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One of the main concerns you have as a parent will be if your teen has an addiction.  The first thing you need to do is actually confirm it.  If your teen has shown that they can go hours or even days without needing to vape, then they’re ok. If they struggle, then you may […]

The benefits of emotional sobriety     It’s no secret that every addict struggles with the foundational inability to shift our thinking and successfully process emotion. The common theme for my upbringing was complete and utter avoidance. If I didn’t like the way I was feeling or the way a relationship was unfolding, I’d avoid […]

Five of the most common mental illnesses affecting teens     Our teen years are the most formative, bridging the path from childhood into adulthood and determining what kind of person we grow into. While we can write off strange behaviors or disturbing thoughts in children as nothing more than personality quirks that will soon […]

The Benefits of Online Therapy     When one thinks of therapy, they imagine someone lying on a couch, talking about their life, while a therapist scribbles everything down on their notepad. Many don’t imagine therapy as someone chatting through their phone while on their commute, or video chatting with their therapist inside their home. […]

Register for Mental Health First Aid Training     With 1 in 4  experiencing mental illness in their lifetime, you’re much more likely to encounter someone in a mental health crisis than someone having a heart attack. Learn how to help with this groundbreaking public education program. Ascent can help facilitate this training for agencies.     […]

Ascent ED is looking for a Peer Recovery Coach   If interested, email your résumé to     

There are types of depression you may experience in recovery     A common event that a recovering addict may experience during their recovery is depression. This can occur for multiple reasons: the body needs to heal from the damages of drugs, the recovering addict must confront emotions and thoughts that may have been otherwise […]

Overcoming the guilt of your past in recovery     When you’re in early recovery, there are so many things to worry about. You’re battling physical symptoms along with constant cravings. You barely have time for guilt. But once the physical symptoms subside and you get a small handle on cravings, it’s as if you […]

      Many people think they are immune to mental illnesses because of some reason or another. For example, some say they cannot be depressed because they have such a great life or there is no way they could ever have an anxiety disorder because they are never stressed out. Well, the truth is, […]

7 workouts to help you physically and mentally     “Exercise” isn’t just about caring for your physical body. We also have our mental, emotional, spiritual, and social welfare that needs our attention. Fortunately, just about anything that increases our heart rate releases endorphins, that “feel good” hormone. For those in addiction management or recovery, […]

Drugs have no place at a party                                     A party is meant to be a great time, not a place where people become potential addicts and are put in harm’s way. The demographic that is most susceptible to […]

You are not your addiction       Not long ago, anyone who found themselves addicted to drugs would become an instant social outcast. They were labeled as derelicts without any drive or ambition.   People saw their manipulative behaviors as part of their personalities instead of what they really are: part of a disease. […]

Addiction and mental health recovery app ASCENT prepares for launch with special pre-launch campaign         For Immediate Release For More Information: Wade Foley,                                                         […]

Want to avoid the stress of holidays during recovery?     Twinkling lights, Christmas music, and family celebrations are some of the things that make the holidays wonderful for many people.  This busy time can also bring with it a lot of stress, especially for recovering addicts.   Crowded parties and family get-togethers can abound […]

Recovery can change your life, for the better                                 The beginning stages of addiction are full of smoke and mirrors. With both alcohol and some drugs, it can seem like an avenue to make more friends, feel more at ease […]

When you hear about technology and addiction, it may bring up thoughts of zombified teenagers staring obsessively at their electronic devices. Smartphone addiction is real. But smartphones aren’t always the problem. Sometimes, smartphones can be a solution for addiction.     Although we haven’t found a way to virtualize addiction treatment plans completely, and maybe […]

Want to throw a sober Halloween party?   It may seem like adult Halloween celebrations are all centered around booze, but Halloween is actually the perfect time to throw a great substance-free party because there are so many fun ideas you can do. With all the great food, punch, themes and activity ideas for Halloween, […]

What would you do if you got stranded in the airport?       Most people dread missing a connecting flight and being stranded in an airport for a few hours, let alone all night. Well for Mahshid Mazooji that’s exactly what happened. She missed her connecting flight at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and was stranded […]

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the relationship between human connection and addiction. It may have been sparked by a popular TED talk by British Journalist Johann Hari where he concludes that addiction is not a substance disorder but a social disorder.   People who become addicts tend to lack deep social connections […]

Peer coaching and a support network help in recovery         Anyone who is about to embark on a long and difficult journey would benefit from some moral support. Recovering addicts are no exception.     People who are recovering from substance abuse struggle with temptation and withdrawal symptoms daily. It helps to […]

Saying goodbye to my addiction   Today, we have a special guest post from Danielle who has written a goodbye letter to her addiction. If you would like to share your goodbye letter to your addiction, you can send it to Dear Addiction,     It started out as fun, my weekend companion, I […]

How to set yourself up for success while in recovery       Giving up addictive behaviors is only the beginning of recovery. In order to set yourself up on a sober path this new year, it’s important to set yourself up for success. Recovery is a process, and you have to put yourself in […]

Social Media’s Impact on Recovery         As ubiquitous as it has become on the cultural landscape, the narrative surrounding social media is not always positive. A large part of the issue is that social media can so easily be weaponized. There have been numerous news reports about teens getting bullied on social […]

What is the key to finding a job after rehab?         It’s often said that getting sober is the easiest part of the recovery process. By comparison, staying sober is what takes the most effort.     Fortunately, addiction treatment programs help individuals to learn the skills and strategies that are required […]

                                                              Sarah Fader, CEO of Stigma Fighters, shared some of her story with us for Mental Health Month. She also wrote about mental illness, what […]

“You are not your illness. You have an individual story to tell. You have a name, a history, a personality. Staying yourself is part of the battle.” – Julian Siefter   For Mental Health Month, our very own Jody Morgan has shared part of her story with us.    ​I started working in the mental […]

The event that women from all over have been anxiously waiting for is almost here. She Recovers is an event taking place in New York City from May 5 – 7, 2017. The name is pretty self-explanatory, but for anyone not familiar with the organization, She Recovers hosts events and workshops for women in recovery […]

    Stigma surrounding addiction and mental illness has always been an impediment to eradicating the addiction epidemic. Stigma prevents people from asking for help and often causes them to isolate, which is never the answer. There are many organizations today that are working to fight the stigma of addiction, including Stamp Out Stigma, New […]

Families of people in recovery need treatment too       Most illness affects the family of the person afflicted. From having to watch their loved one suffer, to having to possibly put their career on hold in order to offer care, to the emotional stress of not knowing if the person you love is […]

Ohio is at the top of the list for opioid overdoses       It is fair to say that just about every state in the country has felt the ramifications of the opioid epidemic. Drugs like Oxycontin, Fentanyl, and heroin have ravaged communities throughout the nation, leaving thousands of families grieving the loss of […]