Recovery

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 →

Is dating a recovering addict a deal breaker? Let’s say you’re on the fourth or fifth date, and over dinner your date reveals that he or she is a recovering addict. Do you continue dating them or is it a warning sign for danger ahead?

According to Psychology Today, a recovering addict could be an ideal partner. They have typically spent time with a therapist working on themselves and their relationships. Meaning, they have spent time learning critical relationship skills. Dr. David Sack says, they have learned “how to identify, process and communicate their emotions and to set personal boundaries while respecting the lines drawn by others” (Psychology Today).

There can also be some other advantages to dating a recovering addict. First of all, they have come to accept that no one is perfect. The also understand the importance of self-improvement. And while in a successful recovery, they are most often committed to living life with a renewed since of purpose. These qualities could make for a great partner. Read more →

Substance abuse can strain even the strongest of relationships, so how do you celebrate Valentine’s Day while in recovery? Substance abuse effects all those involved: the addict, their family and their friends. Which is why Valentine’s Day can be a difficult holiday. Not only can it dredge up painful memories from the past, but it can also be a reminder of how substance abuse leaves relationships in need of repair. This can be a real challenge for those in recovery.

And I think we can all agree that there is no escaping Valentine’s Day. Everywhere we turn there are heart-shaped chocolate boxes, bear-hugging cards, and lots and lots of pink and red. So instead of avoiding it, maybe it’s best to use it as an opportunity to gain further progress in your recovery. Here are some tools to help you embrace the holiday of love and celebrate Valentine’s Day while in recovery. Read more →

What if a therapist could detect your risk for relapse from addiction recovery just by the way you sat in a chair? For some time now, therapists have found shame to be a barrier for addiction recovery. However, self-reporting of shame has been an unreliable tool to help patients. So how can a therapist detect when a patient is suffering from recovery-sabotaging shame? Read more →