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Addiction Treatment Resources

Whether you are considering treatment, about to enter treatment for the first time, or have completed treatment and are navigating what comes next, the resources here are built to help you understand what you are walking into, make the most of it, and carry it forward into the rest of your life.

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Preparing for Addiction Treatment at St. Christopher's

The days before entering treatment provoke a mix of relief, fear, uncertainty, and ambivalence happening simultaneously. That is normal. You do not need to have it figured out before you walk through our door. What helps is knowing what to expect when you get here.

  • What to Bring:

    Packing for treatment does not need to be complicated. Here is what we recommend:

     

    A week's worth of comfortable, casual clothing appropriate for both indoor and outdoor activity.

     

    Personal hygiene items including shampoo, soap, deodorant, and toothbrush and toothpaste.

     

    Any prescription medications in their original labeled bottles, accompanied by documentation from your prescribing physician.

     

    A photo ID.

     

    Your insurance card.

     

    A small amount of cash for incidental personal items if needed.

  • What Not to Bring:

    Do not bring valuables, expensive jewelry, or large amounts of cash.

     

    Do not bring any substances, drug paraphernalia, or items with sexually explicit content.

     

    Electronic devices including phones are restricted during early treatment.

     

    Specific questions about electronics and personal items should be directed to our admissions team before you arrive.

     

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What to Expect When You Arrive

Your first day at St. Christopher's begins with a comprehensive intake assessment. This includes a physical examination, a psychiatric evaluation, a review of your substance use history, and an assessment of any co-occurring mental health conditions.

You will meet members of our clinical and nursing team, be shown your living space, and begin orienting to the structure of the program. The first day can feel like a lot of information at once. That is okay. You will not be expected to have everything figured out on day one. Our staff is there to guide you through it.

Making the Most of Your Time in Treatment

Treatment gives you something that most of life does not: time and structure dedicated entirely to your own recovery. How much you get out of it is largely determined by how fully you invest in it. Here is what we have seen make the difference for the men who build lasting sobriety.

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Show up to everything

The groups that feel uncomfortable, the individual sessions that go somewhere difficult, the community meetings that seem repetitive. The discomfort is often where the most important work happens.

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Be honest

With your therapist, with your group, and with yourself. The degree to which treatment works is almost exactly proportional to the degree to which you are willing to be honest about what is actually going on. Partial honesty produces partial results.

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Let the community in

The men around you are not competition and they are not a distraction. They are one of the most powerful clinical resources available to you. The bonds you build here are among the most durable and meaningful you will form in recovery.

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Do the step work

It is not just a formality. The 12 Steps are a structured path through some of the most difficult personal territory you will navigate in recovery. Let your sponsor and the process guide you through it.

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Take care of your body

Use the Wellness Program. Sleep. Eat. The physical recovery happening alongside the clinical work is important. The brain and body you are trying to heal need everything you can give them.

Recommended Reading for Men in Addiction Recovery

The men who get the most out of treatment are often the ones who engage with their recovery outside of formal programming as well. The following books have been handpicked by our clinical team to support your understanding of addiction, recovery, and the work of rebuilding your life. Some speak to the experience of addiction directly. Others address the relational and psychological patterns that surround it. All of them are worth your time.

Codependent No More

Melody Beattie

A foundational read on codependency and the process of reclaiming your own life from the patterns that addiction builds around it.

The Language of Letting Go

Melody Beattie

A daily meditation guide for people in recovery and those who love them. Practical, grounded, and worth keeping close.

Addictive Thinking

Abraham Twerski, MD

A clinical examination of the distorted thought patterns that sustain addiction and how to begin untangling them.

Boundaries

Anne Katherine, MA

A clear and practical guide to understanding, setting, and maintaining healthy personal boundaries, one of the most essential skills in long-term recovery.

Another Chance

Sharon Wegscheider Cruse

A compassionate exploration of hope and healing for individuals and families affected by addiction.

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Janet Geringer Woititz, Ed.D

Essential reading for men whose own addiction has roots in growing up in an alcoholic household. Widely recognized as a landmark in recovery literature.

Drinking: A Love Story

Caroline Knapp

A raw and honest memoir about alcohol addiction that resonates deeply with many men in treatment for its unflinching honesty about the hold substances can have.

Addictive Personalities

Craig Nakken

An exploration of the personality traits and patterns that predispose people to addiction, and how understanding them is a key part of the recovery process.

The Lost Years

Kristina Wandzilack

A personal account of addiction and recovery that many men in treatment have found both validating and encouraging.

Life in Recovery After Leaving St. Christopher's

Completing formal treatment is a significant milestone. It is also the beginning of a new and demanding phase of recovery. The transition out of structured care is one of the highest-risk periods in the entire recovery process. Knowing that going in and planning for it accordingly makes a real difference.

Stay connected to the community

The alumni network at St. Christopher's is one of your most valuable recovery resources. Use it. Attend alumni meetings. Stay in contact with the men you went through treatment with. Show up for the people who are still in the middle of what you have just come through.

Follow your aftercare plan

The plan your clinical team developed is a roadmap built specifically for your situation. Follow it, and reach out to your clinical team if circumstances change and the plan needs to be adjusted.

Keep your mental health care in place

If you were managing a co-occurring mental health condition during treatment, do not let that care lapse after discharge. Untreated mental health conditions are among the most significant relapse risk factors in early recovery.

Know what to do if you struggle

Relapse is not inevitable, but it is also not rare. If you find yourself struggling, the worst thing you can do is go quiet. Call your sponsor. Call the alumni line. Call our admissions team. The men who recover from setbacks and go on to build lasting sobriety are almost always the ones who reached out rather than isolated.

If You Are in Crisis Right Now

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency related to substance use, call 911 immediately.

Emergency Services:

911 — For overdose, seizure, loss of consciousness, or any immediate medical emergency.

St. Christopher's 24/7 Admissions Line:

(225) 240-4461*

*For non-emergency services

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

Call or text 988 — Available 24/7 for mental health and substance use crises.

Crisis Text Line:

Text HOME to 741741 — Free, confidential crisis support via text, available 24/7.

We Are Here for Every Phase of Your Recovery.

Whether you are about to begin, are in the middle of it, or are doing the work of staying sober one day at a time, St. Christopher's is in your corner. Our admissions team, clinical staff, and alumni community are available to support you at every stage.

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