Recovery

It can be hard for us to maintain our recovery, especially when we don’t get the support we need. Support can come from many sources. Having the support of your family and loved ones is important, but many people feel there is an aspect missing from that circle; empathy. Only those who understand our struggles and behaviors through shared experience can provide true empathy. If you are looking to connect with someone who understands what it feels like to walk your path, Alumni support therapy is an option to consider.

Sometimes finding motivation for what we know we need to do is hard. It can make us even more depressed or anxious about change if we feel we have no motivation for it. Maybe we wonder what is really wrong with us. Is this really just our personality? Probably not. Finding motivation is a challenge for everyone whether it’s a constant challenge or just an occasional thing. We can actually inspire motivation through change, even if that seems backward. There’s a lot of science that goes into the process of changing ourselves psychologically. The stages of change are important to understand when it comes to motivation inspired by change in recovery.

Many philosophers speak of self-discovery, whether they call it that name or refer to it as self-knowledge. It is believed that the best way to heal your mind is through learning about it. The transcendental philosophers believed that self-knowledge was the gateway to true freedom from fear and suffering. Many mental health therapies have adopted this concept. By learning our fears, our triggers, and our emotions, we can better understand how to control them or avoid them. This is often the first step in many recovery therapies.

It’s not news that abusing substances changes your brain in profound ways. Studies have been conducted showing permanent and short-term effects on brain processes and plasticity (the ability of the brain to change and grow). But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways we can help our brain revert back to its state before the substance abuse started. It’s pretty simple, really, and it starts with one very important aspect of self-care; diet.

The events of recent months have caused many health services to transition to telehealth, or appointment by phone. While speaking to your medical professional on the phone may seem impersonal, it is important to keep your appointments. Your health is very important, even in times of a pandemic, and your commitment to remaining healthy is more important than ever.

There are ways we can “re-train” our brains to break habits. Your brain develops habits based on mental or physical needs. If your brain becomes used to satisfying its needs by your use of drugs, it will continually crave them. This is why it is important to create healthy habits. It may seem next to impossible to break habits you may have been repeating for years, but there are a few easy steps you can take on your own. Three Easy Steps to Get Started Replace old habits with new ones. If your habits are caused by stress, practice mindfulness instead. It’s as easy as doing breathing exercises or meditating. While traditional meditation may be hard in the middle of cravings, you don’t necessarily have to close your eyes and sit still to meditate. If you take a walk through a park, do some gardening, or simple tasks around the house, these can all be a meditation if you contemplate while you’re doing it. Ask what you really need at that moment. Do you need to destress, or give in to bad habits?  Self-care can also be a part of breaking habits. If you neglected yourself while using, practicing self-care may help avoid a trigger. Feeling the same way you did while using, whether mentally or physically may cue the habit. Instead of using, take a bubble bath or shower, start an exercise routine, or even give yourself a manicure. Once again, ask yourself what you really need at that moment; comfort or bad habits? You can take small steps in pursuit of breaking habits. Consider that it takes about 66 days of the same behavior to create a habit. It may take at least that long to break one. Gradually cut back on the habit until you are no longer repeating the behavior. Finding new hobbies or other interests during this time can be beneficial. On the days that you are abstaining, find something else to do. You can paint, write, exercise, or practice self-care. You may also choose to rekindle relationships with people who support you. Any healthy action that you can take that will distract you from picking up that substance is an ally in your journey to recovery.

Binaural beats seem to be the new trend in mindfulness practices. You can find hundreds of videos on YOUTUBE or other streaming services labeled, “theta for relaxation” or “beta for focus.” But what exactly are binaural beats and what are they supposed to do? Most importantly, do they work? Binaural beats have been around longer than you think and there is a science behind the concept. What are Binaural Beats? While many people think binaural beats are a new trend, they have been around for quite a while. Binaural beats is an auditory illusion that was discovered in 1839 by a Prussian meteorologist. To create binaural beats, slightly different frequencies are played into the right and left ears causing the sounds to travel separately into the part of your brain that processes auditory input. The tones meld together in the brain to create one beat at a new frequency. For example, if a 200 hertz (Hz) frequency is played in the right ear and a 210 Hz frequency is played in the left, they will merge into a 10 Hz frequency. Benefits of Binaural Beats The new frequencies that are produced by binaural beats are said to have a variety of benefits. The beats are categorized by their frequencies. Low-frequency beats are labeled as delta and theta. These beats are helpful for getting better sleep, pain relief, healing, and meditation. Other frequencies like gamma beats are considered high-frequency and help with high-level cognition, memory recall, and peak awareness. Using binaural beats with your mindfulness therapy can have added benefits. For example, if part of your mindfulness therapy is meditation, then adding a theta binaural beat will help you reach the level of meditation you desire. Playing binaural beats at night as you sleep will help you fall asleep and also help you fall into deeper stages of sleep. Delta frequencies are considered helpful with deep sleep while theta frequencies help achieve REM sleep. Several research studies have been conducted on binaural beats which shows their benefits. While not intended to replace any other treatment or therapy binaural beats may serve to enhance other treatments.

The language we use has an impact on our reputation and the way we feel about ourselves. It’s why using appropriate language is important in all aspects of life, especially when it comes to recovery. Sometimes, we may withhold information about our addictions for fear of the stigma it may bring. But, we must realize that being open and honest about our disease helps all people develop a deeper understanding of addiction that will open their minds to supporting more effective and compassionate treatments. The way we speak about ourselves also impacts our recovery. Language is much more important than we consider.

Recovery from substance use disorders can be challenging at any point in time, let alone during a global pandemic. Telephone appointments or support groups may not be appealing, lacking the immediacy of in-person connection, which can be so important in recovery. The stresses we’re all experiencing right now are most likely amplified for those with substance abuse and mental health disorders. This disorder in our lives may make our triggers stronger or more prevalent. Our emotional wellbeing may be suffering. Our motivation may be depleting. It’s important to find ways to cope and prevent relapse when our routines are disrupted. Recovery from substance use disorders is a perpetual process for some as they come to understand there is always a chance of relapse, whether it is immediately, months, or years after their treatment ends. Addiction is a progressive disease, and without proper support, relapse is always possible. Here are some tips to help prevent relapse if you’re not able to participate in therapy at this time:

Whether dealing with addiction or mental health disorders, maintaining balance is crucial in attaining wellness. Both drugs and mental health issues can cause people to display erratic behavior or suffer from mood swings. This conduct leads to the feeling of chaos and a loss of control in life. It’s easy to lose balance when our needs take a back seat to other more trivial cravings and habits. Self-care is often the first piece of ourselves we lose when in the throes of addiction. It’s important not to judge yourself during this process. Remember that recovery is not a linear journey.

Your journey in recovery should never prohibit you from biking, flying, or driving to your favorite vacation spot. Organizing travel is stressful, especially when a large party is attempting to sync their schedules, and leaving your home is disruptive to your daily routine, but facing these stressors is not impossible. Be aware of the risks you may encounter on vacation, and plan accordingly.

Self-care is very important in recovering from addiction. Self-care does not replace clinical treatment, it promotes motivation for a successful recovery. While caught in the throes of addiction, we neglect ourselves. The simplest changes can be stepping stones towards success. Many issues arise when dealing with addiction, whether physical or psychological, and taking care of these issues is one way to begin living a new, healthier lifestyle.