Addiction

Love feels good. Love feels so good that it is often warned against in the early stages of addiction treatment, especially addiction to opioid drugs. Love produces all kinds of chemicals and hormones in the brain. During the early of phases of treatment when the brain still isn’t quite functioning at capacity, love can become a little overwhelming to the point of becoming a need- a need so great it almost turns into a craving and can even act like an addiction. “Rehab romance” or romantic fraternizing between clients during treatment, is frowned upon because it can meddle the mind and get in the way of focusing on treatment. However, new research suggests that a little bit of love could actually go a long way when it comes to opioid addiction treatment. More specifically, one group of researchers believe that the use of oxytocin could prevent opioid relapse. Relapse is a high risk for those in treatment and recovery for opioid addiction. Cravings are the most severe when opioid addiction is severe because of the intense way opioids change the way the brain manages pain and pleasure. Since love feels so good, the pleasurable effects of oxytocin could help in relapse prevention. Reporting on the research, Inverse cites one of the study’s authors who stated that the “findings in the review suggest the use of oxytocin, the pro-social hormone, could be an effective therapy for the prevention of relapse to drug use in drug-dependent individuals.” For the study, researchers looked at every available piece of existing research on oxytocin and made the revolutionary connection. “Research has shown that the oxytocin system is particularly affected by opioid use because of the role oxytocin plays in addiction,” the article explains. “Scientists believe that addictive behavior may indicate low levels of oxytocin.” Low levels of oxytocin can affect the way someone comprehends their social relations, how they bond with other people, manage stress, and interacts with memory. A lack of oxytocin could be the reason why so many addicts tend to share a feeling of being the odd man out or chronically separate from their peers. Unable to establish a feeling of connection with others can lead to isolation, which is a major red flag for relapse. Therefore, using oxytocin as a treatment method can encourage those feelings of connection, a greater sense of love and attachment, and a deeper desire to stay sober from opioids. Avalon By The Sea offers transformational growth and change through dedicated treatment programs for opioid addiction. From detox to outpatient, we provide our clients with excellence in care from our beautiful estate on the California coast. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Though exercise addiction is not listed as a diagnosable condition, it does affect people when it becomes a problem. What Causes Exercise Addiction? Mental health issues like a compulsive need to exercise despite negative consequences to the body have deep roots beyond exercise. Most often, exercise addiction is connected to a need for control. Exercise addiction is closely related to eating disorders, with a foundation in poor body image. Poor body image can come from bullying or even simple comments. Body image issues can also result from trauma. The “addiction” part of exercise addiction develops over time. A certain level of pleasure and reward is associated with the compulsive behavior of exercise. Repeatedly, this creates a strong connection in which the brain feels it needs to feel the reward of exercise when there is any negativity. For someone who feels out of control in their life for any reason, exercise becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with the stress of obsessive thinking. Does Exercise Addiction Only Involve Exercise? Since exercise addiction is so intimately tied to eating disorders, it usually is not an isolated effort. Eating disorder behaviors like restriction, binging, and even purging can accompany exercise addiction. Body dysmorphia is also a part of an eating disorder often times, skewing the perception one has of the shape and size of their body. What Are The Effects Of Exercise Addiction?

In 2015, a study published in Brain and Cognition examined the reaction of the brain to images of food on social media platforms like Instagram. 63% of the news feeds scrolled through by devoted users of social media are filled with images of food. Today’s food snapshots aren’t just a quick pic of what you’re eating. There’s an entire culture behind photographing food that makes magazines look like amateurs. People go out of their way to bring their sweet and savory creations or dining options to life, evoking envy- and apparently a significant amount of brain activity, in everyone who merely gets to look. According to Fox, “the brain undergoes dramatic neurophysiological changes in response to food images that exacerbate physiological hunger.” In layman's terms, when you’ve just eaten and are scrolling through your social media news feed as you digest, seeing pictures of taste-bud tantalizing food can cause you to feel hungry. For some people, this can be problematic. Those with a tendency toward weight issues, like those who might be clinically obese, were more responsive to pictures of food after eating than those at a healthy weight. Your physical health, specifically your weight, might be directly correlated by how severely you react to pictures of food, despite having food in your stomach. Images alone are not the only problem. For many years researchers have investigated the growing amount of hours spent on social media which can lead to many physical health problems. First of all, technology addiction can lead to a decreased amount of exercise and poor eating choices. Second of all, overuse of social media has been linked to poor body image and the development of eating disorders. Getting Away From Social Media Munchies Have you found yourself raiding the pantry after scrolling through social media? Here are some tips for maintaining a balanced recovery lifestyle when it comes to social media

