from…