It’s easy to be distracted and lose sight of what’s important. When that happens, it is common to rationalize and excuse the missteps of…
Over the years, I’ve noticed that people often want approval and affirmation. They want it, yet rarely receive it or can’t believe it when…
Underneath the Addiction Managing your emotions is key to achieving long-term sobriety. Giving up on the addiction is only the starting point. People use…
Many people that start a treatment program see it as an awkward in-between place. They have mostly left behind the old life but have…
I’ve spent the better part of the last 30-plus years helping people recover from substance use and mental health disorders. For me to say…
Permit me to start with an automobile analogy. In the old days before fuel injection systems, when cars had carburetors, engine flooding would occur…
Let’s Be Reasonable The confusing influence of addiction is often referred to as “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” The nature of addiction distorts insight into…
The task of recovery is enormous. Between you and your long-term sobriety stands a massive wall preventing your progress. It looms large and is…
How you see yourself is an important concept in recovery. There may have been many people around you who did not believe in you.…
Troubles come in every shape and size. Depending on how you define it, trouble may visit uninvited, stay too long, and then stubbornly refuse…
Resisting Over-Protection Today, I want to examine several ways to repair relationships damaged by mental health or substance use disorders. At first glance, being…
Assertive traits include being confident, straightforward, and honest. Assertive people express their ideas, feelings and desires without second guessing or apology. They speak firmly…
Yesterday I began discussing strategies to live above trying and difficult circumstances. Although difficulties and turmoil cannot always be prevented, I still can control…
Do you ever have difficult weeks where every walk seems uphill, every stroke of the paddle is upstream, and every ride is against the…
A New Twist on Codependency Family members of people with substance use disorders are often referred to as co-dependent. They are warned of rescuing…
Someone else’s substance use disorder does not exist in isolation. Their addiction affects friends, family, and the community. Here is a list I use…
“People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” – Peter Senge Making Changes I have spent my 30+ year career helping people change. Unfortunately,…
Wow. That’s Huge! If you hold a magnifying glass over an object, the item appears bigger. Obviously, the object isn’t any larger, it merely…
Anticipating enticing and tempting situations and carefully managing them is an essential skill in a successful recovery program. Some circumstances and situations should simply…
Looking for Approval Everyone needs encouragement and affirmation. Many people with co-occurring disorders desperately need encouragement on their recovery journey. For the downcast and…
A Robust Recovery To keep your recovery strong, there are numerous things you should not continue to do. There would be places and people…
Several years ago, while in a mental health intensive outpatient group, a client unpacked a whimsical truth: “If you learn to laugh at yourself,…
Living in a negative world can sometimes take its toll, but you do not have to be at the mercy of a negative environment.…
Psychiatric Access is Important Medications for co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders often provide substantial symptom relief and can be an effective part…
When people enter a relationship, it is common to ask “What is in it for me?” or “What will I get out of it?”…
Many people have a difficult time during the holiday season. Throughout the year, but especially from mid-November to mid-January, managing your mood, attitude, and…
A Time to Celebrate Holiday celebrations can be much-loved occasions, filled with family, friends, and fun. They often come with laughter, family time, parties,…
Why Be Grateful? Today we know that an attitude of gratitude has many benefits, including improving psychological health and sleep, reducing toxic emotions, increasing…
Embrace Another Chance Clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders often arrive at a treatment center feeling discouraged. Mistakes and failures of…
Addressing Emotional Problems It is vital for clients to understand the signs and symptoms of mental illness and address worry, stress, anger, anxiety, depression,…
Identify Faulty Thinking Evidence-based practices such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) help clients recognize past cognitive errors and…
The Need for Specialized Interventions Chronic drug and alcohol use and abuse can cause physiological and neurological damage. It can compromise intellectual functioning and…
Complex Problems Co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are extraordinarily complex. The drug and alcohol addiction is often used to manage the symptoms…
It is my philosophy that successful recovery must tackle substance use and emotional issues at the same time. Effective treatment programs help clients recognize…
Boundaries help you sustain your resolve, protect yourself, and maintain emotional stability. Yesterday, I began discussing some basic guidelines to boundary setting. Today we’ll…
Setting boundaries and living within limits can be difficult. To restore damaged relationships or establish new ones, it is essential to set personal limits…
I began a discussion yesterday about aggressive traits. Today I want to examine seven tips to reduce your aggressive attitude and actions. These ideas…
Doing Too Much Codependent relationships are filled with helping, rescuing, and enabling behaviors. In an effort to help a loved one, we often cringe…
Understanding Aggressive Behavior Being annoyed or frustrated is an experience common to us all. Anger, too, is a common emotion and it could be…
When Thinking Becomes Distorted It is important to examine your thoughts and beliefs, positive and negative, and how they influence your feelings and actions.…
Shake it Off One of my hobbies is wood working. Whenever I pinch a finger or hit one with a hammer, I examine it…
Have You Been Hurt by Others? Healing for psychological pain of the past requires changing how you think in the present. You cannot change…
When Nothing Seems to Change Many of us could point to difficult and painful events of the past. Those trials bring a barrage of…
Under the Microscope At some point in your life, you may have been relationally involved with a faultfinder. They criticize, nitpick, and complain about…
Yesterday, we took a brief look at the signs and symptoms of ADHD in three categories, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Today we’ll discuss some…
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder An attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a medical condition affecting a person's ability to concentrate and stay on task.…
Euphoric recall is a term used to describe the tendency to remember only the positive parts of past experiences while forgetting or minimizing the…
You Decide Under ordinary circumstances you make your own decisions. You decide where you want to go, how you spend your money, and who…
5 Advantages of Working in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Field Every day I interact with drug and alcohol counselors and mental health therapists.…
