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.

5 Types of Journaling for Addiction Recovery

Got a pen or pencil? How about a piece of paper? With these simple tools you can take big strides in making yourself feel better during recovery. Journaling, or writing down your thoughts and emotions, has been shown to help restore your body and mind after years of addiction. And here’s the best part: You don’t even need to be a wordsmith to reap the many health benefits.

What you do need to do, however, is to

find the type of journaling that works best for you. This will depend on your recovery goals, of course, as well what best fits your personality. And you don’t have to stick with one type – you can mix and match depending on your needs at that time. Here are a few to consider:

• Stream-of-consciousness journal: This is great for purging yourself of head junk. Sit down for 15 minutes each day and write down whatever comes to mind – don’t try to edit yourself or hold back any thoughts. 
• Diary journal: Whether you’re looking to establish a schedule in early recovery or identify any triggers to prevent relapse, a daily journal can help. Jot down the day’s events – what you did, who you saw, how you felt, etc. – and use this information to identify any patterns. 
• Activity/food journal: Tracking your daily exercise and eating habits can help you identify poor choices and keep you on a healthy path. You might also want to note your sleep habits and stress levels to determine how they influence your food choices and activity levels. 
• Gratitude journal: This type of journal allows you to count your blessings and, in turn, develop a more positive outlook. Bonus: Being grateful has been linked to a slew of health benefits, including improved self-esteem, fewer toxic emotions, stronger willpower, and sounder sleep.
• Spiritual journal: Many recovering addicts tout spirituality as an aid in recovery. Finding a belief in a power beyond yourself can help you better navigate moral choices; improve anger management; discover meaning and purpose in your new sober life; and more. 

Does a Secular Approach to Healing Appeal to You?

At Complete Harmony, we understand that each client comes to us with a different view of faith and spirituality. Our programs are designed to meet the needs of those who embrace religious beliefs, and those who wish to approach recovery as a retraining of the rational mind. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

4 Complementary Addiction Therapies to Try

More and more treatment facilities are turning to alternative addiction therapies for a holistic approach to recovery. While these techniques can’t do the job alone, when used in conjunction with traditional treatment, they have been proven very effective in addressing the physical and psychological impact of addiction. 

Here we take a look at some study-proven methods and why they work to help patients during active recovery and years after to maintain lasting sobriety. 

Yoga: Through physical postures, breath work, and meditation, yoga helps those in recovery align the mind, body, and spirit and find inner piece and comfort. 

• Reintroduces physical sensation
• Relieves anxiety, stress and depression
• Regulates stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline
• Releases tension and alleviates mental fatigue
• Redirects thoughts and wards off harmful cravings

Massage therapy: Research into the benefits of massage therapy as an addiction treatment is ongoing, but studies have shown that this therapy is gaining traction for people recovering from substance abuse disorder.

• Raises “feel good” endorphins
• Improves circulation and rids body of toxins
• Relieves the stress and anxiety that’s a natural part of the withdrawal and recovery process
• Balances natural neurochemistry after extended periods of substance abuse

Acupuncture: Some practitioners use auricular (ear) acupuncture in addition to whole-body acupuncture to treat points on the ear associated with the nerves and organs that become weak and unhealthy with prolonged substance abuse, including the liver, kidney, lung, and nervous systems.

• Balances and restores function to the body
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Alleviates withdrawal symptoms, pain, and cravings
• Combats insomnia

Meditation: An integral part of Buddhist tradition, mindfulness meditation has been shown to help substance abusers prevent relapse by teaching them to become aware of their feelings (good or bad) without reacting to them. 

• Improves decision-making and impulse control
• Relieves stress and anxiety
• Heightens awareness of cravings and triggers for better management 
• Pushes away thoughts of self-criticism and blame

Finding Holistic Treatment for You
At Complete Harmony, we encourage the use of many different cutting-edge techniques to help patients recover, including acupuncture, yoga, mediation, massage therapy, and others. To learn more about our treatment center and our approach to addiction recovery, call today: 866-930-4673.

7 Ways to Ease Anxiety

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of overlap between addiction and anxiety disorders. About 20 percent of Americans with an anxiety or mood disorder (like depression) have an alcohol or substance use disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). And it works the other way, too: About 20 percent of those with an alcohol or substance use disorder also have an anxiety or mood disorder. 

In an effort to cope with symptoms of anxiety, many individuals try to self-medicate and alleviate symptoms. This attempt, however, backfires as drugs and alcohol actually worsen the symptoms of anxiety. The good news is that there are many things you can do to help yourself cope with anxiety and feel better. 

Try these calming strategies adopted from the ADAA.

• Write down your anxiety triggers. Is it work, family, school, or something specific you can identify? Keep a record of the times you’re feeling anxious, and then try to identify any patterns.
• Find your Zen. Practice yoga, listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or go for a hike. Figure out what helps you clear your head and keep calm.
• Put stress in perspective. Ask yourself, “Is it really as bad as I think?”
• Let yourself laugh. A good guffaw has a lot of healing power and even the mere anticipation of a humorous event can help reduce your body’s stress hormones.
• Focus on your breath. Sit with your eyes closed and turn your attention to your breathing. Inhale slowly and exhale slowly. 
• Cut back on sugar and caffeine, which have both been shown to trigger anxiety and panic attacks.
• Don't hold it in. Tell friends and family you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed, or seek professional help.

Do You Need Dual-Diagnosis Treatment?

Co-occurring conditions like anxiety 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.