The Recovery Maintenance Plan: Much Bigger Than Relapse Prevention
A year or so ago Practical Recovery began using the term recovery maintenance in place of relapse prevention. Why? Because it fits our model so much better.
Staying Friends with Using Buddies
In early recovery, many people face a choice: whether to continue friendships with people who may still be using or to end those friendships in order to protect their own sobriety.
The After Party: Building a New Life in Recovery, Part I
In this part of a 3-part series we cover the six pillars of building good habits. Adapted from Dr. Tom Horvath’s book “Sex, Drugs, Gambling, and Chocolate.”
Advanced Strategies for Coping with Urges
Adapted from the SMART Recovery Handbook, 3rd edition, pages 36-37 In Changing Habits: Learning to Cope, we covered the 14 basic strategies recommended by SMART Recovery for coping with urges. Here, we cover 4 advanced strategies for overcoming urges to drink/use/act out. 1. Move Beyond Avoidance Being exposed to triggers can help you strengthen your […]
Higher Satisfactions
Higher satisfactions come not from a quick fix, but from enduring relationships with others as well as productive activity.
The Language of Using Again
If you have a slip in recovery, what language do you use to define it? Is it relapse? A slip? We take a look at different definitions and how they might affect you.
The Abstinence Violation Approach
Relapse is often a part of recovery efforts. One approach is to teach clients how to handle “slips” and keep moving. Dan Galant, PhD, discusses the benefits of this approach.
Coping With Disaster
Addiction recovery can be particularly difficult during disaster. Here, Dr. Horvath discusses six points to help you cope whether you’re in recovery or not.