Getting to the Roots of Your Addiction
The phrase “knowledge is power” rings true when it comes to addiction recovery. Learning about addiction and sobriety—and yourself—is really helpful. Becoming self-aware means learning your triggers and how to cope with them. It also means learning some of the things that led you to drink or use, so that you can address any underlying […]
Learning About Yourself in Recovery
In active addiction—especially for people who started drinking or using early—it’s hard to form a sense of self. Your self during that time is under the influence of or recovering from substances. Addiction often stunts your emotional development. In recovery, you learn who you are without substances. This can seem overwhelming—especially in early sobriety—but it […]
There Are Many Pathways to Recovery
The first time I tried to get sober, I followed two friends into recovery and did exactly what they did. It lasted about two months—which was a lifetime of sobriety for me then, but a lot shorter than I meant to make it. When I got sober this time, nearly eight years ago and six […]
Coping With Restlessness in Recovery
I’ve heard addiction described as using something outside yourself to cope with internal pain. I’ll be eight years sober this August, and that still comes up for me sometimes, though it’s gotten exponentially better. But when I do seek something external to cope with my pain, emotional restlessness often crops up. Restlessness happens then because […]
Getting Sober Is the First of Many Big Changes
When you first get sober, you don’t immediately know how to cope with challenges without substances, set boundaries, or any of the other things that often come with longer term sobriety. But once you get sober, you are able to do the work. Your brain and body will start healing once you quit drinking or […]
Healing in Recovery Includes Taking Care of Your Body
Getting physically sober is only the first part of recovery; it opens you up to start healing. But healing physically is part of this process. Many of us in recovery neglected basic self-care when we were in active addiction. Addiction often disconnects you from your body. Some of us with addiction may have already been […]
Recovery is a Collaboration Between Us All
Addiction recovery is a collaboration—between people in recovery, between those treating addiction, between people treating addiction and those struggling with it, and within communities. It benefits everyone if people in our communities are thriving. A microcosm of this idea—that supporting those with addiction helps everyone in the community—is true amongst those in recovery. A big […]
Learning From People in Recovery With Different Backgrounds
In recovery (and life), we have a lot to gain from learning about other people’s experiences. It can give us ideas for our own recovery, and help us get better at supporting one another. Mutual support is an important part of recovery. While people with addiction often have a lot about which we can relate, […]
This Too Shall Pass
Sobriety is a wonderful experience, but it doesn’t stop life. Life can be hard. Recovery allows us to work on the coping skills needed to face difficult experiences with strength. The phrase “this too shall pass” reminds us that suffering isn’t permanent. It’s a common phrase—but it’s used particularly often in the recovery world, and […]
When Things Don’t Go As Expected
Even if you’re working hard on yourself in recovery, you’re bound to experience moments that feel like “failures.” This is part of life, so it’s also part of recovery. Don’t Push the Feeling Aside Feelings of failure are often tied to disappointment. You have an expectation of how things will work out, and they don’t […]
