Transform your holiday season into a celebration of strength, resilience, and hope with our exclusive collection of handcrafted sobriety-themed ornaments at Positive Directions Recovery Shop on Etsy!
🌈 Meaningful Milestones:
Embrace and showcase your recovery journey with pride! Our ornaments feature sobriety milestones, turning your Christmas tree into a visual representation of the triumphs you’ve achieved.
🎁 Thoughtful Gifts:
Looking for a heartfelt gift for a loved one in recovery? Our ornaments make for the perfect present. Show your support and celebrate their journey with a unique and meaningful token that will be cherished for years to come.
Serenity Prayer Ornament is a Great Holiday Gift Idea
🌲 Spark Conversations:
Transform your holiday gatherings into moments of connection and understanding. Our ornaments serve as powerful conversation starters, fostering open discussions about addiction recovery and spreading awareness.
This Christmas, let your decorations tell a story of triumph, growth, and the promise of a brighter future. Visit Positive Directions Recovery Shop on Etsy today and make this holiday season a celebration of recovery and resilience! 🌟🎁🌲
Learn about mindfulness as a tool to use in recovery
Recovering from addiction can be super tough. It’s like trying to climb a big mountain with lots of obstacles. But guess what? You have an amazing tool in your backpack: mindfulness! Let’s break it down to understand how it can help.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is like a superpower that helps you stay in the present moment. It means paying attention to what’s happening right now without worrying about the past or the future. It’s like being the boss of your thoughts and feelings. Think of your mind as a factory that produces thoughts. These thoughts can be about the past, the future, or what’s happening right this second. They’re like a never-ending stream of ideas, memories, and worries.
Mindfulness is like flipping a switch in your brain. It’s when you decide to pay attention to what’s happening right in front of you, without getting lost in those thoughts about the past or future. It’s like watching a movie without checking your phone or daydreaming. In mindfulness, you don’t judge your thoughts. You don’t label them as good or bad. Instead, you accept them just as they are and let them come and go, like watching clouds pass in the sky.
Understanding Triggers
Imagine you have a big red button that makes you want to use drugs or alcohol. These buttons are called triggers. Mindfulness helps you spot these buttons. When you know your triggers, you can deal with them better. It’s like having a map to avoid tricky spots on your climb.
Controlling Emotions
Sometimes, our thoughts bring along feelings – like happiness, sadness, or anger. Mindfulness helps you notice these feelings without getting swept away by them. It’s like saying, “Hey, I see you, feeling, but I won’t let you take over.”
Less Cravings
Cravings are like waves that want to pull you back into addiction. Mindfulness helps you watch those cravings without giving in to them. It’s like saying, “I see you, craving, but I’m not going to listen to you.”
Handling Stress
Life can be super stressful, and stress can lead to relapse. Mindfulness gives you tools to calm your mind. Breathing exercises and meditation can be your secret weapons against stress. When you practice mindfulness, it’s like giving your brain a rest from all the worrying and planning. This can reduce stress and make you feel more at ease.
Feeling Better About Yourself
Addiction can make you feel bad about yourself. Mindfulness is like a mirror that shows you the awesome person you are. It teaches self-love and self-acceptance.
Learning New Ways to Cope
Mindfulness often involves taking a few deep breaths to help you stay focused on the present. It’s like a little break for your mind, helping you stay calm and centered in the middle of a busy day. Instead of turning to drugs or alcohol, mindfulness helps you find better ways to cope with life’s challenges. It’s like having a toolbox full of useful tools.
Staying Strong Together
Practicing mindfulness with others in recovery builds a strong support team. You can help each other on this tough journey. It’s like having friends who understand what you’re going through.
In the end, mindfulness is like a superhero cape that helps you conquer addiction. It takes practice, but it’s worth it. Remember, you’re not alone on this climb. With mindfulness by your side and a supportive community, you’ve got what it takes to reach the top of that mountain called recovery.
You can reduce your risk of relapse even when receiving big sums of money like the recent stimulus
Are you new in recovery, have identified that one of your relapse triggers is having money & you are waiting or have recently got your stimulus check? I know it can cause anxiety for people if having cash on hand is one of your triggers.
Let’s come up with a few strategies to help you remain in recovery & not blow your stimmy on something you are going to regret.
Tips to Avoid Relapse When You Receive a Windfall like “the latest Stimmy”
1 ) Create a Spending/Saving Plan for the Money
Financial recovery is part of recovery as addictions can take a HUGE toll on personal finances. I’m sure savings are low or maybe savings is not your forte, create a plan for the money. Give a job to each dollar. It’s time to get your life together & part of that is being responsible with money.
2) Consider letting a trusted person in your life save it for you or perhaps open a savings account at a bank or financial institution.
