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<title>Peggy Ferguson - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peggy_Ferguson</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:26:14 -0600</pubDate>
<image><title>Peggy Ferguson - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peggy_Ferguson</link>
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<language>en-us</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2012 EzineArticles.com - All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
<description><![CDATA[Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D., LADC, LMFT.   Licensed Alcohol/Drug Counselor, Licensed Marriage/Family Therapist.  Dr. Ferguson has been providing professional counseling services for over 20 years.  From her Private Practice in Stillwater, OK, she also writes, consults and offers training.  Dr. Ferguson's website, a work in progress, has a multitude of educational/informational resources available.  E-books and "The Honey Jar", a couple communication exercise can be downloaded from the website.]]></description>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:01:31 -0500</lastBuildDate>
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<title>Addiction in Sustained Recovery: Befriending Middle Ground As a Recovery Tool</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6473004</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6473004</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:01:31 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Early recovery is spent trying to interrupt the momentum of addiction. Sustained recovery allows the recovering person an opportunity to try to become the person they want to be. One of the stumbling blocks to this goal may be "black or white" thinking. A working knowledge of a "middle ground" approach to problem solving is called for.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Hastening Your Recovery By Looking At Your Denial and Other Defense Mechanisms</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6179331</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6179331</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:51:50 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most people dealing with addiction issues are aware that denial assist the addiction to persist in the face of devastating negative consequences. Denial is a "defense mechanism" that distorts reality. Defense mechanisms are those unconscious psychological techniques that people use to keep from experiencing the full impact of their situations. Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies used to reduce psychological distress associated with reality.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seven Simple Changes to Make to Restore Love and Intimacy to Your Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5859155</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5859155</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:31:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the most common goals for counseling is to restore the positive feelings toward spouse and to feel loved by the spouse. Unfortunately, couples often go about accomplishing this goal in all the wrong ways. A list of behavioral and communication changes is provided to assist couple in restoring intimacy and positive feelings.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Interrupting the Momentum of Sexual Addiction Could Involve Withdrawal Symptoms</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5854229</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5854229</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:04:21 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sexual addiction can be defined as "an ongoing and potentially worsening pattern of compulsive sexual behavior despite awareness of negative consequences on the addict's life". When a sex addict decides to get help, brief abstinence from sex is suggested. The process of establishing abstinence often involves withdrawal symptoms.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The Number One FAQ Family Members Ask About Addiction: &quot;Why Don't They Just Quit?&quot;</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5853911</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5853911</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:32:54 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Why don't they just quit? If I had a blog on the Most Frequently Asked Questions By Family Members about Addiction, this question would be at the top of the list. Family members are often stymied about how their alcoholic/addicted family member can continue to drink or use in the face of overwhelming evidence that the chemical is destroying their lives.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery: The Transition to Recovery Not So Simple</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5762192</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5762192</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:51:34 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many people who enter recovery for addiction, do so with ambivalence and hesitation. It may seem reasonable and logical that if drinking or using is causing problems in your life, just quit.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery: Why Am I Still Angry in Recovery?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5762572</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5762572</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:57:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Anger can be labeled anger, mad, cranky, frustrated, irritated, irate, agitated, seething, and many more, describing the experience of the emotion anger on a continuum of intensity. Many alcoholics/addicts and their family members are surprised that to find that the newly recovering person continues to experience a lot of anger. There are many reasons why a recovering person would continue to feel angry once they have quit drinking/using.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>How to Finally Quit Using Drugs</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5413522</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5413522</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:53:22 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addiction tells the person afflicted with it, that there is no addiction. Coming to the conclusion that you really do have an alcohol or other drug problem does not come about easily, despite the fact that the telltale signs have been there quite some time. Even when someone decides to get clean and sober, there are usually still obstacles in the way.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Marriage Help - Can You Really Not Communicate?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4901002</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4901002</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:45 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I often hear couples complain that they cannot talk about anything. Does that really happen? Think about what would happen in your relationship if you really, literally could not talk to your spouse--about anything. How would you exchange information about work, daily routines, groceries and other products needed, bills to be paid, etc., if you literally could not communicate. When a couple tells me that they cannot communicate, they are usually talking about inability to problem solve without escalating or withdrawing and inability to maintain emotional closeness.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Couple Communication - How to De-Escalate a Discussion</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4899686</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4899686</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:37:11 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many couples get into a dysfunctional pattern of conflict escalation and withdrawal as they attempt to discuss the problems and issues in their life. Each unsuccessful attempt makes each subsequential attempts to solve the same problem more difficult. Nothing really ever gets resolved. However, couples can learn to effectively problem solve with the assistance of effective de-escalation techniques.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Getting Started - &quot;Ready, Set, Talk!&quot;</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4894023</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4894023</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:32:51 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sometimes couples wish they felt more emotionally close to their spouses. You may feel taken for granted and might even recognize that you take your spouse for granted. One or both of you might be daydreaming about dedicating some time and energy to restoring that eroding emotional connection. You just never really get started.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Getting Married - Building Healthy Step-families</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4890922</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4890922</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:13:11 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If your family is a "remarried family" or a "step-family" then you're in good company. The experience of building a remarried or stepfamily is a common experience but for the general population as well. There are lots of difficulties involved in putting together a stepfamily. One of the major difficulties is in the perception that a step-family is something less than desirable. Stepfamilies can be healthy.