Heroin is a dangerous substance that contributes to the opioid epidemic in America. According to the CDC, heroin abuse has doubled among young adults aged 18 to 25 in the past decade. The alarming growth in heroin use has led to increased overdose deaths. Quitting heroin is a complex process that requires professional help and time. Cold turkey withdrawal is risky and can lead to health concerns, relapse, overdose, or death. Depending on your level of abuse and addiction, this can be a very uncomfortable and trying time that will require some professional help. While everyone’s long-term recov ..read more

Are you asking yourself, “What is trauma therapy?” If so, we have answers. At Apex Recovery San Diego, we utilize both cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to help patients remember, articulate and heal from past traumatic events. Whether the trauma originated in childhood, adolescence or adulthood, we employ proven psychological counseling methods that help patients recover from emotional wounds. Through this healing, they’re able to better tackle addictions and mental illnesses resulting from trauma. For more information about a trauma t ..read more

Society tends to label females as “too sensitive.” At the same time, males learn that showing emotions is a sign of weakness. Popular media reinforces this message by portraying emotional males as a joke and emotional females as annoying. Consequently, people are left confused and uninformed about how to express and cope with difficult emotions like anger, pain, and sadness. This can lead to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and being overwhelmed by emotions. People may resort to self-harm or unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, this only perpetuates the problem ..read more

Preparing to leave an inpatient treatment program can seem intimidating, especially if you have undergone intensive treatment for many months. It’s normal to worry about relapse. No one wants to reach the point of deciding to get free from addiction only to begin having thoughts of failure once the immediate treatment team is left behind. Teaching relapse prevention coping skills are one of the essential parts of a comprehensive treatment plan. Learning how to avoid relapse by recognizing warning signs and utilizing all available coping skills will help keep you on the road to a total clean an ..read more

Many people are asking, “What is trauma-focused therapy?” There’s a good reason for that. Every individual will experience trauma at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, most Americans have also been exposed to a form of severe trauma, either as a one-time event or even long-lasting repetitive traumatic life events. Incidents of trauma can take the form of violence, child abuse, domestic violence, military combat, car accidents, natural disasters, life-threatening illness, fetal trauma, industrial accidents, mass shootings, terrorist attacks, prolonged neglect, or other events. Do you nee ..read more

Apex Recovery San Diego follows best practices in developing individual treatment plans for all of our patients. Treatment plans are as unique as the individuals themselves, and our therapists have decades of experience in designing programs that cater to each patient’s specific needs. Our individual treatment plans are in use for initial and end-of-treatment assessments. They clearly outline the goals, anticipated timeframe and risks to effective treatment and recovery. For people recovering from addiction, reclaiming their life and embracing sobriety as a way of life isn’t easy. It takes str ..read more

While drug detoxification works on the physical addiction, we find that drug counseling is where we make most of our breakthroughs with patients. Outpatient drug counseling helps patients understand the underlying reasons or causes of their drug dependence, as well as the thoughts and behaviors that led to their addiction. With one-on-one drug counseling, Apex Recovery San Diego’s licensed, skilled therapists help patients see the light at the end of the tunnel. Through counseling, patients are able to increase motivation to get well, change negative and self-defeating behaviors, create strong ..read more

A lingering danger during the country’s current opioid epidemic is heroin. Often, those who abuse opioid painkillers will eventually turn to heroin when they have run out of other options. The difference here is that heroin can only be acquired by illegal means, which adds another level of danger to this potent drug. Just like its other opioid counterparts, heroin is highly addictive and can lead to a number of physical, mental, and social issues if a person uses the drug continuously for a period of time. Let’s take a closer look at the many potential side effects of heroin abuse and why hero ..read more

Is somebody you know getting treated for alcoholism or drug addiction? Then it is good to spot a potential relapse. That way you can try and prevent it before it happens. But how do you figure it out before it is too late? Let’s uncover potential signs of relapse on drugs. Also, we’ll consider what relapse is and why relapses happen. Then we’ll take a look at relapse prevention therapy. What Is a Relapse? A relapse is when an individual stops working towards their goal of sobriety. This usually means returning to using drugs or alcohol. The process of being free of addiction is rarely a straig ..read more

Addiction is a condition that occurs when substance misuse and abuse becomes compulsive and continues even though there are harmful consequences associated with the behavior—but is addiction a medical disorder, a disease, or something else entirely? We answer this question and discuss addiction rehab programs and options. What Happens in the Brain During Substance Abuse? Many drugs affect the brain’s dopamine centers. Dopamine is known as the “feel good” chemical because it’s released when we have pleasant, rewarding experiences in typical daily life, such as exercising, eating, and volunteeri ..read more