A SLIP or NOT: Is it OK to drink non-alcoholic beer in recovery?

Posted on September 21, 2015 by MainAdmin

Many alcoholics or alcohol abusers wonder if it is okay for them to drink non-alcoholic beverages. After all, the alcohol component of these drinks isn’t present. Can it be okay to indulge in it once in a while during 12 step recovery? Unfortunately, there’s no specific answer to this. Every person is very different in terms of sober living and what could happen with one or more of these beverages.

It’s Not What You Think

First, it’s important to realize that many non-alcoholic beverages and low alcohol beers actually contain 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. Yes, they actually have alcohol in them. Most of the alcohol is filtered and boiled out during the brewing process, but some remains. What remains is not necessarily enough to make you drunk and in most cases you will not feel any different drinking these compared to a can of soda. For some people, though, they do create a placebo effect, meaning they give you the psychological feeling of drinking alcohol. That’s where the slippery slope comes in.

For some individuals, that placebo effect is the underlying problem. This could make you feel like you are drunk and bring back all of your feelings and thoughts about drinking again. It might even bring back your old habits. That’s why so many 12 step programs recommend that members stay away from these products. Sometimes, a similar smell or taste can bring you back to ground zero. A clear way to indicate this could be a problem, is to consider how you feel. If you are drinking these products because you want to bring back your “glory days” of drinking, they should not be used at all.

Understanding Your Triggers

Keeping this in mind, it’s important for people to understand what their triggers are. What makes you have the feelings and desire to drink again? For some people, that smell or flavor is enough to create a trigger. For many others, it is not. Unfortunately, like with every other component of alcoholism, you have to determine the right way to behave and interact based on your specific needs and risks. It’s a personal decision, ultimately, to make about drinking non-alcoholic beverages.

Before picking up these drinks, it’s important to take into consideration what the short term and long term impact will be. Could it be worthwhile to you or is not worth the risk at all? Sometimes gaining focus and praying can help you to make the right decisions.

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Virgin Beverages Glamorized to Look Like Cocktails: A Good Thing or Not?

Posted on September 14, 2015 by MainAdmin

You’ve heard of them before. Mocktails are all of the rage in various establishments these days. These virgin beverages are all dressed up to look like traditional cocktails but they do not have the alcoholic component to them. Mocktails seem innocent enough, but are they a good option for you? Before you try one out, take into consideration a few key things about these beverages.

For Some People, It’s Best to Step Away

You’ve worked hard to get to where you are right now with your 12 step recovery. Should you really have one of these glamorized drinks? Addiction experts warn that these products can be a slippery slope for many people. The experts say it’s unhealthy to act like you are drinking, even if you are doing so innocently enough. For some people, these products can lead to eventual addition of a small amount of alcohol. For others, it can lead into a relapse.

A Simple Sip Is Too Much

The problem for many people comes not just from the alcohol in drinks, but also the way they make you feel. Even though mocktails have no alcohol, they can bring back memories about the way you felt drinking the real thing. Many of these drinks really look like traditional cocktails. That can create a strong sense of desire not just for the mocktail, but for traditional cocktails as well.

How to Keep Your Head Up

It’s hard to go to outdoor events or meals with friends when mocktails are present, especially if your friends say these should be fine for you. The best way for you to avoid the potential problem is simply to know your triggers. Not everyone needs to forgo these drinks for sober living. If you can avoid drinking them in the same situations and for the same pleasure sensation you had when drinking alcohol, they may be okay. For others, it is best to steer clear.

It’s important to realize that mocktails also give you a high dose of refined sugar and can give you that “high” feeling. If you are addicted to stimulants, it’s essential to avoid these drinks.

Take a deep breath and realize that these drinks, while they seem innocent enough, might not be worth their taste if they create that slippery slope you have been working hard to avoid.

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Lights, Music, Action…It’s Party Time! How do I do this Sober?

Posted on September 7, 2015 by MainAdmin

When you’ve given up drinking, going to parties can be a challenge. You’re usually surrounded by a lot of people with a drink in their hand, which can cause you to wonder how you’ll manage to have fun and stay sober all night. Thankfully, there are ways to ensure that you have a good time at these types of gatherings while sticking to your goal of sober living.

Make Yourself Useful

Keeping yourself busy can help pass the time at a party, but that doesn’t mean you have to serve food or clean up after everyone. Find a fun way to be useful at the party, such as volunteering to be the DJ. You’ll get to hear your favorite tunes and get some laughs while watching those who are drunk stumble around the dance floor.

Look for a Fellow Non-drinker

Keep in mind that you’re likely not the only sober person at the party. There might be a few designated drivers that you can chat with or other partygoers who aren’t into alcohol. If your friends are too drunk to talk to, hang out with the non-drinkers in the crowd. You’ll have a great time and might end up making a new friend or two.

Enjoy Free Entertainment

If your friends are the types who start doing or saying amusing things while drunk, you can have some laughs watching them or interacting with them. Instead of focusing on the fun they seem to be having, you can focus on having fun while being around them.

Carry a Non-alcoholic Beverage Around

Being around others who are drinking when you’re going through a 12 step recovery program is hard enough. Walking around with a glass filled with soda or another non-alcoholic beverage reduces the risk of having other people offer you drinks all night. You won’t have to make as much effort to resist the temptation to have just one drink.

Make an Exit Strategy

You’ll be able to enjoy yourself more at the party if you have an exit strategy figured out ahead of time. This allows you to relax and be comfortable leaving the party if it gets to be too much to handle. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to stick around for most or all of the party if you offer to drive friends home.

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In Sobriety Avoid Boredom on Days Off Work and Holidays

Posted on August 31, 2015 by MainAdmin

Boredom is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome when you commit to sober living. When you’re used to drinking, trying to figure out what to do to fill up your time on holidays and days off from work can be tough. You suddenly find that you have to come up with things to do that don’t involve alcohol. You also have more time and a clearer head, which makes it easier to start thinking or dwelling on your situation. This can end up making you feel restless or even depressed and angry, leading to a higher risk of relapsing. When you do find yourself feeling bored, use the following ideas to make sure you stay busy.

See a Movie

Going to the movies gives you a safe way to take your mind off things and just relax for a couple of hours. Choose a movie that you know you’ll be interested in and those hours you spend in the movie theater will fly by.

Volunteer

Volunteering your time to help a local charity or organization is a great way to keep yourself occupied and focus on something positive while you’re going through 12 step recovery. Whether you’re more comfortable serving soup to the homeless, walking dogs at the local animal shelter or spending time with seniors in nursing homes, you’ll find plenty of volunteer opportunities in your local area.

Visit an Art Gallery or Museum

If you love learning about local history, natural history, science or the arts, make plans to spend a day at an art gallery or museum near you. You can take as much time as you want checking out all of the displays.

Enjoy a Cup of Coffee or Tea

Head to a local coffeehouse for a soothing cup of coffee or tea with a friend or family member. You’ll have time to unwind and socialize a bit without being tempted to drink alcohol. Keep in mind that your local coffeehouse might host musical performances or other fun events for you to attend.

Sign Up for Dance Lessons

If you’ve always wanted to dance but never took lessons before, now is a perfect time to do so. Look for local places that offer lessons in the type of dance you’re interested in, whether that’s ballroom, line dancing or salsa. You’ll have an entertaining way to pass the time on a weekly basis while also learning a new skill.

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What’s The Difference Between Making A Direct Amends To People And Making An Apology?

Posted on August 24, 2015 by MainAdmin

You’re on your way to sober living. Through the 12 step recovery process, you are becoming a new person and learning how to take a healthier and happier approach to the way you live your life. In step nine, you have to make direct amends.

What’s the difference between making amends and making an apology? Understanding will allow you to get one step closer to addiction recovery and repair some relationships that may have been broken during your past.

help mountaineerMaking Direct Amends

Essentially, making direct amends is to go one step beyond an apology. You don’t want to simply acknowledge that you failed or made an offense in a regretful way. You want to try and make up for it. You want to repair that which has been damaged. Even if you cannot directly restore what has been broken, you can do so in a symbolic way.

One way to look at the difference is to see how you borrowed money from someone and then never paid them back. If you were to apologize, you would simply acknowledge that you had borrowed the money and never repaid them. A direct amends would be to apologize and give them the money back. This is an important part of the 12 step recovery and like the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing right.

The Importance of Making Amends

Throughout your path to sober living, you will find that there are many resources to help you determine how to reach addiction recovery.

During step eight of the 12 step program, you created a list of all the people you have wronged. Now it is time to make direct amends. When you cannot make direct amends, such as repairing or repaying, you can look at the indirect amends. For example, you cannot take back the fact that you physically assaulted someone. However, you can volunteer within a shelter for the abused or give to a charity of the person’s choosing.

You will find that many people make amends through public speaking as a way to give back to the entire community. This is part of the cleansing process and a way to bring closure and peace to the relationships that have been broken.

Apologies are a good start, but the best way to overcome the emotional distress of what you have been through is to make full amends. It will be better for you and those you have wronged.

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How Do You Start Praying If You’re Atheist Or Agnostic?

Posted on August 17, 2015 by MainAdmin

When you are going through a 12 step recovery, you will often find that a lot of the materials focus on prayer as well as praying to a higher power, whether it be God or someone else. However, if you are an atheist or agnostic, how do you begin?

What is AA Agnostica?

You can take an alternative 12 step recovery that uses a secular view. This is for atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers. This allows you to focus on addiction recovery without having to accept beliefs that are not your own. If you don’t want to pray in the traditional sense, there is still a way for you to work towards sober living – and having access to the materials and groups that don’t have a religious reflection can be best for your belief system.

Finding a Higher Power

As you go through the addiction recovery process, it can be advantageous to find a higher power. Most people take this to mean God. However, it is not always the case. You don’t have to believe in God in order to have a higher power to look towards. Many atheists use the program as their higher power. They concentrate on the road to recovery and the value of others – as well as being a value towards others who are working on sober living.

A supernatural deity doesn’t have to be in the picture. Some people have beliefs that there is a higher power and others don’t. If you want to start praying, it doesn’t have to be to a deity.

Non-Religious Prayer

Your prayer can simply focus on reading materials that are mantras for the road to recovery. You can also enjoy a 12 step movement that uses prayer in a non-religious form. You should take some time to reflect on your life and your future, and this can be your time for prayer, even if it is not in the traditional sense.

It can be alarming to walk into AA and see that God is everywhere, including in the opening prayer. The good news is that you can still go through the program, even if you are agnostic or an atheist. Many have successfully completed the program before you and many will after you. It’s just important to know how to take God out of the equation and look for your own higher power, even if it is the program itself.

 

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In My Recovery, When Should I Pray And For How Long?

Posted on August 10, 2015 by MainAdmin

Addiction recovery is an emotional and physical journey, and it can be a spiritual one, too. You may want to explore prayer for purposes of sober living, but have some questions as to when you should pray and for how long.

prayerTaking Advantage of Prayer

You can find prayer books and other items to help you with prayer. There is no set time as to when you should pray. Often, you should turn to prayer when you are struggling the most. For example, there is the serenity prayer that can help you to ask for God’s help in the hard times that you face.

During the 12 step recovery process, you can take advantage of prayer to help you complete each of the steps. You may want to turn to your Higher Power to help restore your mind and let go of what you cannot control.

Prayer Heals

No matter what you go through during your addiction recovery, it’s important to remember that prayer heals. Throughout your days of sober living, some days are going to be harder than others. You can choose to pray every morning, every evening before going to bed, or in moments throughout the day.

It doesn’t matter when you pray as long as you are praying. You are never alone in the battles that you deal with during the 12 step recovery, and prayer can remind you of this. You can balance your mind, body and spirit throughout your time of prayer.

Some people are able to experience joy and balance faster than others. If you are experiencing fear and anxiety, reciting a few prayers or reading from an inspirational text can help to calm you down. You may spend a few minutes praying, or you may want to dedicate an entire day. Everyone is different, and everyone’s path to healing looks a little different.

To achieve sober living, you need to ask for forgiveness, ask for strength, and trust your Higher Power. When you develop the trust that God is going to help you overcome your obstacles, it can be easier to spend less time in prayer because you know what to say and the simple words from your favorite inspirational text can help you to achieve your balance every time. Do what is right for you to ensure you are able to get the strength you need to lead a clean, healthy, and happy life.

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Meditation Tips for Sober Living

Posted on August 3, 2015 by MainAdmin

Overcoming addiction can be challenging, and it’s important to find ways to reduce stress and keep a clear mind. As you go through a 12 step recovery process, consider adding meditation to your daily routine. Meditation has been shown to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being, making it a valuable part of addiction recovery.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation involves focusing your mind in order to center yourself, achieve a sense of inner peace, calm your brain, relieve anxiety or get in touch with your spiritual side. When you meditate on a regular basis, it can change the way your brain is wired. The parts of your brain that control memory, self-awareness and other important aspects of cognitive and mental function become more active, while the parts of your brain that are associated with stress and anxiety become less active. When you’re working toward overcoming addiction and adapting to sober living, meditation can lower your risk of relapse by relieving stress and helping you become calmer and more focused.

Tips on Meditation

If you don’t have any prior experience with meditation, use the following tips to help you get started:

  • Set aside time for it. Make meditation part of your daily routine by dedicating a certain amount of time to it. Include it in your daily schedule so you won’t forget to do it or run into problems finding time for it while you’re in 12 step recovery. 
  • Start out slowly. Meditation takes time to get used to, so don’t expect to sit quietly for 30 minutes or more at the beginning. Instead, focus on meditation for about ten minutes at a time, then gradually increase this time once you’re more comfortable with this practice. 
  • Begin by breathing. Start off your meditation routine by taking slow, deep breaths. This helps you concentrate better and relaxes your muscles, so you won’t feel tense while trying to meditate.
  • Choose one thing to focus on. Meditation is all about focusing all of your attention on one thing at a time and not letting anything else interfere. You can start by focusing on a certain saying or mantra, a candle flame or a vivid image in your mind. 
  • Pick a quiet place. Meditate in an area where you will not be distracted or disturbed by others. 

Keep in mind that it could take a while to get used to meditation, but practicing it each day during addiction recovery can help you achieve your goal of sober living.

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How do you know if someone needs recovery?

Posted on July 27, 2015 by MainAdmin

Making sure that a loved one gets help for drug or alcohol addiction is an important part of recovery, but how can you tell if they have a problem in the first place? While you might suspect that something is wrong, keep in mind that those with an addiction usually try to hide any signs of it. Knowing what to look for can help you determine whether or not your loved one has an addiction, so you can assist them with finding a 12-step recovery program or other addiction recovery treatment.

Signs of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction can produce a wide range of symptoms, depending on the type of drug being used. In general, those who use drugs regularly might show the following physical symptoms:

  • Poor hygiene
  • Unexplained weight changes
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Pupils that are dilated or contracted
  • Poor coordination
  • Shaking or tremors
  • Slurred speech

Drug addiction might also result in noticeable changes in your loved one’s behavior, such as:

  • Sudden financial difficulties
  • Poor performance on the job or at school
  • Trouble with the law
  • Unpredictable mood swings
  • Personality changes
  • Paranoia or anxiety
  • Loss of motivation
  • Hyperactivity at times

Certain types of illegal drugs can cause specific symptoms. For example, those who use heroin might have needle marks, while those who use cocaine might have a dry mouth or nasal problems. Those who use LSD or PCP might experience hallucinations and become aggressive, while Xanax and other depressants can cause people to act clumsy or have trouble concentrating.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Drinking alcohol on a regular basis can cause significant changes in your loved one’s physical appearance and behavior. Some of the symptoms to watch for include:

  • Sudden mood swings
  • Shaky hands
  • Reddish or flushed face
  • Lack of interest in spending time with others
  • Memory loss
  • Showing up late for work, appointments and social events
  • Financial difficulties

You might also find other signs of addiction, such as hidden bottles of alcohol stashed around your loved one’s home. If your loved one drinks in front of others, pay attention to how and when that happens. Those with an alcohol addiction might drink early in the morning, drink at specific times each day, focus on drinking at social events and chug the first few drinks.

If your loved one exhibits any symptoms of drug or alcohol use, your next step is to work on getting them into addiction recovery, such as a 12-step recovery program. Once they start the recovery process, they’ll be on their way to living a healthy life and leaving their addiction behind.

 

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How Do You Tell Someone They Need Recovery…Intervention?

Posted on July 20, 2015 by MainAdmin

Everyone should have the chance to live the best possible life. When you see a loved one that is suffering due to addiction, it may be your place to help get them on the path to addiction recovery. Many people have no idea where to go to get the help and therefore they don’t get the help they so desperately need.

It doesn’t matter whether someone has been willing to take the step on their own or not. Sometimes, it is you being there that will encourage them to take that step because they know they have the love and support they need to make some modifications within the way they are living their live.

Before you mention 12-step recovery, it is important to educate yourself on addiction. Attend a few meetings for support groups and even tap into some of the local resources. This will allow you to strengthen your own emotional well-being and know more about what to expect for your loved one as you look to plan an intervention.

Sometimes an intervention is the best way to show someone that they are in need of addiction recovery resources. However, you have to focus on the person. If you gather up a few of their closest friends and family members and out them as being an alcoholic or a drug user, they may shut down and you have lost them.

Everyone has an environment where they feel most comfortable, and it is your job to determine what that is for the friend or family member that needs help.

It may be helpful to use a professional interventionist so that the main thoughts get across and a person can see what the benefits of a 12-step recovery would be.

You have to make sure they know the damage of their addiction from YOUR point of view, so using “I” is important. Everyone who is a part of the intervention needs to take the same approach.

It’s not easy to see the person you know and love struggling. You want to show them that they have a way to make things better for themselves and that you love and support them with their decision and that you are at their side.

Intervention of some sort is going to be necessary, it is simply a matter of the personal approach that you take.

 

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