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There are so many instances when we have a particular goal in mind, but that goal becomes distorted as – for whatever reason – we begin to pull ourselves away from it, maybe without even realizing it.  No matter where you’re at in life right now, think about the ways in which you’ve self-sabotaged your own relationships, professional career, parenting endeavors and more. Self-sabotage is defined as any action that we take that gets in the way of us achieving a particular goal. Working towards getting a promotion at work? Self-sabotaging behavior may involve you waiting until the last minute to complete a project, rushing to get the job done and then it looks bad on you. On a diet? Self-sabotage may involve going back on the plan that you set for yourself consistently so that you can’t reach your nutrition goals. No matter what it is, self-sabotage has a sneaky way of making sure that we fail. Why is this? There are so many reasons for self-sabotage, including 1) feeling like we’re not good enough, 2) wanting control over the situation – if we force ourselves to fail, at least we controlled the failure 3) fear of being “called out” by someone as a fraud, 4) feeling too comfortable with being in a particular place in life (such as addiction), 5) making it easier on ourselves and 6) being bored and wanting something interested to transpire from it. Self-sabotage can certainly happen in addiction and mental illness recovery; and if we’re not careful, it can ruin our entire healing and restoration process.  You know deep down that you’re engaging in these self-sabotaging behaviors, so make the decision to stop them. Talk to your therapist about what to do. Ask for help. Use your tools. As long as you keep trying in recovery, you’re winning. There’s no doubt about it. If you’re ready to embark on the journey towards healing, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Whether it occurred before addiction began or once it’d already developed, toxic relationships can negatively affect the way a person views themselves – and even their life. It’s natural for every relationship to have ups and downs over time, especially as personalities, beliefs, attitudes, and values clash over certain situations. In some unfortunate cases, however, certain relationships can perpetuate a sense of toxicity; in many other cases, relationships can be broken because of the changes that are displayed in a person when active addiction is involved.  If you’ve lost important relationships throughout your life – which, if that’s the case, you’re not the only one – it can feel nerve-wracking to start over in building new relationships. We can’t always get by on surface-level conversations – to build a truly meaningful life, we have to develop a strong support system that we can lean on in times of need and during times of triumph.

Millions of people all across the world struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Common symptoms of this disorder include frightening flashbacks and nightmares, paranoia, agitation, anxiety, depression, and more, which obviously makes it hard to function in daily life for many people. Not everyone who goes through a traumatic event develops PTSD, but of those who do, it can leave long-lasting physical and/or emotional damages. If you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, it’s possible that you may feel things will never get better – that you’ll constantly be stuck in a state of misery. But that’s not true. Writing therapy, in particular, has been shown in numerous studies to help people work through their emotions and traumatic memories to find healing and strength. With writing therapy, a person may experience relief from stress, improved immune system functioning, and the ability to understand and learn from one’s emotions – which can have a significantly positive effect not only in their daily functioning but in how they view themselves, the world and others as well. The reason why writing therapy is so beneficial is that it combines expressive writing and CBT techniques to help individuals find new ways of viewing and expressing themselves and their life stories, particularly in their mental script. It’s hard to talk about painful events in one’s life, but writing about it can help. After all, you’re your story. When writing it down, you can write it however you want – you get to choose what you want to say and how you want to say it. For many people, this gives them a sense of control because they do not have to be questioned or confronted regarding what they’ve written; writing therapy gives them an opportunity to get everything out of their system and out into the open. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu to begin working towards your own healing journey. There are so many things you can write about, and you may find that you become more resilient from it.

Recovery is filled with ups and downs, and sometimes we may experience different mindsets for it. The beginning of recovery can be challenging because you don’t know what to expect, but even months – or years – later, recovery can be filled with moments of confidence and doubt, just as life is filled with these things. Issues may arise, however, when we start doubting our recovery and allowing those doubts to get the best of us. We may start telling ourselves lies – even if we don’t realize it – and this can affect our approach to healing if we don’t “check-in” with ourselves soon.  If this is where you’re at right now, take a deep breath and remind yourself that it’s normal to go through these moments of change – and by recognizing these 3 types of common lies we tell ourselves, we’ll better be able to combat them if they occur:

