Mental Health

In any mental health or recovery program, a big focus is not only on overcoming unhealthy behavioral patterns but replacing them with new healthy ones. Humans are habitual beings, and we tend to thrive on routines, rituals, and patterns. It is why the major cultural traditions and spiritual organizations of the world have always been rooted in ritual and repeated experience. The human brain is programmed to work in patterns.  Our brains reflect what we experience in conditioned mental structures. The majority of our deeply constructed beliefs about the world, ourselves, and others grow from our experiences and up-bringing. To replace belief systems or behavioral patterns that are no longer working for us, we must replace them with healthy patterns that will.

The concept of boundaries can be somewhat bewildering, as the word itself seems to insinuate that we are trying to separate ourselves from others and the world. However, boundaries in relationships and life are a way of nurturing ourselves and others in fulfilling ways, rather than in a draining and unhealthy manner.

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.

It is no secret that 2020 has felt rather challenging, to say the least. Amidst all the fear of a deadly virus, the immense loss of jobs and businesses, and a general lack of normalcy for probably months (maybe years) to come, there is this looming energy within it all, that makes us all squirm a little bit in discomfort: isolation. It’s necessary, and we know this, but that doesn’t mean we can’t acknowledge that it's hard to be alone through these tough times. Especially for those of us in recovery, who thrive within our communities and support groups, it's been a tough year. If you have made it this far, we are so PROUD of you! Just in case we have another lockdown around the corner, here are a few tips to not only survive but THRIVE through this next upcoming lockdown.

To say that recovery can be a challenging journey would be an understatement. We are re-learning how to deal with the most difficult moments life can deliver through a new lens throughout recovery. The good news is that working through these obstacles, though painful, can bring joy and satisfaction. In sobriety, we find that after being numb to most of our experiences, being able to feel a full range of emotions can be a treasure though it is often a tricky part of being human. The simple truth is that we cannot have one without the other. The good news is people have been navigating this “being human” thing since the beginning of time. While it is natural to want to feel good about ourselves and our lives, there is no way to go around the tough stuff. The only path to the other side is through the uncomfortable moments.  However, there are techniques we can use that will ground ourselves in the present experience helping to ease our way when our minds go astray.

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?

To say 2020 has been challenging feels like an understatement. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to focus on anything other than simply surviving. Which in a way, is what the entire process of recovery and healing can sometimes feel like, too.  In 2020 we had to persevere on our own, learning how to live in isolation in a healthy and sustainable way. We have experienced many joyous and gratifying moments too, but it can feel difficult to pinpoint them during such peculiar times. We now have the holidays and winter season approaching, with new challenges including the anticipation of another lockdown looming ahead. Under these circumstances, it is important to recognize we are not alone. We never are, even when it feels like it.

The correlation between substance use and mental illness is especially prevalent in the youth population for several reasons. First, at such a young age, a child’s brain is not fully developed. The brain is not considered fully developed until age 25, leading to very immature thought processes. Therefore, children have a more difficult time healthily processing their emotions. They do not understand why they feel the way they are feeling and may begin to find substances that help fix those issues. If they do not understand these issues, how do they relay them to an adult to receive help? With immature emotions, a child does not have the confidence to approach a parent or authority figure about emotional or substance issues. They can’t talk to their peers in a meaningful, objective way either, because their emotional immaturity presents them with the same roadblocks. It is vital to take an active role in a child’s life and make sure they know there are people they can talk to without ridicule or fear of punishment. These types of issues in childhood can be exacerbated in adults who do not realize their mental condition. Although there is a stigma surrounding mental illness, just as there is an addiction, it seems to be subsiding for mental illnesses. Many people don’t see addiction as a disease, but it becomes easier to understand if we can view it in the same respects as a mental illness. Substance use disorder (SUD) is categorized as a disease because it physiologically changes a person’s brain the same way a mental illness does. Neither of these is a choice. People do not choose to be mentally unwell, and they do not choose to be addicted. It’s important to understand where your unhealthy behaviors and habits come from and if they are influencing substance use so that you can receive the best possible care.

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.

The impact of trauma on the human brain can be profound as some areas of the brain can suffer physical changes from the traumatic event. The effects of experiencing trauma can lead to low quality of life for some due to the physical and mental impacts it has. There have been several studies that have shown that trauma can lead to memory loss and affect a person’s ability to recall memories. It’s not that the memories do not exist; they are just buried deep within the brain where they are not consciously accessible and in fact, these memories can create subconscious behaviors.

Some people are comfortable with predictability. They find it easier to cope if they can rely on a routine or some kind of constant in their life. When change happens, it can be hard to understand or assimilate. If there is any constant in life, it is actually that there is change. Some people are seeking out behavioral changes as a part of their recovery from substance abuse or mental health disorders. Actively seeking ways to change can be stressful and hard to manage, therefore finding the right kind of care during this critical time may be imperative.  Even after we receive treatment, we may have to deal with the changes during the early recovery process. Many treatment facilities will give its clients the tools during the aftercare planning process to help them manage and cope with life stressors. Many treatment programs will offer guidance to enter into an intensive outpatient program after residential treatment to provide the support and guidance needed to deal with the life changes that occur post-treatment. Joining an intensive outpatient program or any type of group therapy sessions after treatment is important because they provide opportunities to build strong support systems for the early recovery process.  Group therapy provides a space where you can allow yourself to feel vulnerable and process emotions caused by past and current significant life changes as well as actively interact with others who have not only experienced what you have gone through, but also experienced the changes that are happening in your early recovery journey.

Having healthy self-esteem and feelings of self-worth are some of the most essential characteristics that you could have. Self-esteem is defined as the way we view our worth or value and it directly impacts our decisions and thought processes. Some studies link low self-esteem to many mental health disorders and low self-esteem may also influence people to abuse drugs to avoid feelings of low self-worth.