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Summertime is a major season for traveling, whether it be for work, vacation or to visit family. While this would be considered a “normal” excursion for some people, there are some additional concerns for those in addiction recovery - because traveling and vacations are often associated with drinking or drug use. If you are a bit worried about an upcoming trip, know that not only are you not alone - but there are also steps you can take to ensure that you enjoy sobriety without feeling pressured to abuse substances.  Last year, writer Holly Glenn Whitaker shared her experience with traveling and being tempted with drinking. She stated: “...Italy felt impossible. I’d never in my adult life vacationed without drinking and it was unfathomable to me. I was terrified that something would snap in me while I was there...I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself…”

Day-to-day life can bring up different thoughts, feelings, situations, and emotions, and how we navigate these moments can say a lot about how we lead our lives. When addiction is involved, it’s easy to rely on alcohol or drugs to numb bad feelings - but in recovery, it’s all about developing the proper tools and building a network of support for working through bad days in healthy, productive ways. Whether you’ve recently begun your addiction recovery journey or you’ve been working at it for quite some time, it’s time to assess how you currently handle bad days:

There’s been much debate lately over the influence of cannabis and the development of psychosis and disorders such as schizophrenia; many people believe that since cannabis is a natural substance, that it’s harmless. It’s important to remember, however, that any substance that can alter the mind and body can potentially yield negative results, and writer Benedict Carey stated for the New York Times earlier this year that an overuse of cannabis - along with an overuse of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, stimulants, and hallucinogens can cause psychosis symptoms. While scientists may differ on all the causes of psychosis and their relation to cannabis use, one thing is for certain: if a person is already susceptible to developing a disorder like schizophrenia, their chances for experiencing psychosis from cannabis use increases. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that in addition to this, it’s about how much cannabis (or other substance, for example) is used along with the age of the person and the first time they used the substance.  Professor Marcus Munafo, a researcher who participated in a study related to cannabis and schizophrenia, stated: “There is growing concern that cannabis use might increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Our results support this, but also suggest that those at increased risk of schizophrenia may be more likely to try cannabis in the first place.” The information presented regarding the link between cannabis use and psychosis is meant to serve as a cautionary message - because not only can excessive use of substances lead to dependence and, later addiction - but it can also cause a person to produce side effects that may be quite discomforting. If you’ve been abusing substances, including cannabis, and you’re ready to seek treatment, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

Sleep quality and quantity are incredibly important to living a happier, healthier life, but unfortunately, too many of us miss out on this more than once a week. Addiction recovery comes equipped with many ups and downs, especially as we’re trying to navigate what works for our mental/physical/spiritual health versus what doesn’t. Earlier this year, Tuck, a website that is dedicated to promoting research on better sleeping habits, explained that those who struggle with addiction are 5 to 10 times more likely to have a comorbid sleeping disorder. Naturally, this may lead one to contemplate what exactly contributes to this albeit discomforting experience? There are several reasons why a person in addiction recovery may be sleep-deprived, with one being that substances like drugs and alcohol can yield significant effects on the brain’s structure and functioning - which, of course, includes sleep. In February of this year, a study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital found that vivid dreams regarding relapse are more common for those in addiction recovery; Dr. John Kelly, the author of the study, stated, “Given that these dreams can be deeply unnerving, more information could help treatment providers, those in recovery and their families know what to expect moving forward.” Therefore, it’s not uncommon for a person in recovery to experience disrupted sleep for several months up to a year upon entering treatment - and while this may seem disappointing to know, there are several steps that a person can take to help their mind, body, and spirit get back on track with sleep.

If you do some research on addiction recovery treatment options, you’ll likely come across two main categories: traditional treatment and holistic treatment. Traditional treatment options tend to fall along the lines of medication, psychotherapy (also known as “talk therapy”) and similar options. Previous research has shown that these methods are incredibly effective - but as with any treatment approach, there are some gaps that another route, such as holistic treatment, can fill.

When our everyday lives become flooded with worries, responsibilities, and a host of other experiences, it becomes easier than ever to put our health on the back-burner. Why wouldn’t it be? After all, everything else seems to feel more important, to take greater precedence than our own mental/physical/spiritual health. What often happens in these moments, however, is we begin doing things that, rather than contributing positively to our wellbeing, detract from it - and before we know it, we’re engulfed in a lot of unhealthy patterns of behavior. Addiction is just one of many factors that can worsen our health all around - but even if you’ve had trouble making the time for yourself before, you can still change your routines to get back on track. First and foremost, you have to remember that the excuses you make can severely damage your abilities to take care of yourself in ways that are needed; the following are the most common excuses we make to neglect ourselves of healthy food, proper sleep and exercise, positive relationships and more:

We can’t escape those moments when someone - or something - aggravates to the point of no return. Anger begins to boil within, and sometimes it feels almost uncontrollable; despite having such an intense urge to act in a hateful manner, however, we do have choices. In these moments, the choices that we take in how we decide to think and act can have major consequences and can influence our lives greatly. Our society often depicts anger as solely a bad emotion, but did you know there are some good sides to it - as well as some productive ways that it can be utilized? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), Dr. Howard Kassinove, a researcher that has been published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, explained that: “...While assertive expression is always preferable to angry expression, anger may serve an important alerting function that leads to deeper understanding of the other person and the problem.” Even when anger makes us feel like we’re about to boil over, we can use it in a way to influence actions that are for ours or others’ benefit in the long run. Last year, contributor Frances Bridges told Forbes Magazine that there are several ways to use anger to our benefit:

The language we use in our daily lives involves more than simply exchanging conversation; it’s a symbolic interpretation of what different things mean to us as individuals and as a society, and certain words that are used can have the power to change an entire nation’s point of view on a particular subject. Unfortunately, when it comes to the world of addiction recovery, there are a number of words that are used that only perpetuate negative views of others - and, in turn, further promote discrimination of people who’ve battled addiction but who are trying to improve their lives in the best ways possible.

If you haven’t realized this by now, our moods tend to hold some pretty heavy weight when it comes to how we navigate daily life. A good mood versus a bad mood could yield in extremely different experiences - that is, unless, we know how to manage our emotions effectively. Even the most stressed individual could essentially channel positive energy towards the present moment, giving them strength even the most upsetting of situations.  Tiny Buddha, a website that publishes information related to love and relationships, healthy habits, letting go, meaning and passion, and more, recently published an article related to this exact topic; the writer described energy as: “...Anything that evokes a reaction inside you. In other words, anything that makes you tick, ponder, feel or react. Energy comes to us in different forms. The chair you’re sitting on, the music you’re listening to, or the book you just finished reading, all provoke some sort of reaction within you.” Energy can be positive or negative for us, inciting feelings of rage or annoyance all the way to utter joy and gratefulness. A lot of it depends on how we choose to translate the situations and messages being sent to us, and it also depends on how we choose to live our lives. If you’re wanting to harbor more positive energy on a daily basis, consider incorporating more of the following holistic activities that are absolutely wonderful for your mind, body and spirit:

Emotions run deep, yet our society doesn’t always place much emphasis on talking about them. From a young age, we’re told to “suck it up” to “keep our chin up” and to otherwise keep everything tucked away so that everything seems fine. This is rarely the case, however, as we all going through troubles every now and then. In these instances, holding it in can actually be horrible for our health; just last year, Time Magazine explained that emotional stress,  “...like that blocked from emotions, has not only been linked to mental illness, but also to physical problems like heart disease, intestinal problems, headaches, insomnia, and autoimmune disorders.” In other words, there’s much more to holding in emotions than simply not “seeing” them. In order to avoid some of the harsh consequences that this avoidance can have on the mind, body, and spirit, consider using music to open up those emotional pathways. A 2015 study called “Music and Emotion” confirmed that not only does music have the capabilities to evoke intense emotions such as sadness, nostalgia, tension, relaxation, and pure joy, it also influences the production of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, in a healthy way.  Of course, it’s important to utilize music in a healthy way, rather than listening to songs that could send you into a spiral of depression or anxiety. A 2017 study published by Frontiers in Psychology found that even being musically inclined can improve a person’s emotional ability - for example, a person who plays a musical instrument or enjoys singing can greater tell the emotions of others through music. In turn, a greater connection can be built - but even those who aren’t musically inclined will find that they’re able to relate to a beat, a musical composition or a message that’s being conveyed through the songs they’re listening to.  The next time you’re feeling down, either play a soothing song to ground you or play a sad song to help you feel the emotions. Just be sure to manage your emotions in a healthy way - and if you find yourself turning destructive, speak with your therapist right away.

Everyone in recovery can benefit from having people in their recovery network to learn and grow from; just as a student may speak with a graduated alumni from a college program to receive tips and tricks for succeeded in school, this connection can foster a healthy, ongoing interaction of support between people. A 2016 study titled, “Implementation of a Substance Use Recovery Support Mobile Phone App in Community Settings” found that alumni of addiction recovery treatment can help build awareness and interest to various components of recovery – and recovery tools, such as through mobile apps, can become more accessible to those beginning their recovery journey when they’ve been given the opportunity to learn from alumni.

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.