Addiction is chronic disease that carries with it a high rate of relapse. What separates addiction from other brain diseases is the importance of environment and social context in regards to recovery. Recovery requires that one address physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the disease, as well as social factors that may contribute to one’s…
Many recovery programs suggest that acceptance can be an effective tool for achieving serenity and maintaining one’s sobriety. However, the concept of faith and acceptance in recovery can be misconstrued as meaning that one should sit back and accept all things, good and bad, as the way that things are supposed to be. Acceptance does…
Our lives are made up of a series of moments. In sobriety, we are finally able to let go of the anxieties, despair, and internal conflicts that were always present in our lives during active addiction. We are finally able to “stop and smell the roses,” appreciating the simple moments in our lives that we…
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) explains, “Addiction is a family disease that stresses the family to the breaking point, impacts the stability of the home, the family’s unity, mental health, physical health, finances and overall family dynamics” Addiction causes major consequence to the family and loved ones of the suffered. Healing…
Leonard Cohen once said, “My mind was always very cluttered, so I took great pains to simplify my environment, because if my environment were half as cluttered as my mind, I wouldn’t be able to make it from room to room.” In early recovery, our minds are often so filled with anxious thoughts, fears, resentments,…
Resentment is an everyday occurrence for everyone, whether or not they suffer from addiction or alcoholism. For those in recovery, however, resentment can cause a person to once again seek solace and comfort in drugs and alcohol. Everyone gets upset with others at some point—we step on the toes of others and they retaliate, leaving…
Men and women suffering from the disease of addiction tend to have issues surrounding unrealistic expectations. The problem stems from an inherent need for control. Just as we attempted to assert control over every facet of our lives and ourselves, we can become easily discouraged when our expectations are not met. In recovery, we do…
In active addiction, our lives were defined by the incessant search for happiness in all things external. Many of us are familiar with thinking that we would be perfectly fine if only we had more money, a better car, or a nicer house. In the absence of drugs and alcohol, we can easily turn to…
Happiness is difficult to define, but researchers have pinpointed two different types of happiness: eudaimonic happiness and hedonic happiness. Most happiness comes from striking a balance between the two forms, but, in individuals suffering from addiction, happiness is almost completely dependent upon hedonic forms of happiness. Hedonic happiness relies, in part, on external stimulation and…
In early sobriety, we are always looking for ways to improve our mental health. According to research, one of the best ways to improve our wellbeing is simply by being kind to others. Most recovery programs place importance on helping others as a means of maintaining sobriety. By acting selflessly and making kindness a priority,…