Addiction Blog. Insight and Advice
from Our Austin Area Addiction Recovery Experts.

Heroin’s typically a drug that people make from morphine, which comes from the poppy plant. It’s a potentially deadly substance that quickly hooks its users. A new way of doing the drug is via synthetic heroin abuse. What is it, and how do you get help? What is Synthetic Heroin? Synthetic heroin is a type…

Dallas/Ft Worth the Epicenter of Texas Drug Trade What can I do if I’m struggling with addiction in Dallas or Fort Worth? Right now, Dallas and Fort Worth are becoming the epicenter of the illegal drug trade in all of Texas. Not only that, but they’re also becoming the distribution center for abused prescription medications…

Why Setting a Good Example for Others Matters Children need a good example of how to become adults, which is why they have parents. Sometimes parents make really crummy choices and sometimes they make good ones. Fathers, in particular, can set a good example for both their sons and daughters with how they behave and…

Yes. Each day in the US, roughly 44 people die as a result of prescription opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control. OxyContin, a semi synthetic opioid analgesic used for treating chronic or severe pain, is highly controversial for its grim abuse statistics. Users who develop a tolerance may also become addicted and…

As a general rule, you should not mix alcohol and antidepressants. This general rule holds true for sertraline hydrochloride, which is the generic chemical name for Zoloft. Zoloft is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor that elevates serotonin levels to alleviate symptoms of depression. Zoloft and alcohol both affect the manner in which your brain processes and…

Fear, shame and doubt are three main emotions which arise when seeking discussion with a sponsor regarding past drinking. Engaging in discussion with a sponsor need not be a difficult experience but one built on a relationship of trust and confidence that, no matter what, the sponsor is there to support an individual’s recovery regardless…

Modern research suggests that when you act out on your sex addiction, you dissociate your central personality from the part of yourself which craves the release that your actions will bring. You do not have a multiple personality or bipolar disorder. Instead, you temporarily create a separate and dissociated self to satisfy the inner desires…

In the difficult terrain of recovery, there are some pretty bad days. It’s not easy and every step of the journey is a learning experience. It’s for this reason that many recovering addicts will opt for a recovery coach to help them along the way. A recovery coach is a professional sober life coach who…

Don’t get me wrong. God’s got a plan for everyone and anytime of year is a great time to get sober. I just happened to get sober in July of 2008 so admittedly I might be a little biased. Either way, here are five reasons that I believe the summertime is a great time to…

I came into the program for the fourth time and God willing, the last time, in 2012 at the age of 24. I got out of treatment full of fear and was restless, irritable, and discontented. I was thrown into a sober house with all these questions plaguing me and weighing down every step I…

Any discussion about Xanax abuse has to address the fact that, yes, prescription medication can be addictive. If you have fallen victim to your prescription or buy Xanax on the streets, you are taking unnecessary risks. Xanax acts to depress the central nervous system. If you have an anxiety or panic disorder, Xanax could be…

How Can Men Face Trauma and Embrace Healing in Recovery? Trauma in recovery is no easy thing to face for anyone. Men can struggle with it in different ways than women can in that they are facing battles differently and with a different emotional mindset quite often than women. While many men face trauma, not…

College Drinking—Underage, Too Much, and Dangerous What can I do if my son has a drinking problem in college? Unfortunately, binge drinking is very common in most colleges. Not only that, but much of the dangerous drinking is actually underage. At many college parties, including frat and sorority parties, alcohol is very easy to gain…

Leaving rehab is a time of great challenge for people in recovery. After completion of a program, you may feel ready to return to life but life has other plans. Executives especially may find it daunting to return to the previous pace of life and stay sober. Executive sober living programs can be a good…

“One Little Blue Pill” one phrase repeated over and over by ESPN’s 30 for 30 Star and former Boston Celtic that captured an audience’s attention at The University of Houston. One little blue pill was reiterated time and time again to illustrate how something so small can be the cornerstone of one man’s addiction. Chris…

Almost everyone who has ever dealt with any form of addiction or substance dependence will familiar with the overwhelming feeling of anxiety. It’s one of those staples to the condition, and one that every addiction treatment program can relate to. Addiction comes with a whole line of confusing emotions and conflicting feelings but the tidal…

Addictions vary from person to person. Substance abuse, drug use, sex, work and relationships are just a few ways people become addicted. Sometimes, it is a combination or there can be co-occurring disorders along with addiction. Similarly, addictions are all based on doing something in excess, living out old habits and patterns but are likewise…

Xanax is often abused as a recreational drug and a Xanax user can develop a tolerance and become addicted to it, but as with many drugs that affect a user’s central nervous system, the full answer is much more complicated than simply stating that Xanax is addictive. Xanax is the commercial name for alprazolam, which…

I’ve always been a social guy, and by consequence, I’ve always been surrounded by people. However, before getting sober, I had only a handful of relationships that had any depth. Nothing that I was doing with my life the few years leading up to me getting sober placed me in a position to establish any…