Addiction

Step ten of the twelve steps originally outlined by the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous reads, “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.” Step ten is one of three steps considered to be the maintenance steps. Ten, eleven, and twelve of the twelve steps are the steps incorporated into daily living to ensure ongoing participation in one’s recovery. Taking regular inventory, making amends where necessary, meditating, praying, and being of service to others should all be part of one’s daily life. Each serve a distinct purpose for maintaining serenity and freedom from the bondage of self.

What is the definition of “recovery”? By one definition, recovery means returning to a “normal state”. Normal may not ever be a reality for those who suffer from a mental health disorder. What the normalcy the definition refers to is in health, mind, and strength. Another definition of recovery sees it as “the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost”. Addiction, alcoholism, and mental health issues can certainly make us feel as though we’ve lost our sense of normalcy when it comes to our physical health, mental health, and our strength. We lose strength of mind, strength of heart, as well as strength of spirit. We lose our strength in being able to cope with life on life’s terms and do what is required of us to maintain.

Addiction can take many forms. One of the characteristics of addiction is impulsivity, recklessness, lack of foresight (thinking about consequences), and thrill-seeking. Together, these character traits can cause someone to become a walking, talking experiment. Willing to try anything, an addict in the making is susceptible to try getting intoxicated or high off of obscure substances. Commonly, the information about the “high” is rarely accompanied by information about the side effects. Consequently, many can find themselves getting sick or putting themselves at risk for severe health complications or even death.

Holding to go to treatment for support with a mental health disorder or to seek recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is life changing decision. Treatment is an opportunity to heal, regain your health, and learn about how to cope in life with your mental health issue. Treatment is different for everyone and each treatment facility is a little bit different from the next. However, there are some components of treatment which are similar across the board. Preparing for treatment won't give you control over all of your  experiences but it will help you be informed for what is coming up during this time of change in your life.

Research has found that substance abuse or recreational experimentation with drinking or drug use in adolescent years has a long lasting effect. People are more likely to become fully developed addicts or alcoholics if they experimented with substances in their early years. Additionally, it can cause an early reaction to substance abuse, creating long lasting damage in the heart, brain development, and more. Adolescence is a precious time. The body is ripe for formation. Hormones are changing, personality is developing, and memories are being made. The memories we make in adolescence are some of our strongest memories. Our early teenage years and our early twenties can feel more vivid and alive than any other time. If our memories of those nostalgic years are riddled with episodes of substance abuse, our brain has a funny way of making that association for a lifetime.

Most treatment facilities which offer programs for recovering from drug and alcohol addiction incorporate regular attendance to sober support meeting like those of Alcoholics Anonymous. Going to meetings for the first time can be strange, new, and overwhelming. Here are a few quick tips for what you need to know about going to your first meeting.

Journaling isn’t all about the “dear diary” and recording our every thought and whimsy throughout the day. For loved ones in recovery, journaling is an important practice for mental health. Research has found that spending just twenty minutes of writing for three days in a row two weeks before a medical procedure healed fully within eleven days. Comparatively, those in the same group experiencing a medical procedure who did not spend anytime journaling did not recover fully. Conclusively, the study found, journaling is healing. Specifically, journaling about thoughts, feelings, or distressing events is is healing. The researchers found that one hour of writing can help someone make sense of what is going on in their lives and reduce the effect of distress.

Treatment for substance use disorder and mental health disorders at Avalon follows the sanctuary model, allowing for complete healing. Fully embracing what treatment has to offer can require avoiding certain temptations and adhering to rules more strictly.

There are prices to pay in adulthood for alcoholism in youth. Even if one seeks treatment and becomes sober at a young age, the drinking done in earlier years will prove to be problematic later on. Compared to non-drinkers, drinkers, even those who got sober at a young age, have two to three more medical problems, according to new research published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs.

Author Tennessee Williams in his iconic work, The Glass Menagerie, eloquently and simply stated that “Time is the longest distance between two places.” Much of philosophical inquiry and scientific research of various disciplines has sought to define, manipulate, or even stop time. At once time is permanent and time is elusive. Time can be incredibly long and intolerable to endure or time can fly by without a chance of keeping up. A currency of life, time determines so much of what we do and how we do it. We are often told not to take time for granted and to make the most out of every moment.

Unfortunately, once we go to treatment to enter recovery from an alcohol addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, not everyone joins us. Though we take some time to heal and work on ourselves, the world outside continues on as it does. For those of us who come from social circles revolving around drinking activities, the prospect of returning can be daunting. Will we be able to stay friends with our friends, join them in outings, and partake in the festivities? The experience is different for each person, but here are some general and shared thoughts.

Sixty percent of people in relationships are not satisfied. Typical problems contribute: finances, stress, lackluster sex life, children, and smartphones. A decade ago, smartphones weren’t part of anyone’s problem. Since smartphones became an integrated part of life, study has been conducted to understand how deeply that integration goes. Various studies have revealed that smartphone interaction changes our brain chemistry, causes insomnia, contributes to depression, and can make us feel more isolated from the world.