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As a person in recovery from addiction, you’ve gone through a lot of struggles just to stay sober. It’s not easy to fight against a substance use disorder. Treatment and therapy can help you cope with the transition from addiction to recovery. But what about when you have to spend most of your time in the “real world”? Will you be able to return to your career, or find work at all when you’re newly clean and sober? This can be quite a challenge for some people. But it’s a fact of life that everyone needs to have money to cover life expenses, such as shelter, food and other necessities.
A lot of people in recovery feel they must explain gaps in employment on their resume. After all, you may have quit a job and gone on a bender, or simply remained unemployed for months or years because your addiction was in control. When addiction is control, a person may steal, show up late or not at all, or otherwise exercise poor judgement that leaves them unemployed.
A poor work history isn’t something that you can gloss over. If you want to resume a career and have a troubled work history, you may have to humble yourself with a job that pays your bills even if it isn’t your dream job.
It’s best to be honest about any mental health issues and your addiction/recovery up front. While you may feel there is stigma attached to your recovery, honesty is always best when you’re starting a new relationship with a potential employer.
Nowadays almost every employer does a background check when choosing who to hire. You should be prepared to admit this upfront and explain the ways you have made amends.
It’s true that if you have history of drug or alcohol-related offenses, you’re less likely to be offered interviews or a job. Be honest about your struggles and explain how you’re overcoming them.
We all live in the real world where it’s important to be realistic. If you need a job to pay the bills, then you need to humble yourself and take a job even if it’s not in your chosen field.
You can work a job while showing your dedication to the career you want. This means volunteering, getting more education, and working on getting a significant amount of sober time.
If you can’t find the job you want, or you keep getting turned down, it’s time for you to consider upgrading your skills. It’s important that you stay sober and always make that priority. If you stay sober, and continue to work, future employers will see your dedication and stability.
There are hundreds of free classes with certificates you can use to improve your resume while working a job outside of your field. Try classes from Alison.com or Coursera. Most of them are free!
Of course, asking around at 12-step meetings for job leads, guidance or other help can give you a leg up when it comes to job hunting. Never be afraid to ask for help, you’ll one day be able to pay it forward.
Are you looking for some extra support or a way to live with your recovering peers? Consider sober homes. Living with others who have similar goals can help you stay focused and safe from triggers. Give us a call at 760-216-2077 to learn more about your options.
For many people with substance use disorder, detox is a part of their story. When the body becomes dependent on a substance, a person who is addicted feels many side effects, such as headaches, sweating, tremors, or even fever. Withdrawal is one of the hardest parts of getting clean and sober, which is why detox is highly recommended. However, many people don’t know about another type of withdrawal that can affect you later on in recovery. This withdrawal, though often mild, is a synmptom of long-term adjustment to life without the use of alcohol or drugs. Withdrawal symptoms that take place many months after a person gets clean and sober fit under the umbrella of post-acute withdrawal symptoms.
Post-acute withdrawal is perfectly normal for people who used drugs for an extended period of time. Just like no one becomes addicted overnight, the body and brain can’t adjust overnight, either.
Post-acute withdrawal symptoms are believed by clinicians to be a sign that the body is starting to recover from the long-term damage caused by addiction. PAWS symptoms are very real, and may be confusing if you’re noticing them “out of nowhere”. Rest assured they, too, will pass. They can, however, last up to two years.
If you’re suffering from PAWS, you may experience anxiety, angry outburst or mood swings. You may also have “brain fog” or trouble thinking/concentrating, feel tired or overwhelmed. You might also experience some depression symptoms.
PAWS symptoms are milder and less severe than acute withdrawal symptoms. If they seem intense or severe or are getting in the way of normal life functions, please check in with a doctor or therapist for recommendations.
PAWS symptoms can seem to come out of nowhere, but that doesn’t mean you should dismiss them. If you’re having difficulty coping with them, reach out for help.
Do you or somebody you love have a need for outpatient treatment or aftercare? Are you looking for a sober living situation? Please call us today at 1-760-216-2077 to learn more about how our programs can help.
Active addiction can derail your life, no matter who you are or where you come from. Getting clean and sober is a welcome relief to anyone who has struggled with the extreme ups and downs of a substance use disorder. For most people, however, the problems of addiction aren’t left behind. As the saying goes, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Just because you’ve removed the substance abuse from your life doesn’t mean that you’re completely healed and done with recovery. Much work will remain when you leave your treatment center, and it’s up to you to get that work done.
