I have had many loved ones now go through substance abuse rehab. Their mental health needed a huge check and inpatient treatment was the way to do that. Looking for a rehab facility was easier than they realized, they found amazing options close to home. While it seems like going far away is the best…
Any new relationship can be very healthy and exciting. Meeting a new person is a change, and change can be so fun! A new romantic relationship can be especially exciting, but it might not always be healthy. This is especially true after going through drug rehab. We know that it feels awesome to go through…
Anxiety can be very threatening to our daily lives. It’s something that many people struggle to cope with. Often times, anxiety comes as a package deal with alcohol addiction. This is called a dual diagnosis. The anxiety causes the need to start drinking, leading to alcohol addiction. After becoming addicted to substances, it is likely…
The Twelve Promises offer us something that the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions do not. By reading the Twelve Steps, we learn that there is a solution to alcoholism and addiction. When we read the Twelve Traditions, we learn how to function as part of an AA or NA group. But when we look at…
It’s time for us to continue our usual series on the Twelve Steps. This time, we turn our attention toward Step Nine. At this point, we reach the last step in our initial plan of action. The last few steps concentrate on continuous action, but Step Nine focuses on what we can do today in…
Aside from addicts and alcoholics themselves, nobody suffers more than those forced to watch a loved one suffer. They sometimes blame themselves for their loved one’s disease, especially if they can identify past enabling behaviors. Such people experience constant fear, depression, self-pity, and quite often resentments. They lie on behalf of their beloved addict or…
In its fifth chapter (“How It Works”), Alcoholics Anonymous begins explaining the Twelve Steps in a fair amount of detail. Continuing this discussion, “Into Action” covers all of the remaining steps except for Step Twelve. You’ll want to read it in full, as there’s a lot of great information in here. But for those who’d…
It’s time to once again continue our monthly series on the Twelve Steps, this time by focusing on Step Eight. In many ways, the Eighth Step and the Ninth Step go hand in hand. Consider Step Eight to be something of a primer before we begin making our amends. And since making amends will be…
If you are single and in recovery, it can get pretty lonely. No matter how long you have been in recovery, it is perfectly natural to want closeness from someone else. Romance and dating are complicated, and addiction recovery can make experiences even more complicated. Not everyone – especially those who are new in recovery…
College is an exciting time for most students. It’s full of new beginnings and plans for a future. It is also a time for new discoveries. College students – especially those who live on a campus away from home – will undoubtedly face decisions that test their judgment and willpower. This is when parents hope…