Through engaging in a 12-Step recovery program, we begin to feel a connection to a power greater than ourselves for the first time. This can alternately be described as a “psychic change”—our thoughts and behaviors have shifted to a point where we no longer feel the need to use drugs or alcohol. This “spiritual experience”…
Mental illness and drug use seem to go hand-in-hand. Usually, mental illness leads to drug abuse as an attempt to self-medicate symptoms. However, using drugs also can lead to mental disorders by causing drastic changes in the chemistry of the brain. These brain changes can either cause mental disorders later in life, or cause latent…
Sobriety can seem like a scary prospect. After all, we have spent so much time in a state of addiction that we don’t know any other way to live. For most of us, drugs and alcohol were a way to control our emotions and problems—without these substances, what are we to rely on to make…
Everybody needs a motivational boost from time to time. We can easily fall victim to depression or self-pity in early recovery that keep us from feeling excited about all that sobriety has to offer. If we can stay inspired, we won’t lose the spark that keeps us going in our recovery. Inspiration seems to come…
People rarely consider cannabis, or marijuana, to be a drug that requires treatment. However, the disease of addiction is indiscriminate. Although physical dependence does not develop, people can become just as psychologically addicted to cannabis as any other substance. A man or woman who has the disease of addiction can face major consequences and lose…
We strive for feelings of peace and serenity in our recovery. When we are at ease with ourselves and the outside world, we don’t feel the familiar compulsion to use alcohol and drugs because we no longer need to “fix” anything in our lives.Meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, a 12-Step recovery fellowship, open each meeting with…
Alcoholism and addiction are generally spoken of as two different things. The differences, however, had more to do with social factors rather than the disease of addiction. When looking at the reasons why a person develops alcoholism and addiction, there are virtually no differences. Historically, the first recovery programs were designed for the treatment of…
Alcohol’s status as a legal intoxicant makes it no less dangerous than most illicit substances. Chronic consumption of alcohol can be devastating to the brain and body, leading to serious health complications or early death. Excessive alcohol consumption is the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The effects of acute alcohol…
Addiction is powerful. We can put together some time sober, but inevitably the urge to pick up a drink or a drug strikes us. In early recovery, this is a constant source of anxiety, agitation, and worry. We must remember that cravings are temporary. If we can get through the moment of obsession without drinking…
“A grateful alcoholic never relapses” is a common saying in the recovery community that has been shown to be true. Approaching each day with a sense of appreciation puts us in much less danger of ruminating on the bad things in our lives and helps us maintain our sobriety. Here are three tips to practice…
CHANGE YOUR STORY
OCEANFRONT RECOVERY CENTER