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There are so many important aspects to recovery. Whether you are recovering from addiction or mental illness, the best way to optimize your recovery is to focus on all aspects of being, because essentially addiction and mental illness effect every aspect of our lives. It can make us feel broken, lost, and hopeless. The following is a breakdown of how each of these components can be impacted: Mind: Addiction and mental illness can change the way we perceive everything. According to Negative thoughts can become more abundant. Richard Zwolinski, author of Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On Without Wasting Time or Money stated earlier this year for Psych Central that addiction causes dysfunction in the brain circuits, leading the person to pathologically pursue reward and/or relief by addictive behaviors. The Treatment Center in Florida notes that dual diagnosis, or having an addiction and a mental disorder at the same time, can also both be treated at a holistic, integrative facility. Body: Detoxification is the first step towards healing the body. After that, treatment, nutrition, and exercise all lend itself towards rejuvenating the damage caused by addiction or self-harm, abuse, injury, etc. The body portion of recovery is most known because it’s what people physically can see. Medicine can be used to help people gain more clarity in their thinking or to help ease difficult withdrawal symptoms from addiction. Spirit: Recovery.org states that connecting with nature, reading spiritual literature, and attending spiritual groups can all be helpful to renew the spirit. Many people mistake spirituality for religion, however, and there are key differences. Spirituality focuses on who you are as a person, what your purpose is, what fulfills you, etc. Religion is centered are a God or gods, and typically has a place of worship with rituals. Spirituality is important during recovery because it connects you with yourself again. Mind, body, and spirit are all affected by both addiction and mental health issues, so all three components of our being should be addressed during recovery. If we want to make the most of our time there and transform into a better version of ourselves, focusing on these three are so important. By taking part in a holistic, integrative treatment program we are ensuring our whole self is taken care of.

Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. Many people use theanine to treat anxiety, high blood pressure, to aid in prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and to help make cancer drugs more effective. According to Calm Clinic, L-theanine is a psychoactive substance with access to the central nervous system, and is perceived to affect mental abilities and states including perceptions of the outer world, speed of thinking, and mood. There are several benefits of using theanine:

According to the Pew Research Center in 2015, 68% of Americans own a smartphone and 45% have tablet computers. Technology is much easier to access, and with that access comes many tools that individuals can use. For instance, Statista, a statistics portal, claims that as of March 2017, Android users can choose between 2.8 million apps, with the Apple store containing around 2.2 million. There are many apps that people can use for a variety of topics – gaming, monitoring, health related issues, and more. As apps are becoming more popular, their use is even becoming prevalent in the recovery world. The American Psychological Association (APA) has identified more than 165,000 health-related apps worldwide, helping users with diet and weight management, mood monitoring, managing chronic diseases, and more. According to Robert Parkinson of U.S. News, there are apps that now help people with recovery – which changes the way that diseases are treated entirely. For example, Sober Grid is an app that helps people find immediate support based on their current location. Squirrel Recovery allows people with a former addiction to develop their own digital support groups. Other apps even help people to track their alcohol consumption, or even to view inspirational messages by others to help them continue their journey through recovery. Instantaneous therapy sessions are also making way into the app world, with some providing video and camera options to connect patients and therapists through phone directly. The APA has also mentioned that apps are so popular because they are available to clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They help keep patients connected to their physician as they track their information outside of the doctor’s office. Apps are also often formatted in a way that’s easy for users to understand and provides more compelling images and usability. Some researchers are skeptical of these health-related apps, however. The fear is that some of these apps are not research and scientific-based, which could provide misleading information to users. While research is still being conducted and new apps are emerging, one thing is for certain: in a technology-based era, apps are becoming more and more used for people recovering. If you are using a health-based app, consider talking with your doctor about which app you are using. You may be able to find out more information on that app and its usefulness, and may even be able to provide results from the app to better aid your patient-physician interactions.

Xanax first appeared in the market in 1981, and was a follow-up medication to Valium, which also helped with anxiety and was very common during the 1970’s. What made Xanax so popular is it’s marketing of helping people with panic attacks – something that Valium didn’t claim to do. Many people in the 80’s began using this drug as a form of relaxation and a way to ease their fear and panic – and has continued to rise up the charts for usage even today.   Xanax is the number one prescription drug in the United States, and provides a calm and relaxing state of feeling to those who take it. Many enjoy the effects of Xanax because it helps calm their central nervous system and acts very quickly in the body once taken. When people begin taking Xanax, they often to sleep better and have overall less anxiety. The drug boosts a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the neurotransmitter responsible for sending calming and relaxing signals throughout our body. When prescribed, individuals are often set a certain timeline to take it – but once they experience the pleasurable feelings the drug produces, they often feel they need the drug to continue feeling relaxed and calm. From there, people may continue taking the drug even though their prescription is outdated to try and achieve the same results they felt at the beginning. This leads to a dangerous path though – as the body becomes used to taking the drug, it replaces its natural ability to produce GABA with the drug itself. This then means that the person must increase their dosage to achieve the same relaxing feeling that they felt when they first started taking the drug. As a person continues doing this, their body build more and more tolerance and the vicious cycle continues. Xanax is an incredibly addictive drug and has really become popular over the past 35 years. Even small dosages of Xanax can become addicting – the best way to prevent addiction is to take the medication only as prescribed by your doctor and to stay in touch with your doctor regularly regarding any unusual behaviors or symptoms that you experience. Rely on a loving friend or partner to monitor your usage and to check in with you. Staying informed and aware are the best tools for combating addiction – there are many other resources available to help people with preventative care and to help those who are already suffering from addiction.

Whether as a child or during adulthood, traumatic events in our lives can make the present and future seem distant, hopeless, frightening, and more. These events sometimes define who we are for the rest of our lives, or at least change the way we perceive ourselves and the world. Understanding the effects of trauma can help us feel more at ease with knowing how we are feeling, and could give us the potential to help someone else by knowing what they are going through. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network explains that when a child goes through a traumatic event, their body may experience rapid breathing or heart pounding, chronic physical complaints such as stomach aches or headaches, sensitivity to light, touch or sound, and more. Traumatic events or extreme stress can even cause a child’s body to shut down when presented with stressful situations. Emotionally, a child may have difficulty identifying, expressing, or understanding emotions, and may experience significant anger, depression, or anxiety. Dissociation is another response safety mechanism, in which the child may mentally separate themselves from a stressful situation. Adults can experience damaging effects of trauma as well – the American Psychological Association notes that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm was threatened. Physical assaults, natural or human-caused disasters such as terrorist attacks, motor vehicle accidents, rape, physical and sexual abuse, military combat and more are all cases that may induce PTSD. Dr. Lynn Margolies, psychologist and former Harvard Medical School fellow, describes for Psych Central that hyperarousal, intrusive memories or flashbacks, feeling numb or detached and being easily startled are just a few symptoms of PTSD. Help Guide provides several ways to help overcome the effects of trauma:

According to Better Health, herbal medicine is the use of plants to treat disease and enhance general health and well-being. Medicine Plus, a government website, notes that herbal remedies can be sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants. Herbal remedies can be a great natural source of healing, but should still be taken with precaution. Many of the herbal medicines used today have been used for centuries to treat symptoms of depression, allergies, asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and more. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ancient Chinese and Egyptian writings describe herbal medicine dating back to 3000 B.C. Indigenous cultures have also used herbs as part of healing rituals, while others have developed more traditional medical systems. Unlike medicine prescribed today, herbal remedies can typically be bought in common grocery stores and online. Some of the following are common herbs used to treat various maladies:

