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Articles, updates, and perspectives

Virtual, Online, and Telephone AA & NA Meetings

Twelve-step meetings online give you a recovery community, Affect puts a licensed addiction treatment program in your pocket. It’s an unbeatable combination for beating addictions to alcohol and drugs, and you don’t have to go to a clinic or a meeting. It all comes right to you. Alcoholics Anonymous is the original twelve-step recovery program.…

Ways to reward and celebrate yourself without drinking or drugs

How do you celebrate and reward yourself without drinking or drugs? Embarking on the journey of sobriety is an incredible feat—one that deserves celebration, acknowledgment, and rewards. But when we’re used to marking achievements with alcohol or drugs, it can feel daunting to reimagine celebrations without them. The truth is, there’s an abundance of fulfilling,…

Being thankful in recovery

If you go to an AA meeting, you’ll inevitably hear an old-timer introduce themselves as a “grateful recovering alcoholic.” How can someone be thankful that they’re an alcoholic and addict?  It’s because they didn’t just achieve sobriety, they found recovery. People in recovery aren’t just grateful that they’ve stopped drinking and using, they’re grateful for…

How to keep sober on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions

Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and any special occasion where people gather and celebrate together can be mine fields for the person who is protecting their sobriety or trying to manage their consumption of alcohol. No matter where someone is in their recovery journey, the temptations and pressures are always there. There’s that dreaded awkward moment when…

Mental Health and Addiction

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It is a day of raising mental health awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health issues.  There is a mental health crisis in America, and addiction is the leading cause. Addiction and mental health challenges are closely related, with one often leading to the other. It is…

Fear and Drinking

What is the discomfort around drinking when it comes to socializing? Are people uncomfortable around you when you don’t drink, or do you feel awkward? It’s correctly said that alcohol is the one drug you have to justify not using to others. People will never ask, “can’t you do just one gram of meth” the…

September is National Recovery Month

September is designated by the White House as National Recovery Month, where we celebrate the millions of Americans who have found lasting recovery from substance use disorders. These people show the millions of others who need help that recovery is possible. They give us hope and inspiration. One in every ten Americans is dealing with…

Get Telehealth Intensive Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Treatment on your Phone

Affect’s telehealth treatment program for alcohol and drug addiction has helped thousands of people gain control over their lives and manage substance use disorders through our smartphone app. Now the program has expanded to provide intensive outpatient (IOP) rehab services in Ohio and Kentucky, with Florida and other states coming soon. This higher level of…

Mental Health is the Number One Crisis in America, and Addiction is the Number One Cause

Mayors from all over the country addressed Congress this week about the mental health crisis they’re facing, the surge in demand for services, and the challenges in resources. Addiction is at the top of the list: in 85% of the cities, substance abuse is identified as the main cause for increased need. Hillary Schieve, mayor…