The Invisible Line

It's called crossing 'the invisible line.' One moves toward it with every drink or hit until the offending chemical changes body chemistry towards addiction. It isn't felt until it has a full hold. That's the catch. A person doesn't know he/she is hooked until stopping becomes difficult.

There are online sites coming from every angle when it comes to addiction education and resources. Many support groups have begun or thrived due to the influx of new 'customers.' Online meetings make connecting in some form available to almost everybody.

Only a few years ago, a list of 12-step meetings was the first line of defense when addiction or alcoholism was diagnosed. Many caught in the chemical trap of pain pills or liquor have tried a multitude of ways to stop with a wide range of results.

Due to the amount of people dying, the situation with America's relationship with drugs/alcohol is front page news. President Trump declared it a 'minor emergency' which limited resources for rehabilitation but it's a nod at the problem.

When dealing with the enigma of chemical abuse, an enormous amount of time and resources could be spared if recovered addicts were placed in key positions to organize treatment programs. If addicts are going through programs 10-20 times before recovery, they are not effective.

Other countries are having impressive results with alternative methods of coping with addicts and the fallout including diseases, accidents and lost work potential. Portugal and parts of Europe are both showing a model of recovery that works.

The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it is connection. Abstinence is the path to get there but if removing the addictive substance is the only remedy, the problem still lives and will strengthen.

Dual disorders. Poly-addictions. Single source abuse issues-alcohol, opiates, speed-type drugs. Trauma-related addiction. There are many ways to disconnect in the world. Loneliness, pain or tragedy combined with chemical hooks creates a recipe for disaster.

A user must be separated once and for all from the offending chemical so the body can begin the long process of adjustment that will re-connect neural pathways and cleanse bodily fluids. Alcohol, for example, stays in the body fluids for up to a year.

With 10 percent of the U.S. population currently suffering from an 'alcohol use disorder' and the opiod epidemic in high gear, the situation has now been triaged to the front. Addiction must be treated as an imbalance that starts spiritually, becomes mental and manifests physically before killing its victim or we will continue to fill morgues, jails and hospitals.

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7 Alcohol Rehab Success Tips For Faster Recovery

According to the World Health Organization, the consumption of alcohol is responsible for many common diseases, disabilities and deaths in the world. If you binge on alcohol and want to get rid of this addiction, you may want to enter a rehab. This will help you stay clean and sober. Let's know more.

1. Be Honest

You don't need to make a promise with your family, friends or loved ones before you enter a rehab. All you need to do is be honest about what you want to do. First of all, you need to ask yourself a few question to find out if you really drink too much of alcohol. If you do, you need help.

2. Get rid of the Stigma

In 1956, the American Medical Association (AMA) stated that alcoholism is a disease. Aside from this, the WHO considers that alcoholism is one of the biggest health issues in the here and now. So, it's safe to say that this addiction is a disease.

You need to keep in mind that if you drink too much doesn't mean you are a bad person. You just need to get help. No matter how worse your problem is, you can benefit from the right type of treatment.

3. Participate

If you want your alcohol rehab to work for you, make sure you give it a go first. What you need to do is take part in your own recovery in addition to go to a rehab. You have to get involved in order to make it work. You have to get involved if you want to create a solid base for your recovery.

4. Build the Base for Success

No two people are same from all aspects. The success of alcohol rehab depends upon a treatment plan that can help you for a long term. If you have trained professionals to help you, you can put together a plan that can help you stay healthy after a successful treatment at a rehab.

5. Make A Treatment Team

Again, the treatment professionals and counselors at the rehab clinic will help you achieve success. It's also a good idea to make friends with meeting attendees and other patients. However, you should not take it too fast.

6. Don't develop wrong relationships

During your rehab period, we suggest that you don't make new relationships, especially ones that are dramatic and intense. It's not a good idea to think about romantic ideas and elation. As a matter of fact, elation can be beneficial. However, you will find it hard to stay clean and sober if you start a relationship with the wrong person. But there is no harm in starting a positive relationship.

7. Adopt Healthy Activities

You also need to make a list of some healthy activities. For instance, you can read a book, take a walk, listen to music or watch movies. As a matter of fact, drug rehab provides you with a safe environment to try out new things to get pleasure. Drug rehab also gives you a place so you can resolve your other problems.

Hopefully, these alcohol rehab success tips will help you recover fast.

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A Fitness Regimen Helps in Recovery From Substance Abuse

The fact that fitness is an all-important part of one's life is beyond any debate. Everybody knows the importance of following a fitness regimen to remain healthy. Now, a recent recovery program at the University of Kentucky has claimed that fitness during recovery from addiction helps patients recuperate quicker and gain sobriety faster.

The University of Kentucky's Adolescent Health and Recovery Treatment and Training clinic says that goal setting during fitness programs go a long way in helping patients of addiction recover smoothly.

Goal setting can form an integral part of recovery

Experts believe that setting goals form an integral part of a treatment plan for adolescents who are into substance abuse. Many psychiatry clinics for adolescent substance abuse accord credence to setting goals by participants.

Every week, when patients in these clinics set goals and when they manage to accomplish them, they are rewarded as a recognition of their achievements. This, in turn, propels their confidence level to a new high. Another important attribute and tool in such treatment programs is peer support. Some peer support specialists even live their experience so that they relate in a better way with the participants.

In such programs, fitness regimen is part of the goal setting, when participants set fitness goals and strive to achieve them. Depending on an individual's physical capabilities, fitness programs or goals are set which the participants try to accomplish as part of their recovery program. It leaves them exulted when they manage to accomplish the desired goals. Gyms and fitness centers are assigned to these recovering adolescents who also get a workout buddy in the form of a peer support specialist.

How it works

Groups of participants from these clinics along with clinicians and a peer specialist visit the local gyms for workout and conversation. Since the setting is outside the rehab clinic, it provides a relaxed atmosphere and there is greater camaraderie between clinicians and participants. The participants find it easy in opening up in gyms and this helps in the treatment. Here, the adolescents also feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts and the relaxed environment sets the tone for a casual conversation which is necessary for recovery. Adolescents can always find time to chat in between the runs on the treadmill.

Participants themselves look forward to such initiatives during recovery programs as they feel more energetic and excited about starting anew. They admit to feeling better about themselves after participating in such programs. These feelings are in sharp contrast to what they used to feel during active addiction. After attending such fitness programs, the participants also feel good about themselves which in turn encourages them to continue with the treatment and to stay miles away from addiction. Staying fit prevents adolescents from going back to addiction besides bringing in a host of other health benefits. Thus, these fitness programs can be the harbinger of a bright new life for patients of addiction.

Recovery from substance abuse

Substance abuse is a debilitating disease which can cripple even the strongest of people. Chronic addiction has snuffed out millions of lives globally. However, it can be cured with proper and timely intervention and one can regain a healthy life to start all over again. A healthy lifestyle can help in feeling rejuvenated, which can steer the patient away from the thoughts of addiction.

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5 Tips to Stay Positive During Recovery

Overall, the addiction recovery phase for drinking problems is quite a strenuous journey that demands immense will power to get back to a healthier life. It takes an individual's time and effort to stay sober and control cravings to stay away from alcohol and other addictive substances.

Moreover, one has to also overcome certain situations that tend to force a person to relapse to old drinking habits. In such, and similar other situations, it is essential to ensure that people stay strong and resolute against any obstacles that can digress them from their commitment to quit alcohol addiction.

As such, anyone trying to win the race against alcohol addiction can experience a relapse. Often, negative thinking becomes a major barrier in an individual's path toward recovery. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the person stays away from any negative influences and remains positive while going through the recovery process.

Here are some simple ways by which a person can stay positive during the difficult phase of recovery:

1. Stay happy: Overall, happiness is the key to success, even in the case of recovery from an alcohol addiction. This includes staying positive during the whole process. One should indulge in activities and hobbies that interest him or her. This will help the person remain joyful and stay in a better mood.
2. Exercise regularly: Unlike the popular perception about exercise, it does not necessarily refer to undergoing activities that might exhaust a person completely. It can include a mix of things, including cycling, swimming, jogging, etc. In fact, other relaxation techniques like yoga and Zumba are also excellent ways to release endorphins, the mood-boosting neurotransmitters, in the body. Undoubtedly, physical activities by burning off excess calories and relieving stress, are an excellent way to stay happy.
3. Communicate with loved ones: During the recovery process, effective communication with loved ones is essential to overcome emotional hurdles. Staying in touch with friends and family is important, as this will help a person in sharing his or her fears, doubts and uncertainties with his or her loved ones. It is also important to instill positivity and inspire the person to continue walking on the path of sobriety.
4. Have patience: One should remember that sobriety can't be attained in a single day. It requires an individual to stay positive and firm on his or her decision to recover from alcohol addiction. A person should not consider the goal to be impossible and leave the path midway. Instead, he or she should stick firmly to his or her decision by enduring symptoms and undergoing the process patiently. It is important to always remember that though certain goals take time, once achieved they can change one's life completely. Therefore, appreciating even the smallest of achievements can help in staying motivated and positive.
5. Set goals: A person under recovery should set certain attainable and realistic goals to stay motivated and inspired. It is equally important to ensure that the goals set by the person are well planned or broken into smaller achievable tasks to avoid any kind of overburden on him or her.

Quit alcohol to rediscover life

A person going through the process of recovery from an alcohol addiction should avoid going to places where it is easily available since it increases the risk of relapse. Staying happy is an excellent way to boost one's mental health and to ensure that he or she sticks to his or her goals to attain sobriety. Apart from these, it is also important to focus on self-help instead of seeking help from others to fasten the recovery process.

https://ezinearticles.com/?5-Tips-to-Stay-Positive-During-Recovery&id=9627642

The Importance of Rest and Recovery (By Daniel Brennan)

"Rest and be thankful" - William Wordsworth

Today we would like to talk about the yin and yang of life. Learning how to rest and recover so you can be productive with much more intensely when you have to be.

Over the past few weeks, I have been traveling, playing golf up and down the East coast of America. Long drives of up to 20 hours, little rest or time to myself and below average nutrition led to an almighty collapse of my immune system during the trip. After about 7 days of the 10-day trip, I began feeling ill and just over a week later and many days stuck in bed/on the couch, I'm finally beginning to feel like myself again. So apart from losing a week in my life, what could I possibly learn from this latest crash of mine?

Well, let's begin to explore where this might have come from. In my opinion, a lot of my problems would've stemmed from weeks/months of going 60-80% all of the time. What do I mean by this? Well during Conor McGregor's preparation for the Nate Diaz rematch, he realized that his preparation for the first fight couldn't have been worse. He rocked into the gym at whatever time, stayed there all day doing bits and pieces of everything and there was no specific structure to his days or his life. Was he working hard? Yes, of course. But he was working hard in the wrong ways. As he explained himself, there were no definitive start or end times to his training sessions nor was there any specific training set for him to do. Therefore he got to the gym and kind of went at 60% for a long period of time which took a massive toll on his body and his ability to endure a 5 round fight. During his preparation for his rematch, however, he did everything he needed to do to prepare him for a 25-minute war inside the octagon. He began each session and ended each session at a particular time and he had a full rest day every 3-5 days and this was the key. He would go 100% during his training sessions in anticipation for his rest day, which he felt he had earned. And when you feel like you've earned a day off, you no longer feel guilty when you take a day off which we all fall victim to. Once a week, he would do a simulation of the actual fight day, in which he would do everything identical to what he would do on the day of the fight. He would get up at the same time, eat the same meals, go to the gym at the time he would go to the arena and then spar a 5 round war with a training partner. Everything was specific and down to a tee.

So what relevance does this have to my life? As I said, I went at 60-80% all day for many weeks in a row and although there were days off in between, there weren't real days off because the guilt would wear me down just as much as a hard training/practice session if not more. This then leads to a lack of motivation and the feeling of being worn out, but all the while, you know you've just had a day off and practice must begin again tomorrow. In turn, between the mental warfare, the long and not so productive days on top of probably a lack of sleep and quality rest, your immune system takes a hit like no other and you become constrained to your bed for a week.

If you were to look at your life as a heart and your days as the heartbeat, you might notice something. What I noticed is that the heart doesn't work at 10,20,30 or 80% all the time. What the heart does is works at 100% for a pulse, and then it rests, and then repeats until one day it stops for good. That can equate to your creative life in the same way. If you can find a way to do work, in short, productive pulses, you'll not only get more done but you'll feel fresher for longer. Keep reading for tips on how to do so.

Intense Focus

In order to enhance your creative life and those creative bursts in your life, you need to cultivate intense focus. Josh Waitzkin talks on the Tim Ferriss Podcast about being able to turn focus on and off so intensely that Marcello Garcia, one of the greatest grapplers of all time was asleep in the minutes before his biggest ever fight. He says he could wake up and just turn it on and that using intense interval training can help you accomplish that.

Interval training can help you cultivate the idea of turning it on and off very intensely. Your only focus in the 45 seconds between sets is to get your breath back and get your heart rate back down as low as you can before going again. Apart from the obvious benefits on the mind that exercise has, interval training, if done correctly can help you immensely in turning your focus on and off. Kind of like the way Conor McGregor changed his training approach but on a micro level. Beginning with interval training or intense focus periods followed by release periods can help you on the road to mastering your creative life.

Switching Off

Another big concern of mine that I noticed about myself this weekend was the inability to switch off. Obviously being sick, I wasn't in much of a state to go anywhere or do anything and it came at the perfect time, to be honest, because the Ryder Cup was on. I sat all day Friday to Sunday watching it but during that time I noticed something. Although I was lying on the couch 'relaxing', I was never really relaxed. Every advert that came on, I grabbed my phone to check social media. The repetition of absolute nothingness that social media is, makes us somewhat brain dead and it controls our thinking without us realizing. The next time you decide to rest and recover and perhaps you do want to watch some TV, I urge you to actually just watch TV and leave your phone somewhere else because when your phone is by your side, you're always on edge and always in between the TV and your phone - the exact opposite of what you need for your creative life.

Caging the monkey mind and giving yourself the freedom to focus on one thing at a time can help the longevity of your focus and energy immensely. The reason is, that when you spread yourself too thin, you wind up in a hole because (a) you don't get as much done and (b) you find yourself in between two minds and neither of which serve you as best as they can.

If you are going to switch off or take time off during the week, that's absolutely fine and necessary in fact, but if you're going to do it, I urge you to do it fully because, ½ switching off means ½ switching on and this isn't what you want in your creative life. Always keep in mind that how you do something is how you do everything.

Creating Your Ideal Day

The power of creating routines and good habits is at the core of this productivity dilemma. The reason being is that if you can create routines that allow you to do 'productive' things virtually on auto-pilot then they will simply be how you live and not another thing on your to-do list. I encourage you to sit down for an hour and create 2 things - the perfect work day and the perfect day off (rest day). What would these look like? How would your day go? What would you do? What time would you wake up/go to bed? What would you eat? Would you workout or watch TV all day? Would you read? Spend time with friends and family? By creating the perfect day, you will soon see that this isn't only possible, but very plausible provided you don't fill it with activities from the sun up to sun down. Once you understand and know the habits you'd like to create, it is as simple as putting them in place and constantly reminding yourself why you're doing it in the first place because motivation is like bathing, it doesn't last.

• Create short bulleted lists of the things you want to do on both work days and rest days.
• Put your day up for a brutally honest review.
• Allow yourself time off each day or a full day off every 3-5 days.
• Reading is my #1 recommendation for switching off (especially fiction).
• Short bursts of creative work are best.
• Work hard in anticipation for a day off. You'll appreciate it more and you'll work harder when you work.

