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Countdown to Reclaim Calm and Manage Anxiety. As for the exercise itself, it is all about your senses, starting with your sense of sight.

Count on This Countdown Technique to Manage Anxiety

When you hear the word “countdown,” what comes to mind? Our guess is that you think of quite a number of things before you think about a way to manage anxiety.You might think of the countdown to a rocket launch. You might think of a weekly countdown of the most popular songs in the country. You...
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First Holiday Season in Recovery? Give Yourself the Gift of Reduced Stress

First Holiday Season in Recovery? Give Yourself the Gift of Reduced Stress

The holiday season can be a source of great joy and inspiration. We have even suggested that the late-year holidays can serve as a roadmap to getting sober. But the holidays can also be a time of significant stress—and that can be a problem if you are newly in recovery from a substance use disorder....
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recovery to-do list, Three Recovery Tips: Make a Budget, Tidy a Mess, Start a Journal

Three Recovery Tips: Make a Budget, Tidy a Mess, Start a Journal

When you are in recovery from a substance use disorder, you might feel as though there is a long list of things you should do. The first, most important thing on that list is, of course, don’t drink or use drugs. But there are plenty of other things on the recovery to-do list:Go to 12-Step or...
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A Roundup of Details About Different Drugs: Part 2, cough suppressant, codeine,

A Roundup of Details About Different Drugs: Part 2

In a recent entry, we looked back to some previous blog entries that provide details about the dangers of different kinds of drugs. Last time out, we considered cocaine, PCP, and opioids. Of course, those are far from the only drugs that can lead to a substance use disorder. In this entry, we will highlight...
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Pill - Xanax, Different Drugs

A Roundup of Details About Different Drugs: Part 1

We cover a lot of ground in this blog, tacking all sorts of issues related to substance use disorders, treatment, and the recovery journey. There is, if we do say so ourselves, a pretty impressive collection of content to be found here.But with lots of content comes the danger that it can be hard to...
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Restart After a Relapse

Try a Restart After a Relapse

It always seems to happen when you are trying to do something important. All of sudden your phone or your computer or your tablet seems to slow to a crawl. Images won’t load, applications or programs crash or freeze, and no matter how many times you click on something nothing seems to happen. It is...
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getting treatment for a substance disorder order, The Time is Now When it Comes to Sobriety, Delaying treatment

The Time is Now When it Comes to Sobriety

Way back in 1969, the band Chicago had a hit with a song from the group’s very first record. The song’s title is a question: “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”It’s a philosophical question (and truthfully, kind of an odd song). A close listen to the lyrics suggests that the answer to the...
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September is a Month for Celebrating Recovery

September is a Month for Celebrating Recovery

You probably know that each month of the year has several designated causes, ideas, or activities associated with it. But you may not be aware of just how many designations there are! Here are just a few of the various causes that are associated with specific months. Some of them are related to history and social...
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Puzzle of Sobriety, staying sober, You Can Solve the Puzzle of Sobriety & Staying Sober

You Can Solve the Puzzle of Sobriety

Do you enjoy puzzles? Maybe you love piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Perhaps you enjoy Wordle or Sudoku or Spelling Bee. Maybe you like a good logic puzzle with multiple factors to untangle as you work toward the correct solution.All of those puzzles—and many more—can be frustrating, but in the end the satisfaction of finishing...
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parent using drugs or alcohol, Parents with Untreated Substance Use Disorders

Parents with Untreated SUDs can Upend Their Kids’ Lives

If you are a parent, you want the best for your children. But if you are a parent struggling with drugs or alcohol, it can be difficult to provide your kids with the love and attention they deserve. Worse, your substance use disorder can have lasting effects on the lives of your children. The experiences...
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