Set the account up so you do not have instant access via your phone. That way you have to physically go into the bank, during bank hours to make a withdrawn.
Word of warning about a “trusted person”, make sure this is a healthy person & not one that is one of the codependent people in your life that you need to set boundaries with. Also family many times mean well but also can sometimes set you up for failure in a subconscious way. A lot of times they have enabled your addiction, so those are the people you do not want to use as an accountability, trusted financial person.
Let’s say you do not have a trusted person in your life as you are starting to creating healthy relationships, then the financial institution such as your bank would be a good, safe bet. They are impartial & are not emotionally invested in any decision making.
3) Don’t Carry a Bunch of Cash on You
If at some point you are having a weak moment and your day is not going the way you would like, you will reduce your risk of relapse if you do not have cash on you. Most dealers are cash based. If you do not have any cash on you or just a few dollars, you are not going to be able to purchase any or at the very least a very small amount of drugs/alcohol.
Those are a few quick tips so that stimmy doesn’t fund a relapse. Remember recovery is worth it!!!! I’m sure you can find some healthy way to use that stimmy 🙂 You Can Do This!!!!! but of course I had to post a funny meme about it 🙂
If you should have any questions or would like a free consult about counseling, please feel free to reach out to me at (727) 815-6017
Holiday celebrations or holiday isolation can increase risk of relapse
I wanted to discuss the upcoming holidays as it is typically a high risk time for people in recovery from substance use disorders. Plus let’s add a topping of Covid-19 stress, social distancing, mask wearing & isolation and guess what, it’s pretty much the perfect mix of a storm for relapse.
I wanted to give you a few ideas to help you reduce that risk. These tips will be for people staying home by themselves as well as those going out to visit family. Either way I’m sure the holidays are looking a little bit different than normal.
Staying Home by Yourself
Watch one of your fav holiday movies with super buttery popcorn in your jammies with a pet. (I recommend Elf or Christmas Vacation)
Go attend a 12 step meeting (most areas offer a 24 hour Alcathon’s which are AA meetings round the clock on Christmas Eve & Day as well as New Year’s Eve & Day)
Remind yourself – YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is an entire recovery community waiting to meet you. Look around social media they are there.
If you do not want to go in person, check out a zoom AA or NA meeting or recovery podcast.
Treat yourself to your fav holiday meal & big dessert
Take a nap ,long bath, pedicure, etc.. (treat yourself to some nice self-care)
Zoom/Facetime, text or call your friends or family (don’t have any- check out a 12 step meeting)
Holidays with Others
Can be tricky – hopefully you are spending the holidays with people that are supportive of your recovery but that does not happen all the time. So here’s what you can do if you find yourself around the unsupportive bunch on the holidays.
Ignore the bad behaviors of others (LET IT GO) You will not change them today. So why let them ruin your day?
Excuse yourself & take a walk outside if you find yourself getting upset
Call/text a supportive friend or sponsor
Check out a recovery app on your phone or look on IG for Recovery accounts (there are tons)
Go check out a 12 step meeting (most areas offer a 24 hour Alcathon’s which are AA meetings round the clock on Christmas Eve & Day as well as New Year’s Eve & Day) YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Ignore the bad behaviors of others (so worth repeating) (Uncle So & So is being a jerk, let it go because guess what you are not going to change him today)
The new shop will have all things recovery from substance abuse, depression, anxiety codependency & toxic relationships.
I am so excited to share about the new Positive Directions Recovery Shop. I created this shop on Etsy to help people who may be struggling in recovery and want a way to independently work on themselves in between sessions or even if they are not in counseling presently.
I created Recovery Journey Workbooks that are instant digital downloads. I priced them within everyone’s price range so if you cannot afford therapy or do not have insurance, you’ll still be able to work on your recovery.
The Recovery Journey Workbooks are an easy to read format with worksheets to help you learn the skills to put into place to free yourself from negative mindsets that can increase your risk of relapse. Plus each workbook has lots of fun bonuses as well (but I’m not going to spoil the surprise for you but they are awesome) I just uploaded another workbook last night which is new and about learning to cope with Toxic Relationships.
Other fun finds are some coffee mugs I created. Who doesn’t love a great coffee mug? I know I do. Here’s my favorite 🙂
Being a Sober Mom is My Superpower (my fav)
So check out the shop by clicking the button below.
When you are beginning to stay sober, entering recovery & want to not use drugs & alcohol, there can be a little fear. Who am I kidding…? not a little fear…. ALOT of fear about urges, cravings, thoughts that say you can’t do this. Thoughts will tell you it is too hard.
I would like to address those fears here and provide you with 15 things you can do during a craving or urge to stop the thoughts that make you feel like you need to drink or use drugs.
First things first, let’s talk about fear.
Fear is based out of irrational thought. Yep, I said it & if you look at fear you will agree as well. Here is why I say that. Do you remember a time when you felt afraid to do something? Yes, we all do. Sometimes fear stopped us & other times it did not.
Here’s my challenge to you:
Do you remember a time when you felt fear but pushed through anyways. That’s typically a time when you were forced to face the fear whatever that may be. Now remember that feeling after you faced the fear. A big rush of Whew….YES!!! or even astonishment that you did it. And later what did you say to yourself. It really wasn’t that bad or no big deal. Can you see how fear is false?
Create Your Plan
So to be successful in recovery it’s basically the same process with facing a craving or urge. Cravings and urges do not last very long (research suggests they are less than 2 mins). They will come & go. Initially it may feel like they come & go every few minutes and they might. However, there are ways to cope with urges and cravings and not succumb to them. Also they will get less & less as time goes on.
I’m a firm believer of having a great plan prior to tackling some big or small issues. So I created a list of 15 things you can do if you are feeling a craving or urge. You can have this at hand before you decide to quit using or drinking. They are helpful & will give you the ammunition you need to kick this addiction to the curb.
15 Things You Can Do to Cope with a Craving or Urge
Distract yourself by cleaning something
Call a friend who is supportive of you
Attend an AA meeting (during Covid, there are many meetings online)
Journal a list of why sobriety is important to you
Ok so there is a list of things you can do during an urge or craving to drink or use drugs. The key takeaway is fear is a liar and not true. You can do this with a plan. If you need some extra help, book a free 20 min recovery strategy session with me so we can start to turn this situation around.
Recovery from an addiction can be tough at times, especially to the wallet. Financial stability can feel like a far-off lofty dream, but it can happen.
I know you have overdue bills, owe people money from back in the day when you were borrowing it to buy alcohol or drugs and then there are the treatment expenses.
I wanted to give a few suggestions to help you see the light at the end of this type of bleak tunnel because as you take small steps towards it that light will get brighter & brighter.
4 tips to get your finances headed back on track
Make a list of what is coming in & going out
I know it is depressing & really who in early recovery wants to look at that list. I get it but I know it feels better to know where you stand than continue to be in denial. You can look at the exact spot that you are in & then come up with a strategy to get out of it.
A strong recovery is about all things mind, body & soul. If your mind is cluttered with money worries, well then it’s more difficult to build a strong foundation when making significant changes.
Identify the needs & the wants
A basic need is just that something that you must have to survive like a roof over your head, electricity, food, treatment/counseling expenses, 12 step meeting contributions and transportation. These are necessities.
The wants are things that make life a bit easier such as eating out, internet, Netflix and even a cell phone. I know you are probably thinking I must have a cell phone. Yes, it is very handy to have but look at your phone is it a new one? Can you find a cheaper version at Walmart or Metro PCS? May not be the ideal one you want for now, but it will do until you get back on your feet financially.
Write this out as a list of all expenses. You can even add any outstanding debts you may owe as well.
Figure out a plan
Now we have our list & you can see what you can cut from it. If your living outside of your means, which is your bills are more than your income then you need to consider either finding a higher paying job or cutting expenses.
Here’s a quick list to look at
Can you downgrade or disconnect your internet, phone or streaming plans?
How often do you eat out?
Do you smoke cigarettes?
Would working a second job for a short time be helpful?
These are questions to ask. If you are feeling depressed right now, take a deep breath & remember you are getting this back on track. You start seeing it turn around pretty quick, hang in there. It’s all baby steps.
Start making those baby steps
Let’s say you can meet your basic needs which is awesome. Now list your wants by priority of what you really want in your life. Add in what you can afford. If you can start to pay off a debt, even with $10 or $20 a week or month, do it. You will feel better. Remember you are starting to take responsibility & by doing so will make you feel more empowered.
Looking at debt is never fun. I know I’ve been there but if you take some basic temporary baby steps, you can start to see the situation turn around. Recovery from drugs and alcohol is possible but so is financial recovery.
If you feel like you don’t know where to start, reach out & schedule your free 20 minute recovery strategy call to help you come up with a plan to put this behind you. Click the book a call link on the side of this page.
Identifying red flags can help you determine if drugs & alcohol use are a problem in your life
We have all been dealing with the pandemic and some people have managed to cope with it better than others. Drugs & alcohol use are up according to latest numbers. Not good news I know.
I wanted to write a quick article about how you can quickly decide if you have an issue with substances.
I meet with clients and can immediately spot if they have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, drugs or food. Mainly any type of compulsive behavior but for the nature of this blog post we will focus on those 3. So what do these people say that causes my red flag to go up?
Thinking errors or cognitive distortions as we call them in the field come up in the initial conversation. A thinking error is just that a distorted view of life or reality in some way.
Red Flags
For example, people will minimize the issue (thinking error). They will say things like “I don’t drink that much”. Another one is “I take my pills as prescribed but yeah, sometimes I run out of my prescription early”.
However, it is in congruent with what the reality is. The person could have just been arrested for a DUI or had to try to get a refill early. It really is an issue in their life that they are minimizing or in denial.
Another red flag is when a person reports drinking or using a substance daily to cover up some problem. The person says they don’t want to think about or perhaps “numb out” so they don’t feel. That’s a problem with whatever you are using to cope.
There are lots of red flags that can indicate a substance use disorder. The main thing is if you think it’s a problem or feel shame the day after then it’s a problem.
How to Change It
Counseling can help you learn healthy ways to cope with stress especially during this time in our country. It can help you get to the root of the issue of why you abuse substances. Counseling can help you come up with strategies to put into place that work for you. It can help you reduce or stop abusing the substance.
Holiday BBQ’s can increase your risk of relapse. But don’t worry – staying sober can happen with a plan.
Staying sober during holiday get togethers can be difficult. The 4th of July is coming up in a week. Holiday BBQ’s are typically filled with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad & of course, cold refreshments (beer, wine & perhaps red, white & blue jello shots).
So it can increase your risk of relapse. There’s some good news of course in that if you have a plan for those types of events, it is way easier to keep your recovery in check.
Here are a few tips to help you with creating that plan
Stay close to the sober people
Not everyone will be drinking. The people that are the drinkers typically stay together. However, let’s say everyone is drinking (worst case scenario) nominate yourself to be the DD (designated driver) & let the host know that ahead of time.
The host of the party & drinkers will appreciate that you are acting responsibly to make sure they get home safely.
Practice your excuse before the event
Everyone does not need to know all of your business unless you want them to. Sometimes it can lower your self-esteem & increase your feelings of shame. Drug and alcohol problems have people feeling so much shame. Let go of that and decide ahead of time (key point- figure this out ahead of time) what you will say.
You can always role play this with a loved one. I guarantee there is someone in your corner that wants you to stay sober and if not, give me a call. It’s free and I would love to help you figure this out.
Some examples of excuses that work & people typically won’t question (& if they do, ignore them & stand your ground)
“I don’t drink”
“My doctor said I can’t drink”
“I have to drive”
“I’m on a 30 day no alcohol cleanse”
“I’m the DD for the evening”
Do Not Feel Guilty about Staying Sober
I know if you tell them no, they might continue to put the pressure on and make you feel like you are the fun sucker of the party. Stand fast friend. Your sobriety is the number 1 important thing in this and not a random BBQ that happens every year.
The Big Picture
Look at the big picture & if you are reading this, I know you know that alcohol is a problem in your life. Take a moment & imagine how good you are going to feel when you wake up the day after the BBQ with no shame. What a win….you stayed sober. It’s an awesome feeling & this whole deal gets easier with time. Trust me it does with practice.
If you are struggling and worried about staying sober at the upcoming 4th of July festivities, please reach out and schedule your free 15 min phone consultation so we can talk about ways to help you stay sober.
Ready to start your road to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction?
Drug and alcohol treatment can vary based on what type of level of care is needed. This will give a general breakdown of the various types. Some of the ones we will discuss are: Medical Detox, Residential Treatment, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient services.
Medical Detox
This type of treatment is considered the highest level of care. It provides medical monitoring by a physician for the client 24 hours per day.
Length of stay is dependent on many different variables such as substances used, tolerance level, addiction severity and health issues. An average stay is up to a week.
Residential Treatment
Once medically cleared from the detox, many times clients continue their recovery in a residential treatment program. As the name implies, the client will live at the program. These programs vary in length as well.
Many are 28-30 days but others can last up to 6-18 months. These programs provide individual and family counseling, 12 step meetings and group therapy.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
These programs are outpatient in which the client resides at home and attends the program typically between 3-5 days per week during the day. The programs generally include individual and group therapy.
Outpatient Therapy
Once a client has completed residential treatment or IOP part of their discharge plan is continued counseling in an outpatient setting. This therapy will occur in a counselor’s office.
These sessions are held individually with a counselor to help the client learn and implement coping skills in their life to maintain sobriety.
Still Not Sure What Level of Treatment You Need?
If you are still unsure what level of drug & alcohol treatment is most appropriate for you, talk to an expert. Schedule your Free Consultation so we can discuss this and see what is the best avenue for you.
To find out more info about Cindy Athey, alcohol & drug abuse therapist in Clearwater, check out the About Me page or click here to go to my LinkedIn Profile page
