Alcoholics and drug addicts typically go through a common array of emotions in an addiction recovery program. Following the initial period of physical withdrawal, they will experience periods of exhaustion, then elation as they enjoy their first days away from the substances that they have abused. They inevitably hit a period of boredom and fatigue
Tag: Self Improvement
Being a Man Means Admitting When You Screwed Up
History is replete with examples of men who have proven the aphorism that “the cover-up is worse than the crime.” It may be out of vogue in popular culture to discuss how a person can achieve or improve a level of “manliness”, but admitting and taking ownership of mistakes is a hallmark of maturity and
Equine Therapy Helps Get Your Feet on the Ground
Animals have been incorporated into therapies for a variety of conditions. Therapy dogs, for example, are common in senior citizen centers, nursing homes, and hospitals, where they are used to brighten the days of patients confined to their beds or hospital rooms for extended treatments. The use of horses in equine therapy is currently a
Putting a Stop to Your Self-Harm
In their hard rock song, Hurt, the Nine Inch Nails sing the lyric “I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real.” This lyric accurately depicts self-harm as a mechanism to cope with numbness and buried pain. If you have adopted this coping mechanism
An Introduction to a Traditional 12-Step Addiction Recovery Program
Traditional 12-step addiction recovery programs have been endorsed by numerous public health organizations, including the U.S. National Institute of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the American Psychiatric Association, and the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, as a cost effective approach to addiction treatment and recovery. They have been proven effective to
Exercise In Recovery
Our country is full of people who suffer from depression, anxiety, or other mental conditions, take medication for it, and yet do not exercise. We tend to skip over it because our culture excuses it for a number of reasons. It’s difficult and easy to brush aside. Our culture is hectic, rushed, and hardworking, so
Why Cocaine Overdose Is a Real Danger
Cocaine, a stimulant manufactured from the coca plant, causes increased feelings of alertness, euphoria, and well-being. This is not without consequence. Cocaine use also carries with it intense side-effects that can cause death if the user ingests too much of the drug. Fortunately, cocaine overdose is preceded by a variety of symptoms that can be
Sobriety Is Sexy
Maybe you started using to fit in. Maybe it does help you fit in—with the wrong people. When it comes to finding a significant other, drug use is seldom thought of as an attractive quality. The dating world may consist of a lot of bars and wining and dining, but more important than that is
Am I a Failure For Relapsing?
It may feel like it. After all, the objective was not to relapse—right? Actually, no, not exactly: the objective was—and still is—to recover. Relapse is just a bump in the road, so long as you don’t let it stop you from continuing your journey. If relapse meant failure, then the world wouldn’t be full
Staying Sober On the Road
The trucking business is, unfortunately, infamous for having a large number of drug-addicted drivers. There are numerous reasons for the paradigm. It’s hard for addicts to stay sober on the road. They have no support network, or company at all. They are confined to a routine of little activity, and a lot time to juggle