You are worried about your son’s marijuana habits. He locks himself in his room, talks only half as much as he used to, and really only comes when called. Dinners are quiet, family activities are shrugged off, and your relationship with him feels stunted. He just doesn’t seem like the same, energetic kid he was […]

How to Choose a Residential Drug Rehab There are five key elements to evaluate when choosing a residential drug treatment program.  These include: preparation, reputation, location, effectiveness, and staffing. What is the purpose of going to residential treatment?  Certainly it is a development of a sober life but as important is the development of life […]

Ever hear the saying “recovery is not a race”? Well, I disagree with those who claim that recovery should not be treated as a race. I believe it is a race… a marathon race. Never a sprint or 100 yard dash. True recovery requires most of the body’s key functioning systems to get healthy again; […]

As an addiction treatment program that believes in a long term approach to drug rehabilitation, we wanted to share a brief story that highlights the benefits of a longer term, transformative approach to recovery.   He was a 23-year-old male. He grew up in an upper middle class household in Connecticut . He took saxophone lessons […]

Providing addiction treatment for young people has a unique set of challenges.  Denial and precontemplation plague this age group.  Common rebuttals include, “everyone my age is doing it” and “I can stop whenever I want — I just don’t want to.”  From an outsider’s perspective looking in, it may seem obvious that the person needs […]

For high school or college age people who are in drug treatment or have completed an addiction treatment program, graduating from school is a natural and worthy goal.  However, schools of every kind are natural incubators for the party culture.  Therefore, there shouldn’t be a rush to return to campus prematurely.  For people of the […]

Fact:  Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. In a recent federally sponsored survey, 60 percent of high school seniors say they think marijuana is safe, and 23 percent say they’ve used marijuana in the past month—more than those who used alcohol or smoked cigarettes.  A concern for the harmful […]

Many of us fear what we don’t know. It’s not so much a weakness, but rather human nature. So picture this: you’re son or daughter, your friend, your co-worker…maybe he or she is drinking more often. Maybe you notice signs of drug use – always short on money, personal effects disappearing. Then denial sets in. […]

There’s nowhere to turn, all bridges have been burned, nobody’s answering the phone for you, and if you reach deep into your pocket you’re coming up with, at best, pennies and lint.  You can’t stand to look at your reflection in a store front window, but when you catch a glimpse all you see is […]