Remember, you don't appreciate something until it's gone. Likewise, you don't fully appreciate a day off unless you've worked hard and smart in the days leading up to it so be sure to work hard and smart and don't feel guilty for having a day off. You deserve it.

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Accept, Survive & Thrive

Have you ever thought about how you would feel if you woke up one day and didn't know why you were, wherever you were? I'm not talking about waking up after overindulging in some substance or forgetting where you slept. I'm asking if you've ever been betrayed by your memories. Suddenly, you find that you are unable to do, what you remember you could do. Your life terrifies you; you trust no one and you can't remember needing the assistance that you now require. How do you continue? What do you have to do differently now and in the future? Is doing all you can worth the struggle?

Over forty-five years ago, in November of 1971, I was an active, liberal rebellious college student. I was very social, well organized, goal oriented and fiercely independent with just the right touch of passive aggressive resistance to authority figures. I remember laughing a lot and handling stress without much thought or anxiety. I could manage multiple demands with ease. In the fall of that year, my world collapsed. I was a passenger in a car that was involved in a head-on collision in the Ann Arbor area. In that split second, my career changed from one of a college student to an entry-level position in the field of brain injury recovery.

I got an impressive set of credentials that afternoon. My right wrist was crushed; both of my eyes would never again work together and I sustained a severe closed head/brain stem injury. Fortunately, the driver of the other car was a doctor who immediately began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to restore my breathing. I was rushed to the University Hospital in Ann Arbor, where I was placed on life support.

In 1972, I was concerned with learning to walk without using furniture for support, go up and down stairs, cook my own meals and set my hair. Things that I unconsciously do today, were very difficult and required deliberate efforts. I could only do one thing at a time. I couldn't eat and carry on a conversation at the same time. I used to hesitate between groups of words so often, that I was told I sounded retarded. I didn't like that at all. So, I started listening to how people in the mainstream talked and I copied them. I also had no idea of how to interact with anyone after my injury. So, I watched how others did that wherever I went. I chose role models from the people I like and respected.

I decided to be the kind of person who got treated the way I wanted to be treated. Somehow, I knew that I had to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I'm not going to talk about my trials returning to school, trying to work and getting fired repeatedly. And I'm not going to discuss my seizure, sleeping and breathing disorders. Those circumstances are simply facts of my life. The important question is what do I do now?

Today, I work as a Trauma Recovery Expert/Disability Life Coach. Quite logically, you might want to ask me how I managed to accomplish all of this. First, I'd have to say that I lead an interdependent life and I'm comfortable asking for assistance when I need it. Then, I'd say that I'm aware of the activities that deplete my energy and I try not to do them very often. I know what I do well and I know when I need to ask for help. Lastly, I would make it crystal clear; that I do all that I can and ask for assistance only when it is necessary.

Now, I will mention some of my difficulties and the success strategies I use to overcome them. The first is a problem I confront daily and that is my fatigue --- so, SUCCESS STRATEGY No. 1 is that I get adequate sleep and remain calm. Mornings are my best times and that's when I try to schedule any appointments or activities.

Another problem I have is with organization of everything. That's a skill that I find to be extremely difficult to master and that brings me to SUCCESS STRATEGY No. 2. I do one thing at a time and what is necessary first. I must finish what I start, before moving on to another project. In other words, I've learned to prioritize.

I also have energy challenges. I have difficulty with stamina and endurance. My stamina is dependent on the time of day, and my interest in the activity in which I'm engaged - so, SUCCESS STRATEGY No. 3 is that I need to be cognizant of how I'm eating, sleeping, exercising, and how I'm taking my medications.

I must address my health issues at least three times each day. It's inconvenient to have to take multiple prescriptions many times a day --- That brings me to SUCCESS STRATEGY #4 and that is; to just do it. I take lots of pills and I use two medication organizers to help me remember when to take, which drugs. I simply empty the designated part of the organizer into my hand and take the prescribed medication. If I want to live as well as I can, be free from pain, not have seizures and get a good night's sleep, I take what my doctors advise.

Earlier I mentioned a success strategy that I use. I spoke of treating other people the way I want to be treated. I call this SUCCESS STRATEGY #5. I get along better with others, when I treat them with respect. That applies to everyone, from doctors, to health care workers, to the people who provide me with services.

The final problem I'm going to speak of is the one I have with my memory. I forget things; I put something somewhere and then, absolutely forget where I put it. I miss appointments or things I know I want to do --- So SUCCESS STRATEGY #6 is to use notepads & calendars. Along with these tools, I leave myself reminder messages in places where I know that I'll see them, like the back of my front door, on my refrigerator or kitchen table.

I've lived with my difficulties for over 45 years and I've learned that I need a plan to win the war with my problems. Just like any war, I need to have a BATTLE PLAN. Mine is;

1. It's best to confront rather than avoid my problems.

2. I think of myself as having a battle with the deficits created by my injury, my disability, my illness and my age. There are some things I just can't do as well as I once did. For instance, I'm not as coordinated as I used to be and I don't move as quickly or manage stress, as well as I did in the past.

3. I cannot allow myself to remain ignorant of my difficulties. When I familiarize myself with the difficulties that might occur, my stress seems to be reduced as well as my fear and anxiety about life with all my problems.

