The Aviary Recovery Center Blog

Recently, country singer/songwriter Davie Allan Coe passed away. He penned a song that Johnny Paycheck took all the way to the top of the country charts in 1977. That song, “Take This Job and Shove It,” became so popular that a movie with the same name came out in 1981....

You have likely arrived at this blog looking for information about substance use disorders, their treatment, and the recovery journey. If so, you have come to the right place. But bear with us for a few paragraphs as we consider competition and the role it tends to play in our...

Almost everyone (it sure would be nice if we could just say “everyone”) understands the importance of kindness in the world. Each and every one of us goes through hard times, and the kindness of others can be the encouragement we need to make it through. Each of us also...

In a recent post, we examined the dangers of so-called “gas station heroin,” products that can be picked up in your local convenience store, which only lead to dangerous situations and symptoms that are far more than just inconvenient. We emphasized that tianeptine and 7-OH are opioids that are often...

In 1987, Michael Douglas starred in the movie Wall Street. Perhaps the most famous scene from the movie involves Douglas’ character, Gordon Gekko, giving a speech in which he extols the virtue of greed.  That position, of course, is not the one most of us hold when it comes to...

When you head to your local gas station, there are plenty of things you might be looking to buy. Fuel for your car might top that list. But inside the store, you can also find snacks, coffee and fountain drinks, newspapers and magazines, and so on. One gas station, which...

You have almost certainly arrived at this blog looking for information about substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health disorders, the treatment process, and the recovery journey. That’s fair enough—and we promise we’ll get there shortly. But first, we want to talk about the Olympics. If you watched any of the...

In recent entries, we have been exploring the benefits of group therapy. In the first post in the series, we considered the ways in which group therapy gives you access to—and lets you contribute to—collective wisdom and experience. In the second entry, we wrote about the ways in which the...

In our last entry, we discussed the ways in which group therapy can help you take advantage of—and contribute to—collective wisdom and experience related to your recovery journey. Those who have gone through treatment for a substance use disorder and are now doing the hard work of day-to-day recovery are...

In the United States, many people believe that “rugged individualism” is (or should be) a defining characteristic of American society. The notion that most people can build a successful life on their own if they work hard and don’t rely on others (including the government) to help them has a...