For those of us who have taken the courageous route to overcoming our problems and obtaining skills to help us better manage our lives, therapy is likely a plausible component to our success. Many of us seek therapy in hopes that we can at least resolve our most distressing issues – once we have found a therapist that we feel we can truly trust, the recovery process becomes much easier to manage. In our sessions, our therapists may use a variety of techniques. This is mostly since we are all different in our perceptions and ways of learning skills, as well as our tactics for coping. Many therapists are specialized in a certain “area of expertise” – but most can implement a variety of techniques to see which ones “stick” with us and which ones don’t. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - the goal of this technique is to help the client recognize negative thought and behavior patterns, and to help them construct more positive, productive thoughts in its place. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – like CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy aims to help individuals with negative thought and behavioral patterns, but integrates the use of mindfulness. With this, the client can become more present in the moment and can learn to better cope with stress and other negative emotions. Sand Tray Therapy – with this technique, clients (children through adult years) select small objects or figures to create their own little world on the sand tray. This allows the client to visualize their world and explore their problems and feelings more effectively. This also enables the client to explore potential solutions on the sand tray. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – this technique is often used to help people who suffer from addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, panic attacks, and more. By recalling a triggering, negative memory, clients relearn healthier ways to respond through sets of eye movements that their therapist guides them through. These are only a few of the many successful techniques that your therapist may use. What’s most important is not the technique used, but the effect that it has on you and your ability to overcome obstacles. If you feel that a certain technique isn’t working well for you, express those concerns to your therapist. Open communication and trust are crucial elements to success in therapy and could greatly improve your chances of recovery.

“Friends with benefits: on the positive consequences of pet ownership” published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology posits that pet owners fare better on self-esteem, exercise, greater conscientiousness, less fear, and feel less isolated. For someone who suffers from a mental illness, having a pet can greatly increase their chances of happiness and improve their overall well-being. Another study conducted by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) found that animal-assistance intervention (AAI), has even been shown to help people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you’re considering getting a pet, there are several reasons why having a pet is beneficial for your mental health:

The similarity between these names suggests that there is a base chemical incorporated into both drugs. What exactly are the similarities and differences, though? While both drugs do have something in common, they each create different results in the body and mind. Drug Rehab notes a few distinct differences:

According to Foundations Recovery Network, narcotics are also known as opiates or painkillers, both of which are commonly abused in the United States. Narcotics work in the body by attaching themselves to receptors in the central nervous system so that a person’s pain signals are blocked. Due to this, narcotics are often prescribed for serious injuries and surgeries. The most common types of narcotics are codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, and more. Illegal drugs that are considered narcotics are heroin, opium, and taking the previously mentioned medications outside of a doctor’s recommendation. Side of effects of narcotics include a decreased sense of pain, dizziness, euphoria, decreased respiration, sedation, upset stomach, and developing a tolerance to the drug. Medline Plus, a government website, states that narcotics should typically not be taken for more than 3-4 months unless stated otherwise by a trusted doctor. Narcotics are very addictive, which is why there is an opiate crisis in America today. When someone takes their medication in higher doses and more frequently than their prescription states, they may easily become dependent. When this happens, the body begins to crave the drug to feel relaxed. Dependency can lead to addiction when a person continues to take increasing amount of medication to achieve the same desired effect they felt when they first started. WebMD notes several signs of opioid use disorder:

We all experience moments of doubt, worry, disappointment, grief, and low self-esteem. While many of us may feel that these feelings are not of concern, learning tools to cope with these feelings is always beneficial. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral treatment often used for a variety of mental health illnesses, but virtually anyone can gain many wonderful tools developed from using this therapy. DBT provides skills for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a form of treatment in which bilateral eye movement reduces the emotional stress of negative memories. This type of therapy is often used to treat addiction, self-esteem issues, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and more. When a person undergoes this form of therapy, they will be asked to recall a traumatic memory – for someone who suffers from an addiction, they may recall triggers that causes them to feel anxiety and a craving to “use” again. When the therapist incorporates eye movement desensitization, the person typically feels less anxious about the triggers, ameliorating the effects of their trigger on them.