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Recovery Has To Mean Something

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You have to do it for you. That’s what old timers in recovery will tell you. Stick around the rooms of twelve step meetings like alcoholics anonymous long enough and you will hear similar sayings. Mothers couldn’t stay sober for the babies, husbands couldn’t stay sober for their wives, doctors couldn’t stay sober for their patients, CEO’s couldn’t stay sober for their companies. No matter the circumstance, condition, social class, economic level, or race, unless a person is getting sober for themselves, they’ve hardly a chance.

Getting sober has to mean something. The meaningless life of drugs and alcohol has to be outmatched by the promises of recovery. Sitting comfortably in the numbness of active addiction is easy to do. For many different reasons, drugs and alcohol became our meaning. Some of us found identities we never had, abilities we never had, or escape we had never experienced before we tried drugs or alcohol. After some time the original meaning we found in using was replaced by the bottomless search for meaning in addiction. High, low, drunk, wasted, unconscious, psychedelically conscious- that once satisfying discovery becomes a long lost and distant memory. Therefore, when we choose to get sober, we have to create meaning. There must be a reason for us to recover. Discovering that reason is part of recovery itself.

Four out of every ten people in America feel that they have not yet discovered their meaning in life or found an answer to their life purpose, according to the Center for Disease Control. Through the twelve steps we are given a simple distinguished purpose: to carry the message. By overcoming the grips of addiction and learning to live a sober lifestyle, we inherently create a new purpose for ourselves in letting other addicts, new and doubtful like we once were, know they have a chance. Living by example, we let other people who may be silently suffering see that living without drugs and alcohol is a real possibility for them.

What will recovery mean to you? As we often say, “More will be revealed.” While in the midst of withdrawals or detox, the early weeks of recovery make meaning hard to come by unless its sheer survival. Give yourself enough time and you will find that the meaning is indeed revealed, one day at a time. Make it matter. Make it yours.

This is your time. Recovery is a meaningful decision that leads to magnificent life transformation. It starts with you. If you or a loved one are in need of treatment for addiction, alcoholism, or dual-diagnosis mental health issues call Enlightened Recovery today for more information. 833-801-5483.

You Didn’t Know How Good Massage Was For You

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Massage is good for Muscle Recovery

Massage helps to loosen up muscles that are storing tension. Tension in the muscles can come from strenuous physical activity, sickness, and stress. Muscle tension prevents the natural flow of energy from moving through the body. Additionally, tight muscles can lead to injury and muscle trauma, which is very painful and takes time to heal. Through massage therapy, tight and tense muscles get released, also releasing any toxins being held in that area. If you cannot get regular massage treatments, doing self massage on your shoulders, arms, and legs can be of great benefit. Self-massage is a great way to practice self-compassion and self-care.

Massage is good for Lymph Nodes

The lymphatic system is important to the body. Healthy lymph nodes means a healthy body. Massage helps to stimulate the lymphatic system by causing lymphatic drainage. Massaging lymphatic areas helps to release waste and toxins stored in lymph nodes. Cleaning out the lymphatic system improves the immune system, increases metabolism, and helps the body better to function.

Massage is good for Relaxation

Massage is usually seen as a luxury activity for relaxing days at the spa. All that muscle work is of no coincidence with the ability to relax. Many massage therapists have healing energy that is transmitted during their massage work. In fact, many regard massage as a healing touch, and those who practice is have healing hands. Not only is massage itself relaxing, but it is actively aiding you in being able to relax. Working on tense muscles helps you to notice where you are holding stress. Then, you can let it go. You begin to relax on a mental, emotional, and physical level because everything is connected holistically.

Massage is good for Circulation

Especially for people recovering from intravenous drug use, helping the circulation of blood flow is an important healing aspect. Massage is proven to improve over all circulation. There is an increase in blood flow and vascular function. Circulation is important for recovery from drug and alcohol addiction because the entire body needs to heal.

Massage is good for Healing

Massage is recommended as a healing tool for people after surgery. Detox and recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is it’s own kind of surgery. Recovery is a long process of healing, for which there are many ways to help. Massage helps people in recovery relax and release emotional stress they may not be able to otherwise.

