BRC Recovery Blog

Jan 17, 2020 / By BRC Recovery / In More News, Recovery, Relapse Prevention

Improving Your Communication in Recovery

Recovery depends on communication. Being able to express yourself openly and honestly and to have real conversations can make a significant difference in the quality of your recovery efforts. Improving your communication in recovery is necessary to ensure that you are conveying your messages effectively so that others truly understand you. Words are powerful. Body language and tone of voice are powerful. All of these combine to provide you the opportunity to improve your communication, to engage in a positive manner with friends and family throughout your recovery. COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES Fear is a huge challenge when attempting to communicate with […]

Jan 13, 2020 / By BRC Recovery / In long-term sobriety Austin, Recovery, Relapse Prevention, sober living

Alumni Involvement | How to Stay Connected After Treatment

alumni staying connected after treatment

Community-driven treatment is a key element in recovery for addiction program participants. Recovery, which is a process, does not end after the treatment is complete. Alumni involvement is vital to a permanent recovery, providing the opportunity for everyone involved to experience continuous connection and recovery renewal. WHY STAYING CONNECTED IS IMPORTANT Relapse is a serious concern for most addicts. When you have completed your addiction treatment program, you are equipped with the tools necessary to stay sober but many temptations still await you. The end of treatment is not the end of recovery. One strategy that has been found to […]

Dec 26, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In Addiction, Alcoholism

When is Someone Considered an Alcoholic?

Alcohol plays a small role in some people’s lives and a much larger one in others. How problematic alcohol use becomes depends on many factors. When drinking starts to cause serious consequences, the question becomes when is someone considered an alcoholic? There are several ways to think about the answer to this question. To better understand the many facets of alcoholism, let’s look at some of the most common signs that someone might be an alcoholic. When They Want to Stop Drinking but Can’t A hallmark of alcoholism is the desire to stop drinking and the inability to do so. […]

Dec 19, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In Alcoholism, drug addiction

The Importance of National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the impact of drug- and alcohol-related crashes in the U.S. These crashes highlight the fact that drug and alcohol use have consequences that extend well beyond the person using them. By bringing attention to this issue, we can make our roads safer and encourage people who need help to find it. As we head into the final stretch of 2019, we should remember that the holiday season is a difficult one for people who struggle with addiction. It’s also a time of year where holiday […]

Dec 12, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In Recovery, Relapse Prevention, sober living

Understanding Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Once detox is complete, a person begins the real work of recovery. It’s in the weeks and months following initial treatment that you identify challenges to your recovery and find the tools to overcome them. Better understanding post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) helps position people to more easily navigate this important time in the recovery process. PAWS is the stage of withdrawal that follows the initial detoxification period. During this time, a person’s brain is adjusting to substance deficiencies. It can last for several weeks, months or perhaps even longer, depending on the extent and duration of substance use. Research continues […]

Dec 5, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Recovery, sober living

Making Amends: When is the Best Time for Addicts to Apologize?

The disease of addiction makes sufferers act in careless and hurtful ways to others. Though there’s no way to undo their actions, a person in recovery can seek to make amends with those they’ve wronged. When is the best time for addicts to apologize to people they’ve hurt? Everyone’s recovery process is different, so there’s no definitive answer to this question. However, you can benefit from considering where you are in your recovery and how equipped you are to make things right. Before we look at making amends as part of a 12-step program and the potential best time for […]

Nov 27, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In Addiction, Recovery, sober living

A Closer Look at the Four Agreements

Spiritual coaching in addiction treatment

So much of our suffering is completely unnecessary. From an early age, we take on ways of thinking that create a useless burden, which traps us in a constant state of sadness and anxiety. We make assumptions, we harbor ill will toward others at our own peril and we worry about things we can’t control. Suffering is part of life, but there’s a better path available to those to seek it. Spiritual coaching in addiction treatment helps a person see things for what they are and let go of the suffering that keeps them from living full, engaged lives. The […]

Nov 21, 2019 / By BRC Recovery / In Addiction, Alcoholism, Recovery

Why Language Matters with Addiction

Words carry incredible power. We rarely think about the many hidden meanings of the words we use to describe others, particularly when it comes to addiction. It’s important to understand that there are reasons addiction professionals choose their words carefully. The medical community has come to understand addiction as a disease, not a moral failing. However, the language people have been using for years places judgments on someone with a substance use disorder. It’s easy to dismiss the preferred language of addiction professionals as another politically correct movement, but it’s vital that we understand why language matters with addiction. Outdated […]