It is tough to start over, that much is true. For those in recovery, especially early recovery, starting over tends to take on the magnitude of the nearly impossible. There are just so many different areas of life that need changing, so much to do, and so much to learn before anything can be done. …
New Beginnings: When Moving Forward Means Leaving the Past Behind Read More »
The road to recovery is a unique journey that each newcomer takes once the commitment to sobriety has been made. How many times has someone new to the clean and sober state wished for a guide to living in sobriety, one that could prove useful in avoiding the common mistakes and setbacks – or just …
The Usual Suspects: Breaking Down Roadblocks to Recovery Read More »
Life is filled with challenges, interpersonal conflict, physical and emotional pain, loss, and stress. It doesn’t matter who you are – no one goes through life unscathed. Some people also experience significant trauma, be it a childhood scarred by abuse, neglect or the tragic loss of one or both parents; a near-death experience as an …
Feeling shame about past alcoholism may increase the likelihood of relapse, according to a new study in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Assn. for Psychological Science. Conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia, the study finds that behavioral displays of shame strongly predicted whether recovering alcoholics would relapse.
Essentially all adults in the modern world are intimately familiar with stress, a reaction in the mind and body that produces effects such as increases in normal blood pressure and heart rate, as well as an increased susceptibility to the distorting influence of anxiety and fear. For several reasons, alcoholics typically have unusually elevated stress …
“…God seems to have a kind of laid-back management style I’m not crazy about.” – David Foster Wallace, from “Infinite Jest” The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released survey results in late 2012 that caused a stir. The results indicated continued growth in the number of Americans who mark “none” on surveys asking …
It can be a life-altering experience to go through rehab and find that you have entered recovery without a clue what to do next. Granted, you probably heard a few recommendations during the final phase of treatment, generally centering on relapse prevention and the advice to live one day at a time. Most of this …
How To Find New Interests In Recovery – When Nothing Interests You Read More »
Everyone wants to have a quick and simple remedy for how to “make it” in recovery. Who wouldn’t desire an easy, painless solution to how to overcome the anxieties and doubts, the fears and guilt and shame that often trail along even after completion of a drug and/or alcohol treatment program? Sorry to disappoint anyone …
Drug cravings are intense; recurring urges that frequently appear in addicts actively involved in drug use, as well as in former users recovering from the effects of active addiction. In active addicts, these cravings commonly trigger additional bouts of drug use; in recovering addicts, they can lower the resolve to avoid drug use and lead …
“Ask yourself the secret of your success. Listen to your answer, and practice it.” – Richard Bach, American writer (born 1936) When we hear the word “success,” we may have a mental picture of someone who has it made, someone who realizes his or her dreams without having to go through a whole lot of …