Valentine’s Day Decision to Enter Treatment Saves Marriage

Every day, people make the powerful decision to enter drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment. Taking this first step is difficult, but for people like Jennifer Cordo, it was one of the best choices she ever made.

Here’s what she had to say about why she entered rehab at River Oaks facility and how her life has changed in the 10 months since then:

For Jennifer, her family was the motivation to take that first step and remain on the path to recovery. At River Oaks, she was able to safely withdraw from alcohol and learn the skills and coping mechanisms necessary to recognize and overcome the triggers that led her to abuse alcohol. These behaviors are learned through therapy and supported by the positive network of friends she made along the way.

Getting sober is difficult: addiction is a chronic disease that changes the brain, leading individuals to continue seeking and abusing drugs or alcohol despite the dire consequences associated with their disease. Research shows alterations in the sections of the brain vital to decision-making and behavior control result from drug and alcohol abuse. But addiction is treatable, and many people like Jennifer are able to get sober and enjoy rewarding lives in recovery—it just takes getting help and putting in the work.

While many people in recovery take similar paths, getting and remaining sober is a highly individualized process. Addiction treatment works best when it’s tailored to the individual. Effective rehabilitation centers facilities understand this and offer multiple levels of care that each incorporate evidence-based therapy methods.

River Oaks—where Jennifer was treated—provides the standard tiers of care and utilizes therapies that are supported by decades of peer-reviewed research. In addition, River Oaks also provides optional supplemental therapies, such as art and music therapy and recovery-oriented challenge therapy (ROCT), which many patients like Jennifer find helpful.

There are also specialized recovery tracks for:

• Veterans and first responders.
• LGBTQ people.
• Trauma survivors.
• People with co-occurring mental disorders.
• Young adults.

Patients often find not only the specialized treatment methods helpful, but the community they are able to build among peers that share similar life experiences.

If you’re like Jennifer and feel like you’re close to your breaking point, reach out to an American Addiction Centers’ (AAC) admissions navigator at to discuss treatment options at River Oaks or other AAC facilities. It may be the best decision you’ll ever make for both yourself and your loved ones.