Paramount Recovery Services

It was over 10 years ago now, but I'll never forget the day I learned just how pervasive my alcoholic thoughts were. I was in early recovery, brand new in fact, when I would have these thoughts of lashing out, yelling, or just doing something taboo at the least opportune time. I was being helped by a man, a doctor, who later became my friend and mentor and since he was working me through the early days of my recovery from alcoholism I naturally went to talk to him. I explained my thoughts to him and he asked me if I acted on those thoughts and I, of course, said no. He then asked me if my bed was made, did I do all the things I was supposed to that day, and if I had tried to help another alcoholic to which I responded in the affirmative. He then said, "Welcome to early recovery. Your thoughts are crazy because alcoholism is a mental disorder that causes us to act crazy. Someone who isn't crazy doesn't drink their life to shambles. The good news is that the more you do

Leaving treatment and entering a sober living program is a time in a newly recovering person's life that is considered a "high-risk situation."  Although (typically happy, exciting, and upbeat) if the transition is not handled appropriately chances for relapse are high. I, Bryan Hullihen frequently talk about managing expectations to my team when working with clients in transition from treatment to aftercare and a consistent impediment is introduced. The question frequently asked is: How do we raise self-efficacy of our clients by allowing them to pursue regular parts of life (job, friends, fun, etc.) while keeping them safe from the vulnerabilities of the high-risk situation in which they are in? Your best aftercare and sober living programs in Arizona consider this question, and several others like it, and present solutions for these obstacles. When searching for a sober living program be sure to ask them how they mitigate the chances of relapse during transition whil

Beginning where we are in our personal development is especially important for alcoholics and addicts. Too many people today have an idea of what their desired outcome for attaining their goals looks like and end up getting stuck in the mental visualization of their success while failing to do what is necessary to actually get there. This can have deadly consequences for the person in early recovery because, for them, to not reach their goal of long-term sobriety often results in serious consequences or even death. Learning to relax and take it easy while being engaged in each moment of the process of early recovery is of paramount importance to the addict and alcoholic. Understand, and truly believe, that all of our dreams and desires are only possible by focusing on the here and now and attending to the recovery process. My name is Bryan Hullihen and I am an alcoholic with several years of continuous sobriety and I can tell you, from experience, that everything good I have in my li

As an alcoholic I have made so many mistakes over the years. I have landed in jails, prisons, and countless treatment centers. I have found myself homeless and, at times, too ashamed to call those who still love me for help. I have created so much wreckage in my past due to my alcoholism that even with several years of sobriety I haven't been able to make all of my amends yet. It's not that I haven't tried it just that there were so many I haven't been able to do them all yet. One night, not long ago, I was reflecting on my life and with years of sobriety and a moderate level of success in helping others improve their lives I began thinking about how I wanted others to see me. With that subtle character defect of mine working to creep back into my life a flood of fear and lack of acceptance followed. One of my primary defects of character is caring too much what others think of me. One of my favorite quotes is from Tom Brady - the QB for the New England Patriots - when