If you’ve ever come across the Norse tale of the World Serpent, you may be familiar with the image of a snake-like creature so enormous it circled the entire earth, reaching around so that its head touched its tail. In
Lauren McQuistin, author of the Realistic Recovery Substack newsletter, often describes substance use disorder (SUD) in a way that avoids simple opposites, pointing instead to the lived experiences of the condition: The silence in your group chat of high school
Human beings have been around for millions of years—at least a version of us, anyway. But prescription strength opioids, cocaine as we know it today, and other substances like methamphetamine, alcohol, and even cigarettes, have not. Nowadays, many people believe
Scientists agree that cocaine is hard to kick. Nearly 25% of people who quit eventually fall back into weekly use, and about 18% of people who enroll in residential treatment have to re-enroll within a year. So what makes cocaine
People can use substances in different ways, from swallowing a pill and smoking to inhaling or injecting them directly with needles. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MSD), when you inject substances, their effects hit faster and feel stronger,
It can feel like a miracle to see your loved one finally sounding steadier after fighting opioid use disorder (OUD). You both may feel hopeful—right before you find an empty bottle in their cupholder with a name you’ve never heard
The opioid crisis can feel like a house fire that’s spread—ripping through neighborhoods across the nation. A fire that large can’t be extinguished with a single bucket of water. Putting it out requires thousands of people pitching in in different
If you live in Iowa, you may have noticed how common meth has become lately. But meth’s harmful effects aren’t just in news headlines. It can be a reality for you, your loved one, and hundreds of families in the
It’s no myth that many people in the United States consume cocaine. Around two million people nationwide use cocaine somewhat regularly, according to a 2016 report. This illegal substance has many names: Along with its diverse labels, cocaine can be
Imagine that it’s late at night, and you’re lying in bed staring at your phone. Sleep won’t come, your thoughts won’t slow down, and the cravings are louder than anything else. You open ChatGPT, telling it that you just can’t
Between personal ups and downs, political upheaval, and an incredibly disruptive pandemic, most Americans suffer a substantial amount of anxiety and insomnia. It’s common knowledge that we have a notoriously heavy workload. We operate with renowned ambition. Many of us
Are you ready to take control of your life, but can’t wrap your head around leaving all substances behind for good? You’re not alone. Many people struggling with substances feel exactly like you, and the idea of totally detoxing from
Your tummy and brain are in constant conversation, a never-ending gut-brain chatter that scientists often call the gut-brain axis. These conversations impact your body’s overall function, including your moods, mental health, and recovery experience. Research shows that your gut’s microbiome,
That time of year is upon us in Iowa: the winter blues, that bout of seasonal depression, sad in overdrive, winter depression, the low-temperature lonelies, angry-winter-bird mood, frozen heart syndrome: these are all real and pretend names for seasonal affective
Drug addiction and criminal behavior are closely intertwined. Studies on opioid abuse, for example, show that the more you use, the more likely you are to engage in non-violent criminal actions. Violent crime tends to be associated more strongly with
The postpartum period is the same for all women in the world, whether or not they suffer from substance use disorder (SUD). When a woman gives birth, the first 40 days up to the first year following that birth make
While timelines aren’t always cut and dry, substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction treatment and prevention have evolved in both devastating and hopeful ways this past decade. In the past ten years, there have been two overarching trends: drug-related deaths
St. Gregory Recovery Center can’t stress enough the importance of life skills. Developing them is crucial for all those who are fighting substance use disorder (SUD), whether with recovery meetings, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The
There is significant evidence to demonstrate that our childhood experiences stay with us—for good or for ill—throughout our lives. When those experiences are traumatic, they can increase the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder later in life. Those traumatic
Little Miss Sunshine debuted in 2006, and it told the story of one family’s dysfunction, redemption, and their young daughter Olive’s search for beauty and confidence. (Watch out—spoiler alert!) The character we care about here is Grandpa Edwin, played by
Our St. Gregory Recovery Center teams operate in Des Moines and Bayard, Iowa, and we see clients who struggle with marijuana use disorder (MUD) in our substance use disorder treatment program. Marijuana use disorder is characterized by dependence on the
At St. Gregory Recovery Center, we believe in a holistic and compassionate approach to substance use, substance dependence, and addiction/substance use disorder (SUD). Part of having compassion for someone who suffers from SUD is understanding what it is, how it
Americans across the nation are dealing with a spike in the number of overdose-induced deaths. According to the CDC, we’ve seen a 16% increase from 2020 to 2021, and in 2021, over 75% of drug overdose deaths were linked to
Is Addiction a Mental Problem or a Spiritual Problem? Addiction is a mental disease marked by compulsive drug-seeking and self-destructive behavior. It has nothing to do with lack of self-control or moral failing. You may have made poor choices that
While alcohol and heroin are two of the most commonly abused substances, several other substances, both legal and illicit, can lead to addiction. We review below seven substances that can cause addiction and that often require professional treatment to stop
For some people, trading in one evil for a lesser one makes sense. For example, a person who quits using marijuana might compulsively engage in online shopping or late-night snacking instead. Or maybe someone finally breaks a heroin addiction only
Some fifteen years ago, when I was in middle school, I remember how alarmingly popular it was to “cut.” Cutting was the practice, usually carried out by girls, of making small, superficial but certainly painful cuts on the wrists, arms,
Substance Abuse in the United States In 2017, a report showed that close to 20 million Americans battled with addiction that year. In the same year, other sources gathered that the United States spent upwards of $740 billion to manage