Addiction Recovery Blog

I sincerely believed that alcohol would never be excluded from my life. Not because I couldn’t quit, but because I didn’t want to.

I never understood the ones who found joy without a sprinkle of liquid courage. I was convinced that being “addicted” to alcohol was in my nature and that changing that would be out of the question.

I never considered myself to be an alcoholic, but I knew all too well that I drank too much. I drank more than the people around me, – a lot more often. I preferred drinking alone but because I could function properly while drinking, I dismissed the reality that I had a drinking problem.

It’s no secret that addiction does not only affect the person with a substance use disorder, but their loved ones as well.

If someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder, you may find yourself wanting to help, but unsure of how to go about it. In some cases, when a loved one tries to help, they end up becoming codependent, which can lead to self-destructive behavior. 

However, it’s possible to take care of your loved one without becoming codependent and without condoning their addictive behavior. Aquila also offers a number of addiction treatment programs for families and addiction recovery resources to help someone struggling with the mental and physical effects of substance abuse.

On February 3rd, 2020 I officially had my last drink after 10 years of heavy drinking. I tried for 2 long years to get sober, but it wasn’t until I hit a personal low that I was able to seek help.

As humans, it’s natural for us to have a competitive nature. However, this is not always healthy, especially in the case of recovery. When you are healing from an addiction and the pain of the past, you may be feeling less confident which leads you to start comparing yourself and your recovery to that of others. However, it is vital for your recovery that you break this habit of comparison, and here’s why.

If you participated in Dry January, you may have noticed some significant differences when it comes to your physical and mental health. Your health can begin to improve after just one week of going alcohol-free. It’s no secret that alcohol isn’t exactly good for you, but what are the actual benefits of going without alcohol?

If you have decided to make it your New Year’s Resolution or goal for 2021 to quit drinking, you may be feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. Maybe you’ve tried it before and were not successful, causing you to feel reluctant to try again. What you need in order to be successful are some practical strategies that you can incorporate into your daily life. 

If you're looking for a special non-alcoholic drink these holidays, I have you covered!
These mocktail recipes are easy to make, healthy and taste delicious.

For more recipes and alcohol-free inspiration like this, visit The Mindful Mocktail.

When I first got sober I felt 90% like a drunk, and 10% capable of getting and staying sober. Today I feel 90% capable and 10% like a drunk.

It is so common nowadays to ask someone “What they do for a living” as a means of small talk. For 6 years my answer to this question was “I’m an addiction counselor” and as a response I would receive some variation of “Bless you, that must be so hard to work with them”. It took me a long time to realize that people did not know how to respond because of the stigma attached to addiction and mental illness in general.

At Aquila Recovery of Virginia, we are proud to offer a variety of treatment programs designed to meet each client’s needs at the level of care required. We offer an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for clients who need more structure than traditional outpatient therapy and less structure than an inpatient treatment program.