Progress is Progress... Mile or a Millimeter

  Recovery: The Journey to Becoming Who We Never Were "I just want to be the person I was before addiction." Yeah, about that... Let's talk about why that's the worst idea since trying to negotiate with your dealer at 3 AM. That person you're so nostalgic about? They're the one who got you into this mess in the first place. Sorry, not sorry. I'm both a recovering addict and a substance use disorder counselor, which basically means I went from being the problem to helping solve it. Talk about a plot twist, right? Here's the thing about recovery that nobody tells you in those glossy rehab brochures: it's not about finding yourself – it's about creating yourself. While everyone else is out there trying to "discover their authentic self" (whatever that means), we're in the trenches building ourselves from scratch, like some kind of sober Frankenstein's monster, except with better coping skills and fewer villagers with pitchforks. ...

  So You Think You Might Have a Problem: A Not-So-Gentle Guide to Getting Help Let's be honest – you're probably reading this while hiding in your bathroom, or maybe during that 3 AM spiral when you're questioning every life choice you've ever made. First off, congratulations on your excellent taste in crisis-related reading material. And second, the fact that you're here means you're already braver than you think. Welcome to rock bottom's waiting room. The good news? It has WiFi. The "Maybe It's Not That Bad" Phase (Spoiler: It Probably Is) You know that voice in your head that keeps saying "I can quit anytime I want"? Yeah, that voice is full of shit. But here's the thing – you're not alone in this dance of denial. According to recent statistics, only 1.6 million people who needed treatment actually felt they needed it . The rest were probably still convinced they could "handle it." Here's a fun game called ...

The Changing Language of Recovery: More Than Just Words When I first entered recovery, I was labeled – meth head, junkie, pill head. Each word felt like a brand, a permanent mark that supposedly defined my entire existence. In my world, these weren't just words. They were a life sentence. The Language Landscape: More Complex Than You Think Language is deeply contextual . Depending on your geographic location, cultural background, and specific community, the stigmatizing language can vary wildly. What's considered acceptable in one region might be deeply offensive in another. In my recovery journey, those labels – meth head, junkie, pill head – they weren't just descriptors. They were psychological handcuffs. I internalized them completely. If everyone called me a junkie, how could I ever be anything else? The Evolution of Language: From Stigma to Suppor t Old Language New Language Substance Abuse Substance Use or Misuse Meth Head Person Managing Methamphetamine Use Disorder...

  The New Era of Addiction Treatment: Understanding Contingency Management in 2025  (Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Reward System) As someone who's walked both paths – first as a person in recovery and now as a substance abuse counselor – I've seen addiction treatment evolve dramatically. And let me tell you, if someone had told me during my early recovery days that we'd be literally paying people to stay clean, I would've thought they were smoking something themselves. Yet here we are in 2025, and that's exactly what's happening – with impressive results. A Game-Changing Policy Shift (Finally!) Remember when getting treatment was harder than finding a decent cup of coffee at 3 AM? Well, the Biden administration just eliminated a major barrier to contingency management , and it's about time. The big news? SAMHSA has increased the annual incentive cap to $750 per patient . That's right – we're now officially allowed to reward recovery...

  When Old Ways Meet New Medicine: The Recovery Community's Struggle with MAT The Battlefield of Recovery: A No-Bullshit Approach Let's cut to the chase. We're in a war, and the body count is rising. The enemy isn't addiction—it's our own damn stubbornness. The Statistical Gut Punch Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has success rates of 60% or higher, compared to the mere 5-15% success rates for traditional opioid detoxification methods . Yet, we're still arguing about whether it "counts" as real recovery. Spoiler alert: Dead is dead, whether you're on medication or not. Breaking Down the Barriers: A Tactical Approach For Healthcare Providers: Your Wake-Up Call Healthcare professionals are the backbone of Medication-Assisted Treatment . Here's how you can be part of the solution: Education is Your Weapon Stop treating MAT like a dirty word Understand the science behind medication-assisted recovery Challenge your own biases and misconceptions ...

