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Have you ever felt like you needed to create space in your life and minimize chaos? Decluttering your life is an act of mindfulness that can create more space and foster mental wellness as you connect back to what is important to you. Here are things you can do to declutter and simplify your life.

Addiction is incredibly costly, not only to your relationships, professional life, and physical and mental health but also to your finances. Finances are not typically the first thing that you ponder when considering the long-term costs of your addiction, even if it is one of the barriers that is to be considered when it comes to pursuing a professional recovery program. Understanding the impact that addiction has on your finances and how it affects other areas of your life is paramount for understanding the total ramifications of addiction. This knowledge helps create a more informed and direct plan to address your recovery while overviewing the financial component and its effects.

Escapism plays an interesting role throughout one's recovery journey. While escapism can be used to push away stressors or avoid daily struggles, it can also be a phenomenal tool of relaxation, depending on how it is used. However, not all individuals will engage with escapist outlets in the same way. Understanding the different forms escapism takes and how to approach it productively is essential for determining how an individual can incorporate its benefits in their recovery journey while avoiding its potential pitfalls.

The threat of relapse is a pervasive thought that can cloud your mind, starting from those initial painful withdrawal symptoms during detox and continuing throughout recovery. While unfortunate, relapses are a common occurrence in recovery, and there is no simple way to cast aside urges, cravings, or reminders of active addiction. Creating a relapse prevention plan as early as possible in recovery is essential for mitigating the chances of succumbing to these detrimental setbacks. However, experiencing a relapse does not mean it is the end of your recovery journey or indicates that you are somehow beyond reprieve. Navigating these experiences and returning to the basics of recovery is essential for reclaiming your life and refocusing on goals set out for yourself.

Stress is an unfortunate and unavoidable part of life. The continued mandates relating to Covid-19, social quarantine guidelines, and other daily stressors have the propensity to exacerbate these already overwhelming feelings. The weight of these stresses often leads to a dangerous increase in the amount of alcohol consumed to cope with this stress. This increased consumption can have a major impact on your life. Monitoring your alcohol intake is increasingly important in the face of these unprecedented and difficult times. Attempting to stay in control of your drinking means first understanding that your relationship with alcohol is not unique. It is up to you to take accountability for your drinking habits.

Dependent disorder is a kind of personality disorder that greatly impacts your way of thinking and daily life. The feelings of anxiety can feel overwhelming as a result of the disorder. However, it is still possible to address and overcome your symptoms and regain a sense of control and self-esteem despite personal experiences. Left unaddressed, dependent disorder can continue to impact an individual on a mental, emotional, and physical level. The ability to identify and address your struggles with dependence is necessary to create a more self-fulfilled and healthy lifestyle.

If you have spent a great deal of your life living in fear, expecting the worst to happen, and doubting that you can achieve your goals, beginning to shift your mindset can be tricky. While you may sometimes doubt yourself during your recovery process, the journey can also help you build self-esteem, self-trust, and inner hope.

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that require appropriate treatment and care. According to ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders), eating disorders impact nine percent of the population worldwide. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, deciding to take the first steps toward recovery is not always an easy choice to make. However, it is an empowering decision that can help you discover what life is like without the constant obsessions regarding the food you eat, as well as your weight and body image.

For those who suffer from a mental health condition or emotional sources of pain, neurofeedback therapy— a type of biofeedback  — can be used to train your brain to self-regulate, helping you to stay calm and focussed. This type of therapy can be used to ease the symptoms of several mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

If you have ever experienced seemingly random episodes of fear and anxiety that send you into a flight of panic — where your mind races, heart pounds, hands tremble, and body begins to sweat — you may have experienced a panic attack. Panic attacks are a symptom of panic disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder. These attacks can happen at any time and often occur when there is not a threat or danger present. Although overwhelming and scary, panic disorder is something a therapist can help you navigate and heal from. Experiencing panic attacks can leave you feeling powerless, but there are practices you can use to access your power in moments when it feels like the disorder has control over you.

Mindfulness is the practice of continually choosing to come back to the present moment with awareness and acceptance. It can help you slow down and live life with a deeper intention and compassion for yourself and others.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental health condition. Individuals who suffer from it have reoccurring thoughts — called obsessions — followed by repeated behaviors (compulsions). Living with OCD can be debilitating, overwhelming, and confusing. The most common treatment for OCD is called exposure and response prevention (ERP), in which the individual is repeatedly exposed to fears and obsessions without engaging in compulsions. This is something a therapist can support you with as you learn to make peace with living with OCD.