Thursday, March 30, 2017

Random Resource ThuRsday - Prescription Drug Addictions

Recently I had a surgery on my foot and for the first few weeks I was on pain killers (goodness knows I did need them).  And it got me to thinking..yes I did include this as an addiction in recoveryBox but why?

So this week's Random Resource ThuRsday is about Addictions and Prescription Drugs.

How does one go from using these medications for the intended purpose to addicted to them? And how do teens view these drugs that they find in the medicine cabinet?  The following comes from Drug Free World.

Recreational use of prescription drugs is a serious problem with teens and young adults. National studies show that a teen is more likely to have abused a prescription drug than an illegal street drug.
Many teens think prescription drugs are safe because they were prescribed by a doctor. But taking them for nonmedical use to get high or “self-medicate” can be just as dangerous and addictive as taking illegal street drugs.
There are very serious health risks in taking prescription drugs. This is why they are taken only under the care of a doctor. And even then, they have to be closely monitored to avoid addiction or other problems.
Many pills look the same. It is extremely dangerous to take any pill that you are uncertain about or was not prescribed for you. People can also have different reactions to drugs due to the differences in each person’s body chemistry. A drug that was okay for one person could be very risky, even fatal, for someone else.
Prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have the prescriptions for them and no one else.


Talk to your kids today about these drugs - and yes, they are still drugs!

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Using recoveryBox with a Traditional 12 Step Program or Celebrate Recovery Steps

How To Video Series for recoveryBox iOS App for Addiction Recovery

Below you will find our How To Videos for recoveryBox - Using recoveryBox with a Traditional 12 Step Program or Celebrate Recovery Steps. Record what step you are on, journal as much as you want, share those entries with whomever you want and add treatment goals to that step.

Please note, if you are a person who doesn't want to use a 12 Step approach then you don't have to - ever!  Perhaps you might want to check out the Treatment Goals section instead!

Traditional 12 Step program or Celebrate Recovey Steps Using recoveryBox









Monday, March 20, 2017

Working with Triggers in recoveryBox

How To Video Series for recoveryBox iOS App for Addiction Recovery

Below you will find our How To Videos for recoveryBox - tracking/customizing triggers. We understand that knowing what your triggers are and the emotional response that brings on can lead to acting out and so it's important to track that as well.  Perhaps realizing that having an anxiety level maxed at a 10 is part of the problem.  Or maybe your trigger is actually how you feel with certain people?  We don't know and won't pretend to know and so recoveryBox allows you to decide what those triggers are and allows you to assign a value to that each day for your accountability partner or sponsor to see in a daily email or text.

Tracking/Customizing Triggers








Friday, March 17, 2017

Using recoveryBox for Addiction Treatment Goals

How To Video Series for recoveryBox iOS App for Addiction Recovery

Below you will find our How To Videos for recoveryBox - Goals for treatment for an addiction can come from a variety of places. Create goals with a counselor, perhaps you have person goals, create some with an accountability partner/sponsor. no matter where they originate from, track them all on one place in recoveryBox. Attach a 12 step to a treatment goal.

Treatment Goals Using recoveryBox








Thursday, March 16, 2017

How to Tell Someone You Have an Addiction - Random Resource ThuRsday

It's Random Resource ThuRsday and I thought I'd answer a question someone sent me recently.

They asked "How do I tell my mother that I am an alcoholic?"

What a great question and I'm NO expert here so I started doing some research on this myself and thought I would pass along a resource I thought that was quick to read, easy to understand and that get's right to the point.

This is from ClearWater Treatment.  Check them out when you have a chance.


Telling Your Family You Have an Addiction Problem

Telling Family AddictionContributed by Nikki Seay.
The day that you find yourself actually having to admit that you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol is likely a day that is overwhelming and frightening. As addicts, we work so very hard to try and hide our addiction.
We work especially hard to hide it from the people we love and admire. These people are usually our family members. So how do you find the right words to look them in the eyes and tell them something that you know is going to break their hearts?

A Good Chance They Already Know

The truth of the matter is that if you have been in contact with your family members on any sort of regular basis during your addiction, they more than likely already know you have a problem with addiction. As addicts, we often think we are doing a real bang-up job at hiding our disease from the people we care about the most. In reality, we aren’t doing a good job at all.
Addiction is a disease that can only be hidden for so long, and then the signs become absolutely impossible to cover up. Anyone who knew you before addiction took control of your life already knows that something is terribly wrong. It may take them a little bit of time to figure it out, but they eventually put the pieces together.
When you begin to come up with what you want to say to your family, it’s probably best to assume that they already know you are struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction. When you stop to think about it, it is likely they have even attempted to talk to you about your addiction in the past. Don’t insult their intelligence by denying how long you have been trying to cover your tracks. Be honest with them, and they will be more receptive to the conversation.
While the conversation that you will need to have with your family will no doubt be an emotional one, you need to take the time beforehand to plan what you really want to say. You need to have a rational blueprint of sorts. The reason for this “blueprint” is so you can be sure to say what needs to be said, not what just ends up coming out of your mouth in reaction to emotions like pain or anger.

Getting Needed Addiction Treatment

The most important part of the conversation with your family will be the part where you tell them what you are going to do to help yourself. No doubt, you will want to tell them how sorry you are for any hurt you caused them (and they do need to hear you say that you are sorry), but you should also have some information to share with them about getting into an addiction treatment program.
You need to explain to them that you are ready and willing to acknowledge your addiction today. More importantly, you need to share with them that you are ready and eager to enter into an addiction treatment program. You may not have all the answers to give them about where or when you will enter into an addiction treatment center, and that’s okay. All you need to convey is that you are ready to do what needs to be done in order to get your life back. That is a great first step.
Your family may be upset with some of the things you have done during your struggle with addiction, but they will always love you. Family is forever, and they ultimately want to see you in recovery. The conversation you have with them to admit you are an addict may be a difficult discussion, but it is one that you have to face.
Once your loved ones see you are being honest and humble, they will be more than willing to help you through rehabilitation and provide you with a great support systemduring your addiction treatment. Once you have this conversation with your family, you will be surprised how much weight is lifted off your shoulders, and how much more ready you’ll feel to begin your recovery.

Honestly, I love the part that says "they already know"!  Isn't that the truth.

Have a great weekend.

~the developer from recoveryBox

Haven't downloaded recoveryBox yet, check it out!