I had no idea that sobriety was anything more than getting clean. I thought, “I stop drinking, and I get my life back.” I quickly realized, however, that abstinence was only the first step towards my happily ever after. Suddenly, I was being repeatedly slapped in the face with all of these emotions that
Detoxing from drugs or alcohol is a long, painful process, where your body adjusts to not having a substance. While the worst is over after the first few weeks, you still have to deal with cravings, which will range from mild to extremely intense. Learning to cope with cravings in early recovery is crucial
Recovering from an addiction to alcohol can be demanding and difficult, especially as you work your way back into your life and career. However, as you do, there are plenty of supports and tools you can use to help. Exercise is one of those tools because it helps you to fight cravings and offers
I relapsed again. I felt like crap and was afraid my husband would run out of patience and leave me. He can’t understand why I don’t just tell him when something triggers it, but it’s just not that simple. Any event, stressful interaction, or relationship difficulty can trigger a relapse. Since they are often
Whether you’re recently sober or have been clean for some time, traveling anywhere on vacation can be a test of your sobriety. Because many vacation destinations and even business events focus heavily on alcohol and drinking in social settings, traveling may mean being constantly exposed to temptation, being pressured into drinking by friends and
Recovering from a substance addiction is a long process that requires perseverance, changing your habits, and changing your life. While cravings get better over time, you will have to learn with long-term side effects from the substance that can and will make it more likely for you to relapse. Relapse triggers can be found
I used to think that recovery was at the end of a long road, but recovery doesn’t end with getting sober. Instead, it is the beginning of something brand new. I learned that this beginning involved my brain and giving it time to rebuild connections that changed while I was in my addiction. My
College is a time when we are supposed to be learning, planning our careers, and making the best choices for our futures. It’s also a time when many are expected and even encouraged to let loose, party, and drink heavily. Heavy partying and drinking are so associated with university life that websites even maintain
When you are in recovery from an addiction you may feel a variety of emotions. When this happens you may experience the feeling of having a variety of thoughts that are conflicting and may be negative or confusing. When we are going through stressful times we may not have a clear idea of what
For those of us who are in recovery, the holidays can be like navigating a minefield. I find myself agreeing to attend parties and other events where alcohol and drugs are going to be present, because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I suffer for it. My emotions run high, and I
