Mental Health

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when someone has witnessed a traumatic event – and many people find that the symptoms are incredibly disruptive to their daily lives. Those with PTSD may experience nightmares, flashbacks, paranoia, anxiety, depression and more, and this can lead to people wanting to abuse substances in order to get through the discomfort of their PTSD symptoms. Much tension is held throughout the body in those with PTSD because of being startled easily, overly stressed, easily angered, or due to having issues with insomnia. If this is something you’ve been struggling with, addiction recovery is a great place to begin working through the physical, mental and emotional symptoms that have held you back in making the most of your life.  Holistic practices treat the mind, body and spirit in a way that is restorative – and if your doctor recommends it, massage therapy could be a great form of treatment. Most people in the U.S. have experienced some form of trauma at least once in their lives, and with so many different experiences that can be had with PTSD, treatment like massage therapy can bring back a loving, compassionate tone to a person’s recovery journey. Previous studies have explored just how powerful massage therapy can be – even for people such as firefighters, who are exposed to traumatic incidences regularly. Massage therapy was found to significantly improve the symptoms of PTSD in many of these workers, which can mean a lot in a person’s daily life.  Massage therapy reduces cortisol (a stress response) and increases serotonin (which regulates mood, sleep, appetite, etc.) and dopamine (the “feel good” chemical). With this, people in addiction recovery can feel less anxious and less in danger, as massage therapy can provoke feelings of security. For someone who struggles with both addiction and PTSD, massage therapy could be just one of many areas of treatment that could make a world of difference.

Even after we’ve gone through the detoxification process and our body is flushed from toxins acquired from addiction, we have to continue the healing and rejuvenation process of our mind, body and spirit. From the beginning of the period when we developed an addiction, we’ve covered up many aspects of our lives that serve great purpose in living a meaningful life; many people find that painful, deep emotions lie further down within and they become harder and harder to grasp, and it becomes even more challenging to express our emotions as time – and the addiction – go on. Throughout recovery, we have to pay close attention to our thoughts and emotions, because these are what shape our perceptions – and perception is what guides us in life.   Emotional sobriety could be defined differently depending on the person, but it’s generally about acceptance, managing emotions in healthy ways, and practicing self-awareness so that we can continue to thrive in recovery. For anyone who has struggled with addiction, emotional sobriety is not an easy task – especially when we don’t have a firm grasp on healthy coping mechanisms for strong emotions like anger, depression, anxiety, sadness and more. The reality is that when a person is emotionally sober, they’re able to sit with whatever discomfort they’re experiencing. They’re no longer escaping those emotions in search of a “high” – and it takes some time to get ot this period.  For many in recovery, substances once served as a crutch – a way to avoid life’s seemingly endless problems that have weighed so heavily on one’s shoulders. When uncomfortable emotions would arise, alcohol or drugs would cover up that feeling – and while it seemed like it solved all problems, it was only temporary. Addiction really forces people to shut away all of the thoughts and feelings that come with having real human thoughts and emotions. Recovery is sobering not just on a physical level, but on an emotional one, too – and that’s where we can find growth and ultimate transformation. Those who’ve been in recovery for some time can attest to the fact that emotional sobriety requires slowly and steadily reminding oneself all of the people, places and things that could throw them off in recovery – and instead of immediately reacting, taking in the discomfort with and allowing oneself to sit with the emotion while they process it.  There are many steps you can take on a daily basis to maintain emotional sobriety, but you have to recognize that you’re not always going to want to take these steps. When you’re feeling great, you’ll clearly notice that you’re taking strides towards your recovery goals – but on the bad days, the days when you want to give up or when you’re feeling angry, you have to keep using the strategies of emotional sobriety and not give in to relapse. While unhealthy distraction – such as reverting to drinking or using other substances – is definitely dangerous when it comes to sobriety and maintaining your recovery journey, there are other ways that you can distract yourself that are much healthier options. When painful thoughts or emotions arise, you can choose to subtly distract yourself in order to distance yourself from pain or discomfort that could send you into relapse.  Much of the mental and emotional processing involved with this includes changing your thought patterns to be more constructive and helpful for recovery. It’s easy to immediately react to situations, people or our emotions, but emotional reactions aren’t always beneficial – and putting some more logic into the equation could prevent a relapse episode altogether. Whether you believe it or not – oftentimes, when we set the thought or intention, our emotions will follow afterwards. By following up the uncomfortable thought or feeling with something positive, you’re initiating something different in your mind to break up that space of negativity.   CBT is a therapy approach that helps people break up old, negative thought patterns with newer, more productive ones. You can work closely with your therapist ta Avalon Malibu to work on CBT skills that are manageable for you – and you’ll find that you’re well on your way in maintaining emotional sobriety. If you’re ready to seek help for an addiction, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. It’s never too late to begin living the life you’ve always wanted – and that always begins with your health and wellbeing.

