Divine House is a luxury treatment center specializing in holistic treatment for chemical dependency and co-occurring mental health conditions located in San Diego County. Situated on a spacious property in the city of La Mesa – just nine miles outside of downtown San Diego – Divine House offers medical care and supervised detox from drugs and alcohol in several modalities, including individual therapy, group therapy, medication management, SMART Recovery, and 12-step, as well as short-term and long-term residential treatment (both outpatient and inpatient). Divine House's website notes that i ..read more

How to Keep Your Children Safe OnlineIt's important to talk to kids about social media risks and drug abuse because both can lead to harmful results, especially when combined. Kids need to learn about the dangers of buying things through social media, especially drugs. They also need to realize that those they meet through social media are not likely to be who they seem. But more importantly, they must know where to get help if they need it and how to protect themselves better.Drug Dealers Targeting Kids on Social Media Unfortunately, countless drug dealers are reaching kids on social med ..read more

An exclusive interview with researcher Tarlise Townsend, Ph.D., reveals a definitive need for harm reduction policies plus investment in treatment in marginalized communities. In these communities, particularly lower-income African American and Latino neighborhoods, the opioid epidemic has combined with stimulant abuse to create a sharp spike in overdoses. These findings, from a study funded by the National Institutes of Health that examined death certificate data in the dozen years before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, were published last month in the American Journal of E ..read more

When you think about a healthy heart, what comes to mind? We all know the importance of regular exercise and avoiding too many saturated fats when it comes to keeping our cardiovascular system operating at its best. But living a heart-healthy lifestyle goes well beyond just diet and exercise. Drinking and drug use, especially when it crosses the line into addiction, can have a massive impact on heart health.Since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for adults in this country, it’s important to reflect on all the ways that behaviors can impact our cardiovascular health — includ ..read more

They say all roads lead to Al-Anon, but every time I take my seat in a dank church basement at a meeting that delves into control, I inevitably end up wanting to run away. Because the thing is, there can be a lot of love in an enmeshed family and I have not yet been able to cut those cords. It’s the love I don’t want to lose, as well as the qualities I’ve gained from being a part of a codependent system. The gifts I’ve acquired – like going the extra mile and being the kind of person others can depend on – are things I like about me.I come from a family who polls every decision, vibrates with ..read more

Watching a loved one struggle with drugs or alcohol can be incredibly painful. Oftentimes, as a family member, you will notice problematic behaviors before your loved one sees them or is willing to acknowledge them. That can put you in a powerful position to point out your concern and help your loved one get into substance abuse treatment before things reach a crisis point.In an ideal world, talking to a loved one about addiction can bring you closer and get them into treatment. But this can also be a fraught conversation ripe with pitfalls and opportunities for hurt feelings. To make the disc ..read more

Before you can start the work of recovery, you need to go through detox — the process of allowing all drugs or alcohol to leave your body. For many people, detox is the most intimidating part of the recovery process. It can be physically painful and even dangerous. That’s why many people opt for going to an inpatient detox. For others, however, the thought of leaving their home and family can cause even more distress. If you’re one of those people, outpatient detox can be a great option.During outpatient detox, like that offered at Vanity Wellness Center, you’ll meet with a medical team every ..read more

Addiction can have a massive impact on your relationships, emotional health and mental well-being. That can make it easy to forget that using drugs or alcohol — even recreationally — can raise your risk for some physical illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Considering the physical impacts of substance use can be scary, but there’s good news: getting sober or reevaluating your relationship with drugs or alcohol can help you reclaim control over your health.Here’s what you should consider about the physical impact of drugs and alcohol, and how they fit within the larger socia ..read more

According to current statistics, an approximate 23 million people are in addiction recovery in the United States. Recovery, in any modality – inpatient, outpatient, 12-step, or otherwise – can be an emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging experience for the person seeking to break the grip of addiction, and for their friends and family. Recovery holds special challenges for the latter group, who have seen their loved ones struggle with addiction, and in some cases, may have endured negative experiences because of that addiction.However, support from those around the addicted individu ..read more

Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that has been making headlines lately because of its role in increasing overdose deaths across North America. There are two main types of fentanyl: illicit fentanyl and pharmaceutical fentanyl. Understanding the difference between these two types of drugs is essential, as they have very different purposes and implications. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between illicit and pharmaceutical fentanyl, the dangers of both types, and tips to stay safe.What is Fentanyl?Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that was introduced into the medical field as ..read more