Overcoming regret in addiction recovery can feel impossible because when a person is in active addiction, he or she tends to repeat the same mistakes over and over. I’ve been there, I know the guilt, shame and embarrassment that accompany regret, and I know how important it is to find a way to overcome it. It’s important because regret can be a huge obstacle to people getting better and a huge risk for relapse. That happened to me, too. I wasn’t able to deal with my regret and that caused me to go back out and drink – time and time again. Since then, I have learned that even though regret is painful, dealing with it is part of the recovery process and healing. It is possible to overcome regret in addiction recovery, even if it isn’t easy.

Addiction recovery apps are some of the newest mental health apps that could help you in recovery. Today, there are more and more mobile applications for those in addiction recovery that are designed to address a number of needs. I’ve tried many of them over the years, found some of them to be really helpful, and I’ve continued to use a handful of them. I thought that I would share some of the addiction recovery apps that I think you should try.

If you spend any time at all in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), you will likely hear the term “dry drunk” referring to someone who is in addiction recovery and, in fact, still sober. I didn’t understand the term until I had been in the program for a while. I wondered to myself how could someone be a drunk when they were remaining sober. However, I learned that sobriety isn’t the same as recovery and a dry drunk is sober, but not actively recovering from his or her addiction.

One of the most important ways I have learned to deal with triggers in addiction recovery is using the H.A.L.T. acronym. If you have been to treatment for addiction, then you likely know what I am talking about. H.A.L.T. stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired and it refers to the things that you should pay attention to when you are feeling restless, irritable or discontent. What I have learned is that when I am feeling that way, it’s probably that I am hungry, angry, lonely or tired, and that if I address the underlying feeling, then I feel better. Using H.A.L.T. in addiction recovery is a simple way to avoid triggers and get to the heart of what’s really bothering you.

Forgiveness in my addiction recovery is important for my emotional and spiritual health. Addiction recovery takes much more than just going through the treatment process to become whole again, but it did provide me with the tools necessary to live a life that is free of alcohol. When I completed treatment four-and-a-half years ago, I had to put those tools to work and still have to remain vigilant to keep my recovery alive and successful. In treatment, I learned about addiction, triggers, relapse prevention, and the need for honesty, acceptance, and gratitude. However, there was another key element that has furthered my addiction recovery progress even more – forgiveness.

Addiction recovery isn't easy, but it can be much less difficult when you figure out which addiction recovery tools work best for you. Having recovery tools that you are familiar with and that you know work when you're struggling, is the key to successful addiction recovery (Coping Skills for Mental Health and Wellbeing). For me, there are several tools that I turn to when I am having a hard time or feeling down. I'd like to share the ones that work for me and then find out which addiction recovery tools work for you. 

Learning to set limits in addiction recovery is vital for overall wellness (Applying Addiction Lessons When We Need a Hiatus). In knowing my own limitations, I have decided it is best for my addiction recovery to say goodbye as an author of Debunking Addiction. 

Is there an addictive personality? The most recent research involving the addictive personality concept indicates no single, addictive personality type exists (Addiction Symptoms: Signs of an Addict). However, certain groups of traits seem to indicate predisposition to addiction.

Some teetotalers abstain from alcohol because the have a family history of alcoholism. Gillian Jacobs, Hal Sparks, and Joe Biden are a few famous names that attribute their sobriety to teetotaling because of a family history of alcoholism. 

Watching sober friends relapse can be heartbreaking or challenging as well as enlightening and motivating. Personally, I have seen a handful of friends go back to drinking after six months or more of sobriety (Attitudes That Can Lead to a Drug or Alcohol Relapse ). In some cases, they convinced themselves they were not alcoholics and that they could manage their drinking. In other cases, they had always had some doubt as to the severity of their powerlessness over alcohol. And in a few other cases, the relapse seemed to come from nowhere. In reality, a relapse starts long before the first drink but it's not always easy to spot. Here are the lessons I have learned from watching sober friends relapse.