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Tag: addiction

Trigger Warning: Developing An Understanding Of Your Triggers

The word “trigger” and the use of the phrase “trigger warning” has become more prominent in mainstream culture today as society becomes increasingly aware of trauma and mental health. Trauma can be associated with any kind of traumatic event which feels out of someone’s control. Addiction, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, mood disorders, psychiatric disorders- almost all mental health conditions end up being rooted in the experience of some kind of trauma in someone’s life. Trigger warnings are used to let a mass audience know that a particularly difficult subject is going to be discussed openly. Commonly, topics like rape, sexual abuse, violence, drug and alcohol use are triggers for those who are recovering. Talk of suicide, loss, and violence can be triggering too. There are many shared triggers. Each individual has their own set of triggers as well. Developing an understanding of your triggers is part of developing a relapse prevention plan. Relapse prevention is the set of tools, actions, and practices to prevent yourself from reacting to any kind of situation with default behaviors- primarily engaging in the harmful use of drugs and alcohol. Triggers are not uncontrollable and you are not left weak or victimized in their wake. The first step to overcoming triggers and learning how to manage them is understanding them.

Pay Attention When You Feel Stimulated By Something

You might not yet recognize what feeling “triggered” is like. If you are in recovery from drugs and alcohol, it’s a very simply situation. Feeling triggered is any moment when your immediate reaction is: I want to use. I want to get high. During the early recovery months that can happen a hundred times a day from no hot water in the shower to hearing an especially mean comment. Drugs and alcohol become the habitual behavioral default for coping with difficult and uncomfortable situations. Keep a journal for a week to notice each time you feel inspired to drink or use. At the end of each day, look at the triggers and see if there is a common theme.

Start Looking For The Theme

Noticing the different situations which are triggering, you’ll notice commonalities between them. This is the situation of the trigger, or situational trigger. It might be something like feeling out of control, fear of being abandoned, not having your needs met, being bullied, perceiving someone’s judgments as negative. You might find you make a jerk reaction assumption about all of these moments. As someone in the beginning phases of recovery, and as any human beginning to do this work, that is exactly what you are supposed to do . Overtime, you’ll learn to pause, reflect, then choose how you want to respond. You will not feel triggered by everything forever, that is a promise of recovery. It gets better.

Transformative healing can take place during a few months of recovery. Enlightened Solutions provides recovery for mind, body, and spirit with our integrative partial care programs for men and women. For more information, call 833-801-5483.

Women Are More At Risk For Addiction Than They Have Been In Decades

The Washington Post reports that new studies are emphasizing the problematic relationship of women and alcohol. One study the article cites compiled 68 varying alcohol-use studies from around the world in which researchers from Australia discovered a “gender convergence”. Data revealed that the gender gap between males, females, and their relationship with drinking is closing. In the early 20th century, men who were born were “more than twice as likely as women to drink and three times as likely to have an alcohol problem.” By the end of the century, that difference was practically non-existent.

Women in Culture

What is causing this closure? George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, explains that women are living in a different culture than they were 100 years ago. “Instead of being at home,” Koob describes, “they’re in society, and drinking is part of business and social gatherings.” Another problem is that underage drinking in men has declined. Women are continuing to drink underage at a steady pace. Additionally, Koob expresses, women report experiencing depression and anxiety twice as often as men. Depression and anxiety are two of the most highly co-occurring or “comorbid” problems with addiction. Often, women, and men alike, will turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders. Koob points out a final fact which is emphasized in The Big Book Of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The primary text for the free recovery support group and founding group for the world wide twelve step program, was written for men, by men. A singular chapter addresses women, and that is only to the wives of alcoholic men. Quite quickly, the founders discovered that women were equally perilous alcoholics as their male counterparts. The authors write that there are no specifics like length of time drinking alcoholically or just how much one drinks to determine the effect of alcoholism. “To be gravely affected, one does not necessarily have to drink a long time nor take the quantities some of us have. This is particularly true of women.” The authors then dedicate two more important sentences to female alcoholism, not daring to call it any more or any less than what males experience. “Potential female alcoholics often turn into the real thing and are gone beyond recall in a few years. Certain drinkers, who would be greatly insulted if called alcoholics, are astonished at their inability to stop.”

Enlightened Solutions understands the shame and guilt which can come from developing alcoholism. We have a solution. Our partial care programs fuse together clinical treatment, alternative and holistic healing modalities, and 12 step philosophy to create a dual diagnosis curriculum for mind, body, and spirit. For more information, call 833-801-5483.

Recovering From A Crystal Meth Addiction

Crystal meth is a highly addictive synthetic substance. A central nervous system drug, once methamphetamine hits the bloodstream by any method it accesses the brain and all systems throughout the body more quickly than other substances. Meth’s synthetic nature makes it a volatile and unpredictable drug. An ever changing set of formulae make meth unpredictable in what kind of high it will produce. Under the influence of meth, an individual can experience paranoia, psychosis, hyperarousal, and insomnia. People who have been long time meth addicts report staying awake for undefined periods of time, experiencing black outs, and waking up in places they don’t remember traveling to.

Effects of Meth

Meth is detrimental to mental and physical health. Smoking crystal meth can deteriorate the teeth and gums, while wreaking havoc on lungs, throat, and the body. Injecting crystal meth into the veins can cause infections, abscesses, and when mixed with other drugs like heroin, fatal overdose. Spiritually, meth takes over someone’s life. A bad meth addiction can lead someone resorting to any kind of length to get another hit of the drug.

Recovering from a crystal meth addiction is a long journey. It takes many months to normalize from the severity of using crystal meth. Due to the way meth interacts with the central nervous system, detoxing from meth can feel like a painful extraction. Psychologically, it is common to suffer from severe cravings. The cravings for meth can be so intense that one might decide using the drug again would be a better alternative or solution to the problem of cravings.

After Detox

After detox, it is important to support recovery from meth addiction through various levels of treatment. Someone is in critical need of residential treatment if they cannot stay sober or have the threat to hurt themselves or someone else. Lower levels of care like partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient programs which come with sober housing might be more appropriate if the condition is under relative control. Through treatment, therapists can help uncover underlying issues which might have contributed to experimentation with and abuse of crystal meth.

Cravings for meth will start to disappear as more tools for emotional regulation and coping are developed. Creating new meaning in life and building a life of recovery quickly replaces the need for the harmful substance. It may take some time for every nook and cranny of meth addiction to smooth out, resulting in lasting hyper behaviors and impulsivity.

Lifelong recovery from meth addiction is possible. Many times meth addiction is co-occurring with a mental health disorder like anxiety or depression. If you or a loved one are struggling and are in need of help, call Enlightened Recovery Solutions today. Recovery starts with you. Start your recovery with us. We have a solution. 833-801-5483.

What To Do (And Not To Do) When You Have Cravings

Cravings are a natural part of recovery because they are such an intrinsic part of addiction. From day two to year twenty five, cravings can come on at any moment. It’s important to understand what your cravings are, where they are coming from, and how to handle them when they occur.

Don’t Panic

Cravings are normal. As recovery goes along and you earn more and more time sober, there will be a greater distance between episodes of cravings. It’s easy to fall into the false belief that experiencing cravings means you are somehow failing in recovery. Unfortunately, most people run with this fear and believe that cravings will never go away and mean they are going to relapse. Then, many people do. Cravings can come on subtly, happen like a flash of lightning, or appear through a using dream. When cravings come on, don’t panic. Remember that addiction is a disease that lives in the brain causing strange and irregular chemical reactions. Despite your hard work in recovery and the monumental changes you are making to your behaviors, the amount of time your brain has been sober compared to the amount of time it spent intoxicated is small. It’s like worrying a baby will never walk if they fall down once in awhile. Cravings are sometimes nothing more than the brain working out some kinks as you train it to live a recovery lifestyle.

To Investigate

Try not to hyper analyze the meaning of your cravings- leave that to your therapy sessions. In the moment your cravings hit, try to take a minute of mindfulness. Settle yourself down and connect yourself with a few deep breaths. After quickly doing a body scan to notice any tension, turn your attention inward. Is there anything happening in this moment, in the last few hours, or maybe the last few days that was particularly triggering? Remember, that your addictive behaviors were usually a response to challenging situations and painful emotions. Though you are learning to handle things differently the chemical responses in your brain are still catching up. Your cravings might be the result of enduring something you haven’t had to in a while.

Recovery is possible. It starts with you! Enlightened Solutions is here to provide an integrative approach to treatment which fuses clinically proven treatments with holistic healing modalities grounded in a spiritual 12 step philosophy. For more information, call us today at 833-801-5483

3 Crystals You Need For Recovery

Crystal healing is an ancient spiritual practice. Beautiful crystals, gemstones, and minerals live within the depths of our planet. Beneath the surface of the ground, hidden within caves and stones, are stunning, energy harnessing crystals. Using crystals for healing in recovery is a holistic treatment method which relies on energy. Eastern philosophies of the body believe that we store energy in specific areas of the body, which creates stress. Within our bodies are natural channels and pathways for the energy to flow. Emotions, pain, grief, trauma, stress, and other negative factors can block these meridians causing both psychological and physical side effects. Crystals, along with other holistic treatments like acupuncture and chiropractic, help move or release that energy. Crystals can also provide pain relief, enhance creativity, sharpen focus, or bring good social connections.

For Goop, certified shamanic energy medicine practitioner Colleen McCann shares some of her essential crystals and some of their properties for healing. We’ll include why they’re helpful during the recovery treatment process.

Black Obsidian
Good for: grounding
Chakra: first (root)
Recovery: Anxiety is a highly occurring dual diagnosis with substance use disorders and can commonly be a side effect of withdrawals, as well as coping with difficult emotional work. Anxiety sets off the fight or flight mode, causing us to feel disconnected. Grounding is an important practice for being rooted in the present moment.

Rose Quartz
Good for: positivity and love
Chakra: fourth (heart)
Recovery: McCann writes that rose quartz “enhances all types of love: self-love, love for others, and unconditional love.” Love and compassion are essential for recovery. Helping with self esteem, confidence, emotional regulation and more, rose quartz gives extra support in recovery.

Lapis Lazuli
Good for: communication
Chakra: fifth (throat)
Recovery: The first step in recovery is admitting we have a problem. Speaking our truth starts us on the path to recovery and carries us through as we learn to live by the suggestions of a program which “demands rigorous honesty” as The Big Book emphasizes. Maintaining honesty through open, healthy communication is an essential part of growth within recovery.

Enlightened Solutions offers a holistic treatment program which utilizes alternative eastern treatment methods in addition to evidence based proven western clinical modalities. For information on our partial care programs of treatment call 833-801-5483.

Essential Oils To Aid Brain Health During Recovery

Addiction and alcoholism are matters of the mind. Quite literally, the neuroscience model of addiction shows that mind altering substances take over the brain in such a way that all of the essential functions change, becoming focused on drugs and alcohol. Recovery and treatment for addiction includes varying practices which help the brain heal, learn, and grow. Approaching thoughts, behaviors, habits, are all scientific processes as much as they are emotional ones. Emotions are chemical responses in the brain. Using therapeutic methods from psychotherapy to alternative holistic therapies are all ways to reset the flow of the brain and help with holistic healing.

Healing the brain means working to replenish various neurotransmitters and important brain chemicals which contribute to daily functions as well as the functions critical to relapse prevention. Serotonin is a brain chemical which helps regulate emotion. Cortisol is a hormone which is produced in reaction to stress. GABA is a focus of addiction research as it is being found to regulate anxiety and reduce cravings. Various endorphins stimulate feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

According to Belief Net, “Scientific research has revealed that essential oils possesses myriad beneficial phytochemical properties such as anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, anti-stress, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and analgesic…” Certain essential oils can be used in aromatherapy to stimulate the production of brain chemicals and help the mind heal during recovery and treatment. The article lists these essential oils as helpful to the specific brain chemicals:

Serotonin: lavender, lemon, rosemary

Cortisol: lavender, ylang ylang, bergamot

GABA: citronella, lemongrass, white verbena

Endorphins: clary sage, clove, lemon

What Are Essential Oils?

Belief Net writes that “Essential oils are volatile molecules obtained from the seeds, leaves, bark, resins, and other materials of nature’s most generous botanicals.” Blended into a purified oil, there are many uses for the substance. Diffusers help put the aromatic essences into the air of a room. Many essential oils can be applied directly to the skin or scalp. Add essential oils to a bath, or pour a dilution into a spray bottle for your pillow. Essential oils can even be added into food or tea for flavor and holistic healing properties.

Enlightened Solutions believes in the healing power of alternative treatment methods when used in conjunction with traditional clinical and twelve step treatment. We have found a solution for addiction that works with clients to develop their own sense of recovery and self. For more information on our treatment programs, call 833-801-5483 today.

5 Things You’re Doing Wrong With Your Sleep

5 Things You’re Doing Wrong With Your Sleep

Sleep is essential to healing. When you are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, it is critical to get a deep sleep every night for at least 6-8 hours. Some doctors believe that 8-10 hours is better for recovery. During sleep your body and your mind are healing. Sleep is a time for the body to rejuvenate and mend itself back together. In the brain, all of the information from the day is being sorted out and organized. Addiction and alcoholism are disease of the mind, the body, and the spirit. Sleep has a great influence on spirit as well. Without a good night sleep during treatment, you will be less focused, less aware, less present, and likely very cranky. Enduring ongoing symptoms of withdrawal requires you to have energy and endurance, a great deal of which can be sourced from sleep.

