There are times when recovery can be more difficult, but that does not mean you should shy away from it. For example, while quarantine is going on, this could be the perfect time to get healthy and seek help from an addiction treatment center in Portland, OR. Then you can focus on quarantine and recovery,…
A growing number of rehab centers are integrating alternative care options into their treatment plans. For example, mindfulness meditation has become a popular option for many going through addiction treatment. However, you may ask yourself whether mindfulness meditation can be effective. It can be challenging for many people to believe that a simple technique like mindfulness…
Therapists at dual diagnosis treatment centers recognize that co-occurring disorders are at the root of some substance use cases. If this is true for you or a loved one, you need specific help that only dual diagnosis treatment centers can provide. What can you expect from one of these treatment programs? Can they accomplish what other…
Everyone has hobbies that bring them joy, but how do you know if your love of something is interfering with the rest of your life? It’s important to know because you could be experiencing signs of an addictive personality. People can easily lose themselves without realizing it in shopping, food, video games, manipulating people, gambling,…
Mental health concerns often intersect with substance use disorders. This is evident in the behavioral problem of codependency. Many times these two conditions exist side by side. This makes it especially difficult for those with substance use issues to break free from the cycle of addiction. As a result, some people imagine that they’ll never…
The holidays are stressful for so many reasons. For a person struggling with mental health or substance use concerns, normal holiday stress can feel unmanageable. Dealing with difficult family members, financial stress, and feeling pressure to make everything perfect have the potential to derail even the most carefully planned holiday events. In this blog post,…
The term dual diagnosis describes an individual who meets the diagnostic criteria for a mental health concern and a diagnosable substance use concern. Many of the doctor-prescribed medications that alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain, and chronic fatigue impair people’s ability to self-regulate and stick with an effective dose. If you are concerned that you…
People in early recovery often experience frustrating bouts of insomnia. Swimming laps or taking part in water aerobics are gentle ways to get your heart rate up during the day. Humans are physical beings—from an evolutionary perspective, we aren’t built for sedentary lifestyles. Having an active daytime routine helps regulate circadian rhythms to promote deep,…
If your goal is to remain sober this Christmas, you aren’t alone. The holidays provide ample opportunities to reflect on past experiences, failures, and traumas that can make people want to drink or use drugs. If you know that using drugs causes problems in your life, using substances during the holidays is likely to lead…
Self-medicating is often a precursor to addiction, especially for a person struggling with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder and addiction can lead to a mental and physical dependency that makes life unmanageable. It’s essential to understand why you started to self-medicate with alcohol and learn a new way of living. Through addiction treatment, you’ll see that…