Coping Skills

Addiction is the process of finding external substances to resolve internal conflicts.  Commonly, when hearing an addict share the story of how addiction was born in their life, one will hear a story of someone who was uncomfortable within themselves.  Then, they discovered an external substance that mask these feelings of discomfort and allow them the delusion of being connected in their communities in spite of this internal dis-ease.  At some point, the coping ceased being effective and their lives became a vicious cycle of self-destructive behaviors. Then, the addict will hit some kind of bottom and an awakening, sometimes immediate, other times gradual, will occur.   Recovery begins.

The natural orientation for many addicts during this early phase of recovery is self-loathing for all of the time and opportunity lost.  Yet, there is another perspective available.  The addict survived to the point of finding recovery due to the engagement of unhealthy coping.  They made it to the point in life that new possibilities opened for their life.  Without the unhealthy coping of addiction, who can know how these intense internal experiences of self may have been dealt with.  One can look at this survival as a beautiful gift of opportunity to live a life that may not have been otherwise available.

Beyond celebrating the miracle of making it to the point of recovery, it can also be honored that coping is a mastered skill.  Now, it is simply the journey of learning how to apply the coping techniques to healthy behaviors.  For many people in recovery, there is a period of transferring very unhealthy coping to less unhealthy coping before arriving at healthy coping.  For example, cocaine and whiskey may be exchanged for coffee and cigarettes.  A great step in the healthy direction but then, these are exchanged for excessive exercise and a vigilant focus on healthy foods.  All of these are stages of the coping release journey and each transition can be celebrated as progress.  

Eventually, we hope that the addict will come to the place where they live each day, fully present, engaging recovery tools and a full vital life.  The goal is for all of this to manifest without the need to mask the life experience with an obsessive focus on anything, whether a mind-altering substance or a health-promoting substance.  The addict has arrived at the recovery mecca, a state of balance.  

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism:

844-234-LIVE.

Trauma's Relationship with Addiction

Trauma, which is defined as any life event that creates lasting psychological harm in an individual, can create additional barriers to success in recovery.  The lasting harm can manifest in certain emotional experiences, including anxiety, difficulty focusing and challenges engaging in social situations.  These experiences are all rooted in present-day effects lasting from the past incident.  The effects of trauma can intersect with addiction recovery as these emotional experiences may trigger the desire to use to cope with the effects of trauma with more frequency that an individual who is not experiencing trauma.  

The originating experience of trauma can be vastly different for different individuals.  The concept to describe this is resiliency.  Resiliency can be hard to accept because individuals sharing similar life experiences may have severely different capacities to focus with those experiences.  There may be some individuals who experience extreme violence, like sexual assault or physical violence, and have little or no lasting trauma response to those experiences. Other individuals may have a lasting traumatic response to an event that may seem to most people to be a minimal disappointment, like being minorly ignored by a parent.  It is important to honor the origins of trauma, regardless of how severe or insignificant that may seem.  This will ensure that all people who need healing will open themselves to it.  

Without the proper acknowledgment of trauma’s influence on the recovery process, some people may encounter relapses in addiction that may not otherwise occur.  Due to most addicts’ orientation to themselves as a victim in life, it can be difficult to discern without professional interventions, when trauma support is needed with an addict.  It is important to err on the side of caution when pursuing trauma healing because to do otherwise may put the addict in danger of relapse.  Ultimately, this may put the addict’s life in danger.  

However, this must be tempered with awareness of an addict’s predisposition to keeping themselves separate from connected relationships.  Trauma can sometimes be engaged to hang on to the experience of being separate by being an addict ‘and-a’.  The story of trauma can be leveraged to maintain walls with relationship to other people in recovery and these relationship are crucial to true healing.
 

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism:

844-234-LIVE.

The Mental Cost of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can express in a variety of ways: anorexia, bulimia, overeating, just to name a few of the expressions that this condition can take on.  The manifestation of eating disorders will typically involve obsessions about food, about the body and being able to become free from these obsessions.

Culturally, it can be easy to minimize eating disorders as less serious addictions than those struggling with substance abuse addictions.  However, the deeper truth is that individuals struggling with eating disorders are living with the same loss of authentic self as those struggling with other addictions.  The vacillation between obsession and compulsion is a loss of choice which can lead to profound health consequences, even including the loss of the physical life.  At its heart, the loss of the spirit is present in this loss of choice, regardless of what substance or behavior the choice is related to.  

The natural rhythm of providing our bodies with food is an opportunity to discern at each interval what nutrients will provide us with the stamina needed to live our life purpose.  When these intervals become cycles of feeding an obsession, we have lost our authentic selves to an eating disorder.  Whether it is focused on consuming specific foods, performing ritual practices around foods, or a focus on how to mitigate the harmful choices through exercise or purging, the intervals have become about checking out rather than checking in.  

Commonly, individuals struggling with eating disorders are aware that these behaviors are considered ‘not normal’ and hide these patterns.  The result is that they become isolated from their social communities to conceal their behaviors. Becoming a divided person, they , show only parts of themselves to the people who love them while hiding the most vulnerable parts of themselves, the parts that most need to be seen and accepted.  

We can all look at our relationship to food to discover where it is serving the life that we were born to live and where it has taken over our life to block our spiritual purpose. The more that we can become transparent about our journey, moving our relationship to one of positivity and contribution, the more we can support others in doing the same.  

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism:

844-234-LIVE.
 

8 Ways Addiction Hurts the Body

Addiction is known to be a complex medical issue which causes suffering on the physical, emotional and spiritual planes.  There are many different types of addiction and they all have an impact on all three of these aspects of the human life.  It is valuable to recognize that while the forms of addiction may have different consequences on the body, they all require that the physical healing occur before the internal resources become available for the depth recovery that is necessary on the emotional and spiritual planes.  

The following are some possible harms that the body may experience as an outcome of addictive behaviors.  There is some variance according to substance but these impacts are generally present in the early stages of recovery.  .  

1. Brain: there are many impacts by addiction, including memory, the natural chemical balances and communications of the brain with the rest of the body, and the brain's role in motivating the person to healthy self-preservation activities.  

2. Central Nervous system: the addictive ingestion of toxins causes a continuous state of fight-or-flight, causing the rest of the body to operate as if it is in a continuous state of danger.

3. Weight fluctuations: fluctuations may be up or down, but both changes can have serious long-term effects on the quality of health and life expectancy.  

4. Liver: the role of this organ is to filter and metabolize toxins.  When an excessive amount of toxins are present, it becomes over-used and susceptible to disease. It also plays a role with digestion and impacts to its optimal function also impact nutrient intake.

5. Kidneys: play a critical role in removing toxins from the body and the cleansing of blood.  These functions are impacted by addictive substances.

6. Mental health issues: sometimes people are using addiction as a coping for existing mental health issues and other times, the use of substances actives mental health issues that they were predisposed to.

7. Accelerated aging: in many cases, addiction of all kinds simply accelerates the aging process by speeding up the process of cell death.  This process is a natural process yet, our addiction will speed up the timeline and take our vitality sooner than would naturally occur.   

8. Digestion issues: addictions impact the ability of this system to uptake nutrients and can result in malnutrition.   

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism:

844-234-LIVE.

The Relationship Between Anxiety and Alcoholism

Many of the physical and psychological effects of alcohol can produce anxiety. The relationship between anxiety and alcohol, in addition to alcoholism, might be more complicated than many realize. Refinery29 reports on the relationship between drinking and alcoholism but frames the article for active drinkers. For those seeking recovery from alcoholism, their lifestyle will include abstinence from alcohol. Learning to cope with anxiety without alcohol is a challenge because of the way the relationship between the two become deeply ingrained in the brain.

Change In Hormone Production

Alcohol changes the way the brain functions, which is why alcohol can cause sensations like euphoria, relaxation, and impair judgment. The way alcohol achieves these changes is by interacting with hormone and neurotransmitter production. Dopamine, for example, is commonly discussed when examining alcohol’s effect on the brain because it is a primary way alcohol creates change. Mind altering substances like alcohol create an overproduction of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter sometimes called the “happy hormone”. A surplus of dopamine has effect in other areas of the brain while also creating the sense of euphoria alcohol initially creates. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter more involved in mood and anxiety. Depression, for example, is a lack of serotonin. Alcohol consumption can cause a disruption in the production of serotonin, which results in anxiety. In addition, alcohol can increase the production of cortisol, a hormone for stress. When the body and mind enter fight-or-flight mode, which is a chronic for anxiety, cortisol is released. Cortisol puts the body on edge and prepares it to fight against a perceived threat. Interestingly, alcohol could be the perceived threat but also feel like a solution to anxiety.

Chemical Dependency Increases Anxiety

Using alcohol as a means to cope with anxiety can increase anxiety and thereby increase chemical dependency on alcohol to cope with anxiety. The relationship of alcohol addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders can be unruly, creating a vicious cycle. Drinking to cope with anxiety creates a memory association in the brain which, accompanied by the disruptions in neurotransmitter as well as hormone production, can become problematic. Instead of turning to other coping mechanisms, the body and the brain learn to turn to alcohol. Eventually the brain might realize that alcohol creates more anxiety than it gets rid of. Being chemically dependent on alcohol, the inability to choose differently will continue to cause anxiety.

The partial care programs at Enlightened Recovery Solutions are dual diagnosis, focusing on the holistic treatment of substance use and mental health disorders. Providing a compassionate environment of whole person care, our integrative programs utilize alternative therapies designed to heal the soul. For information, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

How to Help Someone with an Addiction Who Isn’t Ready for Treatment

It’s important to understand exactly what addiction is, how addiction works, and the way that the effects of addiction are changing your friend. Addiction is a disorder, though some call it a disease, which interrupts the brain’s natural cycles, thereby having an effect on the body. Described as an “allergy”, addiction causes a tolerance and a dependency which keeps someone in a chemical cycle of reliance upon drugs and/or alcohol. Through specific brain mechanisms like the production of dopamine, an interaction with the reward center, and an alteration in the brain’s survival methods, drugs and alcohol become a priority.

The more memory association created by the more drugs and alcohol consumed, the more power these substances have over rationality, memory, judgment, morality, and physical health. Terms like “hijacking” are commonly used to describe addiction. In short, using drugs and alcohol becomes a matter of life or death in two ways. First, the brain is convinced that not continuing to be stimulated by drugs and alcohol will result in death. Two, if someone who is addicted continues to harm their mind and their body with drugs and alcohol, death is a legitimate threat. It seems like an obvious choice to someone who isn’t addicted. Inside the mind of the addicted brain, the choice is less clear and it feels as though the will to choose has been stripped.

