You have no need to travel anywhere – journey within yourself. Enter a mine of rubies and bathe in the splendor of your own light.

Rumi

Dear Readers,

I was asked this question last week in E-mail. Currently our work in Pakistan and Morocco is underway. So many apologies for delay. After much research I came across this short article by Kelly from Arizona, she’s a brilliant and a very aspiring blogger behind A Hunger to Recover. Please do visit her brilliant blog for recovery tips. I found this information very useful. I hope you too will find it useful.

What are some common symptoms leading to relapse?

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Exhaustion: Becoming overly tired – workaholics.

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Dishonesty: Little lies and deceits – making excuses.

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Impatience: things do not happen fast enough – others not doing what they should.

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Argumentativeness: Arguing small ridiculous points of view – looking for an excuse to relapse/use disorder.

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Depression: Unreasonable despair – should be talked out.

Feeling blue

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Frustration: At people and things that may not be going your way.

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Self-pity: Why do these things only happen to me? Why am I like I am?
(Hint: Even if you do know why you are as you are – it does not change anything. You have to make changes.)

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Over-Confident: Thinking you have got-it-made – you no longer fear your addiction – and you take risks getting involved with people, places, and things that you know are high risk.

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Complacency: Thinking everything is ok, and “forgetting” about past negative consequences.

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Expecting too much from others: “I have changed, why has not everyone else?”

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Use of other substances: Rather than your eating disorder. (Switching addictions.)

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Personal expectations set too high: Setting goals that are unattainable, or that take time and effort to obtain and not willing to be patient and put in the hard work. “Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.”

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Forgetting what you were like –and how awful things were when you deep in the disorder. Learn to be grateful each day, even if the world seems a little less colorful to you – it will get better.

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Thinking you can have completely changed. Real change usually takes time. Granted change starts with making a decision, but, the saying practice makes perfect is as true today as when it was first said. Little by little, one step at a time, and staying focused on your goals – not your emotions.

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Stop the process before it gets started. Do not take chances, and remind yourself that there are so many better rewards in life when you remain in recovery!