The Beat

“It’s going to eat us all alive.” These were perhaps the most resonant words uttered by former President Bill Clinton in a recent speech he gave about the United States opioid addiction epidemic. He also pointed out that the country was “way behind in dealing with the issue”.  The tragically accurate remarks were delivered at […]

It was recently announced that the gifted yet embattled golf pro Tiger Woods has checked himself into a treatment clinic to deal with issues related to prescriptions he was taking for pain and sleep disorder. The decision follows a highly publicized incident in which local authorities found woods asleep behind the wheel of his slightly […]

Those who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction experience a full range of emotions, particularly during the first few months or the first year after treatment. Often chief among these emotions is guilt. Grappling with the actions of our past can a humbling and downright unpleasant experience. We think of the people we’ve wronged […]

It has long been asserted, however erroneously, that creativity and mental illness are inextricably linked, a perception that has been especially perpetuated in relation to substance abuse. We often hear how an artist did their “best work” when they were experimenting with LSD, or that their debilitating sadness helped them create something truly honest and […]

In 2014, over 47,000 Americans died from drug overdose. This shocking and tragic figure dealt a hard blow to the morale of the prevention movement; however, it also created an increased sense of urgency and mobilization among many. As it turns out, this sense of urgency wasn’t enough and the country saw even higher rates […]

Treatment center helps beat addiction with music. In a Fort Lauderdale office building, pop singer Kendra Ericka stands on a dimly lit stage at Recovery Unplugged. About 30 millennials who are fighting drug and alcohol addiction fill the audience. 

This past weekend, the National Institutes of Health and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts joined forces to present a first-of-its-kind exploration of the relationship between music and positive overall health. Recovery Unplugged had the privilege of attending Sound Health, an ongoing collaboration between the Kennedy Center and the National Institutes of Health, in […]

Last week the American music landscape said goodbye to one of its most prolific and important contributors. Greg Allman, renowned guitarist, songwriter, solo artist and founding member of the legendry Allman Brothers Band passed away at the age of 69. Allman was taken by complications due to liver cancer. He had overcome the untimely death […]

How many times in our lives have we told someone we care about that we’re “there” for them when they experience times of crisis? Whether they’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, have experienced severe trauma or are just going through a particularly difficult time in their lives, we want them to know that they […]

The latest version of The Trump Administration’s budget includes $800 billion in Medicaid cuts, which many experts speculate will affect over 14 million Americans. The cuts are contingent upon the ability of the House to get their current healthcare bill through the Senate in its current form, a move that is proving to be increasingly […]

Recovery Unplugged is saddened to report the passing of one of the most powerful and distinct voices in rock and roll. Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave passed away last night at the tragically young age of 52 shortly after a performance with his original band Soundgarden, the group that put Cornell on the map […]

There have been numerous recent political developments that both directly and indirectly affect those struggling with drug addiction. For one thing, the House of Representatives made a successful last-ditch effort to pass their new healthcare bill, which many experts say will ultimately lead to decreased addiction treatment access. For another, Attorney General Jeff Sessions made […]

We all assign music to certain seasons. Whether it has something to do with the contextual relationships of our pasts or because we’re thinking of songs that just screams summer or winter, we can’t help but associate certain works with the sun, snow and other seasonal elements. In just over a month, yet another summer […]

The American addiction and overdose crisis has taught us many things, two of the most important of which are that community involvement is vital to curbing substance abuse and that addicts need all the help they can get when they’re trying to get back on their feet. While specialized clinical treatment is vital to helping […]

CNN recently partnered with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to produce a documentary series that further illustrates the lasting resonance of music in American history. Soundtracks discusses the role of music at pivotal points of the United States’ continuing evolution, including the Civil Rights Movement, the September 11th Attacks, the Moon Landing, the Stonewall Riots, Hurricane […]

Very often, when we think about the growing addiction epidemic in the United States, we tend to look at it as something abstract; as numbers on a spreadsheet; a taking point in an argument or debate over some kind of macro solution. Even those of us who have seen, or directly experienced, the perils of […]

Friday will mark exactly one year since the supernaturally talented pop icon Prince was found dead in his compound just outside Minneapolis due to an apparent painkiller overdose. As more and more time passes, old wounds are once again being opened in the form of new court documents that illustrating the scope and severity of […]

Narcan saves lives and that’s really all there is too it…or is it? It’s true that the widely used anti-overdose drug has saved thousands of lives since its introduction into the opioid and heroin treatment landscape. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Narcan kits used by civilians (non-law enforcement and emergency responders) […]

Recovery Unplugged has established its entire treatment philosophy based on the inherent healing properties of music therapy. We have seen first-hand how our patients are able to pull themselves out of a life of active substance abuse through music-based therapy; however, this art form has healing capabilities beyond addiction treatment. It can have a positive […]

Although the American workforce has experienced dramatic change over the past few decades, we still live in a country in which roughly half of all employers require their applicants to pass a drug test to successfully qualify for employment. In a cluster of states known as the “Rust Belt” (Western New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, […]