Some people love the camaraderie that AA offers and believe that their long-term sobriety depends on going to AA meetings for the rest of their life. Other people find AA meetings depressing or monotonous, and the thought of having to go to meetings forever is horrifying.
For individuals struggling with substance use disorder, an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it can be challenging to find the right facility to provide the right support to heal. Addiction treatment requires a level of trust between clients and treatment professionals, whether they are counselors, therapists, or medical professionals. When this relationship is disrupted, individuals…
Daily reports have posted ever-increasing numbers of cases of Covid-19, as well as the constantly rising number of deaths. Attention to the pandemic has overshadowed the steadily rising death toll from addiction.
In a long-term treatment program, safety concerns are greatly reduced when all residents and staff have been tested for COVID-19 and individuals are tested and must be negative before they are admitted into the program.
In recent years, the nation has seen a rise in “microdosing” which involves the use of small amounts of psychedelic drugs to improve mood. These tiny doses may only make up one-tenth or less of an average recreational dose.
As the pandemic continues to make headlines, less attention is given to the rise in addiction-related deaths. The American Medical Association Advocacy Resource Center recently reported, “The AMA is greatly concerned by an increasing number of reports from national, state and local media suggesting increases in opioid- and other drug-related mortality
Addiction is sneaky. It begins as a way to feel better, relax or to party a little with friends. As time passes, it begins to take a little more to feel the same way a little used to make you feel.
On September 14, 2020, the National Institutes of Health released a disturbing report showing that individuals with substance use disorders are more likely to get COVID-19 and suffer more serious complications from it.
Mental health experts and substance abuse treatment practitioners have long been concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation activities such as physical distancing and stay-at-home orders would lead to increases in depression, trauma, and substance abuse.
Another thing that can lead to relapse is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome or PAWS. PAWS isn’t the same for everyone, with some people experiencing no symptoms of PAWS, while others may have varying symptoms that decrease with time, but can continue for as long as two years.