One of the most frustrating challenges for individuals in recovery from mental illness and substance abuse is setting goals. But without goals, there is no sense of progress or forward direction. And hope is required in order to have the ability to envision goals in the first place. Given that goals are vitally important to …
Importance of Setting Goals in Recovery from Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Read More »
You’re out of treatment and about to begin your first few days and weeks of recovery. Now what? Just the prospect of being on your own again is both liberating and more than a bit scary. That’s perfectly understandable, since you’ve just left a structured environment where if you ever had a problem, there was …
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 You can have the right intention – to stay clean and sober – and still be defeated by outdated and misinformed ideas about addiction.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 …
Addiction Recovery: Blame Is Not Healthy But Accepting Responsibility Is Read More »
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 …
How to Overcome Stagnation in Recovery for Addiction Read More »
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 …
Win Back Your Self-Respect and the Respect of Others in Recovery Read More »
The Los Angeles-based nonprofit recovery organization for writers affected by alcoholism or substance abuse, Writers In Treatment (WIT), will be hosting its second annual Reel Recovery Film Festival from October 27–30 in Hollywood, California, and November 11–14 in Nashville, Tennessee. After its successful debut in 2009, the Reel Recovery Film Festival is continuing to celebrate …
Writers In Treatment Hosts Second Annual Reel Recovery Film Festival Read More »
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 …
How to Structure Your Environment in Early Addiction Recovery Read More »