Note: If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters and you are not alone. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects people all across the world, with many of them being women. BPD is typically characterized by an intense fear of abandonment, unstable self-image, self-harm, anger and irritability, and more. Unfortunately, death by suicide takes many people in this community. It’s common with this type of disorder to feel misunderstood and feel an inner sense of turmoil that can’t easily be addressed. For those diagnosed with BPD, self-harm is another devastating occurrence – and the more support that is provided to these individuals, the higher the recovery rate can be. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a program typically used to help treat BPD and is a structured program that features cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. For many with BPD, the world is seen in “black and white” – that is, people or events may be seen as “one thing” or “another” and it’s rather challenging for those with this disorder to see the in-betweens. There are 4 major areas of DBT that can really help people with BPD in recovery:

There is so much pain that we experience throughout our lives, yet many of us haven’t been taught healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with these challenging, heartbreaking situations. We spend months, sometimes years, searching for something that will ease the discomfort that we’re feeling; we begin abusing alcohol or drugs to numb the pain and take away the agony – and while it seems to work temporarily, the reality is that over time, we find that we’re not able to get rid of the hurt completely. If you’re ready to dive into some creative, holistic approaches to healing in addiction recovery, you’ll find that music therapy is worth looking into. On the surface, music therapy may be depicted as simply listening to music and finding relief from it; while this could certainly be true, it takes a much stronger precedent in addiction recovery. In fact, music therapy could be defined as a health profession where music is used for therapeutic healing – to address cognitive, emotional issues, physical concerns, and social needs of people in recovery. While addiction recovery is certainly the main focus of treatment, music therapy can also tend to the unique needs of individuals such as those with emotional or behavioral concerns, depression, anxiety, and other related issues. Music therapy is holistically a creative process that could involve more than simply listening to music, but could also involve activities like creating songs, singing, dancing, interpreting the lyrics to songs, and so much more.   Music therapy truly provides a unique mode of communication in which those in recovery can discover some of the core beliefs they’ve picked up throughout their lives – and even for instances in which it’s difficult to talk about, music can bring out important messages through emotion.  Music therapy sessions are always led by a licensed therapist, and it often begins with the therapist trying to get ot know the client a bit better and what their needs are. From there, a variety of activities may be scheduled over a longer period of time and the therapist and client may work together to break through some of the things that have been holding them back – even some post-traumatic growth periods of triumph may occur. Previous studies have found that unique treatment approaches, such as songwriting and lyric analyses, can bring about emotional changes in patients by giving them time to think and reflect on not only the songs and their meaning but also on what they’ve personally gone through – and sometimes greater insight is gained from it. The willingness itself to participate in music therapy offers clients in recovery with a powerful opportunity to harness what they’ve gone through and redefine their story – or, at a fundamental level, to understand what they’ve been going through a little better. Despite many people’s views that music therapy is simply about “strumming a guitar,” it goes beyond that to provide more deeply connected tools for a person, that can be used to gain greater meaning from pain or to help individuals like family members heal from painful situations.  Music therapy sessions tend to have a therapeutic component that involves a sort of structure or system that the therapist and client set in place, but they also have a portion of therapy that involves direct application of music to bring thoughts, feelings, and emotions to life. Everyone’s experience in music therapy will be different – but for many, the journey is worthwhile. Many people in music therapy treatment fear that they need to be an “artist” or to have musical talent, but that’s not the case. In fact, even a person with no musical ability can benefit from music therapy because it’s more about emotional healing than it is about the practicality of being able to play or interpret music. There are several benefits that can derive from music therapy, such as a person being able to have a sense of community and understanding as others may be involved as well. Music therapy can help create positive rifts in the way a person views themselves, especially as they discover that they’re not alone in recovery. Music therapy can also help promote self-discovery and release tension that may be held inside; in most cases, music therapy has a wonderful effect on addiction recovery and can foster safe opportunities to work through a variety of feelings. If you’re ready to seek help, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects so many people around the world, and the symptoms can truly be debilitating. Many people with PTSD experience nightmares, flashbacks, paranoia, anxiety, depression and more, with some individuals relying on substances to help ease their physical, mental and emotional pain. When PTSD is involved, there is typically a lot of tension throughout the body – a person then becomes easily-startled, stressed, angered, or has trouble sleeping. If this is something you’ve been struggling with, addiction recovery is the time to begin working on some of these issues so that you can go on to lead a healthier, happier life.  Holistic practices are often used to help individuals work through some of the mental, physical and spiritual turmoil that they may go through not just with PTSD, but also with addiction recovery. Without treatment, a person with PTSD may go on to exhibit behaviors that only make things worse – and by pursuing holistic treatment options alongside addiction recovery, like massage therapy, meditation, yoga, art therapy and more, a person can develop a stronger understanding of the PTSD they’re battling and tools they can use to work through it. A common group of people who struggle with PTSD includes those in the professions of police work and firefighters, including people in social work because of the constant trauma they may experience as they save others’ lives. In other instances, childhood trauma can have a significant impact on a person’s well-being even well into adulthood.  Massage therapy reduces cortisol (a stress response) and increases serotonin (which regulates mood, sleep, appetite, etc.) and dopamine (the chemical that makes us feel good). This type of practice can help the body relax, which then translates into the mind relaxing as well. For someone who struggles with both addiction and PTSD, holistic practices are a safe route to go – and can be personalized depending on the person’s needs. Now is the time to take a firm hold on your self-care; it’s time to get your life back.

