“What are you feeling?” It sounds like a fairly straightforward question. Yet for many of us, particularly in recovery, it can be surprisingly difficult to answer. We may know that something is wrong without knowing exactly what it is. We say that we feel “bad”, “stressed”, “fine”, “angry”, “overwhelmed” or simply “not right”. Sometimes we describe what we want to do rather than what we are feeling: “I feel like having a drink”, “I want to get out of here”, “I just want every

When life begins to settle, calm can feel surprisingly uncomfortable. In recovery, learning to feel safe may take time, support and gentle practice. Explore why quiet can leave you restless, how to approach steadiness at your own pace, and what it means to build a meaningful, connected life without constant chaos.

“Take a deep breath.” It is usually offered with the best intentions. Sometimes it helps enormously. At other times, you are sitting there with your chest tight, your thoughts racing and somebody encouraging you to breathe while you wonder whether they have noticed that breathing is already part of the problem. Perhaps you have tried meditation and spent the entire time wanting to leave the room. Perhaps counting things you can see feels useful on one day and irritating on an

When emotions, cravings or triggers feel overwhelming, the urge to react can seem immediate. Explore practical DBT-informed skills that can help you pause, regulate, check the facts and choose a response that supports your recovery, wellbeing and the life you are building.

Your body often knows you’re struggling before your mind has found the words. Explore how stress, emotional overload and recovery challenges can appear as physical signals, and learn to respond with curiosity, compassion and practical care.

A lapse does not have to become a full relapse. Learn how to respond with honesty, responsibility and self-compassion, recognise what happened, reconnect with support and strengthen your recovery plan without getting trapped in shame.

Relapse often begins long before someone drinks, uses or returns to an addictive behaviour. This post explores the early warning signs we can easily miss — from denial and isolation to slipping routines, resentment and complacency — and how recognising these patterns sooner can give us more time, support and choice in recovery.