How Does Addiction Affect the Family?

Addiction is a disease that can cause devastating effects. As a person who struggles with substance use disorder (SUD), you are probably all too familiar with the damage it can cause. While this is disheartening, you can take solace in the fact that this damage is not irreversible.

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Monte Cristo Staff
What Does a Quality Aftercare Plan Look Like?

After completing a treatment program, you may think that you have reached the finish line of your recovery. After all, there were so many hurdles you overcame to get where you are today. Despite these triumphs, your recovery journey will never be over, but this does not mean that it has to be a daunting process as you move forward.

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Monte Cristo Staff
Steps To Finding Treatment For a Loved One With Substance Use Disorder

It's never easy witnessing a loved one struggle with substance use disorder. However, if you want to help someone you care about recover, the best way to approach them is to show concern and offer support. Ask your loved ones if you can help them start their recovery journey. When substance users are willing to start treatment, it's crucial to find the proper help, support, recovery professional, and coach.

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Samantha Penn
12 Tools For Building Your Sobriety Toolbox

Building a sober life and staying clean is a goal recovering individuals strive to achieve. But it takes much more than just quitting drugs or alcohol. Attaining sobriety is hard, but maintaining can be more challenging. However, you can build a sober life with the help of the right tools.

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Samantha Penn
How To Prevent Relapse During The Holiday Season

The holiday season can become overbearing for individuals in their recovery journey. However, it’s not impossible to have a sober holiday amid relapse triggers. With a safe and thought-out plan, you can dive into the holiday fun and festivities without the need for substance use or giving into temptation.

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Samantha Penn
How To Tell If Someone Is Under The Influence Of Substances

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder in 2017. 74% of these individuals struggled with alcohol use, and 38% struggled with illicit drug use. In 2017, 8.5 million American adults suffered from both mental health disorders and substance use disorders.

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Samantha Penn
How To Overcome Your Daily Mental Battles

We all have internal battles to become better versions of ourselves without putting in consistent time and effort, wanting to see the changes immediately. In this process, we fall into the struggle that takes place in our minds when it comes to doing productive and healthy behaviors. Frustrations can creep up, especially when you just don't know where to begin.

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Samantha Penn
A Sober And Fun Guide To Halloween

Halloween often marks the start of the holidays because it's the first of several that happens over the next few months. The holidays can be the most difficult times for a person in recovery from a substance use disorder. Drinking/drug use and holiday celebrations often go hand-in-hand, but they can be celebrated in other ways as well.

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Samantha Penn
Finding Inner Peace Through Sobriety

The recovery journey is not an easy path, but it can bring such happiness and inner peace that you thought hadn’t existed. The journey to sobriety is not just about changing habits. It’s more about transforming your life from the inside out and making the old habits seem useless.

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Samantha Penn
Useful Habits for Better Stress Management

Stress is a natural response to challenges and changes in life. However, chronic and recurring stress is undesirable. Long-term stress causes heart diseases, obesity, irregular sleep patterns, and influences metabolism, idiosyncrasies, blood sugar level, and immunity. It also contributes to depression.

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Samantha Penn
Ending The Stigma on National Recovery Month

National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September. This month is about celebrating individuals who have conquered their recovery journey, those who are progressing on their recovery treatment, raising awareness on how prevention and treatment work, and creating a strong recovery community.

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Samantha Penn