Until your friend is ready to choose to recovery, there can be a long path of destruction and damage, to themselves, to you, and to others. The most painful challenge you are given is overcoming the need to fix everything, help with everything, and try to save them. A good friend will understand their limits and abilities. You can only do so much, say the right thing so many times in so many ways, and offer help beyond your means. There will come a point when you will need to recognize where your giving ends. You don’t have to abandon or reject your friend. In fact it is most important to let them know that while you cannot continue to give to them, you will always be there to support them. When they are truly ready for help, you will be there to help them. In between, you aren’t available as a financial supporter, problem solver, or anything else as it pertains to their addiction.

When the time is right, finding the right treatment program is essential. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers an integrative treatment program approaching the holistic needs of recovery in mind, body, and spirit. In addition to clinical and alternative healing, our clients learn how to care for themselves and nurture their relationships.

Call us today for more information at 844-234-LIVE.

Mindfulness And Music Go Hand In Hand

It’s easy to get lost in music. You might like the rhythm, the beat, the bass, the lyrics, or just the sound of the instruments. Music has a powerful ability to transport the mind to other places. Listening to music and making music have meditative properties which are healing to the mind, body, and spirit. Music therapy in treatment for addiction and dual diagnosis issues can help clients access emotions and memories which might otherwise be blocked. Through lyrics and emotional sounds, music helps clients become more mindful of their emotions. Mindfulness is a spiritual practice by nature which has gained clinical renown for its ability to reduce stress and symptoms of challenging mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Becoming aware of the present moment through the tasks of noticing and paying attention are the foundation of mindfulness. Until people become aware they usually aren’t aware of how unaware they have been. Why don’t we notice the world around us or the world within us more often? We simply aren’t taught to do so. Mindfulness practices help train the brain to be more aware which and keen to noticing. Music is a way to enhance mindfulness by practicing mindfulness in music oriented situations.

For men and women in recovery, music can become a powerful tool. Discovering new music tastes, finding songs which define new feelings, learning to play an instrument, and attending music shows are transformative experiences. Here are some ways to bring music and mindfulness together in your recovery:

• Go to live music shows with friends: At first it might feel intimidating to go to venues where alcohol is served and not drink. Ask for a soda or a water to have something to hold onto but mindfully focus on the music and the environment. Notice how your thoughts might drift to depression or anxiety. See if you can become aware of how often you leave the present moment and what helps you come back. Focus on your breathing and feel the vibrations of the PA system through your body. Notice how many of your sense are activated by attending a live music show.

• Listen to new kinds of music you have never explored before. What feels different and uncomfortable about it? Try to notice your thoughts and any physical tension which arises from the music.

• Pay attention to natural music. Take a walk and notice all the different sounds around you. See how many different sounds are happening at once, each at their own tempo.

• Take a walk listening to music. Have you ever noticed the way life tends to move to a beat? Create a soundtrack to your day as if it were in a movie and notice how music helps move your energy and keep it going.

Enlightened Solutions brings together the healing therapies of holistic treatment with the proven effect of alternative therapies in addition to evidence based clinical treatments. Our partial care programs for addiction and dual diagnosis issues heal mind, body, and spirit while helping clients create a new life in recovery. For more information, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

The Four Flower Based Essential Oils You Need For Treating Anxiety

Essential oils are not a cure for anxiety. When you notice anxious feelings developing or find yourself in the middle of an anxiety attack, essential oils and aromatherapy can be helpful. By absorbing through the skin, the natural properties of essential oils work into the bloodstream and circulate quickly through the body. As inhaled through the nose, smell, the strongest memory recall senses, immediately alerts the brain to relax. Calming down is one important tool for getting through anxiety. Observing anxious thoughts, understanding triggers for anxiety, and creating a plan for moving forward are equally as important. Until the urgency of anxiety subsides, it is challenging to investigate more deeply into the mind. Here are four flower based essential oils which can help you return to your focus on the breath and create a state of calm during anxiety.

Jasmine Oil

Have you ever walked down a summer street and smelled a sticky sweet perfume that permeates the air? Likely, it was a kind of jasmine. Jasmine is an ancient and potent flower regarded for its perfume and its healing properties. Research has found that jasmine influences the nervous system by causing relaxation and alertness. Though anxiety can feel like being too alert in a hypervigilant manner, jasmine oil can help stimulate mindfulness by becoming alert regarding one’s own anxiety.

Lavender Oil

Lavender is often regarded as nature’s miracle flower. An antiviral, antibacterial, and deep relaxant, it is little wonder as to why almost every product sold for relaxation has lavender in it. As aromatherapy, and essential oil rubbed into the skin, or a scent in any soap or tangible product, lavender is instantly relaxing. Try using lavender in a warm cup of milk, on top of toast, or in any other dish.

Roman Chamomile

Chamomile, like lavender, is synonymous with sensual relaxation. Most popular in a tea from, chamomile is known for being relaxing and soothing. Roman chamomile has been proven to be more potent than regular chamomile as both a tea and an essential oil.

Rose Oil

The smell of roses is sweet and awe-inducing. Nature’s most perfumed product captures millions with their perfect beauty and different scents. As an essential oil, rose oil acts as an anti-depressant and a calming agent, helping to soothe the mind and the body.

Holistic treatments and alternative therapies set the partial care programs at Enlightened Solutions apart by truly focusing on healing mind, body, and spirit. For information on our programs for addiction and dual diagnosis issues, call 844-234-LIVE.  

