It’s official: The holiday season has begun. Certainly, this can be a reason to celebrate – but it’s also a signal that you need to start safeguarding your mental health. For as happy and joyful as the holidays can be, they can also be stressful. Luckily, some of the same self-care activities you practice for your recovery can help manage your stress levels, too! Here are a few to try this holiday season: Make recovery to-dos a priority. This is an important one. The holidays can be tough and now is not the time to skip therapy or support groups or […]

If you suffer from anxiety, it’s not news that it can take a toll on your sleep, causing you to have trouble falling and staying asleep. In fact, sleep disruption is a common symptom of mental illness, and anxiety is no exception. A new small sleep study discovered that it works the other way, too: Poor sleep can trigger anxiety in otherwise healthy adults. According to sleep researcher Eti ­Ben ­Simon, of the University of California at Berkeley, sleep deprivation caused anxiety levels in healthy people that were 30 percent higher than when they had slept. And these anxiety scores […]

Study after study shows that the simple act of writing down the things for which we’re grateful are plenty. This includes better sleep, greater immunity, less anxiety and depression and more overall happiness. A gratitude journal is your opportunity to write down a few things each day – or every other day – that you’re thankful for. You don’t need to write a long passage – just a few minutes to record the changing leaves, hugs of a loved one or just another day of recovery without any slip-ups or setbacks. Doing so can help you find the silver lining […]

It’s Mental Illness Awareness Month and it’s a great time to think about what you can do daily to mind your mental health. In order to have a successful recovery and prevent relapse, you need to tend to your mind, body and spirit – and this is especially true if you’re struggling with a co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder. Luckily, it doesn’t take a huge commitment to start feeling more focused, calmer and happier – and you can start today by adopting one of these healthy habits. Maximize your mornings. What you do in the a.m. can set the […]

Helping a loved one with a substance use disorder is far from straightforward. If you’re not careful, you can unknowingly set up roadblocks to recovery and reward negative behaviors. There’s even a name for it. It’s called “enabling,” and it’s comprised of a variety of actions that allow your loved one to avoid any consequences and continue using with a sense of security that you’ll always be there to rescue him or her from any mistakes. Some experts say the difference between helping and enabling is this: “Helping is doing something for someone that they’re not capable of doing themselves.”  “Enabling is […]

A positive mindset is so important during recovery. It may sound simple, but if you learn to perceive yourself and your new sober life in a positive light, you’ll be that much more motivated to stay the sober course. Writing is a great exercise to reinforce the good in your life and to let go of any negative emotions that are standing in your way. A simple journal – filled with whatever helps you sort through your emotions – can do the trick. But you can also try one of these specific writing exercises, which can help you streamline your […]