Articles
We tried everything. Except this.
Where did our best thinking get us? We concocted new ways to keep things going and the shame hidden. But at some point, the scorn of the ones who loved us most rang true. We had that moment when we quietly admitted to ourselves: “I’m stuck. And I can’t break free.” So...
Thinking that ‘slip’ all the way through
You’ve probably heard sad stories about people who relapsed. Bob had 2 years and he relapsed. He took one drink went down hard, and fast. He lost everything all over again. And this time he lost his wife for good. We’ve all heard stories of relapse. Maybe it’s even...
We Is The First Word
“‘We…’ admitted that we were powerless…” -Word 1, Step 1. Maybe you’ve heard that your recovery should be “selfish.” It’s true. If your efforts aren’t foremost for yourself you’ll be very discouraged when those efforts aren’t met with the appreciation you hoped for....
The First Step Takes Honesty. And Guts
The First Step… “We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.” — Step 1: The Twelve Steps A person doesn’t typically wake up one morning and say, “I think I’ll become a drug addict or alcoholic today.” In fact, most...
Dealing with a 2nd DUI
The first thing we advise clients is not to despair and surrender to fear. In this regard, one of the most important decisions to be made is whether the DUI charge is defendable. Remember, a second, third, or whatever DUI charge is still nothing more than an...
The problem with reducing addiction to moral failure
Addiction is Complicated The frustration is understandable. But there is no redemptive value in labeling addicts as losers or casting them in other pejorative terms. The complex issue of addiction has more to do with neuroscience than ideas about morality. Addiction...
Steps
Some of us like to skip steps. We love shortcuts. If there’s a way to get something quicker and use less energy, sign us up for that. And in active addiction, this tendency is set to blast. It goes to ELEVEN. We want it now. If we don’t like the way something makes us...
When a rehab moves into the neigborhood
Here is a letter we recently posted to social media regarding the kerfuffle surrounding our move into a new community in Eldersburg MD. There was a lot of misunderstanding about who we are and what rehab is and the move spawned some initial backlash due to rumors and...
Got it all together?
I love words. Until they reveal the truth about me. I remember hearing that very first step. “We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.” I didn’t like the word powerless and I hated that word unmanageable. These are...
The Tipping Point of Treatment and Recovery
If drinking “adult beverages” consistently makes a person act like anything BUT an adult, they may need to reconsider their relationship with said beverages. Signs begin to present themselves when a person’s relationship with alcohol and other drugs progresses into...