|You Are Not Alone|
It’s strange to say that since I quit my job I am less stressed and overwhelmed even with having to deal with financial hardships and having to look for a new job. You would think that I would feel even more stressed since I have to worry about where money is going to come from and where I can apply for a job that would fit my limitations.
Let’s welcome Ryan Rosen back to the My Bipolar Mind blog as he shares some wonderful tips on how to sneak healthy habits into your post-recovery journey. Don’t forget to check out Ryan’s author bio at the end of this article to learn more about him and find the link to his site!
Many people in recovery struggle to balance mental and physical health, especially when first coming home from a rehabilitation center. Sometimes we think that too much damage has been done to make health and wellness a priority now. Others may feel like they don’t deserve health and happiness, while others—often, many others—come home to stigma and don’t have a supportive and healing community to rely on. (Continue Reading)
I am so excited to announce the release of my second book in the My Bipolar Mind series: My Bipolar Mind: Surviving the Chaos.
The holidays are particularly difficult for people in addiction recovery. This time of year can dredge up sad memories, cause financial or travel-related stress, and subject you to uncomfortable social situations. At the same time, alcohol is present at almost all work parties and family gatherings, which can make abstinence all the more difficult to maintain. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to prepare yourself and enjoy a sober holiday season. (Continue Reading…)
When you Google the meaning of overwhelmed one of the definitions is: “Defeat completely.” And completely defeated can perfectly go to describe how I have been feeling at times.
I would like to wish everyone a happy belated Halloween! I really wanted to blog on Halloween itself but things have been pretty hectic for me the past few days.
Drugs, alcohol and addictive substances have a way of taking over your life. If you are in recovery, however, you are on the right track to take that control back and start living life on your own terms again. Taking steps to get your life on track again can take some additional effort. Use these tips to maintain focus and manage your life during recovery.
Being a prisoner inside one’s own cranium is one of the darkest and loneliest places to be, and sometimes even the most dangerous.
I would like to welcome Amber from WriteAboutRecovery.com as she talks about Choosing the Right Rehabilitation Center for a Loved One.
Selecting the right rehab center for a loved one can be a major challenge, no matter how old they are or where they are in life.
“Roughly 60 Million Americans are affected by [a] sleep disorder every year,” and I am one of them – as some of you may already know. Some night I have issues with insomnia, other nights my sleep is completely broken and restless. It is not very often that I actually get a good night’s sleep, regardless of how long I am lying in my bed for. I could be lying in bed for 12 hours and yet only get 4-5 hours of solid sleep. I even have a prescription medication that I take every night (almost) faithfully.
I had to give up on someone, we’ll call her Karen, for pretty much the first time in my life. Like completely give up, walk away, and wash my hands of her. I had to learn the hard way that I can’t help and save everyone. You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved or isn’t ready to receive the help yet.
I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter! If you celebrate, I hope that you are able to spend some time with your loved ones. To those of you who are spending the holiday solo, that is okay too, but always remember that you are loved and that there is nothing wrong with being alone on the holidays. Spend the entire day doing the things that you love – choirs can wait until tomorrow.
“I have come face to face with the devil more times than I can count. I have lived life as an addict, and I have loved an addict, and I have been in love with addicts. Being pulled from both sides is so hard considering you have lived both loves. I honestly think that loving an addict is much harder than being an addict.” – Kayl (Continue Reading…)
If you are in recovery and are worried about attending a holiday party, I can offer you some advice and tips on how I got through it. I am not telling you that you are going to feel comfortable being around your drug of choice and that it is going to be all sunshine and cupcakes, but that doesn’t mean that you have to relapse either. I do not advise anyone in early recovery to put themselves in the same situation that I was in, either. If you don’t have to go to a party just yet, then don’t go. It is so much easier to sit at home and be sober than it is to be around everyone having fun with a drink in their hand.
I am sorry that it took me so long to get you some help. Here in the year 2018, you still battle with depression, and anxiety but you are learning to deal with it better, along with medications of course, but you have now been drug and alcohol free for 20-21 years and life isn’t so bad.
If you have relapsed after a prolonged time being abstinent from drugs or alcohol, it can feel like a failure. However, a relapse is not the worst thing in the world. Addiction is a disease for which there is no cure, only management. When you fall off the wagon, it’s just a setback that is a common part of the recovery process for many people. Resolving to recover from a relapse allows you to move on and commit to a lifestyle and choices that support your sobriety, goals and overall happiness.
It’s not often that I find myself waking up with energy while in a great mood. So, I figured I would switch it up and make a post while my depression is suppressed for this moment in time. I want to savor this moment and place it safely in my memory – hopefully in a place where I will remember it 😀 – so that when I am feeling down I can pull this memory out and know that sometimes things are okay.
My head has been completely crazy these past few days. Yes, I know my head is a mess most of the time anyway, but it just seems to have gotten worse. Lately, I feel like I am living in a fog. It doesn’t seem like this is my real life anymore. Money’s tight but other than that things are going well. My relationship is good, I am slowly getting back into writing, although, I do believe I took on more than I can actually handle at the moment. So, the question of the day is: Why do I still feel the way I do?
I want to start by apologizing for my absence from this blog. If you read my last few posts, I was stuck in a depressive episode. But like with everything else, the sun will shine after the rain. I still have gloomy moments but, for the most part, I have been feeling a lot better these past few days. A lot of that has to do with an exciting email that I received from an intern at a publishing company.
Addiction is linked to debt — sometimes even poverty — which can create a serious toll on the recovery survivor and, in some cases, their family. The main reason behind this unfortunate connection is that it’s likely fiscal responsibilities were put to the wayside in order to feed one’s addictive behavior. Not only does this lead to a loss of money, but a loss of relationships and jobs, too. If you’re a new recovery survivor in this position
My Bipolar Mind 