Above all else, your recovery must come first when you’ve graduated from treatment. This means that as soon as you leave treatment, it’s up to you to create a support network. This could mean starting an aftercare program, seeing a therapist, or going to groups for your substance use disorder.
You will also need to build support from the 12-step meetings you go to. Finding a sponsor that you like and trust is an important step that you hopefully completed while in treatment. Once out, this person can be a lifeline to meetings, events, and coping tools you need when you first get clean and sober. If you don’t feel comfortable with your sponsor at first, give it some time. There’s nothing wrong with getting a new sponsor if the one you initially chose isn’t a perfect fit.
Not everyone is ready to go to their old home when they get sober. Some people just feel safer around others in recovery, and others may not want to go home to a household full of triggers where people drink and use drugs.
It’s time for you to do what helps YOU stay sober. If this means taking time to transition to your new life, then consider a sober housing situation. Sober housing is a great way to test your wings in recovery but still have discipline and accountability to others who understand what you’re going through.
If you’re interested in your sober living options, you’re in the right place. We also have aftercare programs to help you if you need them. Take the time to relax and settle down in a structured environment that still makes time for fun. Our sober living environment was built to give you a solid foundation as well as teaching you how to enjoy life in your newfound recovery. Give us a call to learn more about your options at 760-216-2077.
Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Often this is a phrase that’s repeated in 12-step meetings, but it’s not always clear what it means.
So let’s look at it this way: When you were using drug and alcohol, what were you grateful for?
Sometimes it meant getting enough of your drug or alcohol to get by for the day; I’m betting. But even when you were using you were human. No matter what your circumstances were, you probably had your fair share of fears, such as getting arrested when buying drugs or going to a sketchy neighborhood at night. When your worries didn’t come true, you breathed a little sigh of relief. You probably even momentarily experienced gratitude when the bad thing you feared didn’t take place.
That’s what gratitude feels like. When you're using, it goes away when you've gotten what you want. But when you’re clean, you get to have more to be grateful for, and that’s a blessing.
You may think gratitude also has something to do with what you have (own) or don’t have (don’t own). But this isn’t true at all. Both poor and rich people experience gratitude in the same way, and often it comes in the form of things you can’t buy. When you ask somebody what they are grateful for, they may tell you it’s their new daughter or their health. For example, you may be a billionaire, but you can’t buy the cure to cancer. The same goes true for peace of mind and sobriety. There are a lot of things that money can’t buy, and that’s true for happiness, health, abilities, and love. The time you can spend with others is something a lot of people become grateful for once they are clean.
Being grateful for material things has a place in recovery, too. For example, maybe you had trouble affording stuff like a nice dinner out or a new car when you were using. When you can afford something special for yourself or others, it feels good.
Let’s face it; a lot of people get clean and aren’t automatically grateful, especially when uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal or thoughts of troubles invade their life. If you’re feeling depressed, fearful, or alone, it’s hard to be grateful.
Most people in recovery have to re-discover gratitude, and that’s okay.
Start by keeping a gratitude list. Every day, pick five things you are grateful for and try to mention something different each day. If the best thing about your day was a peach cobbler, then list it! If the best things about your day was some inspirational sharing at a 12-step meeting, write that down. Less anxiety, meals, a kind word from a stranger, a cheap Uber fare, a new pair of jeans, and a day off from work are a few you would find among my list of things I’m grateful for.
At the end of a week, you’ll find you have 35 things you’re grateful! If you realize your attitude has become one of gratitude, it’s working! Some people choose to keep a gratitude list year-round so they can reflect on the ways they’ve grown.
Are you looking for more information on sober living, aftercare or other recovery services? We can be of help! Contact us at 1-760-216-2077 to learn what your options are.
For a myriad of reasons, the holidays can be a difficult time for people in recovery. Not only are there a lot of feelings that come up during this time of year, but there are also some temptations to cope with if you're invited to a get-together. Parties with alcohol or marijuana use are now common, and there may be some family relations left to repair. How is a sober person supposed to cope with all of the challenges?
Millions of people stay sober during the holidays. One of the best ways to cope with all of the drama, feelings, and stress is to have a plan. You should share it with others and write it down. Keep it with you on the most stressful days so you can refer back to it:
Staying clean and sober during the holidays can be stressful for the first few years, but remember that if you’re recently clean, you have choices now. Don’t be afraid to choose to leave situations that make you feel uncomfortable. You also have the choice to reach out to your support network.
One thing that helps people in recovery stay on track is living with others who support their recovery. Sometimes that means you're better off living in sober housing until life is more stable. Being in a community of people working on themselves can help inspire you and support you as you chart a new path. Want to learn more about your options? Call us at 760-216-2077.