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Keep Your Parents and Your Kids Out of Your Marriage - Other Ways to Save Your Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4890535</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4890535</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:12:47 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Keep your parents and your children out of your marriage. You may be wanting to save your sanity and save your marriage by talking to someone, but pick someone who is not your parent or your child. Once your parents or your children are in your marriage, it's hard to get them out.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>We Fell Out of Love - Should We Divorce?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4790759</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4790759</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:28:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Married couples often come to counseling, with at least one proclaiming that they s/he "fell out of love". Many people think that when you feel this way, you should get a divorce.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>What to Do Right Now to Keep Your Spouse From Leaving You and to Build a Better Life Together</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4792654</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4792654</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:18:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[What if you were called into your boss's office and told that s/he was thinking about letting you go, that you were not fulfilling your job responsibilities, and that you were holding the company back rather than helping the company grow and prosper? Yes, you might be shocked or stunned.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Developing New Traditions For a Sober July 4th</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4524617</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4524617</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:09:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The fourth of July is typically a drinking holiday for alcoholics/addicts and their families. When one person in a family of alcoholics gets sober, they often struggle to deal with the ongoing drinking traditions within that family. There are alternatives that recovering people can use to maintain their sobriety.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Using the &quot;Worksheet For Identifying Healthy Replacement For Alcohol-Drugs&quot;</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4488737</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4488737</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:47:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the most important tasks of early recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction is learning to replace the chemical with health living skills. Alcohol or other drugs have served many purposes over the course of addiction. They have played many roles.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Can People Other Than an Alcoholic's Family Members Enable the Addiction?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4332744</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4332744</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 May 2010 13:14:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["Enabling" is the rescuing behavior of the family and friends of an alcoholic or addict. Most of the time significant others are trying to help rather than enable the addiction to persist. When one enabler stops enabling, others step forward.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>How Do Affairs Happen?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4256814</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4256814</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 07:59:24 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most people believe in monogamous marriages. Most people believe that affairs are "wrong". Most people do not intend to have an affair and most couples never would have believed that it would happen to them. Affairs happen in the marriages of all kinds of people. Not bad people. Not people whose marriages are "doomed". Any marriage could be vulnerable to an affair.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Why Won't My Spouse Go to Marriage Counseling? Seven Reasons Your Partner May Be Resisting</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4255208</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4255208</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 15:53:23 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The idea of marriage counseling is usually brought up and pursued by one partner, initially. The issue of marriage counseling is often a topic of discussion between partners for sometime before the couple actually finds their way to the counselor's office. There are a number of reasons why one partner would be resistant to couples counseling. These reasons, which are usually about fear, are easily overcome, once you get there.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - The Top Ten Reasons to Pursue Continuing Care After InPatient Treatment</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4227769</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4227769</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 10:14:07 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The majority of patients who successfully complete inpatient and have the desire to stay clean and sober relapse in the first year after acute care treatment. This is largely because addiction is still being treated as an acute illness rather than the chronic disease that it is. "Chronic diseases" require ongoing monitoring, intermittent treatment episodes, and often educational services on how to change one's lifestyle so that it promotes rather than interferes with long term recovery. Continuing care is an essential piece of a system of treatment services for addiction. A top ten list of reasons to participate in continuing care is given.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>The Non-Expert's Guide to Continuing Care - Why Continuing Care is Important to Addiction Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4227654</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4227654</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 09:26:15 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Inpatient treatment, detox, or outpatient treatment, in and of itself, is not "recovery". Recovery is generally a return of good health, and a restoration (or acquisition) of effective functioning in one's life, in all areas including relationships, work, and community. Treatment for addiction is not a pill, a therapy, a place, or even a slice of time. "Treatment" is a system of services, that are matched to the patient's needs, according to his or her stage in the recovery process at a particular time. "Continuing care" is an essential part of a system of treatment services. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Couple Communication - Learning to Identify Feelings As a First Step in Communicating Them</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4106509</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4106509</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:06:55 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It is crucial when trying to communicate, and ultimately to problem solve on relationship issues in your life, that you have the ability to identify and communicate feelings. Many people have a difficult time identifying exactly what it is that they do feel. Some people have had inadequate training in recognizing that they are having a feeling, then appropriately labeling that feeling. It is very difficult to tell someone else what you are feeling if you don't have the vocabulary to accomplish it.]]></description>
