Life skills training is an important part of addiction recovery. Life skills training comprises skills like finding jobs, finding a place to live, paying bills on time, and building relationships. These don’t seem directly related to addiction recovery, but they are fundamental, and lacking these skills might endanger your recovery. Here’s why. Life skills build… Continue Reading Why Life Skills Training Matters in Addiction Recovery
Whether you’re recovering from addiction or mental illness, self-care must always be your first priority. This is difficult for some people to accept. You might have many responsibilities you don’t feel you can let go of or delegate, especially if you’re a parent. You might be dedicated to your career and feel obligated to do… Continue Reading Self-care is Not Selfish
Most people are aware that many women suffer from postpartum depression. In the months after giving birth, many women become deeply depressed and even suicidal. This is caused by a combination of massive hormonal changes, constant anxiety, too much stress, and too little sleep. Postpartum depression affects about 10 to 15 percent of mothers within… Continue Reading New Mothers and Fathers Have Higher Risk of Depression
Bipolar disorder is a condition in which people alternate between extremes of depression and elevated moods. Someone with bipolar disorder may barely get out of bed for months, then spend days or weeks with lots of energy and little need for sleep. Bipolar is a difficult condition to live with, both for the person who… Continue Reading 5 Myths About Bipolar Disorder
The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences in anyone’s life. It’s a situation that’s both painful and impossible to change. It often leads to depression and, for people recovering from addiction, it might lead to relapse. As difficult as it is to work through grief, it doesn’t have to… Continue Reading How to Avoid Relapse while Grieving
Relapse is common among people fighting addiction. Rates of relapse depend on the substance, but typically the rate is higher than 50 percent, and for opioids, the relapse rate may be at least 80 percent. That might seem discouraging, but there are several things to keep in mind. First, a relapse doesn’t mean you’ve failed.… Continue Reading What Happens Before a Relapse?
Recovery capital comprises everything you have working to your advantage when trying to stay sober. The more forms of recovery capital you have, and the better the quality, the easier recovery will be. On the other hand, if you have little or no recovery capital, you may have trouble staying sober even if you have… Continue Reading What is Recovery Capital?
Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes. It’s normal to feel anxious before a test or a job interview, but if you feel anxious most of the time and about relatively minor things, you may have an anxiety disorder. Signs of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, phobias, constant worry, and insomnia. Anxiety isn’t just unpleasant or inconvenient. It… Continue Reading 5 Ways Anxiety Affects Your Health
One problem people often face in the first year of recovery is feeling disillusioned because sobriety is not the panacea they expected it to be. They may be doing very well, but perhaps they expected more. They feel deceived, disappointed, or cynical. They might start to wonder if they’re doing something wrong, or if sobriety… Continue Reading Why Expecting Too Much Too Soon Endangers Your Recovery
Lack of motivation can be a major impediment to getting sober. Only about 10 percent of Americans with substance use issues seek and receive treatment. The vast majority of those who don’t seek treatment are just not ready to quit. They might not believe they have a problem, they might fear change, they might fear… Continue Reading How Motivational Interviewing Can Help You Overcome Addiction