Recovery Rebirth Podcast Vivacity Ventures LLC

This time of year can be a joyous occasion or it can be a trigger for stress and anxiety. The Recovery Rebirth Podcast is sharing our take on the Holiday Season.





Many people also struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter months. It’s no secret that many in recovery are already prone to anxiety and/or depression, the lack of sunshine can amplify feelings of sadness & hopelessness. This can also be a time of year where we feel acute sadness about loved ones we’ve lost through either death, estrangement or separation. The rates of relapse & suicide are sadly higher during what is supposed “the most wonderful time of the year” In reality, it can be the most stressful & depressing time of the year.



Our families of origin can be a tremendous source of anxiety and stress during the holidays. Some of us find our family of choice through our recovery programs. We find safe spaces to share our experience, strength & hope among others who understand & don’t judge us. Unlike family gatherings where we may experience anger, resentment & shame, we can feel acceptance, serenity & support with our recovery families.



We also touch on the pitfalls of social media during the holidays. It can be easy to fall into the trap of comparing our lives to others. Social media isn’t real life.  It is not an accurate reflection of the full scope of what’s going on in other people’s lives. It’s often the carefully curated highlight reels that we see. A social media break can be an excellent form of self-care for those of us prone to the “compare & despair” mentality.



We talk about strategies to combat stress during the holidays (or any time of year) Simplifying and not doing things out of obligation is one way to reduce stress at the holidays. We realize it’s easier for some people than others to simplify during the holidays, but encourage you to simplify wherever possible. 



Remember, there are always meetings available, even on the major holidays, where you can be among fellow travelers. It’s a safe space to connect with folks who share & understand your concern, frustration, resentment & feelings of hopelessness. The holidays are a great time to practice boundaries & also letting go of things outside our control (spoiler:most things are outside our control!). It’s also a prime opportunity to connect with our Higher Power or God of our Understanding. 



We’re wishing you a serene & joy-filled holiday season full of memories you’ll cherish for years to come. No matter what the holiday season may hold, we lovingly suggest you to take it One Day at a Time. And please remember you don’t have to get through it alone. Recovery is a “we” program.  



Resources



Websites



https://www.samhsa.gov/





https://www.recoveryanswers.org/recovery-101/





https://www.aa.org/





https://al-anon.org/





https://www.swmichiganal-anon.org/





https://coda.org/





Previous Episodes





https://www.vivacityventures.com/suicide/







https://www.vivacityventures.com/dealing-with-anxiety/







https://www.vivacityventures.com/recovering-from-grief-part-1-of-3/







https://www.vivacityventures.com/recovering-from-grief-part-2-of-3/

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast, we delve into relapse prevention is a prevalent topic in the world of recovery. While people often think relapse only happens with substance use disorder, anyone in recovery can fall prey to emotional/mental relapse. We highlight the phases leading up to relapse and myriad behaviors that foretell relapse could be imminent (e.g. neglecting self-care, being filled with resentment)  







We underscore the difference between a slip and true relapse. Early in recovery, it’s easy to slip back into the addictive behavior, while relapse is having a sustained period of sobriety and falling back into addictive behaviors and using people, places or things in an addictive way.







Stress and boredom can trigger relapse. Some people relapse even when things are going well in their lives. Addiction can flare up at any time.







Regardless of the addictive behavior people are struggling with, there is hope for sustainable recovery. 







We’re rooting for you!  







Resources







Recovery Rebirth Episodes 







Triggers









https://www.vivacityventures.com/recovery-from-unworthiness/









Red Flags in Recovery 









https://www.vivacityventures.com/red-flags-in-recovery/

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast, we discuss overwhelm which often leads to burnout. We all experience episodes or seasons of life where the deluge of stressors is too much for us. In these times, we could really benefit from self-care, but are also most likely to neglect ourselves because our reserves are depleted. 







Jillian reflects on her experiences with overwhelm, including her first panic attack. She also talks about the overwhelm she felt while in a relationship with an active alcoholic and acting like an “emotional drunk” prior to recovery. 







Dom shares about the anxiety he’s experienced since he was a child, including panic attacks. Being self-employed and running three businesses can cause him overwhelm and concerns of impending burnout. Being a perfectionist and having incredibly high expectations of ourselves, amplifies anxiety. 







A sign of burnout can be lack of enthusiasm for activities you typically love to do. Some of the self-care options we discuss are deep breathing exercises, taking a break/walking away from your desk at work), and walks in nature. When you’re in a calmer frame of mind, writing down affirmations we can revisit when our anxiety/stress flares up again.







If life feels overwhelming, pause, see how you're feeling, take a break and see if you can identify the source of the overwhelm. We hope this episode can offer some insights and resources that will help when you find yourself overwhelmed and approaching burnout. While we are proponents of living One Day at a Time, in times of extreme overwhelm, sometimes we need to focus on one moment at a time. You are not alone in this recovery journey!  We’re rooting for you!  







Resources







Self-Care/Self-Compassion









https://self-compassion.org/









Breathing Techniques







https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety







https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/breathing-exercises-anxiety/







https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324417#:~:text=The%204%2D7%2D8%20breathing,the%20practice%20of%20breath%20regulation.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEmt1Znux58











https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7uQXDkxEtM









Recovery Rebirth Episodes 







Recovery from Unworthiness









https://www.vivacityventures.com/recovery-from-unworthiness/

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast, we discuss a concept foreign to many people entering recovery–boundaries. Many of us have never seen this behavior modeled within our family systems. We may be shocked to hear “no is a complete sentence” We may believe that boundaries are somehow “selfish” and find that our loved ones in active addiction believe the same because we’re no longer enabling them. We often experience resistance and manipulation from people who benefited from our lack of boundaries. Trust us when we tell you boundaries are in fact necessary to healthy, balanced relationships.







We discuss the difficulties for those who identify as (recovering) people pleasers with setting boundaries. We clarify the difference between boundaries and walls; which can be difficult to discern, especially when we’re learning this new skill.  Having boundaries isn’t telling others what to do, it’s simply letting others know what we’re not willing to accept. We believe that setting boundaries is a wonderful form of self-care/self-love. 







We share our individual experiences with learning to set boundaries. Sometimes we set the boundaries with others; e.g. not being around our loved ones when they are active in their addictions. Other times, we set boundaries for ourselves, for example what we eat or how much time we spend watching shows or on social media. We also underscore five different types of boundaries.  







We have found that our relationships are more authentic and healthier as we set and maintain boundaries.  A lack of boundaries can lead to burnout and significant resentment. Resentment is often a cue that we need to set a boundary. On the flipside, honoring our boundaries can bring a great deal of peace. 







If you are struggling to set boundaries, we hope this episode will help you to find the courage begin. May you experience the improved relationships and increased peace that naturally flow out of this process. We’re rooting for you! 







Resources







Books 







“Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life”--Henry Cloud & John Townsend







“Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself”--







Articles 









https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-stand-up-for-yourself/











https://www.wellandgood.com/tips-for-creating-boundaries/











https://www.wellandgood.com/best-podcast-moments-2021/











https://www.wellandgood.com/holiday-party-boundaries/









Podcasts







Boundaries Me







https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boundaries-me-podcast/id1488880049







Beyond Bitchy









https://open.spotify.com/show/5NffpSb1tuzmVuq9B71feX









Recovery Rebirth Episodes 







Triggers 









https://www.vivacityventures.com/triggers/

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast, we discuss a fairly ubiquitous term–triggers. In the world of addiction & recovery, triggers can cause us to relapse & fall back in our addictive behaviors. Triggers are also discussed in psychology, especially when treating PTSD.  A trigger can be defined as something that causes an unexpected emotional response.  







Jilian explores her triggers, which are rooted in her fears of abandonment & rejection stemming from her relationship with her mother. These fears manifest as codependency, people pleasing, and love addiction among other behaviors when she’s triggered.  







Dom delves into his fears of financial insecurity borne out of his childhood experience of observing his parents wrestle fears of financial scarcity.  He observes that even when things are going well money-wise, the old fears of scarcity can resurface.







Sometimes the thought that something could go wrong is enough to trigger our fears & the cascade of maladaptive coping mechanisms we’ve developed. When triggered, we experience four trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. When in this state, our amygdala (brain’s fear center) is activated & our prefrontal cortex (center of reasoning) goes offline & we feel helpless or out of control. We talk about how certain songs or smells can trigger painful memories. We also ponder the perspective that “triggers are our teachers”.   







We discuss techniques & tools to calm ourselves when triggered such as grounding ourselves in the moment. Repeating the Serenity Prayer can be a powerful tool, especially focusing on the things we can change. Meditation, visualizations, and journaling are other tactics to overcome triggers. Reminding ourselves that “It’s not happening now” when painful memories come flooding back can re-center us. We touch on Dr. Joe Dispenza & Brendon Burchard’s approaches to creating a new vision for the future since triggers are  tied to our past.







We hope you will hear something in this episode that will help you navigate triggers & transform them into learning opportunities rather than being paralyzed by fears. Please see resources below for additional information.







Resources







https://psychcentral.com/addictions/5-tips-for-managing-triggers-during-addiction-recovery







https://www.betterup.com/blog/triggers







https://www.verywellmind.com/ptsd-triggers-and-coping-strategies-2797557







https://www.masterclass.com/articles/fight-flight-freeze-fawn









https://www.valentaonline.com/trauma-response-fight-flight-freeze-fawn/









https://drjoedispenza.com/









https://brendon.com/









Recovery Rebirth Episodes on Trauma Recovery  









https://www.vivacityventures.com/trauma-part-1-of-3/











https://www.vivacityventures.com/trauma-part-2-of-3/











https://www.vivacityventures.com/trauma-part-3-of-3/

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast we explore the concept of recovery capital. The major aspects include: personal, community, and social. Whether it’s improving access to housing, healthy food, recovery coaches, etc. recovery capital supports sustained, long-term recovery. The continuum of care is a crucial aspect of recovery. 







We highlight the discrepancy in access to recovery for communities of color or other marginalized communities. As William Cope-Moyers says, “addiction doesn’t discriminate, neither should recovery”  







We discuss the importance of peer support.during recovery–people who understand our lived experience.  We also talk about the positive impact to the economy by supporting people in  Recovery capital is measurable in other tangible ways, which increases opportunities for funding. Historically, the funding has been focused on prevention vs. treatment and sustained recovery because there has been more data to back up the efficacy.  Recovery capital offers the ability to measure the data.







Resources







https://recoverycapital.io/









https://facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/2019/10/08/recovery-capital-its-role-in-sustaining-recovery/









https://r1learning.com/blog/2020/recoverycapital







https://www.chestnut.org/Resources/4c4bb112-3d59-4984-98cb-3b637378965a/Recovery-Capital-Scale.pdf







https://www.naadac.org/assets/2416/whitewlcloudw2008_recovery_capital_a_primer.pdf







https://recovery.gloo.us/rci







Books









https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Clean-Overcoming-Addiction-Treatment/dp/0814715826









Podcasts 









https://open.spotify.com/show/1gw27uGEHw3QDT5BkifWBR









Recovery Rebirth Podcast -- Sponsorship and Accountability with mentions of recovery Capital







https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudml2YWNpdHl2ZW50dXJlcy5jb20vZmVlZC8/episode/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudml2YWNpdHl2ZW50dXJlcy5jb20vP3A9MTIzOA?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjwwOjSjeb_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA