Recovery Unplugged Blog
The Legacy of Lean
Some know it as “lean,” some know it as codeine-promethazine and many don’t know it at all. Although blues musicians were mixing…
Sing Your Life: The Positive Impact of Singing on the Brain
Ever notice how we often sing when we’re excited, exuberant or motivated? This is not a coincidence. Nor is it a coincidence…
Head and the Heart Singer Josiah Johnson’s Addiction Treatment Going “Well”
There is a never a convenient time for addiction. It doesn’t wait until after you’ve realized your professional or personal ambitions, or until you’re “ready” or “prepared” for it. Seattle-based folk-rock band The Head and the Heart learned this first hand last year when vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and founding member, Josiah Johnson took a leave of absence from the group to enter treatment for drug addiction. The decision came at a decidedly breakout moment for THAHT, as they prepared to work on a new record and play some of their largest performances ever. For a while, the group struggled with filling the void left by Johnson, whose strained and longing vocal stylings gave the band a distinct sound and propelled them to success….
Elements of An Effective Aftercare Plan
Key Points: Aftercare is low-intensity care following detox, inpatient, or outpatient treatment. Relapse is incredibly common following addiction treatment. Finding a new…
Recovery Unplugged Talks with Music Legend Darryl McDaniels
When we buy a record or a ticket to a live show, we tend to focus only on the finished product: the way the beat drops, the way the lyrics cut and resonate, the way the production evokes inexplicable emotion. Very few of us are thinking about what it took for the musicians to gain the confidence and impetus they needed to write the music, record it, get on stage to perform, and to keep performing. While we’re not so naïve as to ignore the decades-long relationship between popular music and substance abuse, it’s hard to imagine that this relationship can start so early. After speaking with hip-hop pioneer and founding member of Run-DMC, Darryl McDaniels, it became painfully clear just how deep this relationship often runs. What stood out most from our conversation, however, was the demonstration of music’s power to save lives rather than complicate them….
How Does Vivitrol Work?
Vivitrol works by blocking the effects of opioids and alcohol. It’s a non-habit-forming substance and shows promise as a short-term treatment for…
What Can EDM Fans’ Brains Tell Us about Addiction?
Researchers from the University of Melbourne are attempting to study the brains of fans of electronic dance music (EDM) to gain further…
The Special Plight of the Touring Musician in Recovery
Summer is when touring musicians of all stripes hit the road to connect with their fans and expect their audiences. Touring is a fact of life for most musicians, and a great way stay immersed in their music while taking it to new cities and listeners; it can also be challenging for musicians who are in recovery, regardless of how far along they are on their journey….
Intriguing Facts about Music Therapy for Addiction
The answer to the question of how to define “music” must be so elemental it almost defies explanation. How can you have…
The Relationship between Addiction and Poverty
According to the United States Census, approximately 45 million Americans live below the poverty line. Meanwhile, it is estimated that just over…
The Importance of Medically Supervised Detox in Addiction Treatment
Withdrawal is one of the most common roadblocks to long-term recovery. Even when an addiction sufferer recognizes they have a drug or…
Recovery Unplugged CEO Dines with the Governor
On April 27, Governor Rick Scott hosted a dinner event entitled Judicial Appointments and the JNC. Among those in attendance was none other than accomplished Fort Lauderdale Attorney and Recovery Unplugged Co-Founder and CEO, Marshall Geisser. The event was an opportunity for members of the Florida legal community to exchange thoughts and sentiments regarding the judicial nomination process on both the state and federal levels, and discuss the long-term impact of judicial appointments. Eligible attendees also had the opportunity to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credits and gain invaluable insight from the Governor and some of the state’s top legal experts….
The Evolving Depiction of Addiction Symbols in Popular Culture
Over the past few years, the themes of addiction and chemical dependency have been more and more prevalent in the television shows and movies we consume. This past winter, Netflix released two new series (Love and Flaked) that, while taking two decidedly different approaches to the concept, put addiction front and center several times during their respective seasons. The critically acclaimed HBO series Girls has also touched on the theme, while its network partner-series Vinyl has maintained it as a recurring source of dysfunction for its main character and his wife. This is, of course, in addition to the popular Showtime Series Nurse Jackie, which ran from 2009-2015 and focused on addiction as its primary narrative….
7 Rappers That Struggle with Addiction
No one is safe from addiction. More than 23 million Americans aged 12 or older — or 9.2 percent of the population — have abused drugs in the past month, according to the most recent 2012 data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Alcohol abuse is just as prevalent in 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults.
While some superstars are able to overcome addiction and clean up their acts quietly and swiftly, it takes others years of struggle. In “the rap game” it is prevalent and even glorified but addiction is even a problem for them.
Here are 7 Rappers that you may or may not have known have issues with addiction. Here is what they had to say about their addiction:…
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Relapse
Jonathan Rhys Meyers is back on the wagon. The Tudors actor, who has struggled with substance abuse for years, opened up about a “minor relapse” he recently had via Instagram on Tuesday, May 26….
What is a Dissociative Disorder?
While the term may sound foreign, it is highly intertwined with drug and alcohol addiction and many times is the condition that must be treated in rehabilitation to help patients obtain sobriety. What is a dissociative disorder? According to Psych Central’s article, “In-Depth: Understanding Dissociative Disorders,” “Dissociation is a common defense/reaction to stressful or traumatic situations…1” that can become a disorder when a severe isolated trauma or a repeated trauma occurs, which “impairs the normal state of awareness and limits or alters one’s sense of identity, memory or consciousness. ” In short, if something bad happens to a person that is horrifying or occurs frequently, it can severely affect them mentally, emotionally and physically….
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Visits Recovery Unplugged
We were blessed to have a lifetime friend to Richie, Steven Tyler, who was in Florida to visit the Recovery Unplugged drug rehab center yesterday. Steven and Richie’s history goes all the way back to the 70’s, playing music and causing a raucous in New York. As their fame grew, the availability of drugs grew, and the glamorous rock-and-roll party lifestyle took hold. Both men are known around the world as notorious party animals. Richie and Steven shared stories with the clients about their experiences on the road, dealing with their addictions, and the subsequent bottom their respective consequences brought them. The main focus of the day though: recovery. Both Steven and Richie are two of the most passionate people when it comes to recovery, queue the music and the duo have so much love and compassion to share. They talked about what it was like to have everything and lose it to addiction to drugs and alcohol. Together they sang some of Richie Supa’s recovery songs like “Good Intentions” and “Last House on the Block”, and they also played a few of the hits they wrote together like “Pink” and “Amazing”. They had fun with the clients, letting a vocalist get up and sing while Steven played the bongos. After sharing a beautiful message of hope, Steven greeted clients and took pictures with everyone. Steven was well received by the clients, saying “He was so down to earth,” and, “wow, he really loves spreading the message of recovery”….
Are you an “Almost Alcoholic?”
Every day, millions of people drink a beer or two with friends or enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal. For more than 30 percent of these drinkers, alcohol has begun to have a negative impact on their everyday lives. Yet, only a small number are true alcoholics—people who have completely lost control over their drinking and who need alcohol to function. The great majority are what Dr. Doyle and Dr. Nowinski call “Almost Alcoholics,” a growing number of people whose excessive drinking contributes to a variety of problems in their lives. The difference between the “almost alcoholic” and the true alcoholic is a matter of degree, according to Dr. Robert L. Doyle, professor of behavioral health at Harvard University and psychologist Dr. Joseph Nowinski….
Long Term Sobriety
For those who have never struggled with addiction, it may seem like rehabilitation is the final step to lifetime sobriety. Unfortunately, the challenge of long term sobriety is a lifelong task as those who complete addiction rehabilitation must constantly battle with old triggers and temptations. This concept became even more vivid to me with the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman and a Chicago Tribune article, “Actor’s death offers lesson in addiction,” which calls attention to the long-term struggle of addiction even five or 10 years after successful drug treatment and sobriety. I am not sure how much you know about Hoffman’s life and struggle with addiction, but the latest relapse came after 20 years of sobriety, which unfortunately resulted in his sudden passing. With his death, the light has been shined on the issue of addiction and the long-term struggle with sobriety that one faces. According to the article, a study in 2007 “found that 2 of 3 people within their first year of sobriety relapsed. But for those with at least three years of clean time, the relapse rate dropped to 1 in 7. 1” Even though the numbers get better, that still isn’t great when you consider that most people expect those in recovery to be completely healed and living in sobriety for life. The article also says the reasons for relapse shortly after rehabilitation are very similar to that of long-term relapse – “the triggers that can prompt a return to drugs or alcohol — stress, poor coping skills, the belief that substance use can be managed — don’t change over time. ”…