Holistic Treatments Are Slowly Replacing Painkillers

The widespread toll of the opioid epidemic has served as a wake up call to doctors to be more attentive to the specific needs of each of their clients and seek alternative therapies for relieving pain before prescribing narcotic opioid painkillers. Opioid painkillers like brand names Hydrocodone and Oxycontin are highly addictive and habit forming drugs. Without abusing a prescription, patients become chemically dependent upon the medications for relieving pain. Slowly, they lose their ability to experience pain relief without the medication, except the medication no longer provides pain relief. Instead, the opioid medications have actually compromised the brain’s ability to create pain relief, thereby enhancing the sensitivity to pain. Desperate for pain relief, patients innocently take more than their prescription, or at their pleas, their doctor increases their dosage. A relentless cycle of addiction begins, leading many to heroin, overdose, and death.

Doctors have undergone a true spiritual experience when it comes to the responsibility they bear in treating their patients. Many have seemed to wake up to the idea that other treatments are more beneficial for relieving pain. Doctors have called for prescribing mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other holistic treatments. Emergency rooms have massage therapists and energy healing practitioners on site to provide relaxation and pain relief. Though the drastic and euphoric effect of opioid painkillers is not quite the same experience for holistic healing treatments, doctors have found that overtime, holistic practices provide recovery. Releasing tension in the body and the mind, holistic healing practices bring a holistic approach to pain. Opioid painkillers do not target specific pain or any emotional underlying issues which might be contributing to physical pain. The mechanism of opioid drugs is to create overall pain relief, which is why the drugs are so powerful and alluring. Newer medications are pain-specific, meaning they target the site of pain and treat that one area. Holistic treatments like acupuncture, massage, yoga, as well as meditation can target specific pain areas and provide healing.

It may not be possible for holistic therapies to completely overtake the popular trend of prescribing opioid painkillers. However, there is a growing movement of awareness and mindfulness when it comes to treating pain. More lives can and will be saved.

If you or a loved one are struggling with opioid addiction, there is help available. At Enlightened Solutions, we approach addiction recovery holistically, providing compassionate care for healing mind, body, and spirit. Call 844-234-LIVE today for more information on our partial care services and programs.

The 5 Best Holistic And Natural Therapies For The Recovering Body And Mind

Healing mind, body, and spirit requires a mind, body, and spirit approach. Holistic and natural therapies help heal all three areas at once.

1. Acupressure Massage: The body is full of pressure points which are connected to the natural flow of energy in the body. When activated through pressure, each point releases energetic blockages and releases tension in the muscles. Acupressure massage can be extreme and sometimes extremely painful. However, the benefits are tremendous for mind, body, and spirit. Releasing toxins and blocked energy helps clear the mind and detoxifies the body. Emotional processing is common with acupressure, helping to heal the spirit.

2. Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a proven treatment for recovery. Similar to acupressure, acupuncture works with specific channels, meridians, and points of energy throughout the body. Each acupuncture point, activated by the insertion of a small needle, connects to the function of a major organ, which has importance in emotional and energetic regulation. Acupuncture can release muscles and energy, helpful for relieving aches and pains. In addition, acupuncture can help with sleeplessness and stress in addition to detoxifying the body and creating deep relaxation.

3. Aromatherapy: Essential oils can be used for healing in many different ways, all of which are considered to be part of aromatherapy. Just putting a dab of essential oils on specific pressure points like the wrists or the temples can be therapeutic. Inhaling the scent of essential oils has numerous properties for the mind, body, and spirit. Lavender can be calming in times of stress, while citrus sells can be uplifting. Eucalyptus is helpful in clearing the nose, the chest, and detoxifying the body from illness.

4. Hydrotherapy: Whether in a hydromassage chamber or standing in a hot shower, spending time being touch by water is healing for the body and the mind. Our natural pH levels align with water. Water helps relax our bodies, our minds, our muscles, and our joints simultaneously. Soaking in a jacuzzi or a tub, washing the face, or taking a plunge in a pool are all healing forms of hydrotherapy.

5. Massage: Massage has become a common healing modality offered in treatment centers for addicts and alcoholics in recovery. Healing touch is soothing and therapeutic for those who have experienced abuse and trauma. By releasing tension in the muscles, it becomes easier to focus on the mental work of therapy and release the pain of detox.

Holistic healing and natural alternative healing remedies are essential for fully recovering the mind, body, and spirit. At Enlightened Solutions we conjoin the best of holistic care with clinically proven therapy and spiritual healing. Call us today for information on our partial care programs and recovery services. 844-234-LIVE.

Depression In The Technological Age

Clinical depression has found new technological sources for triggers and catalysts towards worsening conditions as a result.

Social Media Depression

Social media has been consistently linked to higher rates of depression, low self-esteem, and poor body image. Seeking an escape from depression can lead to spending excess amounts of time engaged in social media. Unfortunately, engaging with digital versions of people is not the same as engaging with real people. Isolation can be a complicated part of depression as someone wants to be connected with other people but feels it is impossible to do so. Getting lost in social media might not even include engaging with others. Instead, hours are lost to mindlessly scrolling through other’s profiles, groups, or just a news feed. Detached from reality, detached from the self, and detached from others, social media can worsen depression.

Sleep Depression

Until recently, the main prescription for a healthy amount of sleep was a minimum of 6 hours to healthy 8 hours. Now, doctors are warning that Americans especially are low on sleep. A lack of sleep can become a greater and greater problem over time. 8 hours is the new minimum amount of sleep, with 9-10 hours being the prime amount of time in deep REM sleep open could be able to get. Anything over ten hours could greatly upset the natural circadian rhythm. Oversleeping is a common side effect of depression as energy is low and fatigue is easy to come by. Too much sleep deprives the body of essential nutrients it needs from the sun, energy the body needs from movement, and food the body needs from getting up to et. Though sleep is essential and is good for the body to heal, it can be detrimental when the body is struggling with depression. Trying to cope with daily stress of working with phones, computers, and other technology, in addition to the stress of depression, or other emotional stress can be taxing. Spending off hours or weekend days, any extra time, sleeping is not coping with a problem but avoiding it. The combination of excess sleep and stuffing painful emotions can create or worsen a depression.

Problematically, depression is often co-occurring with substance abuse. Turning to substances to cope with depression can lead to a dual diagnosis issue. If you or a loved one are in need of healing from depression and co-occurring substance abuse issues, call Enlightened Solutions today. Our partial care programs bring together the best of clinical therapy, holistic healing, and 12 step philosophy. For more information, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

 

MDMA Addiction: 3 Signs

The popular club drug, commonly known as ecstasy, is highly addictive and can be extremely harmful when abused. If you are concerned you or a loved one are struggling with MDMA addiction, look for these signs.

1. Change In Mental Health: MDMA is a mix of many different drugs unless it is pure, which is rare. In the brain, MDMA interacts with different chemicals, producing an array of reactions. Primarily, MDMA interacts with serotonin, which is a brain chemical which helps regulate emotion. Creating extremely high states of pleasure and euphoria can create a deficit after using MDMA. Many normal users in addition to addicts describe a “come down” period where they are severely depressed. Thoughts as though they may never feel the pleasure and happiness they felt while under the influence of MDMA are common. Overtime, at addictive and abusive levels of use, this depression can last long term. As the brain becomes increasingly dependent upon MDMA for producing chemical reactions of happiness, pleasure, and joy, it becomes unable to produce these sensations on its own.

2. Physical Health Problems: MDMA is an amphetamine and a stimulant, similar to cocaine. The reason MDMA is a popular club drug is because of the way it creates high amounts of energy for dancing and partying for days on end. Like other amphetamines and stimulants, MDMA can cause health problems in the heart. A constantly racing heart rate can cause hyperventilation. Problematically, in the club, rave, and music festival environment, there is a high amount of heat. MDMA can raise body temperature, in addition to all of the dancing and the close proximity of many warm bodies. Becoming severely dehydrated is a dangerous side effect of MDMA which can lead to muscle tension, dizziness, and immediate issues in the kidneys. Long term kidney damage can cause serious health complications. Lastly, MDMA can cause a problem with dental health. Clenching and grinding teeth is common under the influence of MDMA. Jaw problems, teeth health, neck, and headache issues can result.

3. Cravings For MDMA/Experience Of MDMA: A sign of any addiction is experiencing cravings for a drug when not under the influence of that drug. Because the experience of being under the influence of MDMA is so emotionally strong, many people find they don’t just crave the drug itself but the entire experience of being on MDMA in any environment. As a result, life might become second in priority to spending time with people who take with MDMA, going to clubs, raves, parties, festivals, or other environments which support it.

MDMA addiction shouldn’t be overlooked. Many have lost their lives or suffered severe and permanent health damages due to the abuse of MDMA. If you are struggling with club drug addiction, call Enlightened Solutions today. Our continuum of partial care programs bring together the best of scientific and holistic healing. For more information call 844-234-LIVE.

Do Both Men And Women Face Body Image Issues?

Body image is widely popularized as a specifically female problem. Citing the high standards of the fashion industry, an entire commodity marketplace focused on beauty, and the objectification of males, the female from falls under a lot of scrutiny. However, the female-identified body is not the only target of scrutinous eyes. The male-identified body also receives high expectations. Pressure to be strong, muscular, lean, sculpted, and more, make up the male body image standard to which many men feel they cannot compare.

Body image issues are not restricted to anyone gender. They also don’t discriminate based on race, age, socioeconomic background, or fashion choice. Body image issues can spring from unseens pressures and obvious ones. For example, receiving commentary in childhood about body, weight, and beauty can create skewed beliefs about the way one looks. Misinformed ideologies about what it means to be a “woman” or be a “man” can cause someone to feel like they aren’t “woman” or “man” enough, forever changing the way that they view themselves.

Social environments and culture during adolescence can contribute to body image issues in both males and females. Being around growing and developing bodies in puberty highlights how different each body can be. As young minds are expanding, they are also being inundated with targeted advertising, telling them how they should look, what defines how they look, and how they should feel if they don’t look that way. Typically in adolescent social settings, social circles are categorized where those who are considered “beautiful” receive more attention. Those who might have body types which differ from the “norm” can be bullied, gossiped about, and ridicules, leading to lifelong insecurities.

Throughout adulthood, the security one feels about their body can be threatened. Ending relationships, sexual rejection, sexual trauma, and other factors can contribute to a sudden insecurity about one’s body and one’s self. Both men and women are vulnerable to hearing the wrong message and developing a harmful belief about how they look.

