Recovery

  • Man Standing on a rock overlooking a valley with his arms spread wide

Setting Realistic Rehab Goals

December 11, 2020|Recovery|

Rehab can be a difficult process. Especially if you’re receiving treatment for drug or alcohol use, some individuals understandably struggle with achieving and sustaining freedom from damaging substances. The difficulty of the rehab process is one of the factors that makes goal-setting in a rehab setting so crucial. The ability to find and pursue the light at the end of the tunnel is so important, especially when you have multiple steps remaining before your rehab process reaches its conclusion. Anyone looking to reach full abstinence from substance use habits will find hope in the goals they set for themselves, [...]

  • woman lying down in bed

Ways to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

February 19, 2020|Recovery|

Practicing good sleep hygiene is important when actively recovering from a substance use disorder. People often struggle with maintaining a healthy sleep routine while using substances because they fail to keep regular sleeping hours, like staying up all night and sleeping all day. They don't let sleep come naturally, but induce it with substances. In order to increase your chance of success with sobriety, it's crucial to replace bad sleeping habits with healthy ones to increase sleep hygiene and help you reach recovery. What is good sleep hygiene? According to one study, the definition of sleep hygiene is, "a set [...]

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How To Maintain Your Sobriety Through the Holidays

December 23, 2019|Recovery|

Holiday celebrations can be a challenge for those in recovery from addiction. Whether you've only been sober for a few months or you have years of treatment under your belt, alcohol is especially tempting when everyone around you seems to be getting into the spirit by enjoying a glass of wine or a few beers. Try these five strategies for staying sober during the holidays while still celebrating the season with friends and family members. Bring Your Own Beverages Holiday parties may offer limited non-alcoholic beverage choices. To avoid temptation, bring something that seems celebratory to you without resorting to [...]

  • A woman enjoys nature as a form of self-care

Five-Minute Self-Care Ideas for Addiction Recovery

July 11, 2019|Recovery|

Self-care is a trendy term these days, and for good reason. Self-care is the healthy practice of building intentional habits that improve mental, emotional and physical health. There are an endless number of ways to practice self-care, from yoga to reading and cooking to chatting with a friend. While self-care is important to build into your routine, most people would say they're already stretched thin and adding self-care to cramped schedule may be more stressful than helpful. That's why we've complied these easy five minute self-care ideas to help you in recovery, plus, some reasons why it's important. Self-care ideas [...]

  • Man in recovery decides between a halfway house or recovery house

Halfway House or Recovery House: Which is Right for You?

October 4, 2018|Recovery|

Aftercare planning is one of the most important components of a person’s inpatient stay. It involves making plans for where a person will attend outpatient treatment and where they will live after being discharged from inpatient treatment. Thorough planning and preparation for this time period make a big difference in achieving a smooth and successful transition back to life out of rehab. The location where a person chooses to live during their recovery process is incredibly important. Halfway houses and recovery houses are both viable options for your aftercare time, but there are some major differences to be aware of [...]

  • woman with outstretched arms on beach

Sober Activities for the Beach

August 2, 2018|Recovery|

When people think of the beach, they often think of relaxing and fun summer vacations, hungry seagulls, and refreshing waves. For some, the ocean isn’t the only thing that’s refreshing. Despite it being illegal at many beaches, people often drink alcohol on the beach. What do you do if you’ve recently decided to cut alcohol out of your life? Should you avoid the beach entirely? Luckily, there are plenty of other activities you can enjoy at the beach that don’t involve alcohol. Here are some ideas for sober activities on the beach. Get Active For individuals who enjoy being physically [...]

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4 Sober Vacation Destinations for Summer

July 10, 2018|Recovery|

Many people look forward to warmer months as an opportunity to take a break from reality and spend time away from home on vacation. Whether it’s on the beach, in the mountains, or by a river, a vacation can provide the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind. For individuals in recovery, however, going on vacation can be a source of stress. Vacations mean disruption in routine, stressful travel planning, and potential exposure to partying or drinking that can threaten sobriety. While it’s impossible to remove all of these stressors, planning a trip to a place that makes it easy to [...]

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Stress Remedies for Recovery

July 3, 2018|Recovery|

Stress and addiction go hand-in-hand. When many people feel stressed out from life’s challenges, they want to resort back to their addictive habit. That is why most addiction programs emphasize stress management. You need to learn various stress remedies so that you do not feel as tempted to resort back to your vice. Fortunately, there are many ways to recover from stress in your life that are simple to implement. Identify Stressors The first thing you need to determine is what causes you stress in life. If you are often overwhelmed by your responsibilities at work, then perhaps you should [...]

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Maintaining Sobriety After Rehab

June 26, 2018|Recovery|

Graduating from a rehab program isn’t the end of your recovery; rather, it is the beginning of the next phase of your life. A life that, because of your choice to work on recovery, will be full of opportunities and freedom. They say recovery is an ongoing process, and that rings true. With the completion of rehab comes the next step – entering back into the routines and norms of everyday life. You now have the chance to put into practice the skills and coping mechanisms you learned in rehab, but the choice to do so is up to you. [...]

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Traveling Through Wine Country While Sober

May 22, 2018|Recovery|

Napa Valley, California — the first thought that comes to mind, most likely, is Wine country. Known for its sprawling vineyards, world-renowned wineries and beautiful scenery (not to mention the gorgeous Northern California weather), it's no wonder many flock here for vacations, honeymoons and the like. With this reputation, it might raise a red flag or two for those overcoming a substance use disorder or who have recently completed time in treatment. Is Wine Country totally off limits? We say, no. With the right plan ahead of time, anyone can enjoy the beauty of Wine Country, including those living a [...]

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Taking the Time to Plan and Celebrate Addiction Recovery Milestones

May 15, 2018|Recovery|

With sobriety comes the need to restructure your life. Learning what brings you joy, developing healthy habits and sticking to a routine is just the beginning. Celebrating each milestone along the way additionally supports this new lifestyle of sobriety and recognizes both how far you've come and the challenges overcome. If you or someone you know is journeying through recovery, it's important to celebrate victories great and small. Creating a recovery celebration roadmap The first step in being able to celebrate recovery events is making sure to remember them. It may be marking down on the calendar your six month sober [...]

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Maintaining Recovery While Working in a Restaurant

May 8, 2018|Recovery|

People working in the restaurant industry face the unique challenge of being around alcohol as part of their daily job. In addition, a culture of drinking, whether it be going out for drinks after work or receiving a free drink per shift, is prevalent in the restaurant industry. For those in recovery, working with this temptation can be daunting. Adding this daily challenge on top of the long hours and inconsistent schedules restaurant work is known for can shake even those strongly rooted in their sobriety. But while it can be difficult, it in no way means you need to [...]