Category: Recovery

Woman laying down smoking in Massachusetts

What Are the Best Ways to Quit Smoking?

Many people decide to quit smoking once they realize the negative impact of the habit on their overall health. Fortunately, once a smoker does quit, there are significant health benefits that take place almost immediately.

Why Is Smoking So Addictive?

Smoking is an addictive habit due to the active ingredient in tobacco called nicotine.

When you smoke cigarettes, your brain quickly adapts to the nicotine, causing you to crave more and more of the chemical to feel the way you did after your first cigarette.

Over time, your brain begins to predict when you are ready to smoke a cigarette, then you have one, and then the cycle repeats again.

How to Quit Smoking, Once and For All

It probably won’t come as a surprise that the most challenging days of quitting smoking are the first few days.

Although it probably will not be easy to get through the first couple of days after quitting, it is essential to stick with it.

One helpful way to quit smoking is to choose a day and commit to being done with smoking that day and beyond. Having an end date that you commit to will make the process feel final and give you a better chance at success.

Another way to quit smoking is to make a list of all of the reasons you want to stop smoking and write down all of the benefits you will gain once you achieve your goal. Having a plan written out in front of you with reminders of why you are quitting in the first place can help you focus on your goal and move forward.

You may also want to consider nicotine replacement patches, gum, or prescription medications that can help curb cravings. These options can be extremely helpful.

Tharros House

Tharros House in Massachusetts is a sober living home facility where individuals can live and work on maintaining their sobriety in a collaborative atmosphere. Give us a call today to learn more about how we may be able to help you.

What to Do After Rehab?

After you have completed rehab for an addiction, you may be wondering what you should do next to maintain your recovery. Successfully completing rehab is a big accomplishment and should serve as motivation to continue living a sober life moving forward. There are many things you can do in order to maintain your sobriety after rehab.

Focus on Your Mental and Physical Health

After leaving rehab, it is crucial to focus on your mental and physical health. Exercise is good for both your mind and body, so it will be beneficial to find an athletic activity that you enjoy and can participate in regularly. You can do this by joining a local gym in your area, or you can simply go for a run outside. Joining a local men or women’s league sport that you enjoy can also give you social benefits as well.

Surround Yourself with Sober Friends

It is also extremely important to surround yourself with other sober friends. When you are with sober friends, it lessens the temptation to consume alcohol or drugs, since these substances will not be around. It is also important to surround yourself with individuals who care about you and your sobriety. Even if close friends or family members do not live a completely sober lifestyle, you can still maintain these relationships if they are considerate of your sobriety and do not consume alcohol around you.

Live in a Sober Living Home

Another thing you can do after leaving rehab to help maintain your sobriety is to live in a sober living home. Sober living homes are residences where people who are committed to their sobriety reside, often for a short period of time before starting fresh in their own place. Alcohol and drugs are not permitted in sober living homes. Sober living homes, like the Tharros House, offer many benefits to their residents, including in-house meetings, social gatherings, and many different activities.

controlling addictive urges cigarette

Controlling Addictive Urges

One of the difficult parts of addiction recovery is controlling addicting urges. The good news is that as time goes on, these cravings and urges will decrease in frequency and strength over time. You can help yourself to control addictive urges through the use of coping strategies that work for you.

The Acceptance Method

One way you can control these urges is simply by accepting that the urges are normal and to be expected. It is important to learn to accept discomfort as part of the recovery process. You must teach yourself that these urges will pass. When you have accepted that these urges will happen, you can have an alternative activity in mind.

The Escape Method

Another way to work on control here is to remove yourself from the triggering situation. For example, if you are in a bar with friends and feel the urge to drink, it is time to leave. If there is an ad for alcohol on TV, change the channel. Just the simple act of escaping this trigger will allow you to focus your mind on something new and help lessen the urge.

The Substitution Method

When you start to feel an urge, try to substitute an activity or thought that is fun and more beneficial. Go out and take a walk or partake in another form of exercise. You can also try to pick up a new book to read or turn on new music to listen to. The possibilities for substitution are endless. Think about and write down some ideas so that you have a list on hand to choose from when an urge happens.

These methods are some ways you can control your addictive urges. To learn more about sober living facilities, contact us today at The Tharros House. We can help you continue on your path to recovery from your addiction.

Celebrating Relief from Addiction Boston Massachusetts

You Are Not Alone in Your Addiction

While sometimes it may feel like you are alone, it is important to remember that you are not alone in your addiction. There are many people all over the world who are struggling with the same issues you are. According to the Huffington Post, 14 million Americans have problems associated with drinking. Millions more Americans are battling addictions to drugs or other substances.

Reframing the Way That You See Yourself

It is common for those suffering from substance abuse addictions to have negative feelings about themselves. Instead of allowing yourself to get caught up in these feelings, focus on reframing your thoughts. Think about how you are a person working through recovery and doing your best to overcome your addiction. A good way to begin reframing your thoughts from negative to positive is to listen to positive daily affirmations.

Networking with Those in Similar Situations

It is often helpful for recovering addicts to speak with others who have recovered from a similar addiction or who are in the same place in their journey to full recovery. Someone who has been in your shoes will tend to be less judgmental about things that you may worry about discussing with others. It may also be beneficial to you and your self-esteem to give advice to others and help guide them in their recovery.

Once you have begun the recovery process, a great way to stay on track with your recovery is to stay in a sober living home. The Tharros House is a sober living home for men in Massachusetts. It offers its residents support through morning meetings during the weekdays, along with a Sunday evening meeting. Tharros House also offers 24/7 peer-to-peer recovery support. You may also participate in cooking classes, and other regular activities at the Tharros House. Contact us today to learn more about what the Tharros House has to offer you.

Bananas for Sober Living in Boston Massachusetts

Nourishing Your Body During Recovery

Recovering from addiction can be a difficult process. While it is always worth it in the end, your body may need some time to adjust to the changes that sobriety brings. It is important to nourish your body throughout the recovery process. This includes eating healthy foods that can help restore nutrients in your body.

Three Foods to Eat for Nourishment During Recovery

Bananas – One of the best foods to eat while in recovery from addiction to alcohol or other substances is bananas. This is because people who have abused alcohol or drugs in the recent past tend to be low on magnesium and potassium. These are electrolytes which help to regulate your blood pressure, muscles, nerves, and heartbeat. When you have electrolyte deficiencies, you can experience weakness, muscle cramps, and fatigue. Bananas are a great source of both magnesium and potassium and can help you replenish your electrolytes.

Broccoli – Broccoli is another food that can help nourish your body while you recover from your addiction. Many years of substance abuse can cause lasting damage to your liver. In order to obtain maximum nutritional benefits from the food you eat, you need to have a liver that is functioning optimally. Broccoli is a food that can help cleanse and repair your liver.

Potatoes – Another great food to consume for extra nourishment throughout your path to recovery is potatoes. Potatoes are a good source for complex carbohydrates, which can help a recovering alcoholic escape the cycle of soaring and crashing blood sugar that they were used to experiencing while drinking excessively. Potatoes are also full of fiber and other nutrients and can help you fight off cravings.

While you are recovering from addiction, it is important to make sure that your body is being nourished and that you are receiving proper nutrition for your body to begin healing. Sober living homes are also helpful during recovery. Contact us at Tharros House to find out more about what we offer.

man in backpack thinking about addiction recovery programs

Types of Addiction Recovery Programs

There are many different types of addiction recovery programs out there.  For someone who is working to recover from an addiction, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the different programs in order to choose the best option for their individual needs.  A few of the addiction recovery programs available are explained below.

Alcohol Anonymous: This program is a 12-step program that provides support and guidance in the form of a support group for the recovering addict as well as their family and loved ones.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT):  Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been shown to be effective at using an understanding of how thoughts influence behavior and emotions to manage addiction.  It also works to change the underlying thoughts of an individual that contribute to the maintenance of the addiction.

Detoxification (Detox): A detox program involves a patient going through the withdrawal process being monitored and treated with necessary medications in order to manage the symptoms that occur during withdrawal.  A detox can be done on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  This is not a complete type of treatment and should be followed up with additional treatment methods.

Family Therapy:  Family therapy involves a therapeutic approach that takes into account the recovering addict’s family’s strengths and resources in order to help the individual live their life without the use of alcohol or drugs.  This method seeks to reduce the consequences of addiction on both the substance abuser and their family.

Group Therapy: Group therapy uses a group setting to provide positive peer-to-peer support and assistance and coping techniques.  This type of therapy can be more cost-effective than others.  Group therapy is often used in inpatient and outpatient facilities in addition to individualized therapy treatments.

These are just a few of the many addiction treatment methods out there.  Each person going through the recovery process will need to weigh their options and choose the best method for their own recovery.

