Emotions have a way of sneaking up on a person. One moment, you are feeling perfectly fine, but then a stray memory makes you feel sad. Or you are working steadily on a project, but then a series of small setbacks add up to mounting feelings of frustration. Or you are feeling down in the...Read More

Codeine Misuse Can Lead to Bigger Problems When you think about the opioid epidemic in the United States, the odds are pretty good that codeine does not immediately jump to mind. Instead, you may think of codeine as a mild cough suppressant and source of pain relief. That is entirely understandable. Codeine has been around...Read More

Benzodiazepine Addiction There are so many different stressors in our lives. So many, in fact, that it might seem impossible to even begin to list them. But here’s a stab at such a list—woefully incomplete though it is: We have stress in our family lives. Our partners, kids, parents, in-laws, and on and on are...Read More

There is a famous moment in William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in which Hamlet asks a group of actors to put on a play that bears a strong resemblance to some misdeeds he believes his uncle and mother have committed. The goal, as Hamlet puts it, is to “catch the conscience...Read More

It Is Easy to Make Exercise Excuses Sometimes it can seem as if there are only two levels of exercise: intense and none. And let’s face it, given those choices, a whole lot of us are going to go with the second option. Of course, we all know that it is a good idea to...Read More

You have regained your sobriety and started your recovery journey. You have established some good routines—going to recovery meetings, keeping a gratitude journal, getting outside to enjoy the fresh air and beauty to be found in the natural world—and you are feeling pretty good about your ability to manage cravings and maintain your sobriety over...Read More

Sometimes it can feel as though you will never be able to go to bed. A Routine for Good Sleep There are dirty dishes in the sink or a school project that your kid didn’t tell you about until the last minute. Maybe your boss sent you an after-hours email and clearly expects a response...Read More

Mindfulness & Your Mental Health We have written before about the ways in which mindfulness can support your mental health and recovery from a substance use disorder. On the surface, the practice of mindfulness seems both straightforward and simple. The goal is to be present in the current moment rather than ruminating about the past...Read More

Habits can be powerful. Sometimes the power of a habit is good for us. Other times, the power of a habit is a problem. Take, for example, a habit like brushing your teeth in the morning and before bed. The odds are good that you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about brushing your...Read More

You’re sitting at home one night watching your favorite show or reading a new book or helping your kids with their homework when all of a sudden the lights go out. It’s a blackout. After you find a couple of flashlights or light a few candles, you will turn your attention to the source of...Read More