The Aviary Recovery Center Blog
Visit One of the Most Beautiful Urban Parks in the World and Support Your Recovery
In the heart of St. Louis is a park known as, well, the “Heart of St. Louis.” Forest Park is an amazing place where nature and cultural attractions coexist in a beautiful and historic setting. Forest Park was home to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair as well as to...
Head to Your Local Library for Recovery Resources
How long has it been since you visited your community’s library? Maybe you are a regular user of the library, or maybe you haven’t been in a while. Maybe it has been a long time, indeed. And maybe you have heard—or even thought—that libraries are just not that important anymore. ...
Two Key Components of Our Continuum of Care
Most people, when thinking about the aspects of residential treatment for a substance use disorder, likely focus on two things: detoxification and rehabilitation. And that makes sense. After all, each of those aspects of treatment is so ingrained in our cultural thinking that we refer to them by diminutive nicknames:...
Overcoming Boredom, Loneliness, and Languishing in Recovery
You probably get bored from time to time. You find yourself in a mood when nothing seems interesting or exciting. It seems like every activity under the sun would be a drag, but you also are not too pleased with whatever it is you are currently doing either. You probably...
Gratitude is a Pillar of Recovery
When you have done the hard work of putting drugs or alcohol behind you, it is only natural that you will feel grateful for the improvement in your quality of life. After all, a substance use disorder chips away at every aspect of your life. First and foremost, a substance...
Think of Treatment Like a Trip to the Airport
Just recently, the new REAL ID requirements went into effect (sort of) after years of delay. Under the new rules, you now need a REAL ID—rather than just a driver’s license—to board a domestic flight. Many people rushed to get REAL IDs as the deadline was approaching—just as many people...
A Growth Mindset Points to a Path for Reaching Goals
Wouldn’t it be great if one day, while you were just minding your own business, you suddenly encountered a big flashing sign that read in bright, clear letters, “This way to your goals!” Maybe it would be the first in a series of signs that would lead you from wherever...
You Want a Holistic Approach for a Whole Lot of Reasons
Not too many songs are built around a single musical note. Even the famous song “One Note Samba” involves a lot more than a single note. A song is a complex combination of melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics, and more. The same is true about a person. No single trait can...
The Pink Cloud is Weather. Long-Term Sobriety is Climate.
Sometimes we mistake the weather for the climate. Maybe it is unexpectedly rainy today, so you think a long drought has come to an end. Or maybe it is cool for June, so you are not so sure about all those claims about higher global temperatures. In both cases, you...
New Warning from Surgeon General: Alcohol Causes Cancer
Most everyone knows that cigarettes and other tobacco products are required to have a message on their packaging from the Surgeon General of the United States warning of the potential dangers. When it comes to cigarettes, a number of different messages appear, such as: Surgeon General’s Warning: Smoking Causes Lung...
