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What You Need to Know about Inhalants
When parents think about protecting their teens from substance abuse, street drugs and alcohol usually come to mind. However, other substances can also be dangerously abused, which are as close as your kitchen or garage. Inhalants, while not the most addictive...
5 Reasons Exercise is Important to Your Recovery
When you begin the recovery process, daily exercise may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Your focus in on getting and staying sober, so how does a walk or yoga fit into that equation? The truth is that exercise is a fundamental part of a successful recovery...
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is a common technique used during addiction recovery. The premise of CBT is to identify and alter problematic behaviors that lead to substance abuse, by recognizing the thought processes that lead to those behaviors. CBT is...
Introduction to the 12 Steps
The 12-step recovery program was originally created in the 1930s and has been successfully used by thousands struggling with addiction ever since. Originally designed for alcoholics, the program has been adapted over the years to other types of addictions, giving this...
The Family Education Program
Be a Loving Mirror (BALM) is a family recovery curriculum designed by Beverly Buncher. This curriculum encompasses interactive coaching and education to help families find a way to live in peace with the recovering addict after treatment. By erasing judgments and...
6 Stages of Change
Addiction recovery encompasses many changes that lead the individual away from the addiction to a healthier, more satisfying life of sobriety. However, the famous motto ?just do it? is rarely a recipe for successful recovery in these situations, since the changes...
Alternatives to 12 Step Programs for Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment has revolved around the 12-step model for decades, and this approach has helped many addicts achieve a successful life of sobriety. However, the 12-step program does not work as effectively for everyone. Some clients may find alternative modalities...
Progression of the Disease of Addiction
Addiction is not an instant disease that suddenly strikes out of nowhere. Instead, addiction can be described as a progression of steps that begin with the first choice to drink or use. If the progression continues, it can lead to the loss of choice and an inability...
How to Manage Urges and Cravings
Urges and cravings are an unavoidable part of the recovery process for most addicts. Learning to deal with these seemingly irresistible desires to drink or use will be a key component in the success of your sobriety. At West Coast Recovery Centers, we want you to have...
Understanding the Brain Chemistry of Addiction
The brain is the communication center for the rest of the body. Messages are passed via neurons in the brain that regulate all of our thoughts, emotions and basic functions. Neurons send electrical impulses that release messages known as neurotransmitters....