Years ago, I seemed to have it all from the outside looking in: a great career, a handsome boyfriend, a large circle of friends. But, nothing I had was ever good enough for me and I constantly wanted more, making myself miserable through comparisons with friends as to what they had that I didn’t. It’s no surprise, then, that one night – when I was feeling sorry for myself – I drank too much and got behind the wheel, injuring two people on my way home.
With that one decision, my world turned upside down, and everything I had – including my freedom – disappeared. But hitting rock bottom forced me to start seeing the world in a different lens. Life wasn’t about having more than everybody else, I realized, but about being thankful for all I did have. This “attitude of gratitude” served me well throughout my prison sentence and stayed with me during all the years after my release, a habit that has led me to be happier and more at peace than I ever was as the person who supposedly “had it all” all those years ago.
Having an Attitude of Gratitude
Gratitude is a feeling of happiness that comes from appreciating what you have in your life, and it is a crucial component to being successful in recovery. When people are grateful to be sober, they will have motivation to do what is needed in order to protect their sobriety, and be less likely to develop negative “stinking thinking” and slip towards a relapse. They will also be able to face the challenges that confront them with hope and determination and see setbacks more as a chance to grow rather than as another instance where life handed them the short end of the stick. Finally, practicing gratitude in your recovery will enable you to focus on all the opportunities a clean and sober life has opened up for you, rather than dwelling on all the things your addiction has taken away.
So what can you do to increase the gratitude in your life?
Being mindful of, and taking the time to appreciate, the little things that we experience each day is a great way to start. Whether it be as simple as savoring the smell of coffee in the morning, or basking in the sunshine when you go outside, appreciating life’s small blessings will put you in the proper mindset to overcome life’s obstacles and ultimately help you maintain long-term sobriety. And with it being the beginning of 2020, there’s no better time than now to start!
By: Natalie Baker
Title: Gratitude in the New Year
Sourced From: www.recovery.org/gratitude-in-the-new-year/
Published Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:01:53 +0000
At New Horizon Drug Rehab, we understand addiction. If you or a family member are afflicted with addiction or substance abuse we can help. We work with the top centers throughout the US to provide the best detox and addiction treatments available.
Call Now: (877) 747-9974
We are in the thick of the holiday season, and while this should be a joyful and celebratory time, it can be challenging for those of us trying to maintain our sobriety. But, dealing with an addiction doesn’t have to ruin your holiday fun. We’ve come up with seven tips to help keep you on the right track all the way through New Year’s Day.
Play the Tape All the Way Through.
More than likely, alcohol will be present in some form if you attend any holiday parties. So, in the event you’re hit with an unexpected craving, pause for a second and play the scenario out in your head. Remember all the destruction your addiction caused in the past and focus on all you’ve got going for you now. Sometimes taking a moment to think – rather than react – is all we need to get through a tempting situation.
Keep Your Hands Full.
If you’re out at a holiday gathering or New Year’s Eve party, make sure to always have a non-alcoholic drink in hand. This not only prevents others from handing you a cocktail, but it gives you something to sip on just in case temptation strikes. It also spares you from having to answer the “why aren’t you drinking?” question from others, which can get old real fast.
Give Back.
Serving others always has a way of shifting the focus off yourself. It helps zap those feelings of negativity, like resentment, sadness and shame, while also giving you a different kind of “high.” So, if you’re feeling a little low, volunteer at the local food bank or help gift wrap for a local charitable organization. Giving back is guaranteed to help you get into the spirit of the season and remind you of all you have to be thankful for.
Stay Connected.
Holidays have a way of bringing out the loneliness sometimes, especially if we’re away from family or not in a relationship. So, it’s natural for us to resort to old habits and isolate when we’re feeling down. However, a lot can be gained from spending time with others, so surround yourself with loved ones – those who you can be open and honest with, as well as those who support you no matter what.
Avoid Slippery Places.
This goes without saying, but if a holiday event is being held at one of the bars you used to frequent, do not attend. As the Big Book says, we don’t have to live in fear of alcohol (or drugs), but we do have to respect its power over us. Part of respecting that power is avoiding places or situations that are likely to lead us back to drinking or drugging.
