Hello, my name is Brandon and I have been to too many places to even mention to try and get sober. I struggled at every single one of them. For the life of me I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t able to stay clean. The endless amount of revolving...
surviving recovery
7 tips for supporting loved ones in recovery
Chances are good that you know someone who’s recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) and could benefit from your support. Maybe they’re a close family member or friend, or maybe it’s someone you don’t know as well. According to a national survey in 2019, 20.4 million Americans had experienced a substance...
Sober & Single: How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Recovery & Have Fun
Many treatment programs encourage people not to date in early recovery so they can focus on themselves, but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, it can make being single feel depressing instead of empowering. If you are just leaving residential treatment and are newly sober, you have likely found yourself single on...
8 New Year’s Resolutions for People in Recovery
Setting New Year’s resolutions is more than just a fun tradition. If you take the time to create actionable goals for yourself, your New Year’s resolutions can be an important tool in promoting a lasting recovery. Using the SMART Goals Framework Most New Year’s resolutions fail because they are...
Why the Holidays Are Hard for Recovery
The holiday season is meant to be a joyous occasion that brings family and friends together. But even in the midst of all the excitement, there are often moments of stress and anxiety. If you are recovering from alcohol addiction, this broad spectrum of holiday emotions can challenge even...
7 Tips To Hosting A Sober Party When You’re In Recovery
Attending a party while you’re in addiction recovery can be a challenge, let alone hosting your own party. The great thing about throwing a party is that you have more control over the presence of alcohol and other substances, but you may worry about whether your guests will still have a good...
Stages Of Grief When A Loved One Is Addicted
When you find out that someone you love is addicted to prescription pills, heroin, alcohol or any other drug, it can be absolutely overwhelming. In some ways, it can feel like the person you know has died, and the person who replaces him or her is a stranger. Whether you’re...
Lifestyle Changes in Recovery: Rebuilding Family Relationships
Addiction Hurt My Family. What Do I Do? In times of distress, family members typically band together to overcome hardships. Therefore, when addiction tries to abduct a loved one, it can take a village to keep them safe. This article discusses addiction, its effect on family members, and how...
Real Life Recovery Stories: Meet Kelton
My story starts pretty “normal” in the context of my upbringing and home life. I grew up in a small town outside of Calgary living with my Mom, Dad, Sister, and eventually my grandma (after the passing of my Grandad). I played elite hockey (Bantam AAA and Midget AAA)...
Grief: When Someone you Love Dies in Recovery
In my early days of sobriety, the friendships I made were my lifeline. Standing outside 12-step meetings or hovering over huge platters of fries at diners, we laughed, cried and spilled our darkest secrets. For me, the first time I sat at a diner with a bunch of sober...