For people in recovery from addiction, the Holiday season can be even more challenging than other times. There is an enormous amount of pressure on all of us during the holidays but some people need a little extra help to cope with the festivities. People in recovery are constantly aware of the triggers of relapse and do their very best to avoid them. However, it is not so easy to avoid social gatherings at this time of the year.

When someone is working to overcome addiction, their motivation plays a crucial part. Motivation not only provides all the logical reasoning people need to heal, but also keeps them from relapsing further down the line. Although many people accept the importance of motivation in recovery, they are still uncertain as to what that means for them. Here we take a closer look at ways individuals can stay motivated and achieve long term recovery.

Although it is fair to say that detox is not a walk in the park, it is the essential first step towards recovery. Once a person has been rid of any toxins relating to substance abuse through detox, they are ready for the next phase of treatment which is rehab. In this sense detox and rehab are separate components of the same treatment program.

Because of our wider understanding of substance use disorder or addiction, we now recognize it as a chronic brain disease that can be effectively treated. Part of that treatment consists of preparing people for many years in recovery, where they may face a threat to their sobriety through relapse. Relapse-prevention is an integral part of rehab treatment that arms individuals with the tools to cope with triggers or stresses that would otherwise lead to substance use.

Substance abuse is an issue that impacts people’s lives in very different ways. For this reason, there is no one approach to rehab, which includes the decision of whether to remain at home in outpatient care or reside at the facility in an inpatient addiction treatment program. Here are some of the basic differences between outpatient and inpatient care to help you decided which is for you.

There are still many misconceptions about people with addiction, which often serves as a barrier to them getting the help they need. It is not surprising then that many individuals in rehab centers committed to treatment only after the intervention of their friends and family. An intervention is a planned event designed to show an addicted loved one that their problems with substance abuse have affected others.

One of the most important achievements in rehab is replacing negative bad habits with new, healthy ones. As part of this process, it is often essential for people to turn their backs on people or places where they may have been enabled to continue with substance abuse before rehab. One of the key things a person in recovery needs to keep foremost in their minds is the state of their physical and mental health.

When a person has worked hard in rehab to overcome an addiction, they can often feel left out from social occasions. This can be because they equate having a good time with taking drugs or using alcohol which makes it hard for them to accept that you can have fun and remain sober. To help avoid this, let’s take a look at some activities that aren’t centered on alcohol that can boost a person’s recovery efforts through the summer months.

Addiction is an illness that doesn’t only affect the person abusing substances. In most cases loved ones, friends, and coworkers are also impacted by the way an individual behaves when they are suffering as a result of substance abuse. It can be very difficult for many people to know how to deal with someone struggling with addiction, especially if you want to help them get the treatment we need.

When someone has been through the challenges of rehab from addiction, they still have work to do when they return home. Rebuilding relationships with family and loved ones is an important part of addiction recovery and allows people to sustain sobriety for the long-term with their support. Healthy relationships are an important aspect of life for all of us and can include family, professional, romantic and social connections.