Treatment

Stigma comes from a lack of information. It’s more difficult to judge and stereotype something you have personal involvement with. Categorizing and characterizing people with mental illness is easier than taking the time to understand them or understand the mental illness they might be living with. A lack of education and awareness about mental health causes those who have mental health issues to suffer, in many ways. Stigma can prevent someone who is suffering from the symptoms of a mental illness from seeking the help or treatment they need. In recent years, stigma is what prevented the government and major insurance providers from recognizing mental illness as a serious medical issue. Today, awareness is increasing, but there is still much farther to go. Michigan State University released a study which examined how much people seem to know about mental illness. Using an internet survey as the method, 4,600 people provided data for the researchers to work with. The survey was not simple question and answer. Instead, the researchers provided participants with vignettes, or small stories about a fictional individual. After the story, the participants were asked to provide insight on what might be going on with that person and what would provide the most help to them. Most importantly, the participants had to respond to statements regarding stigma. Bustle reports, “The questions to measure stigma asked participants to respond thinking about themselves and separately about their communities, to statements like ‘If [I/most people in my community] had a problem like [this person’s] I would not tell anyone.’” The results were startling. It revealed that there aren’t just some areas of mental health that the general public needs more help in understanding. Bustle writes that the study “gave a big-picture look at just where more information needed to be targeted. Unfortunately, the answer seems to be "everywhere."

12 Step meetings are available in many varieties, offering the spiritual program of recovery to anyone in need of a psychic change in their lives. Some treatment centers are able to schedule a wide range of meetings for clients to attend to, based on their personal need. Most often, there are two to four primary kinds of meetings: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Codependents Anonymous, And Al-Anon. Cocaine Anonymous and Heroin Anonymous are also popular. Those who are in treatment for primary mental health disorders don’t have the same kind of access to 12 step support. There are meetings like Emotions Anonymous and Depression Anonymous but are small and hard to come by. Workbooks and study guides for a universal approach to the 12 steps are also available. Still, it can be hard at the end of a long day of treatment to watch other clients and peers in recovery be shuttled off to meetings for fellowship, support, and inspiration while having to stay on treatment ground. Some treatment centers allow all clients to attend 12 step meetings under the philosophy that at meetings, everyone can take what they want and leave what they don’t. Don’t Focus On The Alcoholism Remember, that alcohol is just a symptom of deeper issues. Most often, alcoholics have co-occurring mental health issues similar to what you are going through. The detail are unimportant. At AA meetings you can hear inspiring stories of defeat, strength, and victory in recovery. People share their successes and their challenges. Whether up or down, people in meetings come to share a common goal: working for their recovery. Read The Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, often called “The Big Book” is full of spiritual principles which are mostly universal. You can learn from themes of unmanageability, insanity, ego, pride, resentment, humility, and growth. The Big Book is regarded as a “manual for living”. Like any other “self-help” book you might pick up off the shelf, reading the literature of AA will give you information you want to use and information you won’t want to use. Recovery is open to everyone seeking to transform and heal their lives in mind, body, and spirit. Avalon By The Sea provides primary treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