Green Recovery House Sign

Alternatives to Twelve-Step Programs

When many people think of addiction recovery, one of the first things that come to mind is the group Alcoholics Anonymous (or AA) and the 12-step program for recovery.  While Alcoholics Anonymous and similar groups are typically thought of as treatment, they are more accurately defined as support groups.  Unfortunately, according to addiction treatment researcher Thomas McLellan, Ph.D., studies seem to indicate that only 25-35 percent of addicts who attend an AA meeting actually go on to continue with the program and attend meetings regularly.

Women for Sobriety

Women for Sobriety was created by Jean Kirkpatrick in the 1970s.  Jean Kirkpatrick held a doctorate in sociology and focused her program on the premise that women with drinking problems require a different recovery approach and plan than men do.  Women for Sobriety is an abstinence-based program which sets out to first tackle the emotional issues that may lead to addiction.

SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery uses a cognitive-behavior approach that encourages its members to first acknowledge the emotional and environmental factors for drug and alcohol use and then to respond to these factors in new and more productive ways.  SMART Recovery is abstinence-based; however, it does welcome individuals who are ambivalent about their recovery.  It has over 600 groups based in the United States, and it also has a youth program along with a Family & Friends program.

LifeRing Secular Recovery

LifeRing Secular Recovery was formed over a decade ago.  It has three main principles— sobriety, secularity, and self-help.  This group focuses on human efforts instead of divine intervention.  It also holds the belief that the key to recovery is within the individual and is based on their own motivation and effort.

Refuge Recovery

Refuge Recovery is a nonprofit, mindfulness-based addiction recovery organization. They provide a community that uses Buddhist philosophy to help people recover from addiction. Inspired by the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Refuge Recovery places emphasis on being more empathetic and understanding.

Celebrate Recovery

Celebrate Recovery was founded by John Baker in 1991. Focusing on a Christ centered approach, Celebrate Recovery has spread to recovery houses, rescue missions, universities, and prisons around the world. To date over 35,000 Celebrate Recovery churches have been opened with over 5 million individuals having completed the Celebrate Recover’s Step Study, a program created to bring the healing power of Christ to those that are suffering, broken, and having life difficulties like as addiction.

Although Alcoholics Anonymous is not for everyone there are many other support groups available, such as the groups listed above.  These other groups may be more useful approaches if someone struggling with addiction does not find Alcoholics Anonymous to be the best approach.

Living a Sober Life in Massachusetts

Living the Good, Sober Life

Stick around people in recovery long enough, and you’ll hear a common message: Sober is better.  In Boston, it sounds more like Sobah is Bettah!  But there’s a reason for the statement, however you pronounce it- for those who stay sober and get recovery, life gets really good!

Road to a better life:

Let’s be clear.  Not many people wake up one day, decide to stop using substances for no reason, and then find that life is better without them.  Usually, there is a reason to stop.  What worked for us at one time, has stopped working.  So we’re willing to try something different.  Some of us engage treatment, a sober community or sober housing.  We look for ways to engage sober support to help us stay sober while working on our recovery.  Yes, most of us had to find sobriety, in order to find recovery.  Sober recovery led us to a life where we felt better, found joy, and discovered, sober is better!

What is sober recovery?

Sober recovery is more than abstinence from alcohol and drugs.  Recovery is about changing the way we engage in life, looking at what’s important to us, and taking action to build a life we want to live without substances.  Stopping your coping mechanisms (drinking/drugs) and taking no further action isn’t likely going to give you much recovery.  If you like white knuckles, this is your path!  To get more, we do more.

What is the sober way?

Finding your path to a life of recovery isn’t easy.  But it’s worth it, and you can do it!  Most of us find it important to build a sober network, surround ourselves with a sober community, and engage sober support, like a sober coach or a sober house.  At Tharros, we’ve combined community with aftercare, and our house offers a safe place to explore sober meaning.  We focus on recovery, with you choosing the fellowship and resources that speak with you.  Our team has many different experiences in recovery, and we make many suggestions, while following a framework designed to help each person move toward a full and meaningful life.  We help you build a life you want to live!

We involve sober entertainment, sober games, sober jobs, and sober dating too!  Living life in recovery doesn’t mean giving up what’s important to you; to the contrary, it’s about finding what’s important to you, building it, and living life in a way that’s meaningful to you!  For those of us on that path, it’s easy to say, Sobah is Bettah!

To learn more about Tharros House and our approach to recovery, visit https://tharroshouse.com/about-2/ or read more of our blog posts at https://tharroshouse.com/blog/

 

Recovery House Covered by Sober Hands

Recovery Homes for Lifelong Recovery

Staying at a recovery home can be one of the most important steps you can take to on the path to lifelong recovery. The battle through addiction can be a daunting task for anyone, yet with the proper tools and help getting and staying clean can become much more manageable.

Benefits of a Recovery Home vs. Rehab Alone

Drug detox and rehabilitation can do wonders for a person stuck in the depths of an addiction. It takes them out of the toxic surroundings for a bit and helps them get clean – but staying clean is another matter.

People with addictions generally build a life around them that helps feed that addiction; from friends to the places they choose to live. While rehab is great and can be the answer for some, many times it takes building out new habits and living in a friendly sober place away from all of the old temptations.

A recovery house provides you with a safe drug-free environment with like-minded individuals on the same path to recovery. There is an emphasis on spirituality, connecting with others, and learning new habits / ways of thinking to make it through the most difficult times in life without using drugs or alcohol.

Tharros Sober Living Recovery House

When looking for a recovery home it’s important to find one with experienced staff, safety & comfort, and structure. At Tharros House we have all of the above and then some, going above and beyond to ensure you feel safe and secure while learning how to live a sober life.

Our program leadership are all Boston Massachusetts natives. They pull from experiences with various sources of intervention including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Psychoanalytical Therapy, Hypnosis, Acupuncture, Yoga, Meditation, Family  Therapy, as well as  Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 step programs.

For more information on Tharros Recovery House visit our website at https://www.tharroshouse.com.

Types of drug abuse in Boston Massachusetts

Treating Drug Abuse in Massachusetts

There can be a fine line between regular use of drugs and drug abuse. To find out whether or not someone that is using drugs is dependent on them or just taking them recreationally you can ask yourself these two questions:

  1. Why does the personal use drugs?
  2. What happens when they are under the influence of drugs?

What makes someone abuse drugs?

Many times people with alcohol dependence and/or drug problems use the drugs to acquire a specific effect, such as escaping emotions.  While there may be many reasons for someone to use drugs, the people that become addicted usually all desire the escape.

It is still possible to like the escape / feeling that comes with alcohol and drug use while not having a drug problem, which brings us to the second question of ‘What happens when they are under the influence of drugs?”. Behaviors such as blacking out, uncontrolled drinking, and not caring about the negative consequences that come from drinking alcohol / taking drugs can all point towards a drug abuse problem.

Ignoring the Consequences

A major sign that someone has a drug abuse issue is that the user will continue using despite all the negative consequences of their actions. Take a DUI for example – a normal users would try to ensure that they never get in this situation again and avoid it completely. People with drug abuse disorders would recognize that they definitely don’t want another DUI but would continue to get themselves in the same situations and still take the risk.

Treating Drug Abuse

Once someone has accepted that they have a drug problem the first step, depending on the severity of the problem, is to go to a drug detox facility. Going cold turkey after years of abusing drugs or alcohol can have serious life threatening consequences, so it’s important to do it the right way.

Once completely detoxed the most important thing to do is to go through primary treatment, aka rehab. Rehab is essential to drug recovery as it removes the person from all the daily stresses and triggers in everyday life that play a role in their addiction. When the person leaves rehab there are oftentimes many challenges in the day to day life.

This is where sober living comes in. Living in a sober house helps by giving you the tools you need to succeed in everyday life. At Tharros, we work with people who have already finished some form of major alcohol or drug treatment.  Our clients are sober and free from drugs.  A commitment to staying free from all mind changing drugs is a condition of living at Tharros House.  People usually stay between 4-6 months, however some reside as long as a year, or longer.

We believe that learning how to live life without having to pick up a drink or a drug is seriously important, but it’s just part of the process.  At Tharros House, we concentrate on skills to maintain sobriety, but also on helping each client to build a life that they want to live in being sober.  Our staff helps each client to recognize how to include purpose, meaning, success, and other key factors of a joyful life.  Clients direct their personal recovery with support, suggestions, and accountability provided by our team and community.  Learning the skills of life are incorporated both on an individual basis through activities like grocery shopping, meal planning, and service commitments, and on a group basis, like cooking classes.

Rehabilitation from drug abuse isn’t usually a quick process.  It requires effort, and it takes time.  Building a solid foundation will serve you for your entire life, which is the reason why we solely accept clients ready to put sobriety and recovery as their top priority.  To learn more about our approach and get answers to common questions, please visit https://tharroshouse.com/faq/.