Make “Me” Time a Priority.
Just because it’s a busy time of year doesn’t mean you need to completely neglect your needs. To preserve your sanity and overall happiness, you must take time for yourself. Whether it’s carving out time to exercise during the week or scheduling a mani/pedi, it’s important that you take care of your physical and mental well-being. To do this, make sure to schedule and calendar personal time the same way you would school and work responsibilities.
Stick to Routine.
No matter how stressful the holiday season becomes, remember to get plenty of rest, practice healthy eating habits, go to meetings and exercise regularly. In other words, stick to your recovery routine as much as possible.
Happy Holidays!
By: Natalie Baker
Title: Tips for Battling Relapse Over the Holidays
Sourced From: www.recovery.org/tips-for-battling-relapse-over-the-holidays/
Published Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2019 20:08:07 +0000
At New Horizon Drug Rehab, we understand addiction. If you or a family member are afflicted with addiction or substance abuse we can help. We work with the top centers throughout the US to provide the best detox and addiction treatments available.
Call Now: (877) 747-9974
Drinking to excess doesn’t just affect the person doing it. Just ask me, a convicted drunk driver. In 2009, I crashed into a car waiting at a stoplight after leaving a happy hour, causing serious injury to two of its passengers. My decision to get behind the wheel after having too many glasses of wine had far-reaching effects, not only for myself, but also for the innocent families I’d hurt.
The Secondhand Harms of Drinking…
Unfortunately, the people I’d injured weren’t the only ones to experience the harms of someone else’s drinking. According to a recent study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, about one-fifth of adults in the United States have been negatively impacted by someone else’s behavior while drinking. More specifically, it found that an estimated 53 million adults in 2015 – or nearly 1 in 5 – said they’d experienced at least one harm attributable to someone else’s drinking in the past year.
8,750 adults were interviewed as part of the study, with each being asked whether they had experienced any of 10 different types of harm in the past 12 months caused by “someone who had been drinking.” The types of harms included harassment, feeling threatened or afraid, having belongings ruined, having property vandalized, being pushed, hit or assaulted, being physically harmed, being in a traffic accident, being a passenger in a vehicle with a drunk driver, having family or marital problems, and having financial trouble. The researchers found that 21% of women and 23% of men in the study reported experiencing at least one of the above harms, with harassment being the most prevalent type.
The study also revealed interesting results from a gender perspective. For women, the most prevalent types of harm they experienced, besides harassment, were family and financial problems due to someone else’s drinking, as well as driving-related harms, such as being a passenger in a car crashed by a drunk driver. For men, however, the driving-related harms were the most common, followed by property damage and vandalism. Additionally, the data showed that women were more likely than men to report harm by someone they knew, such as a spouse, partner or family member. Men, on the other hand, were more likely to report harm because of a stranger’s drinking.
A Call for Further Research
The study had some limitations, however. One was that the data was self-reported, which has the tendency to lead to bias if the respondents weren’t answering the survey questions honestly. Secondly, the study was limited to a year’s timespan, which rules out those who’ve been harmed by someone else’s drinking at other times in their life. As a result, the researchers believed that the negative impacts of alcohol on people other than the drinker might be underestimated. As such, more research is needed to determine whether similar findings would emerge for other years, since the data was collected in 2014 and 2015.
By: Natalie Baker
Title: New Study Finds Secondhand Harms of Drinking Affect 1 in 5 Adults
Sourced From: www.recovery.org/secondhand-harms-of-drinking/
Published Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:31:07 +0000
At New Horizon Drug Rehab, we understand addiction. If you or a family member are afflicted with addiction or substance abuse we can help. We work with the top centers throughout the US to provide the best detox and addiction treatments available.
Call Now: (877) 747-9974
This month is Recovery Month. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Recovery Month aims to increase awareness of mental health and substance abuse issues nationwide every September, as well as celebrate the millions of Americans who are in recovery.
2019 Recovery Theme
The 2019 Recovery Month theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger,” emphasizes the need to share resources and build networks across the country to support recovery. From community members to first responders, emerging leaders to the healthcare community, this observance reminds us that mental illness and substance abuse affects us all, and that we are all part of the solution.
