Rehab & Addiction Blog

If you are familiar with addiction, you may have heard addiction referred to as a disease. But why is addiction a disease? Addiction involves complex changes to your pleasure and reward center and interferes with your brain’s ability to produce and release the proper amounts of neurotransmitters. Like other mental health disorders, addiction results in changes…

Have you been wondering: Does yoga help with chronic pain? You might think that coping without your painkiller addictions could leave you with uncontrollable levels of pain. Fortunately, Kemah Palms Recovery® works to teach you effective techniques, coping skills and exercises to help you manage and relieve your pain. One way to do this is…

Would it surprise you to know the possibility of alcohol withdrawal acts as a deterrent for some people wanting help? It’s true. Some people choose to keep drinking instead of having to deal with harsh alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In reality, alcohol withdrawal does have the potential of causing problems. Just the same, that should never…

Many people face one big question when deciding on rehab treatment today. That is, do I need rehab programs for women or men only? Is a gender-specific program the right one for my best chance of long term sobriety? Do I Need Rehab Programs for Women Only? That question of, “Do I need rehab programs…

As noted last week’s blog on mental illness and substance abuse, many people with substance abuse and mental health greatly impact each other. This runs the spectrum from mild but chronic depression to complete lack of capacity for comprehending reality. Proper understanding and treatment of mental illness may keep many from turning to addictive substances…

Today and next week, our “12 Steps” series takes a hiatus to acknowledge Christmas and New Year’s. In a nod to the “12” in “12 Steps” (and to the “Twelve Days of Christmas”), the holiday posts will consist of Top 12 lists instead of the standard Top 10.  Today, you don’t have to worry about…

Addiction affects the lives of millions of people every year. Everyone’s addiction develops differently. However, doctors have done research on common causes of addiction. Addiction specialists recognize that about half of addiction cases have a genetic or hereditary component. However, the other half has to do with poor coping skills. As a person going through…

Last week, we discussed overconfidence and entitlement as factors in relapse. Today, we’ll explore other things that commonly function as “triggers” in tempting someone to return to the familiar bottle, needle, or other sources of chemical comfort. First, though, a couple of facts about relapse triggers that everyone should remember: Relapsers are in particular danger…

In recognition of July’s status as Independence Day month, our next several posts will focus on the theme of freedom and the will to recover. Like all major life changes, freedom from addiction is easier to dream of than to achieve. Anyone can wish for a better life; relatively few are willing to work for it. It’s…

As Memorial Day weekend begins, let’s all who fight the war against substance abuse and remember how far we’ve come. Remember the Fallen Sadly, we can’t pretend that everyone wins the personal war against substance abuse. In 2014, more than 28,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses, and over 75,000 from alcoholism-related issues (not counting the…

There’s nothing worse than having friends or family who recognize substance abuse nagging you to change… except for having a little voice in your own head suggesting that the “nags” may have a point. When it seems that everyone you were close to is changing for the worse—because so many people are hinting or saying…

The annual holiday season brings stress to many people and even entire families. We all reflect fondly on this time of year, but also look forward to the season’s end to get back into a routine. If you’re newly sober, one concern you likely have is how to avoid relapse during Thanksgiving. Is this easier…