There are many changes each individual will make over their lifetime. Some of these changes are natural and unstoppable, others are changes we make by choice. Making the decision to change can be difficult. Whether we recognize it or not, we go through six (6) stages for every decision to change we make. Each individual…
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Friends and family play a major role in recovery. A fine line can exist between helping and enabling: Letting your teenage son/daughter “get away” with not doing chores because they have an exam can be helping. Not acknowledging you son/daughter’s defiance, substance use and inappropriate behaviour by just saying “Kids will be kids, they’ll grow…
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Relapse triggers are anything that activates the thoughts and desires to return to use. Anything can be a trigger: places, people, things, smells, sounds, tastes, emotional states, honestly anything. As triggers are different for everyone, they are easily overlooked. Anything associated with past use can be a subtle reminder that triggers the desire to use.…
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A primary reason for using and abusing substances is to mask or numb the pain that can arise in our lives. Pain can come from an event or trauma that we experience but it can also come from being unable to deal with the constant flood of feelings and emotions that enter our brain. Feelings…
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For some people, questions about addiction are never a thought. For others, there may be a point in time when you have asked yourself “Do I (or someone I love) have a problem with addiction?”. The answer to this question can sometimes be clear, and other times difficult to find. If you find yourself asking…
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Once you have completed a program, be proud of your accomplishment. It is the first step towards a life of sobriety. That being said, your program is not over. You have identified that your lifestyle has to change and now you will move forward with the skills you have learned to identify any potential stumbling…
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