High Watch Blog
How to Avoid Feeling Isolated in Recovery
These are difficult times for all of us, and in recovery it can seem like things are spiraling backwards. Addiction is a disease of isolation, and being forced to physically isolate can have us stuck in our own heads again which can be dangerous. There are, however, certain steps we can take to prevent ourselves…
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Maintaining Your Sobriety During Stressful Situations – Like the Coronavirus Outbreak
Stress is ranked by most studies as among the most frequent causes of relapse. Many people in recovery turn back to their substance of choice when they are feeling overwhelmed with sudden, stressful events. Today’s outbreak of COVID-19 is similar to the days and weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and we have much to…
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Recent Study finds AA Might Be the Most Effective Way to Abstinence
CNN published an article on March 11 about a recent study concluding that those who go through Alcoholics Anonymous may have the best chance at abstaining from alcohol after completion of the program. Over 10,000 participants were evaluated and 145 scientists conducted research in 35 studies to find out how effective AA was on alcohol…
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Battling the Winter Blues
The winter months are hard. The weather can be unbearable and there are minimal hours of daylight. Really, who wants to leave the house when it’s 10 degrees and your house is warm and cozy? All in all, it’s really no surprise that a seasonal funk can set in. But we can’t let the season…
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Christmas
The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, but it can also be incredibly stressful, especially for those of us in early recovery. Holidays are filled with family, parties, and shopping centers that are all but serene. These are a few of the suggestions that I picked up along the way that have helped…
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Giving Thanks
The dictionary defines gratitude as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”, and this is definitely the season to practice gratitude in our daily lives. There is no argument that gratitude is an integral part of every recovery program. While it may not be written into AA’s twelve…
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What To Do When Your Friends Still Drink
It’s no secret that most alcoholics and addicts burn a lot of bridges in their journey towards their bottom. Believe it or not, a lot of us do emerge from the wreckage with a few friends and family members still by our side. The question then becomes, what do you do when those friends ask…
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Outreach
When you come to High Watch, you become an immediate part of our family. When you leave, that doesn’t end and we want to be with our alumni offering support throughout their entire lives. Just over a year ago, we developed a system to do just that by following up with alumni after they leave…
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Dealing With a Loved One in Addiction
It’s Saturday evening and I’m on the couch with the dog watching something insignificant on TV when the phone rings. A few minutes later I hear “She’s been drinking again and is on her way over.” So, I get up and go to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Maybe this time…
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Between 30 and 80 percent of people with mental health issues don't seek treatment...
