Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Fighting Addiction During the Holidays.

Managing the holidays can be stressful, good and bad. However, for a recovering addict the holiday season may be much more difficult to manage. There are many strategies that people in recovery can utilize to stay clean and sober during the busy holiday season. According to Social Work Today, the following are four very important strategies:
1. Prepare ahead of time. Recovering addicts should prepare a "recovery kit." This should include his/her sponsors contact information, daily meditation, and a list of support meeting available in the area they will be in. Also, the recovering addict should remember contact information from other support systems such as a best friend, mental health professional, or other family members.
2. Arrive early, leave early. At most holiday parties alcohol and drug use typically becomes more prevalent as the party continues, therefore addicts should consider arriving and leaving early. Don't worry the host or hostess will not be offended.
3. Bring beverages. Recovering alcoholics should bring their own beverages to holiday parties. This allows for the person in recovery to have control over what he/she drinks. This can be a life or death situation for recovering addicts.
4. Have an escape plan. If a situation arises at a family gathering that makes the recovering person feel uncomfortable and the temptation to use or relapse is present, then action needs to take place immediately. The recovering addicts sobriety is most important. It is the responsibility of the recovering addict to have control whether they will relapse during the holidays.

If you need assistance with this type of issue during this busy holiday season or any other type of concern, please feel free to contact one of our trained professional counselors at 954-800-0108.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Words of Inspiration!

It's time for the holiday season! As a big fan of Dr. Seuss, here is a Christmas quote that I would like to share with you.

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
~Dr. Seuss~

The holidays are meant for a time of love, laughter, joy, and togetherness with family and friends. However, sometimes individuals lose insight of the true meaning of this holiday and become stressed out and overwhelmed with the idea of finding the "perfect gift," having the "perfect" dinner party, and making everyone "happy." People get so wrapped in this, they forget about taking care of themselves. Here are some helpful self-care tips for this holiday season:

1. Prioritize. Create a list of the most important things that must get done. Checking items off your list will help promote inner peace and calmness.

2. Listen to your body. It's simple, really. If you feel exhausted, get some rest. If you are hungry, eat. Remember, it's better to have a refreshing start the next day rather than feeling burned out.

3. Ask for help. You are not a super hero and no one expects for you to be. If you need help with something, simply ask. People are willing to help!

4. Pay attention to your nutrition, sleep, feelings, thoughts, and expectations. Its important to focus on all of these areas.

5. Learn to say no. When was the last time you said no to a commitment? This refers back to prioritizing. If adding the commitment to your "to do" list makes you become more overwhelmed and stressed, simply say no.

6. Breathe. Periodically take deep breathes throughout your day if you are feeling stressed. This will help you relax and regroup.

I hope you find these tips useful. Feel free to give us a call with any questions, 954-800-0108.


Monday, December 5, 2011

Words of Inspiration!

"Happiness is neither a virtue nor pleasure not this thing not that but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing." ~ William Butler Yeats

Yes, this is true! As humans we enjoying accomplishing tasks, moving forward with our profession/career goals, fitness, and creating and maintaining friendships/relationships. However, sometimes we hit a brick or stump in the road and we have difficulty with life. So, if you've planted "seeds " within your life and are having difficulty with letting them grow or maybe you don't know how, call us and we can help. We can become your personal life coach.

Here are some useful tip for goal setting to help you get on the right track with planting your "seeds."
1. Goals must be specific. Define what you specifically want to accomplish.
2. Create steps to accomplish your goal. Steps should be small and manageable. Here you are able to see your progress.
3. Identify any barriers that may get in the way of you accomplishing your task. Create solutions to each barrier.
4. Identify a specific time frame for you to accomplish your goal.

Remember your GOALS must be SMART!