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If you experience substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness, you may doubt whether you will ever recover. You have the ability to heal. Through awareness, giving yourself permission to change, and becoming comfortable with the unknown, you can start believing in your ability to overcome SUD and co-occurring disorders.

Trauma is a response to experiencing a traumatic event. Such events range from accidents, unstable living environments, abuse, natural disasters, bullying, violence, war, and other situations an individual perceives as threatening to their well-being. Individuals who have experienced trauma may encounter symptoms such as flashbacks, mood swings, and avoiding things that remind them of the event. They may also have physical symptoms such as headaches, muscular tension, and nausea. When trauma happens, it becomes stuck in the body and mind. Sometimes the experience of trauma can kickstart substance use and addiction as a way to cope with the pain. For this reason, it's essential to incorporate both the body and the mind into the treatment of trauma.

Mental health challenges like anxiety and depression can make it difficult to believe in yourself. You may struggle to experience greater depths of confidence, worthiness, and safety to be who you are. Disorders such as these can mask your ability to trust, be, and express your authentic self with the world.

Realizing it's time to seek treatment can be difficult, and understanding different treatment programs can add even more stress. With three various treatment programs, we're here to help you determine which is suitable for you or your loved one. At Avalon Malibu, we offer three different yet effective recovery programs: residential, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization. Discover what these programs entail and which one best fits your recovery.

Deciding to seek treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental illness is a difficult yet empowering choice. You may put off treatment because you feel like you're incapable or unworthy of recovery. This is far from the truth and it's important to not let these feelings stop you from reaching out to receive the treatment you deserve. The longer substance use goes on, the deeper the addiction hooks its claws into you, and the more your mind and body are impacted. Putting off treatment for substance use disorder and co-occurring mental illness costs you time spent building a relationship with your healthy self, discovering what makes you feel alive again, and connecting with others in healthy relationships.

Healing from mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD) is hard work. The process of recovery may feel foreign at first, especially if you are not used to surrounding yourself with activities, practices, and people that bring more joy into your life.

Years of substance use and addiction can alter and break down certain mental processes. Many people are unaware that it can have the same effect on the body. Lack of proper nutrition, under-eating, and the physical impact of substances can deprive the body of the nutrients it needs.

We often hear about the health benefits of regular exercise. Exercise can keep your body healthy and energetic, from maintaining a healthy weight to reducing cancer risk. How about your mental health? When it comes to the mental health benefits of exercise, the list goes on. Let's discuss the top seven reasons you should start exercising for your mental health.

Recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) is a pivotal time to begin making decisions in alignment with your healthy self. You get to put down the parts of you rooted in patterns of addiction, limiting beliefs, and past trauma. Identifying your true values and making decisions from that space leads to holistic wellness.

When it comes to holistic health, it is important to pay attention to and honor the mind-body connection. Healing is not possible by focusing on just the mind or the body, as we need both to be in balance to experience wellness. Holistic healing is the pathway to health.

Individual therapy is beneficial in the treatment of various mental health conditions. You can find healing from everything from anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mood disorders, personality disorders, substance use disorders (SUDs), and other emotional health concerns in one-on-one therapy. Therapy helps you heal from past experiences that may have manifested as mental health disorders. Additionally, it is also powerful if you would like to learn more about yourself, heal from past experiences you may not know are keeping you stuck, and increase your ability to connect with yourself and others.

When final exams come around, teens and college students are prone to use “study drugs,” or stimulants, to help them focus. Yet, like any drug, these stimulants can cause adverse short and long-term effects on the student's body and mind. Learn more about what medications are considered study drugs and why teens and adults should avoid them.