3 Ways to Carve Out Quiet Time

As the holiday season comes to a close and the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to concentrate on some quiet, reflective time. Taking a mere five minutes a day – away from phones, electronics, social obligations, etc. – can go a long way in helping your recovery. 

This is because quiet time can help give your brain the breathing room it needs to relax and process what you’ve learned, heard or done in recovery. It will also help give you the time to brainstorm and reflect on your immediate and long-term sobriety goals. 

Here are a few simple steps you can try today to create some stillness among the chaos of daily life. 

• Make your walk more mindful. While a heart-pumping walk is great for your body and mind, so is slowing down a bit and taking time to focus on nature.  As you become more conscious of the flowers, trees, sounds of birds, you’ll automatically quiet your mind in order to reach a more reflective state.
• Make journaling a daily habit. Pick up a pen or turn on your tablet and begin letting go of those feelings and thought cluttering your brain. And be careful not to censor yourself. The goal is to let it all out so you can clear, quiet and focus your mind. 
• Make time to meditate. Whether you choose to mediate when you first wake or before bedtime, this calming practice can help to reduce stress and quiet your mind from constant chatter. The result: a calmer state-of-mind and more space for reflection. 

Holistic Healing at Complete Harmony

At Complete Harmony, our holistic relapse prevention plans provide the tools that you or someone you love needs for lifelong sobriety. After recovery, our staff encourages you to continue holistic therapies and find groups and community resources that support your commitment to sobriety. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Surviving the Holiday Season

The holidays can create mixed feelings for many people in recovery. While it’s certainly a great time to count your blessings and be grateful for how far you’ve come, it also brings feelings of stress, anxiety, and even dread. 

Awkward questions from family members about your recovery, run-ins with old friends or old haunts, added temptations from social events – relapse triggers abound this season.

The good news is that it’s possible to enjoy the holidays and stay strong in your recovery. Get started by following these tips. 

• Maintain healthy habits. Now isn’t the time to skimp on sleep, eat poorly, stop exercising, or neglect your meditation routine – you’ll need these tools more than ever to help your mind and body manage holiday stress. 
• Exercise the power of “no.” It’s okay to turn down an invitation, especially if you know it will jeopardize your recovery in any way. Use this time to relax and focus on you. 
• Plan for uncomfortable situations. Whether you become bombarded with questions about your recovery or feel pressured by old friends to party, it’s smart to have an exit plan when the situation begins to feel beyond your control. And make sure to have a sober, supportive friend lined up to turn to once you leave. 
• Lean on your support network. Now more than every your support network can help you to stay sober at social functions or merely manage the stress of the holidays. Attend extra meetings or set aside time to meet with your sponsor, pastor, or addiction counselor.  
• Create a new sober tradition. Skip the booze-laden parties and see a play or attend a museum with a loved on or friend. Or, use this season to give back and volunteer to give out toys or serve a holiday dinner for the homeless.

Ready to Begin Recovery? 
There’s no “right or wrong” season to start on the journey toward sobriety. If you feel it’s time for a new beginning, don’t let the holidays stand in your way. At Complete Harmony, we can tailor a treatment program to meet your needs at any time of year. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

How Are Your Active Listening Skills?

Repairing relationships damaged while in active addiction is likely among your recovery to-dos. While winning back trust with loved ones will certainly take some time, you can start rebuilding your rapport by becoming an active, empathetic listener.

This means that you not only make sure you're actively paying attention but that you let your loved one know you are. For example, an active listener:

•       Asks questions when unclear about what the other person is saying
•       Tries to infer what the other person is feeling
•       Engages in the conversation without peering at his or her cell or watch
•        Keeps track of the points that others make
•        Assures the other person that he or she is receptive to his or her ideas

Becoming a better listener may take some practice – but you can get started by taking these steps.

