A Year of COVID-19: How Have You Grown?
It’s been a whole year since COVID-19 shut down entire countries and made the world much smaller for most of us. Yet some people, including people in recovery, have made profound changes in the way that they live. Are you somebody who has managed to grow and change through this ordeal? How have you managed to adapt and thrive? COVID-19 Changed Us All So it’s been a year since COVID-19 really hit home for most Americans. How have you dealt with it? There have been so many challenges that people have faced, it’s sometimes hard to see the way that you have changed or grown. Here are some questions you may want to think about. If you journal, consider writing on a few of these questions whenever you have time. It’s amazing all the struggles we’ve all had, big or small, in the last year. Have you gotten and stayed sober? This is your most important achievement. No matter what, staying sober can help you get through what comes next. Have you learned to appreciate things more? Have you learned to live without certain things – like paper towels or your favorite breakfast item – because they became scarce? How […]
COVID, Recovery and Mental Health Disorders
Many people in recovery from addiction also have what is called a co-occurring disorder. Usually, this is a mental health disorder. Many people who have mental health disorders have struggled during the pandemic. Being alone can be challenging, and some people have lost access to services. It’s not uncommon for people who lost jobs to quit taking medication or attending therapy. People who have lost employment may have lost healthcare or the ability to pay for services. If you or somebody you love with a mental health disorder, some of these challenges may sound familiar – but like most challenges, they can be navigated! Mental Health, Isolation and Stigma Many people with mental health disorders have trouble with being isolated or alone. It’s normal to feel lonely, but sometimes that loneliness can take people to a dark place. It’s easy to get “in your head” and listen to your disease when you’re alone. In society, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health disorders. But most of it is false. Being alone is bad for our mental health as humans. That’s why it’s so important to connect with others. For most people, this means going online on a […]
Start 2021 With Compassion For Yourself
Do you struggle with showing yourself compassion? After all, you just survived a really rough year! The New Year has come and gone, but it’s left a lot of chaos in its wake. There has been civil unrest and violence for people in the United States not even a week into 2021. These issues have caused a lot of fear and sorrow. On top of that, many people spent the holidays alone or taking risks that are now contributing to the COVID-19 crisis. Getting past these feelings can be challenging, but starting the new year with compassion for yourself and others can help immensely. After all, 2021 does come with a lot of hope. There is a vaccine and a new president in America. And you, wherever you are, are alive to celebrate and stay sober another day. It’s time to learn to be more forgiving and compassionate with yourself. Having Compassion Yourself Why do you need to be kind and compassionate to yourself? For one thing, it helps you be confident and healthy. For another, you can’t help others if you’re not taking care of yourself. Instead of focusing on saving the world, you also need to make time […]
At-Home Sober Activities for the Holidays (And Beyond)
People in recovery are having a lot of ups and downs during the pandemic. You and people you care about may be struggling with loneliness, relapse, or the loss of somebody close to you. Online activities aren’t exactly the same, but making an effort and trying to connect with others who feel isolated can make everyone feel less lonely. To do this, you’ll need to think of some fun sober activities for the holidays. Connecting with other people is essential. Using online technology or even 3-way call conferencing can help you connect with others and try to entertain yourself and your loved ones. (You can set Zoom up to have a call-in line for older members of your family or others who can’t use a computer.) At-Home Sober Activities To Try Of course, these ideas can work for any time during the pandemic, especially if you feel like your social life needs more: Just meet up for coffee with a loved one or friend online. It’s so simple, but it can boost your day! Ask them to set up a time for you in the morning, and make sure you have both brewed your coffee or tea. Sober activities like […]
Holidays, COVID-19, and Self-Care
COVID-19 has changed the way that many people are visiting with family. This year health experts recommend changes for celebrating the holidays. For people in recovery, the lack of stability and certainty during the coronavirus health crisis can be a challenge. Health officials will most likely recommend that you don’t go to gatherings with people outside your household. You’ll have to find new ways to visit with others, but remember this is temporary. You won’t be alone every holiday, even if you must this year. At the same time, take care of yourself during the holidays and be gentle. Make COVID-Safe Plans for the Holidays The holiday season is quickly approaching. Do you feel pressured by family or friends to do things you’re not comfortable doing? Your health and sobriety always come first. Meeting with others outside of your household could spread COVID. The disease can be very asymptomatic, and unfortunately, you cannot trust everyone to socially distance when they leave the house. You can form a “pod” with 3-4 other people in recovery if you feel isolated. This pod can be for the holidays and beyond. The people in your pod can meet with each other but not other […]
Responsibility and Accountability
In sobriety, you learn how to reclaim your life and become a responsible member of society. Responsibility means being accountable for your recovery. It also means that you’re accountable for your actions and reactions. Being responsible can be a challenge. When you were using substances, you probably neglected a few responsibilities in favor of getting high or drunk. How many times did you promise you would do something but ended up getting high or forgetting about it instead? Even things promising to pay a phone bill or take out the trash add up. You probably lost the trust of some important people in your life because of this. Today, you are a different person. Every day you wake up and stay sober, you have the opportunity to be a better person. You can also become more accountable and responsible for your actions. Becoming More Accountable We are all accountable for our actions, whether we accept responsibility for them or not. In recovery, you’ll start to make better choices. But everyone makes mistakes! This is why becoming accountable for your actions is essential. The most straightforward way to be accountable for your actions is to apologize when you’ve made a mistake. […]
Being Honest With Yourself
During your time in addiction, you probably spent a lot of time lying. Sometimes you were lying to yourself. Sometimes you were probably lying to a loved one, doctor, friend, therapist, or even stranger. Lying helps you keep close to your addiction and far away from intervention. Denial is a powerful symptom of a substance use disorder. Even today, you probably have lied to yourself once or twice. But being honest with yourself will help set you free from a lot of pain. Addiction and Being Honest Addiction makes it sometimes difficult, to tell the truth about who you are to yourself and others. How many times did you minimize your dependence while you were using? Be honest, you probably lied about how much you used and how often you used it. “Just this once, I’ll get high” can turn into a hundred times. Your intentions were probably true. You probably told yourself you were going to your grandmother’s house but ended up at the drug dealer’s home instead. People lie to themselves so that they can be okay with their lives. Almost nothing about being addicted to drugs or alcohol is “okay,” “so the mind takes over to make […]
Five Ways to Cope With Anger
Anger is a normal emotion. We all deal with it differently. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unhealthy coping mechanisms people use when they’re mad. Some people get loud and verbally abusive when they’re angry. Others deal with it more quietly and end up acting out of passive-aggression. Learning to cope with anger healthily can improve your life. By learning to cope with anger, you’ll give yourself space to sort through stressful situations. Coping With Your Anger is Necessary and Good Letting your anger control you in recovery is a serious trigger. Anger, when left unchecked, can cause people to act in negative ways. You may go into a rage if you’re not prepared to deal with anger now that you’re sober. Or maybe when you were upset, you used to just go get high and ignore everything. You may feel like you can’t cope with feeling mad at all. Feeling angry for the first time when you’re sober can be triggering if you’re not sure what you want to do about it. Having a plan to cope with it is a great idea. Here are five important ways to cope with anger in sobriety: Vent it out. You’ll want […]
Spirituality and Recovery
Many people who start on the path to recovery find that a lot of their life feels broken. Body, mind, and spirit can feel ravaged by addiction. Yet when you get sober, you’re often acting on hope. You’re ready to try something new, but you’re not sure what the path ahead entails. This willingness to try something new can sometimes be a spiritual awakening for newcomers. Throughout your recovery journey, you’ll find yourself learning from others. Tales of their experience, strength, and hope will help you plow forward even when your spirit feels broken. Willingness is a building block for spirituality later in your journey. Spirituality vs. Religion For many people who grew up with a specific religion, spirituality may be a little challenging to grasp. Religion is organized with a lot of rules and rituals in more cases. Some people find their spirituality is deeply connected to their religious beliefs. Still, other people in recovery it’s more of a personal search for meaning or feeling connected to others as well as the universe. The idea of spirit is often associated with religion. However, in recovery, you don’t have to join any religion or worship a specific god. The idea […]
Recovery, Sober Living and COVID-19
People in recovery (as well as the rest of society) face unique struggles during the coronavirus era. It’s hard to isolate. Some people are suffering from anxiety and depression in addition to recovering from addiction. COVID-19 has made a lot of people feel uncertain about the future. Luckily, people who have chosen sober living homes are in a unique situation that they can use to their advantage. They aren’t alone, and they live with people who care about them and see them every day. People who are in sober housing situations are lucky to have others around that have the same goals and understanding of the recovery lifestyle. But there are also some challenges that people will face when they are home with others a lot of the time. Togetherness Is Crucial Living in a sober living situation doesn’t mean that things are going to be perfect. Everyone has character flaws and issues to work through. But the good news is that you ARE working on yourselves. You’re around a group of people who want to get better and are working on themselves every day. Being in a sober home where chores and meals are shared is a lot like […]
Diving Deeper Into Your Recovery Program
Everyone in recovery has a routine, but like many people around the world, you may feel like it’s being interrupted. While life as we know it has changed indefinitely, the foundation of your recovery program remains the same. People in recovery need support meetings, the 12 steps, and each other to stay sober in the long term. However, when you’re not able to meet in-person, the ways these tasks are acted out change. Staying focused, sane, and serene can take practice in this new era. But there are many ways to re-center yourself and prepare for the journey ahead. Your Recovery Program: Beyond the Basics If you’ve been sober for a while, you’re probably already aware of the basic tools and first three steps of twelve. You probably work the first step every day – it’s what keeps you sober! The second and third steps also require constant revisiting. But what other ideas, beyond these basics, can you use in your daily life? Finding gratitude. You probably kept a gratitude list when you first got sober. It’s time to get a cute notebook and revisit this habit. It can seem like a real downer to be isolated at home, struggling […]
Having Anxiety? Five Ways to Manage It
Pretty much everyone has experienced anxiety from time-to-time. It’s one of those emotions that can creep up on you before you realize it. While there is no way to 100% curb your anxiety in life, there are some powerful strategies available. As you stay sober, you’ll start understanding that coping with it is half the battle. Anxiety is a Normal Emotion A lot is going on in the world to feel anxious about. You can’t let yourself freeze in place because of these feelings. Anxiety can do a lot of damage to your daily life, and you may start to think yourself into a dangerous situation. After all, the disease of addiction is primarily a disease of the brain. It wants you to self-destruct. Staying focused on your recovery, and learning new tools is essential. It’s a hard time in the world right now. But you’ve made it through other hard times, haven’t you? And you now have the support you need to make it through challenges. Don’t you let your fears take control of your recovery. Start taking control and trying to manage it before it takes over. Before all else, know that you can always pick up the […]