Families with a loved one who is addicted are hurting families. Pain, fear and frustration come from watching someone they love fall between the cracks, perhaps to be lost forever, possibly to death. Then there is the chaos that addiction brings on the family - broken trust, lost intimacy, abandonment, financial disaster, etc. Families dealing with addiction are often stressed to the breaking... ❯❯❯
There's an old joke in addiction recovery circles that goes: Q: How does a codependent know they are dying? A: Someone else's life passes before their eyes. Ouch! Nasty... But therein lies the crux of a problem many loved ones of an addict may be facing. In essence, the challenge is how not to be consumed by a loved one's addictive habits. I Need a GPS! aka Guided Personal Support Loved ones... ❯❯❯
Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships - Steven R. Covey One of the most common requests I get for counselling is to help people with their relationships in recovery from addiction. This can mean anything from repairing current relationships to developing healthier connections in the... ❯❯❯
Families just don't know what to do with themselves when the designated alcoholic or addict gets sober. The first year of recovery is a time of confusion, joy, fear, anger, sadness, happiness-in short a full range of emotion. Most families don't what know to expect in that first year. They know the addict has gotten sober and that something has changed in the system. They know, too, that they are... ❯❯❯
Recovering people are often troubled by comparing their own experiences to the experiences described in 12 step meetings by others. They may have some unexpressed fears about whether or not their recovery is proceeding as quickly "as it should". A common concern is the persistence of "cravings" or "urges to drink/use". Generally speaking the longer that you are sober, the fewer cravings you will... ❯❯❯
One of the common experiences of the earliest efforts toward quitting drinking and becoming sober, is grief over the loss of the chemical. For many people with an alcohol or other drug problem, the chemical, (whether it is alcohol or oxycodone) has become the addict's best friend and constant companion. When this best friend is given up, the alcoholic/addict experiences grief. The chemical plays... ❯❯❯
The earliest efforts in addiction recovery involve attempts to interrupt the momentum of the addiction by abstaining from the chemical. Unfortunately, many people in early recovery have limited awareness of the impact of their drug use on their lives over time. They often do not fully understand the nature of addiction and rudimentary elements crucial to recovery. Many people attempt to halt... ❯❯❯
In my opinion, self-respect is the most important thing we have, as human beings. We can't buy it anywhere, no one else can give it to us, and without it our lives become much more difficult. If you are dealing with any kind of addictive behaviour such as alcohol or drug misuse, eating disorders, smoking, gambling, internet addiction, compulsive overspending or relationship addiction, becoming... ❯❯❯
These days, a lot of people have heard of the Serenity Prayer. Anyone who has gone to 12 Step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or Al-Anon for relief from alcohol or drug addiction will recognize this prayer as the group recitation at the end of these meetings. God, grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And... ❯❯❯
Detox rehab is not always successful. In fact, some people can receive drug addiction treatment and go right back to using soon after leaving the treatment facility. But it is also true that thousands of addicts finish detox and never use drugs again. So what is the difference between a successful drug rehab and an unsuccessful one? Here are some of the main factors that make drug rehab... ❯❯❯