The Transition House Blog

Early intervention is key to preventing drug and alcohol abuse later in life. If you’re a parent or mentor to a child or teen, chances are you want to help them make good decisions, and this includes living a healthy, drug-free life. Having the conversation about drug abuse early on and practicing healthy habits can go a long way in preventing future drug use and addiction. Here are a few practical tips to help you get started.

Drug and alcohol abuse affects nearly 22 million people in the United States. Did you know that 1 in 7 people will develop an addiction in their lifetime? Though recovery and sobriety are related, there are important differences you need to understand if you or a loved one is seeking substance abuse treatment and looking to achieve long-term recovery. Let’s take a look at some of the similarities and differences in more detail.

A person with a mental health diagnosis is at higher risk of experiencing an alcohol or substance use disorder. When this happens, it is called a co-occurring disorder. Even so, SAMHSA estimates that nearly 8 million adults in the US struggle with co-occurring disorders. Finding the right treatment that treats both mental health and addiction symptoms is crucial to achieving recovery.

Alcohol and drug addiction affect more than just the person addicted. Loved ones and family members can feel helpless, stressed or confused, and may not know where or how to get help. You are not alone. Addiction touches the lives of millions. The following resources will help you and your family find the support you need.

Trauma is an emotional and psychological response that occurs when a person experiences something frightening, upsetting or disturbing. Traumatic experiences can range from natural disasters to military combat and could include events like surviving a car accident or sexual assault. Feeling anxiety, nervousness or grief after a traumatic event is common. Fortunately, most people are resilient and are able to recover after a traumatic experience. Here are a few things you can do to cope with trauma.

Opioid addiction - also known as opioid use disorder - affects 2 million people. Opioid drugs were responsible for 33,000 deaths in the US in 2016 and over half of drug overdoses involved opioids. So, what makes opioids so addictive?

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a serious disease that affects 17 million people in the US. In fact, excessive alcohol use causes 88,000 deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The good news is that alcohol addiction, just like many other diseases, is treatable and recovery is possible. An addiction treatment program such as medication assisted treatment (MAT) with Vivitrol can help people struggling with alcohol use disorder leave a life of addiction behind.

Addiction is a complex and chronic disease, but it is treatable. Treatment options like medication assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone can help you overcome opioid addiction.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy used to treat mental health disorders like depression. It can also be used to treat anxiety, PTSD and borderline personality disorder. CBT works by identifying and modifying the negative thoughts or behaviors that cause or worsen a person’s symptoms. In this blog, we’ll discuss how CBT is used to treat depression.

El abuso de sustancias, el alcoholismo y la adicción pueden tener un impacto negativo en las familias. Las familias que están lidiando con el trastorno de abuso de sustancias de un ser querido pueden enfrentar situaciones como violencia doméstica, abuso físico o emocional, trastornos de salud mental concurrentes y dificultades socioeconómicas, ya que las personas que luchan con la adicción pueden tener dificultades para encontrar o conservar un trabajo. Puede interrumpir una dinámica familiar saludable al romper la confianza, agregar estrés significativo y prevenir la formación de límites saludables.