When people think of the addiction recovery journey, they usually focus on detox and rehab. However, breaking the chemical hold on the body is just the first step. If someone you care about is going through this process, you can help by motivating them in the next steps to a life free of substance addiction.
New Year’s resolutions are never about perfection, but rather making progress. It is difficult for many people to make New Year resolutions and abide by them for 365 days in a year, especially when their resolution concerns changing a habit they are used to or that is addictive. People need to realize that making a New Year’s resolution is only a tip of the iceberg. The whole iceberg emerges when it comes to the implementation of the resolution.
Resolutions are particularly a dilemma for people looking to enter recovery from certain addictions. Drug addiction, habit addiction, and any other forms of addiction defy the very nature of a person’s willingness, motivation, and determination to quit. Addiction does not listen to you when you make that New Year resolution to stop using drugs, drinking alcohol, or even stopping the habit of watching pornography. The resolution only holds for a while until the discomfort and urge to get back begins.
Company parties, neighborhood get-togethers, and family gatherings all add up to a lot of pressure for anyone recovering from a chemical dependence, whether it’s drugs or alcohol. But with a little discipline, a strong commitment and support from within yourself and people you trust, you can get through this stressful period sober.
Why are there billionaires who seem so dissatisfied with their lives, and then there are those who live with very little who feel like they have everything they need? The reason is simple, Gratitude! Gratefulness is a mental attitude completely independent of our circumstances and it can be developed. For those who are recovering from addiction, cultivating this positive outlook helps assure their future success. Having a grateful perception of the world around us can change roadblocks into opportunities -- the "bad" into "good". Out of challenges spring the fountain of growth.
Addiction is a deceptive by nature and addicts as well as their loved ones often fail to recognize it as the debilitating disease that it is because it lacks the more clearly defined perimeters of diseases such as cancer. It is often easy for everyone involved to dismiss addiction issues as moral failings or personal weaknesses, and addicts frequently lose their sense of self-worth as a result of this type of judgmental reaction. Interactions with friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances involving anger and frustration over the addict's behavior further erode their self-esteem.
With Mother's Day weekend nearly here you will see a lot of advertisements for gifts and flowers and other tokens of affection. But if your family is struggling with drug addiction or alcohol addiction, one of the best gifts you can give is the dedication to staying sober. Whether your mother is your inspiration for remaining sober, or you are a mother (or father) wanting to stay sober for your children, there are many reasons on this Mother's Day to choose sobriety. Pathways Real Life Recovery is here to help.
If you are in recovery, negative thoughts may try to plague your life. These types of thoughts can make you feel as if your life isn’t going anywhere, and can ultimately hurt your recovery process. This is why being thankful is important. Being thankful is about focusing on the good things in your life; the things that make you happy and make your life feel full. A positive attitude has been shown to help those in recovery not only recover faster, but also reduce the chances of relapse. Why? Those who are thankful and positive often:
For 100 years, the so called “war on drugs” has waged. Thousands and thousands of people have lost their lives, few of that number being actual addicts. Billions have been spent, yet the rates of addiction and drug sales are going nowhere but up—Why? Every day in Utah, another loved one of an addict finds themselves asking that question, “Why?” It is the same question asked by the world renowned author of the book “Chasing the Scream”, Johann Hari, when she set out on her eye-opening 30,000 mile journey around the globe to find the answer. What she found was astonishing. Everything that society has been taught, everything that people think they know and everything that is believed about the “war on drugs,” as well as addiction, is wrong.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain. It causes changes in the neural pathways that remember the pleasures of activities such as eating, sex, alcohol and drug use, gambling, etc. When triggered, these pleasurable memories cause an overwhelming desire to repeat the experience. Without the proper skills to overcome this desire, and without dealing with the root causes of the issues that led to the addictions to begin with, it’s easy to fall into the cycle of addiction. After all, pleasure is a hard thing to resist.
In recovery, you heard a lot about emotions, spirituality, and self-awareness. One thing you probably didn't hear enough about was money management even though it might be one of the most important keys to a successful recovery. Why? Many addicts use up their entire life savings to fund their addiction. As soon as they receive cash, they spend it on drugs until they find their way into homelessness, poverty, and debt. Even those who don't find themselves in financial ruin begin to associate spending money with the rush of getting high. This can turn money into a powerful trigger or lead to spending on other things becoming a replacement addiction. For these reasons, money management is just as important as the "Big Three" — people, places, and things to avoid — and it is critical to understand this fourth threat to sobriety.
