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

What Are the Signs of an Enabler?

What Are the Signs of an Enabler?

What Are the Signs of an Enabler? The term enabling is often used when speaking about relationships with people who have addiction. People who enable are often the ones who suffer the impact of a person with addiction behavior. Enabling is the removing of natural consequences for a person with addiction. The damaging consequences are…
What Constitutes “Normal” Drinking?

What Constitutes “Normal” Drinking?

The first step to recovery is, of course, admitting you have a problem. Thousands of alcoholics are completely unaware that they even have a drinking problem. Be it due to a lack of information, general denial or surrounding cultural and social influences, not being able to recognize problematic, alcoholic drinking can prolong a dangerous drinking…
What Do Eating Disorders Tell Us About Addiction?

What Do Eating Disorders Tell Us About Addiction?

Eating disorders are often explained as coping mechanisms. At the most basic level, an individual with a body image problem might resort to anorexia or bulimia to control that image. At a more abstract level, an individual might develop an eating disorder as a substitute mechanism to control some other unsatisfying or unfulfilled aspect of…
Addiction Help - What Do I Do?

“WHAT DO I DO!?”

After eight jail visits, four rehabs, one sober house attempt, IOP’s, hospitals, etc., I found myself crying, detoxing, sleep deprived, living out of my car, and unable to get high anymore; no longer capable of living the life I was living. There seemed no way out. Parked outside of my mom’s house at 1 o’clock…
What Does Being an Empath Have to Do with Addiction?

What Does Being an Empath Have to Do with Addiction?

Empaths are susceptible to pretty much everything because they have a lot of open energy pathways that allow them to feel more than others. Emotionally, psychologically, and physically, they feel more than most, tap into other people’s pain, and overload their senses quite often. Thoughts and feelings can become overwhelming. An empath is someone for…
What Does Heroin Feel Like?

What Does Heroin Feel Like?

Those individuals who have never tried heroin before or know someone with a heroin addiction might find themselves wondering, “what does heroin feel like?” It’s because of the feeling that it produces that heroin is such a dangerously addictive drug. Most people who take it describe it as feeling a euphoric high. However, there’s more…
What Does it Mean to Lead with Intention?

What Does it Mean to Lead with Intention?

Sometimes people do not realize how much pressure they put on themselves to live a certain way, even in recovery. For those with drug addiction, the intention starts with the intentional choice to enter a drug rehabilitation center. This is an intentional first step that provides the foundation for recovery and a life of happiness….
What Does Physical Fitness Have to Do with Sobriety?

What Does Physical Fitness Have to Do with Sobriety?

What Does Physical Fitness Have to Do with Sobriety? Addiction can lead to lots of challenges for people, including physical health. Alcohol and drugs are poison to the system. They interrupt the body’s natural processes and impact the brain in negative ways. It can take up to one full year for the body to restore…

What Does Trauma Have to Do with Opiate Addiction in Men?

What Does Trauma Have to Do with Opiate Addiction in Men? Addiction is not something people find easy to discuss. Trauma can especially impact the lives of men, who may already struggle with sharing thoughts and feelings. Opiate addiction, like any substance, can pop up as a means of coping with tragedy, trauma, and difficult…
What Helps You Stay Sober?

What Helps You Stay Sober?

The first few days of alcoholism rehab will be difficult, but for many recovering alcoholics, the real challenge will be staying sober over the long haul. Rehab centers will provide almost round-the-clock support and therapy to stop your alcohol use. When you check out, you will need to find resources and techniques that will help…
What Is An Alcoholism Rehabilitation Program

What Is An Alcoholism Rehabilitation Program

Treatment methods for alcoholism have come a long way since the days of “drunk tanks.” Detentions centers designed to house drunks while they sobered up and suffered through their symptoms. Alcoholism is now recognized and treated as a chronic disease. Alcohol addiction treatment programs attack that disease. The goal being to give alcoholics the tools…
What is BZP?

What is BZP?

BZP, or n-benzylpiperazine, is sometimes the slang term for ecstasy, A2, MDAI, Head Rush, Exotic Super Strong, and other similar street names. This ‘novel’ drug is emerging because they are different from common drugs and professionals are still learning the lasting effects. BZP is a component drug in ecstasy with many similar effects to MDMA….
clonidine prescription

What is Clonidine Addiction?

Clonidine is a medication people take that may be habit-forming if taken too long or in too high of doses for a long period of time. The drug is an antihypertensive. The proper uses of the drug include symptoms of ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, or withdrawal symptoms relating to alcohol or opioid use. The drug has…
What Is Contingency Management for Addiction Treatment?

What Is Contingency Management for Addiction Treatment?

Contingency management for treatment of drug addiction is a common sense approach that rewards good behavior while punishing negative behavior or adverse actions. A recovering addict who is enrolled in a treatment program that practices contingency management might receive benefits such as extra free time or vouchers for special prizes if he demonstrates that he…
What is Family Sculpting?

What is Family Sculpting?

Family therapy is part of rehab and recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. Addiction affects the entire family system therefore, recovery needs to be happy for the entire family, not just the person suffering from substance abuse. The use of psychodrama for the family is one tool people can use to grow in recovery from…
group discussing the freebasing meaning

What is Freebasing Cocaine?

Cocaine is an illegal stimulant that offers people feelings of euphoria. A cocaine high is not meant to last, but people often chase it over and over again because their brains get addicted. A drug like cocaine can be addictive from the first hit. Even when a person quits, it may change the brain for…
What is Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Like?

What is Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Like?

There may be as many opinions and descriptions of inpatient alcoholism rehab programs as there are recovering alcoholics who have participated in those programs. Different treatment centers will be structured differently and will offer greater or fewer amenities. There are common elements to all alcohol rehab programs in that they all strive to achieve the…
What is Inpatient Drug Rehab?

What is Inpatient Drug Rehab?

For most substance abusers, the first step in overcoming drug addiction is to seek help to solve the problem. Few, if any drug addicts are able to beat addiction on their own. Once the decision to seek help has been made, the next practical question is whether to get that help through inpatient or outpatient…
What is Involved in an Intensive Inpatient Drug Treatment Program?

What is Involved in an Intensive Inpatient Drug Treatment Program?

Luxury rehab facilities, like the ones that cater to celebrities and that are often depicted in popular culture, do exist and a rehab program at one of those facilities might look like a 4-week spa vacation to anyone who is not familiar with addiction recovery. Inpatient drug treatment programs, whether at a luxury or any…
What is Kratom and is it safe?

What is Kratom and is it safe?

Kratom is a herb found in Southeast Asia. It is a member of the coffee family and has caught the attention of researchers in America who are hopeful of using this herb to help drug addicts kick the habit without the accompanying side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Kratom is an analgesic mood uplifter, and can…

What is Magical Thinking in People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

What is Magical Thinking in People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? Magical thinking happens from time-to-time. Superstitions fall into the category of magical thinking, like avoiding the 13th floor of a building or needing a specific object to have luck. Even simple acts involve magical thinking. Magical Thinking One of the early writers on the…