Prior to recovery, most people with substance use disorders become quite adept at using drugs or alcohol to numb themselves from their emotions. Using helps protect them from feeling pain, heartbreak, fear, or disappointment – at least temporarily. That’s why a lot of people start using in the first place. Our addiction may help us […]
Tag Archives: Emotions
21
Jul
Jul
When we were teenagers, many of us had secret journals that we kept under our beds. In these journals, we would chronicle our thoughts and feelings for the day, writing about who we talked to, what they said to us, how we felt about it, and of course, who caught our eye romantically. These journals […]
17
Jul
Jul
From the very beginning, when we initially struggled with substance abuse and then developed an addiction, our mind, body, and spirit became used to alcohol or other drugs flooding our system. For many people, the addiction helped to numb themselves from the pain and agony they felt about previous traumas, accidents, relationship failures, career blunders, […]
26
Jun
Jun
Relapse is probably one of the most commonly feared aspects of recovery, yet there is so much insight that can be gained from discussing and learning about it. While relapse prevention is certainly an important area of exploration for those in sobriety, relapse itself can teach people a lot about what’s working for them in […]
19
Jun
Jun
There are two incredibly painful, unhealthy coping mechanisms that our society seems to push on each other over and over again: denial and suppression. Even when we’ve been caught red-handed, right in the middle of a mess of a storm, we’ve been shown and raised time and time again to pretend that it didn’t happen, […]
09
Jun
Jun
When a loved one battles with substance abuse, it affects everyone around them. Grandparents may begin to take on more parental roles since that individual can no longer fulfill family responsibilities. Friends may fade away if they notice significant changes in that person. Not only does a person’s social network become affected, but so does […]
25
May
May
Yes, being happy is the ultimate goal here. Still, there is a difference between being happy in life and being happy at all times. Forcing a smile, or trying to “just cheer up” could actually be counterproductive to reaching the end goal kind of happiness. Not to mention, it’s just kind of annoying to hear. […]
18
May
May
Reflecting on our family’s influence can be challenging, painful, and rewarding. This process allows us to see how parental patterns have impacted our behavior, beliefs, and attitudes. However, each generation carries the opportunity to heal, improve, or end the patterns of the previous one, which is an incredible gift. Consider the masculine or male role […]
12
Nov
Nov
If your vision has been looking blurry, watery, or dry later, it could be because of stress. Changes in the vision system can be because of repressed emotions which will make you focus more on your eyesight than on what is bothering you. It is important to make an appointment with your therapist and eye […]
26
May
May
Everyone gets angry sometimes. Anger is a normal reaction to being attacked or being treated unfairly. It can even be healthy if you use it to motivate you to make positive changes. However, dealing with anger constructively is hard. Too often, we lash out or act impulsively. This can have consequences from alienating friends and […]