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.