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<title>Adolescent Substance Abuse - Correctly Identifying the Problem to Correct It</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3917673</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3917673</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:48:03 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Parents often find themselves in a quandary trying to figure out how to help the adolescent whose behavior, disposition, and mood has changed for the worst. The exact nature of the problem may be eluding them. They use a trial and error problem solving method where they end up trying anything and everything to solve the problem. They try assertive discipline, enrolling their child in extracurricular activities to improve self-confidence or self-esteem, tutors, antidepressants, etc. without really knowing what they are dealing with, when the problem is substance abuse/dependence.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction Recovery - Don't Let Grief Over the Loss of Alcohol Derail Your Transition Into Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3810295</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3810295</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:28:24 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the common experiences of the earliest efforts toward quitting drinking and becoming sober, is grief over the loss of the chemical. For many people with an alcohol or other drug problem, the chemical, (whether it is alcohol or oxycodone) has become the addict's best friend and constant companion. When this best friend is given up, the alcoholic/addict experiences grief.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Cross Addiction - Chasing the Illusion of Control</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3756453</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3756453</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:22:59 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The earliest efforts in addiction recovery involve attempts to interrupt the momentum of the addiction by abstaining from the chemical. Unfortunately, many people in early recovery have limited awareness of the impact of their drug use on their lives over time. They often do not fully understand the nature of addiction and rudimentary elements crucial to recovery.]]></description>
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<title>Addiction Relapse Prevention - Using the Cross Addiction Worksheet to Reduce Odds of Relapse</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2527162</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2527162</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:36:45 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many recovering people who begin the process of becoming clean and sober, harbor the notion that they can continue to hang on to some remnants of an old drinking/using lifestyle. They often initially believe that specific drugs are The Problem. Initially alcoholics/addicts may not consider use of other drugs (including alcohol) as problematic. When the idea of being addicted to all mood altering drugs does come up, the idea is often dismissed as not being applicable. Denial and an absence of insight makes other historical drug use or even recent drugs used to "help with getting over" a drug problem, seem unimportant. When addicts compare the impact of the most recent drug of choice on their lives with other drug episodes, the other drugs probably pale in comparison.]]></description>
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<title>Addiction and Recovery - Answering the Question - How Long Will I Have Cravings?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3699136</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3699136</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:29:06 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Recovering people are often troubled by comparing their own experiences to the experiences described in 12 step meetings by others. They may have some unexpressed fears about whether or not their recovery is proceeding as quickly "as it should". A common concern is the persistence of "cravings" or "urges to drink/use".]]></description>
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<title>Family Dynamics of Addiction - How to Begin to Fix the Problem by First Identifying the Real Problem</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3708337</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3708337</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:34:24 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many non-addicted spouses complain about how their addicted significant other is driving them crazy, making them depressed, or leading them toward suicide or homicide. These comments only illustrate the destructive nature of the family dynamics of addiction. The addicted and non-addicted spouses get locked into mortal combat over the addiction, even when they have not identified the problem as "addiction".]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Don't Let Your Vacation Sabotage Your Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3706212</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3706212</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:18:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Vacations are meant to reduce your stress and give you a change to recharge your emotional batteries. Getting ready for a vacation and getting caught up after a vacation can be very stressful, however. Yet, we generally know and understand that. Sometimes people in recovery are not aware of, or prepared for the impact of vacation on the vulnerability to relapse.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Family Dynamics of Recovery - Empower Your Family Recovery by Being Responsible to Your Addict</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3670536</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3670536</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:57:39 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Family members generally struggle to figure out the difference between enabling and helping the addict in recovery. One of the best things the family can do is to empower their own recovery by learning the difference between being "responsible for" and being "responsible to" the recovering addict. Family members that have been up close and personal to addiction have a responsibility to the recovering person to learn all that they can about addiction, to fully understand their own contributions to the persistence of the illness, and change their own behavior regarding the addict. To keep from enabling the newly recovery addict to relapse, it is crucial for family members providing support, to outline their expectations regarding the recovery activities of the addict. This encourages the family to be accountable for what happens in their own lives and encourages the addict to be accountable to others for doing all that they can to perpetuate their own continuing recovery.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Divorce Won't Make You Happy - How to Keep Your Unhappiness From Destroying Your Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3667848</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3667848</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:32:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[January and February seem to be a common time for people to get divorced. While many conflicted and combative couples may have stayed together through the holidays to not disappoint the kids or the extended family members, or have not had the money to get divorced before now, others who find themselves divorced at this time, may have not even been thinking about divorce, until they began to feel discouraged, disappointed, and disenchanted after the holidays. Although there are certainly very appropriate reasons for getting divorced, personal unhappiness, as such, may not be caused by your marriage. ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Why Your Time and Attention Makes the Perfect Valentine Gift</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3667174</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3667174</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:19:37 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The very best gift to give your beloved for Valentine's Day is your time and attention. If you have gotten into the rut of giving a card, roses or chocolates (if you give anything at all), you may have become complacent in your most important relationship. It is easy to settle into a boring, but comfortable routine. Break the pattern. Very little real interaction takes place between you and your spouse.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Help! My Addict is Coming Home From Treatment - Helping vs Enabling</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3645408</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3645408</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:18:51 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Family members are often just as stymied about what to do with the clean and sober alcoholic/addict after treatment as they were about how to get them go to treatment. It is a whole new ball game and no one knows the rules.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>New Year's Resolutions - Eliminating the Obstacles That Get in the Way</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3653679</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3653679</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:31:09 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you made New Year's Resolutions and have already departed from your goal, you can get back on track and still accomplish them. Identifying the obstacles that typically derail you and applying problem solving techniques to those sabotaging roadblocks, can empower you to accomplish your goals.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Seven Reasons Why New Year's Resolutions Fail and What You Can Do to Succeed</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3504208</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3504208</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:19:54 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[New Year's resolutions tend to lose their momentum quickly because rather than being actual concrete measurable goals, with action objectives, and criteria for measuring success, they tend to be casual observations about the things that we dislike about ourselves or our lives. Listed are seven reasons that they tend to fail and what you can do to overcome the obstacles and succeed.