• Stay calm and focused. This means no checking your cellphone, updating your Facebook status, picking at your nail polish, doodling, or fidgeting – but really making an effort to maintain eye contact and hone in on the other person’s words and feelings. Body language counts, too, so make sure that you’re not crossing your arms and legs or leaning away.
• Summarize points of agreement and disagreement if appropriate. While you don’t want to parrot what the other person is saying, you do want to show that you’re listening by repeating what you heard in your own words. This will also prevent any misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
• Acknowledge your loved one’s feelings, issues, or problems. For example, you could say: “I know how tough this is and appreciate your openness and willingness to talk it out.” This type of dialogue will demonstrate your empathy. 
• Focus on listening as much as speaking. In other words, don’t simply wait for your turn to talk. When you feel the urge to interject, make an effort to slow yourself down and really listen to what the other person is saying.  
• Accept another person’s opinion. When you're empathically listening, you don’t just hear words but you demonstrate that you know how the other person feels. And this holds true even if your loved one’s point of view differs from yours.

Continual Growth at Complete Harmony
Our team of credentialed clinicians helps you explore your own recovery journey while learning to heal relationships and build a sober social network. For more information about our cutting edge treatments, call today: 866-930-4673.

How Much Do You Know About SAD?

Seasonal affective disorder, aptly deemed SAD, impacts half a million Americans per year – and like other forms of mood disorders, you’re highly susceptible if you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. 

SAD is tied to the change of the seasons and is most often experience during the fall and winter months, when people become plagued by feelings of depression, irritability, and fatigue. It’s more than feeling gloomy on a cold, wet day or feeling a big letdown after the holiday season, however.  It impacts your family life and social life as well as your job, hobbies, and overall wellbeing. 

Here are a few more facts you should know about SAD:

1. SAD is linked to sunlight, not a drop in temperature. A decrease in sunlight has been found to have an impact on the production of melatonin, a chemical in your body known for regulating mood and sleep. 

2. Being a female increases your risk. Studies show that roughly 60 percent to 90 percent of those diagnosed with SAD are females, with the highest risk being among 15 to 55 year olds. 

3. Symptoms differ from depression. There are telltale symptoms, which may be more common in SAD than in other forms of depression, including changes in appetite and sleep, cravings for carbohydrates, and weight gain 

4. You’re only diagnosed with SAD after having symptoms for at least two years in a row. In addition, the SAD episodes must last more than two weeks and outnumber the non-seasonal depressive episodes in one’s lifetime.

5. Since SAD typically happens the same time each year, you can take steps to prevent and/or reduce the symptoms. This includes spending more time outdoors and increasing the light in your home, exercising daily (for at least 30 minutes), journaling, and practicing such stress management techniques as meditation. In addition, light therapy seems to be the gold standard when it comes to treatment, helping 50 to 80 percent of patients with SAD.

Help for Depression and Addiction
Are you suffering from SAD and addiction? Complete Harmony is a CARF-accredited facility offering integrated therapeutic, holistic, and medical support for clients dealing with co-existing addiction and mental illness. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.

Being Grateful on Thanksgiving and Beyond

Thanksgiving Day is the perfect time to practice gratitude as you gather with loved ones and give thanks for bounty, friendship, and love. However, you shouldn’t stop counting your blessings once the holiday comes to an end. 

In fact, giving thanks on a daily basis can be a powerful recovery tool with tremendous benefits to your physical, emotional, and mental health. We all have the ability to cultivate gratitude. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have – and how far you’ve come – rather than complaining about all of the things you think you deserve.   

Here are just a few of the many ways having “an attitude of gratitude” can help you and your journey toward sobriety.

You’ll sleep better: Just 15 minutes spent writing in a gratitude journal each night can result in better, longer sleep, according to a study in the journal Applied Psychology. 

You’ll have fewer toxic emotions. Having an attitude of gratitude has been study-proven to improve psychological health, reducing emotions ranging from resentment to regret. 

You’ll be more resilient. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the tough times of recovery – fosters resilience.

You’ll have fewer aches and pains. This is partly because grateful people have been found to take better care of their health, including exercising more and getting regular check-ups. 

You’ll expand your social circle. Acknowledging other people’s contributions, even with a simple thank you, can open doors to potential friendships.

