Most of the work you have to do in recovery requires some grit. You have to confront old wounds and examine some aspects of yourself you may not like. You have to learn constructive ways to deal with stress and wait out cravings. You have to make lifestyle changes like eating better and exercising. You […]
Addiction Resources
In Recovery, Focus on Essentials
You’ll have no shortage of advice about what to do in recovery. People will tell you to eat right, exercise, go to meetings, work the steps, make new friends, get plenty of sleep, and the list goes on. Most of this is no doubt good advice, especially if it comes from someone you trust, like […]
The Pros and Cons of Coffee at AA Meetings
Nearly everyone in recovery drinks coffee. It’s a fixture at AA meetings, along with pastries and cigarettes. It’s commonly said that coffee is just one way recovering alcoholics replace their addiction to alcohol, but is that all it is? There may be some good reasons for drinking coffee in recovery. There may also be some […]
Why is Quitting Benzos So Hard?
Benzodiazepines are a prescription medication and are relatively common. They don’t cause euphoria like opioids and they aren’t ubiquitous like alcohol. Since they’re fast-acting, unlike SSRIs, you can take them only when you experience acute anxiety or can’t sleep. Benzos seem like a convenient and relatively harmless drug, yet it’s very hard to quit. What’s […]
Why Detoxing Alone Can Be Dangerous
It’s common for people wanting to get sober to shut themselves in their rooms and wait out the storm. The appeal of this approach is obvious. It’s free, for one thing. You also get to be somewhere safe, comfortable, and familiar while you spend a few days feeling awful. No one wants to see anyone […]
Does Adderall Really Improve Productivity?
Adderall has a reputation as a drug for overachievers. Every semester, students take Adderall to help them finish term papers and study for final exams. People working overtime use it to help them meet deadlines. The problem is that Adderall is basically prescription meth. Using it to get an edge at work or in school […]
Is Alcohol Addiction an Allergy?
There is a belief in AA that alcohol addiction is an allergy. This stems from an explanation in the Big Book about why some people are incapable of drinking alcohol in moderation. Dr. William Silkworth describes alcoholism as an allergy in ‘The Doctor’s Opinion’. He writes, ‘We believe […] that the action of alcohol on […]
How Alcohol Damages Your Immune System and Makes You Sicker
Most people know the feeling of waking up feeling sick after drinking a bit too much. While that feeling will go away within a day or two, regular drinking can impair your immune system, leading to more frequent infections and illnesses. In addition to being hungover, you are more likely to get the flu as […]
How to Tell Your Family You’re Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol
It’s not easy to face the possibility you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. When you do finally accept that you need help, you may face a new challenge: telling your friends and family. How do you tell the people who care about you that you have a problem with addiction? What will they […]
Can I Work the Steps if I’m not Religious?
People who are considering attending 12-step meetings are sometimes put off by the idea of a higher power. 12-step proponents often point to the loophole in step three that they ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him’. As we understood Him–see? Nothing […]
3 Ways to Build Empathy in Recovery
Empathy is a useful trait to have in recovery. It helps you support others and get out of your own head. It makes you more willing and eager to be of service. Empathy for the people you’ve hurt helps you make amends by showing people you understand what you put them through. Empathy also helps […]
How Keystone Habits Can Simplify Recovery
When you first get sober, you are faced with a conundrum: You have to make several major changes at once to maintain sobriety, but trying to make too many changes at once often results in failing to make any changes. How do you make the changes you need to make and still have a reasonable […]