Too often, body image issues lead to disordered eating and exercise behaviors, causing an unhealthy obsession in the way one regards their image. To cope with the emotional pain of rejection and insecurity, both men and women turn to drugs and alcohol. Co-occurring addiction and body image issues are common in men and women. Thankfully, recovery does not discriminate either. There is a solution. Healing is possible.

If you are struggling with body image issues and have turned to drugs and alcohol to cope, there is hope in recovery. At Enlightened Solutions, we bring together the best of clinical therapy, holistic healing, and 12 step philosophy to help clients heal mind, body, and spirit. For information on our partial care programs, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

Are These 3 Common Habits Worsening Your Mental Health?

Managing mental health is essential for managing recovery. Relapse is often caused by neglecting our mental health needs through the development of unhealthy habits. Thanks to our practices of mindfulness, we can be aware of when it feels like our mental health is struggling, then notice what habits might be causing the distress. Here are three of the most common habits which might be weighing you down.

1. Your Phone Is Causing You Stress: There are many ways our phones are causing stress, aside from the fact that we use them too often. We might be getting too many phone calls, which is causing us to be more anxious. On the other hand, we might not be getting any phone calls, which is causing is to be more depressed. You’re either checking social media too often, or you are completely disconnected from others. Technology has provided us with a platform for connecting to others, yet that constant connection, or lack of connection, can be overwhelming. Finding a balance of interaction with the phone is essential. Respond to calls and texts with a short canned response. When you’re lonely, reach out to others. Create fulfilling and enriching habits like reading, exercising, and hobbies which distract you from the distraction of your phone.

2. You Don’t Have A Routine: In recovery, routine is everything. During treatment, you get used to having a strict routine, dictated by other people. Your routine helps you to know what is coming next, organize your time, and most importantly, schedule time for self-care. Without a proper routine, you’re missing out on some of the most important parts of your day. Most likely, they are the parts which help you meet your needs. Going an extended period of time without getting your needs met can cause serious emotional distress. Until you find a remedy and start putting some of your tools into practice, you run the risk of relapse.

3. You Consume Too Much Caffeine: Stimulant substances are highly recommended in the beginning of recovery. There’s a reason most AA and NA meetings include coffee and doughnuts or other treats. After the initial detox period has worn off, there is a time for consuming caffeine and time for not consuming caffeine. Being “high” on caffeine can cause you anxiety and make coping with life feel more stressful. Coming down off of caffeine can leave your depressed and deprived of natural energy. Switch up your caffeine habit by drinking first caffeinated teas, then switching to herbal teas. Opt for natural sweeteners instead of sugar.

There is a solution for drug and alcohol addiction. At Enlightened Solutions, we are showing our clients how to live a healthy and holistic lifestyle of recovery. For information on our partial care programs, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

10 Signs You Need Treatment For An Alcohol Problem

How big of a problem is your alcohol problem? If you’re concerned your problem with drinking might be big enough to warrant a trip to treatment to teach you how to live sober and help you heal, chances are, it’s a big enough problem. You are not alone. Alcohol use disorder affects millions of people around the world. Unfortunately, not all of them reach out and ask for help. Making the call to go to treatment can save your life. Alcoholism is progressive- it always gets worse, it won’t get better. Problematically, many become convinced that their problem hasn’t reached the worst it can reach. With alcoholism, there’s never any telling how bad bad will have to be. Accidental death, injurious accident, and liver failure can happen at any time due to alcohol abuse. If you aren’t sure, here are 10 signs you need to seek treatment for an alcohol problem.

1. You’ve tried to make deals with yourself to only drink one or two drinks when you start to drink but you can never uphold your promise. Once you have one drink, it is impossible to stop. You either don’t realize you’ve continued drinking or you find yourself creating justifications for it until you are drunk again.

2. After the urgent suggestion of friends, family, and even your doctor, you have tried to reduce your drinking to just once or twice a week. Similar to your attempts to control your drinking when you do drink, you are unable to drink controllably.

3. You’ve found that when you do manage to take a break from drinking you experience strong cravings, urges, and impulses to drink. You notice alcohol everywhere and find it challenging to say no.

4. Your ability to fulfill life’s responsibilities and be present in your relationship is affected by your drinking.

5. Your life activities which have had the most meaning to you have taken a backseat to your drinking. You’re either hungover, already drunk, or planning to drink- because if you don’t drink you might experience symptoms of withdrawal.

6. When you go without drinking you experience cravings in addition to symptoms of withdrawal. The withdrawal might be mild or severe, ranging from shaky hands, to getting the sweats, to experiencing seizures or becoming sick without alcohol.

7. You have more than one story about getting into trouble, getting hurt, breaking the law, or engaging in other reckless activities when you were drunk.

8. During a blackout episode, you have engaged in drug use which you weren’t aware of at the time.

9. You experience blackouts more regularly. Once you start drinking, you are not sure when you will blackout.

10. Despite negative consequences, you have continued to drink.

Recovery from alcoholism is possible. Make the life changing decision today by calling Enlightened Solutions. Bringing holistic healing, clinical therapy, and 12 step philosophy together, our partial care programs health alcoholism and co-occurring issues in mind, body, and spirit. For more information, call 844-234-LIVE.

Can Benzodiazepine Dependency Be Replaced With Alternative Therapies?

Can Benzodiazepine Dependency Be Replaced With Alternative Therapies?

