9 Tips for Building Self Esteem During Recovery
In recovery, many people have a wide range of feelings about the past, including guilt, shame, remorse, self-judgment, worry, and even fear. Depending on your experiences, you might struggle with self-confidence and self-esteem. In fact, commonly, substance use helps to mask those feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. But without the use of substances, those feelings [...]
How Grief and Substance Abuse Are Connected
Grief is an emotion that occurs after loss, especially the loss of a loved one. Symptoms of grief may be denial, shock, guilt, or anger. The trauma experienced from a loss of this kind can be all-consuming and debilitating, causing some individuals to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope or develop other mental health [...]
How Celebrating Stress Awareness Month Can Benefit Your Mental Health
April has been observed as Stress Awareness Month since 1992. This nationwide, collaborative effort aims to increase public awareness about the causes and effects of stress, which is considered by most in the healthcare field to be an epidemic in the United States. Stress is generally defined as any factor that causes physical, emotional, or […]
March Is Self-Harm Awareness Month
Throughout the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, March is recognized as Self-Harm Awareness Month, which calls attention to the nearly two million self-injury cases that occur each year. Much like addiction, self-harm occurs across all ages, races, religions, and socioeconomic and education levels. There is a strong connection between self-harm and substance addiction. At […]
Can an Obsession Lead to An Addiction?
An obsession is different than an addiction. An obsession is an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind. However, an addiction is an illness that affects the brain, causing a person to engage in compulsory substance use or addictive behaviors, such as gambling.
How to Cope with Being Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired (HALT)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been a lifesaver for many people. AA not only provides a recovering addict with a community of sober people (or at least trying to stay sober) but there is also an entire philosophy behind life after addiction. AA provides a clear set of guidelines, a map that will direct you out [...]
Don’t Let Loneliness Get in the Way of Living Sober
For those in recovery, loneliness can be a trigger for relapse. Spending time alone can make using drugs or drinking tempting, and some individuals might turn to substance abuse to feel relief from anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. Understanding how loneliness can be dangerous and having a plan for when this feeling strikes […]
Uniting to Show Support for Those Living with HIV and AIDS
Years ago, an HIV diagnosis was life-altering. Those who tested positive might have worried about how their relationships would change, about their physical health, and about transmitting it to others. However, today, many treatments exist for HIV and AIDS that allow those who have tested positive to live long, healthy, meaningful lives. Yet even though [...]
