Recovery

If you are caring for a loved one recovering from addiction, your intentions are pure. However, your actions may inadvertently enable your loved one, hindering their recovery. Enabling occurs when family members condition themselves into thinking they can control the addiction or minimize the risks. Such behavior often results in a dysfunctional dynamic where your…

Most people think of drug addicts or alcoholics as unkempt, unemployed and unpredictable. But the truth is that a large number of people struggling with substance abuse are contributing members of society — over 70 percent have a steady job and are employed either full or part-time, in industries that range from hospitality to health…

Early recovery is an exciting and inspiring time worth celebrating. Now that you are sober, your outlook on life is likely more optimistic. However, it is inevitable that eventually, these high-energy feelings will subside. When this happens, you might experience pressure to keep the momentum going. When you focus on speed rather than progress, you…

Setting goals is essential in life and recovery. Goals help keep you focused, motivated, and accountable. Goals also help instill structure and fill parts of your day where you may succumb to boredom. While the idea of setting goals is a positive practice, sometimes the goals you set can be counterintuitive and work against you.…

Recovery is a lifelong journey that requires persistence, planning, and patience; it also varies based on the individual. While your recovery journey is your story, part of that storyline is determining where you want to build your life of sobriety after treatment. In early recovery, the thought of returning home after treatment might seem intimidating.…

There are many variables to maintaining a successful recovery. Such variables exist to provide you the treatments and therapies that meet your individual needs, so you have the best opportunity for a lasting recovery. Among the many tools you will gain in your journey, one of the most important is seeking a counselor. The relationship…

Maintaining recovery requires a great deal of persistence, consistency, and vigilance. However, because recovery involves a lot of work, you might become your own worst critic when deciding the successes or failures of your recovery. It might be easy to overlook how recovery moves at different paces based on the individual. Instead of moving too…

12-step programs have been around for many years and help people manage sobriety. Throughout the years, since the inception of AA, there have been many advances in the field of addiction recovery. Today, more evidence-based treatments exist to help individuals become sober and stay sober. Some of these include specific therapies such as motivational interviewing,…

When an individual uses substances over a long period to the point of addiction, the impacts extend beyond them to their family. The effects that addiction can have on relationships soon diminish the trust and communication within families. In addition to being troubled by addiction, the family may also struggle with their emotional difficulties. Continued…