Benzodiazepines are strong depressant drugs prescribed primarily for treating anxiety. Sometimes used for sleep, as needed for flying, or as a daily drug for anxiety, these medications create an intense chemical dependency. Unfortunately, few doctors are aware of how severe chemical dependency on benzodiazepines can be. Advertised as non-habit forming and non-dependency forming, most patients taking benzodiazepines are unaware of the fact that they have become dependent upon the drug. It is not until they for some reason miss their daily dose that they are confronted with the reality of chemical dependency by way of symptoms of withdrawal and cravings. Tolerance is also common in benzodiazepine use. Overtime, a patient develops a tolerance to their medication and needs the dosage increased. Problematically, the more a dosage is increased, the higher the tolerance threshold becomes, and the more severe a chemical dependency can be.

These are the issues faced just by those who use the drug regularly as prescribed by their psychiatrist. Xanax is a brand name benzodiazepine which wise widely abused. Abused for its depressant properties, Xanax can create euphoric sensations in addition to deep physical relaxation. Called “sticks” or “bars”, Xanax purchased on the street poses a specific threat. Recently, there have been reports that opioids like heroin and fentanyl have been cut into pills being sold as Xanax. Though those who abuse Xanax don’t necessarily have anxiety problems, they can develop them when they withdraw.

Replacing the presence of benzodiazepines is necessary for full recovery and developing a lifestyle of sobriety. Anxiety can be managed through numerous alternative treatments and lifestyle changes without the use of heavy depressant drugs like Xanax.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT is a proven therapy method which targets problematic behaviors and seeks to uncover the problematic beliefs behind them. Challenging troublesome thought processes helps create lasting changes in behavior, removing the need for dependency on benzodiazepines.

• Diet: Removing stimulant substances from the body helps better regulate emotion and energy which can reduce anxiety.

• Exercise: Exercise is a proven way to reduce stress and anxiety. 20-30 minutes of physical activity a day can be extremely effective.

• Mindfulness and meditation: Both mindfulness and meditation have been proven to reduce the stressful effects of anxiety and other mental health issues. Only 5 minutes a day of meditation can be impactful on reducing the need to turn to benzodiazepines.

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers dual diagnosis treatment for addiction and co-occurring anxiety through partial care programs after 30 day residential inpatient. Bringing together the best of holistic healing, clinical therapy, and alternative treatment, we strive to create healing in mind, body, and spirit. Call 844-234-LIVE for more information.

Summer Is Here! 10 Ways To Bring Your Recovery Into Summer

June 21st marks the summer solstice when the days officially get longer, the sun shines brighter, and all that glorious summer energy is alive. Summertime is a great time to be sober, just like every other time of year. Outdoor activities, recovery bonding, special meetings- it’s time to celebrate being alive and being sober for another summer season.

1. Make The Most Of Being Outside: Open the windows, draw back the blinds, and get outside. The extended daylight hours of summertime can combat those long winter blues and replenish the body. All the extra Vitamin D and Vitamin C will do wonders for your mental health by boosting positive moods and hormones. Don’t forget your sunscreen.

2. Attend Summer-Specific Meetings: Summer time means the weather is warmer for longer. In many areas, the summertime means unique meetings which only happen during the summertime. Bonfires on the beach at sunset, hilltop hike meetings, and more only come one season a year.

3. Attend Summer Recovery Parties: Everyone is enjoying the sunshine and the gift of being alive another summer. However, summertime can be triggering. Many spent summers getting loaded on the beach or staying trapped in doors, imprisoned by an addiction. Many AA groups host summer barbecues, beach days, and events. Spending time with peers cooking food, playing games, and enjoying the day is good for the soul.

4. Start A New Hobby: Starting a new hobby can be a boost for self-esteem. Summer is the perfect time to pick up outdoor hobbies like swimming, surfing, hiking, running, or gardening. Whatever new activity sounds interesting, give it a shot. You’ll be spontaneous, increase your confidence in yourself, and build neuroplasticity while learning something new.

5. Cook For The Season: Recovery is mind, body, and spirit. Part of attending to the needs of the holistic self is feeding it healthy food. Experiencing cooking is enhanced by cooking for the season. Walk through a local farmer’s market or grocer to find out what’s in season near you. Look up summer recipes for that crop and create something delicious.

Life has seasons of change. Recovery is constant among them. At Enlightened Solutions, we’re showing clients how to develop a spiritual lifestyle of recovery for a lifetime. For information on our partial care programs, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.

Navigating Difficult People, Not Difficult Situations, In Recovery

In recovery, we are taught to live life on life’s terms. Yet, we are rarely taught to live life on people’s terms. People are difficult. Life presents us difficult people. A good situation can turn into a difficult situation when we are dealing with difficult people. Recovery in our lives puts us at both an advantage and a disadvantage for dealing with difficult people.

The Recovery Advantage

Compassion and empathy have been shown to us since the beginning of our recovery. We have been shown the way for understanding that difficult people go through or have gone through difficult things. After all, not too long ago, and probably sometime soon, we have been difficult ourselves. Love and tolerance is our code, we are taught through the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and other programs. Tolerating others while continuing to love them regardless of who they are is something we learn in recovery. However, it is often easier said than done.

The Recovery Disadvantage

Learning to love and tolerate others has been the result of learning to love and tolerate ourselves. We have a common saying in recovery, if you spot it, you’ve got it. Developing an attitude of gratitude, being kind toward others, and maintaining peace in our lives has taken great work. Our lives were in the worst place they had ever been. Through hard work we pulled ourselves out and made the changes. We can’t know what anyone else is going through. As a result we tend to make judgments. It couldn’t be worse than living with a life-threatening addiction or a mental health disorder! How worse or not worse the cause behind someone’s tendency toward being difficult is doesn’t matter. Cultivating empathy and practicing compassion continues to be key

Here are three suggestions for navigating a difficult person in another wise not difficult situation.

