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Dealing With Grief in Recovery

Dealing With Grief in Recovery

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Growing up the phrase there are two things certain in life was repeated many times. These two things were death and taxes. Not to make light of death, but it will happen to everyone. When dealing with death while in recovery it can be tempting to relapse to deal with the stress and depression associated with the death of a loved one. Losing a loved one is one of the most painful human experiences. Grief can take its toll on anyone as feelings of guilt, denial, sadness, and despair can become overwhelming. Those in recovery are at a greater risk of relapse during a period of grief, even those who have been in recovery for a long time. Grief can compromise our ability to think clearly. There are some ways that you can stay strong even during periods of grief.

If you have experienced a death while in recovery than try some of the following to help you grieve and stay focused on recovery. Reach out for support. There is no shame in asking for help when you need it. When you lose someone close to you it is important to ask for the support you need to get through the trying time. Instead of retreating inside yourself, talk to others that will be supportive and understanding. Lean on those in your support circle. This is why the support circle is so important in recovery. These are the people that will help you stay focused on getting better while dealing with your emotions. 

Speaking of emotions, acknowledge what you are feeling. Death can bring out strong emotions that may include sadness, depression, anger, and many more. Allow yourself to feel the extreme emotions without dwelling on them long term. Substance abuse allows us to dull the pain, but allowing ourselves to feel it can allow us to move on in life and recovery. Be creative and find healthy ways to express your emotions. Some people find power in prayer or meditation to stay connected to the inner strength that is inside each of us. Get counseling if needed. This is another way to reach out for help when needed or when other forms of support are not available. Another option may be to read books and articles about others who have dealt with grief. There are many options available. Finally, remember to take care of yourself while mourning your loss. Eating healthy and getting plenty of rest are highly important for your mental and physical health.

If you do experience a loss while in recovery know that you are not alone. Take the time you need to grieve, but do not give up on recovery. You have an inner strength and a support system that are in place to help you through this trying time. Stay true to your goals and know that you will survive even this stressful time. Recovery will be worth the effort and your life will be better for having dealt with the grief while not returning to your addiction.

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Stress and Recovery

Stress and Recovery

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Recovery can be an amazing experience, but it can also be a stressful experience. Whether you are trying to decide to enter recovery or have been in recovery for quite a while, stress will arise. Life events that are difficult are inevitable. Stress does not care if you are going through withdrawal or if life is going great. Whether your stress is related to family issues, financial issues, or relationships, anxiety can wreak havoc on the body and mind. Don’t lose hope; there are ways to deal with this stress and still stay in recovery. Below we will explore some basic ways to deal with the stress that life brings.

Some basic ways to deal with stress include mindful meditation, makes time to relax and spend time with healthy and supportive friends, laughing, exercise or yoga. These are all pretty simple and straightforward.

Mindful meditation means focusing on yourself and your body. One form of mindful meditation involves relaxing one muscle or body part at a time. Many people work from the bottom of the feet up or from the head down, consciously relaxing each part as stress slowly fades from the body. Yoga and exercise can have the same effect as getting active can help you relieve stress by detoxing the body. Just getting the extra energy out can be highly beneficial. Even something as simple as taking time to relax alone or with sober friends can help eliminate stress. While this may not be an option if the stress is caused by work that needs done. It can help to take a little time to unwind before buckling down and getting to work.

If you are in recovery make sure you are spending time with friends in a safe environment that will not tempt you into a  relapse. A final suggestion, which may seem silly, is to laugh. Read some jokes, watch a funny movie, or simply have a fun conversation with a friend. Laughter really is the best medicine when it comes to stress. Spend time laughing until you cry and you will automatically feel more relaxed and able to face whatever is happening.

While some stress can be a motivator to work hard and get ahead, too much stress can be bad for your mental and physical health. So we must identify the source of the stress and find a way to fix the problems that can be fixed. If a problem has no solution, then you must learn to move on. Remember that in recovery and in life you control your feelings and emotions.

Stress is simply a chemical reaction. If you do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by stress then it will no longer be a problem. What are you willing to do to limit your stress while staying in recovery? There are always answers other than your addiction of choice. Just be willing to be honest with yourself when you are feeling stressed out and deal with it in an appropriate manner. You are strong enough if you choose to be.

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Values in Recovery

Values in Recovery

Articles, Alternative Treatment, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Values are something you hear about often but not something that many people truly think about in life. If someone asked you right now what you valued in life you could probably think of a few quick answered but they would probably be superficial. However, if someone asked you what your values were in life it may take longer to form an answer. We all have values in life. Values are universal, though what they are is very specific to each person. There are some values that the majority of people have, those of self-respect, identity, health, love, and integrity. This means that most people expect and offer these things to others.

Your personal values are intended to help you lay a solid foundation for permanent change. In fact, your values are the principles in life that you use to find meaning and fulfillment.  They form the foundation for your identity and if consistent, your identity will reflect this consistency. This means you need to construct a foundation of practical values from which you will manage the most important aspects of your life.  In a healthy person, values provide the motivation that drives behavior, the impetus for decision making and the foundation for feelings and emotions. In active addiction we tend to forget our values as everything revolves around and is focused on the addiction. Values are put on the back burner and the addiction is the only concern and focus. For recovery to take place and to make the transition to health, you have to evolve practical values.

