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Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy where a group of individuals discusses their problems together under the care of a licensed professional. It is common to feel apprehensive at first when you are asked to get vulnerable and share with other people at this level. It can feel uncomfortable or there may exist fear that others won't understand. The common goal of group therapy is to identify patterns and behaviors concerning the problem. This is done with other individuals that suffer from the same problem. What this allows is complete acceptance of others and your dilemma. Groups provide support to the individual. When you experience a mental health issue it is common to feel like you are completely alone in feeling that way. Sometimes you are the only one in your family that may be struggling. If you suffer from substance use disorder it can feel like the world is against you. Other people who don't suffer from this may not understand completely although they want to help. When you are in a group therapy setting, other people with this common issue share about the difficulties and in that setting you won't feel alone. Feeling isolated in these disorders can be detrimental to the recovery process. Therefore, getting honest is key.

If you have been following the stay-at-home order, then you are probably starting to go a little stir crazy by now. If you live by yourself, you may be feeling lonely or sick of seeing yourself. There is a phenomenon where people are experiencing "Zoom exhaustion" from the consistent exposure of their own faces and other people's faces on camera. It may feel awkward and a little uncomfortable or like your privacy is hindered — because it is, in a way. We live in a world where that is currently the new normal. Anyone can stare at your screen and It is our human nature to be nervous about what people will think of us or say about us. It is different than before because when we had in-person meetings, most people would doze off into space or look at whoever is talking rather than be hyperfocused on any convenient screen.

Most of us have experienced some form of trauma whether it happened in childhood or the immediate past. Most individuals that have substance use disorders have also suffered from trauma. The road to healing must begin whenever you decide you are ready to take a look at it. It can feel discouraging at times or it can be overwhelming, however, what is most important is to remember that it doesn't define you. It is not your identity and you are not unlovable because of it. Patience is a key factor in getting better. Become aware of how you are feeling. It is important to become aware of how your body and mind respond to certain things. You may realize quickly that there are "triggers" which entice a panic response from your body and mind. By becoming aware of your emotions the next thing to do is allow them to come out. Many people experience panic attacks because they are suppressing unresolved emotions. They either avoid them because they don't want to experience them or shove them down as if they don't exist. This results in delayed emotional responses or inappropriate responses to situations that you may deem as stressful. Try keeping a log where you write down whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed out. Maintaining a journal can help you track your progress as well as anything that may be triggering your responses. This is helpful to gain awareness of recurring situations. Minimize isolation as much as possible. It is our instinct to hide when we feel overwhelmed. When we aren't feeling well it is understandable that we aren't going to want to be around people. However, isolation can be destructive to the healing process. If you isolate it can cause you to avoid any pent up feeling or emotion that you may be avoiding further. Connection with others is vital to feeling better. Most of the time your friends have gone through something similar and can help you through it. It is something you must do together because the recovery process isn't lonely. Make sure to seek out the necessary support. If you are not going to a professional, it is recommended to do so. It is important, to be honest, and transparent about any obstacles you may be experiencing. The great part about it is you get to choose how the healing process occurs. If at some point you need to stop it is okay to do so, just keep in mind that it is a slow process.

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.