In recent years, psychotherapeutic interventions have begun to favor cognitive approaches to healing because of their ability to prove useful under the scrutiny of empirical studies. While this has been very exciting, conversely, it can also lead to an approach towards addiction treatment where deeper wounds can often be unattended to in favor of strategies […]
Journaling is a common practice among people recovering from addiction. Journaling is simple. You only need a notebook and a pen to get started. Despite its simplicity–or perhaps because of it–journaling is one of the most powerful ways to improve your mental health. It’s best to write every day at a regular time. It doesn’t […]
Part of a strong recovery is finding engaging new activities to give yourself a sense of direction and keep from getting bored. Learning new skills is good for your self-confidence and helps connect you to other people with similar interests. Gardening can be an especially good activity for people recovering from addiction. Here’s why. It […]
Spending more time in nature is good for you, especially if you’re recovering from addiction or mental illness. Whether you just take a daily walk in the park or go camping for two weeks in Yosemite, science keeps discovering new ways that nature is good for your physical and mental health. Here are some of […]
There are many sticking points between addiction and recovery. At first, most people won’t even admit they have a problem. Eventually, they may accept they have a problem and that they need help, but they may have many excuses not to get it. While some of these excuses may sound convincing, what’s typically going on […]
No one wants to see a friend or family member suffer. It’s natural to want to help. Unfortunately, helping doesn’t always help. Sometimes helping just allows your loved one to feed her addiction. When someone becomes addicted, the addiction becomes her top priority. She will do whatever is necessary to satisfy it. She may become […]
It’s normal, and perhaps inevitable to try to gauge your progress by looking around and seeing how others are doing. It’s hard to know if we’re heading in the right direction, especially when trying something new. While comparing yourself to others might be tempting, it can make recovery more difficult. Here’s why. Comparisons are divisive. […]
Self-loathing is a common obstacle to recovery. It often comes before addiction. Drinking and drugs may have been a way to escape a constant assault of self-critical thoughts and painful memories. In the course of active addiction, many people end up feeling even worse about themselves. They may have done things they feel terrible about, […]
Children of parents with substance use disorders are often anxious, unsure what kind of mood their parents might be in, whether they might be happy, angry, or indifferent. Children in this position often adapt by being extra helpful to try to win the kindness, attention, or approval of her parents. This tendency, learned early on, […]
Fear of missing out, or FOMO can be a challenge for people in addiction recovery, especially younger people. They often feel like the best thing in life is gone forever, like the good times will never be quite as good again. They see their peers drinking and having fun and feel like they can’t be […]
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