Recovery Month began in 1989 as Treatment Works! Month, which honored the work of substance use treatment professionals in the field. It then evolved into National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in 1998, when it expanded to include celebrating the accomplishment of individuals in recovery from substance use disorders. The observance evolved once again in 2011 to National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) to also include mental illness.
Now in its 30th year, Recovery Month highlights inspiring stories of those in recovery to show people facing mental and substance use disorders that hope, help and support are available, and that one can find the healing and personal growth needed to recover. The Recovery Month observance also helps raise awareness of those who struggle with these two disorders, as well as reduces the stigma and misconceptions that cloud public understanding of them, which can discourage others from seeking help.
Looking Forward to Recovery
Over the years, Recovery Month has inspired millions of people to share their stories of recovery and encouraged others, who are still in need of services and support, to reach out for help. It has also increased awareness of mental illness and substance use disorders, which is important since their effects are being felt all around the country and in our communities. In 2017, an estimated 35.4 million adults (14.3 percent) in U.S. households had mental illness in the past year and 18.7 million had a substance use disorder, according to a recent SAMHSA study. Approximately 8.5 million had both a mental and substance use disorder (co-occurring disorders), proving that these are very significant public health issues that are worthy of help and support from the community.
For more information on this year’s Recovery Month, please visit https://recoverymonth.gov/.
By: Natalie Baker
Title: Observing Recovery Month in September
Sourced From: www.recovery.org/observing-recovery-month-in-september/
Published Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 14:00:29 +0000
At New Horizon Drug Rehab, we understand addiction. If you or a family member are afflicted with addiction or substance abuse we can help. We work with the top centers throughout the US to provide the best detox and addiction treatments available.
Call Now: (877) 747-9974
If you’ve ever had to ask yourself “what happened last night?” after drinking or had to piece the night together with a limited memory, chances are you’ve experienced a blackout. And trust me, it’s not a fun experience to have.
The Science of Blackouts
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, blackouts are gaps in recall caused by impairments in memory consolidation while intoxicated. They happen when a person drinks enough alcohol to prevent the hippocampus area in the brain from forming new memories. As a result, a gap occurs in the brain’s record-keeping system, thereby leaving the person unable to recall all that transpired.
A blackout isn’t the same as passing out – quite different, actually. When a person passes out, they lose consciousness in a state similar to being asleep, although they are not likely to respond to stimuli like being poked or spoken to. When a person blacks out, on the other hand, they remain conscious and may continue to make decisions, hold conversations and even continue to drink. Yet, they will not remember what happened. This can be extremely dangerous, as the person could get behind the wheel and drive recklessly, have unwanted or unprotected sex, use drugs or perform other risky behaviors that could lead to permanent harm to themselves or others.
Two Types of Blackout
Generally, there are two forms of blackouts: partial/fragmentary and complete. The most common form is the fragmentary blackout, which means that the person may not immediately remember what happened, but certain cues can trigger memories to return. En bloc or complete blackouts, however, are more serious. These occur when memory is totally disabled, feeling like entire chunks of time are erased or never even happened. It’s often referred to as “time traveling,” because no matter how hard a person tries, they will never be able to recall these periods of time. The memories were never formed, and thus, simply don’t exist.
While there is no specific type of person who will have a blackout, research indicates that one is more likely to occur when alcohol enters the bloodstream quickly, causing the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to rise rapidly. This could happen if someone drinks on an empty stomach or consumes an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time. Factors, such as your weight and the type of alcohol consumed, also come into play. Finally, women are more likely to have blackouts than men, due to their tendency to reach higher peak BAC levels with each drink.
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Photos Courtesy of Shutterstock
By: Natalie Baker
Title: What Happens During a Blackout – and Why They are Dangerous
Sourced From: www.recovery.org/what-happens-during-a-blackout-and-why-they-are-dangerous/
Published Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2019 14:00:09 +0000
At New Horizon Drug Rehab, we understand addiction. If you or a family member are afflicted with addiction or substance abuse we can help. We work with the top centers throughout the US to provide the best detox and addiction treatments available.
Call Now: (877) 747-9974
