Category: International

Stop Waiting for Life to Happen

Stop Waiting for Life to Happen

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Stop Waiting for Life to Happen

How many times in your life have you made the statement: When I get enough money or When I am older or even When I am more prepared? These are all forms of procrastination. As addicts we tend to procrastinate on many things, especially those that are not feeding the addiction. This procrastination causes us to get stuck in a negative routine in which things never get done and nothing ever really changes, but recovery offers a chance for a new start.

We are living in amazing times with limitless possibilities. So what are you doing with the life you have right now? Are you wasting it feeling sorry for yourself? Are you stuck in a boring dead end job that is not meeting your needs? Do you want to change? You have options. We are literally one click away from connecting with anyone in the world, but we often feel extremely alone. So how do we correct this and what does it have to do with recovery? The answer will hopefully become clear with the remainder of this article.

We are often taught that love is conditional, but this is not really true. We are all basically the same, but we are often so self-focused that we do not really connect. The first step in truly connecting is to know yourself and to re-frame how you think about yourself. This may sound self-centered but it is actually helpful. Life is a mirror that reflects what we put in front of it so if you re-frame yourself and become positive and focused on the good then that good will reflect back on you. However the same is true of the negative. If you put anger and hatred into your life then it will be reflected back on you as well. You cannot go through life attached to your past and expect things to change.

How you choose to live this moment and all that follow it is what can change your life. You can write your own story, starting now, what will it be? So get started by first being true to yourself so that you can connect to others in their truth. This is also why a support system is so important in recovery. The people in your support group will help you build a positive reflection and keep growing.

So now that you know how to get started start being honest with yourself and others to find those connections that allow you to write your best story. Use what you have and where you are to create the life you desire. While it may not be where you want to end up ultimately, it is a good place to start. Your journey will not always be easy or simple, but if you truly want what you are working toward, you can make it happen. So what will your new story be? Will you work toward big goals, a new home, a new job, a license, freedom? The choices are endless.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Recovery and Self-Efficacy

Recovery and Self-Efficacy

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Self-efficacy is not a term we often hear in daily conversation. The term self-efficacy refers to a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations, to complete tasks, confront challenges, and achieve objectives. Self-efficacy is important I everyone’s life, but highly important in the life of someone in recovery. Think about it. An addict has probably spent a good amount of time under the weight of addiction. In active addiction one cannot always be successful in specific tasks. Use alcoholism for an example. A functional alcoholic may be able to go to work daily and even accomplish some of the tasks. But the alcohol is keeping him or her from doing their best. Take an extreme example, a heroin addict may be able to get up during the day, but the cravings will keep this person from accomplishing anything useful during most days. Even addictions such as gambling or to something such as sleeping pills can affect daily activities because the need for that fix will consume energy that could be used on more productive tasks. This is why self-efficacy is so important to the recovering addict.

A word that may be more familiar and is synonymous with self-efficacy is self-confidence. Self-efficacy means you have confidence in your own abilities. This can be a difficult concept for those who have come out of addiction. You may see yourself as not able to accomplish anything because of how far down you have fallen or feel that some dreams are out of reach because of all the hurdles that lie in the way, but this is not true. However, self-esteem and self-respect are part of moving past these fears to start your new life. In fact, underlying all of these things is the fundamental concept of self-discovery. So this leaves you with a very important question to answer: Who I am? Finding the answer to this is very important in recovery.

When someone is in recovery they need perseverance on a given course. You cannot begin to set that course without first knowing who you are in life. This defining moment will help you stay in recovery long term. Addicts have had an active addiction, if this ability to not stop doing something can be turned toward recovery then it will last long term. This drive that was once used to get to the next fix can be redirected into building a new life that does not include addiction. Additionally, addicts tend to have sublimation or the tendency to persist and obsess. If this tendency can be put in the right direction than a former addict could be unstoppable.

Just imagine the energy you put into finding your next fix used to find a job or start a new hobby or even building a whole new life. This can all be accomplished with a positive orientation.

