Category Archives: Addiction

3 Steps Towards An Addiction Free Life

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Despite its negative consequences, most people initially start to use drugs and/or alcohol to relax or to escape a painful reality, but it can quickly turn into an addiction that changes the personality and makes the struggle to cope with real problems harder.

Those who have lived with it, know that addiction is the farthest thing from being free; it pulls you in and makes you believe that you can’t live without certain things. The good news is, freedom from these addicting substances/behaviours that are taking over your life and separating you from loved ones IS possible.

Overcoming addiction can seem like a daunting task, but these steps can help you start working toward an alcohol-free or drug-free life today:

1. Make a Plan

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Being inconsistent about your plans to quit drinking alcohol or taking drugs or thinking you can somehow manage it when you cannot will only make it more difficult to stop. Make a decision to get clean, set a date, and develop a plan. Many believe that “hitting bottom” is a spontaneous event but that is not necessarily true.  Most addicts/alcoholics have thought a lot about stopping but can’t control the urges to continue their use.  Surrendering to the fact that you are beat – and knowing that it’s not your fault, can turn your thoughts about stopping into a positive reality. Preparing to quit within the next couple of weeks enables you to be physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the big changes.

2. Write Down Everything

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Write down your commitment to quitting and cite solid reasons that are more important than taking the substances you are addicted to. Make a list of all the positive changes that will take place in your life as well as all the damaging effects of your addiction. This will give you a clearer picture of how things will improve once you’ve removed your bad habits. Taking time to explore deeply the benefits for you and your loved ones of being free from your addiction can increase your motivation to strive to be your best self.  Weighing that against the harsh reality of continuing down the path of destruction (addiction always gets worse – never better), can make your choice much clearer.

Having a list will also help explain your thoughts and feelings once you’ve sought addiction counselling.  Never try to do this alone – it will set you up for failure.  The more you surround yourself with understanding people, some of whom have been there themselves, the more likely you are to succeed. They will become your ‘safety net’ to catch you if you stumble and fall.

3. Find Support

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Finding professional and personal support can make a big difference in your fight against addiction. Having a consistent support system will keep you encouraged and motivated. Therapists that provide addiction counselling in Vancouver, such as The Good Life Therapy Centre, can provide a welcoming environment where you can explore your addiction triggers, determine your goals for recovery and engage in a process to continuously decrease your addictive habit. 

You will be shown how to establish your own self-care plan, clearing your home of addictive substances and recognizing and avoiding enablers. In the end, only you can free yourself from addiction so addiction counselling is a collaborative process that involves you every step of the way.

As you stabilize in your recovery, you can work through any underlying traumas and/or losses that make you vulnerable to relapse, thereby strengthening your foundation for the future.  And lastly, relationship counselling will provide security to your marriage throughout the process of recovery and help you create and acquire the love you are longing for with your partner.

If you or someone you know or love is struggling with addiction, trauma or relationship problems don’t hesitate to contact us.  We are here for you.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you all the best,

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Source: “12 Ways to Beat Addiction”, Psychcentral.com

Did You Know…

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DID-YOU-KNOW

 

We know from current brain research that all of our experiences reflect off of the ‘mirror of memory’ in our brains. This is nothing more than the stored accumulation, both conscious and unconscious, of the history of our experiences.

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If our experiences in life have been generally supportive and positive, all current experiences will reflect off this ‘mirror’ and feel positive.

If, however, you have had a lot of early or unresolved trauma or loss, this will be reflected or “mirrored” back to you in your current life and keep you perpetually distressed.

For example, your thinking will reflect your distress and you will tell yourself things you learned a long time ago that jeopardize your happiness and wellbeing — such as, “I’m not worth it”, “Nobody loves me” and/or “I’m helpless to change my life”. These ‘old ideas’ can be very subtle at times, and yet they can keep you stuck in an unfulfilled life.

The good news is, it’s possible to change your inner mirror, and with that follows a change in your thinking and perceptions of yourself and the world around you. 

You deserve to develop a view that is reflected back to you in positive self talk and feelings of self worth and self love!

While there are individuals who are able to do this on their own, we know that many benefit from the help of skilled professional counsellors and therapists.

If you or someone you know or love is struggling with a negative view of the world, addiction, trauma or relationship problems don’t hesitate to contact us.  We are here for you.

Please feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

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Turn Your Life Around: The First Steps to Alcohol Addiction Recovery

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Most people develop an addiction to alcohol either because a big life event occurred that they couldn’t cope with, or it was a habit that spiralled out of control. When things get out of hand and casual drinking turns to a full-blown addiction, you will need to turn things around.

Change Starts With You

It’s easy to tell yourself that your attachment to alcohol is not really an addiction and that you can stop anytime you want. You know deep inside that this is not true and it takes all you have to acknowledge it; after all, the hardest step towards recovery is admitting that you have a problem. At this point, you must take a long, hard look at your life and see how your addiction to alcohol is affecting you and your loved ones. Surely, the bad outweighs the good and once you see that for yourself, you have taken your first step to change.

Seek Help from Others

Recovery from alcohol addiction is not something you have to go through alone. You need full support from your family and friends as well as professional help for treatment and recovery. For that, you can go to a professional for counselling and addiction therapy, or to a rehabilitative facility. Whichever path you choose, you would need to monitor your progress and rely on your loved ones for encouragement.

