The Addiction & Recovery Resource Blog

What is Dry January?

• Mandy Sandhu
• 3 Jan 2022

No, it doesn’t mean January will be a dry month. Rainfall and moisture in the air won’t be low, and there won’t be a drought. Dry January means abstaining from alcohol during the first month of the new year. It has become a yearly tradition for many people since it began eight years ago. Others look at it as a...

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Can U.S. Residents Attend Rehab in Canada?

• Mandy Sandhu
• 16 Dec 2021

Canada has become one of the world’s top medical destinations due to the relative affordability, accessibility, and quality of care available in the country. It’s not unheard of for international residents, especially neighbouring people from the United States, to come and get professional medical attention at Canadian rehab centers. But can an American undergo rehab in Canada? The answer is...

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60+ Books About Addiction and Recovery

• Mandy Sandhu
• 13 Dec 2021

Substance abuse is a silent epidemic that's affecting countless people worldwide. The more we know about this complex condition, the more empowered we become to steer clear of personal addiction triggers—or give loved ones whatever they need to power through the journey towards lifelong sobriety.  Reading books about addiction recovery and memoirs of prominent personalities who share their struggles (which...

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Enjoyable Things to Do When Sober: 40 Winter Activities

• Mandy Sandhu
• 9 Dec 2021

For many reasons, wintertime can be particularly challenging for those in addiction recovery. You see less and less of the sun each day and are forced to stay indoors at times, making you vulnerable to winter blues. You’re excited about seeing family and friends but at the same time agitated about the thought of being near alcohol or drugs at...

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Setting Goals in Addiction Recovery

• Mandy Sandhu
• 6 Dec 2021

Most people who suffer from addiction don’t only battle with the addiction itself. Concurrent disorders, strained relationships, isolation, and many other issues that could have arisen due to the addiction and trigger a relapse in the future are among their challenges as well. This is why setting healthy addiction recovery goals is a helpful process that considers multiple angles of...

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8 Mental Health Documentaries to Add to Your Watch List

• Mandy Sandhu
• 2 Dec 2021

Documentaries generally help us see and understand various aspects of our world a little clearer. Meanwhile, mental health documentaries give us a window to the world within. The best mental health documentaries raise awareness on various mental health issues as well as provide us with ideas on how we can all nurture the inner workings of our minds far better. ...

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What Is a Behavioural Addiction?

• Mandy Sandhu
• 11 Nov 2021

When we talk about addiction, we immediately think about alcohol dependence and illicit substances. However, did you know that there are also addictive behaviours interfering with and negatively affecting a person’s quality of life? Despite emerging evidence, behavioural addiction is still a fairly new phenomenon being debated by experts. Many still question whether behavioural addiction is considered a “real” addiction. ...

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5 Tips for Managing Stress in a Demanding Work Environment

• Mandy Sandhu
• 1 Nov 2021

The latest surveys reveal that work is the most significant source of stress for Canadians. It’s the main reason cited by one in five individuals who quit their jobs during the pandemic. Nothing good ever comes out of a highly stressful work environment. It only triggers a cascade of consequences that negatively impacts both employees and employers.  The World Health...

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12 Most Stressful Jobs According to Research

• Mandy Sandhu
• 14 Oct 2021

It is said that the average person will spend around 90,000 hours at work within their lifetime. With so much time dedicated to work, this makes any career-related decision a crucial and responsible one—whether it’s a decision to start a specific career, shift to another one, or stay within a current field. Research tells us that there are, indeed, specific...

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Habit vs Addiction: How to Know the Difference

• Mandy Sandhu
• 7 Oct 2021

In day-to-day conversations, the words “habit” and “addiction” can sometimes be used interchangeably when talking about substance use. However, it’s important to understand that these words are very different. While habits can be either good or bad, virtually all addictions are in some way harmful. And when talking about how to end harmful habits and addictions, the approach is different...

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