Among the many things newcomers to recovery need to consider is how to best manage their sobriety. A lot of this has to do with attitude. You can have the right intention – to stay clean and sober – and still be defeated by outdated and misinformed ideas about addiction. One of the earliest to…
When you find yourself at a plateau in recovery – not moving forward, but not losing any ground, either – you’re in a period of stagnation. For some in recovery, stagnation seems almost comfortable. The status quo is okay because they’re not using, so they’re semi-confident in their ability to maintain sobriety. But life is…
When it comes to addiction recovery, there are varying views on the number of pillars upon which such recovery depends. Instead of getting involved in a debate over which number is correct, the more important concern should be how comprehensive such lists are. Do they cover all the basic requirements for recovery? If so, it…
Treatment’s over – yippee! Before you rush out and entangle yourself in some questionable activities or hang out with so-called friends you used to use with, think about what you may be jeopardizing. Sure, treatment for your addiction was a huge undertaking – and probably a lot more than you ever imagined. But that part…
Getting back on your feet after treatment for addiction can sometimes prove quite frustrating. Often those new to recovery throw themselves into their jobs, figuring that if they keep busy, they’ll avoid temptations to use. While keeping busy is a good strategy, overdoing it at work can sometimes have the opposite effect. If you sap…
When you hit rock bottom in addiction, chances are you’ve lost every shred of self-respect you ever had. And not only that, no one else has much, if any, respect for you either. Frankly, when you’ve bottomed out, you’re probably not thinking about your self-respect. You’re primarily interested in survival – and getting out of…
One thing you know is true almost the minute you get out of treatment for your addiction: You need continued help to move along in your recovery. There are a lot of very good reasons for this, but most important among them is the fact that you’re still so new to being clean and sober…
If you’re new to recovery and wonder what it’s all about, or you are experiencing some uncertainty and discomfort and are afraid you may not make it, you’re not alone. The fact is that recovery, like treatment for addiction, is unique to each person. Some people say they go right back to their lives (minus…
Stress affects different people in different ways. Some individuals can handle quite a bit before they buckle under the pressure, while others are at risk of a number of negative side effects from minor pressure in their lives. For the recovering addict, stress can be a trigger that is hard to overcome. According to a…
No doubt you have a few things you’d like to forget about your past addictive behavior. It’s safe to say that everyone who goes through treatment and enters recovery has some skeletons in their closet they’d prefer to keep hidden away. The trouble is, if you don’t face your demons and own up to your…
