According to the Center for Disease Control, over 25% of Americans report feeling more depressed during the holiday season. The top reasons for depression during the holidays are due to finances, strained familial relationships, grief, and loneliness. Depression is a direct contributing factor to increased alcohol and drug consumption during the holiday season. Since drinking…
Behavioral science experts believe that anything that can stimulate a person can also become addictive. When a habit turns into an obligation, or when something one likes to do turns into something that one has to do, it is considered an addiction. Addiction is a dependence on a substance, such as drugs or alcohol, or…
The American Psychological Association defines forgiveness as the process of recognizing and letting go of anger directed at someone who caused you pain. This anger can lead to emotional distress in the forms of guilt and resentment. Therefore, the ability to shake off the pain from your past is a central aspect of long-term treatment…
Adversity is a state of hardship, difficulty, or misfortune that one deals with in life. There are six types of adversity that one can face, and facing adversities in life can break or make a person. It may lead one person to improve their life by finding ways around their challenges, or it may lead…
There’s a lot more to recovering from addiction than just abstinence. A successful recovery requires creating a life in which you feel happier and more fulfilled without drugs and alcohol. That means creating a plan and sticking to it. Unfortunately, you can do a lot of things right in recovery and still stumble if you…
We have seen the value of having the love and support of our families throughout our lives. As children, they take care of us, give us love, and even come to our performances and school functions. As we get older and more independent, they are still there for us, prompting a “Hi Mom!” at our…
We tried to escape reality by using drugs or alcohol. Now we have an addiction, a chronic and debilitating health condition from which it feels we cannot escape. It may feel like there is no way out, we may feel trapped in our circumstances. But that is where recovery comes in. We can change that…
A myth is a false belief or idea about something, and unfortunately, they are pervasive when dealing with addiction. Myths are damaging to those suffering from addiction, their families, and society in general. It is essential to understand that addiction is a disease and to treat it as such. When given a chance, recovery from…
You may have heard the adage that recovery from addiction is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s true. Recovery isn’t over after detox or after treatment. It’s something you have to keep working on. After nine or 10 months of sobriety, it’s not uncommon for people to get complacent. The early months of recovery are…
Research has found that gratitude has many wide-ranging benefits. These include better mood, better physical health, better self-esteem, better sleep, and more resilience in the face of adversity. [https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier] Studies show that many of these positive outcomes are mediated by yet another benefit: better relationships. Strong relationships are the foundation of a strong recovery. Self-esteem,…