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[one_half_last]Welcome to the Addiction Recovery Blog RoundUp for this week. I hope you find something that is helpful to you here.
Alcohol Disrupts Sleep Despite Initial Sedative Effect
This is so important for people to realize. Medical News Today has a release about a new study out in February talking about the subtle changes in sleep that alcohol causes in the brain. I can’t count the number of clients that come in talking about how alcohol helps them to sleep. It turns out that even though alcohol [/one_half_last]may help an individual get to sleep more quickly, it also alters the quality of sleep which “…may affect the underlying restorative properties of sleep and be detrimental to daytime functioning.”
How You Can Defeat Tempting Alcohol Cravings During Recovery
Patrick has a great post over at Spiritual River this week about cravings. Craving is defined by Webster’s as an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing. In the case of addiction recovery, I don’t believe that cravings are abnormal, I think they are common in addiction and in recovery. In active addiction, people give in to the cravings. In recovery, you have to figure out how to walk through them without giving in to them. And as he says: “The question, therefore, is not how to eliminate cravings (because this is futile), but how to best deal with them.” He has some great ideas – go check it out.
Movie Thoughts
One of the struggles in life in general, and for individuals in sobriety, is the ability to see the small moments of happiness. The little flashes of everyday life that make a difference. Anne over at ainsobriety is talking about that this week. She says: “It is the constant small moments.” I would agree. A cup of tea…a hug…a smile…a sunrise…the smell of fresh brewed coffee…a hot shower… All small moments of happiness that occur every day. What are your small moments and did you notice them today?
The 24-Hour Cycle Of A Boozer
Over at Living Sober, Mrs. D. has a post this week from a member. It refers to alcohol in the post, but of course it can refer to any drug as well. It demonstrates the thought process of an alcoholic who is actively drinking. There are some clear destructive beliefs in there too – like “I deserve it”; “Nothing to worry about”; and “What can it hurt”. Challenging those beliefs is part of the recovery process.
In the Midst of Addiction, a Moment of Clarity
Have you ever had a time where suddenly you saw something very clearly? Suddenly you understood the cause of some pain in your life or found the root of some issue you had been struggling with for a long time? This moment of clarity is what magzshores is talking about this week at Sober Courage. In speaking about moments of clarity and addiction, she says: “The moment of clarity may be combined with what is often called a “bottom.” This is a time when you realize that you cannot continue to live the way you have been living. It is a state of utter hopelessness and despair; all your choices are impossible, the battle has been lost, all that is left is surrender.“ Everyone’s “bottom” is different. Moments of clarity do not all look the same. But when you have that clearly focused moment, when you can see the destruction of your addiction, it is a moment of opportunity. Reach out. Ask for help.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or codependency issues, Contact me today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation to talk about how we can work together or find the right person for you.
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