Blog

Social media has provided a lot of social movement in recent years. Trending hashtags have provided the world insight to real events, real experiences, and real people which might not otherwise have ever been news. Bringing awareness and connecting others was always the main purpose behind social media. However, social media can also bring people together in the worst of ways. For example, links to the dark web for illicit drug sales, pro-eating disorders groups, advocates for self-harm, and more. One of the leading social media platforms, Instagram, has fallen under scrutiny for its inability to regulate trending hashtags and keep track of harmful material. Additionally, much research has been dedicated to investigating the effect of social media use on mental health. Most often, social media use is connected to higher rates of depression and low self-esteem. Problematically, what is depicted on social media might not always be accurate for what is happening in real life. Reversing that issue is what can bring mental health awareness to life on social media in addition to a safe community. Recently, Instagram has taken initiatives to fight for and protect users who might be struggling with mental health issues. When someone creates a post that is particularly ominous, which might specifically indicate a threat of suicide or severe depression, Instagram’s algorithms pick up on it. Immediately sending the user a message, the platform provides a link for help to directly call a helpline and talk to someone. Another initiative allows user to anonymously flag another user’s posts. If a picture, its caption, or included hashtags indicate any mental-health related problem, Instagram is notified. Instagram then sends the original poster a list of organizations they can contact for what could be a serious issue. Now, Fortune reports, Instagram has rolled out a new campaign called “#HereForYou”. “By clicking on selected hashtags (including #HereForYou, along with other more specific hashtags), the goal is to make it easier for users grappling with mental health-related issues to find resources on the platform.”  Bringing together people in awareness and recovery for mental health rather than perpetuating harmful behaviors associated with mental health makes social media a safer space.

Summer is here and your sobriety is fresh. Worst summer ever? Definitely not! Though your first summer in recovery can be awkward at times, it will be full of amazing memories and growth as you learn just how incredible living sober can be. Summer is the perfect time to learn.

Stigma comes from a lack of information. It’s more difficult to judge and stereotype something you have personal involvement with. Categorizing and characterizing people with mental illness is easier than taking the time to understand them or understand the mental illness they might be living with. A lack of education and awareness about mental health causes those who have mental health issues to suffer, in many ways. Stigma can prevent someone who is suffering from the symptoms of a mental illness from seeking the help or treatment they need. In recent years, stigma is what prevented the government and major insurance providers from recognizing mental illness as a serious medical issue. Today, awareness is increasing, but there is still much farther to go. Michigan State University released a study which examined how much people seem to know about mental illness. Using an internet survey as the method, 4,600 people provided data for the researchers to work with. The survey was not simple question and answer. Instead, the researchers provided participants with vignettes, or small stories about a fictional individual. After the story, the participants were asked to provide insight on what might be going on with that person and what would provide the most help to them. Most importantly, the participants had to respond to statements regarding stigma. Bustle reports, “The questions to measure stigma asked participants to respond thinking about themselves and separately about their communities, to statements like ‘If [I/most people in my community] had a problem like [this person’s] I would not tell anyone.’” The results were startling. It revealed that there aren’t just some areas of mental health that the general public needs more help in understanding. Bustle writes that the study “gave a big-picture look at just where more information needed to be targeted. Unfortunately, the answer seems to be "everywhere."

Synthetic drugs are not as popular as other “mainstream” drugs but can be equally if not more dangerous.

12 Step meetings are available in many varieties, offering the spiritual program of recovery to anyone in need of a psychic change in their lives. Some treatment centers are able to schedule a wide range of meetings for clients to attend to, based on their personal need. Most often, there are two to four primary kinds of meetings: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Codependents Anonymous, And Al-Anon. Cocaine Anonymous and Heroin Anonymous are also popular. Those who are in treatment for primary mental health disorders don’t have the same kind of access to 12 step support. There are meetings like Emotions Anonymous and Depression Anonymous but are small and hard to come by. Workbooks and study guides for a universal approach to the 12 steps are also available. Still, it can be hard at the end of a long day of treatment to watch other clients and peers in recovery be shuttled off to meetings for fellowship, support, and inspiration while having to stay on treatment ground. Some treatment centers allow all clients to attend 12 step meetings under the philosophy that at meetings, everyone can take what they want and leave what they don’t. Don’t Focus On The Alcoholism Remember, that alcohol is just a symptom of deeper issues. Most often, alcoholics have co-occurring mental health issues similar to what you are going through. The detail are unimportant. At AA meetings you can hear inspiring stories of defeat, strength, and victory in recovery. People share their successes and their challenges. Whether up or down, people in meetings come to share a common goal: working for their recovery. Read The Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, often called “The Big Book” is full of spiritual principles which are mostly universal. You can learn from themes of unmanageability, insanity, ego, pride, resentment, humility, and growth. The Big Book is regarded as a “manual for living”. Like any other “self-help” book you might pick up off the shelf, reading the literature of AA will give you information you want to use and information you won’t want to use. Recovery is open to everyone seeking to transform and heal their lives in mind, body, and spirit. Avalon By The Sea provides primary treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

The benefits of mindfulness cannot be ignored. Endless amounts of research has been focused on studying the effects of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation in addition to regular meditation practices. Stress, symptoms of depression, effects of anxiety, cravings for drugs and alcohol- almost any affliction of the mind has been proven to be healed by mindfulness meditation. Providing relaxation and oxygen flow, mindfulness is restorative for mind, body, and spirit. One area of mindfulness which has not been investigated is the difference between men and women. Brown University recently conducted a study which found that in mindfulness, there is actually a battle of the sexes. Women seem to gain more benefit from the use of mindfulness than men do. Telegraph UK reports. “While practicing significantly helped women overcome a downcast mood, it actually made men feel slightly worse than before they began.” Feeling worse after mindfulness is not the same sales pitch so many practitioners advocate for the practice. Over the course of 12 weeks, students practiced more than 41 hours of meditation while taking a class on mindfulness. Women saw improvement but men did not. The reason? According to the article, “The researchers believe that the traditional way in which men and women deal with emotional distress could be behind the disparity.” Men and women are known for processing their emotions differently. By stereotype, men are more closed off emotionally and process their emotions in a subtle, private way. In contrast, women are public with their emotions and fully embrace emotional experiences. However, this is not always the case as men can be quite emotional and women can be quite closed off. Additionally, men can be more closed-minded to new experiences, while women are open-minded. When new experiences are emotionally based in any way, there tends to be a greater divide. Statistically, men are less likely to ask for help when they are struggling with addiction, alcoholism, and other mental health disorders. The male stigma emphasizes strength without weakness, perfection without flaw. Mindfulness might trigger uncomfortability in this because it encourages non-judgment, radical acceptance, and being comfortable in the present moment. Recovery is a constant fight against shame and stigma in defense of embracing the individual. Avalon By The Sea utilizes mindfulness and meditation in addition to clinical, holistic, and alternative techniques. Our versatile programs are designed to meet the needs of each client while fostering healing of mind, body, and spirit. For a confidential assessment and more information on our program, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

Addiction and alcoholism are called “family” diseases because they affect everyone. Recovery is also a family affair, as everyone’s life has the chance to change.

Mental illness affects everyone. When you decide to go to treatment, everyone is going to affected by your recovery. Most often, the people who love and care about you the most will be over the moon by your decision to change your life. However, your partner might feel differently. We can’t be certain why the people we are in relationships have a difficult time embracing our recovery. Here are some signs your partner might be uncomfortable with the strides you are making in recovery. Remember, how your partner handles your recovery has nothing to do with you. They are on their own journey. Sometimes, a partner will grow right alongside you. Sometimes, they won’t. If you notice these signs, it might be time to meet with your relationship counselor or evaluate how you want to be treated in a relationship as you grow forward in recovery.

Treatment for the recovery of mental health disorders has to accompany the individuality which comes with each client. Alternative healing therapies give each client an opportunity to find a method of relaxation and healing which works for them. Healing Through Food Nutrition is key to recovery. The body needs to be nourished in a healthy way in order to sustain the mind while it recovers and works hard in therapy. Organic, gourmet meals help make sure each client is given the nutritious support they need. Working with a trained dietician to create a personalized meal plan. Healing Through Acupuncture Acupuncture is an ancient eastern treatment method used as a preventative science. Increasingly, acupuncture is being used for various levels of treatment, especially in patients with alcoholism and addiction issues. There are specific organizations of acupuncturists trained for providing detox relief. A recent movement in New England has called for law which would allow normal therapists and mental health practitioners to administer “ear buds” or acupuncture treatment to the ear for aiding in difficult emotional work. Healing Through Massage Massage therapy influences circulation, promotes relaxation, and helps create comfortability with the human touch. In treatment, massage therapy is a deeply healing treatment method. Therapy and different group processing activities can be emotionally stressful and taxing. Massage helps restore the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga Yoga is a discipline and a practice focused on mindfulness, non-judgmentalism, and wellbeing. For everyone in recovery, yoga is a helpful treatment method for healing the body through stretching and strength building, healing the mind through mindfulness and emotional release, and healing the spirit through universality. Meditation And Mindfulness Both mindfulness and meditation are clinically proven treatment methods for reducing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, all of which are experienced during treatment. Meditation is part of all twelve step programs and mindfulness is recommended as part of the recovery lifestyle. At Avalon By The Sea, we believe the holistic approach is the recipe for success in treatment and recovery. For our primary care treatment programs, we aim to heal mind, body, and spirit while cultivating recovery for a lifetime. For a confidential assessment and more information, call us today at 1 888-958-7511.

If there is one thing most people going to treatment for an addiction or mental health disorder have in common it’s a shared trait of low self-esteem. Guilt, shame, and long standing personal beliefs have created core perceptions about the self which are less than pretty. Thinking ugly things about ourselves leads us to believing ugly things about ourselves and seeing ugly things about ourselves. Consequently, we live with a lot of self-hatred, self-loathing, self-repudiation- and every other negative emotions we could put toward ourselves. Our low self-esteem causes us to act in ways which are not conducive toward our self-esteem, helping us to feel worse and worse about ourselves. Treatment and recovery is the opportunity to reverse this process. Yes, it’s true. During treatment and recovery, you’re going to learn to love yourself. If only a little bit, you are going to be comfortable looking at your own face in the mirror. You might even be able to say nice things to yourself. You will feel increasingly comfortable with who you are. Who you are includes what you think, how you act, what you feel, and how you look. Whatever you are coming into treatment for, you will learn to love every part of yourself, mind, body, and spirit. Here are some simple reminders to help you get going: