Treatment

Earlier this year, website Happier Human, which posts articles related to happiness, health and overall wellbeing, explained that gratitude is a sense of feeling happy – which stems from appreciation. When we’re feeling more grateful, we’re likely to be in a better mood and to experience more positive emotions: Gilbert K. Chesterton once stated, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” Gratitude is a powerful force for many in recovery because it’s all about acknowledging the people, places, circumstances, thoughts, emotions, and otherwise series of events that have led us to where we’re at today. When we express gratitude, we send out positivity into the world – and rather than expecting to have received help from someone, or from assuming that we deserve everything that comes our way, we acknowledge all of the life forces that have come together to get us to where we’re currently at in life.

Massage is something that most Americans seek out on a weekly basis – stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm have the potential to hold us back in our daily lives, but massage opens up the realm for relaxation and breathing. Despite its general benefit for public use, massage therapy is also incredibly beneficial for those in addiction recovery; the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) recently highlighted the beautiful journey of a man who was battling alcoholism but found restoration in massage therapy. As his massage therapy sessions continued, he began to realize that the pain he’d been battling emotionally was being kept up inside of his body – and that was only provoking stiff muscles.  Jennifer Broadwell, DOM, ADS and acupuncturist, stated, “We live in a culture that doesn’t do a good job teaching anyone how to relax, both physically and mentally.”  The emotional dissociation that many people experience often tends to come out in other, more subtle areas of a person’s life: such as through financial difficulties, muscle tension, eating unhealthy foods, experiencing troubles in relationships, substance abuse and more. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine notes that massage therapy can be used to help treat a number of conditions, such as:

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) is a therapy approach that helps people who are feeling ambivalent about moving forward in treatment find some solidarity and explore their options. This approach is generally for people who aren’t quite sure of the benefits for why they should move forward – but the underlying mechanism behind MET is the aim to spark internal motivation for change. There are several components to this approach, but, when done successfully, a person can become more engaged with their program because they’ve personally chosen to move forward rather than feeling coerced into it.  The American Counseling Association (ACA) expresses that MET is not only brief, but it’s not grounded in direct persuasion. People who are unsure of whether or not to move forward in recovery likely won’t benefit from hearing straight-forward, persuasive statements – rather, they’d like to weigh out their options and consider the costs and benefits of each decision they could choose. In many instances, MET is considered based on a partnership between the client and therapist; by working together and engaging in discussions, clients can fully consider their options while not feeling threatened.

Music is an incredibly powerful force that can have a direct influence on our mindset, depending on what we’re listening to. If we’re feeling irritable, for example, harsh beats can elevate that feeling – and, conversely, listening to calming music when we’re stressed or frustrated can help keep those feelings of anger at bay. The University of Nevada explains that music around 60 beats per minute can “cause the brain to synchronize with the beat causing alpha brainwaves.” In this manner, music can help physically change our brain’s functioning – with some considering it’s efficacy to the extent of medication.  In 2017, a study published by Science Daily found that our favorite music can trigger certain activity in the brain; Jonathan Burdette, M.D., has explained, “Music is primal. It affects all of us, but in very personal, unique ways. Your interaction with music is different than mine, but it’s still powerful…Your brain has a reaction when you like or don’t like something, including music.”  Music seems to directly impact the parasympathetic nervous system, which is used to help the mind and body relax and sleep. Music can, oftentimes, provide our brain and body with a beat with which to function off of; when we listen to relaxing music, we’ll find that our heart rate slows down, our blood pressure is lowered, and our muscles may even begin to relax. It’s an incredibly peaceful feeling – especially if we’ve had a bad day or need some time to just breathe. Music therapy can sometimes trigger this type of response, especially if clients are listening to relaxing music and soaking in the present moment. If you’re ready to learn more about holistic practices and how they can benefit your journey to recovery, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

Most people view addiction as the sole problem a person experiences, because the harmful consequences of substance abuse seem to be the most visible and direct. However, there’s much more than goes on beneath the surface; in many instances, those battling addiction are also struggling with mental illness, placing them in a category of having a co-occurring disorder. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes that co-occurring disorders affect people of all walks of life and age groups; when having both an addictionand mental illness, there are a number of implications for recovery:

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) emphasizes that addiction is a complex brain disease – and not one single form of treatment can work for everyone. Even after formal treatment has been completed, aftercare is crucial to ensuring a smooth transtion from treatment to home life. In many cases, aftercare is an emotional yet satisfying period of a person’s recovery, because they’re able to take what they’ve learned in treatment and utilize those strategies in their everyday lives. Whether it’s you or a loved one who has recently completed treatment, it’s important to begin considering what aspects of aftercare are needed for a smooth transition – and what will set you or your loved one up for the most success in long-term sobriety. At Avalon Malibu, support is provided on a complete continuum of care. Aftercare is built into all treatment programs, and clients are easily able to remain integrated in addiction recovery support groups even once formal treatment has ended; in fact, many people find that they’re easily able to adapt to home life while attending these types of programs in the evenings throughout the week. Transitional guidance is provided in a number of areas, such as:

