Beyond Our Best Thinking: Surrendering the Ego in Recovery

We all want to be individuals and to present an image to the world that we are capable, in control, and essentially put together.  Besides, the world is a scary place:  vulnerability and honesty might put us in danger if people really knew us. Our egos say, “I am responsible for your survival.  Trust me.  I’m in control.”  

This is our best thinking.  

We hang on to it even though our Egos can lead us to feel angry, resentful, defensive, frightened.  Or completely alone and fraudulent, afraid that people will find out who we really are at our core.  We scramble to maintain the image that we’re in control.  We want to do things our way, on our own steam.  We are still cautious about letting people in.

This kind of thinking can persist even in sobriety and can present a danger to our recovery.  Join us as we talk about how Ego-thinking contributed to our drinking and disturbed our peace of mind, and how connection, compassion, and authenticity  brought us serenity and keeps us sober.

Popular Lifestyle Internet Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Motherhood & Recovery: Perspectives on Telling our Kids

Although there are many common truths and shared experiences in addiction and recovery, family dynamics may differ from person to person. When it comes to motherhood, there is no magic formula or handbook for anything including talking to our kids about recovery. What we can do is share our experiences and perspectives with one another, and be willing to thoughtfully consider the best fit for our family. This episode explores a variety of positions, from being completely open to selectively shielding our children from our experiences, and why those choices make sense.

Discover Lifestyle Internet Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Re-Broadcast: As They Say - A Grateful Heart Will Never Drink

Google the phrase 'the power of gratitude' and you'll find many links to articles and research that show how living a life in gratitude can increase our sense of well-being and optimism and can decrease our levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

Those benefits alone would make this a worthy topic - who doesn't want to feel happier? - but for the alcoholic and addict, an active gratitude practice can be a game changer. Alcoholism and addiction are characterized by a mental obsession. Our behaviors and thought patterns can defy logic, such as when we drink or use despite consequences or vows to stop. We may feel justified in our drinking or using by anxiety, worry, anger, depression. We may get stuck in this thinking with self-pity, shame, and blame, and the painful cycle continues.

Gratitude is the fastest way out of the despair caused by this cycle! This is why many people in long term recovery subscribe to the notion that an active gratitude practice is an essential part of their sobriety. Join us as we discuss with our guests the ins and outs of a gratitude practice - the ways it helps them stay sober, examples of its benefits, and how to build a practice. In sobriety, we can have Thanksgiving every day!"

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Early Sobriety - Am I Ever Going To Feel Better?

When we stop drinking most people experience physical withdrawal symptoms (acute) which can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It's not fun, but most people expect it and are rewarded with immediate physical benefits once the alcohol or drug is purged from their system. Our lives begin to improve and we are happy, BUT then there are other things that seem to be getting worse - mood swings, anxiety, irregular sleep, etc. - and we want to scream, "I did NOT get sober for this!"  

The good news and bad news is this is completely normal. What we are experiencing is called PAWS or Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, which feels like an emotional roller coaster. PAWS can be very difficult to deal with and is a huge trigger for relapse, but drinking will only make the process start all over again and who wants to do that?!!!  So how do we get through it? How do  we manage the roller coaster ride of early sobriety? 

Join us on this episode of The Bubble Hour as we talk to our guests about their experience with early sobriety and the tools they used to alleviate PAWS symptoms. 

Popular Lifestyle Internet Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Re-Broadcast: The Importance of Balance

We all strive for balance in life - a manageable blend of things we have to do and things we want to do is the ideal.  We also all know what it feels like when things get out of whack - too much work, not enough play or relaxation, not enough of the important things we do for ourselves to stay happy, healthy and sane.

We decided to do this show on balance because all three of us are struggling with it at the moment - year-end school activities, big work projects -- everything is busy.
We only announced the show today because we've been so busy we didn't have time to plan a topic.  We figured this was a clear sign from the universe that we needed to do a show on balance

Listen to the three co-hosts - Lisa Amanda and Ellie - talk about why balance is important in recovery, how we know when our balance is off, and ways we try to re-prioritize things like self-care which are so important in sobriety.

New Lifestyle Internet Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

What Do You Put In Your Recovery Toolbox? (Part 2)

This week on The Bubble Hour we continued our discussion about what to put in your Recovery Toolbox. In Part 1, we discussed some great reading materials, and in Part 2 we extended the conversation to comfort food, activities, self-care practices and music. Listen and discover ways to support your recovery in all that you do! 

New Lifestyle Internet Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Special Guest, Dr. John Kelly: Changing the Stigma of Addiction Through Science

Many people think that recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is a lost cause when in reality there are approximately 25-40 million people who consider themselves to be in active, stable long-term recovery. Based on those numbers, most people probably interact with someone in recovery on a daily basis, but they don't even know it because it's not talked about openly. Dr. Kelly and the Recovery Research Institute's mission is change that stigma and show people, through science, that recovery is not only possible, but it is the likely outcome. 

On this episode we will talk to Dr. Kelly about addiction, stigma and recovery and how understanding the neuroscience of addiction will help alleviate that stigma.

Dr. John Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, the founder and Director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Program Director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS) and the Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH. Dr. Kelly is President of the American Psychological Association (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, and is also a Fellow of APA. He has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the national Institutes of Health (NIH); to non-Federal institutions, such as the Betty Ford Institute and the Hazelden Foundation; and internationally to the British Parliament Drugs Misuse Taskforce. He is currently an Associate Editor for the journals, Addiction, and the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and chapters in the field of addiction. His clinical and research work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process which has included specific research on the effectiveness of mutual-help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, as adjuncts to formal care. His additional research endeavors have focused on the translation and implementation of evidence-based practice, addiction and criminal justice, addiction treatment theories and mechanisms of action, and reducing stigma associated with addiction. He is a licensed clinical psychologist actively working with individuals and families with alcohol and other drug use disorders.

The Recovery Research Institute (RRI) is a scientific enterprise that will push the agenda for addiction recovery forward by both synthesizing the current evidence base and conducting high quality, novel recovery relevant research. The goal is to disseminate the results such that they may enhance the effectiveness of addiction treatment and empower individuals, families, communities, and our broader society to address these endemic problems with greater impact and efficiency. 

In recognition of the increased medical, social and economic burden attributable to substance use disorders, the department is redoubling efforts to expand general knowledge of treatment and recovery to alleviate suffering associated with addiction.

Under the leadership of Dr. John F. Kelly, the RRI will begin to push the agenda for addiction recovery forward by conducting high quality, recovery relevant research, and disseminating and implementing results for the benefit of our communities and broader society. The RRI will become a center for training promising scientists for careers in addiction and recovery research. 

To learn more about the Institute and the work they’re doing, you can go to their website www.recoveryanswers.org. 

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio