Self-Care Is Critical, No Matter How Long You’ve Been in Recovery
Self-care is all about nurturing a loving, kind, respectful relationship with ourselves, and it’s takes work – just as other meaningful relationships in our lives do. As an ongoing, lifelong process, we have to remind ourselves to continue building upon that relationship – but if we get too comfortable in our recovery, we may find…
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Your Guide to Going on Summer Vacation in Recovery
Summer vacations – they used to mean airport drinking, tropical getaways and sipping cocktails on the beach or by the pool. Nowadays, they can be anxiety ridden affairs that are full of opportunities to relapse. Going on your first vacation in recovery is a big milestone and a treat you definitely deserve but it is…
Read MoreWhat is Humility and How Does That Relate to Recovery?
“I find I am at my best when I can let the flow of my experience carry me…” – Carl Rogers The dictionary defines humility as: “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness”. As human beings, it’s pretty natural for us to feel an inflated sense of importance. We are so focused…
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How Creativity Helps Recovery
A common misconception amongst many creative addicts is the idea that substances such as alcohol or heroin can stimulate creativity. They cite that many creative geniuses have also been alcoholics or addicts. However in a recent study, Roger Beaty, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience at Harvard University, found that creativity comes from using different…
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Incorporating Creative Activities in Recovery: Getting Back to the Basics
When we’re kids, we’re much more open to exploring the world with curiosity and wonder. Vince Gowmon, a life coach, counselor, author and more, emphasizes that it’s because children are still connected to their body rather than strictly through their mindset. They’re able to move much more fluidly – and with little association to place…
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Guide to Life After Rehab
Leaving treatment can be a scary prospect for many recovering addicts. Addiction is a life-long disease that you need to work on continuously, even when you leave your treatment center. In fact, in some ways – you have to work at it harder when you are back in the “real world”. At High Watch, we…
Read MoreRelapse Prevention & The 12 Steps: What You Need to Know
Relapse prevention is a crucial part of addiction recovery, but it happens gradually. Those in recovery learn of the strategies, coping mechanisms and resources needed to work through troubling emotions such as with anger, guilt, sadness and more. It takes time to learn more about our cravings and triggers, as it’s something that we can’t…
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Navigating Summer Parties and Picnics in Recovery from Substance Abuse
As summer arrives, so do the invitations to parties, BBQ’s, after-work drinks outside and picnics on the beach or in the park. It is not unusual to associate these events with drinking and using. Navigating the challenges summer brings to us in early recovery can be a difficult and sometimes it’s best to avoid these…
Read MoreHow Men and Women Differ When It Comes to Spirituality and Long-Term Recovery
Men and women are hardwired differently, so it’s natural that they experience addiction, recovery, and the associations that go along with them differently. As DrugFree.org states, biological differences in women means that they can become much more easily dependent on substances; they are also at higher risk of developing health-related issues, such as breast cancer,…
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How to Avoid 5 of the Most Common Relapse Triggers
1: Stress Stress may be the number one cause of relapse. Many people in recovery turn back to their substance of choice when they are feeling overwhelmed with life issues. For many addicts, drinking and drugging was a maladaptive way of coping with various stressful experiences. Being Hungry, Angry, Tired or Lonely (HALT) can exacerbate…
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