12-Step recovery programs focus on spirituality as a tool to achieving sobriety. Newcomers to 12-Step recovery programs often see the word “God” and assume that the program must be religious in nature. While spirituality and a belief in a higher...
Recovery is often a complete upheaval of our life. Our addictions consumed us and determined nearly every aspect of our daily lives. It is only natural that when we give up what was once such an integral part of our life, our subconscious still...
Everyone needs to unwind from the stress of life every now and then. Making time to focus on relaxation and self-care can be crucial in recovery. After all, stress and anxiety were often major factors in our decision to begin using drugs and...
Leaving treatment and entering back into our previous environment can be difficult. We are reintroduced to certain stressors and problems that may have previously exacerbated our addiction. Our home and community life may have been a factor in our...
Many people say, “Meditation is too boring.” They are under the impression that mediation means they have to sit in the lotus position and close their eyes and try to clear their minds. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. A great way to meditate is...
Many people in recovery continue to smoke cigarettes. While nicotine is not psychoactive enough to trigger one’s physical allergy to cause them to relapse, there is evidence that smoking cigarettes is linked with substance use, relapse, and a...
The decision to seek help for addiction is the most important decision we will ever make. There are many psychological blocks that keep us from taking this vital step toward recovery. We often feel too ashamed or guilty to admit that we have a...
Many people view the disease model of addiction with skepticism. They may assume that people who are addicted to drugs are making the conscious decision to continue using simply because they enjoy the feeling. In the beginning stages of drug use,...
Overcoming addiction and alcoholism puts us in a unique place. We are able to understand the true nature of addiction and alcoholism in ways that most people never will. The insight we gain about addiction and how to successfully recover is one of...
We are often surprised to find that many of the people attempting to help us recover in treatment have their own personal experience with addiction and recovery. Their experience, strength, and hope will be invaluable as we enter into a process of...
