In 2017 there were over 1 million arrests for driving under the influence in the United States, and a number of incidents involved repeat offenders, injury, and fatalities. DUIs are not only big business for the government, they are offenses that are not taken lightly by the courts. Even though behaviors like texting and driving and fatigued driving are more dangerous than DUI, you can expect the harshest punishments for DUI. For those who find themselves in this unfortunate situation, it’s important to remember that while what happened in the past can’t be changed, through rehabilitation and cooperation positive DUI stories are possible. When you appear in court for a DUI, the judge generally assesses your criminal history and the circumstances of the arrest to determine next steps....

by Thaddeus Camlin. Psy.D. Change happens slowly over time.  Gradually, habits develop and patterns of behavior establish routines.  Whether we are changing our eating habits, sleeping habits, work habits, love habits, or drinking habits, the change process is the same.  As behaviors develop into well-maintained patterns and habits, some self-regulatory control is compromised due to neurobiological adaptations – it’s harder to not add sugar to coffee for someone who always added sugar to coffee than it is for someone who only added sugar to coffee once.  Luckily, the brain of the coffee-sugar cross-fader has not been hijacked because drugs do not hijack the brain. Myth: Drugs Hijack the Brain Saying drugs hijack the brain is like filming a two year time lapse, then playing it back ...

By the team at Practical Recovery Separating libations from social situations in American culture is about as easy as separating hassle from air travel.  A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that alcohol consumption is on the rise in the United States, especially among women, older adults, ethnic minorities, and the socioeconomically disadvantaged.  The phrase, "Let's grab drinks," is such a staple of US culture that establishing a natural, rich, and fulfilling social life is a legitimate challenge for those who pass on the party scene.  For those who resist liquid luncheons, thirsty Thursdays, not-so-happy hours, and whiskey sours, it is important to have some ways of staying sober in a “let’s grab drinks” culture. People don’t drink for...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. It’s the most wonderful time of year…  for some.  For others, this time of year brings with it uncomfortable holiday situations and challenges.  Navigating difficult family members, work events, and beverage-laden holiday parties while successfully self-regulating or abstaining from alcohol can render celebratory festivities a skosh toilsome.  Here are some exit strategies to help navigate uncomfortable holiday situations. 1. Identify Your Reason to Leave Ahead of Time. You know Topher from marketing is going to hound you all night to have a drink (or 10) with him, and you know you don’t want to play Robin to Topher’s Batman in the tales of misadventure that the entire company laughs and cringes about on the Monday after the holiday party.  After the main...

A collegiate recovery program can mean all the difference to a young person in recovery. Having a program like this available on campus means they do not have to choose between recovery and a higher education. It provides students with an avenue to stay committed to recovery, while focusing on school, and having a community of support in a setting where it’s stereotypically a place to overindulge in substances. We researched colleges across the country that understand this and have dedicated university resources to supporting students in recovery. This is far from all, but is a great showing of support for the recovery community in higher education. U.S. Universities with Recovery Programs for Students Alabama University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL - The Collegiate Recovery and...

Guest post by “Albert” For more years than I care to remember, I hit my head against the 12-step wall. I was that “chronic relapser,” and the guy who picked up a white chip every few weeks or months. I began to believe that I was one of those “unfortunates” who was “constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves” (perhaps the most grandiose, obnoxious and unhelpful words ever written in the English language). I even had a 12-step “fellow” once tell me, “You know Albert, I’m glad you come to these meetings. You’re such a good example of a bad example that you’re probably helping more newcomers than you realize.” OUCH! To say that I resented and even hated AA, NA and all the other “A’s” would be an understatement. I should probably say that the “God thing” was not my pro...

As we continue our recovery blogger series we bring you a recovery story from Nancy Carr from Last Call Blog. Nancy has now been sober for over 14 years, she has a fulfilling career, is happily married, and is a proud dog mom living in San Diego. Nancy is in a good place, but it took grit and determination to get here. Nancy has seen the ups and downs of addiction and recovery and is a better person now because of it. She’s learned a lot and has plenty of advice to share with others experiencing a similar journey. She writes about those experiences on her blog and is sharing a piece of her recovery story with us here now. Interview printed with permission What is your favorite part about being sober? FREEDOM! I love that I can do anything or go anywhere.  Being sober has be...

Up next in our Top Recovery Blogger Series we have Jean from Unpickled Blog. Jean is a busy woman with a fulfilling life, but it wasn’t always that way. Before deciding to live alcohol-free seven years ago, Jean was in a decades-long cycle of daily drinking that was taking over her life. Today Jean is happier than ever with a her husband of 29 years, kids and grandkids. Jean stays busy with just about everything, she is writing her first book, spends a great deal of time serving others in recovery, and produces and hosts The Bubble Hour Podcast. And since Jean is not one to slow down, she also volunteers with a community organization that provides services to adults with disabilities, and is an active curler and skier. We are inspired by Jean to say the least, and are honored ...

By Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. For many, perfectionism is a guilty pleasure – we know it isn’t good for us but we can’t seem to let it go.  Well, difficulty in letting something go is almost always a sign of that thing being beneficial in some ways, and perfectionism is no different.  When it comes to changing addictive behavior, perfectionism is not only common, but often demanded.  People are routinely kicked out of treatment for not being perfect, or at least coerced into stepping up to a higher (more expensive) level of care.  Because perfectionism is demanded of people attempting to change addictive behavior, it might be worth exploring the concept a bit further. Perfectionism As a Measure of Success in Changing Addictive Behavior There is arguably no arena in which perfection...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Outpatient Rehab: What the Experts Say Anyone who encounters the US addiction treatment industry is likely to experience a ‘hard sell’ on inpatient.  The idea that addiction problems are resolved by ‘going away for 30 days’ is as pervasive as it is uninformed.  Lasting change may be initiated in four weeks, but it takes much longer to become engrained.  While the cultural mythos of addiction treatment continues to promote the notion that most people need to go away for 30 days, experts have been saying that outpatient rehab is actually the best fit for most people for quite some time. William Miller and Reid Hester (two leading experts in the field of addiction treatment) looked at who benefits from inpatient alcohol treatment and found no overall advanta...