When I was ten years old, my mother gave birth to my youngest sister. Afterwards, she was dead for about eight minutes until the doctors brought her back to life. I was there for my sister’s birth and there afterwards, through all the pain and frantic decisions my parents made following that day. When I| The Phoenix Spirit
In 2008, an estimated 20.1 million Americans aged 12 or older used illicit drugs within a month prior to a survey done by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA). This estimate represents 8 percent of that population. During that same time an estimated 22.2 million persons (8.9 percent of the population aged 12| The Phoenix Spirit
Recently I had some catch up time with a supportive person at our regular meeting spot. While chatting she told me that she and her husband were out driving recently and unexpectedly another driver broadsided them. This incident has since caused them inconvenience due to having to take time for car repair as well as| The Phoenix Spirit
"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory." Albert Schweitzer I am happy to report that after much searching I have at long last found the key to happiness. Well at least I've unlocked my personal definition of contentment and I'm happy to share it. It wasn't long ago I believed happiness| The Phoenix Spirit
There was a period in my life where I spent most of my time doing one of two things: I was either worrying to extremes, or praying about what I was worrying about. My prayers were desperate. I often prayed, “Please let him come home safely.” Sometimes I prayed for something to change. At other| The Phoenix Spirit
Why do some people adapt easily to change while others become bogged down, overwhelmed and depressed? In the midst of difficult experiences, why do some people adopt an attitude of optimism and hope, while others become trapped in cycles of negative thinking? The adaptable folks are demonstrating resilience, or the ability to readily recover from| The Phoenix Spirit
Hope is often found in the unlikeliest of places or presents itself at the unlikeliest of moments. It doesn’t usually come with a fanfare or grand entrance, shouting “I am here! All is not lost! Make way, make way…” It is more likely to make its appearance when we truly believe we have nowhere else| The Phoenix Spirit
It's all very simple. You set a goal for yourself; you determine how you'll meet that goal, and then you follow some tried-and-true strategies that will help you reach it. Will power! That's all you need. Determination. Discipline. Ah, if the road to recovery were only that easy. Anyone reading this article, anyone recovering from| The Phoenix Spirit
I know it’s retreat time when I skitter from one activity to the next, squeezing one more thing in the five minutes between my last activity and the next. My life moves at the pace of a rushing river rather than meandering stream. Yup, time to go offline for a while. I am reading the| The Phoenix Spirit
This might sound like a strange question to raise for consideration in a newspaper dedicated to recovery issues. It is a question, however, that I hear being asked by people as we speak about issues like the impact of COVID-19 and what lies ahead, the many unsettled and turbulent situations around the world, and concerns| The Phoenix Spirit