Your loved one is back from her addiction recovery program, but that does not mean that she is cured.
Most professionals in the addiction recovery community agree that there is no cure for addiction. Still, studies seem to show that each year of sobriety makes relapse less likely. Of those in their first year of sobriety, two out of every three people will relapse. (more…)
Family and friends have tremendous potential to benefit the health of their loved ones.In fact, positive social support has been linked to better health outcomes for cardiovascular disease and other physical illnesses. The same has proven true for mental illness, where social support has been shown to lead to greater resilience to stress. (more…)
Addiction robs people of choice, and its impact extends far beyond the person with the addiction. Watching a loved one lose herself in drugs or alcohol can make friends and family feel powerless to help. (more…)
Oftentimes, people entering addiction recovery programs have already fallen short of their personal standards.That is why examining regrets is such an important part of addressing the root cause of addiction. Even so, there is a fine line between knowing you have behaved badly (guilt) and believing you are bad (shame). Distinguishing between guilt and shame could make all the difference to your recovery. (more…)
Can you explain this gap in your employment history?If your recovery has included time away from your career, this interview question can sound like a non-starter. You have a lot to be proud of in recovery, but how do you explain time off for self-care? Or even termination from your last job? (more…)
You know them inside and out. They are a good person, someone you love and respect.But could this person be an addict? The first step to finding out is letting go of the notion that addiction cancels out any of your loved one’s positive qualities. Everything you have come to like about this person is still there. (more…)
Alcohol’s effects on the body are numerous and wide-ranging.Side effects occur not only with long-term alcohol use or abuse, but also with light to moderate drinking over a period of time.
Many people drink alcohol because of its immediate effects on the central nervous system. (more…)
When I began recovery from alcoholism, I didn’t realize I would need to let go of old beliefs about life. But learning to let go has actually been one of the biggest benefits of working a 12-step program.When I got sober, I brought a lifetime of ideas with me, both self-taught and society driven. Every time something did not go the way I thought it should, I believed it was my fault. (more…)