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Addiction recovery takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and one of the hardest aspects of recovery life can be getting back into the swing of things when it comes to daily living. After having spent months in treatment at Avalon Malibu, it’s time to get re-acquainted with life at home – to find and maintain employment, to support your family in ways that perhaps you haven’t been able to in awhile, and to begin working harder towards your lifelong goals. There is a lot of hesitancy for those in recovery when it comes to finding employment, however, and it’s warranted because there tends to be some stigma for those in recovery finding work.  Previous studies have found that national costs exceed $400 billion annually on lost productivity, absenteeism, disability and worker’s compensation related to addiction, and for many employers, these issues are very worrisome when they go to consider hiring someone who says they’re in recovery. Ultimately, their worst fear is that they’ll face the same issues with you - of course, you may know well in your heart that you’re going to reach your recovery goals, but sometimes it can be hard to reassure an employer who is already skeptical. Getting a job may take some sincere effort and finding the right opportunity may take some time, just as for anyone, but despite the stigma, the good news is that employers are starting to change their perspective on helping those in addiction recovery to find work because of the many people who are honestly making an effort in their lives.   Stories on the news have highlighted a man who’d not only struggled with addiction but who also had a misdemeanor on his record – and despite the pushback from positions who saw red flags, he finally found a company who considered themselves “recovery friendly”. News sources state that more and more workplaces are starting to overlook employment gaps and minor drug-related police concerns as long as the person they’re working with is open and honest – and ultimately, the goal behind this is to reduce stigma for those in recovery in the workplace. Overall, companies who are “recovery friendly” tend to treat addiction recovery as a medical issue – and with this comes a greater sense of collaboration between the employer and employee to work together on healing.  With more companies starting to embrace the histories of those in recovery, it opens up chances to get back into employment while also having the support of those in the workplace. For those who need or would like to show potential employers what they’re capable of, volunteering could provide an excellent opportunity to gain new skills, network, and even discover one’s true passions. For many people in addiction recovery, volunteering is a great starting place – and they can even begin while they’re in treatment so that they can find some added structure to their days. Not only can you benefit from adding some work experience to your resume through volunteering, previous studies have shown that you can acquire many other benefits, such as:

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the most commonly known self-help groups out there – with meetings that take place on a weekly basis, people from all walks of life can come in and talk about what they’re going through while also learning from others and creating a deeper spiritual connection with a Higher Power. Other self-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and even non-12 step programs such as SMART Recovery and Women for Sobriety offer group support to those who need a community of people with similar problems or experiences. Self-help groups can provide much-needed support, but they tend to work best alongside the treatment programs at Avalon Malibu. In many cases, these support programs add an additional layer of community support than can only strengthen a person’s recovery.  If you’re deciding whether or not to join a self-help group, it’s important to look at each group and determine which one most closely aligns with your beliefs, values, and attitudes towards healing, life and recovery. Be sure not to disregard 12-Step groups if you think they may be an option, but do note that previous studies have shown that non-12 Step programs are just as successful as 12-step groups. Both have many benefits, each different in their approach. As long as you attend regularly, create meaningful connections and get something great out of the program you attend, that’s truly all that matters.   At this point, you may be wondering, what are the differences? In your research, you’ll notice that some groups emphasize religion while others don’t – you’ll also find that some programs are more structured in agreed-upon rules for recovery and lifestyle habits, while others are a bit more flexible. All in all, what truly matters is that you attend something that is conducive to your recovery – something that uplifts, motivates, inspires, and provides you with the support you need to get through challenging times.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when someone has witnessed a traumatic event – and many people find that the symptoms are incredibly disruptive to their daily lives. Those with PTSD may experience nightmares, flashbacks, paranoia, anxiety, depression and more, and this can lead to people wanting to abuse substances in order to get through the discomfort of their PTSD symptoms. Much tension is held throughout the body in those with PTSD because of being startled easily, overly stressed, easily angered, or due to having issues with insomnia. If this is something you’ve been struggling with, addiction recovery is a great place to begin working through the physical, mental and emotional symptoms that have held you back in making the most of your life.  Holistic practices treat the mind, body and spirit in a way that is restorative – and if your doctor recommends it, massage therapy could be a great form of treatment. Most people in the U.S. have experienced some form of trauma at least once in their lives, and with so many different experiences that can be had with PTSD, treatment like massage therapy can bring back a loving, compassionate tone to a person’s recovery journey. Previous studies have explored just how powerful massage therapy can be – even for people such as firefighters, who are exposed to traumatic incidences regularly. Massage therapy was found to significantly improve the symptoms of PTSD in many of these workers, which can mean a lot in a person’s daily life.  Massage therapy reduces cortisol (a stress response) and increases serotonin (which regulates mood, sleep, appetite, etc.) and dopamine (the “feel good” chemical). With this, people in addiction recovery can feel less anxious and less in danger, as massage therapy can provoke feelings of security. For someone who struggles with both addiction and PTSD, massage therapy could be just one of many areas of treatment that could make a world of difference.

