Recovery

Around this time of year, Valentine’s Day can be triggering for those in addiction recovery. Billboards depict champagne and large gatherings, while television shows and commercials begin highlighting romance. For a person who is focusing on themselves and their sobriety, where do they fit in? It is for this exact reason that Valentine’s Day can become triggering – especially if those in recovery find themselves focusing on what they don’t (or can’t) have over what they do have. Relapse is a common buzzword in addiction recovery, and that’s because many people try to avoid it at all costs. Relapse occurs when a person reverts back to previous addictive behaviors – and for many, this turn of events is followed by guilt and shame. Valentine’s Day can trigger relapse for people in a number of ways:

If you were to be told, right now, that you’re about to enter an acupuncture session, what would you envision? For many Americans, acupuncture seems like a terrifyingly painful experience. A popular practice in the Eastern world, the Western world is still learning to become more open to holistic modalities such as acupuncture. Countries such as China have used acupuncture for preventative health measures for thousands of years - with the main difference between Eastern and Western practices being the approach. Western practices consider medicine to be used as a cure or relief to maladies, while Easter tradition utilizes medicine as a means to practice wellbeing.

Self-care has been quite the buzzword lately, but it’s nonetheless important because all too often, we forget to take care of ourselves on the most basic of levels. We stress, worry, ruminate, and meanwhile forget to feed our mind and bodies nutritious food, practice sleep hygiene, exercise and so much more. Valentine’s Day can be a particularly difficult holiday to get through while in addiction recovery because of the societal expectations to drink, celebrate, and indulge in romance with a significant other. If you’re in recovery this holiday season, remember that your self-care is of utmost importance. In reality, Valentine’s Day is just like any other day – and you can use this day to engage in self-care activities that are most beneficial for your mind, body and spirit.

No matter what stage you’re at in recovery, it’s normal to feel a bit apprehensive at times. The beginning of recovery can be challenging because you don’t know what to expect, while even months or years into recovery can bring about uneasiness if you’re not quite sure where your journey will take you next. There becomes a problem, however, when we start letting those uncertainties dictate our views on recovery. We may start making excuses for why recovery is no longer a viable option for us, and that’s what can cause us to take drastic measures. If this is where you’re at right now, take a deep breath and remind yourself that ups and downs are part of the process – and recognize the 3 common lies we tell ourselves:

With so much that goes on in life, it’s easy to feel entrenched in this never-ending cycle of stress and anxiety. We find ourselves running down a path, reaching towards happiness, but sometimes it’s nowhere in sight. Something unexpected occurs, as life always brings this, and an overwhelming feeling encapsulates every ounce of energy that lives within us. If this is currently where you find yourself, you likely feel as though you can’t escape the madness. It may feel like everything is spinning, but there is a way to find balance in this chaos. It all starts by taking a deep breath. Meditation has been around for over 5,000 years and has provided people with a sense of peace and calmness despite whatever was going on in their mind or in their external world. Americans have picked up on this transformative practice over the years, as there are now 18 million adults in the U.S. alone that benefit from this healing approach, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine. Forbes Magazine highlights the many benefits of meditation, including: its ability to help preserve the aging of the brain, its reduction of activity in rumination and “me” thinking, its ability to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, its ability to shift our perceptions, and more. If you’re ready to find healing and enlightenment through this restorative journey, take into consideration the following meditation techniques:

The following quote was found on The Mighty, “You wake up every morning to fight the same demons that left you so tired the night before, and that, my love, is bravery.” Yes, it’s true that recovery is quite subjective – if you can recall personal accounts from celebrities, friends, family, or others who are recovering from a mental illness or addiction, you will find that each story is different. Each person may be at a different “level” in life – for some, recovery means simply waking up each day and taking it one minute at a time. For others, recovery is centered around being sober. Sure, there are “criteria” that several research studies have conducted with mentions of social network, life purpose, community engagement, stability and more – but what truly matters is how you perceive your own recovery – and it could even entail a plethora of things. In 2015, a few researchers from California sought to explore this very concept – when individuals say they are “in recovery”, what do they mean? Overall, five typologies were identified: 12-Step Traditionalist: strongly focused on abstinence, supportive of spirituality elements, strong belief in being honest with oneself, handling negative feelings without using, and more.

Schizophrenia is a spectrum disorder that affects around 3.2 million Americans. A highly stigmatized disorder, schizophrenia may include disorganized thinking and speech, odd patterns of behavior, hallucinations, delusions, and more. As emphasized by the Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA), around 50% of all people with the disorder do not seek treatment. This is often due to fear of stigma, as many people in the healthcare industry still have misconceptions. When selecting a reputable treatment center, it’s important that you find a place where you feel respected and heard. There are many centers that place emphasize on individual experiences – often by providing a wide range of holistic approaches. Music therapy has been a major component of addiction and mental illness recovery for several years now; it typically consists of either lyrical analysis, instrument playing, listening to music, composing music, or something similar. These opportunities provide clients with a sense of grounding and clarification – often giving individuals depth and uncovering of thoughts and feelings that may have been tucked away beneath their addiction or mental illness. Although schizophrenia often required medication to treat symptoms, holistic therapies such as music therapy can be a great addiction to a person’s treatment regime. For instance, a 2013 study with 57 adult females with severe mental illness participated in a 13-week music therapy intervention; results from the study showed that participants experienced increased self-esteem, enjoyment in the music therapy group activities, and a greater appreciation towards therapist sand peers.

Recovery is a lot like life. It has ups and downs, twists and turns, and a lot of unexpected surprises. While many people dread the unexpected, it’s actually what works best for us because it forces us to grow and develop into stronger, more capable human beings. You are incredibly strong. If you are reading this right now, you are already on your way towards success in recovery because you’re taking the time to focus in on bettering yourself. Recovery involves many stages, each of which you will work through in due time – which is why patience and determination is incredibly important.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder that involves unstable moods, self-perceptions, and behavior. Typical symptoms of BPD involve efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, instability regarding relationships, distorted sense of self, impulsive and often dangerous behaviors, self-harm, suicidal ideation, persistent feelings of emptiness, inappropriate and often intense anger, difficulty trusting people, and feelings of dissociation. When untreated, BPD can cause a lot of disruption to a person’s daily life, affecting their school, work, family, and interpersonal relationships. If you are seeking treatment for BPD, there are several effective therapies that can be used, including dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy that has been shown to help those with BPD develop the skills they need to effectively manage their emotions and perceptions. DBT helps clients identify “all or nothing” thoughts that may be holding them back and making life more difficult as well as helping clients identify their own strengths so that they can build on them. Lastly, DBT involves collaboration, as it often involves working with a therapist and completing take-home assignments, role play, and practicing healthy coping skills for when a person is upset. A 2017 study conducted by researchers from Nova Southeastern University sought to explore the perspectives and experiences of individuals with BPD in recovery who underwent DBT. Six individuals were interviewed, and several themes emerged:

Addiction recovery isn’t always the easiest feat. As with life, recovery does have its ups and downs – but the point is to learn and transform throughout the process. If you’ve sought out a reputable treatment program for meth addiction, you’ve taken an amazing, courageous step towards living a happier, healthier life. This time is crucial to understanding what recovery consists of, what it may mean for you, and factors that could prevent you from reaching success so that you can be sure to take preventative measures. A 2017 study published in the journal Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy sought to explore perceived barriers of methamphetamine addiction recovery. Two hundred and two stories were analyzed in an online health forum to identify these barriers. The researchers found the following themes:

From sharing our occupation to the time we die; our lives are centered around our social identities. Mother, brother, friend, neighbor, writer, doctor, teacher, engineer – all of these are social identities that help us relate to others and describe our role in society. Take a moment to consider the identity labels that you or others place on yourself. What do these labels say about your values, beliefs, and attitudes towards life? How well do these labels portray who you really are or who you want to be? Social identity is more than just helping others learn about who we are – it’s a message of how we view ourselves, too. When it comes to your recovery, your social identity says a lot and it’s bound to change as you work towards your recovery. A 2015 study titled “Social Identities as Pathways Into and Out Of Addiction” explored the transition of individuals from the “substance user” identity to the “recovery” identity. Twenty-one adults in a drug and alcohol community were interviewed. The researchers found that some participants felt they lost their identity around the time their addiction started, but later found it when they were in recovery. As one participant stated, “In my good bits, I excel, really excel. I was playing basketball too, got drafted for the Northern Tigers….and then everything just went *poof*”. Other individuals stated that addiction provided them with an identity – a sense of social belonging. One person stated, “I learnt by being naughty I could have friends that actually liked me, that wanted to be with me.” These people talked about how difficult it was for them to transition into recovery because of their social identity, but many participants also noted that once their social identity transitioned from one of substance use to one of recovery, it became a little easier to be around people who also reflected that social identity. Participants stated that once they were in recovery, they felt a sense of purpose and a meaningful role within the community. Ultimately, this helped them to move on. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. Sometimes change is for the better. In this case, it always is.

When most people think of addiction and recovery, they think of the hardships – withdrawal during detoxification, letting go of past pains, cutting off people who are no longer conducive to recovery, and much more. As with anything worthwhile, of course there are hardships – but there are also many, many bountiful positive elements to recovery as well. The more you focus on these positive elements, the greater the opportunity you have of bringing them into your life; in a very basic sense, it’s about the mindset that you hold. Your perceptions influence your actions, and your actions influence what leaves and comes into your life. According to the University of Pennsylvania, positive psychology is important to look at because it draws on individual and community strengths that bring about hope, resilience, strength, growth and more in realms of recovery, love, social relationships, work endeavors, and other life experiences. By focusing on positive psychology when it comes to recovery, we can tune into the strengths that we currently have – in doing this, we hold much higher chances of success. A 2014 study published in the journal East Asian Archives of Psychiatry sought to review past research on positive emotions and positive aspects of recovery such as “creativity, optimism, resilience, empathy, compassion, humor, and life satisfaction”. When it comes to mental illness recovery, these positive elements have been shown to increase the well-being of those with depression, substance use disorders (SUDs), psychosis, and much more. How can you incorporate these into your daily life? A major source of these positive elements is mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). All of these can provide you with healthier ways of thinking about and dealing with challenges of life such as distressing thoughts or situations. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.