stop making excuses tiles

Stop making excuses and make today your day 1

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When you make the decision that today is going to be the day, what goes through your mind? Are you scared, excited, worried, confused? The answer is probably very simply – YES! Yes, you feel scared; Yes, you are excited; Yes, you are worried; and Yes, you are confused. And that is normal. Making the decision to stop using and to get the help you need to get sober is a huge, lifelong commitment; to say you didn’t have all of the feelings would be a little untrue. Actually, having these feelings can help you, as they show just how much you really want to be on this journey, and know how important it actually is.

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older man sitting alone bored

Stop using out of boredom

Posted by The Farm Rehab on

Making the decision to quit drinking is never easy. Once you do make the choice and are working hard to not only protect, but progress your sobriety, it is important to acknowledge that there are triggers that will pop up that will make you perhaps question or even reconsider your choice to be sober. Daily stresses can make sobriety difficult; however, another trigger that is very commonly one of the most difficult to control is boredom.

Here are five great and helpful ways control your urges when boredom strikes:

  1. Keep your days scheduled and structured

    Scheduling your time to ensure you have little to no down-time, especially in the early days of your recovery can help eliminate boredom. It is very likely that prior to choosing this new path of sobriety, having a drink or many drinks was a common occurrence.

  2. Don’t allow any alcohol into your home

    It is your choice to stop allowing any type of alcohol or substance into your house once you are in recovery. By making this choice it makes it that much harder to pick up a drink or resort to old behaviours when there is nothing else to do.

  3. Take up a new hobby

    Instead of sitting around doing nothing with all of the free time you now have now that you are not drinking your days away,  take up a new hobby to fill the void. Some great new hobbies to try include: painting, journalling,  learning a new language or how to play an instrument, hiking, gardening, working out, running or yoga. Your options are limitless when it comes to picking a new hobby, the most important part is that you enjoy it.

  4. Focus on self-care

    Self-care is very important for everyone, not only just those that are in recovery. By taking the necessary time to focus on your mental health, you will not only have a better understanding of who you are, but maybe even the reasons you chose to drink in the first place. Once you understand yourself, it is much easier to make conscious decisions to change your behaviours.

  5. Maintain connection with your support group

    Having someone to reach out to at any time of day is very important during recovery. Addiction triggers can pop up when you least expect it. Knowing you can connect with someone who not only understands your journey, but can also support you

Making the decision to get sober is a very big decision. It is important to understand the triggers that may arise during your recovery and be prepared as possible to handle them. If you are struggling with addiction and are looking for support to get sober, contact The Farm Rehab today. Our in-patient treatment programs offer individualized plans to help you understand your addiction and the best way to take back control over your life.

addiction recovery journaling about being grateful

Take note

Posted by The Farm Rehab on

Ask anyone who is going through it – addiction recovery is tough. Some days will be easy, while others will be down right torture. But just because there are inevitably going to be rough days, doesn’t mean you should forget them. One of the best ways to keep a record of your addiction recovery is to write about it. By being able to go back and review some of your hardest moments you can learn more about yourself and the strength you have, than you could ever imagine. ⁠

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Take control of your anxiety

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Anxiety affects us all.  It’s a normal, healthy emotion designed to protect us from risk to our health and well-being.  It’s when anxiety becomes constant, and irrational fears begin to interfere with our daily life, that it becomes unhealthy. This is when you need to seek out treatment options to help relieve acute anxiety symptoms.

Perpetual worry affects the way we feel, how we think, and how we behave.  Anxiety can create a downward spiral of emotions and trigger unhealthy behaviour and actions.

To fight back against onset acute anxiety, TAKE ACTION!

Action is the enemy of anxiety.  It takes anxiety’s power away and gives it back to you.

Are you ready to take action? Use these simple but highly effective exercises to relieve acute anxiety when it surfaces.

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Are you addicted to drama?

Are You Addicted to Drama?

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Do you know someone whose life is in a constant state of chaos?  For whom everything is a crisis.

Perhaps this is you?

Chaos addicts are more common than you think.

Signs You’re Addicted to Drama

  • You love to gossip.
  • You hate when you’re not the centre of attention.
  • You’re always late.
  • You’re always fighting with someone.
  • You overshare on social media.
  • You yell and scream to make your point.
  • You’re always sticking your nose in other people’s business.
  • You end or threaten to end relationships often.
  • You like to stir the pot.

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Understanding Common Mental Health Terms

Common mental health terms

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Everyday we hear people talking about different mental health disorders, but how many of us know what they truly mean? To help clarify, the following are definitions of some of the most common mental health conditions.

Addiction

Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by a compulsive desire to do or to have something despite harmful consequences.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an intense feeling of fear, worry, nervousness, or unease caused by the anticipation of an imminent event or situation with an uncertain outcome.

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Eating Disorders

Understanding Eating Disorders

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What are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are serious mental health illnesses defined by abnormal eating habits that can have a profoundly negative affect a person’s physical and psychological health.

People with eating disorders become obsessed with food and their body weight.  Whether the eating disorder manifests as eating too little, or too much, individuals with eating disorders use their preoccupation with food to create a sense of control over their lives, and to distract themselves from the painful emotions that are at the root of the condition.

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Is Sex Addiction Real?

IS SEX ADDICTION REAL?

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The National Council on Sex Addiction and Compulsivity defines sexual addiction as “engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behaviour acted out despite increasingly negative consequences to self and others.”

However, there is considerable debate among health professionals whether sexual addiction is truly an addiction or rather a compulsive behaviour.  In fact, to date sexual addiction is not an official clinical diagnosis.

Part of the challenge in defining sexual addiction are the religious and cultural influences on the societal norms surrounding sexual behaviour.  How do we objectively distinguish sexual addiction from a high sex drive?

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