Using the Teachings of Buddhism in Addiction Recovery

Many people who come to addiction recovery from secular backgrounds may struggle with the traditional 12-step philosophy. Even though the 12-step program welcomes anyone who would like to participate, regardless of beliefs, several of the steps explicitly mention accepting the existence of a higher power.

A faith-based program or one that has religious overtones might not speak to you if you are among the rising number of Americans with no religious affiliation. Fortunately, there are many alternative options to pursue lifelong sobriety, and one of those is to incorporate the teachings of Buddhism.

What Is Buddhism?

Buddhism is more of a philosophy or way of life than it is a religion – at least, in the traditional Western sense of the word. The practice of Buddhism does not involve praying to any gods or acknowledging the presence of a higher power in your life. Because of the nature of Buddhism, you can be a Christian, an atheist or anything in between and still benefit from the teachings of this ancient practice.

The Buddha taught his followers how to achieve enlightenment by liberating themselves from suffering, and that is the goal people still aim for today. The core of Buddhism, also called the Three Universal Truths, means accepting the following.

1. Everything changes; nothing in this world is permanent.
2. Desire causes suffering.
3. We should be selfless. People shouldn’t try to own things or envy what they haven’t got.

Applying Buddhist Ideas to Your Recovery

Buddhism teaches us that we suffer when we don’t get what we want, which has parallels with the cycle of addiction. Addicted people crave their substances of use when they try to stop using them, which causes them to return to their unhealthy behaviors time and again.

Meditation, which is part of the foundation of practicing Buddhism, teaches practitioners to recognize, accept and let go of their difficult thoughts and feelings. When you establish a regular practice, meditation can help release the attachment you feel towards substances or behaviors, and can ease feelings of stress and anxiety about no longer using.

As many recovering addicts can attest, shame only intensifies the addictive behavior. In a form of meditation called loving-kindness meditation, you focus your attention on someone who loves you and allow those feelings of love to permeate your heart. You can bring your breath into this by inhaling love and exhaling guilt. This type of meditation can help you become more enlightened by learning to forgive yourself.

Find Your Healing Pathway Here

While many people have found the healing they needed through 12-step treatment, it isn’t the right fit for everyone. At Complete Harmony, we offer non-12-step, holistic addiction recovery for adults who are seeking an alternative to the faith-based approach. If you prefer to pursue a more natural, balanced approach to regaining your mental and physical well-being, reach out to us today to speak to one of our recovery advisors about what we offer.

New Strategies to Improve Your Mindfulness

If you made a New Year’s resolution to increase your awareness of the world around you through practices such as meditation, you might be wondering if there are any proven techniques available for doing so. Many of us go through our daily motions with a vague idea that we could improve our lives, but we don’t create strategies that outline the path for how we’ll get there. Instead of wandering aimlessly through life, set your intentions and become more mindful of how you spend your time each day in 2020. Here’s how.

1. Try a Digital Detox

As helpful as technology like your phone and tablet might be, these devices likely represent a significant source of distraction in your life. Think about how you behave when you’re waiting somewhere like a doctor’s office or hair salon. Do you find it’s easy to sit quietly and take in your surroundings, or is your first instinct to take out your phone and start scrolling through social media? If you’re like most people, your phone is your go-to.

One recent study found the average American checks their phone an astounding 52 times per day. And while you may be using some of your screen time to do productive things such as responding to emails or making a to-do list, you might then “reward” yourself by playing games or looking at your favorite celebrities’ Instagram pages. The technology in your life is a barrier between you and your ability to behave mindfully. Try gradually tapering off your usage, or consider designating specific times of day where you refrain from using your devices.

2. Don’t Try to Multitask

Many people view busyness as a point of pride. They wear their ability to juggle projects simultaneously as a badge of honor. However, while you might think you are being more productive when you try to switch gears between one task and another, multiple studies have shown this mindset is a myth. Shifting attention between projects does not allow you time to fully focus on anything. If your goal is to be more mindful in this new year, promise yourself to work on one thing at a time, being present at each step of the way.

3. Spend More Time in Nature

The world outside our doors is full of beauty in every season. Exposure to nature can help lower your stress levels and blood pressure. Even looking at pictures of a flourishing forest, blooming flowers or a flowing waterfall can have beneficial effects. Next time you feel stressed or anxious, head to a nearby park or hiking trail and do a walking meditation. Your mood will improve almost immediately as you ground yourself in the sights and sounds of nature.

4. Get a Pet

Pets are excellent for your mindfulness because their natural attitude toward life is to live in the moment – the same goal you are trying to achieve with the strategies outlined here. Pets provide a source of unconditional love and acceptance, and they don’t ask for much in return.

The act of gently stroking a dog or cat’s soft fur can be a meditative practice in and of itself, and doing so also helps boost the natural serotonin levels in your brain. Engaging with your pets can help calm you and reduce stress, which is essential if you’re trying to become more mindful.

Start Your Recovery Today

Complete Harmony is a holistic recovery center in sunny Southern California that provides an alternative to the traditional 12-step approach. With a combination of evidence-based treatment methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and healing methods that include massage, yoga, meditation and acupuncture, we can create a customized wellness plan that helps balance your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. To speak one-on-one with a recovery advisor, reach out today.

Take a Deep Breath: Breathing Exercises to Help You Stay Calm

Breathing is something you do thousands of times a day, usually completely unconsciously. Inhaling brings oxygen into your bloodstream, and you release the waste product of carbon dioxide on each exhale. If you’re like most people, you usually aren’t aware of how you’re breathing, but bringing your attention to your breath can make a world of difference – especially if you’re someone living with anxiety, panic attacks and other emotional disorders.

How Does Your Breath Contribute to Your Emotions?

Though you’re usually not conscious of your breathing patterns, you might be able to think back to times when your breath was rapid and shallow, as opposed to deep and relaxed. When people are experiencing periods of anxiety, they tend to take breaths from their chest, as opposed to their abdominal region.

If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you may recall that it seemed more difficult for you to draw full breaths during those times. Though you might not have been able to bring your full attention to this phenomenon in the moment, shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms of panic attacks. It can make you feel like you’re suffocating or choking, which can lead to the near-death sensation that often accompanies panic attacks and panic disorder.

In contrast, deep, even breaths are a characteristic of the type of relaxed breathing that comes from your belly. If you’ve ever watched a family pet or a small child sleep, you are probably familiar with how this fully restful breathing pattern looks. It’s likely you do this yourself when you’re in your most restorative sleep stage.

Relaxing Breathing Exercises to Try

Next time you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, experiment with these ideas to help control your emotional levels naturally.

1. The 4-7-8 Technique

The 4-7-8 breathing technique involves breathing in for four seconds, holding it for seven seconds, then exhaling for eight seconds. The idea is that this method requires you to take full, deep breaths in and out.

To begin, sit in a comfortable position and place the tip of your tongue directly below the tissue above the back of your top teeth. Then, do the following steps:

• Fully empty your lungs of air.
• Breathe in through your nose for a count of four seconds.
• Hold it for seven seconds.
• Exhale forcefully through your mouth, making a huffing noise, for eight seconds.
• Repeat, as necessary, up to four times per session to get maximum benefits.

2. Equal Breathing

If you need a quick solution to get control of your anxiety, give this method a try. Either in a sitting or lying position, breathe in through your nose for four seconds, then slowly exhale for four counts, also through your nose.

This approach derives from yoga breathing techniques, which require you to focus on your breath by adding the resistance of breathing slowly in and out through your nose. As you get better at this method, try adding a few seconds at a time to each breath – up to six to eight counts at a time.

3. Progressive Relaxation

For times when you need full-body relaxation – for example, if you are too anxious to fall asleep – close your eyes and focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group for two to three seconds at a time. Start with your feet and toes, then move up to the rest of your body one part at a time – continually maintaining deep, slow breaths.

Discover a Place of Healing

If you’re interested in exploring holistic, non-12-step programming for effective recovery from addiction and related mental health disorders such as anxiety, connect with our advisors at Complete Harmony. We can help you retrain your mind to learn healthy coping skills and regain your overall sense of well-being.

5 Ways to Sneak Meditation Into Your Day

It’s hard to find a habit with more benefits than meditation. The practice creates a profound sense of self-awareness that can not only make you more mentally healthy and stable, but can also help you follow a lifestyle that improves the world around you.

For many people, the word “meditation” conjures an image of sitting still for hours at a time until they achieve a state of inner peace. This idea can turn some away from the practice because they believe it requires dedicating hours of time and effort every day.

The truth is, meditation is something you can do almost anywhere and anytime without having to rearrange your schedule or isolate yourself from the world. Here are five easy ways to sneak meditation into your daily life.

1. Greet the Day

One of the most straightforward ways to meditate is when you first wake up. Set your alarm five to 10 minutes earlier than usual. When your alarm goes off, sit up and take 10 deep, slow breaths. While you’re doing so, think of things, people or situations you’re grateful for, and linger on each item for a moment. This practice will help you start each day in a positive state of mind.

2. Mealtime Meditation

Before sitting down to a meal, take the opportunity to meditate. This practice is excellent for helping you feel thankful for what you have and improving your relationship with food. Either aloud or in your mind, say, “I’m thankful for this meal and for the nourishment it will provide my body.”

Then, take a moment to notice how your food looks and smells before you take your first bite. This practice is beneficial for helping you think about food in a new light, instead of mindlessly cramming meals into your mouth without noticing them.

3. Walking Meditation

Anytime you are walking for more than a few minutes, take the opportunity to do a walking meditation. This practice is an excellent way to live in the moment and contemplate the sensory experience you are having while you move.

Start by bringing your focus back to your breath. Then, shift your attention to how it feels to move your body through space. Finally, transfer your awareness to your surroundings. How does the sunlight feel on your face? Is there a breeze blowing through your hair? Can you hear birds chirping? What colors can you see? Notice all these small details.

4. Waiting Meditation

Use this meditation next time you’re waiting for something or someone. Instead of reflexively checking your phone or looking around for some other distraction, stop and take a few deep breaths. Again, check in with your body and see how you’re feeling. If you are holding tension anywhere, consciously release it.

Are there people around you? If so, how do they make you feel? You can learn a lot about yourself by observing how your surroundings affect your emotions.

5. Bedtime Meditation

Bedtime is one of the best times of day to sneak in a brief meditation session. As a bonus, this practice can help you fall asleep faster.

Start your nighttime meditation by writing down anything that’s on your mind, whether it’s a to-do list or a nagging worry that’s been following you around all day. Once you’ve gotten it all on paper, close your eyes and picture yourself placing these burdens under lock and key.

Mindfully take 10 deep breaths here, and tell yourself your worries are safe and they don’t have to follow you into sleep. This practice will help you enjoy a more restful night.

Achieve Balance at Complete Harmony

Complete Harmony provides a well-rounded alternative to traditional drug and alcohol rehabilitation. At our beautiful healing center in California, you can discover a new way of life without the burdens of addiction weighing you down. Learn more about our innovative treatment program, and reach out to our recovery advisors to start your recovery journey on the right foot.

Finding Joy in Recovery

Addiction is a cruel disorder that eventually strips people of everything they hold dear – their relationships, their livelihoods and even their home and safety. A crucial component of the recovery journey involves learning how to have fun and enjoy life without the burdens of drug or alcohol use weighing you down.

While you might expect to be miserable in an addiction recovery program, that’s far from the truth. On the contrary, rehab is where you can rediscover who you truly are without hiding behind alcohol and drugs. You’ll have the newfound freedom to experience the everyday joys you thought were lost to you forever. Here are our top three tips for finding the joy in your recovery.

1. Surround Yourself With Positive People

Especially early in recovery, you’ll need to avoid places and people that put your recovery at risk. Obviously, that means situations that remind you of when you were actively using, as well as your old drug or drinking buddies, but even some of the sober people you know can jeopardize the progress you’ve made if they belittle you or fail to respect your boundaries.

Instead of spending time around these negative people, find supportive friends and family members who understand your need to prioritize your recovery above all else – people who serve as a shoulder to cry on when you’re struggling, or who are willing to celebrate your successes with you, no matter how small.

2. Manage Your Stress

One of the earliest lessons you will learn on your recovery journey is that avoiding stress is essential if you hope to prevent relapse. When you start to feel overwhelmed, remember there are practical strategies you can use to manage stress in a healthy way.

• Be patient: There are no shortcuts in recovery.
• Learn to say no: It’s OK to set time aside for yourself when you need it. If you feel overtaxed, ask yourself what you can take off your plate.
• Find new outlets: Take up a new hobby, or learn to practice mindfulness meditation, journaling or yoga.

3. Find New Ways to Have Fun

Addiction eventually rewires your brain to the point where you can’t feel good or normal without drinking or using drugs. One of the most fundamental things you’ll need to learn in recovery is how to enjoy your sober lifestyle and find new ways to fill your hours. Boredom is another common relapse trigger for people, so you may have to force yourself to get out and about while your brain chemistry returns to its normal balance. Find activities you’ve never tried before to help stimulate your curiosity and expand your horizons. Take a class at your local community center, or give back to others with volunteer work. There’s no shortage of ways to have fun while remaining sober.

Rediscovering Everyday Happiness

In recovery, you can begin the work of regaining what addiction robbed you of. As you do so, you will begin to feel intensely grateful for everything you still have – including your life and your opportunity to rebuild a sober future. Every year, too many people lost to active addiction never get that second chance, but you don’t have to become part of those statistics. Your recovery is waiting for you at Complete Harmony. Our holistic addiction treatment programs give you the tools to start again. Contact us today to learn more about our California recovery center and start the admissions process.

5 Apps That Help You Develop Meditation Habits

It’s no secret meditation has an incredible array of benefits, from lowering stress to curing insomnia to helping you find a sense of inner peace. But if you’ve tried to build a meditation practice, you already know it can be a challenge. Clearing your mind sounds so easy when you read about it, but as soon as you sit down, those intrusive thoughts creep in – and before you know it, you’re thinking about what you’re going to make for dinner instead of focusing on your breath.

If you’ve ever gotten frustrated by your lack of success in building a daily meditation practice, the good news is that there are apps to help you. If you are ready to bring a better balance and perspective to your life through meditation, here are five of the best apps to help you achieve that goal.

1. Calm

You may have learned about Calm from seeing their instantly soothing “Do Nothing for 30 Seconds” TV commercial, or perhaps you became familiar with this app after hearing that Apple named Calm its 2017 App of the Year. Calm is effective because it comes with a range of meditation lengths, as well as seven- and 21-day programs for people who need help developing a healthy habit. For users with insomnia, Calm offers “adult bedtime stories” that will relax you off to dreamland in no time.

2. Headspace

Headspace likens itself to having “a gym membership for your brain.” Its easy-to-follow guided meditations are categorized by theme, but there are also one-off meditations you can do whenever you need a quick break. Going through an especially rough patch in your day? The “SOS” meditation option is ideal for anyone who needs to prevent a mental meltdown. Headspace also offers meditation geared toward kids.

3. Buddhify

If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to install the Buddhify app on your iOS or Android device. Buzzfeed rated this beautifully designed app as their top meditation app to ease anxious thoughts. Buddhify differs from other apps in that its meditations are structured to fit into a busy lifestyle. With Buddhify, you can meditate on the go, no matter where you are. Even if you only have four minutes to squeeze in a meditation session, Buddhify is there for you. Choose your meditation based on what you are doing or feeling at a specific moment. Buddhify also allows you to share the good vibes by sending a meditation to brighten a friend’s day.

4. Stop, Breathe & Think

Available for both iOS and Android devices, Stop, Breathe & Think teaches users to check in with what they are doing and encourages them to take short breaks. After you tell the app where you are mentally, it will provide you with a recommended list of tailored meditations you can try. The app can also provide motivation that keeps you on track with developing your meditation habits by allowing you to view your progress.

5. 10% Happier

If you’ve been curious about meditation, but have found yourself skeptical about its benefits, 10% Happier is the app for you. An offshoot of journalist Dan Harris’ bestselling book of the same name, the app presents the facts about meditation so you can learn how to apply it in your life. This app offers guided audio meditations for coping with stress and anxiety, as well as for specific daily activities like walking and falling asleep.

Your Path to Inner Peace

At Complete Harmony, we have integrated holistic healing treatments like meditation into our hybrid addiction treatment model. Our California drug and alcohol rehab facility offers an integrated approach for clients who wish to undergo healing in a therapeutic setting that treats them as a whole person and allows them to address the roots of their addiction from a mind-body-spirit perspective. Contact us to learn more about beginning your recovery journey.

Solutions to Common Meditation Excuses (Fears)

Meditation may have a long list of benefits for people in recovery, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to begin or stick with the proven practice. In fact, there are many fears and excuses that can prevent people from fully incorporating regular meditation into their recovery routine.  

Here, we take a look at a few excuses (or perhaps fears) and how to prevent them from interfering with the many ways meditation can help you stay focused, self-aware, spiritual, self-confident and in better control of your sobriety.

• "I don’t have time." Meditation doesn’t require an hour or even 30 minutes. Experts say that even five minutes a day can have transformative effects; it can result in reduced stress and increased focus.
• "I'm afraid to be alone with my thoughts." In fact, meditation can help free you from any thoughts you’re trying to avoid, say experts. Author Jack Kornfield wrote in The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology: "Unhealthy thoughts can chain us to the past…Fear can be transformed into presence and excitement. Confusion can open up into interest. Uncertainty can become a gateway to surprise. And unworthiness can lead us to dignity.” 
• "It’s too hard." It does take practice and discipline, but so does most things that will help improve yourself. A tip from Yoga Journal: Start slowly and just focus on counting your breath. For example: Deeply inhale and at the bottom of your exhalation, mentally count one. Repeat until you reach 10.
• "I can’t turn off my thoughts." Of course, you can’t stop your thoughts and that’s not the goal of meditation. Instead, meditation is about observing your thoughts and catching yourself so you can anchor yourself back to the present moment.
• "I can’t sit still." You practice staying still each night, as you prepare to drift off to sleep. With this in mind, experts suggest meditating lying down if you have trouble sitting still. 

Finding Holistic Treatment 

At Complete Harmony, we specialize in different cutting-edge techniques to help patients recover from addiction, including meditation, yoga, massage therapy and acupuncture. To learn more about our programs and rehab facility, call today: 866-930-4673. 

Meditating for Warmth and Gratitude This Season

We’ve talked about the importance of meditation for addiction recovery. To recap: A few of the many benefits include: 

• Better focus
• Increased self-awareness
• Improved impulse control
• Reduced anxiety
• Deeper spiritual connection

But did you know that meditation can also help you ward off the winter blues? Studies show that meditation can help improve connections in the brain to help us process emotions. What’s more, the right type of meditation can provide warmth and gratitude – the perfect combo to brighten your mood and help you feel abundant during the winter months.

NBC.com recently published meditation and mindful tips from Dina Kaplan, founder of The Path Meditation, designed to channel gratitude – even when you’re cold and sad. Below is a summary; give it a try or use it as a starting point to create your own. 

• Take your focus off the parts of your body that are cold (like your hands or feet) and turn your attention to an area that feels warm. For example, if you’re wearing a cozy sweater, feel the warmth of your arms. How does it feel? Examine the sensation.
• Now take a moment to be grateful for your warm sweater and be grateful for yourself for putting it on this morning.
• Engage your sense of sight. Do you see holiday decorations or leaves on the ground or an ornate architectural detail you’ve never noticed? What colors do you see around you? Admire the beauty of any nature or craftsmanship in your field of vision.
• Now take a moment to be grateful for all nature, colors and details and your fortune to notice and admire them.
• Tap into your sense of smell. Can you detect a nearby house fire or coffee from a café? Again, be grateful for all the delicious smells in your environment.
• Now go back to your sense of feeling. And ask yourself the following: What does your warm clothing feel like on your body? What does the ground feel like under your shoes? What do your shoes feel like on your feet? 
• Let the warm sensation of gratitude fill you up as you continue to light up your senses and enjoy the holiday season.

Finding Holistic Treatment for You
At Complete Harmony, we encourage the use of many different cutting-edge techniques to help clients heal the mind, body and spirit, including mediation. To learn more about our treatment center and our approach to addiction recovery, call today: 866-930-4673.

Tips for Taking Charge of Your Mental Health

As we come to the end of Mental Illness Awareness Week, which takes place the first week of October to raise awareness and end stigma surrounding mental illness, we’re reminded of the importance of carving out time each day to care for our mental health. 

Addiction recovery in itself is overwhelming and can seem impossible if you’re struggling with a dual diagnosis of substance use disorder and mental illness. The following tips, adopted from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, can help you or someone you love find emotional balance as you weather the ups and downs of recovery.

• Set aside time for yourself. Whether you read a book, go for a walk or get a massage, scheduling some “me” time into your day can help safeguard your mental health.
• Identify your triggers. Ask yourself what things/situations make you feel anxious or agitated and then figure out ways to avoid or cope when possible. 
• Manage your time. Time management is a crucial skill for recovery and good mental health. By prioritizing your activities and making schedules, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks and deadlines.
• Get active: A recent landmark study found that just one hour of exercise can fend off depression. Whether you bike, jog or swim, the trick is to find what motivates you and then exercise will never feel like “working out,” notes the NAMI.
• Eat right. People who eat a nutrient-dense diet have been found to be happier, according to NAMI. This means making an effort load up on fruits, vegetable, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts; limit fats and sugars; and drink plenty of water.
• Prioritize sleep. Troubled sleep and poor mental health can turn into a vicious cycle, says the NAMI. For instance, someone with an anxiety disorder may feel too anxious to sleep and this could leave them frazzled the next day and increase levels of anxiety. 
• Practice relaxation. Try deep breathing, yoga or meditation — whatever helps you step away from tension, quiet the mind and focus on the now.

Holistic Treatment for Dual Diagnosis

Complete Harmony is a CARF-accredited facility offering integrated therapeutic, holistic and medical support for clients dealing with co-existing addiction and mental illness. Our team of therapists and practitioners creates personalized treatment plans for substance abuse and mental health management, and our experience with mental illness is broad and deep. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.

Are You Making These Meditation Mistakes?

By now you likely know the numerous benefits of meditation for people in recovery from a substance use disorder. To recap: It will help you stay focused on drug-free healing; enhance self-awareness; improve impulse control; quell anxiety; push away thoughts of self-criticism and blame; find a deeper spiritual connection; and more!

Still, especially when first starting out, many people struggle with some meditation mistakes. Here are four common ones:

• You’re doing the wrong kind of meditation: Just like no two recovery paths are alike nor are two minds. This is why it's important to find a meditation style that works for you. For example, you might benefit from transcendental meditation over guided visualization or mindfulness over Qi Gong. The best way to find out is to experiment and see which technique best helps you meet your meditation goals.
• You’re not giving it enough time. Meditation is a lifelong practice and you may need a little practice to make it work for you. Don’t give up: Take a week and schedule it into your every day and you’ll likely start reaping some of the many benefits.
• You’re expecting to completely clear your mind. Unfortunately, you can stop thoughts from coming to your mind, but you can learn to not react to them. Think of yourself as an air traffic controller, say experts. The goal is to learn how to choose what you focus on and what you let go of in order to stay mentally healthy.
• You’re not convinced that meditation really works. We said it once and we'll say it again: Meditation is really good for your recovery. Give it a chance and let it work its magic for you!

Finding Holistic Treatment 

At Complete Harmony, we specialize in different cutting-edge techniques to help patients recover from addiction, including meditation, yoga, massage therapy and acupuncture. To learn more about our programs and rehab facility, call today: 866-930-4673. 

Let Get of Those Emotions (The Healthy Way)

The road toward sobriety can feel like an emotional roller coaster. After all, you’re likely experiencing a wide range of emotions – from hope to anger to anxiety – as you embark on recovery. And you may not always understand why. 

Take heart: You can take steps to slow yourself down, embrace your emotions and move to a healthy, calm state. And these techniques will serve you well as you continue to fend off relapse after rehab.

Start with these five ideas to tame emotional tension and release those worries:

1. Just breathe. But make it formal by focusing on your breath. The next time you’re overwhelmed by stress, anger or anxiety, close your eyes and inhale slowly. Then, slowly exhale to release those emotions and calm down.
2. Hone in on your creativity. Whether you decide to color, paint, play an instrument or write poetry, a little creativity can go a long way in helping you work out any negative emotions. 
3. Make meditation matter. This mind-body technique can help you move through those “stuck” feelings. This is because meditation teaches you to fully feel (without judgment) your emotions and then release them as you move to a place of healing. 
4. Start journaling. And don’t sensor or judge your words. Freely writing (or typing) out your emotions will help you let them go. Take 10 minutes and give it a try. 
5. Give yourself permission to cry. Or to laugh or to scream – or whatever you need to do (within reason) to feel better. While you don’t want to make this a habit, it’s OK to feel your emotions fully once in a while. 

Finding Emotional Support at Complete Harmony

At Complete Harmony, we use a combination of traditional and holistic treatment methods to help you manage your feelings without resorting to substance abuse. To learn more, call us today: 866-930-4673.

5 Ways Meditation Makes You a Better Person

When it comes to recovering from addiction, meditation can be a great tool to help you mentally push away any cravings for alcohol or drugs or another addiction behavior. But the benefits of this mindfulness technique go beyond staying sober. In fact, daily meditation practice not only helps with recovery, but it can also make the new sober you a better person with a more meaningful and joyful life. Here’s how:

1. You’ll have more self-compassion. Meditation teaches you to recognize and then let go any feelings of doubt or frustration as you go through the ups and downs, successes and failures of life. The result: You’ll be more caring and supportive of yourself on your recovery journey.
2. You’ll be better equipped to handle stress. Do you ever find yourself feeling out of breath or forgetting to breathe when a situation is particularly anxiety provoking? This is pretty normal. The good news: Controlled breathing can help you quell those nerves when you need it most. 
3. You’ll be less angry. Meditation is the perfect remedy for releasing any feelings of anger or resentment – toward yourself and toward others. 
4. You’ll be more forgiving. Meditation helps you learn forgiveness by developing your ability to be compassionate and empathetic. It also teaches you how to heal old wounds, clear mental blocks and manage any past trauma, which are all important parts of forgiveness.
5. You’ll be more self-aware. Self-awareness allows you to better identify what your body, mind and spirit is craving in order for you to live a well-rounded life. The best way to do this is to quiet your mind using meditation. 

Holistic Addiction Treatment  
Complete Harmony offers an evidence-based blend of holistic modalities, alternative rehab approaches and mindfulness practices. We customize care to your personal objectives, religious beliefs and health considerations to help you achieve personal sobriety goals. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Meditate Your Way To a Better Recovery

Meditation, which has already been recognized as a means to reduce stress, blood pressure, and fatigue, is also an important part of an addiction recovery plan.

An integral part of Buddhist tradition, mindfulness meditation focuses on bringing your attention to the present moment — whether you’re cooking dinner or taking a shower. Having a heightened awareness of the here and now allows you to put aside thoughts of past and future.

It makes sense then that this type of meditation can help keep you more centered and motivated so you can focus on your present task at hand – to overcome your addiction and stay sober for the long haul. It has been shown to help with decision-making, impulse-control, and self care, among other recovery essentials.

How Mindfulness Helps Overcome Addiction
Here we take a closer look at how practicing mindfulness meditation can help your recovery:

Stress: You’ll learn to slow breathing, calm anxiety, and relieve tension – and better cope with the inevitable stressors that threaten sobriety.

Cravings: You’ll learn to respond to any cravings with awareness, not to react automatically.

Triggers: You’ll learn to better recognize any patterns in your behavior, including triggers for relapse. Mindfulness will also help you improve the part of your short-term memory responsible for managing information and controlling emotions.

Self-criticism and blame: You’ll learn how to practice nonjudgmental acceptance of moment-to-moment thoughts.

And, perhaps, the best part: Making meditation part of your recovery plan doesn’t require a huge time commitment — studies show that as little as 15 minutes per day has big health payoffs.

Holistic Addiction Treatment  
Complete Harmony offers an evidence-based blend of holistic modalities, alternative rehab approaches, and mindfulness practices. We customizing care to your personal objectives, religious beliefs, and health considerations, and help you achieve personal sobriety goals within the safe, beautiful confines of our seaside retreat. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Protect Your Heart and Your Sobriety

Getting help for your addiction is perhaps the best thing you can do for your heart! Drugs and alcohol take a toll on this vital organ, causing cardiovascular problems ranging from abnormal heart rate and bacterial infections of the blood vessels to heart attack and stroke.

6 Heart-Smart Steps
Once you’re in recovery, you can continue to care for your ticker. And, perhaps, the best part: These heart-healthy habits do double-duty, helping your long-term sobriety and cardiovascular health.

1. Go fish. Just a few servings of fatty fish (salmon, herring, sardines, tuna) can reduce your risk of a heart attack. The omega-3s in this type of fish helps your mental health, too; these healthy fats help fend off depression. Not a fan of fish? Other heart-friendly superfoods include berries, nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans), avocados, and cruciferous veggies (kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts).
2. Eat the right fats. Trans fat (found in some processed and fried foods) and saturated fats can increase the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your body — and this ups your risk of heart disease. Replace both trans and saturated fats in your diet with healthier unsaturated fats (mono- and polyunsaturated).
3. Stop smoking. With each puff, you’re putting your heart at risk. This is because nicotine releases a toxin that lowers the HDL (good) cholesterol in your body.
4. Get moving. Exercise boosts your HDL cholesterol, lowers your LDL cholesterol, and minimizes plaque build-up in your arteries — plus it helps keep stress in check. Build up to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (jogging, cycling, hiking, playing tennis) most days of the week.
5. Prioritize sleep. A good night’s slumber isn’t a luxury, but a necessity for protecting both your heart and your sobriety. In fact, getting less than six hours per night can increase your risk of heart disease.
6. Make time for meditation. Meditation has long been associated with heart-healthy stress reduction, but it’s also been shown to improve LDL levels.

More on Meditation and Addiction

Many studies show that meditation has a notable impact on the brain’s self-control regions, making it an effective treatment for addiction recovery. Meditation is encouraged throughout your Complete Harmony residential stay. To learn more about our holistic addiction treatment, call 866-930-4673.