Category Archives: recovery

addiction, Addiction treatment, How addiction affects family, recovery, testimonial, testimony

Not Like a Prison; a Testimonial

Not Like a Prison; a Testimonial

“Always Hope was the perfect recovery centre for my needs and this is my testimonial or testimony that it can work. I had been to 2 other treatment centres in the past 6 months, but I walked in the front door and out the back within a few days due to the prison like atmosphere. As Always Hope only takes a maximum of 5 clients at a time, you are privileged with plenty of 1-1 counselling with a great counsellor who has many years of experience as well as having been in my shoes in the past.

The people helping you at Always Hope have been through the same or similar struggles so they come from a perspective of experience which gave me another level of respect for the centre. There is a caring family/friendship atmosphere and not like a prison. I am a professional in my career and was able to continue to function and help with my business back home while accepting treatment and help with my addiction to alcohol.

I highly recommend Always Hope treatment centre to any individual or anyone struggling with the confinement and constraints of other centres. The tropical atmosphere is amazing, and there are 12 step meetings available 7 days a week with a great small group.”

Call today for more info 1-829-932-0123

addiction, Addiction treatment, recovery, relapse

Addiction Movies: My Favourites

Addiction Movies: My Favourites

There have been many films made that involve the abuse of drugs and or alcohol, and these are some of my personal favourites. Most of these addiction movies only show the dark side, but some share the strength and hope required to overcome as well as the hellish experiences. One of the videos is more of an educational documentary that helps explain in laymans terms the struggle with the addiction/personal choice argument. Many people affected by addiction, both the addict and the family can learn from this documentary. In no particular order my favourite addiction movies are:

addiction movies3

Pleasure Unwoven

Pleasure Unwoven is a short informational documentary that can be easily found on youtube. I found it explain addiction in an easy to understand the way drugs or alcohol react with the chemicals in the brain. The movie is narrated by Kevin McCauley, who is both a man who struggled with his own addiction and a qualified medical doctor. He focuses on the important question about addiction: “Is it really a “disease?”

28 Days

28 Days stars Sandra Bullock who has a good career, but is forced to enter rehab after she ruins her sister’s wedding; she gets drunk and crashes a car. In the beginning Gwen is against any type of help. She views rehab as being similar to a prison sentence and will not admit that she has a problem with alcohol. Gwen refuses to put any real effort into the rehab program. When she does find herself becoming involved in the lives of the other clients and starts to notices uncomfortable similarities. In the end circumstances force Gwen to take an honest look at her life. She acknowledges that life has become unmanageable, and that alcohol was a part of the problem. 28 Days is a realistic representation of how people can find a new perspective of life when they become willing to face the truth.

Basketball Diaries

Basketball Diaries is a true story based on the life of Jim Carroll and stars a Leonardo DiCaprio. It tells of how a teenager goes from being a successful basketball player to a homeless heroin addict. As his addiction worsens he completely loses any sense of self-respect as he quickly spirals downhill. It is a great depiction of how the sneaky nature of addiction has a way of ruthlessly corrupting the innocence of young high-schoolers on the look out for a good time.

Trainspotting

Trainspotting explores heroin and the devastating grip it takes on lives. The process of getting the drug, the ritual of doing the drug, and how the drug sucks you back in time after time. The movie ends with the quote “I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin’ else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?” Although this movie may glamorize drug use, it also reveals the deep grip opiates take on a persons life and soul and how many people can’t find a way to break the hellish cycle they seem trapped in.

Requiem for a Dream

Requiem for a Dream shows a harsh view of the lives of few young addicts. The movie manages to capture the essence of the insanity of addiction but without glorifying drug use. This movie will at the very least make your skin crawl, and there’s the chance that you’ll be questioning the meaning of life, too. This movie is not for the faint of heart, and doesn’t show the strength and hope required to overcome. But this is a realistic, yet cinematic portrayal of how drugs can rip apart your life.

I realize there are many addiction movies that show the good, and ugly sides of drug and alcohol use and I haven’t seen  them all. But these 5 are a short list of my favourite addiction movies at this time.

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Call us at Always Hope for info on how we can help.

addiction, Addiction treatment, recovery

Gratitude: Being Thankful can keep you Healthy

Gratitude: Being Thankful can keep you Healthy

What if there was a solution to stress so simple that it involved nothing more than feeling thankful for the good things in your life? In fact, there is and that solution is called gratitude. Studies have shown that people who regularly practice feelings of gratitude have an advantage when it comes to their health. Research has found that those who adopt an “attitude of gratitude” as a permanent state of mind experience many health benefits.

Gratitude may be more likely to help people:

  • take better care of themselves physically and mentally
  • engage in more proactive health behaviors and maintenance
  • get more regular exercise
  • eat a healthier diet
  • have improved mental alertness
  • cope better with stress and daily challenges
  • feel happier and more optimistic
  • have stronger immune systems
  • maintain a brighter view of the future

With so many benefits, who wouldn’t want to try this? To start giving thanks, consider integrating some of the steps below into your daily life.

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addiction, Addiction treatment, recovery

Fight or Flight

Fight or Flight

We all have the primitive instincts in the face of what we fear, whether positive or negative, which is either to retreat or aggressively react to what threatens us. This is the natural “fight or flight” instinct. But if I limit myself to these choices, I rend myself truly powerless to find the serenity of acceptance, or the courage to change.

So I’ve found that before I decide to accept or change my circumstances, I need to settle down enough to see them as they are, not better or worse than they are. I need to find clarity, wisdom, and love in the face of them.

But the amazing thing about working a program of recovery is I have learned that I don’t have to give in to these wild swings of emotion. I can see them come up, feel them in all their intensity, and not let them take me down the wrong path. As long as I do a few simple things in response to the feeling of “fight or flight” life goes alright:

Calm my mind.
Be willing to consider alternative options and points of view.
Be more interested in reaching an understanding than in insisting upon agreement.

Call today for more info 1-829-932-0123

addiction, Addiction treatment, Dominican Republic, recovery

Recovery Caribbean Coast

Recovery Caribbean Coast

Addiction treatment doesn’t need to be your typical “institution” or jail like facility. Always Hope treatment center is located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic and features a brand new, first-class option for those looking to get away from their current environment. If you or a loved on is looking for recovery caribbean coast we may be your best option.

Call or text 1-829-932-0123 today for more info

Are you tired of just existing? Do you truly want to live and experience all that life can offer? If you or someone you love is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction and wants help to stop, we can provide the support and tools necessary to overcome it.

We provide a full service alcohol and drug addiction treatment center. If you want what we have to offer and are willing to take certain steps, recovery from addiction is possible. Ultimately the decision of how you apply what you have learned is yours.

Addiction never takes a break and neither do we at Always Hope. We are available to talk, email and help 24/7. If you or someone you love is struggling today in the grips of addiction please contact us today as we would love to provide assistance. Remember there is Always Hope.

addiction, Addiction treatment, How addiction affects family, recovery

Conflict Resolution and Recovering

Conflict

“We learn that conflicts are a part of reality, and we learn new ways to resolve them instead of running from them.”

Page 194

conflict

From time to time, we all experience conflicts. It may be that we just can’t get along with that new co-worker. Maybe our friends are driving us crazy. Or perhaps our partner isn’t living up to our expectations. Dealing with any conflict is difficult for recovering addicts.

When tempers rise, it is often a good idea to back away from the situation until cooler minds prevail. We can always return to further discussion when we have calmed down. We can’t avoid troubling situations, but we can use time and distance to find perspective.

Conflict is a part of life. We can’t go through our entire recovery without encountering disagreements and differences of opinion. Sometimes we can back away from these situations, taking time to reflect on them, but there always comes a time when conflict must be resolved. When that time comes, we take a deep breath, say a prayer, and apply the principles our program has given us: honesty, openness, responsibility, forgiveness, trust, and all the rest. We didn’t get clean to keep running from life – and in recovery, we don’t have to run anymore.

Just for Today: The principles my program has given me are sufficient to guide me through any situation. I will strive to confront conflict in a healthy way.

Basic Text, p. 90

Call today if your interested in what Always Hope can do

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addiction, Addiction treatment, recovery

Rehab Reviews and Addiction Treatment

Rehab Reviews and Addiction Treatment

Choosing a rehab or addiction treatment facility can be difficult. There are many options available based on cost, location or types of treatment available. When choosing which rehab is right for you take the time to check out the website of the addiction treatment facility your interested in, call someone from the facility and check out some reviews. Not all rehabs are listed on these sites but they may give you some insight to costs and possible testimonials. We are a new rehab and aren’t listed yet, and we also don’t feel it’s ethical to pay for a review to promote our rehab(so we may never appear on these sites).

If you wish to know more about what we have to offer contact us by email or phone 1-829-932-0123

http://rehabreviews.com/rehab-reviews/

http://www.rehabs.com/reviews/start/

https://www.addictioncenter.com

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addiction, Addiction treatment, Always Hope, recovery, Uncategorized

Addiction Treatment with a Caribbean Twist

Addiction Treatment Philosophy

Our philosophy at Always Hope is different then most facilities. We want you to feel at home when you are here. The institutional feel of many places leads the addict/alcoholic to feel as they are less than the staff and counsellors. This may lead to greater struggles as most people who enter an addiction treatment center already have issues being told what to do and how to do it. Actions speak louder than words and we at Always Hope walk the talk. We are all equal, no better and no worse. We have lived through the struggles with addiction and overcame. Theory can only take you so far, but if you work with our highly qualified counsellor who has lived through the grips of active addiction you will learn to regain control of your life.

Call or contact us today to find out more

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addiction, Addiction treatment, recovery, relapse

Relapse Prevention or Refresher Course

Relapse Prevention or Refresher Course

Always Hope is a residential treatment centre located 30 km outside of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We have developed a 2 week Relapse Prevention and/or a Refresher treatment model for people in recovery that need or want to grow further in their journey of recovery. Or if you aren’t sure the 3 or 4 week program is feasible financially, this shorter program can give you a great start to recovering from your addiction.

Call today to find out more 1-829-932-0123

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addiction, Addiction treatment, Always Hope, Dominican Republic, recovery

Smile! Take a Holiday while you Recover

Smile! Take a Holiday while you Recover

Learn to smile and laugh again as addiction treatment doesn’t need to be all sweat and tears. Of course there will be plenty of both (especially sweat) when you get to spend your time at a beautiful resort type addiction treatment facility in the caribbean.  Here at Always Hope we  understand it is a huge step to take the chance to go to “rehab” and so we want to make your decision to seek help as easy as possible and make your stay with us as pleasant as possible.

Call 1-829-932-0123 now for more info.

vitamin

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