To truly embrace your sobriety and recovery, you may have to change previous habits and behaviors. People compulsively use drugs or alcohol for different reasons, but many of them often indulge while with friends, at parties, during special events such as the holidays or other celebrations, or after work with colleagues. So, to adapt behavior...

At any time, someone may become so overwhelmed by certain emotions they revert to unhealthy habits. For someone previously addicted to drugs or alcohol, this tendency isn’t greater or worse—just different. Resiliency has a lot to do with how we react to negative circumstances. The definition of resilience is “the capacity to recover quickly from...

Let’s be honest: if you need substance abuse treatment, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is. It’s always going to be a challenging, life-changing decision. During the holidays, we often associate an idyllic greeting card experience with resolving all of our problems. We extend a lot of “if onlys” wishes upon the wonder...

You Can Stay Focused and Have Fun Sometimes, resisting the urge to drink is more than just saying no. You need solid intention and a step-by-step plan to stay focused on goals and avoid relapse. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sober socializing, holiday parties, or other large celebratory gatherings. However, you do need to...

Faith and the Holiday Season Regardless of how religious you are or what denomination of faith you follow, there’s something about the holiday season that often encourages a deeper relationship with spirituality. If you’re in recovery from substance abuse, you might be drawn to the ease and goodwill associated with a foundation of faith as...

You Have Options Joining friends and family for a night of celebration is totally an option when you’re choosing to live sober. Although New Year’s Eve is traditionally associated with debauchery, it doesn’t have to be, and you can still enjoy celebrating with family even when you’re remaining sober. Take a peek at New Year’s...

The Winter Months In the winter–when temperatures drop, daylight lessens, and holiday stress overwhelms–it is pretty common for people to feel sad. But there’s sad and then there’s SAD—or seasonal affective disorder. For those struggling with this mood disorder, wintertime can feel especially difficult. For some people, the overwhelming negative feelings associated with SAD can...

There you are, standing by the buffet table at your grandmother’s house, when Uncle Fred slips up beside you and says, “So! You’re fresh out of rehab! How ya’ feelin’?” Now what? Whether you’re gathered with family during the holiday season or helping your cousin move across town, don’t be surprised if people want to...