When I no longer need to be afraid of what might happen, I'm able to better prepare for the options, or what the health care professionals choose to call, compensatory strategies that I need to make. I choose to call them, Success Strategies. I have learned that for me to make changes, I need to have goals. Those goals must be realistic and attainable. I recognize my difficulties in the here and now. When bringing about genuine change, I need to make a sustained effort.

My experiences have taught me that it takes determination, effort and time to modify my behavior. While it's important to set reasonable expectations, and be respectful of the reality of my situation, I feel that I must never lose sight of what I hope to achieve.

One statement that I like and helps me to feel good about myself is; RECOVERY IS NOT ONLY MAKING PROGRESS, it is TAKING ONE STEP! It doesn't matter where I start, doing anything to make my life better is making progress.

How do I win the war against the residuals of my problems?

I have learned that I must accept what I absolutely can't do, before I will allow myself to learn the skills necessary to do what I want to do. Then, I need to remember that every day and every task is different. Just because I can do something today, at one time doesn't mean I'll be able to repeat that process on another day or at another time.

After a trauma, an illness or an addiction, life becomes an uphill battle in all situations. Whether it's dealing with doctors, drug companies, mental health and rehabilitation professionals, or any other support staff, living as an independent, self-sufficient human being is simply no longer possible. There are countless adjustments, accommodations and modifications that need to be made, to ensure the possibility that a quality life will be realized.

Now, let's bust some myths about living with challenges. First, true independence is simply no longer a possibility. Total dependence on anything is undesirable. A mixture of both, independence or self-sufficiency and dependence or getting assistance when needed, becomes your new normal. Being interdependent with your environment becomes a new success strategy.

What you believe about yourself defines who you are. Who you believe you are, is who you are. You form your beliefs about yourself early in life. Your core beliefs form the context out of which all else evolves. If you believe yourself to be competent, you will behave in ways that reflect and strengthen competence. Conversely, if you believe yourself to be inadequate, your behavior will reflect inadequacy. If your self-concept is negative, you will probably remain in a state of needing to improve.

People experience a fundamental belief system shift when they face a life-threatening crisis. They suddenly see their priorities in a different order, their values change, their thinking about themselves shifts, and their feelings are modified. Everything seems to change.

Recovery to a person with an injury, a disability or an illness is making progress. Making progress is ACCEPTING your deficits, learning success "strategies to help you with those deficits, and learning to love and value yourself."

Is it Worth the Struggle? I say YES, it is!

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5 Tips to Stay Positive During Recovery

Overall, the addiction recovery phase for drinking problems is quite a strenuous journey that demands immense will power to get back to a healthier life. It takes an individual's time and effort to stay sober and control cravings to stay away from alcohol and other addictive substances.

Moreover, one has to also overcome certain situations that tend to force a person to relapse to old drinking habits. In such, and similar other situations, it is essential to ensure that people stay strong and resolute against any obstacles that can digress them from their commitment to quit alcohol addiction.

As such, anyone trying to win the race against alcohol addiction can experience a relapse. Often, negative thinking becomes a major barrier in an individual's path toward recovery. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the person stays away from any negative influences and remains positive while going through the recovery process.

Here are some simple ways by which a person can stay positive during the difficult phase of recovery:

1. Stay happy: Overall, happiness is the key to success, even in the case of recovery from an alcohol addiction. This includes staying positive during the whole process. One should indulge in activities and hobbies that interest him or her. This will help the person remain joyful and stay in a better mood.
2. Exercise regularly: Unlike the popular perception about exercise, it does not necessarily refer to undergoing activities that might exhaust a person completely. It can include a mix of things, including cycling, swimming, jogging, etc. In fact, other relaxation techniques like yoga and Zumba are also excellent ways to release endorphins, the mood-boosting neurotransmitters, in the body. Undoubtedly, physical activities by burning off excess calories and relieving stress, are an excellent way to stay happy.
3. Communicate with loved ones: During the recovery process, effective communication with loved ones is essential to overcome emotional hurdles. Staying in touch with friends and family is important, as this will help a person in sharing his or her fears, doubts and uncertainties with his or her loved ones. It is also important to instill positivity and inspire the person to continue walking on the path of sobriety.
4. Have patience: One should remember that sobriety can't be attained in a single day. It requires an individual to stay positive and firm on his or her decision to recover from alcohol addiction. A person should not consider the goal to be impossible and leave the path midway. Instead, he or she should stick firmly to his or her decision by enduring symptoms and undergoing the process patiently. It is important to always remember that though certain goals take time, once achieved they can change one's life completely. Therefore, appreciating even the smallest of achievements can help in staying motivated and positive.
5. Set goals: A person under recovery should set certain attainable and realistic goals to stay motivated and inspired. It is equally important to ensure that the goals set by the person are well planned or broken into smaller achievable tasks to avoid any kind of overburden on him or her.

Quit alcohol to rediscover life

A person going through the process of recovery from an alcohol addiction should avoid going to places where it is easily available since it increases the risk of relapse. Staying happy is an excellent way to boost one's mental health and to ensure that he or she sticks to his or her goals to attain sobriety. Apart from these, it is also important to focus on self-help instead of seeking help from others to fasten the recovery process.

http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Tips-to-Stay-Positive-During-Recovery&id=9627642

5 Ways in Which Exercise Aids Recovery

When a person gets addicted to an illegal substance, he or she constantly craves the substance at the expense of everything else in life. At times, people fighting substance abuse may even disregard their physical and mental health, exposing themselves to the harmful effects of addiction. When abusing drugs, such people do not focus on their actions or choices, which, in turn, leads to irreparable damage to their physical and mental health.

