For many of us struggling with addiction, our fears that our children are being affected by our addiction can be a major catalyst for us to finally get the help we need. We worry that our issues are adversely affecting our children, even when we try as hard as we can to keep them separate… Continue Reading How Does Addiction Affect Our Children?
As we’re doing the important work of recovery, one thing we come to learn is that our relationships have a lot to do with our mental and emotional health. When we are in stressful relationships, our well-being suffers. Similarly, when we are not at peace within ourselves, this is reflected in our relationships and the… Continue Reading Learning Conflict Resolution for Recovery
Addiction relapse rates vary considerably, depending on the person and the drug. A commonly cited statistic from The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that relapse rates are between 40 and 60 percent, while other estimates put the rate of alcohol and opioid relapse at closer to 90 percent in the first year. The… Continue Reading 4 Reasons Women Relapse After Addiction Treatment
A common question people have in addiction recovery is whether dreams about using again is a sign they are going to relapse. The dreamer may believe she has actually relapsed and wake up feeling relieved, or possibly distressed that it was all a dream. Dreaming of relapse is actually extremely common in addiction recovery. One… Continue Reading Is It a Bad Sign to Dream About Using Again?
Social media addiction has been much in the news lately. While experts agree that calling obsessive social media use an addiction is hyperbolic, especially considering the damage that substance addictions can do to your life, excessive social media use is still a cause for concern. Many studies have now found associations between social media use… Continue Reading 5 Ways to Beat Social Media Addiction
Dealing with cravings is one of the biggest challenges of addiction recovery. Sometimes they seem to come out of nowhere and they can be very intense. Your brain starts to engage in all sorts of crazy logic to justify using “just one more time.” You might find yourself pacing your room, feeling like you’re about… Continue Reading How Long Do Drug Cravings Last?
Self-awareness is one of the most important skills to improve recovery from addiction or mental illness. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your own emotional reactions, triggers, patterns, and effect on others. It’s a major factor in understanding why you do what you do and why others react the way they do. Having greater self-awareness… Continue Reading 4 Ways to Build Self-awareness in Recovery
Relapse rates after treatment can be very high. Depending on the drug, how long you’ve used it, and which studies you consult, the relapse rate might be as low as 40 percent to as high as 90 percent in the first year. What’s more, relapse is much more likely if you’re a man. One study… Continue Reading 6 Reasons Men Relapse After Treatment
Drug courts are courts specifically for drug-related offences. Defendants who end up in drug court will have the option of entering treatment or beginning a 12-step program in exchange for a dropped or reduced sentence. They agree to the terms of drug court rulings, which typically include periodic drug tests to ensure the defendant is… Continue Reading How Do Drug Courts Work?
Making the transition from life in treatment or a sober living home back to life on your own can be tricky. If you have been used to living in a structured environment around sober people, the sudden freedom and social pressures of normal life can be difficult to navigate. One solution to this problem is… Continue Reading The Benefits of Sober Roommates