You’ll better manage stress. A positive mental attitude has been shown to fend off stress and anxiety.

More Stress Management at Complete Harmony 

Stress heightens addictive tendencies and mental illness, and detox can make this process even worse. Our therapists and medical professionals facilitate healing through holistic symptom treatment, specialized group and individual therapy approaches, pharmacological management, and family support. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Make Your Plan to Stop Smoking Today

It’s the Great American Smokeout, an awareness day designed to help smokers kick their nicotine habit. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), those who quit — even for one day — lower their cancer risk and take a key step toward a healthier life.

There’s no better time than today to add quitting smoking to your list of recovery to-dos. Here are some science-backed methods that may make it a bit easier – and, perhaps the best part, they are great lifestyle choices for sustaining long-term sobriety, too. 

• Pursue a new hobby or passion. According to a study in the journal PLOS ONE, participating in an exciting activity can activate the same reward system in the brain that's triggered by nicotine. And if you choose a self-expanding activity, such as puzzle-solving, games, or hobbies with one’s partner, you’ll further reduce cravings for nicotine.
• Get moving. Exercise can help decrease those “nic fits” by releasing the feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine in your brain. 
• Make time to meditate. Even if you’re not consciously trying to quit smoking, practicing mindfulness meditation has been shown to help smokers cut back. 
• Load up on fresh produce. Next time you crave a cigarette, grab a carrot stick or apple. The simple act of snacking on fruits and veggies has been shown to help promote a tobacco-free lifestyle, according to research from the University at Buffalo.

Meditation & Holistic Rehab Treatment 

As you pursue a lifestyle free of chemical substances, including cigarettes, you'll likely be faced with many events, places, and situations that trigger the desire to use. Taking a few moments to meditate at work, in the car, or before stressful situations can lead to more mindful decisions and more strength to remain sober and nicotine-free. To learn more about the addiction treatment at Complete Harmony, call today: 866-930-4673.

Running 101 for Recovery

Running is an inexpensive and powerful addition to your recovery plan and new, sober lifestyle. In addition to providing a healthy distraction, running can help you better manage stress and anxiety (common relapse triggers), improve sleep, boost self-confidence, and maintain a healthy weight. 

If you’re thinking about becoming a runner, these proven strategies will help you ease into it. 

Get your doctor’s clearance. Especially if you’ve been sedentary for more than a year, are overweight, or have a history of diabetes or high blood pressure, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before embarking on a new exercise plan. 

Walk before you run. Slow and steady win the race when it comes to learning how to be a runner. Begin with purposeful walking (for half an hour or so), next combine walking and jogging until you slowly increase your jogging.

Invest in proper footwear. Visit an athletic store and consult with the staff on the best shoe for you. It should fit well and be designed for the impact of running.

Find a fitness partner. Inquire about a running club or group in your community, or pair up with your sponsor or someone whom you’ve befriended during recovery.  

Keep a fitness journal. This will help you stay motivated as you track your progress and gradually increase your distance or speed. Remember to celebrate your fitness goals along the way.

Listen to your body. Pushing yourself too hard or too quickly can lead to burnout and injuries. It takes time to build stamina and strength and improve your health and fitness levels.

Exercise to Support Your Sobriety 

At Complete Harmony, we know that fighting addiction is more than simply giving up drugs and alcohol. It’s about creating a new sober lifestyle that supports your health holistically. Our hybrid addiction recovery program offers exercise planning to strengthen your body during addiction recovery. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

Simple Steps for Soothing Self-Care

Some people say self-care is the foundation of addiction recovery. If you’ve completed rehab and/or an aftercare program, you’re likely familiar with the role self-care plays in your recovery and long-term sobriety.   

You may even know that self-care goes beyond just bathing, eating right, and exercising. It means nurturing your physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and financial health. And it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or costly. 

