Treatment

Thousands of children across the U.S. have been shown to be affected by the opioid crisis, and in more ways than one. In addition to the many lives lost and damaged directly from opioid addiction, children are often faced with challenges that other children aren’t – and it can harm children mentally, physically and spiritually, even into their adult years. What tends to happen in situations such as the opioid crisis is that the United States will focus on one particular problem – such as the overdoses – but then other serious concerns may fall by the wayside, even if unintentionally. It’s unfortunate that many children have been left without the proper care and support because their parents or other primary caretakers are battling substance abuse, such as with opioids – but with more support and resources available, we’ll be able to combat this problem. Parental misuse is a common occurrence in households when substance abuse is present, and in many cases, children are forced to travel from one foster home to another – which certainly takes a toll not only on the system as a whole but on the children and their families as well. Previous studies are showing that states like Indiana have seen a surge in foster care support for children, particularly alongside the opioid epidemic. This type of explosion destroys families and makes it even harder for children to feel support in life. Once children are in foster care, they’re faced with so many issues that it becomes more than simply “caretaking” – foster families must then work to help children heal from the trauma that’s affected their family, along with the mental and social support needed for children to thrive after such devastating events. With so many children in the foster care system, and some states, such as Indiana, being overwhelmed with endless cases and not enough time, children’s’ wellbeing is being placed at stake.  If you are currently struggling with opioid addiction, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. You’re not alone – and recovery is possible.

Previous studies have shown that when mental illness is involved in a romantic relationship, typically both partners must work together to get a better understanding of the mental illness and what a partner needs to thrive – but many couples aren’t aware of the tools to help their significant other, let alone the knowledge of how to talk about mental illness. There are about 450 million all around the world who battle with mental illness – so it’s extremely common for couples to deal with issues related to managing mental illness. Open communication has been shown to really help couples feel stronger together as they move forward – if you feel comfortable telling your partner about your mental illness, it’s suggested you do so. Of course, always wait until you’re ready.

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 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.

During active addiction, we often forego our creative impulses and self-expressive tendencies, as our substances of choice took over our lives. The truth is, we are all creative and self-expression is a necessary and enriching part of daily life. In fact, during active addiction, we can forget our sense of self and who we truly are, let alone how to express that inner self. Well, there are myriad ways to express yourself and once you start to use your own unique voice, you’ll never want to stop. Self-expression can be defined simply as an expression of one’s feelings, thoughts, or ideas. The way in which you express yourself is up to you. The options are endless. Some positive ways to express yourself include journaling and writing, drawing, painting, dancing or other physical movements, and many other hobbies.

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.

Empathy is a vital human ability that lets us connect with others and feel less alone. Here’s how to practice it daily. We hear a lot about “empathy” these days. It seems to be having a trending moment, and for good reason. Quite simply, empathy is the ability to understand and feel the emotions and experiences of someone else. Why is empathy so important? It helps us to think outside of our own perspective, feel less alone, and understand other people in deeper and more meaningful ways. When we live our lives with empathy, we are less inclined to write people off, express rage or hold grudges, and isolate. We begin to understand that everyone is coming from his or her own life experience. Whether we agree with someone or not, the ability to empathize it deeply important in our collective human evolution. In recovery, empathy can help us forgive, release anger and fear, and experience deeper love and understanding for ourselves and others. While the idea of empathy is quite compelling, it’s sometimes difficult to know how to employ it in everyday life. One of the simplest ways to develop empathy is to truly listen to other people. Oftentimes, we are so wrapped up in our own opinion or drama that we aren’t taking the time to turn off our judgments and listen with compassion and openness to the feelings of others. Additionally, it’s important to remain openminded and try to suspend some of your own judgments or preconceived notions. The key to empathy is to examine some of our own longstanding beliefs and release them so that we can see others more clearly, unclouded by our own judgment. Lastly, practice treating everyone you come in contact with as important, worthy, and deserving of your attention. We can learn a lot from other people and other people often need a helping hand or a listening ear. When we start to move through the world with an open mind, eager to listen to other people and their experiences, our worlds and hearts begin to open up.

Stressed out? Here are some sustainable ways to cope during hard times. Finding and living with healthy coping mechanisms is a lifelong practice that we learn to harness in recovery. There are many ways to cope, both healthy and unhealthy, which we will discuss in this article. We will also dive into the importance of self-awareness and preparing for times of increased stress using self-care rituals. Most importantly, be kind to yourself as you take the journey into healthy coping mechanisms. It’s not always easy, but it will make life more sustainable, less stressful, and more full.

The colors of the rainbow, found in the natural world, offer powerful healing benefits and meaningful insight.  Colors have been used for centuries to induce certain moods, promote healing, ease stress, and create a mood. All of the colors of the rainbow are found in various forms throughout nature. All we have to do is pay attention and be present. Artists, interior designers, healers, and color therapists understand the tremendous impact that colors have on our moods. As humans, we are susceptible to the energy of our environments. For instance, a room painted red will have a very different feeling, look, and effect on your mood than a room painted white or beige. Similarly, when we spend time in nature, we typically feel more alive, refreshed, and connected than when we spent lots of time indoors. In this article, we’ll look at various colors, where they can be found in the natural world, and what kind of healing powers and mood enhancements they can offer. We’ll also talk about some practical ways to incorporate the magic of color into your everyday life.

Control is something that so many of us struggle with on a daily basis, and it makes sense - the tragic and upsetting events of our lives can sometimes feel so out of grasp, that we’ll hold onto anything to try and feel like we have some firm grounding. For many people, alcohol is viewed as a way to control situations - or, rather, to drown out painful feelings associated with not having any control over what’s going on around us. It’s these instances that we must learn that we can’t always control what happens to us - all that we have control over is how we choose to react to it.  A few years ago, writer Raven Ishak shared with Bustle Magazine her own insecurities with wanting control: “I tend to be a victim of my own insecurities, which often holds me back from fully living a happy, carefree life. I worry about the what-ifs instead of focusing on the present. But forcing situations to happen because you believe they should happen exactly the way you want them to is just not healthy.” When we’re feeling the urge to get angry or to feel like a victim because life doesn’t go the way we planned for it to, there are a number of steps we can take to keep that desire of control “under control”:

Emotions run deep, yet our society doesn’t always place much emphasis on talking about them. From a young age, we’re told to “suck it up” to “keep our chin up” and to otherwise keep everything tucked away so that everything seems fine. This is rarely the case, however, as we all going through troubles every now and then. In these instances, holding it in can actually be horrible for our health; just last year, Time Magazine explained that emotional stress,  “...like that blocked from emotions, has not only been linked to mental illness, but also to physical problems like heart disease, intestinal problems, headaches, insomnia, and autoimmune disorders.” In other words, there’s much more to holding in emotions than simply not “seeing” them. In order to avoid some of the harsh consequences that this avoidance can have on the mind, body, and spirit, consider using music to open up those emotional pathways. A 2015 study called “Music and Emotion” confirmed that not only does music have the capabilities to evoke intense emotions such as sadness, nostalgia, tension, relaxation, and pure joy, it also influences the production of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, in a healthy way.  Of course, it’s important to utilize music in a healthy way, rather than listening to songs that could send you into a spiral of depression or anxiety. A 2017 study published by Frontiers in Psychology found that even being musically inclined can improve a person’s emotional ability - for example, a person who plays a musical instrument or enjoys singing can greater tell the emotions of others through music. In turn, a greater connection can be built - but even those who aren’t musically inclined will find that they’re able to relate to a beat, a musical composition or a message that’s being conveyed through the songs they’re listening to.  The next time you’re feeling down, either play a soothing song to ground you or play a sad song to help you feel the emotions. Just be sure to manage your emotions in a healthy way - and if you find yourself turning destructive, speak with your therapist right away.

Everyone in recovery can benefit from having people in their recovery network to learn and grow from; just as a student may speak with a graduated alumni from a college program to receive tips and tricks for succeeded in school, this connection can foster a healthy, ongoing interaction of support between people. A 2016 study titled, “Implementation of a Substance Use Recovery Support Mobile Phone App in Community Settings” found that alumni of addiction recovery treatment can help build awareness and interest to various components of recovery – and recovery tools, such as through mobile apps, can become more accessible to those beginning their recovery journey when they’ve been given the opportunity to learn from alumni.