You know about tolerance, but that person at the rehab is nonetheless driving you crazy. We all come across annoying people either at our workplace, at the recycling center, in the classroom, group therapy or the town meeting. They carry on and on about the matter at hand with little regard for anyone else who might have something important to contribute. You secretly want to interrupt the annoying person and tell them to shut up, but of course you don’t. Being polite was hammered into you by your mother and father. When subjected to an unconscious person, you can use the experience for your benefit. First of all, practice patience. What are you gaining with your irritation? For one, it’s probably upping your stress level. For another, are you letting the inclinations of another wreck your perspective or mood? In addition to practicing patience, you can always work on your self confidence by confronting the annoying person. The polite person in you doesn’t want to confront the person because you don’t want to hurt their feelings. Ask yourself why you are letting another control, or run amuck over your space, time and convenience? What are you afraid of? It could be that you are afraid of using your voice. It could be that you are used to taking the proverbial backseat. Your first wanted to tell them to shut up, but of course that wouldn’t be effective. Why not take a chance and tell them how you feel? I sense that you have a lot to say in group, Jane, but I feel uncared for when you don’t let me have a chance to speak myself. Using “I” statements can eliminate the chance for Jane to become defensive. Using “I” statements is about telling the truth, putting the emphasis on your feelings, not Jane’s. Jane might not even realize she talks incessantly. By speaking up, you are giving her a gift in a gentle and direct manner. The truth often hurts. With that in mind, ask yourself what is it about Jane’s behavior that might resemble your own? Jane, the most annoying person at the rehab, might turn into your best companion and your teacher! “In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.”—Dalai Lama Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/dealing-with-annoying-person.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/dealing-with-an-annoying-person/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/dealing-with-annoying-person.html
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You may feel great right now. You’re in a rehab, or actively attending fellowship meetings for an addiction. Everything is on the up and up, so you ask, why do I need a sponsor? People in recovery can at first be in a bubble. They don’t expect things to get harder, but often hard times or awarenesses follow euphoria and moods can shift. A sponsor is your really reliable insurance policy, and a resource for wisdom and guidance. Sponsors are there for you for the good and difficult times. Choose a sponsor who has considerable recovery time, and one you sense has obtained a strong balance with their approach to sober living. It’s suggested that your sponsor has gone through the 12 Steps. They should be the same gender as you to prevent a conflict of the heart. For example, a gay man could have a woman sponsor, and a lesbian could have a straight man. To ensure a good fit, take your time choosing a sponsor. Some sponsors can be heavy-handed and strict. Others may offer more compassion. One of the most important factors when choosing a sponsor is to make sure they are not squeamish. You want someone who will tell you the truth and not mince with words. Sponsors may be active in service work, and others not have the time, but still volunteer when possible. You never have heard them whine or complain. Sponsors that have more to offer are ones who are at ease in life, laugh often and are confident with themselves and always take their sobriety seriously. They are good role models. One last important thing to know is the person you ask may say they can’t be your sponsor. If this happens, it’s normal to feel disappointed, but don’t turn a no into a rejection. The person you asked may already be a sponsor to one or more people, or have other valid reasons for saying no. Keep looking. There’s probably someone to ask that you’ve overlooked. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We aim to provide a space where you can find out how and why you have struggled with addiction. Our therapeutic and medical support are just one of the tools we provide to help set you up for success in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-do-i-need-sponsor.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/why-do-i-need-a-sponsor/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-do-i-need-sponsor.html Spring is here and you want to be happy, but because you are in recovery for an addiction, you just can’t let yourself enjoy life. There are just too many mountains to climb. You’ve put down alcohol and or drugs, but are still haunted by cravings. You attend meetings that focus on abstinence. A few people have asked you out for coffee and while you are grateful to them, you still feel lonely and out of sorts. Have you considered getting a dog? Spring is a great time to get one. Are you now thinking, Great, that’s all I need—vet bills, responsibility, new schedules—I can’t possibly! I already have enough on my plate! Of course, having a dog requires responsibility, but there’s more too having a dog than you might think. Having a dog can help you focus on something positive rather than your concerns and thoughts surrounding an addiction you are endeavoring to overcome. Dogs give unconditional love, too. The weather has warmed, flowers are blooming, and the world awaits you and your new companion. For many, dogs are their constant companion. They can accompany you on errands around town, or sit next to you on the couch while you watch your favorite show. Dogs can give you the perfect excuse to venture on a long walk in the country, a park or around a lake. The fact that you have to care for your dog can be a nurturing experience. You give love and receive it at the same time. As studies have shown, dogs are powerful allies for stress reduction. More and more companies today allow employees to bring their dogs with them to work. Evidence shows that workplaces that allow dogs see higher morale and productivity. A research study by Randolph Barker, a professor of management at Virginia Commonwealth University, measured levels of cortisol in workers’ systems. The study concluded that people who brought their pets to work saw a decrease in stress throughout the day. Those who didn’t have a pet saw their hormones increase. In recovery, you don’t have to feel like there’s a ball and chain around your ankle. No one is stopping you from enjoying life, and getting a dog may be the best thing you ever did for yourself. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/spring-and-your-new-best-friend.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/14/spring-and-your-new-best-friend/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/spring-and-your-new-best-friend.html Alcoholism and drug addiction are a result of a combination of psychological, genetic, environmental, and social factors. One idea you can use to help with the answer is the ACE questionnaire. This questionnaire was formed as a result of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES). A completed questionnaire documents different types of abuse, neglect, and having lived in a dysfunctional home growing up. When you have a tough childhood, you can carry the hurt around inside you. Years may go by, and, as if overnight, you have a raging addiction. Even if you weren’t thinking about your childhood pain, it could still be there, buried in your unconscious mind. The pain may be buried, but it still reels power and wants to find ways to escape it and feel better. Thus, one can slowly start taking drugs or having a glass of bourbon before dinner. You may have heard an old timer in Alcoholics Anonymous say, You drank because you are an alcoholic. This explanation for some may offer a sufficient answer, but to others, it points to blame. In recovery, one can be best helped from information they gather, but blame can be detrimental to a person’s outlook on their recovery. Through a therapeutic process and or , you may find a reason or reasons that answer your question--why did I become someone struggling with an addiction? Information is valuable to your recovery. It helps you move forward one day at a time. Information in the form of difficult memories can slow down your momentum. In recovery, there’s no skipping ahead. We have to deal with what is in front of us. The whys have to be taken one day at a time, too. If you’re still stymied or stuck on the whys, try thinking instead about being grateful that you’ve taken steps to address an addiction. Be grateful for the simplest things in life. Be grateful for having the courage to work towards a life with peace of mind. “Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” Rainer Maria Rilke Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We aim to provide a space where you can find out how and why you have struggled with addiction. Our therapeutic and medical support are just one of the tools we provide to help set you up for success in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-did-i-become-someone-struggling.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/14/why-did-i-become-someone-struggling-with-an-addiction/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-did-i-become-someone-struggling.html The word victim is used here not to label or devalue a person, but to help them understand what victimhood is, and what he or she can do about it. An individual with a victim identity is someone who identified with whatever crises, traumas, illnesses or other difficulties that occurred in their lives. Many of these experiences began very early in life as a means towards survival. As life moved forward, they kept their victim identity. The psychological reasoning behind this kind of response to life is based on the past. I’d better just not keep my hopes and dreams up and realize life is a long struggle. Whatever I come up against, I will always lose. When reality strikes, and things don’t go the way the person hopes, they can be devastated. They think it’s better to just expect disappoint and accept that they are a victim. A perpetual victim embraces a belief system. I can’t trust anyone. It’s always my fault. Life is too hard. If I try, I won’t make it. No one understands me. I’m always last. Nothing goes my way. Other people have more money, they are smarter. I never had their advantages. What these belief systems do is keep or protect the victim from ever having to really engage life on life’s terms. To do so, it just too risky. People think I cop out all the time, but if they came from where I did, that would be another story! People caught in victimhood may not be able to comprehend their attitude towards life. They may not realize it is their responsibility to create joy in their life. They may not understand everyone has hard times. Sure, they may check out for a while to grieve or heal from a big disappointment, but eventually pick themselves up and carry on with their lives. The following are a few tips to help one shed their victim role. Stop blaming others for what happens or doesn’t happen. Take action instead of reacting. Be compassionate with yourself. Practice gratitude. Perform acts of kindness. Take a confidence building class. Think your plans through carefully to avoid self sabotaging events. Find a therapist to help you find the source of your negative beliefs. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/understanding-victimhood.