Blog

Even after we’ve gone through detox and rid our body of the toxins that were acquired from active addiction, we have to continue the restorative process of our mind, body and spirit. From the time when our addiction developed, we’ve covered up layers of ourselves that serve great purpose in living a happy, meaningful life; emotions have been pushed down far within us, and we may even find ourselves having difficulty expressing some of our darkest issues. 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.

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs, and they essentially speed up messages sent through pathways in the brain and body. Most often, amphetamines are prescribed to treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy, and it’s also known by nicknames such as “speed”, “fast”, “up” and more. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) of Australia explains that amphetamines may come in the form of powder, tablets, crystals and capsules; these drugs can also be taken in a variety of ways, such as swallowed, dabbed on to the gums, inhaled through the nose, injected or smoked. There are many side effects that come with using amphetamines, and that’s what makes they so addictive:

Whether you’re struggling with chronic pain or you just have a lot of stress and anxiety as you navigate this journey to recovery, massage therapy can be extremely beneficial for you – in more ways than one. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) states that addiction causes harm to the body, mind and spirit – and the ramifications mean that a lot of different types of therapy should be involved. Maureen Schwehr, a naturopathic physician in Arizona, explained, “The spirit is who we really are. Our mind is our thinking brain, and our body houses this. If you’re [a person who is actively in addiction] you often have to ignore your body, because you are, in essence, hurting your ‘house’.” The body loses vital nutrients when active addiction is involved, and after detoxification occurs, individuals may experience more aches and pains than they’re used to. No matter what the drug of choice is – it all has significant impact on brain and body functioning, which will take some time to heal. If you’re ready to dive into some holistic practices – such as massage therapy – consider the following 6 types that could provide you with many benefits:

We all experience pain, sadness, guilt, resentment and other challenging feelings, and sometimes we push down those thoughts with substances because of the promise to relieve some of the discomfort. We’re scared to feel what’s been affecting us so deeply, so we mask the pain with drinking or using drugs – and the longer we go without expressing our thoughts and feelings, the harder it is to tap into that throughout our lives. Addiction recovery gives us an opportunity to open old wounds, to explore past and present thoughts and to feel them for what they really are: genuine human emotion. Each person coming into addiction recovery is different, which means there needs to be various treatment methods to address a variety of needs. Expressive therapies – such as writing therapy – can help people approach thoughts and feelings in a way like nothing else can. The American Psychological Association (APA) notes that writing can help us better handle stress, better connect with others, give us new perspective on our experiences and more, but it has to be done right. At Avalon Malibu, writing therapy takes place with a therapist who assigns themes and topics for those in recovery to focus on each session. From there, individuals need to keep the following tips in mind:

Holistic approaches to addiction recovery have become used more than ever in addiction recovery because researchers have found just how powerful these practices can be in restoring the mind, body and spirit. Addiction takes us away from the present moment and leaves us with depletions of time, love, energy and so much more – while holistic treatments aim to give us back some of what we lost while addiction was active. Holistic treatment is often considered “alternative treatments”, and the best part of these methods is that they can be combined with more traditional methods of treatment – such as alongside therapy and medication.

When we walk into addiction recovery, there’s already a notion that we hold of ourselves. A self-perception – and it’s this perception that weighs heavily on the way we view ourselves, others, and how we relate to society as a whole. Most commonly, those at the beginning of their recovery journey identify themselves as “an addict” – and this is probably in large part due to the way society has framed those with addiction over the years. Media tends to depict this wretched, “lost” person as an “addict”, when really that’s not the case. We’re people with families, with friends, with jobs, with our own challenges that we’ve overcome. We’re people with histories, traumas, mental health issues, health conditions and more – and the identity of “an addict” truly takes away all of the other aspects that make us human. A 2015 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that while those at the beginning of recovery hold “the addict” identifier, more time spent in recovery helps a person change their narrative – to one of recovery. Once a person starts viewing themselves as “a person in recovery”, they’re able to apply this social role to other areas of their life, such as with school, work, and home. One person shared their recovery story via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In my last rehab program, life and behaviors began to change. I was liking myself again and remained in the last program, after graduation, to work helping others. I became hungry for recovery.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) emphasizes that many people with addiction have a comorbid disorder with mental illness; about half of people who experience a mental illness also experience a substance use disorder (SUD) at some point in their lives and vice versa. Those entering recovery often need support to heal from more than just an addiction – they need a support system, tools and resources to help them navigate the symptoms of mental illness, too. Integrated treatment is so important here for this very reason – addiction isn’t the only aspect of our lives. Physical fitness provides so many benefits to the mind, body and spirit. Physically, exercise can make us stronger, leaner, more flexible, and more in tune to the present moment. For mental illnesses – which often come with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, low self and more – physical fitness can train the mind to work better. A 2016 study published in the journal World Psychiatry reminds us that physical activity doesn’t have to be a rough, challenging, momentous sprint or marathon for us to receive the benefits; for many, light exercises, such as walking or even exercises by sitting, can be beneficial – especially if someone in recovery has physical limitations that prevent them from a wide range of movement. In 2014, researchers published a study in the journal Disability and Rehabilitation that sought to explore the effects of physical exercise on those with mild to moderate depression. The study’s results found that exercise therapy can assist those in recovery with coping mechanisms, improved body image, enhanced quality of life and increased independence in older adults. When mental illness is present, it can be difficult to get started in physical activity – but having a set schedule within treatment for addiction recovery makes it that much easier to ensure that a person is supported in their fitness goals.

