The Aviary Recovery Center Blog
Understanding—and Avoiding—Overdoses
The use of drugs and alcohol comes with many dangers. Among the most dramatic and dangerous is the risk of overdose—consuming enough of a substance that the user’s body is overwhelmed and unable to cope. An overdose is a life-threatening event that requires immediate...
What if 12-Step Programs Aren’t the Right Steps for Your Recovery?
Alcoholics Anonymous is surprisingly famous for an organization with “anonymous” in its name. AA and the 12-step program at its heart are what most people think of when they think about recovery from a substance use disorder. The idea of a group of people sitting in a...
Resolve to Overcome Loneliness in the New Year
Loneliness and the Holiday Season The holidays can be a challenging time for many people—and perhaps especially challenging for people in recovery. Not only do the holidays bring temptations and stress, but they can also lead to feelings of loneliness. And if we’re...
Playing the Hand You Are Dealt When ACEs Are in Your Past
We try to provide our kids with a perfect childhood. Often, we remember things that went wrong in our own lives as children, and we work hard to make sure the cycle is not repeated. But in truth, hardly anyone’s childhood could be considered perfect—despite our best...
Happy Holidays? A Commitment to Giving Back Can Make You Merrier
Can you hear it? The Christmas music is everywhere again. The radio. The shopping mall. At every live music venue near and far. It is darn near inescapable. And all of it (well, except for maybe this song) seems to be insistent on offering variations on a single...
Moving Past the Pain and Maintaining Your Sobriety
Chronic Pain - A Cycle Chronic pain, it probably goes without saying, is bad in and of itself. A significant number of people—studies indicate as many as one in five—suffer from ongoing pain that can have a devastating effect on their day-to-day lives. Even worse,...
Will Talk of Your Recovery Be on the Thanksgiving Menu This Year?
Thanksgiving is coming. And so are your relatives. You should probably make some decisions about how you are going to talk about your recovery if it comes up over turkey and stuffing. And who are we kidding? It will come up over turkey and stuffing. Here’s something...
Just Like Sticks and Stones, Words Can Be Very Hurtful
When Addiction is the Topic You know the old saying: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. It’s a nice idea, isn’t it? It would be wonderful if each of us could simply ignore the negative things others might say to or about us. But our...
Making Sure the Kids Are Alright
Maybe the moment has come. You realize you need to enter a residential treatment center for your substance abuse disorder. You need help finding a route to lasting sobriety, and an inpatient recovery center is equipped to offer you the help and resources you so...
Don’t Let Boredom Derail Your Recovery
While no one enjoys feeling bored, there is some scientific evidence to suggest boredom has some benefits. That said, boredom can be dangerous for a person in recovery. Feeling bored might heighten the cravings for drugs or alcohol as you look for a way to feel better...