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Grieving - 16 Helpful Suggestions to Assist You in Moving Through the Grief Process</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3447546</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3447546</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:05:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Although the grieving process is uniquely each person's own, there are some things that you can do to assist you in re-establishing your equilibrium and processing through the loss of a loved one. Sixteen helpful suggestions are listed here to assist you in the process.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Grieving Your Way - Dealing With the Loss of Someone You Love</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3444121</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3444121</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:22:04 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[No one is ever fully prepared for the death of a loved one--even when they have been sick for some time. You may think that you know how you will feel, but chances are good, that what you expected to experience is not what happens. Death of a loved one is one of the most stressful and painful events that we experience in our lives. And how you deal with the loss will be your own unique process.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Where Does Sexual Addiction Come From?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3428757</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3428757</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:25:46 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sexual addiction has its beginnings in the family of origin. Recent advances indicate that there are neurochemical variables involved, but there are family of origin characteristics and dynamics that are also common to sexual addiction.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Managing Holiday Stress and Growing in Recovery - 8 Suggestions For Using the Holidays For Growth</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3349368</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3349368</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:27:51 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The holidays present a unique opportunity to develop and practice new living skills in recovery. Because of the extra stress created in various areas of a person's life, you have the opportunity to practice new stress management skills, gain an ability to maintain balance while juggling conflicting life demands, and to begin to repair damaged relationships.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Six Guidelines For Developing Patience and Tolerance For Your Family During the Holidays</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3413051</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3413051</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:41:54 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most people experience a great deal of stress in that period of time between Thanksgiving and New Years, fondly known as "The Holidays". Many of us, find ourselves becoming irritable, with our patience and tolerance stretched to the limit.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - The Holidays As an Opportunity to Make Amends</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3379782</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3379782</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:18:41 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The Holidays can serve as a golden opportunity for people in recovery from addiction to make amends for the damage caused to others' lives by addiction. Definition and descriptions of making amends and a general guide on how to accomplish it are given.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Give Your Holiday Season a Stress Management Makeover With Two Simple Tips</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3295411</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3295411</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:17:39 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["The Holidays" are stressful because we are called upon to expend extra time, energy, money, and other resources that we may not feel that we have. There are some things you can do to change how you handle the Holidays this year that will help to reduce your stress. Stress management is especially important to those in recovery from addiction.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Effective Listening Techniques to Boost Your Communication Skills</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3238072</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3238072</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:47:22 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Good listening skills are crucial to effective communication and ultimately to successful problem solving. Listening skills can be developed with practice, especially when using active listening. Guidelines on how to improve your listening skills are given.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How to Rekindle the Interest and Intimacy in Your Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3238033</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3238033</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:44:01 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When you are not devoting time and energy to your relationship it begins to suffer. Whether you are feeling bored, unloved, or too tired to care, you can benefit by opening up the lines of communication to nourish your relationship and restore its intimacy. Recommendations are given.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Reasons Why Non-Addicted Family Members Don't Like Themselves - Answers From Ask Peggy</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3237961</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3237961</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:40:14 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Family members have a difficult time understanding the parts they play in a family member's addiction. They often want to know why they change as the addict changes.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Why All Addicts in Early Recovery Need Structure</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3230764</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3230764</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:21:37 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Those in active addiction tend to live a life of chaos and disorganization. One of the benefits of inpatient treatment is that an addict entering recovery is provided with ready-made structure. This structure assists in facilitating recovery and preventing relapse.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How You Can Help Regain Closeness in Your Marriage by Simply Talking</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3217738</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3217738</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:29:05 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Communication is the cornerstone of relationship skills needed by couples to weather the storms of change that all marriages go through. Find out why communication is so important and what you can to do improve your communication skills.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Communication Tips to Help Terrified Couples Make the Transition to an Empty Nest Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3158288</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3158288</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:17:56 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When the kids finally leave the nest, many couples experience the long-awaited event as a let-down, and a loss. They have focused so long on the kids, that the relationship has not been center stage. They may feel awkward, lonely, lost, and alienated. With the pressure to pay attention to each other, they may need some help. Communication exercises can help with that.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>What You Don't Know About Conflict Communication Can Kill Your Marriage</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3136252</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3136252</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:53:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most people want to be in a committed and loving relationship and want to be happy in their marriage. Efforts to achieve that happiness often fall short despite many positive partner and relationship characteristics. One of the things that most often gets in the way is communicative efforts that end up maintaining negative interaction patterns.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Begin to Restore Intimacy to Your Marriage by Improving Your Communication</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3126915</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3126915</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:30:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When it feels like your marriage has run out of energy and you are looking for some inspiration on how to revitalize it, think about the difference that changing up communication behavior could have on your relationship. Communication exercises can help you get past the awkwardness and get started in a non-threatening way.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery -  Early Recovery Can Be an Emotional Rollercoaster</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2975370</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2975370</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:34:15 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Things begin to change when someone makes the decision to quit drinking and using other drugs.  When an addict begins to detox, he or she may experience physical detox symptoms.  Many people do not realize that there are often a number of emotional highs and lows, including mood swings.  These mood swings can be quite troubling if they are unanticipated and misunderstood.  People often make emotionally driven decisions in early recovery that they later regret once their emotions have calmed down or smoothed out.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Maintaining Your Recovery Motivation - Or You Will Relapse?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2687977</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2687977</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:51:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[People often find their way to recovery in the midst of a crisis. They may have gotten a DUI arrest, been fired, got a scarey report from the doctor, or her spouse may have given the bottom line demand, "Get help or we are getting a divorce." The alcoholic/addict may in fact, have a moment of clarity and really be able to see that they do have a problem and that help and abstinence is called for. Unfortunately, it takes a lot more to maintain sobriety than a desire to do so.  Without maintaining your momentum and motivation, you will relapse.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Family Addiction Recovery - The Alcoholic-Addict Went to Rehab, Now What?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2686503</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2686503</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:32:39 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[You got him or her checked in. Now what happens? The treatment center staff is probably not going to call you to consult with you about the goals that should go on the treatment plan. You may not even hear from the treatment center staff for awhile. But in the meantime, probably within 72 hours, there is a good chance that you will hear from your significant other, saying, "Get me out of here".  Do not rescue him or her.  Instead, do these things.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - A Worksheet to Help Assess Your Relapse When You Have Fallen Off the Wagon</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2738368</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2738368</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:19:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Relapse is a symptom of addiction. Relapse is a symptom of many, if not most, chronic diseases. Addiction should be treated as the chronic disease that it is and relapse should be treated as a symptom of addiction. Relapse is not a character flaw or a moral failing. When you think of addiction as a chronic illness, you must conceptualize treatment and recovery from the same world view. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Relapse - What About Detox When You Fall Off the Wagon?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2738715</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2738715</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:16:06 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addiction is appropriately treated as the chronic disease that it is. Recovery is a process that occurs over time. It often involves progress in an inconsistent series of starts and stops. Relapse is a symptom of addiction and a common piece of the recovery experience. Although relapse is predictable and preventable, it is nevertheless, a fact of life, in the dynamics of addiction and recovery. With relapse comes the inevitable questions about what to do about detox.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Using the Problems Checklist to Guide Your Living Skills Development in Addiction Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2707030</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2707030</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:10:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the main things that I teach newly recovering alcoholics/addicts to do, is to identify the roles that chemicals play in their lives. This is especially important since the chemical has occupied so many crucial roles or functions and that removing it from a person's life leaves big, gaping holes in their behavioral repertoire.  When you identify the roles previously played by the chemical, you then identify possible healthy alternatives to replace the roles with. Sometimes chemicals are used to escape the problems of one's life. Use this Problems Checklist to identify areas of your life needing attention and living skills development.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Top Ten Craving Management Tools That Alcoholic Addicts Should Be Using to Not Take the First Drink</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2699460</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2699460</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:18:09 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The very beginning of recovery efforts are aimed at interrupting the self-perpetuating momentum of drinking or other drug usage. Not taking the "first" drink or drug in the cycle represents the first step in breaking this momentum. The "first drink or drug" is defined as the consumption of the first drink or drug that day, or after a period of abstinence. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Drinking Or Using Dreams as a Normal Part of Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2682418</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2682418</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:42:03 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When you have a drinking or using dream, you may wake up not really knowing if it actually happened. Many people in early recovery find it disturbing and frightening when they experience a "using" dream. These are those dreams where "using" is the central theme. Examples include being in a position to be tempted to drink or use other drugs, having the feeling or the sense that you did use, or seeing/experiencing yourself in the act of drinking and/or using, or successfully avoiding drinking/using.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction Recovery -  12 Do's and Don'ts For the Family While the Alcoholic is in Rehab</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2686993</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2686993</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:46:43 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Your significant other finally went to rehab. With all the events leading up to his agreeing to go to treatment, it may feel like a let-down.  You may have breathed a big sigh of relief as you drove away from the airport or the treatment center after dropping him or her off.  You may feel hope. You may still be waiting for the other shoe to drop.   There may be a brief period where you don't feel anything before you start becoming concerned about what you are supposed to be doing now.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction As Disease Does Not Equal &quot;Get Out of Jail Free&quot;</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2668004</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2668004</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:13:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sometimes family members have a hard time with the idea that addiction is a disease. When this is the case, it often has to do with the issue of responsibility. Sometimes family members believe that "disease" is equated with a "get out of jail free card" or not being held responsible. This is not the case.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Guide to Eliminating Deception and Dishonesty - How to Get Real in Addiction Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2661845</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2661845</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:32:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many people, while active in addiction, engage in deceptive, dishonest behavior, and diversionary tactics. These are part and parcel of addiction and the need to keep the extent of their problem hidden. It is difficult to juggle all the demands of being addicted with all the "normal" demands of living, plus hiding the addiction from others. This guide can assist in reclaiming your "real" self in recovery.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Preventing Relapse by Making Good Choices</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2463432</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2463432</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:32:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Relapse is a process that occurs over time, in the context of significant decisions. Many people who relapse say that drinking or using was the furthest thing from their mind just before they consumed the chemical.  In reality, most of the time, relapse was in process some time before the chemical was ingested. The relapse process involves a return to old thinking, old feelings, and old behavior.  Simple decisions make a huge impact on whether you will relapse.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Near Beer Causes Relapse in Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2546228</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2546228</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:15:45 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Don't be fooled by the term "non-alcoholic beer". Most "near beers" marketed as non-alcoholic beer have alcohol in them. Most contain 0.5% alcohol. And they do cause relapse in alcoholism.  This is important to know and understand as we deal with the dog days of summer and approach traditional drinking holidays such as Labor Day.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Drug Addiction - Cross Addiction and Relapse - 5 Cross Addiction Relapse Prevention Tips</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2413605</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2413605</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:15:26 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addiction is a disease that has relapse as one of its symptoms.  Cross addiction is one of the most common factors in relapse.  Cross-addiction can be an example of relapse and/or trigger to returning to one's previous drug of choice. Cross-addiction usually refers to switching mood altering drug for another. Tips for preventing cross addiction relapse are presented here.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Cross Addiction and Relapse - Examples and Relationships</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2413566</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2413566</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:37:09 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Cross addiction is one of the leading causes of relapse in early recovery. Cross-addiction involves being addicted to all mood altering drugs. The examples in this article illustrate cross-addiction and discuss its relationship to relapse.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sexual Addiction - Denial Enables Sexual Compulsivity to Persist in Spite of Negative Consequences</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2514528</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2514528</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:52:28 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sexual addiction, like any other addiction involves defense mechanisms that allow the desired behavior to persist despite negative consequences. The sex addiction attributes the problems associated with his/her sexual behavior to anything but the sexual behavior. Since sexual addiction co-occurs with other addictions, the other addictions often get blamed for unintended behavior or consequences. And the combination of addictions and/or their patterns of interactions can prompt unintended behavior or consequences.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>At Wit's End - The Recovering Parent Trying to Figure Out Normal Adolescent Behavior</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2507786</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2507786</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Regardless of what you might be inclined to think, your adolescent has not carefully crafted a grand plan that will slowly, but deliberately drive you stark, raving mad. As a recovering person, and having little to go on with knowing what "normal" adolescents do, think, and feel, you watch in bewilderment as your beloved child moves from the adorable, smart, and cooperative little person to a sullen, disrespectful, disobedient teen.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Dynamics of Addiction and Recovery - Loss of Control Defines Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2506164</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2506164</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:36:31 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Alcohol and other drug (AOD) addiction is a disease that is manifested by compulsive consumption of alcohol and/or other drugs. Addiction involves a loss of control. As with any other chronic disease, relapse is a common feature.  Many people erroneously believe that for someone's drinking or using to be considered "addiction", it must involve loss of control each time a person drinks alcohol or consumes other drugs. This is not necessarily the case. Every time an alcoholic drinks he does not necessarily drink to black out or drunkenness.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Denial Keeps The Disease Active</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2506456</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2506456</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:23:40 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[People who have addictions are assisted by defense mechanisms to persist in consuming the desired chemical. They selectively ignore, disregard, or dismiss obvious negative consequences of their drinking/using. Defenses are normal survival mechanisms, that when applied to addiction, are no longer in the best interest of survival.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Defining Recovery As More Than Abstinence</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2506934</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2506934</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:21:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[People often mistake a treatment service or a treatment episode to be "recovery". The term is often used interchangeably with "treatment" or "rehab". Yet even "treatment" is not a single modality or event. "Recovery" has a number of different definitions based on the frame of reference of the person doing the defining.  Recovery is a lifelong process that begins with abstinence, and continues with ongoing changes in every area in a person's life.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Defenses Distort Reality to Enable Continuing Alcohol &amp; Drug Use</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2506669</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2506669</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:12:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Alcoholics and addicts have defense mechanisms that allow them to distort their perception of reality enough to continue to drink and drug despite the obvious problems caused in their lives by that behavior. Addicts often define "The Problem" as some piece of behavior that is associated with the drinking or using.  The rationale is that if you can control the consequences of the drinking, you have control over the drinking.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Family Dynamics of Addiction and Recovery - Deciding What to Do About an Adult Child's Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2501908</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2501908</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:34:35 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When an adult child with addiction problems lives with his parents, those parents are faced with hard choices. The addict believes that he is only harming himself, yet the truth is that the addiction is hurting everyone and is typically tearing the family apart. Parents and significant others of alcoholics/addicts in deciding upon a course of action must make decisions based on what they can live with. There is a huge difference between bottom lines and threats.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>How To Tell If You Have Low Self Esteem and What to Do About it If You Do</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2465860</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2465860</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:52:55 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[People with low self-esteem have a low estimation of their inherent worth. They tend to see themselves as inadequate, incompetent, unworthy, less than others, and unlovable. Low self-esteem is closely related to low self-efficacy. Self-efficacy means that you have power to produce effects. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Choosing the Right Counselor</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2459543</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2459543</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:43:13 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I am often asked for referrals for therapists in other parts of the country or even in other parts of the world. While I do not have the contact resources to make those recommendations, there are some resources available to help you find an appropriate counselor or therapist--wherever you are.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>If the Obama's Can Do It, So Can You - 3 Easy Steps to Having a Date Night</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2459659</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2459659</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:14:40 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If the Obama's can do it, you can do it. Date night is a common practice used by couples all over the world to make sure that they treat their marriage as the priority that they claim it is. "Date night" is one of those tools that helps keep marriages strong. Most couples are under a great deal of stress from demands all about them. Couples who are in trouble with their marriages tend to work against each other in these conditions. Couples who stay connected and use the tools to keep their relationship strong are better able to weather the stress.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>First Sober Fourth of July - Surviving the Fourth of July Without Relapse in Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2451004</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2451004</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:21:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The fourth of July is significant for alcoholics and addicts in several ways. The Declaration of Independence was a statement of separation from a tyrannical ruler. With separating from the past they embarked on a new way of life. Many people come into treatment just after the Fourth of July, after having had a "close call", a DUI, a wife who left, or after totally embarrassing or humiliating themselves in drunken or drugged stupor. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Preventing Relapse in Addiction Recovery - What is Continuing Care?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2446088</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2446088</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:35:49 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It is generally acknowledged and accepted that addiction is best treated from a continuum of care framework. A continuum of care is a treatment concept that includes a stage of treatment called continuing care. What is treatment for addiction?  Treatment is a set of therapeutic services.  After primary treatment, alcoholics/addicts move into a continuing care stage.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Social and Environmental Triggers For Cravings Worksheet</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2445751</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2445751</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:17:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Even after you quit drinking or using drugs, you still have ingrained associations between social, feelings, and environmental cues and your drinking or using behavior. Identifying your cues or triggers can help them from turning into cravings and endangering your recovery. Knowing your vulnerabilities can assist you in planning what you will do when these situations arise. Use this worksheet to help you avoid relapse.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction Relapse Prevention Tool - The Emotional Cues For Cravings in Relapse Worksheet</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2443359</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2443359</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:19:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addicts experience sensory, emotional/psychological, cognitive, environmental, and physical cues on a daily basis in early recovery. These cues or triggers, if left unchecked can turn into powerful cravings for the chemical. Cravings can lead to relapse. In order to avoid relapse it is crucial that you identify your cues, take action, and not let them turn into cravings.  One powerful set of cues that can set off cravings are emotions or feelings. Uncomfortable feelings, usually negative emotions, have probably been among the cues or triggers associated with your drinking and using in the past. Identify how these feelings have been linked in the past to your drinking or drugging behavior and the how they may be serving as cues for triggers today using the Emotional Cues For Cravings in Relapse Worksheet.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sexual Addiction - How to Find Help For Recovery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2425470</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2425470</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:51:31 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Finding professional help for sexual addiction is often not quite as easy as it might seem. Finding out about a partner's sexual addiction creates a crisis within the couple and within each partner. Help is needed to sort through the feelings, behaviors, and impediments to working through the problems and reaching restoration and recovery. Tips are given in how to find the help you need.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Alcoholic Marriage in Recovery - Eight Super Simple Things You Can Do to Begin to Restore Intimacy</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2440534</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2440534</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:37:53 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Intimacy is a state and a process that involves sharing who you really are with another person.  It involves a great deal of vulnerability.  People in alcoholic marriages tend top be well-guarded and defended.  Long standing conflict makes it difficult to risk vulnerability.  Here are some tips that you can do today to begin to restore intimacy to your relationship.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Communication in Addiction Recovery - Twelve Guidelines For Family Feelings Meetings</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2440362</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2440362</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:21:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Before recovery, there are all kinds of admonishments against feelings in the family.  After treatment and in early recovery, everything changes.  Family members are now expected to openly, honestly, and directly share their feelings.  They may not know how.  Guidelines for holding Family Feelings Meetings, which can assist in this learning process are given here.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sexual Addiction - How to Get Help For Sexual Addiction When You Don't Have Money</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2425543</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2425543</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:11:39 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Help for sexual addiction is available--even if you don't have financial resources.  Most communities have state supported counseling resources, such as community mental health centers and substance abuse treatment centers.  Some offer inpatient treatment. Some offer outpatient treatment. Some offer both. Any place that has a"sliding scale", which is cost based on adjusted income, probably has a state contract.  ]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Choosing the Right Level of Care For Treatment</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2425125</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2425125</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:05:42 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Addiction is treated on a continuum of care principle, with a variety of treatment options available. The overarching goals of alcoholism and other drug addiction treatment is the development of abstinence and relapse prevention.  Treatment services for addiction can range from a brief intervention in a doctor's office to long term inpatient treatment.  Each level of care has its strengths and benefits.  Treatment options are reviewed here.  It is important to choose the appropriate treatment venue at different points in the recovery process.]]></description>
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<title>Addiction and Recovery - The Continuing Recovery Lifestyle Worksheet</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2430842</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2430842</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:08:04 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A patient recently pointed out to me that most of the workbooks and worksheets that they find for addiction recovery is geared toward the very beginning of recovery. This patient was looking for an exercise that could help him advance further in his ongoing recovery.]]></description>
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<title>Addiction and Recovery - What is Detox?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2429740</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2429740</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:35:38 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["Detox" is the beginning of the process of recovery. Most people need some kind of help getting through detox. Some people need medical help or additional structure and support. The kinds of difficulties that an alcoholic or addict will have with detox depend on a number of variables, including, personal characteristics, the specific types of drug(s), combination of drugs, length of use, amount of use, and last use.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Do You Really Have to Hit Bottom to Recover?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2425994</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2425994</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:41:36 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[There is a generally misguided notion that you have to "hit bottom" to be able to get sober and stay sober. "Hitting bottom" is usually seen as the loss of the things that you value in your life. It is an individually defined event and the concept has probably hindered the recovery efforts of a lot of people or at least served as a rationalization for continued drinking.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Don't Let Myths Keep You From Getting Sober</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2420808</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2420808</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:55:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the myths that I hear daily is that you can't get sober for someone else, that you have to want it for yourself, or your recovery efforts won't work. This statement is both true and false.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Drug Addiction - Understanding the Nature of Addiction to Understand Cross Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2413492</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2413492</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:23:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Early addiction recovery is a fragile thing. One of the most frequent contributing factors in relapse is something we call "cross-addiction". Essentially what cross-addiction means, is that if you are alcoholic or addicted to other mood altering drugs, you will be addicted to other mood altering drugs. To truly understand cross-addiction, you must appreciate the character of addiction and the nature of mood/mind altering drugs.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Ten Common Myths About Alcohol and Drug Addiction</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2388770</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2388770</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 08:33:45 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[People who don't know much about alcohol and other drug addiction, often buy into common myths and stereotypes about addiction and addicts.  It is important to replace mistaken assumptions and judgments about addiction, so that you can approach those afflicted by the illness with compassion and understanding.  Many people mistakenly believe that if you call addiction a "disease" that somehow it exempts the alcoholic or addict from responsibility of their behavior.]]></description>
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<title>Marital Infidelity - Are Cyberaffairs Infidelity? Are Internet Relationships Cheating?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2394778</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2394778</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2009 14:56:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Cyberaffairs seems to have evolved as the descriptive term for online affairs, cyber-affairs, online flirtations, or online sex talk. Is it infidelity? Cyberaffairs, which encompasses all the above descriptors, is an online emotional (or sexual) affair when there is no physical contact between the participants.  Cyberaffairs pose a very real threat to your marriage.]]></description>
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<item>
<title>Self-Esteem - 7 Things You Can Do Today to Build Your Self-Esteem - Part 2</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2378286</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2378286</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 10:35:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Self-esteem can be improved through your own efforts.  Seven things that you can do today can start you off in the right direction to improve your life.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Self-Esteem - What is Self-Esteem and Why Do I Need Some? - Part 1</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2378231</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2378231</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 06:55:03 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Self-esteem is more than just feeling good about yourself. Self-esteem comes from how you think and feel about yourself. The concept encompasses not only the cognitive and emotional appraisals of self, but also has behavioral components. These three components reinforce each other in a circular fashion. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Addiction and Recovery - Preventing Relapse After Surgery</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2365777</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2365777</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2009 11:53:53 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[An alcoholic/addict in recovery approaches an upcoming surgery with fear and anxiety, not just about the surgery but about the possible impact the medications may have on his/her continued recovery. A description of some of the thinking, feeling, and behavioral changes that can happen after surgery is discussed. Recommendations are made about how to protect your recovery after surgery.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Your Spouse's Infidelity Revealed - Of Course You Are Angry and Scared - Part 1</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2360911</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2360911</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2009 07:45:55 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Infidelity can be revealed in a lot of different manners, but regardless of how you discover that your partner has been unfaithful, it is painful.  Common reactions and experience of the betrayed partner is discussed.  Many betrayed spouses feel like they are going crazy.  This article lets you know what others have experienced when it happened to them.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Your Spouse's Infidelity Revealed - Getting Over the Shock and Getting To Recovery - Part 2</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2360845</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2360845</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2009 16:50:39 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Infidelity is enshrouded in secrecy and finding out about it is a devastating shock to the other spouse.  Regardless of how you find out, the impact of the discovery is tremendous and can be life altering. This article lists ways to begin to recover from the shock and to begin to heal from the trauma.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Quitting Pot - Establishing Abstinence in Early Recovery - 16 Tips to Help You Quit and Stay Quit</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2353728</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2353728</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2009 15:32:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[There really is addiction to marijuana.  When trying to quit smoking pot, you may be experiencing detox symptoms and cravings.  Both will go away if you don't use.  The hard part of quitting pot is staying quit.  Early recovery tasks focus on establishing abstinence and preventing relapse.  Sixteen tips are given to help prevent relapse and to establish abstinence.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Benefits of Marriage Counseling - Ten Relationship Skills You Can Gain From Marriage Counseling</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2353213</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2353213</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2009 13:56:36 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the major benefits of marriage counseling is the opportunity to gain new relationship skills. Although communication skills development is an important goal for couples counseling, there are other significant skills to be developed. A list of skills that you can gain through couples counseling is presented.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Family Dynamics of Addiction and Recovery - How Can I Tell If My Partner is Serious About Recovery?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2338429</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2338429</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2009 19:08:10 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Most spouses of alcoholics or addicts have been down this road before. Something has happened. Some crisis has gotten the attention of the alcoholic/addict and now he is motivated to get clean and sober. This time he is going to AA/NA and going to counseling. Promises made by the addict to stop the addictive behavior have gone unfulfilled in the past. Yet most of the time, when an addict is making those promises, s/he intends to keep them. This time is different. They mean it when they say it. How can I tell if my partner is really serious about recovery this time? Observe the behavior.]]></description>
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