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/understanding-victimhood/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/understanding-victimhood.html As humans we are adept at reading nonverbal language and signs. When a baby cries, our instinct, is probably to offer comfort. We may pick the baby up out of the crib, cuddle it, and find out what’s causing the distress. The same goes for our pets. We react when a dog cries softly to be let out, a cat meows to be fed, and a horse whinnies. In situations where a friend or loved one is sad or crying, we may feel the need to comfort them. If we’re in a rehab for an addiction we come in contact with a considerable emotion. People break down and cry, or burst out in anger, and this is an important part of healing. Sometimes with good intention, we may unwittingly stop a person’s process by putting our harm around their shoulder, hug them or pat their back. This, of course can be done to us as well. The comfort, however, can hinder our process by the very fact of interrupting it. Your emotions or someone elses are inadvertently blocked from letting more tears flow. One feels the comfort from another, and has a sense that they should reel in their emotions and get it together. Instead of touching a person, just sit quietly beside them. A quiet presence can be a gift. They can be with their feelings, know you are there, but not need to react to your comforting gestures. Crying isn’t about wallowing in pain, but letting it pass through you. You may have layers of emotions to uncover, so it’s important to think about your healing as a process, not a speed contest. As a person in recovery for substance abuse, there are times when you need to be alone. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a beach, park or a woodland path, take a walk. As you walk, look and feel the rhythm of nature coursing through you. Walking can help move your feelings along, not by hurrying them up, but by giving them space to breathe. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We aim to provide a space where you can find out how and why you have struggled with addiction. Our therapeutic and medical support are just one of the tools we provide to help set you up for success in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-too-much-comfort-can-hinder-persons.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/how-too-much-comfort-can-hinder-a-persons-process/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-too-much-comfort-can-hinder-persons.html Try to find the poetry section in a bookstore. It’s often tucked away in corner on the lower shelves. However, when someone dies, relatives and loved ones find solace in poetry. Poems are often read out loud at funerals. You’re not dying, so what has poetry got to do with you? The nature of poetry is to evoke feelings. Even if you’ve never written a poem, you might want to give it a try, especially when you are in recovery for an addiction. Writing poetry can get you down to the heart of the matter. You can write whatever you like. Your poems don’t have to be good, or rhyme, or meet any standard because they are just for you. When you write a poem you are simply giving yourself permission to open up about a certain subject. Take for example the lines from a poet expressing the loss of two friends. I tell you, wanting to live was a real feat—one of you homeless, the other, heroin. Thirty years later you’re both dead meat. Twenty years earlier I had to defeat the booze, which made me so mean that night we pissed in the street. Notice the poet didn’t try to couch the hard truths, and felt free to use vulgar terminology. You probably have something you want to get off your chest. Having an addiction, and seeking help is a courageous act of self preservation. Write about that. Maybe you have things for which you’re not proud. Write about that. Gather your thoughts and write them down as succinctly as possible. Try to tell the truth without fanfare, because embellishments may not ring true to the depth of what you are communicating. Did you feel a modicum of relief from writing the poem? Did you feel your energy move from pain to acceptance? Now read your poem aloud. Maybe there are lines you want to change that will make the poem more accessible or coherent. Again, there are no rules for this purpose. Unlocking or releasing pent up pain may be very helpful in recovery especially if you were harmed emotionally, physically or sexually as a child. This holds true if you’ve suffered a traumatic event. Write a poem. Give it a try and keep up the daily work of recovery. You’re on your way to lasting recovery with every feeling you release. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/poetrya-gateway-to-feelings.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/poetry-a-gateway-to-feelings/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/poetrya-gateway-to-feelings.html There are reasons why you may resist suggestions and advice, like those in the 12 Steps. For one, even if you attend fellowship meetings or are in a rehab, you may not value your own life. This can be a result of childhood neglect, you’ve done something for which you feel terribly guilty, or something has made you think you don’t deserve to be alive. Whatever it is you owe it to yourself to get therapeutic help, because you are valuable. Perhaps if you follow the advice or suggestions offered, you’ll find relief, but you don’t really want it. You are afraid of the unknown. How am I going to make it in the world as a person recovering from a drug addiction or alcoholism? You may also think your problems will just go away on their own without having to face them or follow through with the hard personal work. In deciding to recover from substance abuse, you’ve probably come face to face with denial. Denial not only interferes with the ability to act rationally, but it impedes positive action. I don’t have to follow the suggestions offered because my addiction isn’t that bad. When you face your situation, you’ve already taken a step towards healing. Another reason why you may be resistant to suggestions is obstinance. Obstinance is a behavior. A person in recovery might not be able to stand another point of view because it doesn’t match you they think they are. Their ego is unchecked, and they can become obstinate to the point where they feel threatened. Obstinance can also fall under the category of a pain-avoidance. I don’t want to follow these suggestions because they will take too long! If you feel this way, you may not have a clear understanding of the recovery process. It is not Same Day Service. Recovery is a journey through education about addiction, learning about yourself and coming out into the world again. It doesn’t involve a time frame. It does require you to be patient with yourself. It can be difficult to look closely at resistance to suggestions. Consider going slowly and treating yourself with kindness. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We aim to provide a space where you can find out how and why you have struggled with addiction. Our therapeutic and medical support are just one of the tools we provide to help set you up for success in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-you-may-be-resistant-to-suggestions.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/why-you-may-be-resistant-to-suggestions/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-you-may-be-resistant-to-suggestions.html According to a recent article in VOX, a range exists, with certain states taking the opioid epidemic seriously, and others not as much. Their statement that, in the US, it is much easier to get high than it is to get help for addiction, is chilling. Even with the introduction of buprenorphine, the outlook remains questionable. A chart in late February 2018, with data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), clearly illustrates the problem. The chart shows the ratio of certified buprenorphine providers to opioid overdose deaths by state. Buprenorphine is a medication being used to treat opioid addiction. Other medications used are methadone and naltrexone. Studies show these medications can cut the mortality rate of opioid addiction patients in half. Still, the following breakdown decries an uphill battle. 11 states are shown to have significantly worse than average death rates; nine states with worse than average; three with the same as average; 15 with slightly better than average; and 12 with significantly better than average death rates. VOX surmises, based on the map, states like West Virginia, Ohio, and New Hampshire, with very high opioid overdose deaths and low access to buprenorphine may themselves be partly to blame. Yet, because of the lack of funding and the rural environment of New Hampshire, for example, facilities have actually been forced to close. States like Vermont are paving the way to their own solutions through a “hub and spoke” system. This system treats addiction as a public health issue, and integrates treatment into the rest of health care. New approaches, like Vermont’s, may work for them, but not for other states. New approaches need to be forthcoming. Experts repeat that the federal government is yet to weigh in with any significant monetary aid. Waiting for the government to act may be like pushing sand against the tide. It’s evident from the data, that states taking the crisis seriously, are able to save lives, and all states need billions of dollars in funding. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. from From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/taking-opioid-epidemic-seriously.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/09/taking-the-opioid-epidemic-seriously/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/taking-opioid-epidemic-seriously.html Some LGBT people still try to keep their identities a secret from their families. This may be due to deep religious beliefs their families hold, lack of open mindedness, and the pall of irrational hatred. Because of internalized homophobia, LGBT people can decide to remove ourselves from our families, even if family members are accepting and loving. Then, if we have an addiction on top of our lifestyle, our shame can be compounded. We think we are being self protective by taking ourselves out of the picture. We may even project our internalized homophobia and shame onto our families. Perhaps we never thought about it this way, but when we remove ourselves, we are robbing ourselves of love, and robbing our family of love, too. They are deprived of knowing who we are in the world and our beautiful nature. They want to see us and love us, but we squirrel ourselves away. Sometimes self protection can work against us. Now, as we face an addiction, we need support more than ever. We can use this opportunity to reach out to our families and let them know we love and care about them, and we need their help. Invite them to the Family Program at the rehab to begin rekindling your relationship. There’s lots to discuss and feelings to reveal in this kind of setting. Old wounds and hurt feeling may pop up and need to be aired and understood from both your perspective and your family’s. Your parents and siblings may have feelings about you to divulge. You may feel misunderstood, but Family Programs are safe places to air feelings and carry on with loving one another. Reaching out takes courage, and you’ve already shown your mettle by admitting you have an addiction. You may have survived loneliness, homophobia, and rejection. This isn’t meant as a pep talk, but to encourage LGBT people to paint yourself back into the picture of life, in bright and beautiful colors. Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We aim to provide a space where you can find out how and why you have struggled with addiction. Our therapeutic and medical support are just one of the tools we provide to help set you up for success in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-396-8526. From https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2018/11/do-you-take-yourself-out-of-picture.html from https://serenityoakswellnesscenter.wordpress.com/2018/11/09/do-you-take-yourself-out-of-the-picture-because-youre-lgbt/ from https://alcoholism2018.blogspot.com/2018/11/do-you-take-yourself-out-of-picture.html |
Alcoholism
Detoxification can be considered a frightening and overwhelming process, but additionally it is a necessary first rung on the ladder on the quest to recovery and long-term sobriety. To make sure you have all the required support for a safe and successful detox, Serenity Recovery Centre offers an entire continuum of treatment to meet your requirements and keep maintaining your comfort as you undergo this critical level of your treatment. By addressing the physical, internal and emotional needs of our clients, we can put them on a positive record to a wholesome recovery and an increased standard of living. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |