Forming new, healthy habits to replace old, negative ones is a transformative journey toward a better, more fulfilling life. It’s a foundation of the recovery journey from alcohol and drugs to a happy life we control. Whether it’s quitting drugs and alcohol, adjusting lifestyle choices, or enhancing mental health, this process demands dedication, time, and understanding.…
How Drugs and Alcohol Fool You
Alcohol is a trickster. It fools your brain and your body in all kinds of ways. And people who have developed problem drinking and drug use often fool themselves that they’re just fine, until it’s gone too far. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) literature calls alcohol “cunning, baffling, powerful.” You see alcohol everywhere. You can’t go to…
Can you get fired for getting drug and alcohol treatment?
Did you know that people in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol who are not actively using are protected under the Americans with Disability Act in terms of employment and discrimination? Many people mistakenly fear losing their jobs if they get into treatment programs. But, seeking treatment is the best thing to do to prevent…
What is Dry January and how can it help you?
After the excesses of the holidays, an increasing number of people are participating in Dry January—an initiative that originated in the United Kingdom. It involves abstaining from alcohol for the entire month. This practice isn’t about inducing guilt for consuming alcohol moderately; rather, it’s an opportunity for a reset. It allows people to understand their…
How to set yourself up for success when you set a quit date for alcohol and drugs
You’ve made the resolution and chosen a date to quit drinking and using drugs. A healthier, happier life that you control is in your future. The journey starts with believing in yourself and your power to change. You can do this. As you count down the days to your new life, this is the time…
How to stay sober and manage drinking during the holidays
Holiday time is often called “prime time” by the sober community. Starting with the Thanksgiving holiday and running through New Years, the season is full of both triggers and pressures to drink or use drugs. How can someone in recovery stay sober during the holidays? How can someone moderate their drinking if it’s becoming a…
Virtual, Online, and Telephone AA & NA Meetings
Twelve-step meetings online give you a recovery community, Affect puts a licensed addiction treatment program in your pocket. It’s an unbeatable combination for beating addictions to alcohol and drugs, and you don’t have to go to a clinic or a meeting. It all comes right to you. Alcoholics Anonymous is the original twelve-step recovery program.…
Ways to reward and celebrate yourself without drinking or drugs
How do you celebrate and reward yourself without drinking or drugs? Embarking on the journey of sobriety is an incredible feat—one that deserves celebration, acknowledgment, and rewards. But when we’re used to marking achievements with alcohol or drugs, it can feel daunting to reimagine celebrations without them. The truth is, there’s an abundance of fulfilling,…
Being thankful in recovery
If you go to an AA meeting, you’ll inevitably hear an old-timer introduce themselves as a “grateful recovering alcoholic.” How can someone be thankful that they’re an alcoholic and addict? It’s because they didn’t just achieve sobriety, they found recovery. People in recovery aren’t just grateful that they’ve stopped drinking and using, they’re grateful for…
How to keep sober on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions
Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and any special occasion where people gather and celebrate together can be mine fields for the person who is protecting their sobriety or trying to manage their consumption of alcohol. No matter where someone is in their recovery journey, the temptations and pressures are always there. There’s that dreaded awkward moment when…