Memory and Recovery
Memory is a strange thing when it comes to recovery. Triggers are essentially memories-circumstances, people, places, or feelings that your brain has come to associate with drinking or using. But for many of us, memories from when we were intoxicated are distorted and fragmented. In recovery, we can feel grateful that we’re able to remember […]
Expressing Your Feelings in Recovery
Sometimes during active addiction, the only time we allow ourselves to express emotions is when we’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Then it comes out distorted, and we might say or do things we regret. We might not even allow ourselves to feel our emotions at all. In recovery, we have a chance […]
Why Are Basic Needs Important in Early Recovery?
When you first get sober, eating enough, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep are extra important. The premise of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that you must have these things in place before you can pay attention to higher needs like community, meaning-making, or self-actualization. This is true for everyone, and particularly so in […]
Making it Through Challenges Sober
When we get sober, our lives tend to improve significantly. I can’t think of any aspect of my life that hasn’t changed for the better since I entered recovery over seven years ago. Still, life is life; there will be hard times. Active Addiction Makes Life Harder Whatever you’re going through—whether it’s grief, stress, job […]
Emotional Age and Sobriety
Addiction impacts most aspects of life, so it can stunt growth on many levels. When our priority is alcohol or drugs, we tend to have less space to develop as people. In active addiction, we often blunt our emotions, which also blunts emotional clarity and personal growth. Changes in the brain make it difficult to […]
Coping With Sleep Issues in Recovery
Addiction significantly impacts sleep. People in active alcohol addiction may think drinking is the only way they can fall asleep (I did), but alcohol is associated with sleep disturbances and related disorders like sleep apnea. 25-72% of people in treatment for alcohol use disorder report sleep problems.[1] Cocaine, on the other hand, can cause insomnia. […]
TruHealing In-Network With AmeriHealth Caritas in Ohio
We are pleased to announce that we are in-network with AmeriHealth Caritas for Midwest Center at Youngstown in Ohio. This is a Medicaid plan that will allow more Ohio residents to access our services. AmeriHealth Caritas is focused on the social factors that impact health, such as access to safe housing, proper nutrition, and community […]
Taking Time to Acknowledge Growth in Recovery
In my experience, there is a lot of forward momentum in recovery. I’m constantly looking to grow and learn—making up for lost time from my years in active addiction. Growth in recovery is wonderful and intrinsically motivating. However, we can’t keep going and going without pause. The Importance of Pausing It’s important to stop sometimes […]
Having Compassion for Your Past Self
As your mind clears in recovery, you might feel like a very different version of yourself. You may want to separate current you from the past you who was in active addiction; I know I did. That’s okay, but even as you distance yourself from past you, it’s important to save them some compassion. Guilt […]
Staying Sober Through Grief and Pain
Grieving is a huge and really painful process—whether that’s a death, a breakup, the end of a friendship, your health, or any other big loss. Many of us in recovery used drugs or alcohol to numb or blunt difficult feelings. A big part of the work of recovery is facing these emotions sober. When loss […]
