Hope for Emotional Pain: You Have the Power to Heal

When you suffer an injury like a cut or a broken bone, you count on your body having the ability to heal from such a trauma. You might need some antibiotics or a splint to aid the healing, but otherwise, the body takes care of itself.

Likewise, when you suffer a mental trauma or grief, you might expect the mind to recover so that life can go on. This is not always the case, though, and sometimes the effects of such trauma linger and continue to affect your life. It is as if the mind is unable to move past the debilitating event.

The mental anguish of being unable to move past grief and trauma may have prompted you to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs and may, therefore, be the root of your addictive behavior.

Helping the Mind Process Trauma
Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing (EDMR) is an innovative psychotherapy that helps an individual’s mind move past a traumatic event. The therapy was developed for the treatment of PTSD and is now being used in addiction treatment, as well.

The concept is this: 
When a traumatic mental event occurs, your brain may not be able to work through the emotions and memories. You are “shut down,” unable to mentally process what has happened to you. With EMDR, a credentialed therapist can stimulate your brain to begin processing these emotions and memories and guide you to replace them with thoughts that are less stressful.

EMDR Use in Addiction Treatment 
Drug and alcohol abuse often results from self-medication, which is used to dull the effects of trauma. Unless the trauma is dealt with successfully, the suppressed memories remain as relapse triggers, which derail addiction recovery. EMDR in combination with other therapies has been shown to effectively treat trauma and allow addicts to move on to live full and productive lives in recovery.

Innovative Therapies for Addiction Recovery
Your personal addiction story is unique, and you need individualized treatment that fits your lifestyle and values. At Complete Harmony’s peaceful seaside retreat, you’ll find caring, credentialed therapists and an innovative, non-traditional approach to achieving addiction recovery. 

With cutting-edge clinical treatment, evidence-based therapies and self-awareness activities, you’ll learn to resolve underlying issues and make peace with yourself. Call 866.930.4673 to speak with an admissions specialist and begin the enrollment process. Recovery, inner peace, and a new, sober life await you.

FDA Advisory Committee Votes in Favor of Approving an Implant for Opioid Addicts

In many cases, opioid users require medication-assisted detox or treatment carefully supervised by a medical team. Recently, a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted 12 to 5 in favor of approving a tiny, matchstick-like rod that slips under the skin and releases small amounts of buprenorphine over a period of weeks to months. An FDA decision is expected in February 2016.

Developed by Braeburn Pharmaceuticals and Titan Pharmaceuticals, the insert is called Probuphine. The medication contained in the device has been FDA-approved for opioid addiction since 2002, and the implant appears to have a number of benefits over oral dosing.

• First, it helps patients remain compliant and on-course with treatment since it is positioned below the skin and there are no pills to remember. Up until now, those taking buprenorphine had to dissolve a lozenge or film in their cheek or under the tongue.

• While oral medications can be sold illegally or accidentally ingested by children or pets, the implant reduces the chance of this.

• According to Behshad Sheldon, president and CEO of Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, the implant’s long-acting method is also a comfort to patients. “They won’t have to think about where their medicine is, or worry if it gets lost or stolen,” she says.

The way buprenorphine works is by binding to opioid receptors and reducing an addict’s craving without providing the “high” they receive from their opiate of choice. It is used as a bridge to move them from drug addiction to sobriety. Sometimes, doctors prescribe buprenorphine in conjunction with naloxone, which is an overdose antidote.

While Probuphine is not for everyone, Dr. Adam Gordon, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the advisory panel that approved Probuphine, says it may be a good option for people who have been successfully recovering from opioid addiction using relatively low doses of buprenorphine. The implant provides a small, relatively constant dose of the medication, and brings peace of mind to some.

Non-Traditional Approach to Recovery 
If you have had trouble staying in recovery after becoming addicted to opioids, or you believe that traditional drug treatment is not for you, Complete Harmony offers a holistic, non-traditional rehabilitation program. Our treatment facility can also provide medication-assisted detoxing and rehab when necessary, and our complementary modalities enhance treatment and help you achieve a more harmonious life. Call 866-930-4673 today to begin admission to our beautiful CA seaside center.

*Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/15/463093683/new-medications-are-on-the-horizon-for-treating-opioid-addiction

Making Motivation a Way of Life

It’s January and evidence of the holidays is disappearing fast. The tree is down and the lights and Christmas wrapping paper are packed away until next year. New Year’s revelry and resolutions are already forgotten. Take time to breathe a sigh of relief. You were prepared, you followed your plan, and you made it through the parties and family get-togethers without relapsing into your addiction. 

Now you are faced with staying motivated for the long haul. Living a sober life is an ongoing process that requires constant and active participation. These six tips will help you stay motivated and fully engaged in life - throughout the year.

6 Keys to Staying Motivated in Recovery 

1. Try to achieve emotional balance. Part of addiction is a desire to change your emotions. If you’re in emotional pain, you think you can take a drink and dull it instantly. Remember that emotions can and do pass without the instant gratification offered by alcohol and drugs.

2. Strengthen your coping mechanisms. You are always encountering new situations in life, and many of them require new coping skills. Empower yourself by periodically reviewing the triggers and strategies you learned in rehab.

3. Stay positive and actively involved in life. Exercise, take up new interests, and stay in contact with sober friends. Have recovery goals and try to achieve them.

4. Practice mindfulness and gratitude. Keep a journal and meditate. These practices will help you handle stress and deal with your feelings and thoughts objectively.

5. Continue therapy and support. Take a refresher course in sober living or continue to attend meetings. Renewing your commitment to recovery will help you stay the course.

6. Look beyond yourself. Volunteer or become a sponsor to someone who is new to recovery. Share your experiences, and in doing so, strengthen yourself.

Continue these practices and you will be rewarded with growing strength, motivation, and joy as you continue your life in sobriety!

Non-Conventional Approach to Recovery 
If you have had trouble staying in recovery, or if traditional drug and alcohol treatment is not for you, Complete Harmony may be the treatment facility you have been looking for. Our holistic and alternative modalities are designed to enhance treatment and help you achieve a sober and more harmonious life. Call 866-930-4673 to begin the admissions process. A new and sober life awaits you at our beautiful CA seaside center.