1. Be Kind: Sometimes all a difficult person needs is the loving-kindness of an understanding stranger. Rather than be averse, show them the same kindness and patience which has been shown to you so many times.

2. Bring Peace: We cannot resolve every situation by being a peacemaker. What we can be is peaceful, which tends to have a peaceful effect. Bring the peace by not creating conflict out of difficulty.

3. Surrender Control: being right, proving a point, showing someone how difficult they are- these are all wasted efforts for the sake of trying to be in control. We cannot control every difficult person we encounter. We can’t control any of them. Radical acceptance is the practice of embracing the totality of what is, as it is.

Learning to live is the reason we get sober. At Enlightened Solutions, we are showing clients how to live a peaceful, holistic lifestyle. Our programs seek to heal mind, body, and spirit by bringing together the best of alternative healing, holistic therapy, and clinical treatment. For more information, call 844-234-LIVE.

The Real Effect Of Seasonal Affective Disorder On Mental Health

Spring should be sprung all over the country, yet persistent climate changes have kept the weather glum. April showers bring May flowers, but May has been gray and June gloom awaits in many areas. Long lasting winter and dark weather can have an affect on mental health with the very real seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression.

The Reach Of SAD

According to The Independent which wrote extensively on the way sunlight deprivation is experienced around the world, “Seasonality is reported by approximately 10 to 20 per cent of people with depression and 15 to 22 percent of those with bipolar disorder.” Those with preexisting mental health disorders prone to periods of sadness and depression are not the only ones to experience SAD. “Even healthy people who have no seasonal problems seem to experience this low-amplitude change over the year, with worse mood and energy during autumn and winter and an improvement in spring and summer,” the article explains.

What Causes SAD

Winter time, or a prolonged season of winter-like days can be draining in physical and mental health. Most fingers point to the way a lack of sunlight messes with the body’s natural circadian clock. Our circadian rhythm is what helps us wake up in the morning and be tired by nightfall. In a normal 24 hour cycle, we have a natural programming for when to be asleep. Constant lack of sunlight mimics the nighttime and causes the circadian cycle to become confused. Should we be awake or asleep? During winter months specifically, daylight hours are shorter. Instead of being overcast and cloudy, the days are filled with dark. The effect can be the same for extended seasons full of gloom and rain covering the skies. The Independent explains that this theory is called the “phase-shift hypothesis” which points to melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone which helps the body feel that circadian-scheduled sleepiness. Too much darkness, or, too little sunshine, can produce too much melatonin, causing more drowsiness, and sleepiness, which can lead to feelings of depression and lethargy.

Remedies For SAD

• Take a high dose of Vitamin D for sunshine nutrients

• Go to a tanning salon to get doses of UVA and UVB rays

• Get lots of exercise to keep the body’s energy running

• Use the down time for reflection, reading, and growth

Coping with long periods of the blues often leads people to fill their time with drugs and alcohol. If you experience difficulty coping with the phases of life and turn to substances to cope, there is help available. Call Enlightened Solutions today for information on our partial care programs for dual diagnosis addiction and mental health disorders. 844-234-LIVE.

Treatment For Addiction And Mental Health Should Be A Blend Of Eastern And Western Medicine

People are turning toward naturopathic, alternative, homeopathic medicines and treatments for a reason: Western medicine isn’t working. Finding a balance between eastern practices and western practices is bringing people to a holistic state of healing in which they find they are healing mind, body, and spirit. Western medicine largely focuses on the symptoms, rather than the core of the problem. Eastern medicine is more preventative, focusing on the core of the issue. Much of eastern medicine is spiritually connected, working under the philosophy that emotions are energy and emotional energy has the capacity to make us sick. Living a healthy and balanced lifestyle has to include balance for emotions and the spirit. Medications, tests, and examinations in western medicine tend to lead to an answer of “stress” and needing to get rid of whatever is causing stress. Eastern practices have the ability to pinpoint the cause of stress.

Acupuncture, for example, can identify emotional energy blockages by working with the body’s acupressure points. Massage can find tension in the muscles and release them, often releasing emotional energy. Essential oils can be calming, invigorating, grounding, and releasing. Crystals tend to only have effect when their specific energy and attributes are necessary, highlighting what the problem might be. Not reacting to rose quartz? Your heart is probably doing fine. Feeling a tingle or some kind of draw to obsidian? You might have some issues from the past to work out.

A blend of both kinds of medicine is necessary because Eastern medicine can sometimes fall short in the western body. Treatment for addiction and alcoholism as well as other mental health issues has to be taken seriously in its holistic approach. How many oils would it take to balance depression and anxiety which are becoming a clinical issue? Should cravings be considered an emotional issue or warrant a prescription for drugs like Naltrexone? The goal in treatment is to make clients comfortable, help them relax, heal them, and show them how to live a fully sober life in recovery. Balancing east and west is a primary example of doing so.

At Enlightened Recovery Solutions, we’re bringing together the best of clinical therapy, holistic healing, and 12 step philosophy. Recovery starts with you. Start your recovery with us. For information on our integrative programs for partial care, call us today at 844-234-LIVE.