Addiction recovery blog

Straight Answers About Addiction and Recovery

Plain answers to the questions people look up at 2 a.m. Every article is reviewed by a licensed clinician on our team.

Two friends talking on a porch about drinking, a better indicator than an alcoholic nose

Featured

Alcohol

Alcoholic Nose: What Rhinophyma Actually Is

The red, swollen, bumpy nose that popular culture attaches to heavy drinking has a real medical name. It is called rhinophyma, and it is a late-stage form of rosacea, a common inflammatory skin condition.โ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Sep 21, 2026 ยท 6 min read

Browse by topic

Latest Articles

90-Day Rehab vs 30-Day Rehab matters because longer treatment engagement is positively associated with better recovery outcomes.
Treatment and Levels of Care

90-Day Rehab vs 30-Day Rehab: The Evidence Behind Program Length

A longer stay is not automatically better for everyone, and a shorter stay is not automatically inadequate. What matters is matching the length of care toโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 19, 2026 ยท 6 min read

Read article โ†’

Bipolar and Alcohol article hero image using an artistic interpretation of their relationship through a shattered mirror.
Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis

Bipolar and Alcohol: The Bidirectional Relationship That Complicates Both Diagnoses

To see why these conditions complicate each other, it helps to understand what each one actually does. They affect mood, judgment, and brain chemistry in waysโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 17, 2026 ยท 6 min read

Read article โ†’

Fentanyl vs Heroin hero image or a woman weighing different options in her mind for the topic.
Fentanyl and Opioids

Fentanyl vs Heroin: The Potency Comparison That Changed the Overdose Landscape

The arrival of illicit fentanyl transformed the overdose picture in a way that heroin alone never did. The difference between fentanyl and heroin in this respectโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 12, 2026 ยท 6 min read

Read article โ†’

Street Names for Meth hero image of a man looking out a window.
Meth, Cocaine and Stimulants

Street Names for Meth: The Slang Terms Everyone Should Recognize

There are dozens of names for meth, and they shift by region, age group, and even friend circle. Some terms describe the drug's appearance, others itsโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 11, 2026 ยท 6 min read

Read article โ†’

Does Insurance Cover Rehab hero image of a man looking up insurance options.
Treatment and Levels of Care

Does Insurance Cover Rehab? How to Verify Coverage Before You Pick Up the Phone

Yes, in most cases, insurance covers rehab in some form. Many major forms of coverage include addiction treatment programs, but the specific rehab services covered varyโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 5, 2026 ยท 10 min read

Read article โ†’

Day 5 no alcohol hero image of a man with a headache.
Alcohol

Day 3, Day 5, and Beyond: What ‘No Alcohol’ Actually Feels Like at Key Sobriety Milestones

By alcohol withdrawal day 5, many notice real improvement, but it is common to still feel tired, anxious, and emotionally raw. For many, day 5 canโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
Jun 3, 2026 ยท 9 min read

Read article โ†’

Signs of a Drinking Problem hero image of a man sitting with his addiction.
Alcohol

Signs of a Drinking Problem: The Self-Assessment That’s Harder Than the DSM Criteria Suggest

Most people who quietly wonder if they have a drinking problem never sit down with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. They scan aโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 29, 2026 ยท 12 min read

Read article โ†’

Is Alcoholism Hereditary hero image of a family representing the genetic lineage of addiction walking through a field.
Alcohol

Is Alcoholism Hereditary? What Genetic Research Shows About AUD Risk in Families

When a parent or sibling has struggled with drinking, those closest often face a difficult question: is alcoholism hereditary? Genetics plays a meaningful role, but aโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 28, 2026 ยท 10 min read

Read article โ†’

IOP vs PHP vs Residential hero image of someone in therapy.
Treatment and Levels of Care

IOP vs PHP vs Residential: How to Know Which Level of Care Actually Fits Your Situation

These three options sit on a spectrum of intensity. Each one is shaped for a different stage of substance use disorder.
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 7, 2026 ยท 14 min read

Read article โ†’

Cocaine Withdrawal hero image of someone going through withdrawal symptoms.
Meth, Cocaine and Stimulants

Cocaine Withdrawal: Timeline, Symptoms, and Why the Crash Can Feel Hardest in the First Few Days

Cocaine detox often unfolds in overlapping phases rather than perfectly separate stages. While each person's experience varies, most people recognize three general stages. The withdrawal processโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 7, 2026 ยท 10 min read

Read article โ†’

Cocaine Overdose hero image or a man feeling severe symptoms.
Meth, Cocaine and Stimulants

Cocaine Overdose: Signs, Progression, and Why Fentanyl Contamination Has Changed the Risk Profile

Cocaine-involved overdose deaths have become a major public health concern in the United States, partly because of the drug itself and partly because of contamination inโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 7, 2026 ยท 13 min read

Read article โ†’

What Does Cocaine Feel Like hero image of a man looking up the answer to the question.
Meth, Cocaine and Stimulants

What Does Cocaine Feel Like? The Pharmacology of the Rush, the Peak, and the Crash

Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the brain. With nowhere to go, dopamine and other neurotransmitters build up in the synapse andโ€ฆ
Clinically reviewed by Jescia Hyland, LCSW
May 7, 2026 ยท 8 min read

Read article โ†’

Have a question an article cannot answer? Admissions picks up 24/7.

Recovery stories

Recovery Stories From Our Alumni

Jack

Meet Jack, a man who once could not go a day without drinking. Now two years sober, he shares how Mile High Recovery Center helped him regain control and rebuild his life.

Grace

Grace began drinking to escape the pain of childhood trauma. Today she is the Director of our Alumni Program and living proof that true transformation is possible.

Colin

From meth and fentanyl use to full recovery, Colin talks honestly about how the structured support at Mile High Recovery helped him find hope and start anew.

Mile High Recovery Center Reviews

One call starts it

Healing begins here at Our Colorado Addiction Treatment Center

If you or someone you love needs a Colorado addiction treatment center you can trust, call us. The call is confidential and it is the only step you have to take today.

100% Confidential

Joint Commission Accredited

Colorado Medicaid Accepted

Admissions 24/7

Admissions open 24/7 ยท Colorado Medicaid accepted
1633 Fillmore Street #212, Denver, CO 80206
info@milehighrecoverycenter.com