1st Annual Running Towards Recovery 5k will Help Offset Treatment Costs When a loved one is struggling with alcoholism or substance use addiction it often can be challenging to get them to accept help. They may say that can stop on their own, or maybe not even accept they have a problem. Getting a person to see the need and...
All Posts By Joseph Barker
[lwptoc] Things have changed for the families of people struggling with alcohol and substance abuse. Trying to intervene and help a loved one takes different strategies now. Once upon a time a philosophy to help your loved ones become motivated for change was “Leave them alone and they’ll come home.” Meaning the best motivation for change would have to come...
People struggling with drug addiction and alcohol abuse often experience high levels of shame and guilt. This shame and guilt comes from doing things while we were using that we normally wouldn’t do. To some, even the fact of being physically dependent on a substance is enough to create high levels of guilt and shame. To others the memories of...
Alumni Successful Sobriety Strategies Bay Area Recovery Center’s Alumni are an important part of the recovery process. Alumni are individuals who have successfully completed their programs, have remained in recovery, and continue to return to our facilities to provide peer support. Our Alumni Association organizes sober BBQs, camping trips, dances, and other recreational activities. These events provide opportunities for newcomers...
It may be difficult to distinguish between an alcoholic and someone who has a drinking problem. The problems and consequences are often the same for an alcoholic and a heavy drinker. They may have legal problems due to alcohol or drug use. Their relationships might be suffering, their health deteriorating. They might have lost or may be about to lose...
Strategies to Stay Clean from Drugs and Alcohol Most everyone who has had too much to drink has woken up the next day with a headache and hangover and told themselves they weren’t going to do that again. Or maybe someone makes a mistake or has a lapse in judgment and gets a DUI after a night of drinking. They...
The Role of Gender in Addiction and Treatment Men and women experience substance abuse disorders and substance abuse treatment differently.1 Women start using alcohol and drugs for different reasons, keep using alcohol and drugs for different reasons, experience addiction differently, and women have different needs during and after treatment. Gender makes a difference when seeking help for alcohol or drug...
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to receiving care for substance use disorders. Where one person might need medical intervention to help ease off of heavy and continued use, another might need relapse prevention planning and coping strategies. Luckily there are many types of service at different levels of care, ranging from early intervention/prevention strategies, to 24-hour medically managed...
When most people hear the term “hard drugs” they probably think of heroin and other opiates, meth, or cocaine. These drugs get a lot of attention due to the current drug crises in cities and towns across America involving fentanyl overdoses and prescription drug abuse. However there is another substance many fail to recognize as a “hard drug,” yet its...
Whenever anyone has an issue they want to change about themselves, they go through steps or stages to bring about that change. Whether we want to change our diet and start working out as a New Year’s resolution, stop leaving dirty dishes around the house, or overcome alcohol and drug addiction, we all go through stages of change over a...
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