This is a great article about the chemical layer of addiction and why it can be so difficult for an addict to attain and maintain their sobriety. The article gets a little technical, but the gist of it is...

Dopamine is the brain chemical that makes us feel happiness and joy. There are real chemical changes that take place in the brain of an individual suffering from substance abuse disorder that prevent dopamine from having the desired effect, driving them to seek more and m...ore alcohol to achieve the same result as the days and weeks before. Even after several weeks of abstinence, these changes continue to drive an imbalance in how dopamine is transmitted and managed.

One of the most important things we, as family members of an individual suffering from substance abuse disorder, can do to help both the sufferer and ourselves is to get involved in a program like Al-Anon. Support programs like Al-Anon help family members understand the power of the disease and the best ways they can help. But they also help us understand our limitations in this situation, sometimes referred to as the “3-C’s.”

CAUSE
One of the first things we need to understa...

This is a powerful story from an alumni parent. It's long for a Facebook post, I know, and I thought about trimming it down here and there. In the end, though, I decided it is best as is. Grab a cup of tea or coffee and please give this a read. It is absolutely worth the few minutes it will take.

My son is a young person in long-term recovery, which means that he hasn’t used alcohol or other drugs since he was fourteen years old. You heard that right, fourteen years old. He i...

The Home Pass

The home pass is one of the most anticipated events in any student’s stay. From the students' perspective, it is a long awaited chance to see family again, often to share the holidays with those near to him. For parents and family, those feelings of excitement are often all that more intense. For the staff at Building Bridges, it is an exciting time as well. We become invested in our students, and seeing their excitement is contagious. There is, however, a more ...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

As our knowledge of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has evolved, so too have our methodologies for treating it. While we still do not have all the answers, or even all the questions, we do have a wealth of data that supports the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), particularly when used in combination with other methods and tools. But while you may have heard the term before, do you know what it is, how it is used, and why it is successful? Le...

What Is Addiction?

This is not a simple question and as such it has no simple answer. It is further complicated by the fact that addiction does not affect everyone in the same way or to the same degree. For some that in the past have been given the inaccurate moniker of having an addictive personality, it seems that addiction runs in their blood. For others, it can seem as though they are immune to the throes of addiction. There are however, some defining traits, behaviors, ...

How important is your relationship with your counselor?

Treatment centers, no matter the type, all have one thing in common – the counselor. This is the individual who assumes responsibility for the daily care and treatment plan for the patient. In some cases the counselor, the patient, and often the family, all play a vital role in the patient’s progress and eventual recovery. But, how important is the relationship a patient or family member has with the counselor. Can a cou...nselor be equally effective with minimal contact? Will patients and family members have equal investment and success without frequent and easy access to the counselor? How important is the rapport counselors develop with their patients?