Making Changes in Recovery - Part One

2. Recognize that it takes 21 days-three weeks-for the behavior you adopt to stick. There will be relapses-such is the nature of recovery. When you fall off the wagon, forgive yourself, dust yourself off, and re-commit. Just because you slip up once or twice doesn't mean you're doomed to a lifetime of failures.

3. Use your support network for feedback and encouragement, as well as to have people who listen to you without judgment. Reach out to the other members of the Connection community by writing SharePosts here because you will get support-we've been in your shoes and even if it seems we haven't, we'll stand by you.

4. Pay attention to the voice inside you that tells you something isn't working. In your gut you know what needs to change and if you ignore the signs, you'll make yourself sick.

My workaholism was like any addiction with feelings of guilt and shame attached to the behavior. These feelings also surround being given a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The feelings could keep us stuck. I was determined to accept how I felt and to work through it and move on. My inspiration has been David Robbins, whose SharePost documenting his new response to the voices he's heard for 28 years proves that it's never too late to change. As I'm fond of saying, give yourself the gift of a lifetime in which to recover.

One thing I know: you can do it.

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Chris's sleep ticker: five days I shut the lights at 11:00 p.m.