Our lives are entirely complex, filled with thousands of thoughts, feelings, moments and more. All of these impact us not only on a daily basis, but also in the long-run – in the grand scheme of our lives. True health and well-being is based in three primary areas that tend to cover nearly every aspect of living: mind, body and spirit. Part of addiction recovery is working on emphasizing these three areas of life – because addiction in and of itself can take away from these areas more than we realize.

We all need a strong reason for why we want to improve our lives or make positive changes, and addiction recovery isn’t any different. Everyone’s reason for pursuing a life of sobriety is different – but that reason is incredibly important, because it’s what keeps us motivated. Writer Kendra Sebelius explained for Healthy Place, a website that publishes relevant information related to a variety of health conditions, that motivation is what helps us push through despite the struggles. In every journey, there will be obstacles to overcome – and if we can keep our eye on what matters to us in the long run, we’ll be more likely to achieve our recovery goals

In 2017, a young woman’s story was published via the U.S. News; at 11 years old, she had her first blackout as she was partying with her cousin. She explained, “I thought it was really insane…it’s like the brain suffers a mechanical failure. The problem with all this is that it’s funny in some ways and horrible in others.  Drinking too much and too fast can cause blackouts, and they’re incredibly common – especially in a culture that supports excessive drinking. If blackouts are occurring frequently in a person’s life, this could be a sign that they’re battling alcoholism – but in many cases, individuals don’t even know this because it’s considered quite a “normal” experience. Healthline, a website that publishes information related to a variety of health conditions, notes that as a person’s blood alcohol level increases, the rate and length of a person’s memory loss will also increase. The ”day after” or the “morning after” are often situations filled with humiliating details, but the after-math effects are serious; along with not remembering what a person is doing while experiencing a blackout, they may also have: impaired vision, impaired judgment, difficulty standing, walking and more. For those who understand the severe impact of alcoholism, recovery is about understanding not only the harmful effects that these behaviors can cause to our body and to those around us, but also understanding the mechanisms for how alcohol directly affects the brain.

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) gets the brunt end of many jokes, as people tend to throw the term “narcissistic” around way too easily. Individuals who simply appear vain or self-conceited may be considered to have NPD by the general public, by there are specific diagnostic criteria that need to be met in order for a person to genuinely have this disorder. In fact, everyone has narcissism – if we didn’t, we wouldn’t have enough confidence in ourselves to pursue jobs and other opportunities. Even with the bad reputation that often surrounds NPD, the truth is that those with this disorder deserve more support – because just like any other mental illness, people with NPD have underlying concerns that need to be respectfully addressed. Medical News Today recently explained that NPD is a dramatic personality disorder; those who are diagnosed with this tend to have a preoccupation with success and power, as well as an excessive sense of superiority. On the outside looking in, it may seem as though people with NPD have all the self-love in the world – but in reality, there’s often an underlying blanket of insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Earlier this year, writer Katie Heaney shared the story of a man with NPD whom she interviewed via The Cut, a website that publishes information and stories related to style, self, culture and power. The man explained: “People judge narcissists’ actions, and they have no clue whether it’s narcissism or not…people get almost everything wrong about narcissism because they confuse it with psychopathy.” Those with NPD tend to not realize that they’re defending themselves in ways that harm others; in fact, most people with NPD only want to feel genuinely worthy. If you or a loved one are struggling with signs of NPD, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. Holistic care can provide many options for treatment, and with a team of people there for support, recovery is possible.

The American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) explains that holistic health is an approach to life. It emphasizes the connection of the mind, body and spirit – and with this approach, we’re all responsible for maintaining our own levels of wellbeing. Holistic practices in addiction recovery are used to help restore the balance of a person, and they’ve become increasingly popular as Western societies have begun realizing just how much of an impact these practices can have on a person’s wellness. Susan Walter, MBA and current president of AHHA, explained that holistic health is based on several truths:

For many years, there has been much debate over the benefits of 12-Step programs – but as more programs have been developed, there are now other options to compare to as well. Recovery is different for everyone, and it truly all depends on one’s personal approach. Holistic healing is about the mind, body and spirit – and taking the path that suits the individual is key. If you’re at the beginning of your recovery journey, it’s worth considering some of the benefits – and differences – to each type of program, so that you can make an informed decision before moving forward with either one.