Monthly Archives: November 2020

Learning to Forgive Yourself

Many times in life, we are presented with an opportunity to forgive someone. A person will ask for forgiveness for something they said or did, hoping for acceptance and amnesty. Often, people find they can extend that courtesy to someone else, yet they find it difficult to forgive themselves. This double standard can do real […]

How Creating a Self-Care Package Helps Heal You

One of the most challenging lessons that come during recovery is learning to take care of yourself. Whether you are dealing with alcohol, drugs, or coping with a mental illness, self-care is a challenging concept. You’ve no doubt spent a lot of time not caring for yourself, which made it that much easier to live […]

How to Stop Being Stuck in the Past

past

One of the common traits of experiencing mental health issues like depression and anxiety is spending time wishing we could change our past. People tend to relive their past decisions and experiences while focusing on how they wish they had chosen differently or reacted in another way. Unfortunately, remaining rooted in the past can never […]

Why Medically-Supervised Detoxing Is Best

detox

When a person is addicted to alcohol or drugs, they often find themselves in need of detoxification, also called detox. The idea of going cold turkey off alcohol, prescription drugs, or street drugs frightens most people. Still, getting off the substance they abuse is critical to their physical and mental health. Even when a person […]

How Fake Social Media Lives Can Leave You Feeling Inferior

Social media websites are popular ways to stay in touch with friends and family, make new acquaintances, and promote hobbies or work. Facebook boasts 2.7 billion monthly active users, Twitter has 330 million, and 1 billion people enjoy Instagram. Taken at face value, social media sites are about letting others peek into the significant moments […]

Do You Have the Winter Blues, or is It SAD?

winter

This time of year means a time change, shorter days, and colder weather. For some people, the focus is on the holidays and breaking out favorite sweaters. For others, it brings on a bout of negative moods many call the winter blues, but it may be more than that. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a […]

The Return of Sports and Staying Sober

The advent of COVID-19 affected the social lives and entertainment schedules of many people. One of the biggest adjustments for sports fans this year has been the loss or delay of live games such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Many people experienced a real feeling of deprivation when they spent months without watching regular […]

Do You Have an Intimacy Disorder?

Many people find that they experience difficulty in maintaining healthy, long-lasting romantic relationships. They may not know that they have an intimacy disorder related to both emotional and sexual issues. It can help to understand that there is a name for what is going on. This isn’t a personal failure on one’s part when it […]

Are You Ready to Be a Sponsor?

Many people who attend 12-step groups ask someone in the group to be their sponsor. A sponsor is someone farther along in recovery who feels comfortable offering support and guidance to another group member. After a certain time of benefitting from having a sponsor, individuals may feel they are ready to step up and become […]

What to Do Before Leaving for Residential Treatment

Committing to going into a residential program to treat an addiction or a mental health condition is a brave decision. The next step can seem complicated because of questions like: what do you do between now and when you leave for treatment? There are a few basic things to consider so that you are ready […]