It is a widely known fact that the cigarette industry has marketed to teens and young adults using various methods for years. These deceitful marketing tactics have been used to ensure that the future of the tobacco industry remains prosperous and growing, completely disregarding the health and future of the young individuals they are targeting. One executive of from Lorillard Tobacco has even said, “[T]he base of our business is the high school student.” Companies will spend a significant portion of their marketing budget tracking the behaviors and preferences of individuals under 21 years of age in order to bolster their marketing efforts.
The 12 step addiction recovery model is one of the most common and beneficial recovery programs available for individuals who are striving to recover from addiction. Research has proven that many addicts only half commit to recovering from addiction; however, it has been recorded that if a person can commit to a 12-step recovery program, that their ability to fully recover is much stronger. Here are some of the benefits of that a 12-step addiction recovery program offers for recovering addicts.
Addiction consumes time - not only in the actual act of using drugs or alcohol, but in obtaining substances, and recovering from the effects of the substances. While recovering, people find that they suddenly have more time on their hands. In not properly managing that time, it is easy to become stressed, bored and possibly relapse. Below are 5 tips to help you manage your time effectively in order to aid you in your recovery.
Group therapy is therapy conducted with a small group of individuals experiencing the same or similar problems. During group therapy, therapists treat multiple clients together. The purpose of group therapy can be as simple as a support group to a skills training therapy group. Group therapy comes in all shapes and sizes, all different lengths of time, and each group holds different amounts of sessions. Typically, 5-10 individuals meet with a trained group therapist. For many conditions, such as addiction, group therapy works even more effectively than individual therapy. It has been found that combinations of group and individual therapy can produce more positive effects than individual therapy alone. Group therapy gives individuals the opportunity to relate with people experiencing similar problems, creating a feeling of universality and connection. It also creates a sense of hope in individuals as they watch each other learn and grow.
Addiction affects families as well as individuals. It detaches the addict from the family unit, deteriorating trust, safety and security. It also creates fear, guilt and resentment among family members. Healing the family is crucial for the long term success of the addict as well as the success of the family.
Recovery from addiction can be a time when you’re feeling uncertain about your future and uncertain as to how you will find purpose in your life after addiction. Finding purpose, however, is essential to remaining accountable for staying sober, and it can offer something rewarding to fill your time with. Here are some things that you might be able to find purpose in as you navigate recovery from addiction.
Do you have a friend or family member who is currently undergoing recovery from addiction? If so, your loved one has a great many emotional and/or spiritual needs to be filled, and for some of these needs, it is best for a friend or family member to be there to fill them. Here are some of the greatest needs that your loved one will have as a recovering addict, along with what you can do to fill those needs.
Some view addiction recovery treatment as a step that only follows hitting “rock bottom” with a drug or alcohol addiction, or as a step taken only out of weakness. And while recovery from addiction can come at the point when an addiction becomes life inhibiting, it remains a courageous choice nonetheless. Whether you’re choosing to receive treatment out of complete necessity, or you’re choosing it before an addiction leads to consequences like unemployment and financial struggle, choosing to receive treatment requires courage. If you’re getting ready to receive treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction or are in the early stages of recovery following extensive treatment, you may be wondering where you’ll find the courage needed in order to move forward. Here are some ways that you can gain a better understanding of courage and use it to fuel your recovery.
An addiction is difficult enough for an individual who is struggling with substance abuse; when marriage enters the picture, addiction harms not only the person addicted but also the spouse and, in turn, the marriage as a whole. Living with a spouse who has become addicted to drugs or alcohol can be extremely difficult, and you might find yourself at a loss for how to support your spouse as he or she attempts to overcome addiction. Here are some healthy ways in which you can offer support to a spouse who is coping with an addiction.
Addiction is a disease that often surfaces with some kind of co-occurring mental disorder, and most often anxiety is one of them. The way that addiction alters the brain chemistry sets up the perfect conditions for anxiety to take root, which makes it even harder to overcome addiction. As the two feed into each other, it creates a downward spiral that usually requires professional help to overcome.