Resources

The road to overcoming an addiction is, in most cases, a very difficult one. We believe that we have the resources and tools to help you along that difficult journey. One key component is the willingness to give up your addictive behaviors and, with relentless determination, refuse to give up on yourself. 

We have and always will promote all programs that help individuals overcome addiction so please know we are always here for you, and do not hesitate to reach out.

Local Meetings

Resource Listing

Alcoholics Anonymous | www.aa.org 
Narcotics Anonymous | www.na.org
SAMSHA | www.samhsa.gov
NIDA | www.drugabuse.gov
NAADAC | www.naadac.org
NARR | www.narronline.org
Partnership for a Drug Free America | www.drugfree.org

6 Important Lessons For Early Recovery

1. Recovery Is Number One

It seems fitting that the very first thing to learn about recovering from addiction is that recovery must be your very first priority in life. Recovery comes before your job, your parents, your pet or your partner. Why? It’s very simple. If you don’t take care of your recovery at all times, you risk returning to addiction. If you return to addiction and stay there, you will end up losing your job, your family, your pet and your partner anyway.

2. Recovery Gets Easier

One of the reasons people find it difficult to commit to sobriety is that the first few weeks and months of it are often brutal. If you’ve never been sober for any appreciable length of time, facing life without a cozy alcohol or drug overcoat can seem overwhelming and painful. The good news is, this feeling does not last. As you learn to live sober, it actually becomes a much nicer experience than being wasted all the time. The initial discomfort, confusion and sadness does not last for the rest of sobriety.

3. Recovery Takes Work

Do not make the mistake that most do the first time around, and think that recovery comes from merely stopping drinking or drugging. If you just stop taking substances and do nothing to address what drove you to take them in the first place, you’ll just be sober and sad. You’ll be likely to follow the same negative thinking and patterns you always have in the past — and that unhappy situation will inevitably lead you back to drink and drugs. You must make an effort to change your responses to life in order to be sober and happy.

4. Recovery Takes Other People

You can, of course, get sober on your own, but it’s so much more of a struggle than getting supported by others. Connecting with others who are also recovering from addiction is of great benefit to your own recovery. You can learn from people who have already done it, you can share your pain and success, and people who have been addicts will probably “get” you much more than people who haven’t. People who know the cycle of addiction can give you a deep empathy, understanding and acceptance that is priceless. Work with a sponsor, get to 12-step meetings and see a therapist to work on you.

5. Recovery Is a Lifelong Process

The work of recovering is never complete, so it is something that you must be prepared to commit to for the rest of your life. The reason for this is that, through addiction, your brain has changed. You now have a negative receptor in your brain that is begging to be dosed with alcohol or drugs. In order to beat this pattern, you have to build a new, positive pathway to override it. But your natural inclination will now be to go down that long-established path of using and drinking. Keep learning, improving and never get complacent about your recovery.

6. Recovery Is Worth It

If all of the above seems a little serious, don’t despair. The good news is that when you do the right things to recover correctly, it’s a beautiful path in life. Recovery can lead you to new insights, self-discoveries and a fresh outlook on life. You will learn some things that you might never have learnt if you hadn’t ever been down the dark path of addiction. Recovery is extremely liberating and a lot of fun. Remember the rules of recovery, and you can have a full and happy life after addiction. Recovery is wonderful — hang onto that if things are tough in the early days.

The neurocircuitry of addiction: an overview

Drug addiction presents as a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by persistent drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviours. Given the significant detrimental effects of this disease both socially and economically, a considerable amount of research has been dedicated to understanding a number of issues in addiction, including behavioural and neuropharmacological factors that contribute to the development, loss of control and persistence of compulsive addictive behaviors.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2442446/