When I went to FHE, I set a goal. My goal was to be able to navigate PTSD and mental illness. I knew then and I especially know now that tough days happen. Sometimes the tough stuff is just everyday life and stress; ask anybody’s budget lately. Other times it is whole new traumas that you never thought would happen in ... Read More
Alumni
At FHE we are very proud and supportive of our Alumni community. They are the proof of our clinical program and when they come to us with a desire to share their story of hope, we love to recognize them. We regularly reach out to alumni and ask them to share their perspective on: what they wish they knew before rehab, their treatment experience, and their thoughts on life in recovery. There is power in relatable experiences, and through their stories we hope you will identifiy with their messages.
Alumni Outlook: 6 Tips to Bounce Back From a Tough Day
The Pitfalls of Replacing Addiction With Another Addiction
Good ole cross-addiction, the act of laying down one addiction and picking up another. Drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, toxic relationships, shopping, and even eating all stimulate the brain's "pleasure center." For most of us in recovery, we can all recall a time when we convinced ourselves we needed to take a break ... Read More
Alumni Outlook: 4 Ways for Men to Overcome Social Anxiety
The complicated thing about anxiety is that it’s not something we wear on our sleeves. I can only speak for myself, but when anxiety kicks into my life, there are not too many visible signs. Of course, it can be if I am dealing with something horrible. Mostly, I get quiet and sit pretty still when the anxiety kicks ... Read More
Alumni Outlook: Using Anxiety to your Advantage (5 Tips)
Living with anxiety is an exhausting ordeal. The constant fixation on what can happen next in life is something that can isolate you from enjoying anything you have in the present. The human mind is the most powerful thing in the world; if anxiety is a real issue for you, you know how delusional your anxiety can be if ... Read More
Alumni Outlook: The Benefits of Humor in Recovery
I have a confession to make. Despite being a writer, I don’t know all the letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y. Some of you may have groaned, some shook their heads, and others laughed. “Dad jokes” and in my world, mom jokes, are the cringe-worthy jokes that I enjoy the most. While I will never make a career as a ... Read More
LOLZ: Laughter as a Healthy Coping Mechanism
There are not many things better in life than witnessing something so comical that it produces a guttural belly laugh. Why is it so great? Laughing naturally releases endorphins into your brain. Endorphins are the 'feel good' chemical that gets spread in our brains when we enjoy something. Think about eating that ... Read More
Lessons I Have Learned in Recovery
When describing my recovery journey, I do not say that I am recovered. This suggests that recovery ends. I think it is quite the opposite. Recovery and wellness, for me, is an ongoing journey. Recovery is a continuation of willingness to learn new things and admit the lessons learned along the way. The main lessons I ... Read More
6 Practices That Empower My PTSD Recovery
As addressed in my last article, PTSD is a tricky thing. Quite frankly, it can impact all areas of life and for me, increases feelings of hopelessness. Not only did traumatic events take away my power in the moment, the lingering effects of PTSD feel like they do the same for me. The good news is that there are things ... Read More