Immediately after experiencing a traumatic event, there are signs and symptoms which clearly indicate that the brain has gone into trauma. Overtime, the symptoms of trauma can change and become less obvious. Instead they transform and change into coping mechanisms, means of survival, and ways of living. Traumatic events will be experienced by most people in their lifetimes but only a few people will ever develop any kind of symptom of living with trauma. Symptoms of trauma do not always indicate post traumatic stress disorder, which is a severe mental health disorder. Unfortunately, many people cannot recognize the simply symptoms of trauma which lead someone to live in emotional pain and distress. Trauma does not have to be PTSD to be severe and debilitating. If you believe you or a loved one might be living with the pain of untreated trauma, look for these signs. Recovery from trauma is possible. You can be healed. Emotional Signs Of Trauma Coping with trauma can take an emotional toll. Mood disorders like anxiety and depression frequently accompany trauma. Emotions can be experienced in an extreme way because they are heightened and difficult to regulate. Anger, depression, aggression, rage, denial, or emotional shut down might be the only way for someone living with trauma to express themselves. You will notice that they are emotionally different than normal. For example, someone who is usually upbeat and positive will become very quiet, mellow, or even melancholy. Conversely, someone who is typically more reserved might become outwardly spoken, highly opinionated, and act out. Physical Signs Of Trauma Trauma can be experienced through physical symptoms in addition to emotional symptoms. A change in diet, lack of exercise, or difficulty sleeping can all contribute to changes in physical health. Experiencing severe muscle stress can also be an issue. Racing heartbeat, seeming jumpy and defensive, being tense, tight, and on edge, can all be symptoms of trauma. Treating Trauma Without proper therapy, trauma can take a lifetime to heal, if it ever heals at all. When trauma turns into other issues like substance use disorder, eating disorders, process addictions, or disruptive mental health disorders, it needs residential treatment. Overtime, the mind, body, and spirit can heal from the effects of trauma. Avalon By The Sea offers residential treatment programs for trauma as a primary issue. Our serene estate on the beautiful coastline of California is the perfect home for healing mind, body, and spirit. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call 888-958-7511.

Food can make or break your mood. We can see how food changes the way our mind and body chemistry works through some simple examples. Coffee, which is caffeine, a stimulant, revs our engine, bringing excitement to our mind and our body. Sugar, another stimulant, does the same. We become hyper, aroused, highly sensitive. Both substances can lead to a crash, a difficulty staying awake, feeling extra exhausted, and sometimes being particularly emotionally erratic. Another example is water. Without water we become dehydrated, which slows our cognitive functioning, brings our energy level down, and causes us to get cranky. No example is more evident than the phenomenon of “hanger” when someone gets so hungry their mood changes and they become very angry. Our brains rely on the fuel and energy food gives us. In fact, there are essential amino acids which the brain can only receive from food that it absolutely needs to function. Feelings, mood, and emotion all live in the brain, yet we feel it in our stomachs and control it from our stomachs. Multitudes of new research is being devoted to investigating the mind-stomach relationship and how certain bacteria, called “gut bacteria” created in the stomach as the result of eating certain foods affects the brain and how it works. For recovery from mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders like addiction and alcoholism, eating a mood-focused diet is an important tool. The right food can help you manage your emotions, reduce your stress, Here are the most influential foods you can eat to boost your mood, brain activity, energy, and wellbeing: Salmon Salmon has all the omega-3 fatty acids and B12 vitamins your brain and body needs to optimum functioning. Avocado Put salmon and avocado together for a delicious treat. Avocado is a healthy fat, which the brain needs, as well as the bones in the body. Avocado also has high amounts of omega-3 acids. Green Vegetables Leafy greens and many other green vegetables have high levels of magnesium which the brain needs for managing serotonin and the body needs for relaxing the muscles. Berries Berries are packed with vitamins and nutrients. Eating a lot of fruit and berries helps train your body to appreciate a different kind of sugar outside of processed or refined sugar. Craving a strawberry over an ice cream will help the body and brain recover in a healthy way. Avalon By The Sea seeks to heal mind, body, and spirit. Each of our clients works with a nutrition specialist to create a specific diet plan. OUr residential programs include a private gourmet chef serving organic meals designed for encouraging recovery. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

One of the key characteristics of narcissism is not taking responsibility for him or herself. Usually demonstrated through an inflated ego, the way someone with narcissism goes about this can differ. They might make a mistake and simply refuse to accept responsibility for it. When told they have done something wrong, they might chronically blame other people, almost like an immature child. In more subtle ways, they will convince others that the fault really does belong elsewhere. Being the loved one in a relationship with someone living with narcissistic personality disorder can mean losing sight of what responsibility truly belongs to you or not. Psych Central highlights a few examples. Here, we explain the reality of each unrealistic responsibility.

