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The SODA technique may be a beneficial tool to implement into your daily life if you struggle with anxiety. This method is used to reframe a situation or negative thought, and it’s a very simple way to bring in mindfulness and de-escalate anxious thoughts and feelings surrounding a given situation (and no, it doesn’t have anything to do with drinking something!) SODA refers to the acronym stop, observe, detach and affirm, and practicing SODA helps to bring the out-of-proportion and exaggerated thoughts typical to anxiety back into a more balanced view. By following and practicing each step, you can build more awareness of your inner thoughts, evaluate your mindset and create a more positive, optimistic attitude. Thoughts are an extremely powerful component of what we feel and how we behave, so it is through changing your thoughts that you can ultimately change any behaviors that do not serve your greatest good.

Maybe you’ve never heard of the terms internal or external locus of control, but you likely identify with either believing you are responsible for making life happen for yourself, or that life happens to you. In essence, that is what internal versus external locus of control means, and knowing which you identify with can explain your actions and reactions in life. Adopting the belief that you make things happen will positively affect your mental health while believing that things that happen to you will have the opposite effect.

If you or someone you love engages in self-injurious behavior, a mental illness could be the underlying cause. Finding the right help to stop self-harming and addressing any influential factors like mental illness or substance abuse is necessary since the individual lacks the impulse control to effectively stop themselves from continuing this behavior and hurting themselves.

Everyone experiences days when emotions are heavy, and they feel the need to unload the stress that is overwhelming them. However, how often this occurs and how they unpack their emotions also affects the emotional well-being of loved ones around them. Understanding the difference between positive venting and emotional dumping is important to maintaining healthy, emotionally sound relationships.

In each individual’s journey to sobriety, the recovery process can present many difficult and unique hurdles. Not only is it important to address one’s relationship with drugs or alcohol and learn how to cope with urges, but each individual is also asked to confront feelings of shame or guilt and address the complex nature of their changing relationships. One of the most profound parts of tackling addiction is the relationships that may have become strained due to drug or alcohol use. Because of this, forgiveness is a crucial part of the recovery process, both in learning to forgive others and oneself. It is essential for both those in the recovery program and supporters to explore the profound nature of forgiveness. However, that doesn’t mean that forgiveness will come at the same time for each person. Learning the different ways in which forgiveness can be explored and why such a practice is so essential can create the necessary space for further growth both inside and outside of the recovery sphere.

Breakups are always difficult, but if you identify with being in a codependent relationship, a breakup can feel catastrophic. Getting out of a codependent relationship is a big step since you are finally stepping away from a toxic relationship that was fueling your dysfunctional behavior and fears. Taking a leap of faith and getting out of that codependent relationship is challenging but worth the effort.

With concerts, festivals, and other gatherings now being scheduled again, the challenge of navigating social events without drinking or using them once again arises. These situations often feel triggering, especially for individuals in early recovery. For some, this may be their first time attending social events sober if they recently entered recovery sometime in the past year during the pandemic. Mentally preparing yourself before attending one of these social events is the first step to being ready for the emotions that might come up. Before you get to the event, visualize yourself having a good time and being fun without needing alcohol or drugs. Take out any of the false beliefs in your mind that you will feel isolated or everyone will notice that you aren’t drinking. Choose your intention for the event, like catching up with old friends and enjoying their company or wanting to dance all night long. Once you’ve mentally prepared yourself to feel comfortable not drinking, follow some of the tips below at the event:

You don’t have to rely on seeing your therapist experience the benefits of hypnosis. By practicing self-hypnosis, you can improve your behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs about yourself and your success in recovery. Learning how to use self-hypnosis as a tool for healing in recovery will allow you to gain better control over your thoughts and experience deep relaxation along the way.

When it comes to recovery, it is a mistake to think that having strong enough willpower alone is the secret to overcoming a substance use disorder (SUD.) Finding the right comprehensive treatment for you is key to sustaining a long and happy sober life. Certainly, willpower is a piece of the puzzle, but there are other pieces one needs to persevere through the daily challenges of cravings, triggers, and temptations.

Recovery from an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and the anxiety, depression, or stress that may be present throughout the process, can take a toll on many aspects of daily life, down to the power an individual feels in everyday situations. Feeling powerless in recovery can compromise many elements in the process, introducing doubt or allowing prevailing feelings of sadness or frustration to continue to go unchallenged. Garnering a sense of self-worth and empowerment is crucial for finding success in other parts of the recovery process. Addressing the feeling of powerlessness can often start by looking at one’s language. The words that a person uses and the confidence in their voice can provide insight into how one may view themselves. Challenging how a person talks about themselves and confronting the language of powerlessness opens the door to greater confidence and positivity in recovery.

Being ambitious is a useful character trait to possess when it comes to achieving your goals or advancing in your career. However, even a good thing can get out of balance and wreak havoc in your life if kept unchecked. Knowing if your ambition acts as a motivating force or an end is an important factor in knowing how healthy your relationship with ambition is in your life. If you aren’t sure whether your ambitious nature has gotten a little out of control, then look for some of these subtle signs that ambition may be becoming toxic to you.

Over the past twenty years, no drug has seen a higher increase in overdose deaths like opioids. The opioid epidemic killed 49,860 people in the year 2019 alone, with its deadly grip affecting people of all backgrounds and demographics. With its effects so far-reaching and devastating, those suffering from opioid dependency need viable treatment options as part of the solution to ending the opioid crisis. One of the popular clinical treatment options available for those recovering from opioid abuse is the Vivitrol shot.