Lucy has been in recovery since 2011, but even after treatment, life hasn’t always been easy. When Lucy left Gateway Foundation Aurora, she returned to four children who had also struggled with her addiction. Some of them wanted nothing to do with her. And she had to rebuild trust with the ones who did. Drugs…
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People in the LGBTQ+ community face higher rates of substance use disorders and other mental health issues than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Exacerbating the problem, many LGBTQ+ individuals have additionally experienced discrimination, blame or complete denial of care from their healthcare provider due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. To address this stigma and better…
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When you think about substance abuse or addiction, what do you consider the most commonly abused drugs? Are heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine on the top of your list? Although these drugs are widely abused, you must also consider prescription medication. Sadly, millions of people abuse and develop addictions to the medications found in their…
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Are you asking yourself, “how to help my girlfriend with depression?” When you care about someone, you don’t want to see them down and depressed. However, you might not know what to do when your girlfriend is having more than the occasional bad day. These suggestions can help both you and her so that her…
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By: James Blasko, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager Springfield, Jacksonville, Pekin and MAT nursing program For National Nurses Week, I want to send my warmest wishes to all nurses, especially the ones in my Gateway family. You make every day better for our clients and our staff. This week reminds me how grateful I am for…
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May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and reducing stigma. To start our month-long conversation about mental health, we started asking some questions: Mental Health Awareness Month Millions of people in the United States deal with mental health disorders. Yet less than half receive help. Chances are you know someone with…
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Every year, there are horror stories about children dying from accidental drug overdoses. Many times, the children got hold of the drugs by going through the family’s trash. Under no circumstances is that an appropriate way to dispose of unwanted/unneeded prescription medications. Flushing medications down the toilet would also be unacceptable because of the potential…
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What takes place in rehab is all in support of one feat, the pursuit of recovery. The entire treatment process seeks to prepare the client for a lifetime without drugs or alcohol. After treatment, the client then heads out to begin life anew. Unfortunately, not all exiting clients are completely ready to take on all…
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You’ve likely heard how hard quitting powerful stimulant drugs like cocaine is. Of course, you’re unsure about how to cope without the happy and energetic high. Further, you’re worried you won’t be able to stay sober long term. Perhaps you’re also concerned about friendships that revolve around snorting or smoking cocaine. But, your biggest fear…
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For many, drinking alcohol is a way to celebrate and have fun. Generally, sipping on wine at dinner or throwing back a shot with friends isn’t a problem. However, excessive alcohol use will harm your health. Specifically, the powerful liquid will change your brain chemistry over time. As such, your body will demand more and…
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