Previous research has shown that depression can have a significant effect on our mental, physical and spiritual standing. Many people diagnosed with depression also battle sleep issues like insomnia, appetite problems (such as over or under-eating), lack of energy, difficulties concentrating, low self-esteem, and more. In other instances, there are a number of other physical symptoms that may be experienced such as migraines, joint pain such as fibromyalgia, digestive problems such as constipation and bloating, chest pain, back pain with tension in the neck, and more – which can certainly have a negative impact on daily life. Previous studies have shown that nearly 70% of people with depression also experience aches and pains; if you’ve been struggling with symptoms of depression, massage therapy at Avalon Malibu could help you greatly. A relaxing, full-body massage involving massage oil and lotions can greatly help reduce symptoms of depression that weigh heavily on a person’s daily life. Another major benefit of massage therapy is that there are different types of massage that can help people depending on their needs. For example, therapeutic massage can help a person achieve a full-body sense of relaxation, while a sports massage can help those who are quite active throughout the day or participate in particular sports. Whatever your needs are, you can speak with your therapist to see what would work best for you moving forward. Massage therapy has been shown to relieve stress, reduce anxiety, manage lower back pain, reduce muscle tension, relieve tension headaches, improve balance, lower blood pressure, and so much more. Avalon Malibu offers an exceptional massage therapy program alongside traditional treatment for addiction recovery – and having this alongside your regular program activities, including other holistic practices like meditation and yoga, you’ll feel more confident in moving forward in healing. As previous research has shown, massage therapy benefits the mind, body, and spirit. A relaxing environment in massage therapy can help you to release pent-up stress and other emotions that may be weighing heavily on your body as you progress through treatment. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu to learn more about massage therapy and treatment programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Millions of people all across the world struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Common symptoms of this disorder include frightening flashbacks and nightmares, paranoia, agitation, anxiety, depression, and more, which obviously makes it hard to function in daily life for many people. Not everyone who goes through a traumatic event develops PTSD, but of those who do, it can leave long-lasting physical and/or emotional damages. If you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, it’s possible that you may feel things will never get better – that you’ll constantly be stuck in a state of misery. But that’s not true. Writing therapy, in particular, has been shown in numerous studies to help people work through their emotions and traumatic memories to find healing and strength. With writing therapy, a person may experience relief from stress, improved immune system functioning, and the ability to understand and learn from one’s emotions – which can have a significantly positive effect not only in their daily functioning but in how they view themselves, the world and others as well. The reason why writing therapy is so beneficial is that it combines expressive writing and CBT techniques to help individuals find new ways of viewing and expressing themselves and their life stories, particularly in their mental script. It’s hard to talk about painful events in one’s life, but writing about it can help. After all, you’re your story. When writing it down, you can write it however you want – you get to choose what you want to say and how you want to say it. For many people, this gives them a sense of control because they do not have to be questioned or confronted regarding what they’ve written; writing therapy gives them an opportunity to get everything out of their system and out into the open. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu to begin working towards your own healing journey. There are so many things you can write about, and you may find that you become more resilient from it.

Mental health is something that should be worked on every day, but this can be difficult to do when it feels like all of life’s responsibilities – like school, parenting, career, bills and more – come tumbling on after us. Recent studies have shown that Americans today are incredibly stressed over a variety of important issues – and when addiction recovery is involved, it’s vital for stress to be managed in healthy ways so that negative symptoms like muscle tension, migraines, asthma attacks, hyperventilation, heart disease, diabetes, and much more can be avoided.  With all this stress, it’s important that you make your mental health a top priority. Mindfulness has been shown to be an incredibly effective form of treatment for stress, and it can also help people who battle mental illness to work through some of the negative thoughts they may be experiencing. All too often, stress takes us away from the present moment and sends us into this state of negativity and doubt – but mindfulness reminds us that where we’re at, right here and right now, is safe. We’re okay. And there’s still room to grow.

We all feel better when we spend time in nature. Let’s explore how the great outdoors can help our mental health and recovery journey. In our contemporary lives, we are often inundated by technology and endless parades of emails, text messages, social media, and artificial lighting. It’s easy to forget about the healing powers of nature and how we all have relatively easy access to a free mental health boost whenever we want. Whether it’s a local park in your city, the beach, the woods, or the mountains, getting back to nature is a wonderful way to reconnect with mother earth, yourself, and the world around you. Let’s discuss why getting back to nature is so vital for our mental health. Additionally, this article will explore simple ways to spend more time in nature.

We all feel depressed sometimes. In fact, it’s completely normal to feel downtrodden, sad, or just plain blue, at one point or another. Life has its ups and downs and as humans, we have a myriad of different moods and feelings. However, when feelings of sadness and depression persist, and in fact start to become the norm, it’s time to seek help for depression. Here, we’ll examine some common signs of depression and how to spot them. The most important thing to know is that you’re not alone. Depression is treatable and common.  Depression can be defined as unhappiness or sadness. Feelings of hopelessness are a telltale sign of depression. If you’re feeling dejected and as if there’s no hope in sight, it’s time to reach out to a trusted friend or therapist and talk about your feelings. Additionally, depression can make us withdrawal from activities that we used to find really enjoyable. If you used to love Tennis and now you have no desire to hit the courts, it could be a sign of serious depression. Likewise, depression can present itself as a general lack of interest in your life, things you used to enjoy, your friends, or family. There seems to be a dark cloud floating over everything and the world looks less technicolor and more grey. Decreased sex drive, irritability, anxiety, loss of appetite, persistent feelings of fatigue, or low energy are all signs of depression.  While it’s normal to feel depressed from time to time, if you or someone you love is experiencing persistent and unmanageable depression symptoms, there is help available. You deserve to be happy, vibrant, and healthy. If you have reason to believe that someone you or someone you know is considering suicide, please get immediate help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

It’s completely normal to feel anger and rage sometimes. In fact, when we get sober and start recovery, many of the feelings that we had been repressing begin to come to the surface. This is good, as it allows us to see ourselves more clearly and begin to deal with our issues head-on. However, difficult feelings can often be extremely scary and overwhelming, especially if we don’t know what to do with them. Here are a few simple and healthy coping mechanisms for anger.

Our society is filled with media programming, images, and subliminal messaging that’s aimed to keep us emotionally numb. Phrases like “suck it up” or “walk it off” are part of our everyday life, encouraging us to stuff our emotions down and not giving proper value to the weight of human emotion. Men are especially subject to this kind of societal stereotyping. Men are often told to “be a man” and that “boys don’t cry.” This is unhelpful, to say the least. Conversely, women are often told the opposite -- that they are “too emotional” or “dramatic.” This, too, is marginalizing and hurtful. So, where’s the middle ground and how do we step out of emotional numbing in a culture that is so confused about feelings? Here, we’ll explore some ways to move past feelings of emotional numbness and into a life filled with nuanced emotions and joy.