Many of us fell so deeply into the cycle of addiction that we never had the opportunity to face the world successfully. We retreated into the illusion of comfort provided by drugs and alcohol and, as a result, remained in a state of arrested emotional development. Upon achieving sobriety, however, we found that we had…
DetailsWe can’t be happy all the time. We can, however, allow ourselves to maintain a positive outlook by making an effort to let go of negativity. It’s easy to get caught up in bad feelings, especially in early sobriety when our emotions tend to be heightened. When we break the cycle of pessimism and stay…
DetailsIt is sometimes easier to approach 12 Step recovery programs without any specific religious ideas because it allows one to be more open to the idea of a personal conception of a higher power. However, many people already have deeply held beliefs about God as a result of their religious beliefs. Fortunately, 12 Step Recovery…
DetailsAddiction is recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as Substance Use Disorders. These disorders vary based on the specific substance one is using, as well as the severity of the problem. The current edition of the DSM no longer uses the terms “substance abuse” and “substance dependence.” Rather,…
DetailsAs a part of 12 Step recovery, we go through a process of facing the facts about our past conduct, no matter how ugly it may have been. Many of us caused harm in our past sex relations, and we must come to a point of recognizing how we hurt other people. We come to…
DetailsAlcoholics Anonymous, the first 12 Step recovery fellowship, began after a meeting between Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in 1935. The basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous, known as the Big Book was first published in 1939 and explains the process of the 12 Steps. Since then, many other recovery fellowships have developed using Alcoholics…
DetailsOur past reliance on drugs was akin to a relationship. Drugs became our closest friends—we relied on them for a fleeting moment of relief from our inner turmoil, and overtime the relationship grew into complete dependence. Saying goodbye to something that we grew to depend on so strongly can be difficult, and we often go…
DetailsThere are many different opinions in the recovery community regarding prescription medication. Each person’s medical needs are different, and coming to the decision of whether or not to take prescribed medications depends on a variety of factors—namely, the specific medication, our need for it, and an honest evaluation of how strong we are in our…
DetailsThe first step toward recovering from addictions is admitting that there is a problem. For many of us, it took a long time to come to the conclusion that we were, in fact, suffering from a disease out of our control. We had lost the power of choice, and willpower was not sufficient in stopping…
DetailsGrounding can be an effective way to reduce stress and anxiety in early recovery. Grounding is a coping strategy that allows us to bring ourselves back into the present moment and pull ourselves out of the spiral of anxiety. When we begin to feel overwhelmed by stress or nearing panic, we can utilize a variety…
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