After the excesses of the holidays, an increasing number of people are participating in Dry January—an initiative that originated in the United Kingdom. It involves abstaining from alcohol for the entire month. This practice isn’t about inducing guilt for consuming alcohol moderately; rather, it’s an opportunity for a reset. It allows people to understand their…
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How to set yourself up for success when you set a quit date for alcohol and drugs
You’ve made the resolution and chosen a date to quit drinking and using drugs. A healthier, happier life that you control is in your future. The journey starts with believing in yourself and your power to change. You can do this. As you count down the days to your new life, this is the time…
How to stay sober and manage drinking during the holidays
Holiday time is often called “prime time” by the sober community. Starting with the Thanksgiving holiday and running through New Years, the season is full of both triggers and pressures to drink or use drugs. How can someone in recovery stay sober during the holidays? How can someone moderate their drinking if it’s becoming a…
Virtual, Online, and Telephone AA & NA Meetings
Twelve-step meetings online give you a recovery community, Affect puts a licensed addiction treatment program in your pocket. It’s an unbeatable combination for beating addictions to alcohol and drugs, and you don’t have to go to a clinic or a meeting. It all comes right to you. Alcoholics Anonymous is the original twelve-step recovery program.…
Ways to reward and celebrate yourself without drinking or drugs
How do you celebrate and reward yourself without drinking or drugs? Embarking on the journey of sobriety is an incredible feat—one that deserves celebration, acknowledgment, and rewards. But when we’re used to marking achievements with alcohol or drugs, it can feel daunting to reimagine celebrations without them. The truth is, there’s an abundance of fulfilling,…
Being thankful in recovery
If you go to an AA meeting, you’ll inevitably hear an old-timer introduce themselves as a “grateful recovering alcoholic.” How can someone be thankful that they’re an alcoholic and addict? It’s because they didn’t just achieve sobriety, they found recovery. People in recovery aren’t just grateful that they’ve stopped drinking and using, they’re grateful for…
How to keep sober on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions
Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and any special occasion where people gather and celebrate together can be mine fields for the person who is protecting their sobriety or trying to manage their consumption of alcohol. No matter where someone is in their recovery journey, the temptations and pressures are always there. There’s that dreaded awkward moment when…
Mental Health and Addiction
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It is a day of raising mental health awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health issues. There is a mental health crisis in America, and addiction is the leading cause. Addiction and mental health challenges are closely related, with one often leading to the other. It is…
Fear and Drinking
What is the discomfort around drinking when it comes to socializing? Are people uncomfortable around you when you don’t drink, or do you feel awkward? It’s correctly said that alcohol is the one drug you have to justify not using to others. People will never ask, “can’t you do just one gram of meth” the…
September is National Recovery Month
September is designated by the White House as National Recovery Month, where we celebrate the millions of Americans who have found lasting recovery from substance use disorders. These people show the millions of others who need help that recovery is possible. They give us hope and inspiration. One in every ten Americans is dealing with…