Here are just a few self-care tips you can put into action today: 

• Snuggle up with your loved one.
• Sit down with a good book; perhaps one that inspires you to become a better person.
• Sip a warm cup of herbal tea.
• Begin your mornings with a few yoga poses to clear your mind and energize your body.
• Head outdoors and soak up the sun as you take a long, relaxing stroll.
• Sit in a bubble bath and tune out to your favorite tunes.
• Organize your desk and tackle one pile of paperwork or bills.
• Light a scented candle and get creative by coloring, drawing, painting, or writing poetry.
• Give yourself a facial or pedicure.
• Wake up early and watch the sunrise.
• Pop some popcorn and cue your favorite Netflix series.
• Pour yourself a tall glass of water infused with cucumber or lemon.
• Sit and focus on your breathing. Close your eyes and let go of your worries.
• Make a list of long-term recovery goals. 
• Jot down five things you’re grateful for. 
• Set the alarm a few minutes early and stay in bed and meditate.

A Healthier Lifestyle With Deeper Purpose

At Complete Harmony, our holistic relapse prevention plans provide the tools you or someone you love needs for lifelong sobriety. After recovery, our staff encourages you to continue holistic therapies and find groups and community resources that support your commitment to sobriety. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

8 Surprising Facts About Depression

If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, you know all too well that the mental illness is far from black and white. In fact, depression is quite complicated and researchers are constantly learning more about its symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Here are some surprising facts to keep in mind. 

1. It’s a leading cause of disability. And it’s estimated to affect 350 million people, according to the World Health Organization. 

2. It can hurt – literally. While depression is a mental illness, it can impact your body too. In fact, headache, stomach problems, shortness of breath, and general physical tension can all be symptoms of depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Chronic pain can be another sign.

3. It may make you cranky. While feeling sad, empty, or hopeless are often hallmark symptoms of depression, persistent irritability can also be a sign. Shouting, losing your temper, or constantly being ticked off at your loved ones and the world around you are all red flags. One study sponsored by NIMH showed that people with signs of irritability had higher rates of co-occurring substance abuse.

4. It has different triggers. Depression can develop without any obvious cause, but it can also result from a trauma or stressful live event or if a close family member has been depressed

5. It’s more common in women. This is likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors unique to females.

6. It’s linked to your gut. More and more research is pointing to the complicated relationship between the brain, the central nervous system, and the “good” bacteria in the gut, which could contribute to depression.

7. It eases with exercise. Being active is perhaps one of the best remedies when it comes to easing depression symptoms. And you don’t have to run a marathon; just walking 30 minutes per day can do wonders for your mood.

8. It often feeds a substance use disorder. About 20 percent of Americans with depression also have a substance use disorder (SUD), and about 20 percent of those with a SUD also have an anxiety or mood disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Are You Struggling With Depression and Addiction?

Co-occurring conditions like depression may exist prior to substance abuse, or develop as a side effect of drug and alcohol dependency. Using traditional and holistic therapies, Complete Harmony has a proven history of successfully addressing the secondary health challenges that complicate substance abuse. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

New Instagram Tool Offers Mental Health Support

Social media can be a great space for support but it can also fan the flames of many mental health issues, including body image and eating disorders. In fact, despite efforts by Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram, sites continue to crop up touting anorexia or bulimia – referring to these pathologies as “ana” and “mia,” for short. 

Instagram has taken great strides to combat this trend and even created an official policy that bans images or hashtags (like #thinspo, short for the pro-anorexia phrase “thinspiration”) promoting self-harm. Recently, the social media company took it a step further by creating a tool that addresses these cries for help. 

Developed in coordination with the National Eating Disorders Association and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the tool allows users to anonymously flag posts about self-harm or other mental health issues. The user who posted the troubling image will then receive this message: "Someone saw one of your posts and thinks you might be going through a difficult time. If you need support, we'd like to help." In addition, the user will be given options to contact a helpline, talk to a friend, or get tips. 

"We listen to mental health experts when they tell us that outreach from a loved one can make a real difference for those who may be in distress. At the same time, we understand friends and family often want to offer support but don't know how best to reach out," Instagram COO Marne Levine told Seventeen. 

"These tools are designed to let you know that you are surrounded by a community that cares about you, at a moment when you might most need that reminder."

