Breaking the Barriers
Have you ever felt like you are destined to deal with the same issues over and over again, to the point where you just give up hope for anything better to happen? That used to describe me in dealing with my anxiety. I just assumed that everyone had to deal with anxiety, you know, cope with it forever. In this article, I’ll discuss ways to push past, heal, and move forward. I’ve looked at...Learn More
Relapse – A Slip in Reasoning
Since 1994 I entered this industry in hopes of making some sort of impact. My first internship was at Tarzana Treatment Center in southern California, a 12 Step facility that housed over 100 people. It taught a combination of the 12 Steps and what they termed “I.T.” or industrial therapy. Industrial therapy was basically having the clients mop, clean, cook, and serve the meals. If clients were...Learn More
Are You Surviving or Thriving?
After 28 years in the industry, I often reassess myself. This is a periodic check-in to see how I am doing. Currently very happy but why? And honestly, the answer is staying active. When I have a purpose, I do well. But this is just me. Recovery of any type is not a one size fits all. Each person is so unique that what works for one person will not for another. Thus, the personal check-in. How...Learn More
Changing for the Better
This article should be entitled personal responsibility since in changing ourselves, it has to be done by ourselves. So often people want to have others swoop in and rescue them because we feel it is their fault, they are making me feel this way, when the truth is, it is all about us. In taking personal responsibility, we are no longer victims of what others do or say. In all actuality, it is...Learn More
Breaking an Addiction
Beyond all the theoretical approaches, the social support networks, the medication, the paraprofessionals, friends, and family, the thing that will get you through addiction is your determination. Psychologists explain addiction as a hard-wired pattern that is hard to break. When a stimulus happens, for example the desire to use, it is hard-wired to respond by using. Any attempt to stop this...Learn More