When people think of the addiction recovery journey, they usually focus on detox and rehab. However, breaking the chemical hold on the body is just the first step. If someone you care about is going through this process, you can help by motivating them in the next steps to a life free of substance addiction.
New Year’s resolutions are never about perfection, but rather making progress. It is difficult for many people to make New Year resolutions and abide by them for 365 days in a year, especially when their resolution concerns changing a habit they are used to or that is addictive. People need to realize that making a New Year’s resolution is only a tip of the iceberg. The whole iceberg emerges when it comes to the implementation of the resolution.
Resolutions are particularly a dilemma for people looking to enter recovery from certain addictions. Drug addiction, habit addiction, and any other forms of addiction defy the very nature of a person’s willingness, motivation, and determination to quit. Addiction does not listen to you when you make that New Year resolution to stop using drugs, drinking alcohol, or even stopping the habit of watching pornography. The resolution only holds for a while until the discomfort and urge to get back begins.
Company parties, neighborhood get-togethers, and family gatherings all add up to a lot of pressure for anyone recovering from a chemical dependence, whether it’s drugs or alcohol. But with a little discipline, a strong commitment and support from within yourself and people you trust, you can get through this stressful period sober.
Why are there billionaires who seem so dissatisfied with their lives, and then there are those who live with very little who feel like they have everything they need? The reason is simple, Gratitude! Gratefulness is a mental attitude completely independent of our circumstances and it can be developed. For those who are recovering from addiction, cultivating this positive outlook helps assure their future success. Having a grateful perception of the world around us can change roadblocks into opportunities -- the "bad" into "good". Out of challenges spring the fountain of growth.
Addiction is a deceptive by nature and addicts as well as their loved ones often fail to recognize it as the debilitating disease that it is because it lacks the more clearly defined perimeters of diseases such as cancer. It is often easy for everyone involved to dismiss addiction issues as moral failings or personal weaknesses, and addicts frequently lose their sense of self-worth as a result of this type of judgmental reaction. Interactions with friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances involving anger and frustration over the addict's behavior further erode their self-esteem.
With Mother's Day weekend nearly here you will see a lot of advertisements for gifts and flowers and other tokens of affection. But if your family is struggling with drug addiction or alcohol addiction, one of the best gifts you can give is the dedication to staying sober. Whether your mother is your inspiration for remaining sober, or you are a mother (or father) wanting to stay sober for your children, there are many reasons on this Mother's Day to choose sobriety. Pathways Real Life Recovery is here to help.
If you are in recovery, negative thoughts may try to plague your life. These types of thoughts can make you feel as if your life isn’t going anywhere, and can ultimately hurt your recovery process. This is why being thankful is important. Being thankful is about focusing on the good things in your life; the things that make you happy and make your life feel full. A positive attitude has been shown to help those in recovery not only recover faster, but also reduce the chances of relapse. Why? Those who are thankful and positive often:
For 100 years, the so called “war on drugs” has waged. Thousands and thousands of people have lost their lives, few of that number being actual addicts. Billions have been spent, yet the rates of addiction and drug sales are going nowhere but up—Why? Every day in Utah, another loved one of an addict finds themselves asking that question, “Why?” It is the same question asked by the world renowned author of the book “Chasing the Scream”, Johann Hari, when she set out on her eye-opening 30,000 mile journey around the globe to find the answer. What she found was astonishing. Everything that society has been taught, everything that people think they know and everything that is believed about the “war on drugs,” as well as addiction, is wrong.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain. It causes changes in the neural pathways that remember the pleasures of activities such as eating, sex, alcohol and drug use, gambling, etc. When triggered, these pleasurable memories cause an overwhelming desire to repeat the experience. Without the proper skills to overcome this desire, and without dealing with the root causes of the issues that led to the addictions to begin with, it’s easy to fall into the cycle of addiction. After all, pleasure is a hard thing to resist.
In recovery, you heard a lot about emotions, spirituality, and self-awareness. One thing you probably didn't hear enough about was money management even though it might be one of the most important keys to a successful recovery. Why? Many addicts use up their entire life savings to fund their addiction. As soon as they receive cash, they spend it on drugs until they find their way into homelessness, poverty, and debt. Even those who don't find themselves in financial ruin begin to associate spending money with the rush of getting high. This can turn money into a powerful trigger or lead to spending on other things becoming a replacement addiction. For these reasons, money management is just as important as the "Big Three" — people, places, and things to avoid — and it is critical to understand this fourth threat to sobriety.
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Pathways Real Life Recovery
230 W Towne Ridge Pkwy
Suite 150
Sandy, UT 84070
Phone: 801.509.9442
Email info@pathwaysreallife.com