When you’ve been in recovery for a while, you find some stability and serenity that you didn’t have before. But sometimes this serenity is mistaken for boredom, which can be a big trigger for some people to use.
Once you’ve settled down into your recovery and have stayed clean for a good amount of time, what else is there to do besides work your steps, go to meetings, and call your sponsor? Things aren’t as dramatic as they once were when you were new. But there is still plenty of growth to work on, depending on your individual needs and tastes. You have a choice what to do to expand your horizons as a clean and sober person.
Here are a few suggestions to help you on your way:
Being clean is just a stepping stone to a new way of life. You have a lot of time to explore your world and find new ways to enjoy it. Don’t be too timid about finding new hobbies – and don’t neglect your 12-step meetings. Every day is a chance for something new.
Sober Living
Sober living is a great next step once you’ve completed a treatment program. Are you interested in living among your peers in a safe, fun environment as a part of your recovery program? Get in touch and learn about your options. You can call us at 760-216-2077.
The term “willpower” has often been used to describe how people make significant changes to their behavior. People often believe that willpower is an inner strength that makes it possible to do things such as exercise daily, change your diet, or change other unwanted behavior. So where, exactly, does willpower fit in when it comes to recovery? Is there such as thing as willpower?
If you love somebody with addiction, you may wonder why they can’t just “will themselves” to change. We’ll explore this mentality and why willpower is a myth, not supported by modern science at all.
Myth: Willpower Creates Changes
Willpower isn’t a personality trait, and it’s simply untrue that some people are born with it while others are not. Addiction is a disease that affects brain chemistry, and it is impossible for people with a substance use disorder to simply “will themselves” to stop using. Just as other life changes, there are many factors involved in quitting using and starting new, healthier behavioral patterns.
An athlete may describe their workout routine as a result of willpower when reaching their fitness goals requires a combination of traits – such as consistency, an ability to visualize their goals, and a solid plan for success.
Willpower is an archaic word used to describe behavior changes, but psychiatry and science don’t back the word up as one single behavior or thought process. Every behavioral change requires work that’s not simple a matter of “willing” yourself to “do better.”
In the case of the athlete, yes, it requires a commitment to get up every morning and go for a run. Commitments have been shown to work when a person dedicates themselves to a new action every day for up to 60 days. Willpower isn’t what drives the athlete, either; their thoughts and behaviors are the things that promote their life changes. Thinking about how they will win a race and visualizing it is standard practice for many athletes, while they also practice their runs and make sure they fuel their bodies with the proper nutrition, so they are in top shape when the race comes.
Fact: Changing Behavior is a Process
Recovery, and the act of quitting using itself relies on both physical changes (no longer using the drug), mental changes (replacing negative thought patterns) and behavioral changes (not picking up a drug when the person feels like using.)
These changes take place over time. Not using substances is always the first step to recovery, and this is why it’s so important to seek out treatment and a strong support network. The first weeks and months of recovery are a fragile time for the addicted; emotions feel raw, and there are many triggers in life that may cause a desire to use.
Detoxing from a substance and getting help are the primary steps toward recovery, but the process and behavior changes must be reinforced by a recovery plan. It is essential for a person quitting drugs and alcohol to seek treatment in a safe, therapeutic environment. While it would be nice to think that willpower can help with this, addiction research shows that treatment is the best way for a person to change their lives.
Getting Help
Are you interested in learning more about your sober living options? We can help you find a safe place to live with your recovering peers. You’re worthit. Learn more about sober living at 760-216-2077.
"I buried a child to drug addiction," Fiorina said.
In a presidential election coming up, the United States becomes a little more aware of an epidemic with Carly Fiorina opening up about her daughter's battle with addiction. A long time stigma making its way to the spotlight in order to have solutions, options and plans ready to be implemented and placed in our healthcare system. Her vulnerability is a gift to the over 20 million struggling with substance use disorders in the United States.
The new face of addiction is no longer the cliche brown bag holding homeless adult. Its in the suburbs, in college forms and in the comfort of a family home. As the stigma of substance use disorders begins to be a part of the vocabulary of community, the shock of overdoses will continue to cause intimidation and fear from agencies towards an education and preventive task. Cities such as New York seem to be leading the way in Narcan training (naloxone), placing power in non medical and lay responders to avoid overdoses all together. The shift from finding the fault to understanding the nature is the big first step.
http://www.9news.com/story/news/health/2015/08/11/heroin-addiction-colorado/31508123/