Becoming Productive As you continue in recovery, you are likely changing what you do with your time. Getting the most out of each day…
In many occupations, hobbies, sports, and activities performance is of utmost importance. However, in most situations finding a balance between speed and accuracy is…
Because we act and feel according to how we see ourselves, a healthy self-concept is important. If we see ourselves as adequate, influential, and…
Getting along with others is a wonderful talent to have. It is easily applied at home, at work and on the road in between.…
What is Social Anxiety? Social anxiety disorder is best defined as an excessive fear of social situations and affects between two and thirteen percent…
Designing Successful Recovery I am involved in several intensive outpatient programs (IOP) that provide treatment and support for those with serious or critical mental…
Substance misuse and abuse can occur at any age, however the majority of those with substance use problems started using drugs and alcohol during…
Years ago, in a counseling session, a client told me that her husband frequently complained that her level of housekeeping was not up to…
The field of chemical dependency treatment is rapidly changing. With each passing year we have a greater understanding of how mental health issues impact…
We often judge ourselves on our intentions and judge other people according to their actions. Meaning we have a higher standard for other people…
And the Surprising Power of Recovery “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling Ronnie celebrated his 40th…
The seven wonders of the ancient world were astounding man-made displays of human ingenuity and creativity in engineering, art, and architecture. They include the…
“You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” Zig Ziglar The seven wonders of the ancient world were…
Your lifestyle preferences can be both fulfilling and frustrating. A careful look at your own patterns will help you determine which habits you would…
Self-Talk That Inspires Hope We continually move in the direction of how we think and what we speak. This is true of how we…
Addiction is an illness that affects the entire family. It is cunning, powerful, and baffling. It can turn love into hate, success into failure,…
Substance use and mental health disorders often combine into a destructive disorder that rapidly intensifies. The illness is pervasive and mean-spirited. It appears intent…
Making a Positive Choice Life is filled with choices and is often guided by our own beliefs and thoughts. We are always moving in…
There are several different ways to move forward with people in your life who have a substance use disorder. Let’s look at four common…
It’s not easy to extend help to a loved one who has substance use and mental health problems. Concerned friends and family often find…
Throughout life you may have found yourself becoming annoyed and distressed over a small or insignificant matter. These overreactions to minor slights cause ripple…
A victim mentality can emerge following trauma or hardship. This mindset can include despair, lack of energy, and the inability to be proactive in…
Living Haphazardly Most people spend their entire lives living thoughtlessly and without aim. Your emotional and mental health problems may have caused you to…
Developing Hope and Emotional Healing Chronic emotional problems and the need for treatment can often leave one discouraged. Difficult situations, failures, and past disappointments…
Understanding Helplessness People struggling with substance use disorders, anxiety, and depression frequently complain about feelings of helplessness. They can point to a series of…
This is the second of a two-part article on extending help to a loved one who has substance use and mental health problems. Concerned…
This is the first of a two-part article on extending help to a loved one who has substance use and mental health problems. Concerned…
Trying to Reduce Anxiety In a co-occurring disorder treatment program, people come with a variety of mental health and substance abuse issues including social…
Negative thoughts influence your feelings and actions and can drive your addiction. Automatic negative thoughts (ANTs for short) are those deeply-held, and often repeated,…
Substance-use and resulting substance use disorders (SUD) are hazardous to your health and come at a staggering cost. Individuals with a SUD have more…
Side by Side Problems Mental health problems are difficult to face and some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or other behaviors to distract themselves…
It is not always easy to be self-assured and confident. Many people move through life with numerous doubts and insecurities. You may doubt yourself,…
Setting realistic expectations means I am willing to accept responsibility for my own character, disposition, and actions. I am willing to be accountable to…
Negative thoughts influence our feelings and actions. If left unchecked, negative thoughts often become an agonizingly repeated script that drives discouragement and defeat. Negative…
Abstaining from alcohol and drugs is challenging for a large variety of reasons. Temptations often come from the inside and include things such as…
Imperfections Galore Treatment for chemical dependency or co-occurring disorders does not lend itself well to exceedingly high expectations or a perfectionistic disposition. In treating…
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt People in recovery often have a distorted view of themselves. They…
Let’s Be Reasonable The confusing influence of addiction is often referred to as “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” It distorts insight into the illness, decreases…
“If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.” – Clint Eastwood We live in an uncertain world. That’s the way it is with picnics,…
Yesterday, in part 1, I began our discussion of several important external factors that make seeking treatment harder. It’s helpful to understand the various…
There are internal and external variables that make seeking treatment for substance use disorders difficult. Some internal or personal factors might include lifestyle choices,…
The Divided Mind Whenever I am trying to do two things at once, I struggle with doing either of them well. To be anxious…
Substance Use Disorders Impair Judgment Alcohol and drugs impair judgment. In the throes of addiction, people often do things under the influence of a…
Every journey, I suppose, has its starts and stops and ups and downs. Even the most successful recovery is not completely linear. There are…
Mental Agony Many people carry heavy loads of worry, fear, and anxiety. These issues interfere with emotional stability and can create other serious concerns.…
Skewed Perceptions “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is an oft quoted statement. It implies that where we…
When Symptoms Return Treatment for co-occurring disorders focuses on substance use and mental health issues. Relapse can mean a return of mental health symptoms…
The Beast Substance use and mental health issues often combine into a rapidly intensifying and destructive disorder. The illness is mean-spirited, intense, and appears…
What is Negative Thinking? Thoughts bombard us all day long like the steady stream of uninteresting commercial messages on AM radio. Almost all radio…
Designing Successful Recovery I am involved in several intensive outpatient programs (IOP) that provide treatment and support for those with serious or critical mental…