So now you have to determine what values you will choose to embrace in your life. These may change and vary over time, but most should be things you stick with throughout recovery and in life. Choose to be honest at all times, even when it is tough. Choose to have enough self-respect to make your life worth living in spite of the ups and downs. Also, choose to create an identity you can be proud of for the rest of your life. The great thing about values is that we choose them and we can set boundaries so others respect them.

Like of values like this: .Values are like the engine in your car, you can survive without them, but it is easier to have it available. Would you like to have a car that didn’t have an engine? Probably not. So why live a life without a system that can make that life more useful? The choice is yours, whether you are in recovery, thinking about it, or just want to improve your personal value system. You can change your life and choose the values you want when you are ready. It really is all about you and what you want for your life. So what is your decision? Will you create a value system to bolster your life or will you choose to live aimlessly? Only you can decide. Be willing to change your life.

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addiction and recovery

Self-Deception in Addiction and Recovery

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

We are all human and at times we will lie to ourselves and others. While this does not excuse the behavior, it is a reality of life. Unfortunately, we also tend to lie to ourselves, especially in addiction and in early recovery. Some of the lies and self-deceptions are obvious, some are not. One of the most common self-deceptions in recovery is that the addict has trust issues. While this may be true in some part, it is most likely that the one in recovery has issues trusting themselves and their own judgment. This means that those in recovery have to work on learning to trust themselves and understand that trusting others will come in time. There are ways to build trust, but first we must understand how we fool ourselves and develop self-deception.

Those in active addiction and typically in the beginning stages of recovery use rationalization, justification, and minimization to deal with what is happening. These may be used to make sense of addiction. Saying things like I only use because of my past or because my parents were addicts or even because I am in pain are all excuses. Even if there is truth in the statement, these are not reasons to stay with an addiction.

One must learn that though self-deception is not usually a conscious effort it can be changed. One way to remember self-deception is with the acronym DENIAL. DENIAL stands for Don’t Even Know I’m Always Lying (to myself). When we make the conscious effort to change it is as simple as paying attention to our thoughts and statements. In fact, saying things out loud can often force us to realize how little the things we are thinking making sense. Candor is key to success in recovery. This is not just for yourself but also candor and rigorous honesty with others. Addiction is wrought with lies and half-truths, recovery is a chance to come clean and start over. Learning to be candid and practice honesty in all situations is tough at first, but it does get easier.

As you grow in recovery you can pay it forward and help others, this will help you become even stronger. In the early stages of recovery it may be hard to be honest with yourself and others. But it is very important. This is not to hurt you or others. But to help you live your life out loud and keep you honest in recovery. In active addiction we are surrounded and hidden in lies. Many deny having a problem but most also lie to obtain money, drugs, or alcohol to keep the habit fed. This all has to stop in recovery.

Also during recovery we can take the opportunity to come clean with others so life can move forward without the lies and secrets that kept the habit going. There is a chance that people in your life will not accept the truth well, but this journey is about you, not others. Learn to be true to yourself and honest with others, it will increase your chances of staying in recovery long term. Are you willing to be honest to start your life over?

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opioid addictions

What are Opioids

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Opioid addictions – We hear about and read about the opioid drug crisis all the time. The problems of addiction and overdose are in the headlines around the world. Many countries like the U.S., the U.K. Australia, and Southeast Asia are gripped by an opioid addiction crisis that is often described as an epidemic. What exactly are these drugs, and how do they effect the body and Mind?

Opioids are a broad class of drugs which include chemicals derived from the opium poppy such as heroin, morphine, and codeine. Opioids also include synthetic chemicals such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.

These drugs work by attaching to opioid receptors in the nervous system. This blocks pain and releases chemicals in the brain which can lead to feelings of euphoria and general ease. These two combined effects are the reasons why these drugs are both effective and dangerous.

When taken correctly for acute and chronic pain, legal opioids are highly effective for controlling pain. Drugs like fentanyl are used almost exclusively for extreme pain in circumstances such as cancer and other extreme illnesses. Heroin is not legal and is not used for any medical purpose.

All opioids are highly addictive. Because opioids work by suppressing pain receptors in the nervous system, the body will respond by re-awakening these receptors. Over time, this can lead to feelings of discomfort and even illness when people stop using the drugs. As a result, people are apt to keep taking the drugs. In this way people become addicted even to prescription opioids.

Codeine was once given as a cough suppressant. In fact, it was once considered the primary drug to be used as a cough suppressant. Recent research has shown that the use of codeine for this purpose may not be effective at all. Codeine did not show any marked difference from placebos in some studies.

Oxycodone and hydrocodone were widely prescribed for a vast array of medical issues. From sports injuries to general chronic pain, these drugs were dispensed by physicians with little restraint. As a result there has been a drastic increase in people becoming addicted to these drugs. Oxycodone and hydrocodone operate exactly like heroin and morphine. They perform the same chemical processes in the nervous system and create the same dangers for people who use them.

The widespread use of oxycodone and hydrocodone contributed to the opioid addiction crisis around the globe. In addition to the obvious danger of becoming addicted to these drugs, the addiction can lead to using other opioids like heroin. Once addicted, people seek the drugs and find that the prescription drugs they are used to are expensive and difficult to obtain. Heroin is a relatively inexpensive street drug and it is easily available.

Heroin has been cut with fentanyl in recent years leading to an even more deadly form of illegal street drug. Fentanyl is vastly more potent that heroin and can lead to fatal overdoses even in small concentrations. All of this has contributed to the opioid addiction crisis around the world.

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