This may all be difficult to imagine because thinking positive is something not usually something an addict does naturally. So self-efficacy must be built from the ground up which is also difficult. Do not lose hope though because it is possible. The first step is getting rid of bad influences. This may mean that some friends and family members must be removed from your life or in the least, strong boundaries set. The next step is to not lie or keep secrets. Secrets and lies are part of addiction, but will have no place in your new life. Life is much simpler if you do not have to keep up with several untrue stories.

Finally, avoid labeling. Do not label yourself or others as failures or bad people, accept people where they are and move forward with your own life. You cannot change others, it is a personal decision. To start this process use self-affirmations in order to start believing you can succeed if you do your best and align yourself with supportive, positive people. This is the way to long term success.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Recovery From Binge Eating

Recovery From Binge Eating

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Recovery From Binge Eating Can Be A Complicated Matter

When someone has a drug or alcohol addiction and they get into recovery, it’s pretty straightforward – no drugs or alcohol allowed. For an addict or alcoholic, this is what sobriety is all about. One day at a time, it’s about learning to live life without taking drugs or drinking alcohol to cope with painful feelings or the emotional stressors of daily living.

When you suffer from binge eating and you make the decision to get into recovery for your problem, things aren’t so simple. You have to eat food to survive, so you can’t simply remain abstinent from eating. In other words, you can’t make the decision to stay sober from food. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way. Recovery from binge-eating is measured differently, which can make things seem much more complicated.

Food Functions As A Drug For Binge Eaters 

For those who struggle with binge-eating, recovery can be much more difficult than it is for those with a substance abuse problem. The addict or alcoholic simply stops using their drug of choice. With every sober day that passes, they celebrate one more day clean and sober. But, those who have an eating disorder have to learn to have a healthy relationship with their “drug of choice.” In no uncertain terms, for a binge-eater, food functions as a type of drug. Those who have this disorder must manage cravings and triggers as they continue to eat.

Imagine how difficult this would be for a cocaine addict! Imagine if we told them, “Here is some cocaine….. but, you can only use a certain amount. Good luck!” It would be impossible! This is how it feels for a binge-eater. Someone who abuses food to escape or uses it to get “high” doesn’t know how to only use a certain amount. Learning how to change eating habits can be quite challenging – and it can’t be done alone.

Recovery From Binge Eating Is Possible

This is not to say that it is impossible to enjoy recovery from an eating disorder. Quite the contrary! If you struggle with binge-eating, you can learn to have a healthy relationship with food and learn to eat properly. You can change the way you think about food and stop treating it as a drug. Food is designed to be fuel for the body. It is not supposed to function as a substance that helps you cope or escape from life’s difficulties.

At DARA Thailand, we specialize in treating behavioral addictions such as binge-eating. Our world-class program offers specialized counselors, focus coordinators, and an inpatient facility that was once a beautiful spa, which has been reengineered as a rehabilitation facility.

Our team of highly-skilled licensed addiction experts teach those who suffer from binge-eating the necessary skills to stop the destructive cycle of overeating. If you want to find freedom from binge-eating, DARA Thailand is the place to do it. Here, you will receive specialized care that will improve the mind-body-soul connection so you can learn to love yourself and treat yourself well. When you love yourself, you are kind to your body. You stop abusing food and establish healthy boundaries when it comes to eating.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Trusting Yourself Again

Trusting Yourself Again

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

It seems odd for someone to not be able to trust their own judgment, but addiction messes with our minds and bodies in a way that can leave us with trust issues, even self-trust issues. Addiction does so much damage to all areas of life. Whether you are addicted to gambling, sleeping pills, alcohol, or meth the addiction itself can change the chemistry of your body and change the way you approach even the simplest of situations. This can be difficult to overcome, but does get easier while in recovery. Part of this change is learning to trust yourself again.

Unfortunately, part of addiction is following your need for that addiction and not trusting your priorities, goals, thoughts, or even gut feelings. Addiction tends to make us act and think impulsively and that is something that needs to be dealt with in recovery. The first step in dealing with this in recovery is to build self-trust.

