The Estate News & Blog

Being Jewish, having family members in addiction recovery, and now working for a treatment center for alcoholism and addiction, I wanted to learn more about Purim, and the commandment to drink. I had the opportunity to (virtually) sit down and learn with Rabbi Dr. Chaim Meyer Tureff to learn about the roots of Purim, how serious is this commandment, and what does it mean for the recovery community and their and loved ones?  

The team members at Soberman’s Estate enjoy a fun, functional, family work environment. Sometimes, this means bringing your dog to work! Some staff members bring their dogs to work every day! Not only do the pups bring joy to the staff, but they also bring numerous healing benefits to clients. 

In this article, Clinical Director Frank Saverino discusses the holiday season, what it looks like for individuals in recovery and their family members, and what we can do to help facilitate a joyful, healthy, successful holiday season for all.

While there are many issues that are universal in treating addiction, professional men often have specific challenges that must be understood and addressed. The men we treat most often still have their careers and their families. They have been extremely successful in those careers and have done well financially. They often are highly respected by others, especially outside their family. These successes often cloud the reality of their illness and contribute to their denial. Often there are enablers in their lives who do not know how to intervene. They come to us following some type of crisis, be it related to work or their families. Just the act of coming to a rehab and admitting to others that they have a serious problem is difficult for them. They see themselves as strong, stable, intelligent and proud. So, when they arrive here, their defenses are going to be up, and they continue to portray this persona of having it all together. Losing control is abhorrent to them. Control is important to their success in life. Unfortunately, with the disease of addiction, holding on to the notion that you can control it can have deadly consequences.

Captain of Noah’s Ark Found Drunk – now that I have your attention, I wanted you to know that October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. 

Sleep is an essential part of human biology. It helps you revitalize your body and mind over several hours of inactivity. However, sleep issues can be prevalent in those who are recovering from alcohol addiction.

“Welcome everybody, to the Commencement Stone Ceremony for our client, David. As you know, at Soberman’s Estate, we do not use the word graduation, we use the word commencement because it’s a beginning,” said Mitch Prager, Founder and CEO of Soberman’s Estate, to his team.

The common assumption when it comes to alcoholism is that a person who is drinking is struggling with life, and can sometimes even fail to make ends meet.  However, there is a small portion of alcoholics who are succeeding in life. They are called high functioning alcoholics, and nearly 20% of alcoholics are high functioning alcoholics. Despite their success, they still require assistance to overcome alcohol addiction.

Substance misuse has always had dangers associated with it. It is responsible for damaging the internal organs of a large number of individuals. Alcohol is only second to Hepatitis C when it comes to causing liver cirrhosis. However, another pressing matter in regards to substance misuse is how it can affect the mental health of an individual as it takes over every facet of their life.

Stress is a concern that many share during the coronavirus pandemic. A survey by the National Endowment for Financial Education has shown that 9 out of 10 Americans, or 88%, are experiencing financial stress due to the pandemic.