However, when a compulsive alcohol or drug user decides to lead a sober life, he or she faces innumerable challenges in combating the constant cravings for addictive substances and lead a normal life.

Studies show that indulging in healthy habits, such as regular exercise or eating a healthy diet, can pave the way for overall well being, such as improving blood circulation, strengthening the heart, maintaining weight, relieving stress and sharpening the mind.

For a person recovering from any sort of addiction, physical exercise can play a key role in uplifting the mood and maintaining overall health. Apart from helping in the release of endorphins, which the body craves during recovery, exercise repairs the psychological and physical damage of chemical dependency caused by alcohol or drug abuse.

Here are some benefits that a person can gain by exercising while recovering from an addiction:

1. Keeping oneself busy: One of the major benefits of exercising on a regular basis is that it keeps the person busy and helps focus on the present. Exercising on a regular basis keeps stress and boredom at bay and helps avoid thoughts of using alcohol or drugs.
2. Relieving stress: Stress and tension can result from several situations in life, such as work pressure, deteriorating health or substance abuse. Exercising can help the body get rid of stress and negative emotions. It is important to get moving and start physical exercise since avoiding it might increase the chances of the person opting for unhealthy ways to get rid of the stress and tension such as relapsing to drug and alcohol use.
3. Enhancing natural levels of endorphins: When a person abuses alcohol, it releases endorphins, the neurotransmitters in the brain, that create euphoria. However, using it for a long period of time causes dependency and creates a chemical imbalance that interferes with the person's ability to feel pleasure, happiness and satisfaction.A better way to enable the release of these hormones is by exercising regularly. Regular physical activity assists in restoring the natural levels of endorphins in the body.
4. Inculcating a better outlook: Exercising on a regular basis helps one develop a positive outlook toward life. It not only helps in boosting the person's self-confidence but also instills positivity.
5. Healing body and mind: Engaging in physical activity protects a person, especially those recovering from an addiction to alcohol, against deadly diseases such as cancer, heart ailments, etc. When a person in recovery exercises every day, it increases the number of new nerve connections in the brain that helps heal better from the effects of substance use.

Seeking professional help

Alcoholism not only affects the physical and mental health of a person but also those related to that person. It is important to note that alcohol addiction is a disease that can be treated.

http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Ways-in-Which-Exercise-Aids-Recovery&id=9640260

10 Tips to Help You Be Your Loved One's BEST Chance at Recovery

How many times have you seen your loved one drunk or stoned or high and reacted in a way you later regretted and that they didn't even remember? How often do you wish you could help them, stop obsessing about their life and start living your own?

If you put these tips into play, you can leave that regret behind, get your own life back, and give your loved one valuable food for thought that could help set them on a new path.

Tip #1:

Make inner peace a top priority in your own life.

If your first reaction to this tip is an eye roll, think again. Energy impacts relationships. When your loved one behaves in a crazed, upset, depressed or otherwise imbalanced way, the natural response is upset on your part.

But often, your upset simply multiplies theirs and the impact is to motivate them to numb themselves even more. No, I'm not saying you are responsible for their usage. They are. But, you ARE responsible for your response.

By making inner peace a top priority in YOUR life, you will be better equipped to respond to their problems sanely, rationally, and in a way that helps them move toward a better way of life., PLUS, you will begin to see life through new, more peaceful eyes.

You are always contributing to making things better or worse in your own life and that of your loved ones. Build your own fortress of inner calm so that you can consciously and consistently act in ways with the potential to make things better..

Tip #2:

Observe their behaviors objectively and jot them down.

Being willing to see what is actually happening rather than focusing on your inner upset over what is happening. Your inner upset is not directly useful to your desire to help. The facts are! Jot them down. There will be time to share them. Just not yet.

Tip #3:

Use the power of your breath to calm yourself down when observing behaviors that trouble you.

Look within again. Are you upset? Is your blood pressure rising? Are you too upset to think clearly? Who wouldn't be! But again, if the goal is to be helpful, it is important to bring yourself back to calm. The 4-4-8 breath exercise works for many to return to peace.

Breathe in slowly, naturally, and deeply to the count of four. Then hold it in to the count of four. Then let it go, again, slowly and naturally, to the count of eight. If these numbers are the ones that work for you, experiment with others. The idea is to use your breath consciously so you can bring yourself back to inner peace.

This does not mean you don't have feelings to work through. We will save the details of that for a future article. But right now, breathe.

If that is not enough, stretch your arms and legs. Walk around the room or block quickly and powerfully, swinging your arms.

During upset, the blood often leaves the brain and goes to the feet. The breath stops and leaves you speechless and at a loss. the key is to return to rational thinking. You may even need to leave the room to bring yourself back to center. To be optimally useful to another person - and to yourself, calm is essential. There are many ways to use breath and body to increase peace within yourself, Use them!

Tip #4:

Observe your own words and behaviors.

How do you interact with your loved one? Do you cry to everyone else and keep a stiff upper lip with your struggling loved one, bailing them out of their problems and giving them whatever they want? Do you yell and scream at them before you cave into their demands? Do you tell them what you see, only to back off when they argue that you don't know what you are seeing? If any of these describe your behaviors, how's that been working for you? Be honest with yourself and consider a new path.

Tip #5:

Get out of denial and into awareness!

This is important because:

Denial is the linchpin of the addictive system.

Lying to yourself is no longer an option, especially if their drinking or using is out of control, uses your resources, involves your covering up for them and bailing them out of their problems.

Believing their "I've got everything under control" line is NOT helpful. Remember: they must first lie to themselves to keep using. Then, when you confront and they deny, they need you to believe them. That keeps denial in place and allows them to continue using in a smooth, unfettered way.

This leads us to Tip #6:

Stop believing their lies and start believing your own eyes and ears!

Stay aware of the facts of the situation. Believe the facts, not your troubled loved one's spin on the facts. You contribute to their addiction when you allow their lies to push what you have seen and heard into the back of your head. Keep track of the facts by continuing to jot them down.

Tip #7:

Look for their behavior patterns in your notes

While it is true that occasionally the eyes and ears can fool us, it is just as true that when a loved one is embroiled in a real struggle with substances or other addictive behaviors, a pattern will emerge. That is what you are looking for in your note taking.

Tip: #8:

Script and then share what you have seen and heard. in a loving conversation, known as a BALM (Be A Loving Mirror) conversation.

Once you know you have facts worth sharing (relevant to your loved one's challenges), put them into a conversational format as follows:

- start with love

- share the facts

- end with love

Practice delivering this with a tone that is calm, sincere, objective. Save the drama for another day. Not for this conversation.

Then, when you have delivered the love and the facts, either change the subject or walk away.

That is all. Nothing more.

Why?

Brief intervention is one of the most powerful evidence-based best practices when it comes to helping a struggling loved one consider choosing recovery.

You share it, without emotion, they get a chance to absorb the facts without the distraction of your drama. Powerful stuff.

Tip #9:

If necessary, set a boundary.

A boundary is something you put into place to improve your own life. It's not about controlling them, it's about choosing the life YOU choose to live.

Here are some things to consider:

If your loved one has expected you to bail them out of jail, wake them up for work, take them to their dealer, have the alcohol cabinet stocked, allow them to come in at 3 AM, make all kinds of noise forever and ever, etc., and you see these things as not how you choose to live anymore, you can set a boundary.

Often, boundaries involve you choosing to no longer enable!

Tip #10:

Stop Enabling!!!

Enabling is when you do anything that makes it easier for your loved one to get their substance or engage in their addictive behavior.

Stopping enabling is something that will be hard at first but it will do two things in the long run:

1. Give you greater freedom to not have your life wrapped around their using.

2. Give them fewer choices about how to get their substance or engage in their addictive behaviors.

While they may find other enablers, your no longer being one means you are NO LONGER CONTRIBUTING to their use.

Disengaging from enabling makes your life better in the long run AND helps you be their BEST chance at recovery.

In other words, it will definitely save YOUR life and may even contribute to saving theirs!

Being someone's BEST chance at recovery is about choosing to put yourself first while also being conscious of how you engage with the struggling person.

It's a path worth pursuing IF your goal is to help your loved one and get your life back.

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Tips-to-Help-You-Be-Your-Loved-Ones-BEST-Chance-at-Recovery&id=9399440

5 Easy Tips To Get You More Restorative Sleep Tonight

One of the easiest, quickest, and most sustainable ways to gain more energy is to sleep better and sleep more (before the point where diminishing return starts to occur of course).

Sure, this is easier said than done for modern men and women, especially those living in a hectic all-night-long cosmopolitan city.

However, if you're someone who struggles with their sleep or if your sleep hasn't been as deep, as regenerative, as rewarding as it should be, you should seriously consider taking care of your rest as soon as possible.

Such a sleep-deprived situation may not harm you tomorrow, but it's going to bring in long-term disastrous health issues and you're going to regret soon.

Here are 5 easy tips on how you can considerably improve the quality (and quantity) of your sleep sessions.

Tip 1: Go For A Run

Not when you're about to go to bed but earlier in the day. This will help you to burn more energy and fat, thus making you more tired when you hit the sack.

At the same time, if you take your run outdoors, then you should find that the combination of fresh air and daylight also helps you to sleep better as well as to regulate your internal body clock.

If you aren't a runner, just find any sort of simple exercises to engage with for 20-30 minutes a day. As long as you move your body and get your heartbeat raising, you'll be more likely to sleep like a baby at night.

Tip 2: Make Your Room Cool Enough

Most people make the assumption that they will sleep better when their bodies are warm.

While you don't want your body temperature to be cold, a slightly cooler environment actually enhances your sleep. This emulates the way we would have slept in the wild and helps us to better regulate our temperature.

Tip 3: Take A Hot Shower

Taking a hot shower right before bed will help you to relax your muscles and at the same time will stimulate the release of sleep hormones like melatonin.

It also increases the production of growth hormones which are associated with better sleep and recovery.

Tip 4: Have A 30-45 Minutes Window To Relax

30-45 minutes before bed, get rid of your phone and put it in another room. At the same time, turn off the TV and make a conscious effort to relax and to do something that you will enjoy.