Even after we’ve gone through the detoxification process and our body is flushed from toxins acquired from addiction, we have to continue the healing and rejuvenation process of our mind, body and spirit. From the beginning of the period when we developed an addiction, we’ve covered up many aspects of our lives that serve great purpose in living a meaningful life; many people find that painful, deep emotions lie further down within and they become harder and harder to grasp, and it becomes even more challenging to express our emotions as time – and the addiction – go on. Throughout recovery, we have to pay close attention to our thoughts and emotions, because these are what shape our perceptions – and perception is what guides us in life.   Emotional sobriety could be defined differently depending on the person, but it’s generally about acceptance, managing emotions in healthy ways, and practicing self-awareness so that we can continue to thrive in recovery. For anyone who has struggled with addiction, emotional sobriety is not an easy task – especially when we don’t have a firm grasp on healthy coping mechanisms for strong emotions like anger, depression, anxiety, sadness and more. The reality is that when a person is emotionally sober, they’re able to sit with whatever discomfort they’re experiencing. They’re no longer escaping those emotions in search of a “high” – and it takes some time to get ot this period.  For many in recovery, substances once served as a crutch – a way to avoid life’s seemingly endless problems that have weighed so heavily on one’s shoulders. When uncomfortable emotions would arise, alcohol or drugs would cover up that feeling – and while it seemed like it solved all problems, it was only temporary. Addiction really forces people to shut away all of the thoughts and feelings that come with having real human thoughts and emotions. Recovery is sobering not just on a physical level, but on an emotional one, too – and that’s where we can find growth and ultimate transformation. Those who’ve been in recovery for some time can attest to the fact that emotional sobriety requires slowly and steadily reminding oneself all of the people, places and things that could throw them off in recovery – and instead of immediately reacting, taking in the discomfort with and allowing oneself to sit with the emotion while they process it.  There are many steps you can take on a daily basis to maintain emotional sobriety, but you have to recognize that you’re not always going to want to take these steps. When you’re feeling great, you’ll clearly notice that you’re taking strides towards your recovery goals – but on the bad days, the days when you want to give up or when you’re feeling angry, you have to keep using the strategies of emotional sobriety and not give in to relapse. While unhealthy distraction – such as reverting to drinking or using other substances – is definitely dangerous when it comes to sobriety and maintaining your recovery journey, there are other ways that you can distract yourself that are much healthier options. When painful thoughts or emotions arise, you can choose to subtly distract yourself in order to distance yourself from pain or discomfort that could send you into relapse.  Much of the mental and emotional processing involved with this includes changing your thought patterns to be more constructive and helpful for recovery. It’s easy to immediately react to situations, people or our emotions, but emotional reactions aren’t always beneficial – and putting some more logic into the equation could prevent a relapse episode altogether. Whether you believe it or not – oftentimes, when we set the thought or intention, our emotions will follow afterwards. By following up the uncomfortable thought or feeling with something positive, you’re initiating something different in your mind to break up that space of negativity.   CBT is a therapy approach that helps people break up old, negative thought patterns with newer, more productive ones. You can work closely with your therapist ta Avalon Malibu to work on CBT skills that are manageable for you – and you’ll find that you’re well on your way in maintaining emotional sobriety. If you’re ready to seek help for an addiction, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. It’s never too late to begin living the life you’ve always wanted – and that always begins with your health and wellbeing.

When selecting a treatment center, there are many different factors that you want to look into. Long-term success in recovery has been shown to meet individual’s needs not just by focusing on a person’s mental illness or addiction, but also by exploring other areas of a person’s life that may have been negatively effecting them. Recovery is a time to learn how to deal with challenging emotions better, gain a greater sense of clarity, and identify goals that we can work towards achieving for the future. There are several necessities that are needed for healing and restoration – and it’s important to incorporate these into treatment instead.   Previous studies have emphasized the importance of a client’s comfort in treatment, as well as cleanliness and hospitality to their family members and other staff as well. In addition to having a space that minimizes errors, falls, and infections, places like Avalon Malibu really emphasize comfort and security. The rooms at Avalon Malibu are very spacious and beautiful, which makes it even easier for patients to feel relaxed and to spend time focusing on their recovery.  Recovery involves a person’s willingness to become sober, change their lifestyle and behaviors, and work on developing tools that are better for their health and wellbeing. Nutrition helps to restore the balance of the mind and body, which is why Avalon Malibu will provide the nutritional assessment and guidance that a person needs. Through eating the right food and getting adequate exercise, you can work towards replenishing your overall health and well-being.  No matter your circumstance, you’ve likely experienced ups and downs that have affected you in one way or another. It’s important to work through those issues so that you can heal and move forward with your life – something that psychotherapy and a host of other holistic activities can help you achieve. If you’re ready to seek help, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

With the holidays coming up, it can be easy to feel nervous about the urge to abuse alcohol or drugs. Whether potential usage is with family or friends, or whether we may feel lonely during the holidays, the desire to want to use may still be there – and it can be hard to overcome at times. If you’ve been in recovery for quite some time or if you’re just wanting to ensure your health and safety this holiday season, there are several steps that you can take to ensure that you stay on track with sobriety. Know what your boundaries are. If your friends or family are abusing substances, plan out exactly what you want to say or do if you become uncomfortable. If you already have a set plan for what you’ll say and do, it will become much easier to say “no” if you need to. You may also want to establish a trusty ride home if you need to head out.  Understand what you are getting into before you go. If you know that the people you’re about to spend time with will not respect your recovery and will try to get you to drink or use drugs, reconsider the decision to go. Never compromise your values or your health to feel comfortable around others. Feel free to say “no” if you don’t feel that it would be a good idea for your recovery, health and safety – you’ll thank yourself later.  If you’re at a holiday event, go ahead and make yourself a non-alcoholic drink. Most of the time, it will look like you have a drink already in hand – and you’ll be less likely to be asked if you’d like something to drink. If people begin asking you why you’re not drinking, tell them “I’m not drinking tonight” or “I have plans early tomorrow” or “I took medication and alcohol doesn’t mix well with it”. It’s perfectly find to tell other people that drinking doesn’t fit within your plans for the night. Never be afraid to stand up for yourself.

Many people struggle with feeling anxious or depressed or angry, and they find it hard to talk about it. For many previous generations, it’s been a challenge to talk about feelings because we’re told to suppress it and hold it deep inside. We hold it in, expecting the pain to fade away – but when it doesn’t, we find ourselves searching outside for solutions, and in many cases, that’s when addiction becomes part of our daily routine. Recovery is a time when we can release some of what’s been holding us back – to talk through the challenging emotions and find healing. Expressive therapy uses music, art, dance, poetry and other creative instances within the context of psychotherapy or rehabilitation. Addiction recovery is about working through some of the hardest experiences and emotions that we’ve held onto for so many years, and expressive arts therapy can help us reach this place in a way that simply talking about it can’t. Previous studies have shown that expressive arts therapies can work wonders for those in recovery, especially alongside other treatment practices like meditation, yoga, nutrition management and more. Other studies have shown that expressive art therapies can help those in recovery understand their thoughts and feelings better, which helps a person become stronger in moving towards healing and restoration. For those who are seriously considering expressive arts therapy, it’s important to understand the many factors that go into it, such as:

Celebrities are often looked at by people all around the world, in magazines, the TV screen, in books and more. They have a considerable influence on how people think about themselves and life. Celebrity stories do have the power to change people’s lives, whether for good or bad. Fergie is a singer with a very powerful addiction story that needs to be told. Fergie previously struggled with crystal meth addiction, and she has told numerous sources that she dealt with daily hallucinations. Understanding what Fergie went through and what led to her 18-year sobriety may help others in recovery to remain diligent in their healing journey. Crystal meth can cause hallucinations, strange behavior, panic attacks, psychosis, and more. Fergie has even told sources that she dealt with substance-induced dementia at some points in her life. The singer was addicted to the substance back when she was part of the group Wild Orchid and was still addicted even after leaving the group. Fergie, 42, once told the story of a time when she was so high on crystal meth that she thought the CIA, FBI, and SWAT teams were following her. She explained that these agencies were trying to kick her out, and she was so paranoid that an infrared camera was in a church trying to look for her. She had to explain that at that moment, she thought everyone was chasing after her – even people in the church that she was in were trying to run down the aisle and catch her. In reality, it was all the substances she’d been taking – but it was so hard to differentiate those feelings because she was so intoxicated. That moment really stood out for Fergie, and that’s what showed her that she needed to seek treatment and begin healing.

Everyone who goes through the addiction recovery process knows that it’s challenging. There is a lot involved – not just the physical detoxification component of it, but also in identifying people, places, and situations that could push someone to want to revert to old addictive patterns of behavior. The beginning of our recovery journey can be particularly difficult, especially with the fear of relapsing. Relapsing is defined as the recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement. There’s a common misbelief that relapse means a person has failed – and that’s not true. It’s simply part of recovery.

Despite the fact that addiction and substance abuse can take years to develop and to become severe, many people expect that recovery will be a quick fix. Nobody wants to really go through all of the pain and discomfort that are often associated with detoxification and becoming used to a life of sobriety – and if you were to ask most people in addiction recovery, they’d probably snap their fingers to make it happen if they could. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way – and, technically speaking, the greater the effort you put towards your recovery, the more rewarding your journey will be in the long run. Long-term residential treatment programs are incredibly beneficial because they give us the time, space, resources, and support that we need to develop a life in recovery – and if you’re looking for an in-depth program that is tailored to your needs, a residential program at Avalon Malibu could be a great option for you.  Long-term, residential treatment programs tend to take more time than people realize because it takes time to undo the damage that addiction has caused; residential programs take approximately 6-12 months total and require that clients live in a comfortable, home-like environment during this time. Clients who choose this option won’t even need to drive to treatment because their treatment will take place near their living facility. Meals are provided and around-the-clock care is also provided to ensure that clients feel stable throughout the duration of their stay. Those in long-term treatment programs have sincere mental, physical and spiritual needs and because the treatment program at Avalon Malibu is incredibly comprehensive, clients who choose this option will be supported throughout their time in the program and beyond. Long-term residential treatment programs provide stable housing, which involves staying in a comfortable room designed for optimum healing and restoration. Nutrition management also becomes a major part of the program, with vitamins and minerals needed to replenish the mind and body; in cases of medical supervision and other addiction-related concerns, there is 24/7 support for individuals in recovery. Both individual and group sessions are held to help foster thinking and personal development, and a person can become involved in a variety of holistic recovery-related activities, such as equine therapy, music therapy, art therapy, massage therapy and much more. Every client has their own unique needs, and that is why residential treatment should be personalized to the individual. Previous sources have interviewed people in addiction recovery to learn more about the problems they face, the obstacles they’ve had to overcome, as well as advice they have for others in seeking out treatment. A common consensus amongst those in addiction recovery is that if you think you have a problem – be it an addiction with alcohol, drugs or other substances – you probably do. Many people let their fear and denial of their issues get in the way of breaking through and seeking help, and this is what holds people back from living a sober, healthy life.   Residential treatment often provides a pathway for clients to find themselves, their purpose and their path in sobriety. In this type of treatment program, it’s typical for a person to follow a strict “routine” that’s set – and there may be rules (such as no technology) to follow too, depending on where you go. These routines often try to help a person go to sleep by a certain time, wake up at a specific time, and attend various recovery-related ventures throughout the day so they can become used to getting involved in different components of treatment.  Residential treatment programs are extremely beneficial for people who don’t have solid support systems at home or who don’t have a stable home environment where they can practice sobriety and be positively reinforced in doing it. Individuals who struggle with severe addiction often find that residential treatment programs are better for them because they’re able to be monitored more closely, and they can receive more guidance in daily living habits for sobriety. Those who are able to make arrangements for other responsibilities such as work projects, children, household duties and more find that residential treatment is most conducive to their healing. Residential treatment programs often have different phases, and each phase holds different levels of activity and expectations; in addition to this, a person may find that aspects of residential treatment aid in getting them back into daily life such as job-seeking assistance, volunteer opportunities to make new friends and develop skills, after-care support, alumni services and more. If you’re ready to take charge of your life and overcome addiction, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. There’s an entire team of people here ready to support you – and the residential treatment programs provided allow enough support and resources for a person to become stronger in living a life of sobriety.

Note: If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters and you are not alone. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects people all across the world, with many of them being women. BPD is typically characterized by an intense fear of abandonment, unstable self-image, self-harm, anger and irritability, and more. Unfortunately, death by suicide takes many people in this community. It’s common with this type of disorder to feel misunderstood and feel an inner sense of turmoil that can’t easily be addressed. For those diagnosed with BPD, self-harm is another devastating occurrence – and the more support that is provided to these individuals, the higher the recovery rate can be. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a program typically used to help treat BPD and is a structured program that features cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. For many with BPD, the world is seen in “black and white” – that is, people or events may be seen as “one thing” or “another” and it’s rather challenging for those with this disorder to see the in-betweens. There are 4 major areas of DBT that can really help people with BPD in recovery:

When selecting a treatment center, there are many factors you want to consider. Long-term success in recovery has been shown by many studies to help people achieve their recovery goals, but there are still some important components to consider when selecting where to go. Recovery is a time to develop new coping skills, understand ourselves better, and identifying goals that we can work towards leading happier healthier lives. While you’re researching which treatment center to go to, consider the following factors: