Lowering Stress to Fight Relapse

Many addiction experts cite stress as the leading cause of relapse. Think about it: The more stress you’re under, the more likely you’ll feel the desire to escape by turning to drugs or alcohol. It makes sense then that learning new, healthy ways to handle stress is a crucial part of your long-term recovery plan. 

So you can’t escape stress, but you can learn your individual triggers as well as how to take steps to lower stress and stay calm. These tips can help you get started:  

• Practice self-care. Caring for your body by getting rest, exercising, and eating properly, is an often-overlooked way to manage stress. Getting regular exercise, for instance, can increase mood-boosting endorphins and eating a proper diet can keep your body strong so you’re better equipped to handle stress. Self-care also means minding your mental health. Take time to distress and quiet your mind by practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing – and seek help for any emotional issues that are interfering with day-to-day living.
• Surround yourself with positive people. During recovery, it’s okay – even encouraged – to be picky about who you spend your time with. Positive, healthy people will help boost your mood and strengthen your resolve against stress.  
• Work on your communicate skills. Whether you’re dealing with a store clerk or close family member, learning to communicate your needs (and listen to theirs) will help prevent conflict and eliminate unnecessary irritations caused by miscommunication. 
• Take “me” time. It’s okay to take a break from the daily stressors of life and focus on you. Part of your recovery plan should include sober fun, creativity and/or any stress-lowering activity that can serve as a healthy escape. A few ideas: exercise, playing music, coloring, cooking, reading.

Relapse Prevention at Complete Harmony

Personal growth and relapse prevention is key for long-term recovery – and we're here to help. At Complete Harmony, our holistic treatment and relapse prevention plans provide a firm foundation for lifelong sobriety. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673. 

Developing a Wellness Toolbox

A pretty simple yet powerful part of preventing relapse is developing a wellness toolbox, or list of things you can turn to help pick yourself up when you’re having a particularly hard time, according to the experts at The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The great part of creating a toolbox as part of your recovery plan is that it can grow, change and develop depending on your stage of recovery. 

Start by taking note of what makes you feel good throughout the day – whether a healthy breakfast or midday mantra. Or, ask friends, family members and counselors for some ideas or suggestions. The key is to write down everything – from easy strategies like taking a deep breath to more planned activities like getting a massage. 

Here are a few suggestions to get you started, according to SAMHSA. 

• Eat three well-rounded meals a day or six smaller meals to fend off cravings.
• Drink plenty of water (aim for eight 8-ounce glasses).
• Stick to a regular sleep/wake schedule (even on weekends).
• Take time to do something you enjoy or a favorite hobby. Some ideas: Do a puzzle, knit, color, cook.
• Escape in a healthy way by watching a favorite movie or Netflix series or get lost in a good book.
• Do a relaxation exercise, like deep breathing, stretching, meditation, or yoga.
• Write in a journal.
• Call an encouraging friend or family member.

Relapse Prevention at Complete Harmony

To prevent relapse and ensure long-term sobriety it’s crucial to have long-term strategies for dealing with physical and psychological cravings, negative patterns, emotional duress, poor self-esteem and more. Our holistic approach to recovery helps clients change behaviors from the inside out; rather than just putting a bandage on addictive tendencies. To learn more about our alternative relapse prevention program, call today: 866-930-4673.

New Study on Drug Craving

New research sheds light on how craving works in the brain, according to a new article published in JAMA Psychiatry. Scientists at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas are the first to propose a model that focuses on the intense, urgent feeling of needing or wanting drugs. 

"Craving is considered one of the strongest predictors of relapse," said Dr. Xiaosi Gu, who runs the Computational Psychiatry Unit at the Center for BrainHealth, in a statement. "Even after an individual has broken the cycle of compulsive drug taking, craving can still persist. Although current treatment can handle a lot of the behavioral aspects of addiction, especially physical symptoms, craving is difficult to treat because it is a subject state ... We aim, with this new framework, to begin to separate craving from reward- or drug-seeking behavior."

Dr. Gu, along with Dr. Francesca Filbey and Bert Moore Chair, are collaborating to identify which regions of the brain encode craving and to lay the groundwork for quantifying craving, its effects and ways to target treatments to counteract it. Of course, time will tell how this research can impact treatment for alcohol and substance abuse disorders as well as binge-eating disorders.  

3 Ways to Fight Craving

• Change your surroundings. Go for a walk, bike ride or drive. The goal is to change your surroundings to eliminate any triggers, including sights, sounds and smells.
• Seek support. Call a family member, trusted friend or sponsor to help you calm down and ride out the craving.
• Engage in a “clean” activity. Watch a funny movie, do a puzzle, play a video game or try a new Pinterest project.

Relapse Prevention at Complete Harmony
Many things trigger relapse, including events, places and negative relationships. Our relapse prevention and aftercare planning offers holistic relapse strategies to empower you or someone you love to slowly eliminate the dangerous urge to self-medicate. To learn more about our holistic treatment facility and programs, call: 866-930-4673.

6 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health

Happy Mental Health Month, led by Mental Health America (MHA). This year’s theme is “Risky Business,” and the 100-plus year organization is hoping to educate people about habits and behaviors that increase the risk of developing or exacerbating mental illnesses, including risky sex, prescription drug misuse, internet addiction, excessive spending, marijuana use and troublesome exercise patterns.

If you’re healing from a past addiction to drugs or alcohol, taking the time to learn positive strategies to support your mental health is essential. If you don’t learn how to deal with stress, anxiety and depression in a positive way, you are at risk of relapsing and turning to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.

So the next time you’re feeling blue or overwhelmed with life, consider trying one or more of these tips from MHA: 

• Go off the grid. Shut-off that smart phone and spend time doing something fun with someone face-to-face. Have a cookout, go to a park, or play a game. People are 12 times more likely to feel happy on days that they spend six to seven hours with friends and family.
• Put on your creative cap. Try a new recipe or Pinterest project or write a poem or paint. Creative expression has been linked with higher overall well-being. 
• Show love to someone special in your life. Having close, quality relationships can increase your chances of a happy, healthy life.
• Soak up the joy. Being optimistic doesn't mean ignoring the uglier sides of life – but focusing on the positive as much as possible.
• Track gratitude and achievement. Start a journal and include three things you were grateful for and three things you were able to accomplish each day. 
• Work your strengths. Build your confidence by doing something you’re good at – and then tackle a tougher task. 

Find Happiness in Sobriety 

Have you been using drugs and alcohol to achieve fleeting moments of happiness? Are you seeking a more lasting, healthy sense of well-being? If so, the holistic therapies at Complete Harmony can show you the way to a more meaningful and satisfying life. Begin the journey to mindful sobriety by calling our caring, compassionate team at 866-930-4673 today!