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In the past, while my son was an active user, I would be in constant fear of not hearing from him, or hearing from someone else calling to tell me he overdosed.  That happened more than once.

It has been a VERY long road with him.  I have had many sleepless nights, many visits to the courts, jail, doctors, having him in and out of over 20 rehabs, not to mention the financial burden.

I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am that my son not only found but embraced CFC, just as they did him.  They saved his life.  They have guided him in ways that I couldn’t.  They introduced him to him, if that makes any sense.  They showed him all that he could do.  All he could accomplish.  They guided him with facing his fears, helping with not only his addiction but with his self esteem.  He has had to address his past, the good, bad and ugly.

He is very dedicated to his recovery. He has goals that he reaches, and then makes new ones.    I no longer have the fear of getting that dreaded phone call.

I now look forward to him calling me.  We have serious and extremely funny conversations.  I am VERY proud of him and the man he has become.

I appreciate my Mother’s Day more and more.

Diane Russo, Proud Mother

Happy Mothers Day!

There is a reason they call it the hardest job in the world. Managing being a mother while maintaining recovery is possible using these tools!

Let Go of Resentment

Resentment can be a killer for those struggling with substance use disorder. Holding on to bitterness keeps us sick and holds us hostage and stuck in victim mode. Letting go of resentments and learning to deal with anger in healthy ways is a critical part of healing from this disease of addiction. Moms in long-term recovery have learned how to process anger. They don’t blame others or play the victim. Instead, they have learned how to be assertive without being aggressive. What I’ve learned and told my clients is to pause when they’re angry or feeling uncomfortable. To step back, breathe, be mindful of their feelings, and look at the role they may have played in the situation before reacting. Doing this helps them “respond” and not “react.” Learning to use these tools helped me tremendously.

Establish a Daily Spiritual Practice

Here’s what I know for sure: addiction darkens our spirit. Folks who are flourishing in recovery have some type of daily spiritual practice. Spirituality means different things to different people. It is important to find a spiritual community, as well as what gives you joy, and do it! Here are some of the spiritual practices I have found extremely helpful in recovery.

• Reflection: Unplug from the world. Put down the cell phone, pick up a pen and paper, and write down your feelings, emotions, goals, or what you’re grateful for.

• Meditation: Take a moment to let your mind unwind from the stresses of everyday life.

• Prayer: Find your higher power. It does not have to be religion-based. Your higher power can be anything that keeps you grounded, such as nature or your community. Feeling part of something greater allows you to stay connected to what is important.

• Volunteer: Find opportunities to give back to others in your community. Helping others gives you a sense of purpose as well as increases feelings of self-worth and strengthens your sense of community.

Practice Self-Care

An important part of healing for moms is learning how to take care of themselves. In long-term recovery, I have learned to slow down and take time for myself. The acronym HALT – hungry, angry, lonely, or tired – is always a reminder for me to check in with myself. I tell my clients to be vigilant if they are experiencing any of these signs and to be aware of how they are feeling and why. Remedies that worked for me include:

• Taking a nap

• Exercising

• Going for a walk

• Spending time in nature

• Trying a new hobby

• Binge-watching Netflix (I’ve done this a lot)

• Spending time with friends and family

The 19th-century Danish author, Hans Christian Anderson, wrote “where words fail, music speaks.” Often times, it is difficult to verbalize our deepest thoughts and feelings. We simply cannot find the right words; however music provides a way to do just that. Music has the power to release our worries, fears and uncertainties, take us to the most unimaginable places, free us from negative stress and frustration, and put words to our thoughts and feelings. Due to these benefits and more, music therapy is a growing field. Today, music is being used in a variety of treatment centers across the country and the world. Music is a universal modality that soothes the soul and promotes healing. Think about all the songs you listen to…there is our designated happy song, sad song, angry song, fearful song, fun song, exercise song… the list goes on and on. As a therapist, I am always researching ways to connect with my clients and help them achieve wellness. Sometimes talk therapy is just not enough, and thus having a toolbox filled with various therapeutic modalities is essential. Recently, music has been one of my “go to” tools. Maybe it can be one of yours too! Grab your iPhone or iPod and get lost in the music.

The emotional rollercoaster can be treacherous in early Substance Abuse Recovery but there are things that the individual can do to make the ride easier including:

• Attendance at a recovery group can be a great way to get support and advice during the early months of recovery. Here the newly sober individual can spend time with other people who have dealt with the same challenges. Not only will they find support but also practical advice.
• Regular attendance with a therapist or addiction specialist can help the individual to talk about their problems and learn new ways of dealing with strong emotions.
• Guilt can be extremely destructive in early recovery. The most important thing is to focus on the future and not on the past. The fact that the individual is putting their addiction behind them means that they are on the right track. Once the person has made it through early recovery they can then start thinking about making amends. They have the rest of their life do this. Guilt is one of the main relapse triggers so it should be avoided.
• Medical advice should only be taking seriously if the person giving it is qualified to do so. If people are concerned about their emotional or mental health they should speak to a professional. It could be that they have an undiagnosed mental health condition. They will only be able to resolve this situation by getting the proper medical treatment. Failure to do so could be putting their recovery in jeopardy.

There are many paths to recovery. People will choose their recovery pathway based on cultural values, socioeconomic status, psychological and behavioral needs, and the nature of their substance use disorder. With such a personal and varied stake it is impossible to categorize every single type of recovery. However, there are several large areas that recovery falls into.

The Different Pathways to Recovery:

• Natural Recovery

• Recovery Mutual Aid Groups

• Medication-Assisted Recovery

• Peer-Based Recovery Supports

• Family Recovery

• Technology-Based Recovery

• Alternative Recovery Supports

This is a refreshing approach to treatment as most centers are focused on a singular pathway. At Relevance, clients are exposed to all of them and allowed to choose which they want to practice and apply.

We teach the following pathways at Relevance

SMART Recovery Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a science-based mutual-support program to help people overcome addictions. SMART empowers people to assume responsibility for their recovery using a 4-Point Program:

1. Building and Maintaining Motivation
2. Coping with Urges
3. Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors
4. Living a Balanced Life

Using the four points as a framework, people create a course of action tailored to their own interests and needs. SMART meetings are led by trained facilitators and are highly interactive, action oriented, positive, and focus on the present and future.

Refuge Recovery is a mindfulness-based addiction recovery community that practices and utilizes Buddhist philosophy as the foundation of the recovery process.

12-Step Fellowships is a twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. Originally proposed by Bill Wilson to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a method of recovery from alcoholism, the Twelve Steps were first published in the 1939 book Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism. The method was adapted and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs. Some of the largest and most widely used 12-step fellowships include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous which is a multiple paths to recovery.

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered program with foundations firmly established in Biblical truth. The 12 Steps with accompanying Scriptures and the 8 Principles based on the Beatitudes offer participants a clear path of salvation and discipleship; bringing hope, freedom, sobriety, healing, and the opportunity to give back one day at a time through our one and only true Higher Power, Jesus Christ.

Recovery 2.0 is a global movement that embraces a holistic approach to recovery from addiction of all kinds. The community honors all effective paths to recovery and emphasizes the importance of mind-body practices such as yoga and meditation, athletics, nutrition and community as part of an effective path to recovery and joy in life

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Often called ‘self-help’ groups or ‘support’ groups, these groups are small-scale community-oriented groups where people suffering from Substance Use Disorders meet and provide support to each other. These groups provide a safe space for people to share stories, discuss challenges, or share personal achievements, often with an overarching framework guiding the group’s purpose. Mutual Support Groups are often an initial destination for people hoping to find recovery, and also serve to help people maintain long-term recovery. Most mutual aid groups meet face-to-face, but there are web-based groups as well.

CFC Loud N Clear Foundation offers open and free multiple pathway meetings seven days a week.

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William White Papers