Healthy Living

The year 2020 was a total rollercoaster. But we made it through, and are looking ahead to what comes next in 2021. Now that the holidays are over and the ball has dropped in Times Square, your thoughts may be turning to New Year’s resolutions and how you can make positive changes that are good for you going forward. Whether you want to be more present or reconnect with friends and family, each step you take toward the version of yourself that you want to be can be looked at as a part of your recovery. Recovery is most often defined as the process of restoring your body and mind to an optimal state of health. This includes rediscovering pieces of yourself that may have gotten lost along the way. As we say goodbye to 2020, we’ve outlined SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery to help you on your quest for healing and self-discovery in the new year so that you can make meaningful progress toward your goals with a clear focus and vision.

Watching someone who has problems controlling either their impulsive or compulsive behaviors can be troubling, but it’s first necessary to be able to name and identify the behavior for a person to ultimately get the appropriate help they need. Both of these behaviors are significant since they can take a huge toll on a person’s mental health and require attention if not kept in check. Understanding the difference between impulsive and compulsive behavior is crucial since these behaviors often occur in addiction or other co-occurring disorders.

The goal and responsibility of treatment are to help you overcome your addiction and attain the tools to sustain a productive and meaningful life of sobriety. You should not view treatment as your only responsibility to overcome and rid yourself of your addiction, disease, or disorder. Remember, recovery is a lifelong process. For some, realizing the amount of work that goes into staying sober is intimidating and can deter them from seeking help.  While treatment cannot cure your addiction, it offers you a look at the person and life you could be living while sober, and this can stand to inspire and motivate you. It also connects you with people with whom you can form meaningful relationships to help keep you on the path to recovery. Still, you might worry about your responsibilities after treatment. So, let's take a look at what happens after treatment ends and how you can best prepare yourself with an aftercare plan to handle everyday life challenges in the real world.

When you’re suffering from crippling anxiety it can feel nearly impossible to spare any excess energy on worrying about what you should or shouldn’t eat. Choosing food that is good for your body and brain, however, is one of the easiest things you can do to support your mental health. By making a few simple changes to your overall diet, you can experience improved anxiety symptoms.

Mental health and emotional health are getting a lot of attention as of late in light of the COVID pandemic. They both play a significant role in your overall well-being and influence your thoughts and actions. Together, mental and emotional health act to help us process and properly respond to all of the different stresses in life. It is especially important to tend to your mental and emotional health since untreated mental or emotional problems may lead to substance abuse. While the terms mental and emotional health are often used interchangeably, they each carry a distinct meaning.

With the stroke of the clock on every midnight of New Year’s Eve, an exciting mix of unrealized possibilities and hopes rushes in for the new year ahead. The energy surrounding this coming year feels unquestionably different than in past New Year’s. With lockdowns and a pandemic still part of our everyday reality, 2021 at first glance looks like a year with seemingly grim circumstances to enter into. A small shift in perspective can reveal that this year holds unique opportunities.

Self-care has become somewhat of a buzzword in the health, wellness, and recovery worlds. While it is essential, taking time for oneself is often associated with the idea of chocolate indulgence and spa days rather than the mundane moments of the everyday. The reality is, self-care can resemble both of these experiences. However, it is important to note that the majority of self-care is moment-to-moment. When put into practice with self-awareness, it involves having boundaries with ourselves and others, re-framing our relationships with everything, and re-establishing them in a healthy manner. Honoring our commitments to being healthy individuals physically, mentally, and spiritually serves every part of our lives.

Yoga has taken health and wellness communities by storm over the last decade. Most of us either are or know somebody who is regularly attending yoga classes that include a variety of physical postures, breathing exercises, and perhaps even meditation for a more aware and wholesome well-being. As a whole, most of us are aware of the superficial benefits of yoga: flexibility, strength, relaxation, and stress relief. Yet, there is a relatively new surge of mindful and yogic programs popping up in recovery spaces and communities. So, how do these ancient practices aid people in recovery? What is the relationship between yoga and recovery?

The drug counseling community has reported an increase in relapse since the beginning of the global pandemic, so we know isolation is affecting those suffering from addiction. Regardless of COVID-19, engaging in addiction treatment and the recovery process can be difficult. There may always be issues with motivation, time management, or financial resources that prohibit you from seeking or completing treatment. But how do you deal with recovery during a global pandemic? More importantly, how do you prevent relapse after treatment with the potential to not be able to engage in a structured aftercare program or in-person therapy?  Here are 3 ways to deal with urges and unwanted emotions while in social isolation:

When you see someone you care about struggling, you may have an urge to help them by any means as it is human nature. Someone who struggles with mental health and substance abuse disorders needs a strong support system to walk through every step of the recovery process. You may be finding it difficult to tell the difference between supporting your loved one and enabling them. A sign of enablement would be allowing your loved one who is struggling to continue with unhealthy behaviors. It does not help your loved one in the long run and often leads to added stress on your life and can hinder your loved one’s path to recovery even more. To maintain a healthy, supportive relationship, it’s crucial to learn the differences between support and enablement.

Whether the pandemic or recovery has thrown your lifestyle for a loop, finding healthy ways to cope with significant life changes is essential for success. Lifestyle changes can cause anxiety and depression, among other issues. Keeping up a schedule as much as possible while maintaining a healthy diet are two of the easiest ways to deal with changes in your life.

Neurofeedback is the use of electronic instruments to learn more about a person’s body’s physiological functions. This includes the functions of the brain, which is called neurofeedback. The concept is based on neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and adapt through reorganization. In neurofeedback therapy, EEG tests monitor brain waves and how a person reacts to certain stimuli. Over time, the brain can become conditioned to respond differently to the same stimuli. Neurofeedback and conditioning of the brain play a significant role in relapse prevention.