How To Help Addicts Stay Safe During This Unprecedented Heatwave And Our Top Hot Weather Life Hacks!

Most of us welcome some warm, sunny weather, it can be nice to enjoy the sunshine and science even provides us with evidence that it can improve our mood, energy levels, motivation to make and maintain change, as well as improving our physical bodily functions as well as our general mental well-being.

However, when it’s too hot for too long, there are serious possible health risks that we need to keep in mind. In England alone, there are on average 2000 heat related deaths every single year, and that’s not even taking into consideration the current unprecedented level 3 heatwave we’re all experiencing!

Keep reading to find out how you can stay safe in this weather, how it can negatively impact those with active substance addictions (both drugs and alcohol) and those in recovery, what to watch out for, how you can help yourself and others, and finally but by no means least, our top tips and heatwave heat hacks to keep you cool and comfortable.

Creating And Implementing Relapse Prevention Plans – Our Comprehensive Guide

A relapse prevention plan (RPP) features a concrete course of action, outline coping mechanisms and ideas for managing cravings and triggers in times of stress when you may end up relapsing.
The plan can be amended and added to as time goes on and needs change. The more detailed the plan is, the more likely it is to be helpful during a variety of negative situations and events, should they arise.

Find out all you need to know and more, including downloadable templates, top tips, expert advice and printable checklists!…

Journaling In Addiction And Recovery – Our Ultimate Guide

The aim of this ultimate guide is to provide you with all of the best and latest information, research and advice, tips and tricks behind the basics of journaling (diary writing), look at the various ways you can do it and provide you with ideas and suggestions to get you going if you’ve never tried writing your thoughts and feelings down on paper before. We also look at the science surrounding journaling and improving your physical health, mental health, addiction and recovery.

You will also find over 40 prompts to get you going if you’re new to this concept, or if your minds gone blank or you can’t think of a thing to write, these topics will give you a great nudge in the right direction for your journaling for your addiction, physical health, mental health and recovery journey.

If it’s not in this ultimate guide, it’s not worth knowing!…

It’s OK To Not Be OK!

Sometimes it feels like society says you should be always happy and that showing your sadness is a sign of weakness. This is far from true – if you were to hold in all your sadness or anger you would explode!

Ignoring your feelings and thoughts may help you to manage in the short-term but in the long run, it isn’t healthy or productive for your mental health, physical health or your recovery.

Knowing how and when to employ various positive coping strategies is going to be your best ally when it comes to experiencing your thoughts and feelings in a healthy and constructive way.

Recognising And Overcoming Behavioural Addictions

Addictions can occur in a wide variety of forms. Often, it is assumed that physical dependence characterised by withdrawal symptoms is required in order for someone to be diagnosed with an addiction use disorder, but the fact is that behavioural addiction can occur with all the negative consequences in a person’s life minus the physical issues faced by people who compulsively engage in drug and alcohol use.

The rituals that occur before, during and after also make up part of the addictive process. For example, cooking heroin in a spoon and putting on a tourniquet can be just as addictive at the heroin itself. Likewise, visit the local shop, knowing that when you get home in 10 minutes, you can drink. These “preparation behaviours” are just as important to highlight and treat.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome – Babies Born Addicts

Pregnant women who use substances regularly (both drugs and alcohol) may deliver newborn babies who are born dependent on the same substances as their mother, because substances are passed between mother and baby through their umbilical chord.

This also can affect the growth and development of the fetus, along with causing issues that will affect them throughout their later life.

Find out all you need to know about NAS and more, including treatment options and help and support for those who may be/are or wanting to become pregnant, but are substance dependent or on a MAT program.

Christmas Survival Guide For Addicts And The Coming End Of 2020

For those of you who struggle during Christmas, try to turn this annual event on its head, try to see Christmas as a time to celebrate all of your hard work, determination and effort that you’ve put in throughout 2020.

We could even use our disappointment as an excuse to relapse. Others may also see this as a chance for you to buy your way back into their life rather than simply earning your way back into their life with honesty, hard work, determination, reliable and responsible.

It’s vital to make sure that you are well prepared to avoid any possibly negative eventualities that could possibly arrive and this article will help to ensure that you are well prepared, ready and able to enjoy Christmas without the worry of relapsing!

This article is packed with tips, techniques and strategies to get you through this annual event safely and hopefully, a little happier and more comfortable in the reassurance that your ground work is done and ready in case things don’t work out to plan.

Dummies Guide To Harm Reduction For Those Who Are Addicted To Drugs And Alcohol

Harm reduction refers to a broad range of policies and practices that try to reduce the physical, mental and societal harms that people do to themselves and/or others from their drug and alcohol use.

This article covers a wide range of harm reduction strategies and best practice suggestions for those who use drugs and alcohol, those around them, their communities and the country as a whole, including those involved with sex work, those who drink/drug drive and what help and support is available to those who want it.

The Genetics Of Drug And Alcohol Addiction

Our genes we inherit from our parents can make up upto as much as 50% of our susceptibility toward developing an addiction or addictive behaviours ourselves.
Having an awareness and knowledge is a key part of developing a stable, functional recovery strategy to reduce your risk of actually having an active addiction in any of its forms.

Find out all you need to know here as well as what you can do to help yourself.

See Lapses And Relapses As A Learning Experience

Breaking any type of habit can be challenging because it is easy to get accustomed to anything that is constantly practiced. This is why, when trying to break a substance dependence habit, one reality that people face is the risk of relapsing.

Find out about triggers and preventative measures that you can put in place here…