Starting out in recovery involves taking chances and making life altering decisions. In fact, deciding not to take part in your addiction or addictions is hugely life altering in every sense. This is an incredible undertaking and a journey that will change your life for the better if you allow it to do so. Though you are never done with recovery, you need to start building self-trust immediately. There are a few things you can do to start this process. As you start this journey know that everyone is different and everyone must go at their own pace, the key is to keep moving in the right direction. Read on to learn how to start building self-trust as part of your recovery.

First give yourself a clean slate. This may be the hardest step of all. Recovery means starting a new life, so give yourself one to start. Start where you are at this moment and let the past go. You cannot change what you have done, but you can change your behaviors from this moment on and into your future. There is no point in carrying your baggage into your new life. For some this may mean a whole new set of friends, moving to a new area, finding new employment, and much more. For others it may simply mean a new mind set and strong boundaries to start over in a supportive environment.  Remember that you are not your past or your mistakes. You are a person who has existed until this point and one who is now starting fresh. Knowing, understanding, and believing this makes it easier to focus on healing and build self-confidence and self-trust.

Next, build on your successes. Whether you are successful in simply creating a daily routine or in finding great employment, celebrate. This does not have to be an all out party, but share your joy and accomplishments with those who are supportive. It is healthy to be proud of yourself for meeting goals, big and small. Next, set new goals and milestones and keep celebrating as you meet those. Meeting these short term goals will help you reach milestones and those milestones will lead to larger goals. Don’t waste time, start working on these goals immediately.

Do not be afraid to ask for help in meeting these goals when you need it. No one can exist in a vacuum and having a support circle can go a long way when encouragement is needed. Finally, if and when you do make a mistake, do not give up. Everyone messes up from time to time, learn from these mistakes and start over when needed. As you grow you will learn to start trusting yourself and your decision making skills more and more. This will make long term recovery much easier.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Setting Boundaries in Life and Recovery

Setting Boundaries in Life and Recovery

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Boundaries, everyone needs them in life. In fact, setting boundaries is a part of everyday life, but having boundaries is especially important when in recovery. Though boundaries are important throughout recovery, they are most important in early recovery. The necessary thing about boundaries is that they are a two way street. This means that you not only must have boundaries, but respect the boundaries of others. This can be a challenge because while most people are comfortable setting their own boundaries, they are not as good at respecting those of others. However, this is an important part of boundaries since if you expect others to respect your limits; you must respect theirs as well.

Establishing boundaries can prevent someone from being taken advantage of or manipulated. It can also help define relationships more clearly and prevent codependency. Boundaries help protect a person from conscious or unconscious harm while at the same time encouraging people to trust their inner voice. This also helps you and others to communicate needs, wants, and desires more clearly to others and allow others to do the same for you. When you have unhealthy boundaries you risk sacrificing personal values and allowing yourself to feel guilty for saying no. Or allowing others to define your boundaries for you. If others define your boundaries then they may decide things for you that you are not truly comfortable with in your life. In contrast, healthy boundaries require a person to consider what is best for them. If you set your own boundaries then they are truly for you. It can be a positive part of your life.

To set healthy boundaries in your life you must  first decide what you truly want out of life and what you are comfortable with as far as other people are concerned.  Consider your personal values and feelings. For example, if you are okay having friends that drink, but do not want them to drink in your presence or in your  home then this is a boundary you need to make clear.

Trust your instincts when setting boundaries.

If you are truly not comfortable with an activity or a person, then set strong boundaries with that person or remove them completely from your life. If that boundary is being pushed then remove yourself from the situation and then completely remove that person from your life until they can become respectful of that boundary. Finally, be prepared to defend your boundaries. You are setting boundaries for your own health and well-being. Defend your boundaries as something that is good for you and expect others to do the same with their boundaries. It can be difficult to defend your boundaries with friends, especially old friends with whom you are setting new boundaries. But it is imperative for your well-being and recovery. This may mean you need to focus on developing relationships with sober peers while also taking care of yourself.

So start immediately by thinking about what boundaries you need to put in place. Write them out and practice sharing them with those in your life. It may be difficult, but your recovery is worth the effort.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.