Each day, we’re filled with thousands of thoughts, feelings, moments and more. All of these impact us not only on a daily basis but add up over time to create what our daily lives entail – and since they all combine to form our lived experiences, they’re all equally important. True health and well-being are based on 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 – oftentimes, addiction can take away from these most vital components of living and so during recovery, we have to strengthen them again. When we’re actively involved in substance abuse, our brain becomes flooded with dopamine, a “feel good” chemical that causes us to involuntarily want more and more of the drug. In many cases, loved ones will state that their brother, sister, mother, etc. are acting differently than they used to – for instance, people may suddenly lie, steal, or act defensively/mean when substances are involved, even if they would never say anything or act a certain way if they were sober. In fact, many addiction recovery professionals associate addiction with “hijacking” a person, because they no longer are themselves.  This is one of the most commonly discussed areas of addiction, and that’s because it’s the easiest to see; addiction can significantly affect the body in the way the brain functions, but also in the way the body functions. A clear indicator of this is when someone becomes intoxicated – a person is no longer able to think clearly, and it may become more difficult for them to make rational choices. Health organizations state that long-term addiction can lead to a number of physical health problems such as: a weakened immune system, damaged kidneys, liver or lungs, heart problems, rotted teeth, skin infections and more.   The least discussed by society – but one of the most important aspects to discuss in addiction treatment – is how a person’s spirit becomes affected by substance abuse. Substances can take over nearly every aspect of a person’s life, and this can cause them to lose important relationships with friends and family, their career progression, meaningful hobbies and more. Over time, a person’s life can become centered by only substances and less with things that contribute to happiness, health, and fulfillment.    Treatment is about not only treating the addiction but also helping a person regain balance in mind, body, and spirit. Everyone is on different paths and have different needs, which is why a personalized treatment plan is crucial – without it, certain needs may not be met, and it may become easier for a person to dive back into their old lifestyle. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help individuals reduce old, negative thought patterns that are keeping them down and replace them with newer, more productive ones to uplift their happiness and health. In addition to that, group therapy can provide valuable lessons and experiences along with moments of connection to build social support. When individuals in recovery begin to focus on nutrition management, they’ll find that their mind, body, and spirit become replenished. Even effective tools of treatment such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), can provide incredibly useful tools for everyday life.  Exercise is a crucial component of healing and growth in recovery, as it reduces stress, improves serotonin levels, and sets us up to think more clearly. Nutrition not only affects the brain but the body too – and with healthier eating habits, we’re likely to suffer less with mental illness and despair; furthermore, proper rest can help the body heal itself from the damages of addiction – which is greatly needed for a person’s full recovery. If you’re looking for some excellent, sober-filled activities to dive into, rock climbing and playing sports could not only give you a chance to connect with others but could yield you with positive physical benefits such as greater flexibility and strength enhanced blood circulation and others. Mindfulness can help us regain a sense of balance amidst the chaos; psychologists say that mindfulness can help reduce rumination and stress while boosting working memory, focus, less emotional reactivity, greater meta-cognitive flexibility, relationship satisfaction and so much more. Even activities such as yoga can not only aid the body and mind but the spirit, too – with a greater sense of grounding, we can make decisions that are more proactive for our health. Not to mention, social support can provide a wonderful base for a happier, healthier life and can help individuals find nurturement throughout their sobriety journey. Lastly, therapy can greatly help individuals work through deep problems they may not otherwise have dealt with – in effect, all of these strategies can help a person’s mind, body and spirit grow. If you’re ready to seek help, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

As you’re taking new steps towards healthier living, you’ll want to make sure that your mind, body, and spirit are adequately prepared for all the new changes that will be taking place. Recovery isn’t just about treating the addiction itself – it’s about doing what you can to ensure that you’re in the healthiest state possible as a form of restoration. Physical health is incredibly important because your body serves as the foundation that gets you to where you need to be; without physical health, it becomes harder to carry out daily tasks and live the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. Stretching is a great way to boost your immune system and prepare your mental health for optimal processing.  There are truly so many benefits to stretching: it promotes flexibility, it corrects our posture, and it helps our bodies become more prepared to deal with injuries as they come. In addition to this, our blood supply increases with stretching – which means that nutrients are better able to reach the parts of our body that really need it for healing. Light movement has actually been shown to improve our mental health and can boost our mood. Studies have shown that a certain type of protein can be increased through stretching, which makes it easier for our mind and body to heal. Mental illness concerns like anxiety and depression can be reduced, making it easier to function in daily life and thrive in recovery altogether.  Much like we may need to warm up a vehicle on a cold winter day before we drive it off the parking lot, our bodies need time to adjust to the movement and changes that are taking place. Stretching can improve your circulation and give you fuller range-of-motion, which will also help you react better to falls and other issues that may arise. There are a few types of holistic practices that can also increase our stretching capabilities, including yoga and meditation. When we stretch, we become more in-tune with our mind, body, and spirit – which ultimately can have a transformative effect on our addiction recovery.

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.

For people who drink too much alcohol too quickly, blackouts can occur. And when it happens, it’s interesting because of the way our society views it – in some ways, it’s terrifying, while others find it to be quite hilarious. Drinking too much and too fast can cause blackouts, and they’re incredibly common – especially since our culture condones so much drinking. If blackouts are occurring frequently in a person’s life, this could be a strong sign that they’re struggling with alcoholism or an alcohol use disorder (AUD) – but all too often, people don’t even realize they’re battling this because it’s viewed as a normal thing. As a person’s blood-alcohol level increases, the rate, and length of a person’s memory loss will also increase – and that’s why individuals often find themselves trying to piece together their night the morning after. The ”day after” or the “morning-after” are often situations filled with humiliating details, but the aftermath effects are serious; along with not remembering what a person is doing while experiencing a blackout, a person may also experience vision problems, impaired judgment, troubles standing, walking and more. For people who have a good idea of the serious effects that can occur from 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 getting a clearer idea of how alcohol affects us in these instances. Previous reports have explained that blackouts a condition where the ability to form new memories is, temporarily, impaired. It makes sense, then, why people have such difficulties understanding what they did the night they blacket out – because alcohol took over. Researchers are still trying to discover exactly how blackouts occur – the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is responsible for making and storing memories, is obviously involved; in addition to this, previous research has shown that blackouts can vary in experience depending on who the person is, as well as their gender, weight, age, etc. Further investigations are exploring the types of blackouts that occur depending on not only the person but on the alcohol consumed – altogether, however, it’s very clear to see that people who blackout do face serious consequences – even if for a brief period of time. It’s not uncommon for people who blackout to want to try and put together the previous night’s events afterward, and with friends. Unfortunately, the information that’s talked about it’s always accurate because they’re often based on another’s person’s memory of the events – which could easily lead to false memories and false representations of what actually happened when alcohol was involved. In these instances, the circumstances could become extremely dangerous – especially if moments of crime, sexual assault, vandalism, and other related activities were present under the influence of alcohol. Studies report that men are more likely to experience blackouts than women – but with less stringent concerns about drinking, both groups of people are significantly at risk for blackouts. There are a number of health concerns that come with excessive drinking, such as missing work or school, getting behind in grades, finding out that a person said or did something that they wish didn’t happen, arguing with loved ones, overdose, hangovers, increased chances of having an accident, greater risks of getting involved in criminal activity and more.  When blackouts occur, we’re more likely to put ourselves into risky situations because we’ve lost the capabilities to think clearly and critically about decisions that we’re making. What we come to find is that people who’ve had blackouts tend to have false ideas about what really happened – and, in some cases, people admit to having followed through with a particular crime when indeed they were really innocent, all because they were under the influence of alcohol and can’t really remember what happened.   In instances such as these, the false representations that we may come to believe – because we don’t have any other evidence telling us otherwise – can place us at great risk legally, in addition to the risks that come to our health.   A one-time occurrence may not be a significant sign that help needs to be sought, but if blackouts are occurring often, or if a person is beginning to favor drinking over hobbies, work, family responsibilities and more, help needs to be sought. Blackouts can become a major sign of alcoholism if they occur often – but seeking help early on can help a person develop the tools they need to move forward in their life. Avalon Malibu focuses on the whole person, and with a personalized treatment plan and a support system, you’ll be well on your way towards healing and rejuvenation. If you’re ready to begin your journey to recovery, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

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.

During early recovery, we’re often inundated with so many rapid changes. Suddenly we’re not relying on our substances of choice. We’re meeting new people, learning new coping skills, and abstaining from our addictive patterns. We’re getting to the root causes of our suffering and we begin a lifelong recovery journey. We start to realize that recovery goes far beyond our sobriety. While sobriety is part of the picture, there is so much more to the story. A big part of recovery, especially early recovery, involves getting to know ourselves again. Who are we without our substances of choice? How do we navigate the world? What are our hopes and dreams? What do we like? This is an exciting and overwhelming time. While it’s tempting to disregard these soul-searching and difficult questions, it’s necessary for our full and healthy recoveries.

Change is never easy. Here are some helpful and healthy ways to cope. The world around us is everchanging and we are no different. The phrase “change is the only constant” is popular for a reason. When we’re feeling mentally tenuous or in the early stages of recovery, change can be especially difficult. Any shift in routine or daily life is hard, even if it’s a positive change. As humans, we’re usually more comfortable staying in the status quo. However, it’s important to be adaptable to change and have a toolbox of healthy, sustainable coping mechanisms for life’s constantly shifting tides. These tools will come in handy during any change -- whether it’s a small change to your daily routine, a change of home or city, a breakup, or a new recovery program.  Practicing mindfulness and healthy nonattachment is a great starting point for coping with change. To do this, simply observe the changing flows around you and note how you’re feeling. Try not to react with intense emotions or judgment. Be a curious observer. Reciting the serenity prayer can be a deeply comforting practice during times of change or turmoil. Also, it’s important to communicate your feelings and talk your way through the change with your group and therapist. Writing in a journal, taking mindful walks, exercising, and continuing your healthy habits will serve as a positive foundation during times of flux. While life is always changing for better or worse, you don't’ need to uproot your healthy habits. Examples of negative ways of coping with change include isolating, not communicating, drinking or using drugs, or discontinuing the healthy habits that you’ve tried so hard to cultivate. Continue on your own path and try o be as adaptable as possible to the changing circumstances of life. Enjoy the ride.