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Forgiveness is a word we hear often and we may think it is very easy to forgive. If a friend crosses us or a family member apologizes we know how to forgive them. We understand that they are trying their best just like we are. However, it can be difficult to think about how to forgive yourself for any wrongdoings you have done. Especially if some of the actions you have taken in the past are in your mind unforgivable. Being under the influence changes our state of mind. It alters how we perceive the world and it changes how we would normally behave. When we get sober all the memories of the things we did come flooding back like a tidal wave. This can be hard on our psyche.

When some of us hear the word God, we immediately experience a split second of judgment. We either determine that the word is good or bad. For some of us it has to do with how we were raised. We may have been raised in a very religious household. This instilled some sort of fear or bad connotation when mentioning God. For others we went the other extreme. Nobody had told us what to believe and we were left searching and wondering a lot of the time. Sometimes we felt as if God abandoned us because the things we asked for wouldn't come true. Sometimes we felt we didn't deserve other things that occurred. There are also those who are in the middle and those who don't believe in God at all.

It is said that there are three parts to the recovery program. That is the recovery part, service aspect, and the unity portion of the program. These three parts of the program are what is said to be the "recipe" for success in long term sobriety. When you first get sober, the program of recovery itself can be confusing. If it is your first time trying to get sober you may be wondering to yourself what are the steps, or what does a sponsor do?

Heroin, an opioid drug made from morphine, can wreak havoc on a person’s body. This drug can be consumed by snorting it, injecting it, or swallowing it. Whatever method is used, heroin binds itself to opioid receptors in the brain quickly – which means the euphoric effects associated with the drug can appear quickly as well. But effects that show up quickly also wear off quickly, leading heroin users to take the drug multiple times to continue receiving the influx of dopamine (the “feel-good” chemical in the brain) they now crave. If you or a loved one are battling heroin addiction or beginning the recovery process, it’s important to know the physical damages that heroin can cause and what they might mean for long-term recovery.

When a loved one or friend is battling addiction, it becomes very evident when everything they used to care about – work responsibilities, family obligations, relationships, and more – start being placed on the backburner. They probably don’t discuss personal matters with you nearly as much as they used to. They likely keep to themselves most of the time, and it’s clear to see that they’re not truly happy. This is because addiction truly isolates us – it forces us into these small boxes filled with obsessions of substance use, and it blocks out everything else that makes up a happy, healthy life.

The way that we talk about ourselves, our life experiences, and others says a lot about how we view the world. Our society holds many different perceptions of social phenomena – some positive, and some not so positive. Unfortunately, when it comes to the world of addiction recovery, there tends to be a lot of stigmatized language that only further promotes exclusion and discrimination. Rather than shaming those who battle with addiction, we need to open our hearts and minds to them – because true support is what will help them more than anything.

Many people decide to complete an at-home detox or a “body cleanse” in an attempt to remedy their “problem” of eating too much unhealthy food or drinking too much alcohol. Detoxification is a process by which the body naturally dispels any toxic or unhealthy substances – but there are numerous companies that claim to help us “detox” through the use of specific diet ramifications and supplements, even when we don’t quite understand what they entail. Self-detoxing can be dangerous if it’s done the wrong way. Keep reading to learn how you can protect your body and detox in healthier ways.

Nobody likes to not be able to fall asleep at night. The tossing and turning, the endless thoughts, the stress that plagues the body and mind – all of it can cause a person to feel completely exhausted, simply because they aren’t getting enough quality sleep. Millions of Americans experience this issue every night. A chronic lack of sleep leads to a negative cycle of feeling overtired, overworked, and overly stressed. Sleep – or lack thereof – can be a tricky situation to navigate for anyone. In the early stages of sleep issues, we may try a variety of techniques to resolve the problem. We may go to bed earlier, take some Tylenol PM, take a relaxing bath, and other sleep hygiene practices. When these minor solutions don’t work in the long run, it becomes easier to justify relying on what we feel must work – and that is when many turn to sleeping pills. We may find ourselves asking friends or family members for sleeping pills, believing that it’s easier this way. We may even make a trip to the doctor, desperate for help so we can sleep at night.

One of the most challenging situations a person can experience is helping a loved one overcome addiction – and the mere change of pursuing recovery can be extremely difficult for everyone involved. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it will be worth it for those we love. We can help them by creating an environment that is positive for their ultimate healing and recovery. It will take lots of time, but we can reward our loved ones for working towards their mental, physical, and spiritual health in a variety of ways – through affection, kindness, working with them, and just being there. We can also strive to promote positive behaviors, rather than flooding them with shame and guilt.

A personality disorder is defined as a type of mental disorder in which a person has a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning, and behaving. Personality disorders can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life – including their relationships. Dating someone with a personality disorder can be challenging, particularly those with dependent personality disorder (DPD). Common symptoms of DPD include low self-esteem, being “clingy,” difficulty making decisions on their own, a sincere hatred of being alone, a pattern of jumping from one relationship to the next, and the general instability that often comes with fear of abandonment. If you are in a relationship with someone who has DPD, it’s important to recognize the symptoms they may be experiencing and to learn how you can work with them through challenging situations.

Most of us know of someone with an addiction. Some of us have incredibly close relationships with these individuals, and it’s hard to see them struggle with substance abuse. Perhaps you’ve tried to confront your loved one many times, only to hear fake promises of treatment – and it hurts. As a family member, you want to do everything you can to help your loved one get to where they need to be. But if you’re not careful, you may end up depleting all of your own time, energy, and money, while having your heart broken in the process.

One of the best feelings in recovery is one of strength, gratitude, and stability. Of course, this always takes time. Whether you are seeking treatment for addiction or mental illness, it’s important to get yourself into a state of calm and clarity to start off your journey to recovery.