Blog

Active addiction involves avoiding emotions. Drinking or using drugs when you are sad, angry, happy, frustrated, excited, or nervous can numb all of these necessary emotions; you might even feel more comfortable in this numb state. However, a significant part of recovery is learning how to confront your feelings. Part of this is having to process difficult emotions to move forward; during this process, you might even long to return to the numb feeling, but this is no way to overcome and healthily feel emotions. Emotions are natural and necessary to life and recovery. The key is being able to process a difficult feeling and find balance within yourself. Many common emotions stand in your way in early recovery; luckily, there are ways to manage these emotions so that you may find balance.

Why It's Important to Maintain Relationships

Recovery can be an experience that helps you overcome your addiction and offer inner growth and peace. However, it can also come with many new pressures and cause isolation. Among some of the most formidable challenges faced in recovery is re-building your past and new relationships; however, you might avoid getting attached for fear of hurting yourself and other people.

How Does Social Media Normalize Substance Use?

Young adults deciding to experiment with drugs and alcohol is nothing new. However, in the digital age, social media offers new and dangerous opportunities to influence young adults. Teenagers and young adults are uniquely impressionable to what they see on social media because they are also highly susceptible to peer influences and pressures. Seeing others participate in risky behavior can cause those influenced to also engage in such behavior.

Signs Your Relationship is Toxic

When most think of a toxic relationship, they often tend to think and evaluate romantic relationships, but any relationship can be toxic. It can be challenging in early recovery to identify who is sincere in putting your recovery first and who might be manipulating you. A toxic relationship can give you a negative perspective on your recovery and deter you from pursuing the life you deserve. To understand if you are in a toxic relationship, first know that you are no longer the person you were when using. You decided to get help and get better, and now it's time to surround yourself with positive people who are supportive and willing to help.

The Benefits of Sound Baths

The term sound bath might leave you believing that this is a modern age concept used to heal the mind, body, and soul. However, sound bath therapy has been around for thousands of years and is utilized by ancient cultures worldwide. Despite this being a thousand-year-old practice, the term sound bath leaves many wondering just what exactly it is and can they benefit from it? The answer, in short, is yes. Not only can this experience help you tap into knowing and understanding your innermost self, but it can inspire internal transformation.

How Can Volunteer Work Benefit My Recovery?

Giving back to the recovery community is one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do for your recovery. Not only does it help support another person going through a difficult time, but it is a meaningful activity that can strengthen your bonds with your recovery and others. Volunteer work also does not have to be centered within the field of recovery to be an effective way to show support and gratitude. If you are passionate about the volunteer work you are doing, it might lead to a career opportunity through the organization or another volunteer opportunity. Ultimately, staying active through healthy and meaningful practices that give you purpose are always beneficial for your recovery.

Identifying and Understanding Your Triggers

Understanding your triggers can be one of the most challenging things to do. It is hard to understand just what and when you might have a negative or impulsive emotional response to certain situations. There are many different ways we distract ourselves from negative feelings: television, the internet, news, social media platforms, and conversations with friends and family. However, such distractions can enact a triggering response. These negative feelings and thoughts can create shame and guilt - you might feel like you are not living up to your expectations.

The Relationship Between Physical Health and Mental Health

Mental and physical health aren't typically viewed as related and often treated and diagnosed separately. The difference between mental and physical health is not as apparent as one might think and should not be considered in such a way. Your mental and physical wellbeing share a relationship; mental health directly impacts your physical health, and your physical impacts your mental health. Neglect to manage either can lead to certain heart diseases, stress disorders, and sleep disorders, thus hindering the quality of your life and recovery.

How Can I Help My Partner Cope With Trauma?

Experiencing a traumatic event can cause the development of many symptoms that impair a person's ability to function. These symptoms go beyond the person traumatized and can affect the people closest to them, especially their partner. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), trauma can also decrease relationship satisfaction and impair emotional expression, sexual activity, intimacy, communication, and adjustment.

The Benefits of Group Therapy

The idea of participating in group therapy can feel intimidating, especially with the thought of having to express your inner thoughts and emotions amongst other people. However, these professionally guided group therapy sessions can be some of the most beneficial experiences you have in your life. Studies show that most participants express how rewarding their experiences are in group therapy sessions. If you have been wondering if pursuing group therapy sessions to help with your recovery regimen is for you, here is a look at some benefits that group therapy sessions o