Tag: addiction recovery
Here are five things I thought would really suck about quitting alcohol that ended up not sucking at all. I hope sharing what I feared about sobriety and recovery will help you realise that whatever your worries about going sober, things will likely not turn out as bad as…
Addicts detoxing from alcohol or drugs often find they have a very hard time sleeping. This is due to both the effects of the substance leaving their system, but can also be exacerbated by negative thoughts running through their minds. These may be guilty or…
Whether you’ve already been clean and sober for a while or are just starting on your recovery journey, you need a strong plan in place. Staying sober can be just as difficult as getting sober in the first place. Here are five tips to help…
People often pass off addictions to things other than drugs and alcohol, and perhaps gambling, as ‘not real’ addictions. Got a shopping addiction? Surely, you’re just a selfish spendthrift. Addicted to Facebook? The verdict: egomaniac. Addicted to a relationship? “I think someone’s needy!” People don’t seem…
12-step fellowships advise addicts to seek out similarities in others’ stories. In this guest article, award-winning memoirist Michele Kirsch shares how seeing her benzo addiction as different kept her in denial; and how identifying and connecting with other addicts helped her recover. My Anxiety Medication Led…
Once you’ve decided to stop drinking, one of the struggles you may face in sobriety is what to tell friends and family about your new lifestyle. You would expect people close to you to be supportive of you giving up alcohol. But in some cases,…
Quitting drinking has a multitude of benefits, whether you’ve merely misused the booze or you’re a full-blown alcoholic. But putting down the bottle rarely pays off immediately. You’ll know this if you’ve ever had a hangover. However, in the longer-term, quitting alcohol may well be…
Cross-addiction is common in recovery. It’s very frustrating to have quit a substance or behaviour you were hopelessly addicted to, only to find another addiction takes its place. Understanding the role of dopamine in addiction, and learning to balance it, can help you stop cross-addiction…
Mindfulness meditation is a tool I often use with clients who see me for addiction issues. So what is Mindfulness meditation – and why is it useful for addicts? I remember when I first heard of meditation, I thought it was a load of nonsense…
What a strange title. Is that what you’re thinking? Of course alcoholics should try to control their drinking! After all, their overuse of alcohol is causing them and everyone around them a lot of pain. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Not if you’re addicted to…
