To most of us, vulnerability isn’t a desirable state. We think of vulnerability to disease or attack and assume it’s something that should be avoided at all costs. But according to Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, a speaker, author and research professor at the University of Houston, embracing our vulnerability is an essential skill for a …
Taking a well-deserved vacation is a time-honored family tradition. But what happens when you’ve gone through rehab for drug or alcohol addiction and think that vacations are pretty much a thing of the past for you? Although the belief is completely mistaken, the reality is that many in recovery think they simply don’t deserve a …
“One of the things I learned the hard way is that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.” – Lucille Ball, American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, known the world over simply as “Lucy” (1911-1989) We often find ourselves …
Relapse is a situation that occurs when a recovering addict breaks sobriety and returns to his or her addictive behavior. While non-professionals commonly use the term for even small lapses into addictive behavior, doctors and mental health professionals typically only use it to describe serious lapses that potentially endanger the course of recovery. Any recovering …
“There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.” – Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author, best-known for The Power of Positive Thinking (1898-1993) We’ve all heard the quotes from Norman Vincent Peale, mostly because of his prominence as a minister, but also because of the fact that he was …
Being in recovery – aren’t those words wonderful-sounding to your ears? For some, this may be true. But what about for the others who are struggling just to make it through each day? What about those of you who are feeling pretty beat up about the whole process? What can you do to stop taking …
Stop Taking It on the Chin – How to Avoid Feeling Beat Up in Recovery Read More »
Newcomers to recovery are familiar with the advice to live one day at a time, to be in the present, and to avoid spending precious moments worrying about or living in the past. That all sounds well and good, but when it comes time to actually act on the advice, it may be a lot …
When you’re in recovery, you hear a lot of talk about remaining strong and how being strong will help you maintain your sobriety. There’s only one problem with that. What if you don’t think you have any strength to begin with? How do you find strength when you don’t believe any exists? Before you go …
How to Find Strength – When You Don’t Think You Have Any Read More »
Preventing a relapse is a continual process; what may work for one person may not work for another. But, as any individual working their way through recovery can attest, weekends and holidays can be very difficult. You know the importance of maintaining a schedule and the work week helps you accomplish that. But when the …
Achieving sobriety for an alcoholic or drug user is an important and an impressive milestone. Whether you are just starting out on your journey of recovery and have been sober for one day, or you are many years clean, staying sober will always be a struggle. We use the term in recovery rather than recovered …