Treatment and addiction recovery blog

Sobriety Tattoos are a way that some people like to celebrate their sobriety. There are mixed feelings regarding this practice. On one hand, some people view it as a way to celebrate their sobriety with a permanent marking, indicating the date they became sober or with a symbol associated with recovery. Though some can view this as a meaningful memento, it can lead to deep regrets, especially if there is a relapse. Through this article, we will outline some of the negative ramifications of getting a sobriety tattoo, and why it should be considered very carefully before one jumps into

People going through recovery or those helping others through recovery know that sobriety is not an easy thing to accomplish. Sobriety gifts are an ideal way to treat yourself or others through sobriety. These gifts do not need to be extravagant or expensive, simple tokens of recognition can have a powerful impact on the road to recovery. What are Sobriety Gifts? Sobriety Gifts are items to give yourself or loved ones going through recovery. Simple tokens or actions can make a difference in the sobriety journey. Gifts indicate that one recognizes the difficult path which sobriety poses. It is important

Sobriety is such a difficult journey. From the moment one decides to get clean to every subsequent day after that, sobriety is a struggle. Important milestones are few and far between, and that’s why it’s critical to recognize and celebrate each big milestone. Little victories are still important to celebrate, but getting through one’s first year of sobriety is a huge accomplishment and something that should be recognized and celebrated with friends and family. A full year of sobriety is a year full of new discoveries and learning about yourself in a new way. Sort of like meeting an old

Stress is a huge part of everyone’s life. Dealing with stress is part of the human experience, and dealing with stress well is one of the key determining factors in successful individuals. There are plenty of ways to deal with stress, and whether you want to deal with it or not, your body will try to deal with whatever stress that you have in some way or another. Ignoring the stress and hoping that your body will figure it out as it goes will not work, as your body will deal with the stress in some way or another. Those

Relapsing is an unfortunate aspect of recovery. Relapsing is not part of everyone’s story, but it does exist and many who choose to get clean and try recovering will struggle with relapse. The numbers aren’t concrete, but somewhere between 45%-60% of people that undergo recovery relapse at some point during their recovery. This doesn’t say anything about long term recovery however, as many people who relapse get back on track again and manage to get clean entirely. This statistic does speak to the rates of those who go through relapse. Relapse shouldn’t be expected, but it should be prepared for.

Alcohol is one of the most commonly consumed substances in the world. It surpasses culture, time, and location. It is universally consumed – but at what cost? What if I told you there was a drug that would make it hard for you to walk straight, not think clearly, make decisions you normally wouldn’t make, if you consumed too much too quickly or over a long period of time you would eventually die, and it made you mildly happy for an hour after you consumed it. Would you take the drug? Putting everything into perspective is helpful when evaluating what

Throughout recovery, one will receive many kinds of advice. One in particular that is frequently given is “don’t get into romantic relationships while in recovery.” Most advice givers say to wait at least a year until starting a new relationship, but often the reasons behind the advice aren’t given. So why, then, should you stay away from relationships while in recovery? There are a myriad of specific reasons, though they all follow the same single line of reasoning – your recovery should be about you, not wrapped up in somebody else. With that in mind, let’s look at four convincing

Relapse prevention is part of the recovery process. Learning the dangers of relapsing and learning what you can do to directly prevent yourself from relapsing will be one of many critical skills that you learn while in recovery. While expecting relapse is not a healthy way to go about the recovery process, having a plan in place to help you if you do relapse is critical. Recovery is a journey that leads to self-knowledge. People who fight and successfully overcome addiction will likely learn more about themselves in that process than at any other time in their lives. So without

Dementia and alcohol have a strong connection. While not everyone who drinks develops dementia, the chances that someone who already developed dementia also drinks regularly is staggeringly high. Dementia is usually thought of as a form of Alzheimers, though it actually is a much larger category. Dementia is actually any degenerative brain disease that affects memory, reflex, or social interactions. With this in mind, and knowing how alcohol affects the brain, it’s really no wonder that so many people with dementia potentially developed it from a binge drinking habit. Dementia in a Nutshell Dementia is a complicated disease that encompases

Guilt and shame play a major role in anyone’s journey to recovery. Guilt and shame are generally seen as negative emotions as they put people in embarrassing states of mind, but they each serve a purpose and when these emotions are understood they can be put to good use. So first, let’s understand both guilt and shame, understand their relationship to an addiction, and finally, understand their role in someone’s recovery. Guilt and Addiction Guilt is a negative emotion that someone experiences generally when they feel like they’ve done something wrong in the past. Guilt has to do entirely with

A little glass of wine to relax, a quick beer after work to cut the edge, a shot or two to get your mind off of things. All things said in the moment that seem like acceptable reasons to have a drink at the end of your long day. But what if these “harmless” phrases and thoughtless drinking was actually a lot more sinister than you ever would have thought? Today we will look at five reasons that you should take a second thought before you take your first drink at the end of the day. 1. Creating a Negative

Regardless of your familiarity with addiction, everyone experiences peer pressure in some form or another. Unfortunately, addiction and peer pressure can go hand in hand. Peer pressure can be the beginning of some people’s addictions, and peer pressure can be the reason that so many stay addicted. Learning to deal with peer pressure in your communities can help you overcome your addiction and help you overcome your triggers, and help keep you on the path to sobriety. Below we will discuss the different kinds of peer pressure and how you can learn to manage them responsibly. Peer pressure is a

Getting sober after a lifelong battle with alcohol is a massive accomplishment, and not one that everyone gets to celebrate. If this is you, you know the challenges that need to be overcome in order to get to where you are today, and you know what kind of challenges others face as they start or continue their journey. If you are coming out of recovery, you know that being in recovery is a lifelong process, not one that can be forgotten about and then picked up when convenient. This means making daily habits that help reinforce your decision to stay

Popular culture has everyone believing that they know exactly how to spot an alcoholic. From the classic drunks at Moe’s pub in the Simpsons to many other stereotypical alcoholics that exist in today’s media. While those stereotypical archetypes didn’t spring up from nothing, they only describe one type of alcoholic, one that’s loudly crying for help. In real life, alcoholics are much harder to spot, and while this might not be your job to pick out an alcoholic out of many, it’s helpful to know the symptoms so that you can help your friends or loved ones should the time