Entering addiction recovery can feel like stepping onto a foreign planet. There are new people to meet, new rules to follow, and new emotions to experience. Imagine being in a place where you’re expected to change your entire life without knowing a single person in the room. For those of us who are starting treatment,…
Every day, we are at risk of experiencing intrusive thoughts. With thousands of thoughts per day, sometimes we don’t even realize they are there. The intrusive thoughts are the ones that are disturbing enough, we focus our attention to them. Our everyday life concerns make up 67% of our thoughts. We experience 18% of thoughts…
When it comes to speaking to someone with addiction problems, there are certain things that a person should avoid if they want to be effective in their conversation at all. Like any other problem a person faces, addiction can be a sensitive topic and one that is not easy to discuss. For someone who doesn’t…
Realistic films about addiction Movies can sometimes reflect aspects of our real life on the big screen. When a film achieves a sense of realism, the audience can feel understood or inspired. Although an estimated 20 million people in the United States are struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), making realistic films about addiction can…
Tell your friends and family that you are going to rehab Deciding to seek help with an addiction is not an easy task. The first steps on the road to recovery can be intimidating and overwhelming. Accepting that you need help is certainly one of the hardest parts of the treatment journey, but it is…
Healthy boundaries are an essential aspect of any relationship. When a person becomes addicted in this relationship, boundaries become critical. Borders are a way of protecting ourselves and maintaining relationships. They let other people know what we accept and what not in our life. When a person struggles with an addiction, they often burden others…
When it comes to the recovery process from addiction, several unrealistic expectations can arise early on. People in early recovery often go through the “honeymoon phase” where everything seems great and life will always be incredible now, and so on. This phase usually occurs after the “existential crisis” phase of withdrawal where everything seems terrible…
Going to rehab for an addiction is not an easy process. It can be an emotional roller coaster ride. While it is certainly something that can be very rewarding, it can also be something that can be very challenging. For this reason, it is always beneficial to have a support system at home to help…
My son is alive and well thanks to the addiction recovery program. My son had been on drugs for two years before I discovered it. He was a teenager and went out with friends a lot, so it took me a while to get along. The first sign that something was wrong was that he…
Photo by GSPictures / iStockPhoto.com Every year around this time, I like to look back on my life and reflect on the lessons I learned during my sobriety. On May 22, 2012, I went to a recovery center because of my alcohol addiction. Little did I know at the time that this one decision would…