  1. Your room is chronically messy: Most treatment centers with residential living, or sober livings where you stay while attending a partial care program, will ask you to keep your room clean and make your bed. This is for a few reasons. First, they are likely to conduct tours for other clients. Second, it is a good practice in discipline to keep your room clean and make your bed every day. Third, having an organized room helps maintain a calm energy in your room. If you go to sleep with a messy room, you’ll likely sleep without the deepness you need to be fully rested.
  2. Your sleeping environment has too much light: Some people like to sleep with the lights on. Others feel that they need total darkness. Certain kinds of light can be stimulating to the brain. Though you might sleep, you won’t be getting the deep states of sleep that you need.
  3. You eat a lot of sweets before bed: Sugar is a stimulant that not only keeps the brain awake, but causes cravings and dehydration. Though you might fall asleep after a bowl of ice cream, you’ll wake up in the night to drink some water, or you might have restless sleep. Try to drink a calming herbal tea before bed or have some sugar free dark chocolate, which will help your body digest and detoxify through the night.
  4. You are using your phone while in bed before going to sleep: Social media, email checking, and engaging with various apps on your phone all stimulate the brain in different ways. What is most problematic about using your phone during the time you are trying to fall asleep is the blue light. Ideally, you should put down your phone at least an hour before your bedtime to help your brain destimulate and prepare for rest.
  5. You don’t help yourself sleep: There are many luxuries for sleep which are actually helpful. Ear plugs, eye masks, weighted blankets, aromatherapy, sound machines- all of these small luxuries can greatly enhance your night’s sleep. Try investing in some of these items and your payoff will be ten times the reward.

Enlightened Solutions takes a holistic approach to addiction treatment by bringing together various disciplines to create an effective program for mind, body, and spirit. For more information on our partial care programs, call 833-801-5483 today.

10 Way To Make The Most Out Of Sober Living

Sober living is a home where residents have to meet certain requirements in order to stay the most important of which is staying sober. During treatment at one of Enlightened Solutions partial care programs, you’ll be living in a local sober living home. Here are our top 10 ways for making the most out of your sober living experience.

  1. Choose The Right Home:Choosing the right sober living home is essential to making sure you feel comfortable, safe, supported, and protected. Look for homes which encourage regular meeting attendance, do screen testing once or twice a week, and have group activities. Go with your instinct and choose what feels right for you.
  2. Follow The Rules:Sober living is usually the place of residence during partial care treatment, such as intensive outpatient, or after residential treatment. After long hours of treatment programming it can be easy to go home to sober living and not want to do anything. It can feel like a safe space to break the rules, act out, and rebel- what you might call relaxing for someone in early recovery. Support the change in your habits by abiding by the rules.
  3. Do Your Chores:Most sober livings assign a weekly chore to each member of the house. You are part of a team working together to stay sober and keep a comfortable home. Not doing your chores will cause you to feel guilt and shame, even if you don’t want to admit it. Your lack of participation won’t be fair to you or your housemates. Do your part and keep your space clean out of respect to yourself and to others.
  4. Be Nice To Others:Your sober living housemates don’t have to become your new best friends, but they are likely to become friends you keep for a lifetime. Early recovery can be difficult and emotions often run high. Your learning how to have relationships and friendships again without the presence of drugs and alcohol. You’ll have more fun by learning how to be vulnerable and close to the people you live with.
  5. Encourage Group Activities:There’s a lot of sleeping that goes on in sober living. Recovering bodies need sleep to heal. Ongoing symptoms of withdrawal can be exhausting. In between naps and long night’s sleep, encourage your group to come together and participate in an activity. You’ll have fun, make memories, and remember why you got sober: to live again.
  6. Make Outside Friends:Going to meetings gives you an opportunity to meet people from other sober living homes or who are new to the recovery community like you. Ask people for their phone numbers and invite them over to hang out. You’ll diversify your group of friends and never be short of someone to call and talk to.
  7. Go To Meetings:The only way to meet people at meetings is to go to them. Your sober living will probably have one or two meetings that everyone goes to together. Lookup new meetings in different towns and venture out to find recovery. It is always inspiring to discover that recovery is everywhere and you are never alone.
  8. Have Adventures:Another way to combat sober living laziness is to get out and explore. If you don’t have a car, take walks around your neighborhood. If someone has a car, choose a new spot nearby to go and explore.
  9. Support One Another:Early recovery is hard. Making it through requires the love and support of peers. Always lend a listening ear, a prayer, or going with someone to a meeting. You’re all there to help each other.
  10. Report Relapse:There’s no need to be a tattle-tale, but you are learning to take steps to secure your sobriety. If someone has brought drugs and alcohol into the house, it is your right to report it. If you fear you or your housemates might be at risk for relapse because of someone else’s actions, talk to your house manager immediately.

