The Gradual Spiritual Experience

12-Step fellowships discuss, at length, the importance of having a “spiritual awakening” as a result of working their recovery program. This term, at a surface level, seems to imply a bright-light “Hallelujah” moment at some point in working the steps. For the vast majority of men and women in the fellowship, this is not their…

How Can Recreational Therapy Help You Feel Better?

Everyone learns differently and some people really like those visual cues to help them get motivated. Other people like hands-on experience which helps promote a forward-thinking attitude. You might respond differently to various styles of addiction treatment. For many people, participating in therapeutic recreational activities can be powerful in addiction recovery. The Benefits Recreational therapy…

The Dangers of Process Addictions

In the program of recovery from drugs and alcohol, we may find ourselves engaging in addictive behaviors unrelated to substance abuse. These behaviors are capable of maintaining the disease of addiction by replacing substances with any number of activities that also affect the reward system of our brain. Process addictions can include gambling, eating, shopping,…

Surprising Dangers of Psychedelics

Psychedelic drugs, such a LSD, psilocybin, and various other hallucinogens, are commonly misunderstood as “safe” drugs because they do not have the same propensity for addiction as “harder” drugs like opiates and stimulants. Psychedelics, however, carry a slew of possible risks to our mental and physical health. Short-term abuse of hallucinogens like LSD or psilocybin…

What if I Can’t Make Direct Amends?

The amends-making process can be difficult to navigate. We embark upon a mission to clean the wreckage of our past and set things right, but sometimes we find that we are unable to directly communicate with those whom we have hurt. Whatever the reason may be, we still must find a way to clean the…