Examining Our Life Patterns
As we embark upon the work needed to recover from our addictions, one of the things we’ll need to do to heal is examine our life patterns. For many of us, our lives have been filled with chaos and confusion due to our addictions. We haven’t had clarity in many different areas of our lives […]
Mindset Shifts for Recovering From Addiction
When healing from a mental health issue as challenging as addiction, a large part of our recovery entails creating mindset shifts that support our healing. Adopting a mindset of self-empowerment can encourage and motivate us as we work to heal. Very often, without even realizing it, we’ve developed limiting beliefs that inform how we think […]
Learning to Move Forward Following Relapse
Relapse is one of the more common, but also one of the most painful, things we experience when struggling with addiction. We might have spent years continuously relapsing, feeling determined but unable to stay sober for very long. For so long, we’ve felt powerless, out of control, and hopeless. Others of us will have successfully […]
How Isolation Can Exacerbate Addiction
When struggling with addiction and with the depression that often accompanies our addiction, many of us tend to fall into patterns of self-isolation. We experience several different emotions, many of which can exacerbate addiction and contribute to our ongoing self-destructive and self-isolating tendencies. When we find ourselves isolating for prolonged periods, this self-isolation can have […]
Do I Have an Addiction?
Many of us will find ourselves, throughout our addiction journeys, experiencing a chapter of that journey where we question whether or not we even have an addiction. For many of us, the confusion and overwhelm we feel can be the result of years of denial. We may have convinced ourselves that we don’t have a […]
Exposure and Response Prevention at Athens Area Commencement Center
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a therapy designed to help us confront, and therefore come to terms with, our most difficult thoughts and emotions. ERP was originally designed specifically for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the obsessive thoughts and compulsions that come with it. It has come to be used to help treat addiction, anxiety, […]
The Relationship Between Anxiety and Depression
For those of us struggling with mental health challenges, it can be of great benefit to our recovery to gain a deeper understanding of what it is we’re experiencing. When we are diagnosed with anxiety and depression, it is often because we are in crisis. We may have recently been hospitalized. A loved one might […]
The Connections Between Addiction and Depression
Addiction and mental health issues are not separate and unrelated; they are very much interconnected. When substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health disorders exist in tandem, it is referred to as a co-occurring disorder. One of the most common co-occurring disorders is addiction and depression. By learning more about the connections that exist between […]
How Family Support Can Help Our Sobriety
When individuals are stuck in cycles of active addiction, they may not realize how the effects of their substance abuse are not only harming their well-being but also that of their loved ones. Family members, in particular, experience intense ripple effects of a loved one’s addiction and often struggle with knowing how to respond. For […]
Am I Ready for Rehab?
If you are wondering whether or not you’re ready for rehab, you are likely much closer to sobriety and recovery than you may think. Oftentimes, people will contemplate going to rehab for months or years before they are finally ready to engage in treatment. Personal doubts, insecurities, and feelings of overwhelm can all be common […]