Enlightened Solutions works with trusted sober living homes and residences to support our clients during their treatment programs. We provide references and can happily connect you with our community. For information on our treatment programs for men and women seeking recovery, call 833-801-5483.

The Challenge Of Relapse Prevention In Eating Disorders

How do you prevent a relapse for an eating disorder?

Food is a choice everyone has to make throughout the day every day. Unlike drugs and alcohol, there is no option to “not pick up no matter what”. Recovering from an eating disorder requires eating differently, thinking differently, and living life in a different way. Through treatment for eating disorders, we learn how to regard our bodies and minds with compassion. Therapy, physical activity, meetings, and meditation are all tools we pick up in order to live a healthy lifestyle without abusing ourselves through harmful behaviors. Like any recovery program, we are prone to slip up on our practice. Cutting a few extra calories from our meal plan might seem innocent when we are struggling with uncomfortable feelings of poor self-esteem. Taking therapy time as “self-care” time and missing an appointment can become an easily repeated pattern. These small changes can seem harmless. Recovery is not meant to be rigid without a margin for error. However, the flexibility can only go so far until it has a negative effect. Eating disorders live in the part of the brain which create habits. Habits are one of the most difficult psychological processes to change. Once a new habit starts leaning toward an old habit, it can quickly change. Old thoughts and voices can come creeping in, encouraging dangerous behaviors, critical observations, and more. Though we live in a world that obsesses about diet, exercise, food and body regularly, it can be life threatening for someone recovering from an eating disorder to go there.

During the early recovery months, it is important to stick to routine, including diet and exercise plans, as well as treatment plans. Stay honest about your experiences with challenging thoughts and moments. We are likely never the only one who is struggling with recovery. If the pressure of an eating disorder comes on too strong, make sure to reach out to someone immediately. We are equipped with a lot of tools to help ourselves, but sometimes the most powerful tool is asking for someone else’s help.

Recovering from eating disorders is absolutely achievable. One day, the voices will get quiet and the choices will become easy. Time, work, and dedication are required. You can find the support and encouragement you need with Enlightened Solutions. Our day treatment programs provide care for eating disorders and co-occurring mental health or substance use disorders. For information on our holistic method of healing, contact us.

Trying Out The 12 Steps As A New Year’s Resolution

Before there were luxury treatment centers, detox hospitals, and intensive outpatient programs operating out of plaza storefronts, there was no answer to the insanity of alcoholism and addiction. In the early 1900’s medical professionals and psychological professionals alike struggled to find a solution to the problem of alcohol. How men (and women) could continue to drink to the point of insanity after repeated negative consequences like losing a job, losing a wife, or becoming ill, was baffling. When Alcoholics Anonymous was formed and released The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930’s, a revolution began. Citing alcohol as “cunning, baffling, and powerful,” The Big Book advocated for a complete and total psychic change as being necessary to relieve alcoholics of the phenomenal obsession to drink. Stunned, doctors saw results commence in their patients immediately. After being lost without an answer as to help such alcoholics survive, many were beginning to thrive right before their eyes. Once selfish people were selflessly volunteering their time to others who suffered. Quickly, the word of the Alcoholics Anonymous fellowship spread.

12 Steps Created

In the beginning there were only six steps. Eventually, after working with renowned psychologist and dream analyst Carl Jung, Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, along with Bob Smith, also known as Dr. Bob and the other founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, created the 12 steps. Since then, the 12 step method has led as the primary approach to treating alcoholism. Most of today’s modern treatment programs have foundation in the principles and theories put down in The Big Book.

Self-help

Self-help is a popular theme which has practically become a hobby and lifestyle. The 12 steps are a spiritual program for living, inspiring the experience of a spiritual awakening sufficient enough to cause an alcoholic to stop craving alcohol. Though many shy away from the 12 steps due to the spiritual nature of the program, many others find that the lifestyle applies to many areas in life. Dozens upon dozens of diagnoses, conditions, and problems, have found relief and solution within the 12 steps.

Whether you are new to recovery, considering recovery, or need a boost of self-help, the 12 steps are an interesting and proven practice.

Enlightened Solutions utilizes the spiritual principles set down by the 12 steps and the themes of The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In addition to incorporating the 12 steps into treatment, we bring residents to meetings regularly in order to become immersed in the local 12 step community. For more information on our residential treatment programs for men and women seeking recovery from addiction, alcoholism, and dual diagnosis mental health issues, call 833-801-5483.

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