The Art and Science of Treating OUD: A Whole-Person ApproachTreating opioid use disorder (OUD) is like uncovering a gemstone. Detoxification is the first step—dusting off the stone to reveal its potential...reactionscomments
Breaking the Stigma: Supporting Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder Without JudgmentDespite growing awareness of the opioid overdose crisis, stigma remains a significant barrier to recovery. Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) often...reactions2comments
When the Chaos Clears: Coping with Boredom in Middle RecoveryMost conversations about recovery focus on the beginning: detox, cravings, white-knuckling through the first weeks without the substance that once controlled everything...reactionscomments
Bridging the Divide: Chronic Pain, Addiction, and the Compassion We All DeserveThere’s a tension in medicine that many people feel but few want to talk about: the strained relationship between chronic pain patients...reactionscomments
Hypervigilance in RecoveryI am safer now than I have ever been in my existence. Yet somehow, I’m considerably more anxiety-ridden than ever before. Recovery...reactionscomments
The Resume Gap Isn’t Empty: How Starting Slow Helped Me Return to Work SustainablyIn advocacy spaces, we often talk about recovery, healing, and second chances. What is less discussed is the moment after. It involves...reactionscomments
Tolerance: Why the First Use After a Break Can Be DeadlyMany of us have experienced this loss, sometimes more than once. Someone we loved was doing well. They had time in recovery...reactionscomments
Recovering, Not RecoveredI finally understand why people choose to say “recovering” instead of “recovered” when they talk about opioid use disorder or substance dependency...reactionscomments
Real Talk: The Realities of Opioid Use DisorderLiving with opioid use disorder can mean facing struggles that most people never see. In this three-part series, Nathan Smiddy and Natalee...reactionscomments
Navigating Withdrawal: My Journey Through Detox and RecoveryNavigating opioid withdrawal was one of the hardest parts of my chaotic use. At some point, it went from just getting high...reactionscomments
Cravings & Triggers: A Sign of Healing (and How to Get Through Them)If you’re noticing opioid cravings or triggers, there’s something important to say first: this means you’re in recovery, and that’s worth celebrating!...reactionscomments
The Science of Addiction: How Opioids Affect the BrainAnyone who takes opioids, whether by prescription or not, is at risk for opioid use disorder (OUD). This is true even if...reactions4comments
Facing Physical Pain Without Opioids: What My C-Section Taught Me About Trust and Choosing MyselfThere are moments in recovery that don’t announce themselves as tests, but they are. For me, one of the biggest came in...reactionscomments
When the Numbing Stops: My Experience With Opioid Withdrawal and Why It Was Worth ItFor a long time, I put off getting sober because I was afraid of opioid withdrawal. It wasn't the idea of being...reactionscomments
What To Do If You Relapse on Drugs or Alcohol"Relapse is part of recovery" is a slogan heavily ingrained in the substance use disorder and recovery lexicon. Although it is one...reactionscomments
Using Person-First Language to Destigmatize OUDOpioid use disorder (OUD) is a serious medical condition that has been on the rise in recent decades. Unfortunately, the stigma associated...reactionscomments
The Stigma Around Pain and MedicationsChronic pain can be difficult to manage. Unfortunately, chronic pain and its treatment may also have accompanying stigma that makes this issue...reactionscomments
The Double-Edged Coin of "Enabling"We often hear the term “enabling” when speaking on the continuum of substance use, specifically chaotic substance use. There are many different...reactions3comments
What Is Medical Gaslighting?If you have ever felt dismissed by a doctor, you may have experienced a type of bias (prejudice) called medical gaslighting. Medical...reactions4comments
Racial Disparities in HealthcareThe term "racial disparities" refers to the ways that different racial groups are treated differently or have different outcomes. Racial disparities in...reactionscomments