I personally like to read a book, jot down my day in my journal and lay out my game plan for the next day.

This will help you to unwind and to let go of the stresses of the day. Plus, the lack of bright screens and blue lights will help you to avoid stimulating the production of cortisol.

Tip 5: Take ZMA (With Caution!)

ZMA is a supplement containing zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6.

It is used by a lot of bodybuilders as a means to increase their testosterone levels to enhance muscle-building and recovery.

At the same time though, it also has the added benefit of encouraging deeper and more restful sleep. Take two capsule half an hour before sleep on an empty stomach and you might notice an improvement.

Of course, while most people can handle this supplement, always consult your physician or health experts to see if your body is good for this.

http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Easy-Tips-To-Get-You-More-Restorative-Sleep-Tonight&id=9527616

8 Reasons It's So Hard to Overcome a Tough Childhood

Understanding what prevents healing can be the first step toward recovery.

Trauma experienced in childhood has a special ability to wound, especially when it includes emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect. The fallout echoes through the years and causes negative consequences, such as higher risks of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, obesity, behavioral problems, and health problems such as heart disease. One study that followed hundreds of adolescents over time found that 80% of individuals who had been abused as children met the criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21.

A troubled childhood can also lead a person to alcohol and drug use as a way to numb the pain or, conversely, to feel something. Studies estimate that up to two-thirds of patients in substance use treatment have childhood histories of sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. There is much to overcome with a troubled childhood, but help is available, and a thorough understanding of what hinders healing can aid the recovery process. 

Here are 8 primary reasons why freedom from childhood trauma is difficult:

1. The traumatized person may be slow to realize the source of their pain.
   Children have no frame of reference when traumatic experiences occur, so they come to see their reality as normal, especially if their caregivers are the source of their distress. Often, it is only much later—when exposed to healthier families or when raising children of their own—that they see how damaging their childhood was. Unfortunately, the longer a person waits to get help, the tougher it becomes to heal. (If you’ve experienced childhood trauma and wonder where you fall on the spectrum, a test provided as part of the Adverse Childhood Experiences study can provide insight as well as gauge your risk of developing related health problems.)

   
   
2. Co-occurring issues can mask the true problem.
   Those who use drugs or alcohol to deal with the pain of childhood trauma may become so focused on dealing with their addiction—what is essentially a symptom of the trauma—that they never discover its source. Unless that’s done, however, they are likely to keep cycling in and out of recovery. There’s another complication to trauma-based addiction: Fellow addicts sometimes provide the sense of family missing from a person’s life.

   
   
3. The damage may also be biological.
   Scientists now know that childhood trauma can alter brain structure and change how certain genes are expressed. In a 2012 Brown University study, childhood trauma such as abuse or the loss of a parent was found to alter the programming of genes that regulate stress, boosting the risk of developing issues such as anxiety and depression. Trauma-induced brain changes, according to a 2013 study, have been linked to a diminished ability to moderate negative impulses. Childhood trauma can also affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, boosting the reward felt when drugs or alcohol are used—and making dependence more likely. These new understandings highlight the difficulties of overcoming childhood trauma, but they are also leading the way to targeted therapies and medications.

   
   
4. Overcoming the past may mean remembering it.
   Some find the concept of revisiting the past too painful. Others may be willing but find it impossible to sort out the jumble of childhood impressions. Often all that remains is a floating sense of anxiety. Pain becomes tough to eliminate when its source cannot be pinpointed.

   
   
5. Closure can be elusive.
   Oftentimes, getting those responsible for trauma to accept responsibility for their role in a painful past is impossible. They may no longer be alive by the time the traumatized person comes to understand the source of their distress or feel ready to address it. It can be tough to accept that an abuser will never be held accountable for his or her actions, or that there is no hope of ever developing a healthier relationship.

   
   
6. Answers may be sought in others rather than themselves.
   Often a person attempts to find in others what was missing from their life in an attempt to fix the past. Or they may become an approval-seeker who will go to any lengths to keep the peace or earn the love of others. Rather than valuing their own needs, they spend their energy trying to become worthy of others’ affection, often enduring further abuse in the process.

   
   
7. Emotions may be closed off.
   In some cases, caring becomes too dangerous for the child, so they numb themselves to feeling. This not only damages their ability to build healthy relationships, but it also complicates later attempts to access the emotions needed for healing.

   
   
8. It can be hard to silence the inner voices.
   Children buy into all the things they are told about themselves. If those things are negative—that they are worthless, lazy, stupid, ugly, a failure, or will never measure up to a sibling—it can leave them feeling both unworthy of a better life and powerless to change.

Source: Stefano Cavoretto/Shutterstock

While each of these scdenarios  challenges healing, none precludes it. For many, treatment and therapy can dramatically improve quality of life—among them, techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which can change negative thought patterns, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a form of psychotherapy that can help a person retrieve, process and resolve past traumas.

Additional techniques and medications are on the horizon as research increases our understanding of trauma’s effects on the mind and body. We may one day, for example, be able to simply block bad memories associated with trauma, research suggests.

Also encouraging is that researchers and therapists are coming to understand that there is a small silver lining to negative experiences: They can sometimes boost resilience. Carrying an ugly burden from the past can weigh a person down, but it can also make them stronger.

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201505/8-reasons-its-so-hard-overcome-tough-childhood