Recovery Awareness Month 2023 – No One is Alone in Recovery
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and at Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is a word that is near and dear to our hearts. One of the tenets of our mission is to support and educate those in recovery, their families, and communities, but what does recovery awareness mean? The dictionary defines recovery as a return to a […]
The Health Benefits of Positive Thinking
Recently, I was with a group of women in recovery, and I asked everyone what they were grateful for – with a caveat. My car was in the shop, and I felt pessimistic about the looming deductible. I said, “I am grateful for many things, except I’d be more grateful if a tree had […]
Avoiding Addiction Treatment – The Back-to-School Excuse
The admissions specialists at Sanford Behavioral Health have heard every excuse in the book for avoiding addiction treatment. A person calls for information about Sanford’s programs, but “for future reference because it is not a convenient time.” During the holidays, there are mandatory work or family get-togethers. School is letting out in spring, or there […]
6 Reasons a Michigan Summer is Good for Mental Health
Michigan summer feels hopeful and restorative. Green is the color of life, nature, renewal, and energy. The color green is also associated with fertility, growth, and harmony. Blue stands for serenity, stability, inspiration, wisdom, and health. So, what better place to explore than Pure Michigan now that summer is here with all its shades of […]
6 High-Spirited Vacations Without Alcohol
Every year at this time, I think of those who are new to recovery. Summer vacation without alcohol can be stressful for the recently sober traveler. In my drinking days, a holiday began with the first glass of wine on the plane. It often ended with bruised shins, battered relationships, and a hangover from hell. […]
Walking for Lasting Addiction Recovery
A doctor friend of mine has an adage that applies to recovery from physical injury but also relates to addiction recovery. He says, “Use it or lose it.” In other words, moving your body, even on a slow walk, is good for what ails you. But do you know how good? Or that walking provides […]
6 Ways Michigan Summer Improves Mental Health & Recovery
Michigan Summer It’s Memorial Day weekend, and it finally feels like Michigan summertime has begun. Green is the color of life, nature, renewal, and energy. The color green is also associated with fertility, growth, and harmony. Blue stands for serenity, stability, inspiration, wisdom, and health. So, what better place to explore than Pure Michigan […]
Early Birds Enjoy Improved Mental Health
I will admit to being a card-carrying early bird. I am known for greeting house guests at 5 am with a hearty “good morning” when they stumble to the bathroom or drink water before returning to sleep. Twilight till noon is when I feel most productive and alive. Watching the sunrise on a deserted beach, […]
Mental Health Awareness Month – Join the Community
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the time to bring attention to mental health and its importance to overall health and well-being. At the same time, we are also experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States. In a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, Dr. Murthy raises the alarm about the impact of loneliness […]
Myth Busting – Non-Drinkers Are Not BORING
On a recent long road trip, I listened to the podcast Smartless for 17 hours. This was my only entertainment other than noting the decor in rest area bathrooms and the displays in roadside gas stations (which morphed from Slim Jim and antifreeze to oranges and baby alligator heads). Smartless is hosted by Jason […]
