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So you want to enjoy a long and successful recovery? You’ve made the decision to get clean and sober. You’ve gone through detox and entered a treatment program. Now you should be ready to begin a long and successful recovery, right? The hard part is over, right? Statistics show this isn’t always the case. So what are some of the things that you should be aware of while in recovery to help make it long and successful?

One of the most important things that ExecuCare stresses is undergoing nutritionally assisted detox for neurotransmitter restoration to bring balance back to the brain and address the physical component of addiction. This is a great first step in recovery because it cognitively prepares an individual. It enables the clarity of mind to make the necessary changes for a successful recovery, whether it be psychological, behavioral, social, spiritual, legal, etc.

According to Dr. David Sack, there are some signs that danger may be up ahead when it comes to recovery and risking relapse: Read more →

Stress management is a top skill needed for a successful recovery. Early detection and prevention of stress are key in managing it. Learning how to recognize stress and finding ways to combat it, are not the same for everyone and are not always easy. As we’ve discussed before on the blog, the relationship between addiction and stress is strong, so addressing stress management early in your recovery is crucial to preventing relapse.

Most people ignore early warning signs of stress. This causes the symptoms to worsen and increases the severity of the situation. Substance abuse and stress cause a vicious cycle. Drugs and alcohol are often used to self-medicate the uncomfortable symptoms of stress, but ultimately drugs and alcohol increase stress, further compounding the problem. Read more →

Teen addicts can improve their chances of a successful recovery by reaching out to help others. This could include doing general good deeds for the community, applying for a formal service position, volunteering for public outreach or sharing their stories with fellow addicts.

Teen addicts who become active in this type of helping, known in AA as AAH, are less likely to relapse and show better psychosocial improvement (Health.AM). Altruistic behavior puts their recovery into an entirely different frame of mind. This is why at ExecuCare, we consider this model of helping others to be a strong tool to incorporate into a young addicts treatment program. We have seen the tremendous benefit it has had on helping these young people to heal. Read more →

When it comes to abstinence from drugs and alcohol, what are some recovery saboteurs and what should be done about them? Triggers are external clues that bring back thoughts, feelings or memories that have to do with drug or alcohol abuse. The reward center of your brain has created pathways that send an automatic reward response when coming in contact with a trigger or cue. It sends a spurt of dopamine in the brain and you feel rewarded. You might be tempted to seek more of this reward feeling that is associated with drug or alcohol use. Because of this, each person can have different triggers that tempt them out of recovery and into relapse. Read more →