Blog
Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder: Why Are My Relationships Like a Rollercoaster?
Understanding emotions and feelings can be difficult for anybody. However, this struggle is greatly intensified in those with mood or personality disorders. While mood disorders focus on patterns in people's emotions, personality disorders center around the way in...
The Benefits of Mood Tracking
Long-term substance use affects the function of the brain, which impacts your mood. Moods are also heavily tied to the desire for substances. In recovery, the brain must work to reestablish healthy patterns. Tracking moods is a great way to track triggers and plan for...
Is Marijuana Really a Gateway Drug?
Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States. As the movement for legalization for its recreational and medical use grows, common misconceptions about marijuana continue to pervade most conversations. Many people – typically teens and young...
How to Spot Inhalant Addiction
Inhalants are dangerous substances that are often used by children and young teens. Since they come packaged as everyday household products — such as cleaners, paint thinners, and felt tip markers — they are easily accessible to younger generations. The chemicals in...
Is an Eating Disorder Really an Addiction?
Eating disorders are complicated and can affect people in different ways. People who struggle with eating disorders can feel helpless and out of control of one of the most basic human functions. Eating disorders can manifest similarly to substance use disorders...
Communicating Personal Boundaries to Support Recovery
Recovery from drugs and alcohol requires the establishment of personal boundaries with friends and family. A lack of boundaries can contribute to relapse. Still, establishing boundaries can feel uncomfortable. At times, family and friends may push back, failing to...
How Do Therapists Help Clients in CBT?
West Coast Recovery Centers offers a variety of therapeutic modalities for recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs). One of the most prominent techniques used is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a client-based approach to treating SUDs. This means that...
SMART Recovery for Drug and Alcohol Addiction
If you have tried self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) but find you are not aligned with the 12-Step method, you might be feeling frustrated and at a loss for how to achieve lasting recovery. This could be because you do not see yourself within the 12-Step...
Where Can I Get Treatment as a Native American?
According to a 2018 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are approximately 5.7 million Native Americans in the United States. This comprises about 1.7% of the total U.S. population. Because of various social issues that disproportionately...
Reconnecting With Yourself in Addiction Recovery
Establishing a healthy relationship with oneself is an essential and effective part of healing from substance addiction. As substance use can strip an individual of their sense of self-worth, rebuilding self-worth is a vital component of a successful recovery....