Mental Health Archives - Page 10 of 15

Bipolar Myths You Need To Kick To The Curb

Written by enlightened solutions on April 23, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Bipolar disorder is one of the most common co-occurring disorders with addiction. As with most mental illnesses, there are myths about bipolar which are damaging. Bipolar myths can get in the way of someone seeking the treatment they need to heal and recover.

People With Bipolar Are “Crazy”

The “crazy” stigma of mental illness is thankfully becoming old and tired. When we characterize bipolar disorder as “crazy” we are often imagining it in its most extreme form, with extremely manic highs and dangerously depressive lows, as if someone with bipolar were two distinct people. Bipolar disorder is not the same thing as multiple personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder, or any kind of schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, not a personality disorder. People can experience extreme forms of bipolar disorder, but mild forms of bipolar disorder with subtle symptoms are much more common than this harmful stereotype. Mild depression with intense mania, mild mania with intense depression- there are many combinations of bipolar with which people live. Living with a mental health diagnosis like bipolar disorder does not make someone ‘crazy’. ‘Crazy’ is a term we need to kick to the curb in 2018.

If Your Mood Changes, You’re Bipolar

Everyone who does not suffer from a psychotic disorder is prone to mood changes. Depression, for example, is a natural part of the grief process and a natural reaction to life. People are prone to be manic every now and then, running on high energy. Many of the symptoms of bipolar disorder are symptoms that people experience in their everyday life. People even have extreme mood swings- for example, women tend to have more severe mood swings around the time of their menstrual cycle, and everyone can have intense mood swings when they are stressed or exhausted. Unfortunately, the myth of bipolar disorder perpetuates a stigma that any kind of mood change means you’re “bipolar”.

Bipolar Disorder Can’t Be Treated

Bipolar disorder can be treated and treated successfully with proper intervention. Assessment is key in determining the nuances of someone’s bipolar, as well as addressing any comorbid issues like an addiction or another mental health issue. Medications are typically prescribed to help stabilize mood swings toward a more normalized equilibrium. Regular therapy can help an individual discover their triggers for mood changes, warning signs of mood changes, and develop strategies for coping with mood changes. Like with any mental illness, there is no cure for bipolar disorder. There are, however, many treatments which are proven to reduce symptoms of bipolar and allow people in recovery to leave peacefully.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Dance Therapy? Yes You Can

Written by enlightened solutions on April 19, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Alternative Therapy. Leave a Comment

“I don’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, Madame, with you.” These words sung by Frank Sinatra have become an anthem of sorts for the millions of people who refuse to dance. People who don’t, won’t dance, have plenty of reasons as to why they don’t dance. They don’t have any rhythm. They are too embarrassed. They don’t like to dance. The truth is that dancing is innate in everyone’s ability and humans were born to dance.

Humans have been dancing for thousands and thousands of years. Movement and rhythm have been part of ritual celebrations for civilizations and cultures starting back to the very beginning of mankind. Even if a human claims not to have any rhythm, they dance in their everyday lives. Dancing is nothing more than movement. Movement is something our body is doing every single second of the day at varying rhythms. Our eyes move. Our lungs expand and deflate with the breath. We move our feet, our legs, our hips, our core, and dozens of other muscles in our bodies all day long. Dancing is simply taking those movements, focusing on them, and exaggerating them. You don’t have to be a professional or even have skill to dance. All you have to do is move.

Movement therapy is important for those in recovery from addiction and alcoholism. The disease of addiction weakens the body as well as the spirit. People can become extremely sedentary as a result of their addiction which not only isolates their physical life but their personal, internal life as well. Movement is an expression of the self. Not moving, like not getting off the couch because of intoxication, inhibits personal expression. The more someone sits still, the more they become locked in themselves, lost inside. Movement creates a synergy between the external self- the muscles- and the internal self- the personal self.

Dancing doesn’t have to be anything more than standing up and moving around to music. You don’t even need music. You don’t even need a beat. You just have to get up and move. Movement breaks up stagnant energy in the muscle, as well as stagnant energy from your personal life flow. We need to move in recovery because recovery is about taking action. Recovery doesn’t just happen. Recovery has to be dynamic and with it, we have to move dynamically, through dance or any other physical expression.

Why You Should Start A Meditation Practice This Spring

Written by enlightened solutions on April 12, 2018. Posted in Alternative Therapy, Healthy Living. Leave a Comment

Spring cleaning is a major part of the spring season and cleaning out stress from your mind and body should be a part of that process. Meditation is more than a trending buzzword in the Western world. Eastern cultures and ancient religions have been practicing some form of meditation for thousands of years. Today, meditation is recognized as a period of time dedicated to focused breathing while trying to calm the mind. Meditation does not necessarily mean clearing the mind to nothingness, as Zen meditation suggests. Acknowledging your thoughts and learning to release your attachment to those thoughts is a more widely accepted approach to meditation called mindfulness.

Both mindfulness and meditation have been intensely studied in recent years as they have gained popularity in Western culture and treatment. Volumes of research studies have concluded that mindfulness meditation is extremely beneficial to the mind and body. Some studies have gone so far as to suggest mindfulness meditation can be a replacement to other treatment methods often relied upon. For those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, mindfulness meditation is strongly suggested as part of a personal program of recovery for stress management. Stress is the number one underlying cause of relapse. In recovery, stress can come in many different forms and trigger the recovering brain’s most familiar stress response: drug and alcohol abuse. Research has proven that mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress on a molecular level, ridding the body and the brain of the harmful effects stress creates.

Spring is the perfect time to start a meditation practice because of the thematic focus on cleaning out, renewal, and starting fresh. Meditation is like a spring cleaning for your mind, body and spirit every day. Science has proven that just five minutes of meditation can leave you feeling better, more relaxed, and stress free. As a result, meditation helps you feel refreshed and renewed. Try taking a few deep breaths right now. Stop all your thinking and analyzing for one second, right now, close your eyes, and focus all your attention on a deep inhale, a quick pause, and a large exhale. You may not believe it, but the very molecules in your DNA are already feeling better.

A Lack Of Natural Light Could Be Contributing To Depression

Written by enlightened solutions on April 5, 2018. Posted in Alternative Therapy, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

“O, Sunlight!” writes author Roman Payne, “The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” Sunlight is a necessity to the survival of our being and most other species on the planet. We need the sunlight for power in our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. Think of an indoor house plant. Typically indoor house plants fall somewhere on the scale between one of two extremes. Either indoor house plants need a plentitude of sunlight or it needs a minimal amount of sunlight. No matter the amount of sunlight, the plants need sunlight- just like human beings. We need sunlight for Vitamin D, for our health and wellness, and for our circadian rhythm. Too much sunlight or too little sunlight can be damaging to the body. Recent research has found that there is a severe deficiency of sunlight in people’s lives. People who are lacking in natural light and are taking in too much artificial light might be at higher risk for depression.

There are arguments to whether sleeping with light or no light is better for the body’s circadian rhythm. Camping is a great reset for sleep patterns because there are hardly any artificial light sources in the wilderness. Everyday life at home, whether that be in an urban or suburban environment, includes a lot of exposure to artificial lighting, especially during sleeping hours. A study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology conducted in Japan found that light disturbances during sleep can increase the risk of depression. Anything from an outside street lamp, to the glow of a digital screens, to a digital clock, could be interrupting the brain’s natural circadian rhythm and contributing to depression.

Over 900 individuals were used for the study and had their sleep patterns examined. Some participants slept in a room with 5 lux or more of artificial light at night and others slept in a room completely sealed in darkness. Those who had artificial light in their room were at a higher risk of depression than those who did not. IFL Science notes that “10 lux is a single candle from 0.3 meters (1 foot) away,” emphasizing that the amount of light which could contribute to depression is incredibly small.

Other research has found that exposure to primarily artificial lighting throughout the day hurts the brain, as does over exposing the brain to the blue light behind digital screens. Moreover, more exposure to natural light helps with the sleep pattern, giving the brain the proper kind of stimulation instead of stimulation caused by artificial lighting.

Natural Ways To Treat Depression And Anxiety At Home

Written by enlightened solutions on April 3, 2018. Posted in Alternative Therapy, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Part of the reason we choose to go to treatment is because we are no longer capable of taking care of ourselves on a daily basis. The way we have adapted to living our lives with active addiction and secondary mental health conditions is not sufficient in the way that we need it to be. Our curriculum at treatment will be customized to our specific co-occurring disorders, meaning our substance use disorder and whatever mental health issues we may also be facing. Anxiety, depression, as well as bipolar, which can include symptoms of both anxiety and depression, are some of the most common mental health disorders co-occurring with addiction. During the course of treatment, we learn critical life skills for handling, regulating, and managing our mental health at home. Treatment doesn’t last forever. When we graduate and transition back into our independent lives, the rubber meets the road, as it is said. We put our education and training into practice in order to treat our anxiety and depression at home.

Treating anxiety and depression naturally is more a matter of lifestyle than specific treatments. Holistic living is focused on incorporating activities and practices throughout the day which benefit mind, body, and spirit. Anxiety and depression affect all three areas concurrently. Lifestyle changes which support holistic wellness are living treatments for both anxiety and depression.

Get enough sleep: Sleep affects everything about our day. Depression and anxiety can include ruminating thoughts, restless bodies, and disrupted sleep. Good sleep hygiene should include a full 6-8 hours of deep sleep.
Exercise for 20-30 minutes a day minimum: Exercise is a proven treatment technique for reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Endorphins produced by exercise are feel good brain chemicals which stimulate other good feelings. Any kind of movement will do for at least 20-30 minutes.
Eat right for your brain: The brain needs nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids to function well. Eat right for your brain by eating foods which provide health vitamins, nutrients, and fats to the brain instead of chemicals and sugars. Food is medicine. What you eat is how you will feel.
Mindfulness and meditation: Various studies have found that mindfulness and meditation can put symptoms of depression into remission. All you need is 5 minutes of focused mindfulness and meditation a day to feel the benefits.
Spend time in nature: Research has found that just looking at pictures and videos of nature can reduce stress as well as improve feelings of wellbeing. Getting into natural sunlight can help produce emotion regulating Vitamin D. Being around green space or blue space helps reset our nervous system, sending calm throughout our being.

Take natural supplements: Nature is full of medicine in all of its plants and flowers. A variety of natural supplements, including essential oils like lavender, can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. From tinctures and pills to teas and oils, there are many ways to bring the benefits of nature from outside to inside.

Anxiety Lives In The Body As Well As The Mind

Written by enlightened solutions on March 30, 2018. Posted in Healthy Living, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Anxiety can cause muscle tension, which can wear down on the body overtime. There is a reason we seek out therapeutic treatments and practices which help us stretch out and relax our muscles. Muscles are not supposed to be tense all the time. Massage therapists let us know which areas of our body are too tense as an indicator of what we should pay more attention to. Likely, we tense up specific areas of our body as a response to stress. Muscular stress can be caused by anxiety as stress hormones produced by the fight or flight response coarse through the body.

Stress caused by anxiety can manifest in different ways other than the muscles. For example, the skin. People mistakenly believe that skin conditions are a reflection of diet and hygiene. Sometimes this is true. Other times, acne is a manifestation of unacknowledged or unregulated anxiety. Acne can also be a disorder of its own.

Acne can develop as a result of poor sleep, which is a common symptom of anxiety. Anxiety makes sleeping difficult when it keeps the brain up with ruminating thoughts. If the body is tense for most of the day due to anxiety, it will have a hard time fully releasing in order to fall into a deep, restful sleep. Lacking in sleep weighs on the nerves. If nerves are already pressured by anxiety, a lack of sleep worsens the situation.

When anxiety cannot find anywhere to go or manifest, it can come out through unhealthy behaviors. Anxiety is a leading mental health disorder in the United States, affecting more than 18 million adults a year. Many adults are ill-equipped to handle their anxiety so they turn to self harming behaviors instead. Anxiety is highly co-occurring with alcoholism and drug addiction. People turn to drugs and alcohol to numb their anxiety, help them escape their anxious mind, or create so much extra energy that the anxiety finally has somewhere to go.

