How to Have a Sober, Happy Thanksgiving

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Gratitude for Sobriety this Thanksgiving

The biggest trick to having a happy, sober Thanksgiving is to remember the gratitude that is cultivated in your sobriety. As children, we often learn that Thanksgiving is all about remembering and expressing what we are grateful for. What more to be grateful for than a second chance at life? The process of detox and recovery shows you the strength, perseverance, and growth that you are capable of. Sobriety offers you a new view of life, a new chance to live the way that you want to, and a gift of a fresh start. Let Thanksgiving be a celebration of how far you have come and know that you can enjoy the holidays with confidence using the tools you gained in recovery.

At Fresh Start of California, we work with our patients through individualized detox, rehabilitation, and life skill classes so that you are equipped to start a new life with confidence. Our team of Orange County recovery specialists at Fresh Start of California is here to be the professional support you need to create a solid foundation for life in sobriety. We know the difficulties and the challenges that can come with rebuilding your life, but they are far less than living in addiction.

Contact Fresh Start of California for detox and rehabilitation options in Orange County. We are here to answer your call 24/7.

10 Tips for a Happy and Sober Thanksgiving

If you lack the inspiration to enjoy yourself during Thanksgiving festivities, there are tricks to making it through. A sober Thanksgiving maybe a whole new experience, but you can make it a great one if you are prepared and have an open mind. Use the tips below to set the stage for good times and wonderful memories.

  1. Surround yourself with sober, like-minded people. If you have the choice, bring a sober buddy to family gatherings or go to a sober Thanksgiving event. If you can, make plans with a sober family member to be each other’s wingman for events.
  2. Avoid high-risk situations like reconnecting with old friends just because they are in town. Avoid family members who are active users or who are toxic to your sobriety. You deserve to have a calm, happy holiday, and have the right to stay away from those who are not supportive.
  3. Take breaks as needed. Go out for a walk after your meal, step into another room for a quiet moment, or get outside for a breath of fresh air. This is especially important to the stability of your peace of mind when you’re spending long hours inside in a busy environment.
  4. Seat yourself at the kid’s table! Spending time with your younger relatives is a great way to avoid alcohol at the “adult” table, as well as have much more fun during dinner.
  5. Bring stress relievers such as essential oils, gum, fidget toys, gadgets, or whatever you use to relax. Quench old habits with safer, healthier options.
  6. Stick to your boundaries. Remember there is no such thing as “just one” and don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. Protect your sobriety with strength and confidence.
  7. Bring the fun with you. Whether it is a board game, an interactive video game, crafts, or outdoor games, bring something with you that you know you will enjoy.
  8. Prepare an exit strategy. If a conflict arises or if a gathering gets too unruly, be prepared to make your exit. One bonus to being sober is that you can safely leave whenever you choose!
  9. Help the host and keep yourself busy. Offer to help prepare a dish, clear the kitchen, set the table, or clean up when everyone is done eating. Occupy your mind and hands, with tasks so that you are not bored.
  10. Keep a drink in your hand. People are less likely to offer you a drink or ask why you aren’t drinking if you have something to drink already. Dodge invasive questions and stay hydrated by bringing your own healthy, nonalcoholic beverages.

Take the Power Back this Thanksgiving

Rather than view sobriety as a hindrance to a good time or an obstacle to deal with during family gatherings, change your view and take the power back from the substance. Consider yourself lucky that you will remember the memories you make and that you will feel alert and healthy the next morning, and lucky to have the power in your hands. Sobriety is powerful. You can share your gratitude with others and show them that there is a better life after addiction.

If you are ready to battle your addiction and win, contact the team of Orange County rehabilitation professionals at Fresh Start of California. We provide the knowledge, support, and individualized treatment options to give you a fighting chance.

Take the power back from your addiction and call us today.

Why Anger Management and Rehab Go Hand in Hand

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Childhood Experience and Anger Management

Anger management issues are often closely connected to substance abuse, especially when an addict was exposed to anger, violence, and trauma as a child. Children of violent adults frequently become angry adults themselves and may be predisposed to abuse drugs or alcohol. Experiencing or witnessing violence and trauma at a young age can cause developmental delays, issues with emotional maturity, and personality changes. If substance abuse is combined with anger and emotional management issues, it is clear that during recovery, these issues will need to be addressed.

The team at Fresh Start of California understands that your addiction is not the only thing that we can help with. We know that many substance abusers suffered childhood trauma and will need help with anger management, counseling, and other services during rehab. Let our Orange County addiction and recovery experts work with you at Fresh Start of California.

Call Fresh Start of California to start the road to recovery today.

The Start of Addiction: When Did Your Emotional Growth Stop?

It makes sense that many people who are battling addiction and anger began their addiction at a young age when the skills of adult anger management and emotional stability were not yet fully formed. Developmental disruptions are often based upon the age of the start of substance use. If a person were to begin using at age 12, for example, emotional understanding and how they handle anger would be based upon an age 12 understanding. The tools a person uses may only be accessible to the age at which they started using because memory, comprehension, and retention of tools once a substance is involved can be impaired.

Rehabilitation, recovery, and moving forward may involve anger management, life skills, and learning how to function past adolescent behavior in these cases. This is the first example where anger management and rehab go hand in hand. It is crucial for addicts who were exposed to childhood trauma and those who began their addiction at a young age to learn how to handle anger and other adult emotions.

