cleansemyriver

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July 2025

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Healthy Habits: June

Doc here: this is a very important topic area for achieving any sort of goal, especially extinguishing behaviors associated with an addiction disorder. For me, the disorder’s condition is unavailable for being completely extinguished. Eventually a healthy sustained state of remission is achievable, providing sufficient training is done. How is this possible? Healthy habits that support a…

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Let's do this!

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Psychosomatic Illness and the Spiritual Layers

Research on psychosomatic illness—”psycho” meaning mind and “somatic” meaning bodily—started with Freud and other early psychoanalysts. Patients would see a doctor for a variety of physical complaints like stomach pains and headaches, yet doctors couldn’t find any clear medical cause. Freud observed that when such a patient had an emotional breakthrough, the physical symptoms would clear up. This…

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Overcoming Obstacles

As David (the Big V) has mentioned many times during group, to overcome challenges or obstacles associated with early addiction remission, one must first, “get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Great concept: it nourishes resilience too and is a pre-requisite for mastering just about any talent or skill. According to Mr. Keller, author of “Infinite Recovery” addiction remission is a skill…

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The Merrimack Way turned 3 today!

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March: In The Moment

Staying present is a cornerstone of recovery from addiction, as it helps individuals focus on the here and now rather than being overwhelmed by regrets of the past or anxieties over the future. Addiction often thrives on escapism, with individuals using substances or behaviors to avoid uncomfortable emotions or situations. By cultivating mindfulness and grounding techniques, those in recovery can…

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Positive Self Image

Building a positive self-image is a journey that requires self-awareness and intentional effort. It begins with acknowledging and accepting who you are, including your strengths and weaknesses. Embracing your individuality and understanding that everyone has unique qualities allows you to stop comparing yourself to others. Instead of focusing on perceived flaws or shortcomings, focus on…

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Quote for the Day

“Our humanity rests upon a series of learned behaviors, woven together into patterns that are infinitely fragile and never directly inherited.” – Margaret Mead “We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude.” ― Thomas S. Monson

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2025 Begins: Let's Think About Change

What do you think about our first featured image for 2025? Thank you very much, Richard! Now let’s read what William has to Tell us … lol New Years is often a time for attempting life changes. Quitting drinking or drugging might be something that you are thinking about. Thinking about quitting an addiction is a pivotal moment that marks the beginning of a difficult yet potentially transformative…

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Reflection & Renewal

Hope Everyone has an enjoyable holiday season! Are humans worthy creatures? Emotional Deprivation numbers say maybe not... In the ARMOR Program it has been recognized that an extremely high percentage of addiction disorders are associated with insufficient Affirmation during childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, or even currently. Healthy human lifestyles arise from feeling genuinely loved,…

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Family Relationships and Addiction

Hope everyone has a pleasant fall season!

Impact of Addiction on Family Relationships Emotional Distress: Families experience intense emotions like fear, sadness, and frustration. Children, in particular, may suffer from anxiety, depression, and insecurity. Financial Strain: Addiction often leads to financial instability due to medical bills, legal issues, or job loss. This can strain relationships further. Loss of Trust and…

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Remission: Coping with Cues & Triggers

Coping with cues and triggers when dealing with alcohol or drug dependence is crucial for maintaining sobriety and avoiding relapse. One effective technique is to develop a strong support network. Surrounding yourself with understanding friends, family, or support groups can provide a buffer against the temptation to use substances. Engaging in regular communication with your support network can…

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Slim Survival III

No guestroom for the least of us. Ritual is an ambiguous term, meaning different things to different people. The word easily generates confusion and leaves us feeling unsettled about what constitutes a “Ritual.” We have our own in-house ARMOR view as well, a perspective which will be disclosed as our news brief unfolds. It involves a few cognitive functions done sequentially, while resonating…

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Slim Survival II: Timing is Everything

                                                                                                                 Pilled higher& Deeper                                         Doctor of Philosophy A doctor’s note – have you ever got involved with a project, like providing a service of some kind or designing an ingenious invention? As it progressed you thought you were onto one of the greatest…

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Slim Survival: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave!

Most Homeless Addiction Disorders have been neglected and abused since early childhood. How do we help them now feel worthy of love? AFFIRMATION (love and respect).

First allow me to apologize for such a long delay between news briefs. As much as our editor Bill S. has been holding up his end of things just fine, grandiosity led Doc astray once again. He figured adding videos to these news briefs would be a breeze. The idea is to improve comprehension via conceptualization. Unforeseen challenges of confidentiality, stigma, reviving traumatic experiences and…