8 Tips for Rebuilding Self Esteem in Addiction Recovery

8 Tips for Rebuilding Self Esteem in Addiction Recovery

No matter how far along you are on your path to recovery, it's vital to set aside time to focus on yourself and reclaiming your self-esteem.

Addiction can strip us of our sense of self-worth. When we feel bad about ourselves seeking outside help and trying to better our lives may not feel like a battle worth fighting.

It is for this reason that rebuilding your self-esteem is a vital part of the recovery process.

Unsure of how to take back your sense of self-confidence and respect?

Here are eight tips to help you begin rebuilding self esteem as you continue working toward your recovery from addiction.


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Do Addiction Recovery Apps Work? Here Are 6 That Could Help Your Alcohol Recovery Journey

Do Addiction Recovery Apps Work? Here Are 6 That Could Help Your Alcohol Recovery Journey

Do Addiction Recovery Apps Work? Here Are 6 That Could Help Your Alcohol Recovery Journey

Should You Try Addiction Recovery Apps for Alcohol Recovery?

There's an app for everything including sobriety apps. If you're considering addiction recovery apps for alcohol recovery, here are 6 you might want to try.

Alcoholism grips over 40 million Americans ages 12 and older.

That means 1 in 7 people struggle with alcoholism in the United States. There's no doubt that this is a common battle to face.

And if you're recovering from alcoholism, it can be a difficult task to face on your own. Without the proper help, you may even slip back into your bad habits.

Lucky for you, addiction recovery apps are out there and ready to help you. Using these, you may be able to stay on track to full recovery.

Read on to find yours.

1. Sober Grid

Often, when struggling with alcohol recovery, it can become easy to feel alone. No one should have to do it alone, and that's what Sober Grid tries to do.

Sober Grid connects you with other people that are recovering. And some who have already may be on the app to give support. The app is free on both the Itunes and Android stores.

Users on the app can see in what areas other users are. This gives you the ability to meet with people like you in person.

Sober Grid offers you the community you need to get through recovery. You won't need to feel alone again.

If a situation becomes too tempting, you can contact someone in the community. Like social media, you can also publish your thoughts to a welcoming community.

2. Sobriety Counter

Sobriety Counter, also called EasyQuit, is a free app that makes sobriety fun. While the struggle can be hard, Sobriety Counter gives you some positive encouragement.

Sobriety Counter lets you personalize your recovery. You can choose to go cold turkey or take a slow path. Its flexibility makes this a perfect app for anyone.

A counter on the app keeps track of all the benefits quitting has given you. You can watch as your body's blood circulates better and fat disappears.

The app also counts up how much money you have saved since quitting. If you want, you can set a goal to reach before buying something.

Sobriety Counter also includes a three-minute game to distract you from the urge to drink. It's three minutes because that's how long it takes to lose the urge on average.

Sobriety Counter also has 64 badges that you receive when you meet goals. This positive encouragement will help you recover more than you know.

3. Stop Drinking with Andrew Johnson

Stop Drinking with Andrew Johnson ranks #31 on the Itunes Medical section. Although you can't get this app on Andriod, this app may make all the difference for $2.99.

Stop Drinking with Andrew Johnson focuses on the mental aspect of recovery. This app doesn't stop with helping you avoid drinking. It also shows you why you shouldn't.

When you open the app, it offers you a daily listening session to relax you from drinking. Using hypnotherapy, Andrew Johnson leads you away from your negative habits.

The therapy changes your thought process about alcohol. Soon, even your subconscious wants to turn down a drink.

The app also offers you different resources to use. For example, it also offers visualization tools.

4. 12 Steps AA Companion

The 12 Steps AA companion is a helpful partner to any AA member. It costs $2.99, and you can get it on the Itunes store but not Android.

It respects your privacy from the very start. Even the app icon doesn't look like an AA app. And each time you open it, a calculator tells you how far you've come since being sober.

The app also includes the famous AA big book, which costs more in print than the app does. This means you can even save money by buying this app.

The 12 Steps AA companion also lets you use the book as any book. You can highlight text, bookmark specific passages, and more.

Along with these features, users also have access to a prayers section. The prayers are many of the common AA prayers. It also includes prayers to go along with the book.

A contact and notes section is also part of the app. With this app, you can have all the perks of the AA at your fingertips.

5. SoberTool

SoberTool is a free app on the Itunes store. And because it isn't specific to alcohol, you can use it for any kind of addiction.

A certified alcoholism counselor with 27 years of experience created the app. It focuses on creating habits that keep you sober.

Like many apps, SoberTool lets you know how many days you have been sober. Then, it calculates how much money you have saved too.

You'll see daily motivational messages that SoberTool created. And it will remind you to read them.

Because a professional developed it, the app can help you with almost any situation. You can even use a search bar to look for help.

And, because sobering up isn't a job to do alone, the app includes a community forum to use. With it, you talk to others experiencing similar emotions to yours.

6. Happify

Happify is not an app for alcoholics, but it is worth mentioning. Happify helps you defeat the feelings that make you want to drink in the first place.

It takes account of your habits and helps you decide what new habits to make. Using these new habits, you tell it how happy you feel.

Then the app quantifies how happy you are, and over time, you can see how you improve. Soon, you'll be able to improve your happiness in the way you want.

Happify is free on the Itunes store and not on android. To get full features, you could consider paying for a yearly subscription.

Want More Than Addiction Recovery Apps?

Now that you know about addiction recovery apps, it may be time to get yours. What are you waiting for? Your virtual assistant could help save your life.

If you're looking for more help, check out our blog for more. You can also find more helpful information in our AA literature.

Do you know someone recovering from alcoholism? Buy them an AA gift to celebrate their recovery. And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

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8 Strategies for Staying Sober During Family Reunions

8 Strategies for Staying Sober During Family Reunions

Staying sober can be essentially challenging when in social situations surrounded by family. Do you share that you are sober now? How do handle people offering you alcohol?

We're going to give you 5 great sobriety tips for staying sober at your next family reunion.

1. Make a Plan

Prepare before the reunion what you are going to do when someone offers you a drink. You are at a gathering where people will be drinking and partying, so someone will most likely offer you a drink.

You don't owe anyone an explanation on why you are getting clean. Come up with a response and stick to it so that you aren't tempted.

A great way to prevent the whole situation from happening is to grab a water or soda early on. People are less likely to offer you a drink if they see you already have one in hand.

2. Why Aren't You Drinking?

If someone does offer you a drink a natural question will be why you aren't drinking. Now it's your family, maybe they already know you are sober.

If this is the case you can politely remind them that you are sober now. Or you can say that you realized you had a problem and decided it would be best to stop drinking.

If you aren't comfortable talking about trying to stay sober, there are plenty of other responses you can have at the ready. For example, you could say that you just don't feel like drinking.

You could say that you are the designated driver for others, which is mostly a true statement anyway. You could say that your current diet or medication prevents you from drinking.

3. Set a Time Limit and an Out

Family situations can be stressful. This is especially true when it is a large family reunion where there are more than a normal amount of family members in one place.

Setting a time limit for yourself can help you cope with the situation while you're in it. It will also limit the amount of time you spend in a situation that may cause you stress and trigger you to want to drink.

Preparing your out in advance ensures that when you've hit your limit and you need to leave, you can. If you drive yourself, then you're set.

If you drove to the reunion with others, or the reunion is where you are staying, you need an alternate plan. Maybe this means you arrange with a friend to be available to come get you.

You could have uber at the ready to get a ride. If the reunion is at a destination you can scope the place out before you go.

Look for options that allow you to "take a time out" from the situation. This could be at the destination or a nearby coffee shop.

4. Get a Buddy

Have someone that you trust be with you at the family reunion to help hold you accountable for your sobriety. It is a lot easier to stay sober when there is someone else there.

This is especially true if you are early on in your sobriety when temptations are stronger and easier to fall for. Don't think it has to be a family member, you could bring a significant other or close friend.

5. Avoid People Pleasing

Remember that just because they are your family doesn't mean you should feel obligated. Do not feel like you need to do anything you are not comfortable doing.

It can be tough to stay strong when you are facing a group, but remember that you and your sobriety are more important. Think about what situations make you uncomfortable and prepare yourself to say no to them.

We all know who that "toxic" family member is, we all have one. Limit your time with these family members as they will increase your stress and risk level.

If you can't avoid them, try planning on limiting your time at the reunion. Only go for a day or two instead of the whole week.

6. Have Realistic Expectations

Life and people aren't perfect, so set realistic expectations for your family reunion. Your family members probably haven't made major changes.

The conflicts that popped up in the past will probably pop up again. Accept them, take ownership of your role, and let it go.

Resist the urge to try and control the situation and others. You can't control how other people are.

7. Plan Activities

Don't let yourself end up sitting around for hours with family drinking and talking. There are plenty of other activities you can do with your family that doesn't involve drinking.

Don't let yourself fall into romanticising alcohol. When family members start bringing up the past and romanticising drunken events, remove yourself.

8. Find the Local Meeting

Before you go to the family reunion, locate when and where the local AA meetings are held. This will be the support system you need when the family starts becoming too much.

If you already know when and where the meeting is you remove the excuse of not knowing. You'll most likely need to go to a meeting after being surrounded by all of your family for extended periods of time.

Staying Sober

The smartest thing you can do when staying sober at a family reunion is to make a plan and prepare for your family reunion. Get your responses ready for the tough questions, and remember that you don't owe anyone any explanations.

Know where your out is, and where you can go if you need a break from the situation. Look up where the local meetings are.

Check out these great meditation tips you can take with you and use at your next family reunion.

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