A Conversation With Thomas McCarry of Zero Overdose
I spoke over Zoom with Thomas McCarry of Zero Overdose, an organization he cofounded that offers psychoeducation about overdose prevention to providers and communities. We talked about his organization, providing individualized overdose prevention strategies, and how communities can work together to reduce overdoses. I was looking at Zero Overdose, and it’s incredible and very necessary. […]
What is the History of Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment?
It’s important to treat addiction and mental health disorders simultaneously. People with mental health disorders may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol, but those substances tend to exacerbate mental health disorder symptoms. This makes it crucial to address both. However, we didn’t always know this. For much of the history of addiction and mental health treatment, […]
What is Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change throughout the lifetime. The brain can continue to change into old age in response to your experiences, creating new pathways and neurons, and even in some cases assigning new roles to different parts. You may have heard that addiction changes the brain. That is because of neuroplasticity. Addiction […]
Can You Be Addicted if You’re High-Functioning?
You may have heard of “high-functioning” addiction. This is when someone with an active substance use disorder appears as though they have it all together. This might be because they have a job, or have maintained relationships, or otherwise don’t fit certain stereotypes about addiction. There is no one way to experience addiction. Some people […]
Staying Sober Through Hard Times
Chronically using substances tends to make our lives more stressful—and us less able to handle stress. The longer time you spend in recovery, the more manageable life tends to become. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t go through rough times. Hard things happen whether you’re sober or not. In recovery, you find ways to get […]
Replacing Substance Use
In active addiction, our brains are so used to getting massive amounts of dopamine that it reduces dopamine receptors. This neurotransmitter is involved in anticipating rewards and motivating you to seek them out, which means it plays a large role in addiction. In sobriety, we now have a brain with dopamine imbalances accustomed to receiving […]
How to Select a Treatment Facility
Introduction to Treatment Facilities If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or mental health issues, selecting the right treatment facility can make all the difference in your journey towards recovery. With so many options available, it’s important to carefully consider various factors before making this critical decision. Factors to Consider Before Choosing […]
Addiction as Self-Soothing
Sometimes when we haven’t been taught healthy methods for coping with pain, we use drugs or alcohol to self-soothe. As Liz, who I interviewed for the Sober Stories series, said, “There’s a practice of self-compassion of thinking: at that time in my life, that was the tool I’d learned for self-survival. I wasn’t taught healthier […]
How Recovery Changes Over Time
Over time when you’re sober, some things about recovery stay the same—and many things change. It continues to be full of surprises, rewards, and challenges. However, those are different as time goes on. In early recovery, your brain and body are going through the first parts of healing while you learn to do everyday things […]
Recovery Is About Hope
Recovery is one of the most encouraging experiences. It shows how much people can change and grow. You also need at least a little optimism to even think about getting sober—to think such a change is possible. Sobriety is Hopeful When you are diagnosed with an addiction or mental health disorder, it can feel hopeless. […]