Vicodin is often prescribed for pain and contains hydrocodone and acetaminophen. An opioid, Vicodin is at high risk for addiction and dependence – and it works by changing our perceptions on pain as well as our emotional responses to it. Vicodin can create feelings of euphoria for many people, which is where it brings a strong pull towards dependence. For many people, Vicodin addiction stems from their prescription they’ve been given after having a surgery; Dr. Laurence Westreich, an associate professor at New York University, told CBS News, “Some people have chronic pain and opioids feel good. They help with anxiety – a lot of people say they give a general feeling of well-being.” The opioid crisis sparked major concern amongst many people given prescription medications, but it’s not just the fact that they’re prescriptions that make drugs like Vicodin so dangerous. Oftentimes, it’s the misuse of prescription drugs that takes people towards a place of addiction. If you or a loved one have been prescribed Vicodin, keep the following tips in mind:

When we talk about anxiety as a society, we often focus on the debilitating components of it – the fact that our heart starts pounding, we becoming incredibly fearful of a certain event in the future, we start sweating, our mind starts racing and more; while these symptoms can be incredibly troubling, the reality is that there are many of us with high-functioning anxiety. High-functioning anxiety is much less noticeable to other people and may even be overlooked by ourselves if we’re able to carry out daily responsibilities. Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist, told Bustle, “A person who experiences functional anxiety remains able to move through daily activities without the burden of constant, severe anxiety.”

There are a lot of emotional battles that we have to face in recovery, because sobriety forces us to come face to face with thoughts, feelings and events of our lives that we’ve suppressed for so long. Sometimes sobriety can bring about feelings of depression and anxiety, especially once we’ve started coming to grips with our past actions and how they’ve affected those we love. Whether you’re in the first month or the first year of recovery, self-love is going to be critical – so that you can accept what you can’t change and courageously move forward. Kate Malley, a young woman who has overcome addiction, stated on A Lust for Life, a website that publishes personal stories and articles about mental health, physical health and the soul, explained that once she dove into the hard work of self-care, she became stronger. She stated, “I can tell you that as exhausted as self-care can be – it works – but it takes work, a lot of it…but the payoff is definitely worth it…Your emotions become more stabilized, which was a change I definitely appreciated after so long of a rollercoaster of highs and lows.” The following are some vital components of self-care – and self-love – that can truly transform the way you walk through your journey to recovery.

One individual shared their experience in college with using Xanax via The Muse. They stated, “…Doing cocaine led to taking Xanax to come down, taking Xanax led to more cocaine to wake up, and the combination led to the reintroduction of alcohol in my life.” College students are at an extremely high risk for abusing substances, and for a number of reasons. The freedom experienced during college often leads many to experiment with substances, and peer pressure can have a similar effect. Xanax has become a popular drug to use recreationally for students in college, which is generally used to treat anxiety. In 2018, Vice magazine highlighted that Xanax affects GABA receptors in the brain, “…sort of like the brakes on the brain. It calms everything down.” There are many pressures that come to college students, such as the pressure to fit in, pressure towards making good grades, achieving expectations held by family and friends, and more. Young adults are at an increased risk to use substances like Xanax during this time, especially if they feel there’s no other way to work through the symptoms their experiencing. In 2018, an individual shared on The Odyssey that Xanax is rarely ever taken “just once” by college students. Not only that, but Xanax is often mixed in with other substances, where overdose is at high risk. How can we protect young adults from abusing Xanax? A 2016 study conducted by researchers from California Polytech State University found that drug abuse prevention interventions can be effective for college students, as they influence their knowledge on these drugs, their perceptions of risk, and enhance their self-efficacy to prevent prescription drug abuse. For parents who witness their college student struggling with Xanax addiction, treatment is needed.

“I thought I was going crazy, I thought I was dying and had no one I could talk to that understood. It got so bad that at one point I started a new job and had difficulty driving to work. I couldn’t get there without having a panic attack.” As the person above shared their story with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), panic disorder can disrupt everyday life. What comes with panic disorder, however, is feeling nervous about having panic attacks in public places – and with little attention focused on how debilitating this disorder can be, it’s often overlooked. A 2016 review published by researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine highlighted a major symptom of panic disorder – hyperventilation – and how breathlessness, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, wheeziness and more becomes overlooked as individuals experiencing these symptoms tend to believe that they’re the only ones going through this. In addition to this, the signs of panic disorder can be shown in many other disorders; Very Well Mind, a website that publishes information on disorders, self-improvement and psychology, reminds us of some overlooked facts of panic disorder: