Consider those who excel at giving gifts. First, they take joy in finding what seems to be the perfect gift. Their excitement begins before any gifts are opened. I know this because my wife is an excellent gift giver, and she is filled with anticipation at the point of purchase. Second, these gift givers take joy in your joy, assuming you are quite pleased with the gift. Joy all around, with double joy for the givers.

When you see someone who has had many years of recovery, you see someone who has made a lot of changes in life and in their environment.  It’s no secret that recovery changes your entire life. It means work from you and support from loved ones every day. However, these changes are not easy to make. You might be holding on to many thoughts, behaviors, patterns and people because it’s all you have known for a long time. But holding on to the old way of doing things means staying in addiction.

Coping with drug and alcohol cravings is a major component of changing problematic addictive behavior, so much so that the DSM5 added craving as a diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders.  It is next to certain that any change in habitual behavior will at some point result in urges or cravings for the old behavior.  Who hasn’t experienced a craving for something salty or sweet when trying to eat healthier?  Below we discuss 10 tried and true methods that help people manage drug and alcohol cravings.

Many of us who end up in treatment for substance use issues struggle with trauma. Some treatment centers employ trauma-informed care and are able to help, others are less sensitive.

Finding the Right Rehab Facility

If you’re struggling with trauma, dealing with those emotions will be an important part of your recovery process. That means your facility of choice will need to be equipped to help you work through those past hurts.

Many times people argue that using drugs is a victimless crime, that those who are using are not hurting anyone but themselves. Depending on whom you ask, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Hurting your family, friends, and people you may never meet by doing your part in funding organized criminal organizations is not driven by innocence. The purchase of illegal drugs and the victims of crimes associated with the manufacturing, distribution, sale and use of these substances are staggering.

Even a casual drug user that “pops a molly,” smokes marijuana, or uses cocaine may think they are just having a good time and not hurting anyone. But the trail of violence that precedes them enjoying that substance is rather horrific.

We’re lonely.

That is, Americans are lonely, especially younger generations, says Cigna’s 2018 U.S. Loneliness Index. It’s no surprise that being lonely has detrimental effects on mental and physical well-being. The feelings can stem from a multitude of reasons, such as grief following loss, divorce, separation, or miscarriage. Not only can loneliness increase the risk of depression, suicidal thoughts, heart conditions, and other illnesses, but it can also trigger or worsen addiction.