Help for Eating Disorders and Addiction

If you or someone you love is battling a mental health issue and substance use disorder, Complete Harmony can help. To learn more about our dual-diagnosis treatment, call: 866-930-4673.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Vitamin D, or the “sunshine vitamin,” plays a vital role in keeping your body healthy during recovery. In addition to boosting the feel-good hormone serotonin, vitamin D is crucial for your bones, skin, and mental health – and it may even help you fend off that pesky cold or flu this season. 

Unfortunately, if you’re in addiction recovery you may be deficient; drugs and alcohol interfere with your body’s ability to absorb vitamin D. Luckily, a visit to your healthcare provider and few lifestyle modifications can easily boost those levels.

How Can I Tell If I’m Vitamin-D Deficient?
A simple blood test can detect if your levels are low. Signs of a vitamin D deficiency include:
• Chronic ache in your bones
• A blue mood, or feeling depressed
• Muscle weakness
• Excessive sweating
• Daytime sleepiness
• Decreased endurance

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need? 
For most adults, general recommendations are as follows:
• 600 IU for those ages one to 70
• 800 IU for those 71 and older
• 1,000 IU for those with low levels; check with your healthcare provider first

What’s the Best Way to Boost My Vitamin D?
Your best bet: Head outdoors (without sunscreen) for 15 minutes per day and soak up some sunshine. You may also consider adding several vitamin-D rich or fortified foods into your diet, including:

• Swordfish 
• Salmon 
• Tuna 
• Sardines 
• Milk 
• Yogurt 
• Fortified milk, orange juice, bread, and cereals 
• Eggs (vitamin D is in the yolk) 
• Mushrooms 
• Beef liver 
• Swiss cheese 

Hybrid Addiction Treatment at Complete Harmony 
Complete Harmony provides clients with an array of holistic modalities that complement the 12-step experience, including nutrition and exercise planning. To learn more about how we can help heal your body, mind, and soul, call us today: 866-930-4673. .

7 Habits for a Healthy Digestive System

Taking care of your digestive health can serve double-duty for those in recovery. It can help heal your body from the years of alcohol or drug abuse and it may improve your mood, too.

Scientists have found that gut bacteria regulate how people think and feel, playing a role in both anxiety and depression. 

Prioritizing some healthy lifestyle habits may be all it takes to improve your digestive health – and some of these steps, like exercising and stress management, are likely already part of your overall recovery plan.

1. Stick to a high-fiber diet. Incorporating fiber-rich foods, like vegetables, legumes, and fruits, into your eating plan can help prevent constipation and keep things moving through your digestive tract. 
2. Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water also prevents constipation, helping dissolve fats and soluble fiber. 
3. Load up on yogurt. Probiotics in foods like yogurt and kefir stimulate healthy digestive function and combat the effects of a poor diet and stress.
4. Sprinkle on cinnamon. A recent study found that the spice lowers temperatures in the stomach, which can help lower the levels of stomach acid and pepsin in the gut. Stick to no more than a teaspoon per day, notes The National Institutes of Health. And, avoid cassia cinnamon (Chinese cinnamon), which contains coumarin, known to affect blood clotting and be toxic to the liver for some people.
5. Scale back on bad habits. Coffee and cigarettes can interfere with the functioning of your digestive system and lead to stomach ulcers and heartburn.
6. Make exercise part of your routine. Regular exercise can prevent constipation and promote a healthy weight – both key to good digestive health. 
7. Be mindful of stress. Yet another reason to add yoga or meditation to the recovery process. Stress and anxiety can kick your digestive system into overdrive. 

Nutrition Planning at Complete Harmony
At Complete Harmony, we help our clients plan healthful meals to enrich their body and mind. By integrating conventional and holistic recovery approaches, we help restore balance to the whole person. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

4 Ways to Beat Loneliness

How often do you feel you lack of companionship? How often do you feel left out? How often do you feel isolated from others? 

These were the three questions asked of participants in a U.S. National Institute on Aging study on loneliness. Researcher discovered that 14 percent to 27 percent of a lifelong tendency toward loneliness can be linked to inherited traits and that being lonely often goes hand in hand with depression. They have yet to pinpoint a specific genetic predictor of chronic loneliness, however, according to the study.

What we do know about loneliness, however, is that it can be detrimental to your health – one study cites that it’s as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. We also know that it’s something you may temporarily struggle with along your journey toward sobriety. The good news: You can control it and the effort is sure to have a positive effect on your long-term recovery. Start with these steps:

Volunteer: Getting out into your community will help combat those feelings of isolation and can help you meet like-minded friends.

Find a hobby. Whether an outdoor sport or knitting, hobbies can help you have fun and make new friends. And being passionate about something can help you connect with other people in a very authentic way.

Embrace your spirituality. Many people in recovery turn to religion. It’s a great way to become part of a community and bond with people on a spiritual level.

Invest in a pet. A furry friend can make you feel needed, wanted and loved and are perfect companions to help you get through recovery without feeling lonely.

You’re Not Alone in Your Recovery
At Complete Harmony, we welcome women and men of all ages and all walks of life who are searching for a non-12-step, holistic, or hybrid addiction recovery program. To learn more, call us today: 866-930-4673.

Tips for a Healthy Fall

Fall is officially here and the new season brings with it the opportunity to eat better, sleep more soundly, get more exercise, clear your mind and more. Here’s how to take advantage of the many ways autumn can aid in your overall health and recovery. 

Take a trip to the farmer’s market. Tis the season of pumpkin spice everything – and don’t forget apples, sweet potatoes, squash and figs. These autumn delicacies are rich in essential vitamins to help restore your body and mind from the damage of alcohol or substance abuse. 

Open those windows. There’s nothing like fresh autumn air to clear the head clutter and help you get more Zzzs. In fact, the ideal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 68 degrees F, according to the National Sleep Foundation. 

Set some goals. Even if you’ve been out of school for sometime, fall can still feel like a season of new beginnings. Take advantage of this time to set or refine your recovery goals. Be sure to make your goals SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely – and don’t forget to share them with your addiction therapist or loved one. 

Spend some times outdoors. Cooler temperatures provide the perfect setting for a morning stroll, invigorating jog, or scenic hike. Added bonus: The sunshine can help boost vitamin D levels, making you happier and better able to concentrate on your recovery efforts. 

Get back to nature. Apple and pumpkin picking are fun fall activities and searching for that perfect fruit may just give you a new appreciation of whole, fresh, unadulterated food. No processing, no conveyor belts, no plastic packaging. 

Tis the Season for Recovery
If you or a loved one is searching for an addiction treatment program that blends conventional and alternative strategies for healing, our team can help. Nurturing mind, body, and spirit, we provide a continuum of treatment for residents and outpatients. Call Complete Harmony today: 866-930-4673.

When Good Things Come from Getting Sober

For Todd Crandel, who abused alcohol, heroin and cocaine for 13 years, becoming sober has meant becoming one of the most elite endurance athletes in the world. He was the only one who was able to finish the 2008 Ultraman triathlon, a race involving six miles of swimming, 52 miles of running and 261 miles of biking – over a period of three days!

“I didn’t think I deserved to live a life without drug,” he told Australia’s Channel 9 News. “I didn’t want to live a life without drugs. I didn’t know how to live a life without drugs.” 

It's also meant helping others along their sobriety journey. In 2001, Crandel founded Racing for Recovery, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing counseling and support and athletic events for those in recovery. He also became a licensed addiction counselor. “ “What I say to people to get them going is, you deserve a better life and you can achieve it,” he told The Fix.

Certainly going from active addiction to this level of athleticism and success isn’t the norm, but the message of hope and the possibility of a better, sober life is one that anyone in recovery can relate to. 

It doesn’t matter why you choose to get sober as long as you do choose the sober path. And, hey, you may be delighted and surprised by the many positive outcomes that come with lasting recovery – from reestablishing your relationship with your children to completing that long-overdue degree or simply being able to have a sense of self-worth again.

