Cultivating Resilience in Addiction Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinNovember 21, 2014Think of the word “resilience” and consider what you know. Children are often called resilient, and indeed many are. Despite falls, scrapes, breaks or a lack of “good enough parenting,” many children continue to develop normally—eventually entering adulthood without incident. In fact, they may even thrive. But what about children (and adults) for whom life…
Food and Mood in Addiction Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinNovember 13, 2014Food has a powerful effect on both our bodies and our minds. Just how much food impacts our brains and our moods is coming to light with research. This information is important for addicts in recovery because a downswing in mood can lead right to a relapse. There are many reasons to eat well in…
Retraining the Brain in Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinNovember 11, 2014Much of the new research into addiction talks about how drugs change the brain. What does this mean? We know that whatever those changes are, they make a person dependent on the drug, but how does it work? It turns out that our brains have an amazing degree of plasticity, which means the brain can…
Healing Complex Trauma for Addiction Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinOctober 8, 2014A young woman with self-described ‘commitment phobia’ turns to substances to numb the pain of a troubled childhood. A young woman drives into therapy. Aamori complains to her therapist that all of her relationships end just after the one-year mark, just as things begin to get serious. The reason, she explains, is that she gets…
For Lasting Addiction Recovery, Get Moving RecoveryBy Promises AustinSeptember 6, 2014By Sean Egen Exercise can play a key role in the recovery process and in treating mental illness, so DO sweat it, and consider incorporating exercise into your journey.
Reasons to Volunteer During Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinSeptember 1, 2014Volunteering is a wonderful way to support your recovery from addiction. After completing an intensive program of addiction treatment you may feel invigorated and ready to take on the world. It could also be that you feel lost and unsure what to do next. Many people find themselves without purpose post-rehab. For a long time…
Get Back to Nature to Support Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinAugust 28, 2014Being outside and enjoying nature have great restorative powers. You don’t have to take a weeks-long wilderness adventure to reap the benefits that the great outdoors offers. Simply spending time in a park or working in front of a window with a view of a green space can work wonders for your mind, lower stress…
Helpful Tip: Include Exercise in Your Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinAugust 27, 2014It seems like a simple idea, and maybe like an unnecessary thing to worry about when you have bigger issues to deal with, but exercise could be very important to your recovery from addiction. Some of the latest research into addiction treatment indicates that healthy lifestyle changes can help recovering addicts resist the urge to…
Write On! The Power of Journaling in Addiction Recovery RecoveryBy Promises AustinAugust 21, 2014Imagine having a safe haven in which you could share your deepest, most private thoughts and no one but you would ever read the words unless you chose to reveal them. Would you accept the opportunity to enter? Well, that “room” is as close as a pen and piece of paper. Journaling is one of…
Men and Women Seeking Addiction Recovery: Different and the Same RecoveryBy Promises AustinAugust 14, 2014Are men and women the same when it comes to drug addiction and recovery? Should their treatment look the same? At a 2013 conference in Britain, the topic of male and female addiction similarities and differences was addressed by Joanne Neale, a professor of public health at Oxford Brookes University. Neale interviewed and followed up…