The benefits of mindfulness cannot be ignored. Endless amounts of research has been focused on studying the effects of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation in addition to regular meditation practices. Stress, symptoms of depression, effects of anxiety, cravings for drugs and alcohol- almost any affliction of the mind has been proven to be healed by mindfulness meditation. Providing relaxation and oxygen flow, mindfulness is restorative for mind, body, and spirit. One area of mindfulness which has not been investigated is the difference between men and women. Brown University recently conducted a study which found that in mindfulness, there is actually a battle of the sexes. Women seem to gain more benefit from the use of mindfulness than men do. Telegraph UK reports. “While practicing significantly helped women overcome a downcast mood, it actually made men feel slightly worse than before they began.” Feeling worse after mindfulness is not the same sales pitch so many practitioners advocate for the practice. Over the course of 12 weeks, students practiced more than 41 hours of meditation while taking a class on mindfulness. Women saw improvement but men did not. The reason? According to the article, “The researchers believe that the traditional way in which men and women deal with emotional distress could be behind the disparity.” Men and women are known for processing their emotions differently. By stereotype, men are more closed off emotionally and process their emotions in a subtle, private way. In contrast, women are public with their emotions and fully embrace emotional experiences. However, this is not always the case as men can be quite emotional and women can be quite closed off. Additionally, men can be more closed-minded to new experiences, while women are open-minded. When new experiences are emotionally based in any way, there tends to be a greater divide. Statistically, men are less likely to ask for help when they are struggling with addiction, alcoholism, and other mental health disorders. The male stigma emphasizes strength without weakness, perfection without flaw. Mindfulness might trigger uncomfortability in this because it encourages non-judgment, radical acceptance, and being comfortable in the present moment. Recovery is a constant fight against shame and stigma in defense of embracing the individual. Avalon By The Sea utilizes mindfulness and meditation in addition to clinical, holistic, and alternative techniques. Our versatile programs are designed to meet the needs of each client while fostering healing of mind, body, and spirit. For a confidential assessment and more information on our program, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Addiction and alcoholism are called “family” diseases because they affect everyone. Recovery is also a family affair, as everyone’s life has the chance to change.

Mental illness affects everyone. When you decide to go to treatment, everyone is going to affected by your recovery. Most often, the people who love and care about you the most will be over the moon by your decision to change your life. However, your partner might feel differently. We can’t be certain why the people we are in relationships have a difficult time embracing our recovery. Here are some signs your partner might be uncomfortable with the strides you are making in recovery. Remember, how your partner handles your recovery has nothing to do with you. They are on their own journey. Sometimes, a partner will grow right alongside you. Sometimes, they won’t. If you notice these signs, it might be time to meet with your relationship counselor or evaluate how you want to be treated in a relationship as you grow forward in recovery.

Experiential learning is one of the most impactful ways of learning. Gaining life skills experience is important during the treatment process. Recovery isn’t just something that is learned and kept in a notebook. Recovery is something lived. The tools and skills learned during treatment one day have to be applied in a real life setting, when there are no peers, no therapists, and no safety of structure available. “Where the rubber hits the road” is where recovery really comes into play. Finding the confidence in oneself to utilize those tools and stay healthy in the world outside of treatment is sometimes a challenge. Addicts and alcoholics have often tried many times to stay sober and be successful in their recovery. Not believing in themselves, they can falter more easily because they don’t believe they have the capacity to apply their recovery to their lives. Ropes courses are an experiential learning tool which helps put confidence to the test in a real time situation. An experiential therapeutic technique, those in recovery are able to see just what they are made of. Full of safety precautions and the guidance of trained therapists, each client pushes their limits and ultimately discovers that they are capable of, quite literally, overcoming any challenge which comes their way. Working with, and against, their minds as well as their bodies, they are able to see that they can work with themselves in support and against their self-defeating thoughts. Research has found that participating in ropes courses “significantly increases the participants’ levels of leadership and work efficacy” for up to six weeks after the challenge. A boost in confidence is precisely what those in recovery need during their time in treatment. They need encouragement to know that recovery is possible and that they are capable of achieving it. Avalon By The Sea offers experiential therapy with ropes courses on a seasonal basis. Our programs are full of unique learning opportunities where clients are challenged to grow. Focusing on mind, body, and spirit, our residential treatment programs are curated to the needs of the client to promote transformative healing. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs of recovery, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Your time in treatment is all about you. Part of working on you involves making friends and creating connection with those around you.

Mind, body, and spirit- this is the most simple definition of what approaching something from a holistic standpoint means. The holistic approach is being used to treat all areas of mental health, from addiction and alcoholism (substance use disorders) to depression and anxiety (mood disorders) to bipolar and borderline (personality disorders). Any kind of mental health disorder, it has been discovered, doesn’t only affect mental health. Instead, most treatment providers have discovered that mental health issues affect both physical health and spiritual health as well. Holistic treatment means creating an integrative plan for each client which assesses all three areas of mind, body, and spirit. Their mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and spiritual well being have to be treated at the same time in order to ensure a greater chance at lifelong recovery. Isolating just one area of treatment negates the other areas of treatment. For mental health issues, there can not be any room for neglect. When someone makes the decision to call for help and enter treatment for a significant amount of time in their life, they need to heal. Most often, people who enter treatment are not well, perhaps more in one area than another. Still, in order to fully recover, they have to heal holistically.

Group therapy is an effective yet controversial part of the treatment process. Often ridiculed for being ineffective, many debate whether going to ‘rehab’ for a drug addiction or mental illness needs to include so much group therapy. Everyone recovers differently, which is why many treatment plans today are highly individualized to meet the specific needs of each client. Group therapy is a way to engage with other clients, support one another on a social level, and benefit from participating in different therapy types. Traditional methods of individual therapy are effective as well, which is why they are included multiple times a week in a treatment plan. Most individual therapists in treatment centers utilize cognitive behavioral therapy which is one of the most widely used and evidence based treatment types for mental health rehabilitation. However, there are issues with regarding cognitive behavioral therapy as the gold standard of addiction and mental health treatment. Cognitive functions and the cognition are a part of the brain can become severely damaged through substance abuse and the untreated side effects of mental illnesses. When the cognition is impaired, called cognitive deficits, grasping the process and many broad messages of cognitive behavioral therapy can be difficult. Too many clients in the early part of their recovery process find themselves in this state and as a result struggle to feel as though they are “getting it”. Consequently, the cognitive behavioral therapy is not as effective. Medical Daily reports on a new study which found that mindfulness based group therapy was found to be as effective if not potentially more so than traditional individual therapy using the CBT method. Patients studied for the research were struggling with either anxiety disorders, depression, or other stress-related disorders. Addiction and alcoholism are frequently co-occurring with any of these disorders. “The researchers evaluated how the patient's’ symptoms changed over the course of the study, either with mindfulness group therapy or CBT. The results revealed both groups’ scores on the various questionnaires decreased significantly.” Conclusively, the researchers emphasize mindfulness as a “viable treatment” for mental health. Mindfulness based therapy treatments are essential for providing the holistic treatment needed to fully recover from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. Avalon By The Sea offers residential care for primary substance use and primary mental health disorders. For information on our residential treatment programs, call 1 888-958-7511.

Obsession with idealized perceptions of perfectionism and body image are not taboo in today’s world. For decades, there has been an emphasis through the media on looking “perfect”. The age of digital alteration has made some of these goals and standards unattainable in reality. In the delusions of eating disorders, which alter the way people see themselves and perceive they are being seen by others, these “goals” really are attainable. Since someone with an eating disorder is convinced that they can achieve the perfect look, the perfect size, the perfect weight, and the perfect acceptance, they go to great lengths to achieve it. Should they fall short in any way, it results in deep emotional pain, self-punishment, and other repercussions. This is not a lifestyle choice. Nobody chooses the daily pain of having to loathe one’s appearance to the point of binging and purging and going to extreme lengths to maintain control over body image. Eating disorders like bulimia nervosa are diagnosable mental illnesses. Answering the question, “Is Bulimia Considered A Mental Illness?” LCSW and eating disorder specialist Gretta Gleissner responds for Huffington Post. Mental illness is defined as “a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, or mood. Such conditions may affect someone’s ability to relate to others and function each day,” according to The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Gleissner explains, “Because the symptoms and causes of bulimia are rooted in genetic and environmental factors which can affect a person’s mental, emotional, and physical state, bulimia is considered a mental illness.”  Should bulimia nervosa go untreated, it can become “an extremely debilitating disorder”. The National Eating Disorder Association writes that bulimia nervosa “is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.” Symptoms can include:

During the treatment process, there isn’t a day to be wasted. Each day is full of precious learning and healing opportunities for growth, development, and change. For the recovering brain, there can come a limit. At one point, all of the processing, sharing, learning, practicing, and doing can become too much. Most treatment programs today include a balance of tough clinical work with healing, wellness, and fun activities. From art therapy to yoga, walks on the beach to off site activities, there are breaks in the mix. Still, everything is designed to teach you something about recovery. When your brain is healing, your body is tired, and your soul is just exhausted, there are days when enough is enough. Burnout is a stage when your entire being reaches capacity. Not a single drop of information is going to get in and be effective when you are approaching burnout. Noticing burnout before it happens can help you be proactive and communicate your needs before completely burning out. Getting exasperated by stress in treatment can lead to emotional extremes and severe frustration which could inspire someone to leave “against medical advice” or even relapse. You are allowed to take breaks during treatment. Leaving is an option, but it isn’t the most healthy one because you’d have to come back and start over. At lower levels of care when you are in a sober living environment and not in full residential programming, you have the opportunity to take a pass to visit friends and family and take a few days off. Until then, you have to learn to identify approaching burnout and ask for a change in your scheduling from your therapist. It might mean sleeping in later, taking a few classes off for the day, or getting to spend more time with your individual therapist. Signs Of Burnout You are having thoughts of leaving treatment and being done because you feel like it is stressing you out rather than helping you You’ve run out of all that courage, hope, and faith about recovery You’re so exhausted that you don’t even care anymore and will let the cards fall as they may Through every part of your day you think about how tired and burned out you’re getting Instead of listening and taking in information, you’re being combative, defensive, and argumentative You feel like a whole day of sleep would help put you back on track Providing healing care for mind, body, and spirit, is the best way to nourish the soul with balance. Avalon Malibu offers integrative programs for recovery which heal each part of our client’s lives with proven clinical methods and holistic modalities. For a confidential assessment and more information on our residential treatment programs for primary mental health and substance use disorders, call 1 888-958-7511.

The answer is yes. The answer is no. Many report feeling an instantaneous sense of relief when they pick up the phone and make the call for help. Getting on the plane, arriving at the treatment center, walking in the doors, and getting settled all feel like divine interventions, guaranteeing a better life ahead. Surrender is a powerful tool in recovery and doesn’t just happen in the beginning. Throughout your entire life you are going to have opportunities to surrender. By definition, surrender means to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority. When people don’t surrender to recovery they do not feel the relief that recovery provides. Continuing to fight in recovery is fighting the wrong opponent or enemy. Submitting to the authority of recovery means giving into the simple fact that drinking and using is no longer the answer. Abstinence is the new authority and in order to recover, it has to be obeyed. This is a fight many do not give up. Yet, most don’t realize, when they fight recovery, they truly fight themselves. Addiction and alcoholism are often developed as coping mechanisms to deal with shame and guilt. Where that shame and guilt comes from is different for each person. Some may have experienced it through trauma and abuse in their pasts. Others develop it through their chemical dependency upon drugs and alcohol. Shame can come from untreated mental health disorders, eating disorders, and other sources. When they turn to drugs and alcohol, they turn away from themselves. Without any healthy tools for reconciling with who they are and using practical applications of techniques to change problematic behaviors, they become lost. For most people, it doesn’t get better until they decide to start clearing away the debris and start finding themselves again. In order to start the search, they have to give up the fight. Every single day in recovery, when you are committed to surrendering to a new way of life, it gets a little bit better. Doing the work of making significant changes to your life is hard, there’s not doubt it about. No doubt about this, either: it’s worth it. More importantly, you’re worth it. If you’re ready to do the work, the work is ready to be done by you. Healing is waiting. Change is possible. It’s going to get better.   Call Avalon Malibu today for information on our residential treatment programs providing excellence in care for mind, body, and spirit. Our trusted treatment programs provide total healing and transformation for clients with primary mental health disorders as well as primary substance use disorders. For more information, call 1 (888) 958-7511 today.