Finding Your Happiness in Sobriety 

Are you ready to experience the lasting happiness and healthy sense of well-being that comes with sobriety? The holistic therapies at Complete Harmony can show you the way to a more meaningful and satisfying life. Begin the journey today by calling 866-930-4673.

Are You Getting the Depression Treatment You Need?

A new study of 46,417 adults, which was published in JAMA Internal Medicine this week, found that the majority of people with clinical depression aren’t getting treatment. In fact, among the 8.4 percent of study participants who screened positive for depression, only 28.7 percent received any depression treatment at all. 

Researchers also discovered that many people getting treatment may not even need it: Only 29.9% of adults treated for depression actually screened positive for depression and 21.8% for serious psychological distress.

So what’s the solution? Researchers are urging general practitioners to be more vigilant about identifying symptoms of depression and referring patients to mental healthcare providers. 

Spotting the Signs of Depression
You can also play a vital role in protecting your mental health. Recognizing depression early and taking action is the best way to minimize the physical and emotional damage of depression. And it’s especially important if you’re struggling with depression and substance abuse disorder. 

Both, after all, still carry a stigma, which can prevent those who really need help from getting it. Studies also show that people with co-occurring disorders are less likely to comply with treatment, leading to more psychiatric hospitalizations, attempted suicides, and other complications. 

Here are some common depression symptoms to look for.

• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Insomnia
• Sleeping too much
• Changes in appetite or weight 
• Physical pain
• Memory problems
• Social withdrawal
• Unexplained sadness 
• Loss of interest in hobbies/activities

Getting Help for Depression and Addiction
For men and women struggling with mental illness and addictive tendencies, rehabilitation may seem like an impossible journey. Complete Harmony offers integrated therapeutic, holistic, and medical support for clients dealing with co-existing addiction and mental illness. Our experience with mental illness is broad and deep. For more info, call 866-930-4673.

More Reasons to Add Yoga to Your Recovery

If you’re still reluctant to step on that mat and make yoga an integral part of your addiction recovery, you may want to read on. We’ve highlighted a few of the many ways that this ancient practice can strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.

Emotional: Yoga helps develop internal resiliency and cultivates mindfulness — both useful skills to help you resist cravings or social pressure and stay steadfast in your recovery.

Research even shows that it can change your brain — people who practice yoga have more gray matter in the areas of the brain responsible for self-awareness, compassion, and memory.

Physical: Regular yoga practice gets you moving and burns calories — and it can also help you become a more conscious eater and address any eating or weight problems on a deeper level. Another benefit of regular yoga practice, studies say, is better sleep — which means you’ll be less tired and less stressed.

Spiritual: As a spiritual practice, yoga can help you deepen the connection to your higher power. And finding inner strength and faith can help you find an inner sense of peace, even when life feels like it’s spiraling out of control.

Social: Practicing yoga in a group setting can help you develop new friendships and support with people who share similar values. Practicing yoga together can also help with stress management, too, say researchers, slowing down the mental loops of frustration, regret, anger, and fear.

Yoga Is for Everyone
Yoga is a holistic addiction treatment practice ideal for all ages, all exercise levels, and all rehab stages, and it is an excellent complement to traditional and non-traditional recovery programs. To learn more about our yoga program at Complete Harmony, call 866-930-4673.

A Surprising New Reason to Quit Smoking Cigarettes



Thinking of adding quitting smoking to your list of recovery to-dos? Kicking nicotine has been study-proven to ease recovery from substance abuse disorder.

And if that’s not reason enough, a recent study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research says that people who give up cigarettes are more likely to make new friends — adding at least two new non-smoking pals to your social circle, according to researchers.

About 17 percent of the American population still smokes, so quitting makes you more socially acceptable to a much wider group of people — non-smokers, noted one of the study's authors, Megan Piper, an associate director of research at the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research.

More Incentives to Kick Nicotine

1. Food will taste better: Quitting smoking helps your taste buds work better and also restores your sense of smell, which is important since the aroma of food contributes to the pleasures of eating. While most smokers aren’t even aware that their sense of taste has diminished, people who quit are often pleasantly surprised by the many flavors they’ve been missing.
2. You’ll be in a better mood: One study that tracked symptoms of depression in people trying to quit smoking found that people were never happier than when they were kicking the habit and remaining free from smoking.
3. You’ll be less anxious: How can you possibly cope with the stress of recovery without taking a long drag on a cigarette to calms your nerves? Well, you can, and in fact quitting may even help decrease anxiety over the long term, according to a study in the journal Addiction. 

Let Us Help You De-Stress
We know that stress inhibits progress in your addiction recovery journey. To combat this, Complete Harmony offers a variety of cutting-edge holistic treatments that relieve tension and allow you to hone in in your recovery. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.

A Healthy Dose of #MotivationMonday

Sign in to your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account and type #MotivationMonday and you’ll be overwhelmed by the host of inspirational quotes, photos, and posts designed to help people start their week off on the right foot. 

• “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali 
• “It's Monday morning, no matter what happened last week in your life, today is a chance to reset, refocus and restart.” – Unknown 
• “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” – Unknown 

Let’s face it: We all need that extra push or motivation once in a while, and this is especially true during addiction recovery. Motivation plays a big role in influencing patients to seek help, comply with treatment, and make long-term changes to sustain sobriety. Motivation drives you to change your destructive behaviors and meet your goals.

Here are a few tips to help you stay motivated during your recovery:

• Continue to ask why. Why is recovery important? It’s important to remind yourself why you decided to get sober in the first place. What was your self-motivation? There’s no right or wrong answer, whether the “why” is for the sake of your family relationships or for your own personal health and wellness – or both.
• Create a top 10 list. Come up with 10 benefits of getting and stay sober and refer to it daily. You can also add to it as you go. This visual reminder will keep you going and serve as a reminder of the many great things in your life now that you’re in recovery. 
• Reframe your goals. Sticking to your recovery is much easier when you give it a positive spin. Don’t think of it as giving up drugs or alcohol but gaining a new life free of the burdens of drugs and alcohol.
• Take baby steps. Marvel over each step, no matter how small. And remind yourself that it’s okay to fall as long as you don’t let disappointment derail your drive. Keep moving. Keep growing in your recovery.

Staying Motivated with SMART Recovery
The SMART Recovery program at Complete Harmony teaches you how to change self-defeating thinking, emotions, and actions; and to work toward long-term satisfactions and quality of life. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

Mantras for Addiction Recovery

Mantras, or repetitive slogans, can be a powerful part of your recovery toolbox. By adopting a few key words or phrases, you can change your behaviors, thought patterns, and emotions. 

Perhaps the best part about mantras is that there are no rules and no special equipment; you can chant them anytime and anywhere to make yourself feel at peace.

And they don’t have to be complicated either. For example, you can chant something as simple as “calm, calm” to help ease anxiety or say to yourself, “I will not give into cravings,” if you’re feeling tempted to use again. 

Here are a few mantras to try today – or get creative and come up with your own slogans that will help you stay focused on your sobriety. 

“I’m a deserving and worthwhile person.” It’s normal to battle with feelings of self-depreciation or low self-esteem during recovery. By uttering this phrase, you can remind yourself that you are worthy of a healthy, rich, and sober life.

“I’m in control now.” Now that you’re in recovery, addiction is no longer in the driver’s seat. It’s up to you to steer your thoughts, actions, and destiny – and this mantra can help keep you going in the right direction.

“I’m not alone.” By now, you’ve likely cultivated a community of friends, family members, and addiction professionals to walk beside you as you embark on your recovery. Even so, feelings of isolation can creep up and threaten your sobriety. Use this phrase to remind yourself of your support system.

Staying Centered at Complete Harmony
Taking a few moments to meditate at work, in the car, or before stressful situations can lead to healthy, mindful decisions and the strength to remain sober. We teach our clients how to add this simple, yet powerful tool to their addiction recovery arsenal. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.