It’s pretty common to start drinking a lot more coffee after quitting drugs or alcohol. Studies have shown that people in 12-step programs drink considerably more coffee than the average person. For the most part, this isn’t a big deal. Research now indicates that coffee may protect against heart failure, liver disease, liver cancer, and […]
Category Archives: Blog
10
May
May
Social media connects in ways that were never possible before but it also has some pretty significant drawbacks if you let it control your behavior. Social media platforms intentionally make their products as addictive as possible, which can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression. At least two studies have found that Facebook, instead […]
07
May
May
We live in politically divided times. Cable news and social media have helped create an environment of political hostility. However passionately you may feel about your own political beliefs, it’s best to leave politics out of 12-step meetings. Here’s why. Politics poisons the supportive environment. The biggest reason to leave politics at the door is […]
05
May
May
Therapy, both group and individual, is one of the most important parts of addiction treatment. The majority of people with substance use disorders also have a co-occurring mental health issue. Common co-occurring conditions include anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, autism spectrum disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia. For a variety of reasons, these […]
Justin came to us with severe alcohol withdrawal. When we used a breathalyzer, he tested beyond the lethal limit. Note that was “lethal” not “legal”—that means the point at which someone could be dead. So after initial medical assessment, we sent Justin to the hospital. He remained under observation for a while, and was then […]
Working at a detox is like having a front-row seat to the earliest stages of transformation. It’s been amazing to see the first glimmers of hope break through in people’s lives. Sam came to us when he OD’d after using heavily for many years. As he began detox, he was in a place of thinking […]
29
Jan
Jan
Three weeks in, and we are off to a great start at Valiant Living’s new detox center. We officially opened and began serving clients on January 7th. This “interventional detox” approach creates a safe landing place for clients struggling with chemical addictions and co-occurring disorders such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. Our full treatment team […]