Victory Blog

Going back to work after addiction treatment often means taking on a new job. You’re sober, and you’re ready to start over. But could you still fail a drug test? Or, what if you’ve slipped or relapsed, and a drug test will jeopardize your job?  Let’s take a closer look at what failing a drug test in addiction recovery means and what steps you can take to make sure that doesn’t happen. If you are facing the risk of relapse...

As a Veteran, you put everything on the line for your country. You recognized the call for help, realized that someone needed to sacrifice, and you stepped up. Now, if you are transitioning to civilian life and struggling to find your footing, it’s time to get help instead of just giving it. With the Tactical Recovery drug and alcohol treatment program in Lafayette, LA, provided by Victory Addiction Recovery Center, you can get highly specialized treatment for your needs in...

During drug and alcohol addiction treatment, you probably expect to work one-on-one with a therapist to dig deep into what has led to your addiction. You may expect to learn more about practical techniques to resist relapse, too. And while you may expect some form of group therapy, you may feel nervous about or resistant to sharing your experiences with others. However, we would argue that group therapy might be the best experience you have in treatment. Let’s look at...

How do you help a friend with addiction? Substance use disorder (SUD) is a disease like any other that will continue to worsen over time without treatment. If you have a friend or family member who is struggling with an SUD, they may need you to help them see they need treatment. However, it’s not always easy to know what to do and where the boundaries are. Is It an SUD, or Am I Overreacting? You’re pretty sure that your...

For those who have served in combat situations or brought emergency care to victims of traumatic accidents or events, exposure to trauma can have long-lasting effects. If the military Veteran or first responder does not have the time or resources to process their experiences, they may turn to drug and alcohol use to cope.  When a substance use disorder (SUD) develops in response to trauma, treatment can seem daunting. Is it even possible to heal and move forward? Yes, it...

Relapse is not failure. It doesn’t mean drug and alcohol addiction treatment didn’t work. It is often a component of the ongoing disease known as substance use disorder. Understanding relapse and why it happens can help you learn how to avoid it--and how to respond if it happens to you. Sobriety does get easier, and with comprehensive support, our team at Victory Addiction Recovery Center can help you. What Is Relapse from Addiction? A relapse occurs when a person begins...

Mindfulness is a principle of paying close attention to your thoughts and experiences and how they are impacting your actions. For addiction treatment and recovery, learning mindfulness is critical. What Is Mindfulness, and Why Does It Matter for Addiction? Mindfulness is bringing focused attention to what you’re doing, thinking, and feeling in the present moment. Mindfulness helps you calmly acknowledge difficult feelings, including cravings for substances. When you are fully present in your life, aware of who you are, where...

Most prescription drugs come with a warning to not consume alcohol while taking the drug. And many people disregard this warning without apparent consequence. But mixing alcohol with other drugs, whether prescription or illicit, can lead to serious health complications--not to mention a substance use disorder. If you are misusing substances like this and you need help, Victory Addiction Recovery Center is available to guide you. You can break the cycle of addiction. Why Mixing Drugs and Alcohol Is Treacherous...

A significant number of people who suffer from alcohol and drug addiction also have mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. When both addiction and a mental disorder are present, the person is said to have co-occurring disorders.  Bipolar disorder has a particularly close relationship with addiction. Studies show that “people with bipolar I disorder have a 5.8 times increased lifetime risk of a substance use disorder diagnosis.”   If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder...

Addiction treatment doesn’t stop once a client leaves Victory. Having a strong alumni program keeps alumni accountable and educates them on their new journey. It also helps form new bonds between people who are new to recovery and those who have been sober for years.  The alumni program is led by Jon Flowers, a Lafayette native who joined the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. After spending 12 years as an Air Traffic Controller, including three tours...