Anger as Reaction: The Effects of Substances on How We Handle Life

Many substances cause reactions that differ from the way react when sober. Drugs and alcohol can trigger anger or alcohol can exaggerate strong emotions including anger. Although some drink or use to smooth their emotional response, thus self-medicating, it often has the opposite effect. In these cases, it creates a cycle of strong emotion-drinking or using-anger or strong emotion-using or drinking more, etc.

Not only do substances change our reactions, but they also diminish impulse control. They make the abuser care less about what their actions will cause, the consequences of their actions or words, and about the damage that their anger does. Unfortunately, people who struggle with anger management are more prone to substance abuse.

Anger Management Provides Tools for Recovery

Anger management in rehab provides the tools that recovering addicts need to move forward and interact in healthy ways. These classes can help recovery patients learn to recognize triggers and cope with them. They also teach people in recovery to take responsibility for their actions and repair relationships destroyed during addiction.

What can you expect in anger management?

  • You may talk about past experiences.
  • You will identify personal triggers.
  • You can learn healthy ways to manage anger.
  • You will share feelings.
  • You will learn to problem solve and learn productive anger management skills.
  • You will learn about passive-aggressive behavior and how to avoid it.
  • You will learn the difference between anger as an emotion and chronic anger as a personality trait.

Most of all, in anger management you will be given the tool to help prevent anger as a trigger for relapse. Preventing addictive behavior and substance abuse is a key component in relearning how to handle emotions.

The Truth of Anger Management and Rehab

People tend to turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their feelings and avoid the discomfort of the unknown. This is especially true of negative emotions like sadness, pain, and anger. Unfortunately, the negative emotions and memories attached to them are only temporarily displaced by the substance. These will continue to build and grow in the shadows of addiction until they are faced with sobriety. Anger management as a supplement to rehabilitation is critical in moving forward and being able to work through the traumas of the past.

Anger management and rehab truly go hand in hand. At Fresh Start of California, we understand the importance of having an all-encompassing rehabilitation program. Let our Orange County addiction specialists help you find a program that works for you.

Contact Fresh Start of California to discuss treatment today.

Recover with a Furry Friend: It’s National Adopt a Pet Day!

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April 30th, 2020 is National Adopt a Pet Day

Transitioning from a treatment facility to living on your own can be difficult and scary but having a pet with you can make you feel less alone. Adopting a dog, cat or other pet is beneficial in recovery and can teach skills that you will carry with you into your life of sobriety. National Adopt a Pet Day is a day to recognize the vast availability of pets that are in desperate need of a home. These pets are in shelters, adoption and foster homes, and they are waiting to give you the love and affection that can help you through your darkest days. Many pet stores and animal supply stores host events for the April 30th events and display animals that are ready to find a home.

Fresh Start of California’s recovery experts know how intimidating it can be to leave a group treatment facility and branch out on your own. Our Orange County addiction specialists can help you take steps toward sobriety while offering the resources you need when you are ready to face the world with a renewed spirit.

Contact our team to discuss how our Orange County rehabilitation center can be the place where you find hope and start a new life.

5 Ways that Adopting a Pet Can Help Your Recovery

If you are unsure about how a pet can help you in your recovery, now is the time to dig a little deeper. The joy of coming home to a happy pet who can’t wait to give you his or her undivided attention is a great motivator to keep moving forward. What do pets have to offer?

Here are 5 benefits to adopting a rescue pet while transitioning from recovery to sober life:

  1. Unconditional love. Pets are there for you no matter what. They do not judge you; they do not criticize; they do not hold grudges. Pets want your attention and love and are happy to receive it. They show unconditional love and are eager to please, which helps create a lasting bond. Because they are incapable of enabling, you don’t have to worry about their unconditional love becoming a crutch or a risk of relapse.
  2. Encourage healthy behavior. Pets encourage us to get out of bed and get moving. Whether it is just too feed them, change a litter box, or get outside for a walk, pets help us establish a routine and to get exercise. Dogs need walks and so do dog owners!
  3. Stress relief. Petting a furry friend, playing fetch, playing with a pet toy and other interactive activities with your pet can relieve stress. These activities help to lower stress levels while increasing feel-good chemicals in the brain.
  4. Teach us about ourselves. Pets make great mirrors of emotion. They can sense if we are stressed, fearful, excited, sad, happy or in love. They also will react without a filter, so if you scare your pet with your behavior, they will let you know it. Adversely, if you show your pet love and affection, they will return it tenfold.
  5. Teach responsibility. Pets teach us personal, committal, financial and relational responsibility. They teach us how to clean up after someone, how to remember to feed (eat) daily meals and how to stay healthy. Your pet’s well-being is a reflection of your commitment to mental and physical health.

Adopt and Discover the Love of a Pet

The importance of adopting over walking into a pet store or going to a breeder and buying a pet is the chance for a new life. Pets that are rescued or surrendered are a lot like the brave souls in recovery. They are lost and feel out of control. Some may feel that they were given up on. Adopting a pet, on National Adopt a Pet Day or any other day, gives these loving animals the chance to feel loved, feel wanted and thrive in their new home. You deserve love, you deserve hope, you deserve a second chance.

Call Fresh Start of California today. Our team of Orange County addiction and recovery specialists are ready to be there for you.