Struggling with addiction and mental health issues can make us get the feeling of loneliness. We feel alone in our pain and we don’t think anyone understands the emotions we are feeling. We struggle to understand how we feel, let alone verbalize and communicate it with other people. When you’re feeling most alone, try to remember a few key things that might help you to feel better. Everyone in the
Yoga is beneficial to our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health in various ways, making it a useful and beneficial tool in our recovery. The word “yoga” in Sanskrit means “to unite,” and when we practice yoga, similarly to meditation, we are connecting our minds, bodies, hearts and spirits, making it as much a spiritual practice as a physical form of exercise. Just like with meditation, yoga helps us to
A new year is a new beginning, and there’s something to be said for being able to get your year started off on the right foot. No one can see what the year will bring, but getting yourself in a positive mindset as January 1 rolls into days and months later may help give you a boost when you need it most. There’s no shortage of ways that anyone can
Sometimes our denial about our drug or alcohol use can be so intense that we manage to convince ourselves that we don’t actually have a problem. We tell ourselves it’s under control. We like to believe that we can quit any time we want. Addiction can creep up on us. We can try to convince ourselves that we’re fine but then come to the realization that we’re dealing with a
It’s not uncommon for people to make resolutions with the best intention as New Year’s Eve approaches, and then as the new year begins to unfold, those resolutions fall to the wayside. While these resolutions may not be life or death, for people with a history of addiction, resolutions can be an important part of their year, and in a way, making a resolution is giving your word. Especially for
When we look at the underlying causes and root issues behind our addictions and mental health issues, we’ll often find our insecurities. Our lack of self-acceptance and our need to be perfect can often be attributed to our deeply rooted fears of inadequacy and inferiority. Where do these fears come from? Many of us were conditioned from an early age to feel as though we weren’t good enough. We might
Stress is something that everyone deals with throughout their life. It’s one of the most common causes of headaches and migraines, and it’s also a leading factor in why people start to abuse drugs or alcohol. It’s also commonly why people relapse. There’s no getting around the fact that if you don’t know how to manage your stress well, it can be extremely difficult to deal with when you’re trying
Sometimes addiction goes undetected by the people closest to us, and we haven’t given loved ones cause for concern about our well-being. Other times, though, there are some overt warning signs that a substance abuse problem has developed. What are some of these warning signs, and how can we learn to detect them? Signs of substance abuse can mirror those of mental illness, since addiction and mental health issues often
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, PLEASE call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Our insecurities, and the underlying fears of inadequacy and unworthiness, can wreak havoc on our mental and emotional well-being. They can cause us to feel depressed, anxious, even suicidal. They can contribute to the development of our addictions because we’re desperate to find relief from the emotional pain of our self-hate. Healing from
It has become quite common to hear stories about the prevalence of addiction in children. New drugs are being manufactured that appeal directly to young people. Children are experimenting at younger and younger ages. They are trying increasingly dangerous and risky games, activities, behaviors and substances. While some children will try things out and experiment and leave it at that, many of them develop lasting addictions. Children are showing signs
