Yes, absolutely! Recovery is unique to each person and shaped by their individual needs and circumstances. Rehab is just one option. Some people benefit from outpatient counseling, peer support groups (like AA or NA), medication-assisted treatment, faith-based programs, or a combination of approaches. What matters most is finding support that works for you!

Yes, but it’s best to wait until both parties are firmly established in recovery—ideally at least one year. Dating too early can make it difficult to focus on your own recovery if both people are struggling to maintain sobriety. Invest in your own recovery and healing first. You'll be stronger, healthier, and ready to build something meaningful with someone when the time is right.

Alcohol poisoning (or overdose) occurs when excessive alcohol in the bloodstream shuts down critical brain functions and could be life-threatening. Call 911 immediately if you expect someone may be experiencing alcohol poisoning.

Symptoms include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious or inability to wake up, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, slow heart rate, clammy skin, and low body temperature.

Anytime is the right time to call a crisis hotline—no concern is too big or small. The federal 988 lifeline offers immediate support for issues like depression, suicidal thoughts, intrusive thoughts, substance use, feelings of hopelessness and loneliness, and more. If you’re unsure where to start, 988 is a great resource, and you don’t need to be in “crisis” to reach out.

Compassion, acts of kindness, listening, and patience!

Be present and provide a compassionate listening ear when they need to talk something out. You can also suggest activities to do together for some distraction or deliver something to the person that they would enjoy—any way you show the individual you are there for them and willing to sit alongside them through these challenges will make a difference.

Mindfulness means being aware—aware of your body, surroundings, experiences. It’s tough with daily distractions, but you can start small. For example, while walking the dog: notice the color of the sky, the feel of the leash, the sound of your dog’s paw-steps. Tune into your senses and allow yourself to fully exist in every moment

So often we look for specific green lights or red lights to help us with decision making. The time is always right to consider a life of recovery! Recovery is a regaining of control of something that you may feel is controlling you.

RECOVERY IS A JOURNEY and for some, sobriety is the destination. Recovery is defined by the individual struggling, whereas sobriety is the absences of substances. Recovery often looks like a decrease in substances, an increase in community supports, or even a change in the style of substances being used.

Relapse triggers are events, situations, or emotions that can lead to a strong desire to use drugs or alcohol again. Triggers differ from person to person—it's important to know what our triggers are so we can develop a plan to avoid or cope with them.

Common triggers include increased stress, unwanted or unpleasant feelings, or physical pain. Our social connections (being around people we have used drugs or alcohol with in the past) or lack of social support (loneliness and isolation) can also trigger relapse.

The best way to manage triggers is to proactively develop a relapse prevention plan that outlines our recovery goals, triggers, coping skills, supportive people and places, etc., and to share this plan with those who support us in our recovery.

Exercise has been shown to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, and it also can improve our quality of sleep, short-term memory, and attention span. As we engage in physical activity, we can feel less stressed as our brain releases more endorphins and serotonin (which make us feel happier and improve our overall well-being.) Formal exercise programs may also lead to more interpersonal connections, a sense of purpose and achievement, and improved self-esteem. It's helpful to start small! Begin with a short walk outside with a friend or try a beginner's yoga class!

Self-care is any activity that meets your needs and promotes overall wellness. Self-care can look different for everyone, and each person should identify what that looks like for them. This practice should meet your needs and promote overall wellness physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. One easy way to incorporate this into your daily routine is to make sure that you have some component of movement, mindfulness, creativity, and service to others sprinkled into your day! For example, you could go for a nature walk, try an adult coloring book, cook a nutritious meal, or spend time with friends.

It's impossible to definitively state one substance is safer than another, as both cannabis use and alcohol consumption have inherent risks for individuals across the lifespan and especially for teenagers.

The use of alcohol and cannabis both impact brain development, which means our ability to make healthy decisions, to drive a car, and to regulate our thoughts and emotions. Further, cannabis is not federally regulated, and research shows that the potency of THC in cannabis today is three times more concentrated than it was decades ago (whether it is being smoked, vaporized, or consumed as an edible.)

Both substances can lead to unintentional consequences when used in large quantities (think blackouts from drinking alcohol excessively, violent or illegal behaviors, or hallucinations from excessive cannabis use.) These effects can be extremely dangerous, scary, and lead to long-term impacts on our brains, our bodies, and our overall futures.

Being a supportive friend to someone in recovery might look different depending on that person's wants, needs, and preferences. You can start by communicating how proud or happy you are for them to be taking steps to improve their well-being. You can also ask them directly how you can be helpful.

This might sound like "I know you are early in your recovery journey, and I'm so proud of you for seeking treatment. I want to be supportive. Is there anything specific that I can be helpful with?" You can offer to join them at a meeting or drive them to an appointment with their providers. It will also likely be helpful for you to maintain an environment that is conducive to their sobriety or recovery, for example, by refraining from your own substance use while with them, avoiding people or places that might encourage their misuse, and using language that communicates your encouragement and support. See this article for guidance on language to use: https://tinyurl.com/SUDterms

Harm reduction refers to strategies that aim to reduce the negative consequences of drug use. The concept of harm reduction is based on the principle that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and that recovery from drug use is most successful when we meet people where they are at. Harm reduction approaches work to address the broader health and social issues of a community through improved policies, programs, and practices by providing people with resources to support their physical, emotional and social well-being.              

Some examples of harm reduction strategies and techniques include:
• Preventing overdose deaths by distributing Narcan
• Providing access to clean needles and syringes
• Distributing substance test kits, including fentanyl test strips and xylazine test strips
• Offering access to nicotine cessation therapies
• Delivering psychoeducation about substance use as well as referrals to appropriate resources in the community

Quality sleep is so important to our overall health and wellness—it impacts our energy, mood, physical health, among other areas of our life. But using smoking to help sleep can end up being more detrimental than helpful. It's important that we learn how to fall asleep (and stay asleep) without the use of substances. If we become dependent on smoking to fall asleep, it can become really hard to fall asleep on our own, which can lead to addiction.

It can take several weeks to develop a healthy sleep hygiene routine, but with time, it can improve our quality and quantity of sleep and also increase our confidence in our ability to develop healthy habits. For optimal sleep, we want to create a cool, dark sleeping environment. Avoid watching TV, playing video games, spending time on our cell phones or other devices for 30–45 minutes before bedtime. Instead try doing some deep breathing, listening to calming music, or reading a book. It's also important to exercise and get outside during daytime hours and be mindful of our caffeine intake.

Sometimes we can have negative or unhelpful thoughts that lead to more negative and unhelpful thoughts and feelings. We call this spiraling, and it can be challenging to catch ourselves. Try asking yourself: Would I say this to my best friend? If not, we shouldn't say it to ourselves.