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Each year, Valentine’s Day reels in billions of dollars. On average, each person in the United States spends over $100 on jewelry, cards, chocolates and more. So many gifts are given on this day, especially as those in relationships seek to show their love by offering each other meaningful gifts and tokens of their affection.

When we’re talking about substance abuse, nutrition is rarely the focus of the conversation. A few simple drinks after work hours can easily translate into several more drinks at home every evening. Similarly, occasional drug use with friends can eventually turn into nightly intoxication sessions. At the time that it’s all happening, it could feel completely harmless. However, when you’re not paying attention is often when bad habits can develop. These bad habits can, eventually, take over your life.  If you’re in recovery for addiction, you can probably recognize that it’s been harder for you to focus on your health and nutrition because substances have taken up so much time and energy. It might be difficult to go shopping for healthy, nutritious foods and to schedule time each week to exercise when our brain has become wired to crave substances, even if we’d rather work against it. If you feel like you’ve got a long way to go, don’t feel discouraged. Just as your brain and body became trained to crave substances, you can retrain them back towards healthy living by working hard in treatment.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you may be hearing a lot of talk about love, romance, and relationships. Typically, Valentine’s Day is a holiday meant to celebrate that special someone. If you’re not presently in a relationship, chances are that days like these might leave you feeling a little left out. Seeing seemingly happy relationships all around you, maybe you find yourself wondering if it’s time you sought one out for yourself. If you’re in recovery from addiction, however, the answer to this question can be a bit more complicated, as there are many more factors to consider.

There are so many different factors that contribute to who we are as human beings. Each one of us has a unique background, family and medical history, interests and skill set, thought process, and much more. Unfortunately, many treatment programs don’t address all of these other factors that are vital in a person’s recovery. While it can be helpful to hone in on detoxification, for example, there are some pieces that often aren’t recognized as important. These overlooked areas of emphasis could make a huge difference in someone’s recovery. Integrative care is more a personal approach that takes into consideration the many aspects of a person’s health that would need to receive attention in order for them to thrive in recovery.

Many Americans have begun exercising because they’re starting to realize the benefits that exercise can have on a person’s daily life and longevity. Exercise isn’t just for the typical athletic, high energy, health fanatic – in fact, practically anyone can exercise. The key is finding what kind of physical activity works best for you. Those who want to take proactive and preventative measures to health will find that exercise helps maintain this ongoing goal. Individuals in addiction recovery may find physical fitness especially helpful, utilizing consistent exercise routines to help them become stronger mentally, physically and spiritually.

Even the most hardworking people in addiction recovery find themselves in sticky situations, including relapse. There will be moments in life where it feels like a relapse isn’t as pressing as it really is – and then, when it happens, those in recovery quickly realize that they’ve gotten off track.   Those that are in recovery and take their addiction seriously can also find themselves struggling for sobriety in moments when it feels like everything is falling apart, and, in some cases, even when everything is going really well. Studies explain that relapse occurs when a person stops working towards achieving their goal of reducing substance use or of sobriety, and so they return to using again.   If you’re at the beginning of your recovery journey, or even if you’ve been working towards sobriety for some time, it’s important to understand that relapse can occur – but with the right tools and resources provided at Avalon Malibu, you’ll find yourself back on the road to recovery.  Addiction is a brain disease, and to those on the outside looking in, the issue seems simple: if a person has an addiction, they should simply quit. One of the most debated questions in addiction recovery is whether or not relapse is a personal moral failure or just a part of recovery. The reality is that drugs and alcohol affect the brain’s reward center, which involves dopamine, a chemical that, when released in excess amounts, leads to feelings of euphoria. From there, the addiction directly changes the brain’s chemical structure, and even in recovery, the brain will still try to revert to the behavior it had when a person was still abusing substances. Even on a basic human level, changing habits of behavior is hard. There are so many self-destructive behaviors that humans get into, such as eating unhealthily, not exercising enough or over-exercising, smoking and much more. All too often, humans tell themselves they’ll stop pursuing a dangerous habit, only to find themselves doing it again within a few days. Change is hard – and that’s part of why relapse can happen sometimes.   For those in recovery, a relapse often happens when a period of that uncontrollable urge arises; relapse is truly a normal process because the mind, body, and spirit are adjusting and it will take some time for a person to become used to what’s happening. Take a look at the stages of change that tend to coincide with addiction recovery and relapse: Stage 1: Precontemplation – It’s hard for a person to comprehend that they have a problem, and they really don’t feel the need to seek out help. Stage 2: Contemplation – a person is ready to stop feeling so “stuck”, but they’re having difficulties understanding the causes of the problems they’re experiencing. This is when a variety of emotions may arise, such as fear, excitement, etc. Stage 3: Preparation – when a person is at this stage, they’re starting to feel ready to make a change, and they’re talking about it with others. Stage 4: Action – at this point, the greatest commitment of time and energy take place and changes are more visible in that person’s life. Stage 5: Maintenance – those who’ve completed official treatment but continue to take part in recovery-related activities will find that maintenance is needed in order to remain sober.  Stage 6: Relapse (optional) – devastating situations in a person’s life, along with various periods of over-confidence, depression and other difficult moments can cause a person to fall back into old patterns of addiction. If you’ve recently relapsed, it’s better to approach the situation with a sense of positivity. Relapses can provide a lot of lesson learning and there is so much that you can gain from this experience; in many cases, it’s an opportunity to learn and strengthen healthy coping mechanisms. A part of healing could be identifying what led to the relapse, including what people, places, and emotions cued for it to happen. Once we learn of what caused us to have this urge, we can start taking proactive steps to ensure that those things do not affect us as heavily next time.  At Avalon Malibu, individuals can speak with a therapist to explore different reasons for why their relapse occurred, or can even discuss relapse in group therapy; for those in addiction recovery, this mode of treatment can help people to not only talk about their lived experiences but can open up the platform to learn from others, too. From there, a specialized treatment plan can be created and the risk of relapse can become minimized as more tools are provided that treat an individual’s specific needs. There are several other areas of recovery that can help a person recover from relapse, too:

Many people experience a mental illness each year and, while a diagnosis may seem frightening or saddening, there are many ways to hold a light to mental illness to see what good it does for us. Conversations surrounding mental illness often involve challenging symptoms that affect daily life, but there are many wonderful qualities that mental illness can mean for us as well. In fact, history has shown that many creative and scientific geniuses have had mental illness – so there’s some good that comes from it!  For example, some of  those with bipolar disorder tend to experience colors more vividly which can be a beautiful quality in daily life.  In fact, those with this disorder may even consider it like holding a “magnifying glass” to certain aspects of life. For others with mental illness, it can propel them to take certain steps for their health and wellness that perhaps they wouldn’t have done before. With this, mental illness sometimes gives us an opportunity to dig deeper into something we may have not noticed as much before, and may also give us the perspective we need to push forward towards our dreams. Bipolar disorder isn’t the only mental illness with upsides; a clear example of this is that mental illness can help us to see life at a larger – or smaller scale – and this can benefit us in many ways depending on what we’re doing. Individuals with depression often develop a sincere ability to notice when others are feeling depressed. This gift of “noticing” could mean saying some nice or even giving someone a hug if they can tell it’s needed.  Having a mental illness does not mean that one is subjected to experiencing only painful or crippling circumstances. If you’re ready to look at mental illness in a more positive light, and begin working towards healing, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

Recovery is a difficult road to process without proper support. In addition to this, it can be incredibly difficult to thrive and succeed in recovery when there are so many resources and so much knowledge out there that we’re not quite aware of yet. During the first few months – and even in the first year – of recovery, you’re going to find what propels you in addiction and what holds you back. You’ll likely hear a lot of tips from those who’ve been in recovery for a long time, as well as some advice from those who are also new to recovery but have learned from personal research or from others what helps people to succeed. No matter where you’re at in the recovery process, you must carefully consider the decisions that you make – and don’t make – to see how it affects your health and wellbeing during this time. One mistake that many people make in addiction recovery is consuming too much sugar. This becomes what is called “transfer addiction” where a person, for example, replaces a substance like cocaine for sugar. Sugar activates the reward system in our brain in the same way alcohol, drugs and other addictions do – and by consuming too much sugar, you’re really setting yourself up for a transfer addiction.  Another mistake that can occur in addiction recovery is spending too much time alone. There are several reasons for while people do this, such as: 1) to keep their “mask” on, 2) in an attempt to deal with all the changes that are taking place, 3) to avoid pain, and more. Isolation happens because we’re not sure how to make sense of our lives at the time – but the key is to remain patient. Lastly, coffee is harmful to recovery. Coffee has caffeine, which actually increases our stress and anxiety. When we drink coffee, our adrenaline increases, which can also worsen our anxiety. Keep this in mind if you’re consuming too much coffee.

Massage therapy has been used for centuries to help treat a number of health conditions and to improve wellness, including for those pursuing addiction recovery. Massage therapy can become an excellent addition to addiction recovery, as the mind, body and spirit work to heal and rejuvenate from the negative effects that substance abuse can cause. One type of massage therapy in particular - Thai massage - can be incredibly relaxing in several different ways. It’s a bit different from traditional massage therapy approaches in that it involves the client laying on the floor on a padded mat, in which a masseuse then manipulates their body in different positions.

If someone were to tell you that you’d be able to get acupuncture right now, how would you feel? Would you be excited, or nervous? For many Americans, acupuncture seems like a terrifyingly painful experience – just the thought of a bunch of small needles poking your body is enough to make most people cringe. A popular practice in the Eastern world, the Western world is still learning to become more open to holistic treatment methods like acupuncture. Countries such as China have used acupuncture for preventative health measures for so many years – and the biggest difference between countries like China and countries like the United States, are all based on approach. Western practices consider medicine to be used as a cure or relief to certain issues or illnesses, while Easter tradition utilizes medicine as a means to practice health and wellbeing.

When it comes to addiction recovery, there are many methods of healing that can be pursued. For many people, holistic massage therapy provides a safe space for healing and restoration. Holistic massage therapy at Avalon Malibu is tailored to each client’s unique needs, and considers their mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Holistic modalities of massage can include shiatsu, traditional Chinese medicine, hand and foot reflexology, acupressure, energy work, rocking and shaking, and Thai massage – and you can discover what type of holistic massage therapy treatment works best for you. As you can see, these forms of massage take a more Eastern approach as compared to Western approaches, which include hot stone massage, aromatherapy, prenatal massage, deep tissue massage, and more. Sore muscles, increased circulation, increased nerve flow, lower blood pressure, improved immune system, ease of depression and anxiety, increased flexibility and mobility, and reduced inflammation are several of the many benefits that holistic massage therapy can provide those in addiction recovery:

Anyone who suffers from an addiction knows that recovery is a challenging, lifelong process. We must constantly be aware of our stressors and triggers to note if we are in a situation where we feel the need to repeat old negative patterns of behavior. The beginning of our recovery journey can be particularly difficult, because relapse can be a terrifying concept to grasp. When someone relapses, it disrupts their recovery process by involving a temporary lapse in addictive behaviors. Many people who are afraid of relapsing or who have already relapsed are afraid that they’ve failed themselves, their loved ones, and their recovery – but it’s important to note that relapse is an opportunity for those in recovery to learn more about what they need to heal.  There are three main ties to relapses – physical, mental, and emotional.  Emotional relapses may occur in a person and while this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will go right back to their old addictive habits, it is the first stage of the relapse process and could be a tell sign that they might relapse soon. Strong emotions, like jealousy, hatred, anger, sadness and more can all lead a person to begin thinking and feeling emotions that could eventually lead ot physical relapse. Mental relapses occur when a person is at war between using the drug/substance and staying sober. At this stage of relapse, a person has fleeting thoughts of using and it’s hard to keep these thoughts at bay. A few characteristics of this may be lying to the people closest to them, romanticizing using the substance/drug in the past, dwelling on people, places, or things that tie directly to the addiction, and hanging out with people whom they’ve abused substances within the past. Physical relapse is the actual act of relapsing – the person uses substances for a period of time, and this is when they must go back into recovery mode and find out what they can do to strengthen their recovery.