Recovery Month: The Non-BS Guide September is Recovery Month. Yay, party hats and balloons, right? Except it's not all rainbows and unicorns. Recovery is hard, messy, and sometimes downright ugly. But it's also the most worthwhile thing you'll ever do. The Birth of Recovery Month Way back in 1989, the federal government launched Recovery Month. It was a time to raise awareness, smash stigma, and celebrate the folks who'd fought their way back from addiction. But it wasn't just about feel-good fluff – it was a call to action, a reminder that addiction treatment should be just as accessible as treatment for any other health condition. SAMHSA started National Recovery Month in 1989 , but it was originally called "Treatment Works! Month" Recovery Answers . It wasn't until 1998 that the name was changed to National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month to reflect the focus on recovery, not just treatment Canyon Vista . The People Behind the Movement Rec...

  Navigating Substance Use and Recovery in a Culture of Acceptance I'll never forget the moment it hit me – I wasn't just partying, I was hiding. Behind a haze of smoke and a haze of booze, I was running from my own life. The substances that once felt like an escape had become a prison. But in a world that cheers on a good time and shrugs off a bad habit, how do you know when you've crossed the line? We live in a time where Craft beer festivals and cannabis dispensaries dot our neighborhoods. Where "wine mom" is a badge of honor and "microdosing" is the latest productivity hack. It's easy to get caught up in the wave of acceptance and tell ourselves, "I'm fine. Everyone's doing it." But there's a subtle, insidious shift that happens when substance use stops being social and starts being survival. When the drinks pour a little too easily, when the joint gets lit a little too often, when the pills become more than just an occasion...

Warning: This post contains descriptions of drug use and psychosis that may be triggering for some readers. You've heard the horror stories. The meth addict who ripped their own teeth out because bugs were crawling under their skin. The user who stabbed themselves to remove the imaginary spikes embedded in their arm. Meth-induced psychosis: it's the stuff of urban legends and your worst nightmares. But what is it, really? And how does it happen? Meth 101: Spinning', Stimming', and Losing Your Damn Mind Methamphetamine, aka crystal, ice, or just plain ol' meth, is a powerful stimulant that hijacks your brain's reward system. It floods your noodle with dopamine, making you feel like you can take on the world...at first. But meth is like that bad boyfriend/girlfriend – it seems great at first, but things go downhill fast. It's like a rollercoaster ride straight to hell, with paranoia, anxiety, and hallucinations waiting for you at the end. As the high wears off...