Welcome to another edition of Addiction Radio! This episode of Addiction Radio we’re specifically talking about taking inventory of your life. This isn’t about working in retail but instead is around understanding what changes you need to make now to your life.

Taking inventory helps you to understand the impact of your addiction from a few different angles:

Taking Inventory of your finances

Your financial life has likely taken a bit of a hit during your addiction. For one reason or another, you prioritized addictive behaviors over things like paying bills on time, saving money or even investing.

The problem with this is that you now likely must deal with those repercussions.

If you haven’t been paying your bills on time for instance, you might have to be playing catch up for a while financially speaking.

Taking Inventory of your time

Addiction is a HUGE time sucker.

It sucks the time out of your day for so many reasons. Think about all the time you’ve invested in your addiction.

From the process of partaking in your addiction all the way through to those nasty hangovers the next day, these behaviors take a massive bite out of your life.

Now that you’ve stopped your addiction (or are actively working to stop it) you need to start making some smart decisions about what you’re going to be filling that time with.

Taking Inventory of your emotional life

When you take inventory of your emotional life, you are probably going to run into some uncomfortable feelings. You can think of your own mental health and the people in your life to frame your emotions.

This process of taking inventory in these three areas of your life though isn’t just limited to understanding what you were previously dealing with.

In fact, this episode of addiction radio is specifically about you learning about what to do next with your life in these areas and more.

Take money for instance.

It’s a misconception to think you are going to suddenly have a ton more money in your life just because are you aren’t spending it on booze.

Unfortunately this just isn’t true.

You are going to have to catch up on bills, payback friends/families and generally start investing in a healthier lifestyle choice.

We provide the tools you need to really make some positive impact and change in your post-recovery life.

There is a lot to cover in this episode so jump right in and let us know what you think!

A message from Live Rehab: 

Are you looking for online rehab or alternatives to AA or NA?

Here at Live Rehab, our online drug and alcohol courses help people obtain sobriety without having to leave their homes. 

Does rehab really work? 

For some people, traditional rehab does work but it’s clear that the option is not for everyone. This is why we have created rehab alternatives. Taking courses online means you have the flexibility to work on your sobriety on your own time. 

Visit liverehab.com/pricing for more information. 

We're excited to kick off another episode of Addiction Radio! This episode we're diving deep into the topic of managing triggers.

Managing triggers can seem like a never ending battle because people can often be triggered in recovery by almost anything. While this is true, it is possible to make sure that you are prepared in the event a trigger happens.

You can't avoid them all.

Just learning how to manage triggers can prove to be something that helps you avoid relapse completely and that's why we created this latest podcast episode.

What is a trigger anyway?

Triggers are those things which cause you to have feelings which can lead to you partake again in your addiction. These triggers can be known or sometimes they can be unknown- that's the rub!

Here's a little breakdown of what we cover in this episode:

How managing triggers can prevent a relapse

For many people, relapse is something that they have been told is inevitable. Or, that relapse is something they should get used to dealing with. We say that's complete crap. In fact, if you go in with this mindset, you might be setting yourself up to fail right from the start.

H.A.L.T

H.A.L.T (Hungry Angry Lonely Tired) is a neat little acronym that will help you to recognize some of the more common feelings that are associated with relapse. When you recognize these feelings you can then take action to make sure you aren't risking your sobriety.

Writing a letter to yourself

Writing a letter to yourself provides some interesting introspection for most people and involves an exercise that can help you manage triggers in the moment. The letter you end up writing will provide some much needed clarity when you need it most.

People, Places and Things

Unfortunately there just isn't getting around the fact that there are so many things which can be a trigger and threat to you recovery. It is critical that you know what those things are, at least as much as possible, and that you have a plan to battle them.

We hope you enjoy this episode of Addiction Radio and that you like, rate or subscribe to future episodes.

Got an idea or topic you want to see us talk about? Get in contact with us and let us know. We'd love to hear your ideas and thoughts so make sure you let us know!

A message from Live Rehab:

Are you looking for online rehab or alternatives to AA or NA?

Here at Live Rehab, our online drug and alcohol courses help people obtain sobriety without having to leave their homes.

Does rehab really work?

For some people, traditional rehab does work but it’s clear that the option is not for everyone. This is why we have created rehab alternatives. Taking courses online means you have the flexibility to work on your sobriety on your own time.

Visit liverehab.com/pricing for more information.

You need to set a quit date.

If you have any hope of successfully overcoming your addiction, your quit date is incredibly important. We thought it was the right time to talk about why it’s so important, how to do it and what you need to be thinking about in the process.

Our latest episode of Addiction Radio talks through setting a quite date. Here’s some of the key points:

Why Setting a Quit Date is Important

Setting a quit date is important because it shows that you are thinking critically and strategically about how  to proceed in the recovery process.

When you don’t have plan or you just wing things then your chances for success greatly diminish.

By setting a date, you can take the time leading up to that date to properly prepare. There are many things to prepare for and to think about.

The date that you set will be a date that you will remember forever, this will be your anniversary date - sort of like getting married.

You commit to something different, commit to a new beginning and you will celebrate this every year for the rest of your life.

What to Think About When Setting a Quit Date

First, your quit date depends entirely on your physical dependence.

If your detox and withdrawal won’t be as bad you might be able to push through certain things. However, if you’re going to have a detox or withdrawal that puts you out for days it’s important to take that time and not try to push yourself through any situation really.

If you are detoxing from alcohol or barbiturates you’ll need to have a medically monitored detox and sometimes you don’t get a choice in that date - it might be chosen for you.

When detoxing from alcohol or barbiturates it might also be an option to taper down so your official quit date won’t be until you are safe to completely be off those substances. If you are detoxing from alcohol or barbiturates and you have a physical dependence please talk to your doctor.

On the other hand if you are a binge drinker and your body is used to going days without drinking alcohol, you can set your quit date but please be cautious and if you start to feel any sort of physical withdrawals, contact your doctor ASAP.

Things to Consider About Your Quit Date

When you’re looking at your calendar, think about important events that might be coming up.

Are you wanting to quit and have a good amount of sober time before that event?

Or if the event is in the near future you may want to think about waiting until it’s over.

Maybe it’s a family birthday or reunion, maybe you have a big project at work or school, a wedding,

Whatever it is, just don’t schedule your quit date on those dates or just right before because you don’t want to be withdrawing or going through detox during that time.

If those events are far out, try and set your quit date sooner than later - because you really don’t want to drag this out any longer than you have to.

What to do Before Your Quit Date

What do you do between now and your quit date?

For starters, think about who you can tell.

Think carefully about because you want to tell people who are supportive of you but also people who you know you don’t want to let down. The more you hype it up the better your chances. Don’t be cautious but rather confident and proud.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Depending on who knows about your addiction, reach out - ask for a babysitter, ask for time off work, ask for someone to come check on you during this time. If you think you can’t do it alone, ask for company.

Think about triggers

You’ll also want to get rid of things that will trigger you. Are there things around your house?

Have a plan on how you’re going to get rid of drugs or alcohol by your...

Do you live life fully?

Have you ever felt like you were just going from moment?

Perhaps travelling between events or situations without even really knowing why?

Are your feelings about things unclear?

Even if you’re in a great state right now with your recovery and sobriety, there is a lot to consider when it comes to living within intention.

Living with intention is interconnected with every single activity in your life. This means that it plays a role both in your active recovery but also played a role in your addiction (consciously or subconsciously).

You need to be making incredibly intentional decisions in your life in order to drive the kind of change and impact you want to see.

In this months podcast episode of Addiction Radio, we’ll talk in detail about what is intentional living, how you can apply it to your life and the power that it has for recovery.

To your recovery!

A message from Live Rehab:

Are you looking for online rehab or alternatives to AA or NA?

Here at Live Rehab, our online drug and alcohol courses help people obtain sobriety without having to leave their homes.

Does rehab really work?

For some people, traditional rehab does work but it’s clear that the option is not for everyone. This is why we have created rehab alternatives. Taking courses online means you have the flexibility to work on your sobriety on your own time.

Visit liverehab.com/pricing for more information.

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But I'm not spiritual...

And, I'm DEFINITELY not religious...

It's a phrase we hear all the time from people who are dealing with addiction. You see, most people check out programs they've heard about before that have been around a long time. These programs tout a specific approach to recovery that basically forces you to be religious.

Which brings us to the problem...

Not everyone considers themselves religous. In fact, according to a study printed in The Guardian, almost 50% of people in the UK consider themselves non-believers.

So, what does that mean for people who need help with their sobriety and recovery?

It's a solid question and you'll be relieved to know that there IS an answer...

Listen to the podcast to hear our take on the subject.

A message from Live Rehab:

Are you looking for online rehab or alternatives to AA or NA?

Here at Live Rehab, our online drug and alcohol courses help people obtain sobriety without having to leave their homes.

Does rehab really work?

For some people, traditional rehab does work but it’s clear that the option is not for everyone. This is why we have created rehab alternatives. Taking courses online means you have the flexibility to work on your sobriety on your own time.

Visit liverehab.com/pricing for more information.

What is it about mental health and addiction that go together so frequently? It’s a question we wanted to dive into during this months podcast episode. Upfront, we’d like to just say that they don’t have to go together and they are definitely not always linked in ways you might think. However, we do frequently hear from people who ask about this very subject.

Mental health is an important subject to consider when talking about addiction.

Do you have a mental issue that is perhaps the cause of your addiction?

Did your addiction potentially cause a mental health issue for you?

What came first? The Chicken or the egg theory.

There’s this thing in the addiction community called the chicken or the egg theory. We talk about this when we talk about co-occurring disorders. A co-occuring disorder is when someone is diagnosed with a mental health disorder as well as a substance use disorder. The reason we call it the chicken or the egg theory is because many times we don’t know what came first.

Co-occurring disorders - why you have to treat both at the same time

If you were already struggling with a mental health disorder then it’s important that you treat that at the same time as your addiction.. You’re going to need the help of a mental health professional.

Here’s why you must treat both at the same time.

You can go into recovery from a substance use disorder by simply not drinking or taking any mind altering substances. That’s great if that happens and for some, that’s all that’s needed to live a productive healthy life. But for others, there’s much more to it than that.

Unsure? Take the 30 day test

Oftentimes, in the beginning of sobriety, people go through the honeymoon phase. This means that after detox they feel quite well, ambitious, and energetic. But then once real life starts to set back in, mental health symptoms may start to appear and triggers or post acute withdrawal syndrome start and start to become super strong. This is one of the main reasons for relapse. But if you’re armed with the knowledge of what to expect you can prevent this.

So, the 30 day test is this. If you stop your behavior or substance use for 30 days and you don’t have any major mental health struggles then you’re likely okay to just keep on doing what you’re doing and continuing to take care of your mental health by doing things from home. However, if after 30 day of abstaining from your addiction you still have mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and so on then it’s important that you make an appointment with a mental health professional.

Those symptoms will not go away on their own.

You need to take action and take charge so that you can also obtain a life free from your addiction.

How to find a mental health professional in your area and what to expect.

So now that we’ve talked about how important it is to tackle your mental health at the same time as your addiction let’s talk about how to go about finding a mental health professional.

There are many ways you can talk to a professional. The first thing you’ll want to do it decide what kind of professional you need.

Some people start with counseling. Counseling is a good way to get professional help if you’re struggling with things are that are currently going on. Let’s say you’re dealing with the death of a loved one, having a hard time being a parent, or maybe you are having problems in your marriage. A counselor is there to counsel, to give professional advice.

Some of you may prefer a therapist. A therapist will provide you with therapy. There are different types of therapy that therapists can offer but in the grand scheme of things, a therapist will be able to treat psychological problems through therapy. So for example,

You've got to work, at least until the robots take over, so what does that mean for your recovery and sobriety?

What steps do you need to take to protect yourself and your career when you have an addiction?

We're talking addiction and work this episode of the podcast because it's an important subject to dive into. You spend a large amount of your life at either work or school and undoubtedly your addictions, sobriety and recovery will impact many of the relationships there too.

In fact, you can't really avoid having them interconnected at all. When you consider just how much time you are spending at these places, it becomes really critical that you think carefully about what actions you do or don't take.

This months episode breaks down as follows:

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Reading the room

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When fighting an addiction there’s never a one size fits all category and that’s what makes professional working or educational relationships that much more complicated. Some people have great relationships with their co-workers and can trust confiding in them while others may put their careers in jeopardy by doing so. Some people work for companies where they are protected by a union a HR while others risk getting fired if their company found out about their addiction. Before saying anything to anyone, if that’s what you choose to do, it’s critical that you know the ramifications of doing so. It may help you to be honest or honesty may cause you to get fired on the spot. Does anyone even need to know about your addiction or will an explanation of your behavior portray you as honest and forthcoming? You need to read the room, know your rights, and understand all possible outcomes before taking any action.

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Explaining your addiction

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Everyone will fall into one of two categories when it comes to each professional relationship you have: you either tell them about your addiction or you don’t. With that being said, each professional relationship you have may need a different approach. Some people you may want to tell while others you may not want or need to tell.

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Having a back-up plan

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You might be in a situation where you were partaking in your addiction with your classmates or co-workers but aren’t ready to tell them the whole truth and to be honest, when it comes to professional relationships it’s really none of their business why you stopped drinking or smoking or whatever. If you find yourself needing to have excuses because well, it’s the workforce and that’s just reality it’s a good idea to have backup plans always in your pocket.

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Toxic co-workers or classmates

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Toxic co-workers can cause so much distress and turmoil especially when tackling an addiction. We’ve all dealt with toxic co-workers or classmates at some point in our lives but when those toxic people start to interfere with your sobriety or your ability to stay away from your addiction it’s important to recognize that and do what it takes to keep your distance. Toxicity doesn’t generally just go away on it’s own so waiting it out to see if things get better secretly hoping they quit or change schools or jobs  is never a good idea. If there is a person or people in your professional life who are making you miserable do whatever it takes to distance yourself. If that mean changing classes if you’re in school or changing departments at your work then take immediate action to do so. Your ability to fight your addiction and fight it for good depends on you having solid and healthy relationships and that includes professional relationships too.

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When to talk to authorities

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You may be trying to fight your addiction but sometimes work or school is what consistently ...

Loneliness in recovery is a very real and common relapse trigger. Unfortunately, your friendship situation might be a lot more (or less) complicated than say your family. What should and can you do about friends?

Join us for this episode of Addiction Radio as we discover some of the most important elements you need to be thinking of when it comes to friendships in recovery. You don’t want to feel alone but you also don’t want to be in a situation where your friends are dragging you back into things which jeopardise your sobriety.

We’ll cover why friendships are important, the signs of unhealthy relationships, the signs of healthy friendships, when to walk away, keeping friendships strong in recovery and how to regain trust.

So dive on in and listen - don't forget to rate, subcribe and comment if you can!

A message from Live Rehab:

Are you looking for online rehab or alternatives to AA or NA?

Here at Live Rehab, our online drug and alcohol courses help people obtain sobriety without having to leave their homes.

Does rehab really work?

For some people, traditional rehab does work but it’s clear that the option is not for everyone. This is why we have created rehab alternatives. Taking courses online means you have the flexibility to work on your sobriety on your own time.

Visit liverehab.com/pricing for more information.

Family.

For so many people, family matters a great deal. But, it's not always good or bad. And, it's definitely not black and white either. When you're in recovery, you need to be very aware of the role family plays in your ongoing sobriety.

Join us for Episode 004 of the Addiction Radio Podcast where we discuss how and what to do with the good and the not-so-good. It's an important listen so let's dive right in!

Show Notes

Dealing with family and addiction can often be one the most complicated pieces to your recovery. Your family  has likely had a huge impact on your addiction and recovery both good and bad. While for some of you - your family may have been the cause of your addiction, others may have family who are there and rooting for your success. Most of you likely have family on both sides of the spectrum. We’re going to talk about how we recognize you don’t get to choose your family - and therefore there are different approaches to those who are supporting you through this process and those who may be hindering your success. I’ll talk about when to walk away, how to regain your family’s trust and what it takes to work towards healthier relationships. Let’s get started.

You don’t get to choose your family

So the title of the course says a lot - you don’t have a choice on who your family is. You don’t get to pick and choose who you’re related to or what family you belong. With that being said, you do need to recognize the different approaches you may take with each and every family member you have.

There’s a specific bond that most people have with certain family members - these bonds are unique in that even when the relationships are put through the wringer the desire to repair and continue a strong healthy relationship is always there.

You may not know where each family member stands and there will be a lot of gray areas as you start to think about your family but just know that while you are taking care of yourself, you might need to make some hard choices in order to protect your sobriety. These choices can range from taking a break from toxic family members to owning up to your mistakes with those who love and support you - neither are easy.

Let’s talk now about how to recognise a good family member.

How to recognise good family

Recognizing good family can often be clouded. Maybe while you were addicted your family cut you off or didn’t agree to enable. That doesn’t mean that their love for you was any less - it just means that their love was so strong that they couldn’t continue to watch your destructiveness.

What I want you to do today, is to make a list of family members who have been there for you through all this - emotionally, physcally, etc. Don’t confuse this though with not enabling. This should be a list of those who you want to make amends with, those who you know would be there for you through thick and thin.

Once you’ve made this list, start working on repairng relationships. The easiest way to start the conversation is to send a text - let them know that you appreciate everything they’ve ever done for you and if they know about your addiction you can let them know that you’re working hard on your recovery. From there - see where the conversations take you.

It won’t be easy but it’s a start. You do have to be prepared for people to be suspicious of your trust and that’s okay! Repairing relationships doesn’t happen over night. Some family members may want to see you in action - and this takes time. For now, just send the text.

How to recognise toxicity

We talked about good family members and now we need to talk about those who are “not so good” and when I say not so good I’m talking about not so good for you. Not saying they’re not good people because that would a little disingenuous for me to pre...

So we all know that getting enough sleep is generally important to your overall health but it’s even more important when you are fighting an addiction. It’s common to feel like you’re not getting enough sleep or your sleeping too much. In this episode of Addiction Radio podcast, we’re going to talk about why sleep is important during recovery, how much sleep you’re getting now, and how much sleep you should be getting.

In addition, we’ll help you recognize signs of not getting enough sleep, dig deeper into different types of sleep, and the health benefits and risks of getting too much or too little sleep. We’ll conclude the podcast by talking about ways you can get better sleep, when and if you should take sleep aids and if you should call your doctor.

Let’s get started.

Show Notes

In this podcast, we are going to talk about how important sleep is when tacking an addiction. We’ll have you take an inventory of your current sleep, talk about how much sleep you should be getting, and signs of not getting enough sleep. In addition, we’ll talk about the health benefits and risks, how to get a better night’s sleep, and if or when you should call your doctor. Let’s get started.

Why sleep is important during recovery

Sleep is a key component when breaking any addiction. Just like fitness and nutrition, it’s important to take care of your health by focusing on sleep. In other words, you need to let your body rest.

Your addiction has likely been taking a toll on your body and most people with an addiction have messed up sleep. When you don’t sleep well, your entire body is affected. Your brain needs sleep in order to repair itself and help you turn back to baseline.

Sleeping too little can cause your body to become irritated and when agitated you are at greater risk for triggers which could potentially lead to relapse. When you sleep too much, your body doesn’t get the activity it needs to be in a healthy state and this can lead to lack of motivation, depression, or sadness which can also lead to triggers and relapse. The key is to get just the right amount, every single night.

Most people don’t get enough sleep and those who are fighting an addiction have it that much harder. That’s why I want to talk to you about how exactly to get a good night’s sleep every night. When you couple this with nutrition and fitness, you set yourself up for great success. Let’s start by figuring out how much sleep you are currently getting.

How much sleep are you getting now?

The first thing you'll need to do before changing anything is taken inventory. How much sleep are you getting now, are you getting good quality sleep? Does it take you forever to fall asleep? Do you wake up often?

The answers to these questions should be documented over a couple of days. Now the easiest way to get answers is to use a fitness tracker that logs your sleep.  Most fitness trackers are pretty affordable now and very beneficial because you can use it for your nutrition and fitness as well. If you don't have a fitness tracker then you'll have to start using a pen and paper - just keep a log next to your bed.

If using a pen and paper it’s impossible to know the exact minute you fell asleep but that’s okay; when you wake up just try to remember around what time you fell asleep, what time you woke up and if you remember waking up in the middle of the night.

You’ll need a few days in order to calculate some sort of average. Everybody has off nights here and there; that’s normal but what we really want to know is how much sleep you are getting on average and what your quality of sleep is like.

It’s important to make a note of how you feel each morning and throughout the day while making a log. Are you feeling refreshed when you wake up, groggy, what about during the day? Do you get tired often?