  The Hidden Cost of Rural Recovery: When Distance Defines Access to Help in Northern Wisconsin Welcome to the rural wilderness of northern Wisconsin, where the scenery is breathtaking, but the road to recovery might just take your breath away—literally. Here, addiction recovery isn't just a battle of willpower, but a logistical nightmare involving miles of nothing but trees, lakes, and the occasional deer watching you try to figure out how to get help. The Long Drive to Sobriety: More Than Just Miles Let's talk about what "transportation barriers" really means in rural Wisconsin. According to rural health researchers, people often need to travel long distances to treatment, with fewer public transportation options than urban areas . This isn't just inconvenient—it's often the difference between getting help and not getting it at all. What this means in real life: Gas money becomes recovery money Winter driving becomes a matter of life and death Missing work f...

From Street Hustle to Life's Muscle: Transforming the Art of Survival In the dimly-lit corners where life and hustle intertwine, survival isn't just a skill; it's an art. As someone who's danced with addiction, I've navigated the high-stakes game of street smarts and hustler's charm. But what happens when the curtain falls on that chaotic stage? How do we, the former street performers, transition from the shadows to the spotlight of recovery? It's time to flip the script and transform those so-called "naughty" skills into concrete superpowers for a brighter future. The Hustle: Our Double-Edged Sword Let's face it: the hustle was never just about the quick cash or the rush of a deal. It was about survival, resilience, and a certain entrepreneurial flair. Funny enough, these same attributes can be the very foundation for a successful life in recovery. A Special Note of Gratitude To the incredible individual who generously shared their images for ...

  The Healing Symphony: A Legacy of Recovery in Music 2.0 From smoky jazz clubs to stadium anthems, the story of recovery has been singing through our speakers for generations. Today, we're diving deep into how music isn't just a backdrop to recovery—it's been the soundtrack of transformation for decades. The New Wave: Today's Recovery Renaissance The Unlikely Duo: Jelly Roll & Joyner Lucas The collaboration between Jelly Roll and Joyner Lucas in "Best For Me" has become an anthem for those loving someone through addiction . It's that rare piece of music that speaks to both sides of the struggle—the person in recovery and those watching from the sidelines, hoping and praying for change. Eminem: The Recovery Elder Statesman As we approach the 14th anniversary of his groundbreaking "Recovery" album , Slim Shady continues to prove that sobriety doesn't kill creativity—it enhances it. His journey from addiction to recovery has influenced a wh...

  Trauma and Addiction: The Connection We Can No Longer Ignore (Because Trust Me, It's Not Going Anywhere) Let's talk about trauma and addiction. You know, those two party crashers that nobody invited but somehow ended up living rent-free in our brains. When I first started working in addiction recovery, a wise mentor told me something I'll never forget: "Behind every addiction is a story that needs to be heard." Years later, science has proven just how right he was (though I'm pretty sure he'd rather be wrong and win the lottery instead). What We Mean When We Talk About Trauma First off, let's get something straight: trauma isn't just about surviving war zones or major disasters. It's not a competition where only the most dramatic experiences get a medal. Trauma is more like that one friend who shows up differently for everyone – except this friend tends to overstay their welcome and rearrange your mental furniture without permission. Research...

  The Great Sobriety Showdown: When Abstinence Meets Harm Reduction (And They Both Get Awkward) Let's talk about the elephant in the recovery room: the endless battle between abstinence-based treatment and harm reduction. It's like watching two parents fight over the "right way" to raise their kid, except the kid is addiction recovery, and both parents think the other one is completely destroying their child's future. I've worked both sides of this fence. Started in residential treatment, where even thinking about a substance was grounds for a stern talking-to, and now I'm in an outpatient clinic where we're a bit more... flexible. Let me tell you, nothing prepares you for the mental gymnastics of switching teams. The Abstinence Olympics The abstinence folks have a beautifully simple philosophy: just don't use. Period. End of story. Go directly to recovery, do not pass go, do not collect $200 worth of substances. According to Freedom Addiction , in...