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One of the best ways to disconnect your mind from the idea that you are somehow different from your fellow man is to watch TV shows and movies about addiction and recovery. This will help you realize that you are part of a recovery community that is greater than yourself.

There is still a powerful stigma associated with addiction. Because of current societal perceptions of addiction, those who are addicted to alcohol and drugs are often considered “bad” or “weak” people, rather than sick people. Addicts are often harshly judged and condemned for their substance abuse problem rather than receiving empathy and support. Why is this?

There has been an ongoing debate in the United States and around the world as to the nature of the phenomenon of addiction. While experts and medical professionals agree that addiction is a disease, many people believe it has nothing to do with illness. Instead, they argue that addiction is a choice or a moral deficiency. Indeed, the country is divided when it comes to explaining the cunning, baffling, and powerful condition of addiction.

If you’ve been struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, you might be considering getting professional help for your problem. If you are, this is great news! It’s important to know you have options. Addiction is a life-threatening disease that causes health problems, difficulties at work, legal issues, and destruction of the family unit. Admitting you have a problem and seeking help is the first step to finding healing from this all-consuming illness.

Making the decision go into recovery also means tossing aside the old coping mechanisms. This also means creating a new, healthier set of tools to help you navigate this new journey. We call this set of tools an Addiction Recovery Tool Box and here is everything you need to know on how to build one.

“Whatcha doing?”
“Oh, just confirming something I’ve known for a long time.”
I’m sure that’s not what my coworker was expecting to hear as he was making conversation, but I couldn’t really think of anything other than the webpage I was staring at: An ADHD Symptom Checklist for Women I felt my heart in the pit of my stomach because I knew, in fact, I had known for years that 99% of what I was reading could describe me. And I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Are you new to recovery? If so, we want to congratulate you on making the brave decision to get sober. Stopping the use of drugs or alcohol is not easy, but it is worth it. To get you going in the right direction, we want to offer you some tips and helpful advice to get you through the first few months of recovery. Knowing what to expect will make the journey much easier and following the suggestions we offer is key to relapse prevention.

Don’t Make Resolutions – Make Habits! It’s A New Year and Getting a Fresh Start as in Full Effect.

If you are considering recovery or already have some sobriety time under your belt, we’ve put a list together of our personal favorite resources for recovery in Utah. Everything suggested in our list either promotes entering recovery or things to do while in active recovery.

There’s something special about reading a book. Sure, watching movies and binge-watching television shows on Netflix are nice, but nothing beats the experience of reading a good old-fashioned page-turning book. Furthermore, if you are a recovering alcoholic or addict, nothing can replace the experience of reading someone else’s story about their descent into the madness of addiction. It will help you get a better perspective on your own.

Because alcohol is sold at ballgames, restaurants, and the local corner store, most people are under the mistaken belief that alcohol is safe and relatively harmless. Nothing could be further from the truth. Alcohol is a highly addictive and very dangerous substance.

When you confront someone with drug addiction, you confront their excuses. Below we will breakdown how to deal with denial when someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

In 2017 the United States got some big news – President Donald Trump finally declared the opioid crisis in the United States as a national public health emergency. This is not only big news, it is good news.

It’s no surprise that the Holidays are a stressful and busy time of year. Countless parties, holiday preparation and even snow storms can cause anxiety and unwanted triggers. It’s important to keep yourself on “the nice list” this year and make time for self care during the holidays.

Most people recognize that depression is serious and real, but we also fail to identify it or take it seriously when we face it in real life. The word “depression” can conjure up images and expectations that create stereotypes which are hard to confront. The stigma is real, so when we confront depression in our own life we are often taken by surprise.

The holidays are festive and social and fun. They can be so enjoyable, but they can also be a trap for social or binge drinking. Alcohol is often available at holiday parties, and even encouraged. You may face plenty of choices for free and abundant drinking.

Happiness can seem elusive, or always just out of reach. We may think we’ll be happier when we get a raise or move somewhere better or once our kids are older or once we overcome a current trial in our lives. The reality of happiness is that it’s a journey, a part of the process. We can feel happiness all along the way, and it usually comes as a result of other behaviors rather than explicit pursuit of happiness.

Addiction and substance abuse are terrifying realities. Nearly everyone has been touched by addiction, and watching the terrible repercussions that can follow addiction in the life of a loved one is devastating. Often it is incredibly dificult to identify signs of addiction until it is too late. It can also be dificult to understand the severity of addiction – an addict actually might lose the power to stop. So what can you do?

Have you seen the billboards? Heard any radio ads? Utah is experiencing an opioid epidemic, and it’s no joke. People are dying every day, just as people are beginning the frst steps of their journey with opioids. Utah ranks surprisingly high in the nation for drug overdoses, opioid prescriptions, and drug use starting with opioid prescriptions. So what does it mean?

"My 37 year old daughter lost her life to alcoholism. I am hoping you will let me help out more people. If you are so inclined, please read and/or make copies of this enclosed written remembrance of her to those in need. Thank you, Nancy (Doreen’s Mother)"

Druggie, junkie, tweaker, – when you think of those struggling with addiction, do any of these words or stereotypes come to mind? Do you feel like you could pick out someone dealing with addiction from a crowd by their poor hygiene, unemployment status, and erratic behavior? If you do, it’s probably from the inflammatory news cycle, narrow movie stereotypes, or viral Facebook posts. But what if we got to know people who are dealing with addiction? What if they told us about their real experiences? At Alpine Center, we get to know people in all walks of life, and we know that addiction knows no bounds. It doesn’t stick with any one race, neighborhood, or profession.

According to the Center for Disease Control, the leading cause of death in the United States is drug overdose, which far outreaches car accidents and shooting deaths combined. Two in every three people have been touched by addiction in one way or another. In 2014, opioid overdoses were involved in 28,647 deaths in the US. Because of this nationwide epidemic, we as a whole need to promote change in these affected individuals before the problem of addiction begins.

We found an excellent poem that puts into words the reach and power of addiction – and we think it’s worth a read.

The Holidays are here and that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some fabulous beverages. We put together a list of our favorite non-alcoholic beverages for this Holiday season!

At Alpine Centers, we want to help you be successful and healthy, and so we’ve come up with tools that have worked for us, so we know that you can utilize them to set yourself up for success.

"Addiction can make your world so small; it can exist only within the confines of a bottle."

An anonymous writer shares a story of what life is like when your world revolves an addiction and how quickly everything can disappear.

"Today I can really see how lucky I truly am to have such an amazing mother and family in my life. I work with so many that don’t have what I have and often wonder how they will make it. I'm writing this letter for many reasons. The main point I really want to express is gratitude."