For those of us who struggle with substance abuse, we may wonder: “Why me? Why do I tend toward addiction while others do not?” One’s individual risk of developing an addiction depends on a combination of factors. In the past, it was common for people to question and blame either nature or nurture. Now, however,
During treatment, we are usually placed with a therapist who can help us through the process of sobriety. However, recovery is a life-long journey, and it can be beneficial to continue seeing a therapist even long after we complete treatment. Even if we feel as though we have worked through the issues affecting our struggle
Once in recovery, we may feel as though we have been disconnected from ourselves, friends, and family. We might have a heightened desire to feel more involved with our loved ones and our local community. By leaning into these feelings, we can reacclimatize ourselves to society. What Can Community Mean to Us? The word community
When we are searching for a treatment program that works for us, we may discover that treatment is not a “one size fits all.” We are all unique in who we are, how we struggle with substance use, and how severe our addiction is. While some people greatly benefit from an inpatient program, others may
We are not able to control what has happened to us in the past and what trauma we have experienced, but we can control how we move forward. The power over our healing process belongs to us, even if we don’t feel like it does. There are different approaches we can take with guidance from
We may have had goals and aspirations before struggling with substance abuse. However, we often learn more about ourselves as we go through recovery, and our vision for our lives may have changed. How do we decide where to go after treatment? How do we figure out if we still have the same goals as
Once in recovery, we may find ourselves at a crossroads between what we used to enjoy before struggling with substance abuse and what we thought we enjoyed while actively struggling with substance abuse. We may have become closer with people who were using and damaged our relationships with sober friends and family. The way we
As kids, many of us had role models that we looked up to. Often, that person had the qualities we aspired to have as adults. Now in adulthood and newly in recovery, we can benefit greatly from finding a mentor. Building a relationship with someone who has been through treatment and has the qualities we
When we were kids and had a fight with one of our friends, our parents would tell us to take responsibility and apologize. That concept is used throughout our lives, but what happens when the reason for the apology is too painful to even think about? How can we make amends with someone who may
Many of us have learned in school that answering the who, what, where, when, and why of a topic can help us understand it better. This is true for treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) as well. There is a lot to think about when trying to find treatment, and it can often feel overwhelming.