Exert Efforts to Stay Sober

Your recovery does not end once you get out of rehab or have completed a program; old habits are difficult to change and it is a lifelong process. To prevent relapse, you must take it upon yourself to change the things from your past that led you to turn to alcohol. Surround yourself with positive people who understand your struggle and who can distract you from your urges. Take up new hobbies to take your mind off your cravings. Get help to heal negative emotional states that undermine your sobriety goals. You can also join support groups where you can share your experiences and relate with others in the same situation as you, as well as pick up tools for how be successful at maintaining long-term contented sobriety.

With sheer perseverance, dedication and support, you can overcome your addiction and put a permanent end to your alcohol problem. Seek out help from trusted institutions like The Good Life Therapy Centre for a chance to turn your life around.

Addiction Counselling in Vancouver: Showing the Way to a Fresh Start

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When you’ve been dependent on alcohol for so long, it is bound to be difficult to sober up. The good news is that you don’t have to do it on your own. You can get help from family and  friends, as well as professionals who can guide you through the recovery process. Most people who realize that they need help and addiction counselling in Vancouver are in a state of confusion and don’t know where to start. You can follow this guide to get started on your treatment and recovery. Continue reading →

Take the First Step to Freedom: Addiction Counselling in Vancouver, BC

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Despite the destructive consequences of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and drugs, Vancouver has an addiction rate of 11%, which is higher than most Canadian cities. Most people initially start to use these substances to relax or to escape reality, but it can quickly turn into an addiction that changes the personality and makes the struggle to cope with real problems harder.

Addiction is the farthest thing from being free; it pulls you in and makes you believe that you can’t live without certain things. If you want to be free from these addicting substances that are taking over your life and separating you from loved ones, you must start working toward an alcohol-free or drug-free life today. Overcoming addiction can seem like a daunting task, but these steps can help you realize your goals:

Continue reading →

Emotional Sobriety Matters

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Welcome to the first edition of Emotional Sobriety Matters. I am so excited to be sharing with you on this topic. Whenever I have mentioned the idea of “emotional sobriety” to others, it receives a positive response, “Wow, I like that idea”. I think ’emotional sobriety’ resonates and describes something all of us desire.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate the need for emotional sobriety in my life. I have had to face old patterns that no longer served my ideal of who I want to be. Most of the time, these changes have come as a direct result  of some sort of impasse in an important interpersonal relationship. It is in my relationship with others that I am faced with my own strengths and my limitations and shortcomings. From these rich relationally-based experiences, I continue to grow and learn more about living a full, emotionally sober life. I hope that this newsletter can become a resource for you to move more fully in this direction.

What is Emotional Sobriety?

Emotional sobriety is more than just abstinence from an addictive substance or behavior. Anyone who have overcome an addictive state knows that this does not immediately – or even over the long run – create a sense of inner harmony and direction for our lives. Often, our emotions are just as ‘in control’ of our lives in a seemingly ‘out of control’ way. Often, our important relationships are fraught with discord, instability, or even abuse. We are sometimes still anxious and afraid to face life on life’s terms. In other words, it is difficult to find that ‘peace within’ that all of us are really ‘craving’.

I understand emotional sobriety to be the thread that pulls together the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of our recovery and makes whole our fractured selves. It is about finding balance and learning to regulate our emotional lives in a way that brings understanding, without the drama that leads to ongoing distress. It’s about focusing on ourselves without calling it “selfish”, but rather knowing that if we create a deep sense of well-being within, that we are able to be in the world in a healthy way. It is about knowing that there is no separation with our everyday lives and our higher spiritual selves.

Qualities that Increase Emotional Sobriety

Over the next few months, I will explore with you some qualities that that indicate emotional sobriety and what you can start to do in order to increase these qualities in yourself. So let’s start with a few today:

  1. Self definition: this is the understanding that who you are is uniquely you and that you are comfortable expressing your ideas, beliefs, feelings and desires with others
  2. Confidence: this means that you believe in yourself and your ability to succeed at achieving your goals. It also means that you are comfortable being who you are, in spite of others’ opinions or differences
  3. Emotional Regulation: this means being able to manage your emotions so that you feel that you are in control, rather than your emotions controlling you
  4. Social connectedness: this is the ability to have connections with others and feel that they understand who you are and you understand who they are
  5. Interpersonal Intimacy: this builds on #4 as it relates to the ability to maintain deeper connections without going into a flight/fight response, resulting in a deeper sense of satisfaction and meaning in life.Challenging Yourself to Change
    Why don’t you spend some time assessing yourself – without judgment – on these five qualities. Pick one quality that you want to work on, and begin to know yourself better in relation to this issue. Do Not Beat Yourself Up if you are not where you want to be. Practice acceptance and try to stay open to the potential for change. I know that is not easy, especially if you came from a family where every mistake was duly noted.
    If you feel ready, begin to risk being more of who you want to be – i.e., be more self revealing – tell someone you care about something they don’t know about you that expresses a passion or desire or dream in life; or try to contain your anger rather than explode – walk away or call a friend or do some deep breathing to buy time. Practice acknowledging and feeling the energy of anger rather than act it out. Give yourself lots of strokes for any small improvements, as this will reinforce change.
    Best wishes on your journey to emotional sobriety.

Until next time,

Sue Diamond Potts

This newsletter is meant to provide you with information and tips for improving yourself. It is not meant as a substitute for therapy or counselling. Please feel free to forward a copy of Emotional Sobriety Matters (in its’ entirety) to others who may be interested in personal development.