Including a gratitude practice as part of our recovery can help us to connect with feelings of hopefulness and appreciation. When we focus on gratitude, we’re better able to think positively and optimistically. Gratitude can be a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety. How do we work our gratitude practice when we’re suffering? How can… Continue Reading How Can I Be Grateful When I’m Suffering?
Living with addiction, we have not been committed to our own well-being for quite some time. For many of us, our own health has not been a priority for many years, even decades, of our lives. Our focus and energy have gone predominantly to maintaining our addictions, to covering our tracks so people aren’t suspicious,… Continue Reading Committing to Our Recovery
While it may feel like addiction is one person’s problem, it is really a problem for everyone around her too. Not only do the consequences of addiction radiate outward to your friends and family, but dysfunctional relationships may also contribute to the development of addiction. Treatment for addiction can’t just focus on one thing. It… Continue Reading Why Family Therapy Makes Addiction Recovery Easier
Upon entering addiction recovery treatment, group therapy may be a new experience for many of us. We’re more used to traditional therapy, where we work one-on-one with a psychologist. Group therapy allows us to explore topics in a group setting that we all have experience with. When it comes to addiction recovery, there are some… Continue Reading The Benefits of Group Therapy
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
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
There are many faith-based roads to recovery. Most famously, AA and other 12-step programs involve turning your life over to a higher power. These programs have helped a lot of people. This is because belief in a higher power addresses two of the biggest needs of people in addiction recovery. The first is the need… Continue Reading 3 Tips for Atheists and Agnostics in Addiction Recovery
For as long as drugs have been around people have used them, abused them, and faced addiction. Even ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Greeks all show signs of using different substances. Native Americans have been using peyote for spiritual and ritual reasons for thousands of years. The concept of addiction treatment, drug rehab and recovery has… Continue Reading History of Addiction Treatment & Drug Rehab
Starting the recovery process can seem intimidating and unpleasant.Take the time to realize and understand that if you do not start this process you can/will lose those you love the most, lose control, and can possibly lose your freedom by being arrested, and even lose your life. While starting treatment may seem scary, a lot… Continue Reading The Road to Recovery