A couple of weeks ago, I had to have surgery. Without going into the details, it was a minor procedure with two to three weeks of bed-rest recovery. Unfortunately, part of that recovery is weathering bouts of searing pain that last for hours at a time. And, as a recovering addict, physical pain is not […]
Read More »Every week since March, my phone has shocked me by showing me my screen time. I can spend upwards of nine hours on my phone when I am home all day. And, while I know that is nothing to be ashamed of in these trying times, it does alarm me. As a recovering addict, any […]
Read More »A year ago, a close friend died after using spiked cocaine. A few months later, I sat with a mutual friend of ours and listened as he described how he was using substances far more since our friend’s death. I remember hearing stories like this as a kid and thinking that the addicts involved must […]
Read More »If you have been clean and sober for a while, you may want to start dating as a recovering addict. Dating is tricky for everyone, but for recovering addicts there are a number of potential landmines. These range from how a person will react to learning about your history of addiction to the potential of […]
Read More »If you spend any time in an alcohol and drug rehab center, you will start to see that trauma and addiction are linked. Many recovering addicts have stories of trauma, whether recent or from childhood. In fact, as many as two-thirds of addicts have experienced trauma in their pasts. But why are trauma and addiction […]
Read More »In alcohol and drug rehab, you may be referred to a dietitian. Improved dietary or nutrition habits are incredibly important for recovering addicts for two main reasons. Firstly drug and alcohol abuse come at a cost to your eating habits and physical health. Secondly, the way you feel physically impacts your mental health. But why […]
Read More »When I watch most TV series that portray addiction and rehab, I cringe inside. They show outdated clichés about addiction and mental health, and tend to portray treatment as something shapeless and deeply flawed. There is the trope of the main character saying something in a meeting that leaves everyone else shell-shocked, as if they […]
Read More »As a recovering addict, eating a healthy diet is part of your journey. But dieting can sometimes serve as a substitute for addiction, and eating disorders and addiction are sometimes connected. Eating healthy foods in moderation is a necessary learning curve for recovering addicts. Many people struggling with addiction stop eating healthy meals for a […]
Read More »Shame is a common narrative among people in drug rehab. Some have begun to feel shame over the course of their drug addiction, having hurt and even manipulated others. But many recovering addicts recall feeling shame long before they first abused drugs. There is a strong link between shame and drug addiction. An unresolved sense […]
Read More »Drug rehab is a wake up call for just about everyone who spends time there. You learn just how severely your addiction has impacted you and your loved ones. You discover the underlying causes of your addiction. And, of course, you learn one or more approaches to stop using drugs. But drug rehab also throws […]
Read More »Luxury drug rehab centers have mixed reputations. There are those who rave about their experience in luxury rehab. However, public perception does not always look at luxury drug rehab in a good light. Part of the reason for this is that drug addiction is a great equalizer. The richest of the rich and the poorest […]
Read More »One of the things COVID-19 has indirectly brought into the spotlight again is the negative effects of smoking. It’s not that we did not know smoking causes lung cancer and other terminal illnesses. However, with the coronavirus attacking the lungs, the danger for smokers became that much more immediate. But what does that mean for […]
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