If you are seeking transformation and looking for a dual-diagnosis treatment, our facility’s amazing program could be the answer you’ve been searching for! Enlightened Solutions offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach for the addiction recovery process. For more information call today: 844-234-LIVE.

Anger Management Is Hidden In These Everyday Activities: Part Two

Written by enlightened solutions on March 29, 2018. Posted in Healthy Living, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Recovery is a holistic process, meaning that we have to tend to our minds, our bodies, and our spirits in order to stay sober. Emotions are a holistic experience that we have every single day. We most often believe that emotions only live in the mind. Yet, we describe emotions as feelings, frequently as physical feelings. Emotions manifest in the body as much as the mind. Just like we live a holistic lifestyle to honor our sobriety, we live a holistic lifestyle to honor our emotional experiences, like anger. In our previous blog we discussed how getting better sleep and eating a healthy, balanced diet can lead to better anger management. Here, we’ll look at two more everyday activities where anger management is hidden in plain sight: exercise and meditation.

You’ll manage your anger better if you exercise more often

“A smile is one workout away!” professional trainers and athletes often quip charismatically. There is some science behind their claim. Exercise can produce endorphins which are feel-good happy hormones produced in the brain. Engaging in exercise means engaging the mind and the body at once. Anger can be all consuming. Thankfully, so can exercise. We can use our angry energy toward our exercise. Anger can be part of the fight or flight response and produce stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol as a result. We feel hot, heated, energetic, and fired up when we’re angry because our survival mechanism is activating in order for us to take action. Exercise expels our energy and helps us regulate stress in our mind. We are less prone to angry outbursts when we are consistently engaging our body in holistic activities which create momentum and peace.

You’ll manage your anger better if you meditate

Meditation is a scientifically proven spiritual practice for stress management. Anger is a reaction of stress, among many other things. Just five minutes of meditation a day has been shown to reverse the impact of inflammation caused by stress. Additionally, daily meditation helps the brain grow grey matter and synapses, ripe for obtaining and storing more knowledge. We feel less stressed, more calm, and more in touch with our feelings when we practice meditation. As a result, anger can no longer take control over us the way it once did.

Anger Management Is Hidden In These Everyday Activities: Part One

Written by enlightened solutions on March 28, 2018. Posted in Healthy Living, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Anger is as much a natural response as it is a choice. Through treatment and recovery, we learn that our emotions are choices. Anger isn’t something that happens to us. We can choose to lessen our anger by regulating and managing it in other areas of our life. There are four everyday activities which can help us manage our anger. Here we discuss two of them. Look to our next blog for the other two daily activities which can help us better manage our anger.

You’ll manage your anger better if you get good sleep

We can sleep many hours of the night but not sleep restfully. Few things are as frustrating as waking up after a night of poor or little sleep. Sleep is critical to emotional regulation and balance. Our bodies and our minds need to rest for at least six hours and as many as ten hours a night in order to function at their highest capacity. The effect of sleep on mood is no more evident than in toddlers and young children who rely on naps. Young children need naps in order to keep themselves regulated. When a young child misses their nap time, or keeps themselves awake to avoid their nap time, they become emotionally exasperated. Temper tantrums, flowing tears, and other signs of exhaustion go on dramatic display as a result. Adults are not much different. With too much of too little sleep, adults are prone to the same emotional imbalance created by the same need: a good nap and some good sleep.

You’ll manage your anger better if you eat a healthy balanced diet

Research into gut health and the microbiome suggests that our mood and emotional state might be directed more by our stomach than our mind. We are, quite literally, what we eat. What we eat dictates how we feel. Feeding our bodies and minds with junk means we will probably feel like junk. We don’t pour sweet sticky juice into an engine which needs lubricated gears to grind. Our brains are complex machines which need the right vitamins and nutrients to function properly. The food we eat matters in helping our brains run smoothly. Look to foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains as better options for your diet.
If you are seeking transformation and looking for a dual-diagnosis treatment, our facility’s amazing program could be the answer you’ve been searching for! Enlightened Solutions offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach for the addiction recovery process. For more information call today: 844-234-LIVE.

How to Spot Borderline Personality Disorder

Written by enlightened solutions on February 20, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Mental health is an issue people all over the world have that co occurs with addiction and/or alcoholism. Two percent of adults show signs of borderline personality disorder (BPD). The borderline in the name is meant to stand for the border of psychosis and neurosis. This disorder doesn’t quite fit schizophrenia or bipolar, but is somewhere in the middle. Someone who is showing signs of BPD will be prone to self-harm and suicide attempts and there might be a lack of concern for others while doing so. Those with BPD make up 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations and 75 percent are among women.

Those with borderline personality disorder who receive help, over time, have hope for living a productive and balanced life. With consistent therapy there are ways to find appropriate solutions to cope with anger, depression and anxiety. It’s easy for people with borderline personality disorder to slip into feelings of unworthiness and those of being a burden. Those with borderline personality disorder tend to feel that they are fundamentally bad and will act accordingly. Social skills may lack appropriate behavior and being unstable is a common occurrence.

People who have symptoms of BPD have problems with staying in a good mindset. When things are bad, they seem to be horribly bad. When things are good, they are excessively good. Similarly to bipolar disorder there are extreme ups and downs, and like schizophrenia disorder, there are delusions. These behaviors will exhibit themselves in ways such as binge eating, spending, risky sexual behavior, and substance abuse. This will oftentimes result in legal troubles and lessons unlearned.

Borderline personality disorder can be inherited. This disorder can also be caused by other outside circumstances. Getting help in a treatment center can give those with BPD a real shot at a beautiful life without dysfunction. Becoming aware of the problem and truly accepting help offered in a treatment center is an opportunity that shouldn’t be passed on. Individuals with BPD can lead successful lives without harming themselves and others.

If you are struggling with addiction, alcoholism, and/or mental health, do not give up hope! Come out to New Jersey and begin to heal with us at the amazing Enlightened Solutions. Call today for more information. 844-234-LOVE.

Being Restless, Irritable and Discontent

Written by enlightened solutions on February 19, 2018. Posted in Healthy Living, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Being restless, irritable and discontent is a recipe for disaster for a person with addiction or alcoholism. The term “dry drunk” refers to a person who isn’t working a spiritual program but also not abusing any substances. For example, Alcoholics Anonymous is a program that its members work on a daily basis to find peace and serenity without numbing their feelings. Taking away the substance is only the first step to living a happy, fulfilling life. To quit drinking and using will able the person with an addiction to find out who the person really is within.

In order to become less restless, irritable and discontent, there are few suggestions to take on the path to recovery. When a person comes into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and willingly decides to keep coming back, it’s likely that there had been others who had given them a new found hope. Beginning the steps is part of the program that must be followed or else there will not be any real promises. By doing the 12 steps people can begin to see with clarity.

Dropping expectations and resentments will benefit those lacking a healthy perspective of past life events with people, places, and things. When people who are living with the disease of addiction let others get into an untamed mind, it will almost always find reasons to self-destruct. When people decide they don’t want to deal with the madness going on inside the mind, alcohol and drugs begin to seem like a good idea. Having the courage to deal with the pain inside, is the transformation into a healthy mindset.

Putting the mind’s energy towards something positive will always give someone in recovery a better shot at staying sober. It’s crucial to begin shifting the mind to see the beauty in life instead of the ugly. Having optimism and brighter energy will attract the same. Some people call it the ripple effect. When you put out good energy into the world, it will come back to you. Over time when people in recovery begin to use these suggestions in everyday life, it will become easier to deal with everyday stressors without picking up a drink or drug. By following the 12 steps of AA as a guide, there will be progress, but not perfection.

Enlightened Solutions clinical, holistic, and 12 step partial program is designed to help you transform your life into the life of your dreams. Let go of the past and begin to heal with us in New Jersey. Call today: 844-234-LOVE.

Tag: Mental Health