Blog - Page 3 of 4 - Rochna Hazra, LPC

MANIPULATION: A Symptom of Powerlessness

Manipulation is a tool that is often used by addicts as well as their families. (It is especially common with people who have grown up as children where one or both parents were addicts or codependents. When it works, the manipulator feels like a winner and the manipulate has an uncomfortable feeling that he or she cannot put their finger on. Ironically enough, manipulation has its roots in the belief that we are powerless and that we cannot get our needs met by the simple act of asking. It springs from the belief that if we ask for what we [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:22+00:00December 18th, 2014|For Spouses|0 Comments

Miracles seldom occur in the lives of those who do not consider them possible — Neale Donald Walsh

Remember the time when you did not believe that you could ever stop drinking, popping pills or using porn? It seemed so impossible that you were even afraid to try. In fact, you did not even want to try because you already had and failed. Then maybe you hit rock bottom. You came face to face with the reality of the consequence of your behaviors. Maybe someone took you to a 12 Step meeting and you looked and listened in wonder as people talked about being sober for 1 year, 5 years or 30 years. For the first time, you [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:22+00:00December 2nd, 2014|Anxiety, Depression|0 Comments

What comes out of you when you are squeezed is what is inside of you –Wayne Dyer

Throughout our day, we are engaged in activities that will make our lives "better", easier, more secure, happier, or make others happy. We avoid adversity, or anything that may bring adversity upon us. And yet, if you look back at our lives, we see that when times have been hard, we have stepped up and taken on challenges that we never thought we could handle. We have all heard the story of Candace Lightner , the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Candace founded MADD when her thirteen year old daughter died when a drunk driver hit her and [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:22+00:00November 24th, 2014|Alcoholism, For Spouses, Relapse Prevention, Sex Addiction|0 Comments

5 Myths About Relapse

Relapse is not uncommon in the Recovery process. It can happen right after rehab or several years after you have been sober. However, Relapse is not inevitable either and in order to avoid it, it is important that we debunk the many myths that surround Relapse. Myth #1: You cannot predict Relapse Fact: Relapse does not come on suddenly. It follows a pattern where we begin to stray from recovery behaviors gradually move on to high risk patterns of thinking and action. There are many warning signs that people close to us may notice but we may fail to pay [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00November 13th, 2014|Relapse Prevention|0 Comments

Accept it as if you chose it — Eckhart Tolle

Accept it as if you chose it -- Eckhart Tolle A few months back, I was experiencing a difficult situation in my personal life. As I struggled through the situation — one day fighting to change it and another fighting the urge to want it to change, I began listening to the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle. This is one of my favorite books and I have listened to it many many times over the years. I thought i knew everything the book said but I was desperate to change how I was feeling and grasping for direction. I [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00November 2nd, 2014|Anxiety, Depression, For Spouses|0 Comments

Depression Myths and Facts

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2012), an estimated 16 million adults in the US aged 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This represents 6.9 percent of all U.S. adults. 80% of people that have symptoms of clinical depression are not receiving any specific treatment for the disorder. The reason many of your patients may not mention symptoms is that mental health issues carry a special stigma in our society. Far too often those who would benefit from treatment don’t get it due to lack of knowledge and misconceptions about [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00October 24th, 2014|Depression|0 Comments

Conscious Action, Conscious Life

A life lived of choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived of chance is a life of unconscious creation. --- Neale Donald Walsh Awareness is the core of Recovery. We were lead into our addictions by being unconscious of what is really going on inside of us. Being unconscious or unaware of our real feelings, we just try to mindlessly numb them with alcohol, drugs, porn or sex. Recovery is about conscious action. Conscious action is Sober Action. When we take the time to get in touch with what is going on inside, we gain control over [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00July 7th, 2013|Depression|0 Comments

Sex Addiction: A Brain Disease

There have been many scientific advances on addictive behaviors and how the brain works. It is believed that the brain slowly molds drug behaviors and addictions through brain circuitry, genes, and how environmental factors affect them. Alcohol especially seems to have a strong effect on the brain, which may in turn develop into an addiction and can even be passed through hereditary genes. NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow claims that “Drug addiction is a brain disease”. He further states that while drug and alcohol may originally be taken voluntarily, it very quickly spins out of control and the user [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00July 7th, 2013|Sex Addiction|0 Comments

Sex Addiction: It All Starts Inside Your Brain

Researchers believe that all addictions, whether they are for work, pornography, eating, sex, or gambling have very similar processes going on inside the brain. Dr. Sabine Grüsser-Sinopoli of Germany believes “Addiction is all the same”. This ideology is very profound in that it means any overindulgence we choose to partake of may in fact become an addiction with negative effects to our health. Many of us like to dismiss pornography as something harmless, with a “Guys will be Guys” attitude. Others believe that it is destructive to families and demeaning to women. However, regardless of whether society or our environments [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00July 7th, 2013|Sex Addiction|0 Comments

Six Signs you are Living with an Addict

Living or growing up in a family where one or more family members are addicted to a alcohol, prescription drugs or have compulsive behaviors can be challenging. We strive to cover up, bail out while trying to survive ourselves. Life feels confusing and sometimes insane. We love our family and want to help them, but our attempts to help them stop are rejected. Very often, we look back and see how living with an addict has changed us. We may see strengths, but often we see parts of us that we don't really like. The Need to Control: We have a [...]

By Rochna Hazra, LPC|2017-12-07T21:57:23+00:00July 7th, 2013|Alcoholism, For Spouses, Sex Addiction|0 Comments