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Self-care has become somewhat of a buzzword in the health, wellness, and recovery worlds. While it is essential, taking time for oneself is often associated with the idea of chocolate indulgence and spa days rather than the mundane moments of the everyday. The reality is, self-care can resemble both of these experiences. However, it is important to note that the majority of self-care is moment-to-moment. When put into practice with self-awareness, it involves having boundaries with ourselves and others, re-framing our relationships with everything, and re-establishing them in a healthy manner. Honoring our commitments to being healthy individuals physically, mentally, and spiritually serves every part of our lives.

Recovery, healing, and re-discovering our happiest and healthiest selves is a very intimate and personal process. The idea that specific programs are effective for the majority of people going through similar experiences is not only untrue; it can be very dangerous. Every person has individual needs and desires for their mental health and recovery, and there is no such thing as a less valid pathway.

It is no secret that 2020 has felt rather challenging, to say the least. Amidst all the fear of a deadly virus, the immense loss of jobs and businesses, and a general lack of normalcy for probably months (maybe years) to come, there is this looming energy within it all, that makes us all squirm a little bit in discomfort: isolation. It’s necessary, and we know this, but that doesn’t mean we can’t acknowledge that it's hard to be alone through these tough times. Especially for those of us in recovery, who thrive within our communities and support groups, it's been a tough year. If you have made it this far, we are so PROUD of you! Just in case we have another lockdown around the corner, here are a few tips to not only survive but THRIVE through this next upcoming lockdown.

The definition of “holistic” in relation to medicine is characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease. Recovery in itself is a holistic experience. As it is a physical, psychological, and emotional process, if only one of those is ignored or not valued, it can make the process slower and more difficult to manage.  Though modern medicine has had a track record of focusing on the symptoms of an individual “illness,” considering all aspects of the human experience in considering treatment is becoming more well-known and valued in the scientific community.

To say that recovery can be a challenging journey would be an understatement. We are re-learning how to deal with the most difficult moments life can deliver through a new lens throughout recovery. The good news is that working through these obstacles, though painful, can bring joy and satisfaction. In sobriety, we find that after being numb to most of our experiences, being able to feel a full range of emotions can be a treasure though it is often a tricky part of being human. The simple truth is that we cannot have one without the other. The good news is people have been navigating this “being human” thing since the beginning of time. While it is natural to want to feel good about ourselves and our lives, there is no way to go around the tough stuff. The only path to the other side is through the uncomfortable moments.  However, there are techniques we can use that will ground ourselves in the present experience helping to ease our way when our minds go astray.

With the holiday season now at our doorstep, the expectation of giving our loved ones the best gift possible comes along with it. Gift-giving can bring so much joy and, in the same breath, feel very challenging, depending on who it's for and what the person means to us. Being particular about giving gifts to our loved ones in recovery is important because we want to make sure that our present doesn’t risk their sobriety while also supporting their new life.

Yoga has taken health and wellness communities by storm over the last decade. Most of us either are or know somebody who is regularly attending yoga classes that include a variety of physical postures, breathing exercises, and perhaps even meditation for a more aware and wholesome well-being. As a whole, most of us are aware of the superficial benefits of yoga: flexibility, strength, relaxation, and stress relief. Yet, there is a relatively new surge of mindful and yogic programs popping up in recovery spaces and communities. So, how do these ancient practices aid people in recovery? What is the relationship between yoga and recovery?

To say 2020 has been challenging feels like an understatement. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to focus on anything other than simply surviving. Which in a way, is what the entire process of recovery and healing can sometimes feel like, too.  In 2020 we had to persevere on our own, learning how to live in isolation in a healthy and sustainable way. We have experienced many joyous and gratifying moments too, but it can feel difficult to pinpoint them during such peculiar times. We now have the holidays and winter season approaching, with new challenges including the anticipation of another lockdown looming ahead. Under these circumstances, it is important to recognize we are not alone. We never are, even when it feels like it.

The holiday season can be a joyful and loving, but also a confusing and sometimes challenging, time of year. For anyone newly in recovery, the season can feel particularly demanding. Navigating everyday life can feel difficult, let alone the holidays.  This time of year invites overindulgence as pleasure, which is quite the opposite of what sobriety looks like. We may also face complicated dynamics within our family that trigger us or people close to us that don’t respect our boundaries and needs within recovery. The good news is that sobriety is always possible, no matter the circumstance, and there are a few tips to follow that may help during the sometimes turbulent season of joy.

The drug counseling community has reported an increase in relapse since the beginning of the global pandemic, so we know isolation is affecting those suffering from addiction. Regardless of COVID-19, engaging in addiction treatment and the recovery process can be difficult. There may always be issues with motivation, time management, or financial resources that prohibit you from seeking or completing treatment. But how do you deal with recovery during a global pandemic? More importantly, how do you prevent relapse after treatment with the potential to not be able to engage in a structured aftercare program or in-person therapy?  Here are 3 ways to deal with urges and unwanted emotions while in social isolation:

The peer support model of substance abuse treatment has grown increasingly popular over the past several years. Evidence of its efficacy has been shown through a few studies of peer-based therapies for mental health disorders. Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) have limited empirical evidence in terms of substance abuse, but their outlook is promising. Peer supporters provide a quality of counseling that others cannot. Their experiential knowledge allows them to empathize with patients in a more meaningful capacity. And though the research is small and limited, many recovery programs have already implemented PRSS.

The correlation between substance use and mental illness is especially prevalent in the youth population for several reasons. First, at such a young age, a child’s brain is not fully developed. The brain is not considered fully developed until age 25, leading to very immature thought processes. Therefore, children have a more difficult time healthily processing their emotions. They do not understand why they feel the way they are feeling and may begin to find substances that help fix those issues. If they do not understand these issues, how do they relay them to an adult to receive help? With immature emotions, a child does not have the confidence to approach a parent or authority figure about emotional or substance issues. They can’t talk to their peers in a meaningful, objective way either, because their emotional immaturity presents them with the same roadblocks. It is vital to take an active role in a child’s life and make sure they know there are people they can talk to without ridicule or fear of punishment. These types of issues in childhood can be exacerbated in adults who do not realize their mental condition. Although there is a stigma surrounding mental illness, just as there is an addiction, it seems to be subsiding for mental illnesses. Many people don’t see addiction as a disease, but it becomes easier to understand if we can view it in the same respects as a mental illness. Substance use disorder (SUD) is categorized as a disease because it physiologically changes a person’s brain the same way a mental illness does. Neither of these is a choice. People do not choose to be mentally unwell, and they do not choose to be addicted. It’s important to understand where your unhealthy behaviors and habits come from and if they are influencing substance use so that you can receive the best possible care.