Addiction resource
What is a high-functioning alcoholic?
Written by Karen Pontious You manage to get through your nine-to-five work day. You get home to your family, finish your responsibilities at home and the first thing you do is pour yourself a drink. Finally, it’s time to unwind from the day. But it turns out your one-glass rule has turned into a one-bottle…
Read MoreSobering up from your smartphone
Written by Mercedes Miller I sit down at my laptop to start writing a blog post for Avalon. I pick an interesting topic, find some good articles to get inspiration from and open a blank document – and then I see my phone screen light up out of the corner of my eye. I…
Read MoreSelf-soothing behaviours
Written by Mercedes Miller Yesterday, I attended a webinar led by Dr. Pat Ogden that covered the topic of delivering sensorimotor psychotherapy, a therapy that combines body awareness and body movement with cognitive therapies, in an online format. One of the major themes that I found throughout this webinar was self-soothing behaviours: tools that…
Read MoreA guide to practice self-compassion
Written by Karen Pontious Your mind immediately starts scrutinizing yourself every time you fail to finish your never-ending to do list. Lying in bed, you randomly remember some embarrassing moment you had when you were in high school. If you’ve experienced any of these things, maybe you have an overbearing inner critic like me. We…
Read MoreGrieving the loss of alcohol or drugs
Written by Mercedes Miller When one thinks of entering recovery, the thought of leaving the substance of choice behind is on the forefront of one’s mind. Saying goodbye to that substance and the relationship one had to it may not be as common, but experiencing grief and all the emotions that come along with…
Read MoreHow your nutrition is impacting your recovery
Written by Karen Pontious Drugs and alcohol can cause long-term damage to your body and you feel the effects both mentally and physically. The link between substance abuse and poor nutrition is vicious cycle that can negatively impact your goals in recovery. During the initial stages of recovery your body is in the detoxification stage…
Read MoreHow to break the stigma around addiction
Written by Karen Pontious Addiction has been given a label based on widespread misinformation and judgments. The resulting stigma causes us to wrongfully make assumptions about ourselves and those who suffer from addiction. T.V. shows constantly depict the “wine mom” as a social norm, and we glamorize alcohol and drug consumption – until addiction joins…
Read MoreFive steps you can take towards emotional sobriety
Written by Mercedes Miller As you’re moving through recovery, you might find yourself facing the negative emotions that you used to numb with alcohol or drugs. This new challenge of confronting and coping with these emotions, rather than ignoring them, is referred to as emotional sobriety. Facing these feelings can be triggering, but with…
Read MoreHow to manage anxiety during COVID-19
Written by Karen Pontious As many Canadians enter week eight of social distancing, half of them say their mental health and finances have worsened. The highest number of affected Canadians are women between 18-54, who are often caring for children and parents, and may be experiencing increased stress during this time. Our everyday norms have…
Read MoreUnderstanding your recovery sweet tooth
Written by Mercedes Miller Sometimes it’s suggested that we carry sweets around with us while we’re in recovery, and if we have a craving for a drink, then we can reach for our candy bar or gummy bears instead. I’m not bashing this method or suggesting we cut sugar completely out of our diets,…
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