Category: QA

One of the things we learn as recovering addicts is just how harmful it can be to deny and suppress our feelings. The more we avoid feeling our difficult emotions, the harder they become to deal with, and we develop coping mechanisms that often coincide with, or develop into, addictive patterns. Many of us feel […]

Each of us has a different and unique experience with mental illness and addiction, and we each will have to undergo a journey of self-exploration to figure out what might have caused these issues in the first place. Many of us feel as though we can very clearly identify the root of our mental and […]

Sometimes when we dissociate, or numb and detach ourselves from our pain, we’ve detached from certain truths and not others. Sometimes we can be fully aware of the extent of our addictions, and even of our mental health issues, but the reality of it all is just too much for us to bear. We feel […]

Dissociation is one of the many mental health patterns we can develop, especially after we’ve endured crippling trauma, grief, loss, and other painful experiences. Dissociation can lead to habitual behavioral patterns that we often aren’t conscious of but that can become our default habits. It can morph into anxiety disorders or identity/personality disorders. Dissociation refers […]

 As recovering addicts, we’re no strangers to loss. We’ve lost loved ones to their addictions. We’ve damaged and lost relationships because of our problems with addiction. We’ve experienced a great deal of tragedy, trauma, and grief related to addiction in our lives. The losses we’ve sustained can play a huge role in our recovery, both […]

Denial, often considered the very first stage of addiction recovery, is also one of our go-to coping mechanisms. It is a form of emotional suppression, and we deny not only the traumas we’ve experienced but also the various feelings we’ve accumulated over the years related to those traumas, causing ourselves considerable mental and emotional suffering. […]

Part of our work in recovery is taking inventory of the ways in which we’ve harmed other people, what mistakes we’ve made, and how we’ve impacted our relationships in order to make amends as part of our healing journey. Sometimes this part of the process can be extremely difficult for us. We’re afraid of being […]

When we think of relapse, we think of falling back into our addictive patterns and picking up our drug of choice again after working so hard to get sober. We think of the temptation, addictive urges, and compulsive behaviors we associate with it. There are in fact other ways to relapse that don’t necessarily involve […]

If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide, PLEASE call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). As we’re working to get stronger, and as we’re healing ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually, some of our most challenging work revolves around our fears and how we deal with them. Upon examining our addictive patterns more closely, many […]

Our recovery program can include multiple components to help us get well, and one that is growing in popularity is working with a recovery coach. Our treatment usually includes therapy, most commonly psychotherapy, traditional talk-therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapies. As treatment centers are taking on even more holistic approaches to recovery, they’re incorporating recovery coaches […]