Envision two individuals completing their detoxification during the same week. One leaves with a discharge sheet and a follow-up appointment set for three weeks in the future. The other enters a program that also inquires about her sleep, her relationship with her mother, whether she has eaten a real meal in days, and what gives her life meaning apart from using. They start from the sam........

If you're looking for answers about a loved one or yourself, you may have come across the term 'dual diagnosis' and felt a bit confused. It's possible that a doctor referred to it briefly, or perhaps you've noticed that depression or anxiety tends to occur together with drinking or the use of drugs and are now wondering whether this is just a coincidence or if it's something more.

You're given a leaflet by someone for AA, a friend refers you to SMART Recovery, your therapist talks about "harm reduction", and all of a sudden you have to choose a path in a decision that could have a major impact on the next few years of your life — or that of a person you care about.

The fact is that there is not one correct method of recovering. The approach that will work ........

It's possible that the matter was raised at a family gathering, or that a doctor touched on it during the initial phone call and you agreed without really considering whether by doing so you were effectively giving up the idea of "real" recovery. If you've come across the expression medication-assisted treatment and are unsure exactly what it involves, then you're not the only one — and........

If you're looking for treatment options and continually come across the term "IOP", you're likely asking yourself whether it suits the kind of life you actually lead. It's possible that residential treatment isn't something you can afford at this stage—after all, you have a job, children, a lease, and a lifestyle that can't just stop for thirty days. Or perhaps you've already finished a........

If you've been looking into various treatments, you've most likely come across a lot of acronyms — such as PHP, IOP, residential and detox — and these never explain themselves. Perhaps a discharge planner said that 'PHP' was the next step after detox and you nodded as if you'd understood, only to go home and begin typing questions into a search engine. That's completely normal. You neve........

When the person you care about is about to begin detox—or when you're going through it yourself—the worst thing is not knowing. Exactly what takes place in there? Will it be painful? Is it safe? It's completely normal to have these questions, and they deserve proper answers, not just general reassurances.

Medical detox is generally the first definite action taken on the path to r........

It's possible that you've already reached the more difficult conclusion — namely, that treatment is needed. You are now facing the next choice: whether to go for inpatient or outpatient care. It should be a straightforward decision, but it isn't, and if, like many people, you've spent an evening looking at fifteen browser tabs trying to work out the difference, then you're by no means a........

Perhaps you've seen someone you care about make the same promise — the fifth or sixth time — that this is the end, that they're finished. And perhaps a few weeks later you find yourself in exactly the same position as before. If this situation rings a bell, then you're not mistaken about there being a pattern. There is one, and gaining an understanding of the cycle of addiction is usual........

Your brother says that he has it under control. Your daughter argues that everybody drinks in that way at college. Your spouse maintains that the pills are only meant for back pain, even though the bottle is empty two weeks sooner than it should be. Since you've come across some version of this, you'll already understand how frustrating and confusing denial can be—both for the person ma........