Learning to live with mental health disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder really does mean learning to live with the mental health disorder. ADHD requires a specific way of living which helps manage energy, create organization, and still manage some relaxation. ADHD Needs To Be Organized Getting everything settled in an organized way is important in order to have a clear mind with ADHD. Organization and being settled go back in forth. In order to be settled, someone with ADHD needs to be organized. However, in order to get organized, often someone with ADHD needs to be settled. Creating to do list, using color codes for organizations, and prioritizing activities is helpful in both organization and creating a feeling of being settled, which helps clear an ADHD mind. ADHD Needs To Do Its Own Thing Everyone handles their ADHD in their own way. Those who have ADHD handle themselves differently than other people. ADHD comes with an abundant amount of energy which can’t easily be stopped. Exercising, running, dancing, and any other kind of physical movement can actually lead to the relaxation and focus ADHD needs. For others, constantly moving and doing something might not equate to relaxation. However you manage ADHD, just do it! You know what you need to work with ADHD and create relaxation for yourself, as well as organization and clarity of mind. ADHD Needs Extra Time Most schools offer accommodation for students with ADHD by offering them private testing environments with an extended amount of time to finish the test. Often, those with ADHD need just a little more time to get things done. When you’re planning your day, make room for extra time and plan on getting distracted. You’re learning to live with ADHD and work with it not against it. Distractions happen, accidents happen, mistakes happen. Forgetfulness is common with ADHD because the mind is moving so fast. ADHD Needs Patience Remember that you’re dealing with ADHD- erratic, unpredictable, and spontaneous. Some days will be easier than others! Have patience for yourself, especially when others around you seem to lost track of their patience for you. Use the tools above and each day will be a productive success. ADHD is one of the most commonly co-occurring mental health disorders with addiction and alcoholism. Often, it has gone undiagnosed and has become unmanageable. Avalon By The Sea excels in dual diagnosis treatment, providing quality residential care for mental health and substance use disorders. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

“Make up is self-confidence applied directly to your face,” one internet meme reads. Famous talk show host, tv show host, and supermodel Tyra Banks once said, “I love the confidence that makeup gives me.” Makeup mogul Bobbi Brown once said that he believes “all women are pretty without makeup and can be pretty powerful with the right makeup.” Many argue that makeup isn’t authentic. Many others argue that makeup can help someone be on the outside who they authentically feel they are on the inside, especially when they can’t show it on their own. Makeup can be a unique tool during recovery from a number of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and even substance use disorder. Feeling confident, looking a certain way, doesn’t mask authenticity but rather empowers someone in recovery to embody their authentic selves. Teen Vogue reports that there is a science behind putting your best face forward when you are feeling less than “pretty” inside and out. Mental health disorders like depression and anxiety include the obnoxious symptom of ruminating thoughts, getting caught in analysis, having anxious thoughts, feelings of pessimism or hopelessness, and more. Called “pitfall patterns”, according to the article, these thought processes “are linked to neurological processes in the brain that have been associated with depression and anxiety, and certain actions-- even those as seemingly simple as a skincare or makeup routine-- can help to uproot them.” Beauty routines like applying makeup during the day “can bestow some pretty powerful cognitive benefits on the brain,” the article writes. The act of putting on makeup, or engaging in any other beauty routine, interrupts the neurological process of negativity with something both positive, productive, and pleasurable. As a result, the process can’t continue and the negativity is stopped in its track. Beauty routines help the brain learn new ways to cope and makes new associations with pleasure. When depression and anxiety, or any other mental health disorder, is co-occurring with substance abuse, this can be an especially helpful tool. “Beauty has the potential to be so much more than just a hobby or a part of daily appearance management,” the article elaborates, “it’s a ritualized form of self-care, a much-needed avenue of routine and control, a means of creating the identity they wish to project, and a space for mindfulness and reflection.” Treating anxiety and depression as primary diagnosis or co-occurring with substance use disorders needs to be approached holistically. The residential treatment programs at Avalon By The Sea are designed to heal mind, body, and spirit. From our serene estate on the iconic coast of Malibu, California, we provide life changing and life healing treatment. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call 1 888-958-7511.

The word grateful is an adjective. According to definition, it is a “feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.” Gratefulness, or gratitude, is about thankfulness. It’s a feeling as well as an action. Being grateful is more than saying thank you or showing appreciation. It’s a feeling that you embody and embrace, incorporating it as part of your lifestyle. For recovery, gratitude is an essential practice, as well as feeling. Without gratitude, there is a lack in appreciation for recovery. Recovery isn’t always easy! Staying sober, not relying on old behaviors, staying away from destructive patterns, takes a lot of work. On some days the work is easy. Other days can be quite the challenge. Gratitude is easier to practice when things are good. We can be appreciative and thankful for what feels good and easy. We can feel less defensive or aggressive toward what doesn't cause us stress or challenge us in any way. Unfortunately, life isn’t always easy. Recovery is about learning to “live life on life’s terms” which means accepting that there are good days and bad days. Gratitude can be the bridge which walks us over troubled waters when the storms are raging. Even on the bad days, we can be grateful for a number of things in life. All we have to do is practice gratitude to find it. Here are a few ways how:

Borderline personality disorder is difficult to understand for those who live with it and those who are in relationships with people who have it. It seems there is no identifying the source of the relentless emotional pain which comes with borderline. Psychology Today reports on new research which has identified some of the sources of the emotional pain those with borderline experience on a daily basis.

Your time in treatment is all about you. Part of working on you involves making friends and creating connection with those around you.

Bipolar disorder can become an unruly part of life when it goes untreated. After a loved one finally enters treatment for bipolar disorder, you can start to take care of yourself while continuing to take care of them in a new way.