Understanding “Trigger Warnings”

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Movies are rated from G to X, increasing in severity of material. G stands for General Audience, meaning the material should be enjoyable to most people. X tends to mean there is intense sexual or violently graphic content. An R-rated movie, for example, is not open to anyone younger than age 18 and requires valid ID to enter. The rating system is supposed to prevent children from experiencing film content which could be disturbing to them. Similar rating systems happen before TV shows air, as labels on music albums, and even on books.

School systems adopted a warning system to aid students before class. College is meant to be a time of mental and psychological growth. The mind is being opened, challenged, and pushed more than it has in previous academic training. Consequently, some minds may not be prepared for some of the material presented, especially if it will trigger trauma.

In psychology, a “trigger” is a stimulus that brings up especially difficult emotions, memories, or physical feelings. “Triggers” are usually assigned to experiences undergone by people who have been diagnosed with PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. For example, a military veteran who has returned to civilian life and is pursuing an education might be triggered by videos shown in class about war. People experience a spectrum of traumas in their lives. Though there is no way of knowing who will be triggered by what trauma, it is considered respectful of academic institutions to offer a warning. Students need to maintain their mental health in order to perform well and survive school.

Arguments against Trigger Warnings

Richard J. McNally recently wrote a piece for The New York Times titled “If you Need a Trigger Warning, You Need PTSD Treatment”, responding to Chicago University Dean Jay Ellison. The Dean came under fire recently when he openly proclaimed in his welcoming letter to incoming students (class of 2020) that there would be no “trigger warnings” available for them this academic school year.

McNally argues that while trauma is common, an actual diagnosis of PTSD is rare. He cites that most people have experienced trauma and end up with “transient stress symptoms”. Though triggering situations are stressful, they are manageable. Few people do not recover. Someone with untreated or ongoing PTSD will have episodes in reaction to triggering course material. Interestingly, McNally argues that encouraging the avoidance of triggering material, like allowing the student to skip class, prevents important healing. Demonstratively, adverse reaction to college classes on an emotional level indicates a need for more mental health care in the student.

Resolution

Though teachers may be advised against giving students a trigger warning, it would benefit them to be aware of mental health first aid. Should a student be troubled by class material, a teacher should be prepared to guide that student toward the campus counseling office for psychological services. Underlying mental health issues might surface for the first time when someone is away at college, on their own for the first time. Of course, one cannot expect the world around them to be sensitive to their particular triggers. Learning how to manage mental health is as important for young people as learning anything else in school.

Should Kratom Be Used for Treating Heroin Addiction?

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Krater is a naturally occurring herb which has been used in areas like Southeast Asia for treatment for thousands of years. The medicinal herb has been gaining attention especially in the American recovery field as it acts like an opiate drug. Appearing in pill form, liquid drinks, or bought as powders, Kratom has the potential to be abused like an opiate drug. Krater’s symptoms are also similar to opiate drugs, enduring that hazy euphoric analgesic sensation. As a result, in light of the ongoing and threatening opioid epidemic, the DEA is going to list Kratom as a Schedule 1 substance, right alongside heroin and cocaine.

Though Kratom hasn’t caused any major trouble or significant damage, including overdose deaths, the DEA is making the move anyway because there is no medical use for the drug.

Here are some quick facts about Kratom:

  • Pharmacologists regard Kratom as an alkaloid rather than an opiate
  • Krater interacts with opioid receptors in the brain the same way opiate drugs like heroin do. However, many other legal and medicinal substance do as well, like wine and yoga
  • Krater is not habit forming to the extent that opioids are
  • Krater is a natural occurring herb used to help heroin and opioid addicts detox

Drugs like suboxone and methadone come under fire as drug replacement therapy medications because they can become equally as addicting as heroin or prescription painkillers. Though Kratom poses the potential for dependency, it is not as likely. Krater is also not known for causing cravings for more, which is a key indicator for addiction.

Researchers are concerned about the government’s move to classify Kratom as a schedule 1 because of it’s potential for pharmacology. Addiction aside, Krater’s analgesic effects, while being a relatively harmless natural drug, could hold revolutionary potential for treating pain. Government officials and medical professionals alike are searching for the solution to treating chronic pain without the use of opiates.

Professionals in the recovery field, however, are siding with the government’s move. Many treatment centers have began to ban the substance and test for it regularly in urinary analysis. The problem is that in stages after detox, Kratom does act like an opiate. Patients are seemingly under the influence therefore not participating as fully or presently during critical therapeutic sessions. This highlights an unresolved issue in the treatment field regarding abstinence. For many, the fact that a patient stays off of prescription pills or heroin for years on end is the miracle, even if replacement substances, such as Kratom, are used. For most others, however, the ongoing use of substances indicates a mental, physical, and spiritual reliance. That reliance demonstrates a lack of healing an ability to live without the presence of substances.

Family Meals as a Metaphor for Recovery

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Family dinners is proven to be a transformational method for preventing the development of eating disorders in adolescents. The act of family meal planning not only encourages bonding time, but also inspires healthier diets. Families who eat a minimum of one meal together per day eat more fruits and vegetables. Other research has shown that families and individuals who eat at home, consuming food they cooked themselves, tend to eat healthier. They also consume less calories a day, helping them maintain a more well-balanced diet.

Experiential learning is an impactful way to change thought patterns, decision making, and awareness in the family environment. Including the family in meal choice, grocery shopping, meal prep and serving creates a fun activity from the beginning to end of a meal. It also helps young members of the family see the amount of work it takes to prepare a meal, helping them develop gratitude. Preparing one’s own food is a spiritual experience that the whole family can enjoy together.

Tying Family Meals to Recovery

If the family can benefit from shared meal time, it is probable they can benefit in learning how to support a loved one’s recovery. As adolescents turn into young adults, many parents practice a “try it at home first” philosophy when it comes to drugs and alcohol. Creating an open environment of experimentation and collaboration can be applied to recovery as well. Having the family come together to choose non alcoholic beverages will help a recovering loved one not to feel excluded.

As an equivalent to meal planning the family can plan activities together which will support their loved one in recovery. Addiction is a family disease, as it is often said, and it takes the whole family to recover. Many see recovery as a spiritual program, which can be supplemented through various activities throughout the day. Together, families can:

  • Read a daily affirmation or chapter of an inspirational book
  • Pick a spiritual theme for the day and talk about their experiences over family dinner
  • Send each other inspirational quotes or videos during the day
  • Practice meditation and quiet time
  • Attend different levels of recovery meetings, like Al-Anon and Ala-Teen
  • Experiment with different religious or spiritual inquiries and attend services
  • Talk openly about emotions and spiritual experiences throughout the day
  • Begin and end the day in family prayer

Everything You Need to Know about W-18

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What is W-18

Like the recently famous drug Fentanyl, W-18 is a synthetic opiate. Opiates are analgesic drugs, meaning they create pain relief. Prescription painkillers, morphine, and heroin are all opiate drugs. The human brain has naturally occurring opiate receptors which, when blocked with opiate production, help slow down the heart and reduce pain. Some people are sensitive to opiates and cannot naturally receive the help opiate drugs give them. Synthetic opiates were developed to help such people recovery from traumatic injury, surgery, and cope with chronic pain.

How Strong is W-18

W-18 is derived from Fentanyl which was already reported to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Morphine is what the body naturally creates when it ingests anything derived from the opium plant. W-18 is reported to be up to 10,000 times stronger than heroin and other opiate drugs.

Where is W-18 Being Found?

Similar to the concerning situation with Fentanyl, W-18 is being discovered as parts of other medications. Bags of heroin, pills, and other form of drugs, are showing up with W-18 in overdose victim’s toxicology reports. W-18 has been discovered in multiple parts of America, Asia, and recently Tasmania.

Where does W-18 Come From?

Most sources believe that W-18 and other synthetic drugs are being manufactured in China, then brought into the United States via Mexico. However, synthetic drugs like Fentanyl and W-18 are also categorized as “designer drugs”. Designer drugs are advertised and sold on social media channels as well as obscure areas of the internet regarded as the “dark web”. Though social media platforms like Instagram do their best to regulate the use of certain images, content, and hashtags, it is almost impossible to keep track of every drug dealer. Making matters worse, drug dealers are advertising W-18 as other kinds of drugs like Xanax, which is a benzodiazepine prescribed to treat anxiety.

How will W-18 Be Stopped?

As new versions of synthetic opiates are discovered, government officials are hurriedly trying to classify them as Schedule 1 substances. Unfortunately, the problem with synthetic drugs is that the “recipe” is rapidly changing. Specifying each new type of synthetic opiate takes time and it is difficult for enforcement agents to stay ahead of the game.

Can W-18 Addiction Be Treated?

As with any drug, there is a solution to the problem of addiction. W-18 addiction is rare because the drug is so powerful it commonly causes overdose. Recovery is possible, however. There will likely be a need for detox, and long term intensive treatment.

women crying together

Crying is a Sign of Strength, Not Weakness

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Crying is the body’s way to not only reduce emotional stress, but also process it. Think of emotions as an invisible force moving through the body. People tend to think that just because they cannot see or feel their feelings, when they refuse to feel them, they simply go away. Unfortunately, that just isn’t true…

When emotions are held back, such as swallowing or holding back tears, the emotional energy gets congested in the body. Rather than having that flow of emotional force circulating and completing its cycle, it gets stopped up. Thankfully, however, this cycle can be reversed.

Eastern practices of medicine like acupuncture and massage believe that the body physically stores emotion.

Similarly, therapies like DBT teach us that connecting to one’s emotions allows us to respond to an emotional experience more effectively and change the ineffective response patterns we have relied on previously.

For many people, stress causes headaches, neck aches, shoulder tension, and backaches. People have tight hips because the hips are one of the body’s major emotional energy storage spaces. Certain exercises & meditation practices mitigate these physical effects.

The Social Challenge Associated With Expressing Our Emotions

Sadly, society has stigmatized the expression of sadness. When somebody cries the common reaction is to make the crying stop. Unknowingly, when someone responds to tears with “Ssssh don’t cry” they’re actually saying, “Stop expressing your emotion through crying, it’s making me uncomfortable,” which really says “Your emotions make people uncomfortable,” which eventually translates to, “feelings are bad”. It’s a tough situation trying to feel! Coincidentally, it is not the comfort, tears, or sympathy of another person which alleviates the emotion behind crying. High percentages of people feel a sense of relief after crying.

Understanding The Complex Importance of Grief And Other Emotions…

Crying is a sign of strength because it is a demonstration of a completely comfortable relationship with the self. Choosing to cry and feel is a choice in the interest of one’s emotional health. Choosing to cry is also choosing not to care about the opinions of others. Since crying is so stigmatized, rising above society’s thoughts is pure authenticity. Crying also helps set an example to others. Especially in recovery when peers are struggling to connect with, articulate, and express their own emotions, seeing someone freely express themselves is inspiring. Not only will they learn from the act of crying, but they will see the transformation that takes place from working through emotions.

See Also: Why We Work Through Introspection and Healing

Feeling feelings, allowing emotions to be processed, and crying will feel foreign in early recovery. Drugs and alcohol are anesthetizing, numbing the mind as well as the body. Most will admit that part of the allure for abusing drugs and alcohol came with the feeling of not having to feel. Suddenly dealing with all the emotions which haven’t been felt in years can be challenging and triggering. Remember to cry, to feel, and to just let it all out. As with all this, this too shall pass, and recovery will be the better for it.

Work With A Program That Understands The Importance Of Expressing Our Emotions

Can Spirituality Help You Be More Productive?

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Practicing spirituality in recovery is about more than utilizing a Higher Power to help you to stay sober. Recovery becomes the anchor in your life, the compass by which you are guided. Developing a spiritual manner of living is like writing your own guidebook on how to stay sober every day. When we create a spiritual center in our lives, everything else follows it. We spend the majority of our lives with ourselves. Our spiritual program directs us in interacting with others, making friends, discovering and developing new morals and values, and who we are as a person. Spirituality is not meant to be a task by which we are burdened but a lifestyle in which we come alive.

Writing about spirituality in the corporate workplace, Dr. Shyam Kumar expresses that “spirituality includes a sense of connection to something larger than ourselves and it involves a search for meaning and purpose in life….it is a means not an end.”

Creating a spiritual environment, he explains, “is not just about setting and implementing rules, it deals with sense of community, adding meaning and helping…to discover their life’s purpose.” He notes that employees in a spiritual environment are more satisfied and find that their performance is enhanced.

In many ways, recovery is a full-time job. We have to work hard all day every day to make sure we are taking the steps we need to in order to stay sober. Spirituality and proactively creating a spiritual environment for ourselves inspires us to stay sober. Like an employee at a job, we are encouraged to keep doing what we are doing, which is staying sober one day at a time.

Here are some quick ideas for building your spiritual environment:

  • Include prayer and meditation in your daily routine. Try finding a daily affirmations or daily reader book that speaks to you.

  • Attract your tribe with your vibe. Find like minded people who are exploring their spirituality as well.

  • Make your home environment more spiritually sound by creating a clean and comfortable space you look forward to coming home to.

  • Build a relationship with your Higher Power. It is one thing to find a Higher Power you want to believe in. Entering a spiritual relationship with the center of your beliefs is a life changing process.

4 Physical Benefits of Yoga Practice

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Why:

Yoga can be customized to focus on certain areas of the body, especially in Westernized athletic or aerobic yoga style classes. No matter the yoga class, though, the entire body will benefit. Each yoga pose has benefit for the whole body, strengthening, conditioning, and developing muscles, including small and unseen ones.

Strengthen Your Core.

Having a strong core as a human is like having a strong trunk as a tree. Arms and legs are the branches of the human body, as well is the spine and all the other muscles. A weak core makes everything loose and disconnected, allowing injury. Core strength is a focus of yoga as it is seen to be an energetic powerhouse of the body in need of building. The core is built of three layers which all need to be worked on. Yoga works to strengthen all three layers

Why:

A strong core changes walking, sitting, and even sleeping posture to protect the back and other important joints. Yoga poses keep focus on activating the core to allow the rest of the body to lengthen, expand, and strengthen.

Helping Your Muscles Recover.

Muscle recovery is often overlooked. After a particularly strenuous workout or physical activity, most turn straight to relaxation. Few people engage in the physical activity which matters most- stretching and recovery. If there is a fitness goal in mind, it will be better reached by actively practicing yoga as muscle recovery. Even though energy is low and muscles are tired, the day after hard physical engagement, practice yoga.

Why:

Using muscles detoxifies the body and releases lactic acids, which can cause that stiff soreness as well as immobility. Drinking lots of water is helpful for clearing out toxins released by the body. Yoga, however, amplifies the recovery process through stretching and releasing the muscles. Additionally, yoga is focused on the breath, which brings more air to the muscles.

Preventing Muscular Injury.

Muscular injuries are painful. Treating muscular injury can end up taking months of careful and challenging physical therapy. Some injuries to muscles require surgeries for which there is an intensive recovery period. Muscle injury results from not properly taking care of muscles before, after, and during physical activity. Physical activity doesn’t have to mean working out, playing sports, or being active. Without proper muscle care, it is easy to twist, pull, strain, tear, and bruise muscles just in every day activities. For example, not strengthening and conditioning the core can contribute to back injury.

Why:

Yoga is a simultaneous practice of strength building, stretching, and muscle lengthening. Similar to the way a cut is treated with a bandaid to heal and endure ongoing activity, yoga treats the muscles to help them endure and heal.

Develop Underused Muscles.

Not enough exercises focus on the underlying muscles. Many people who regularly workout at the gym are happy with the physical strength and endurance they gain. Most people exercise for artificial purposes such as muscle sculpting and body shape. By constantly doing bicep curls to gain bicep muscles, many other important muscles in the arms and shoulders are ignored. Mistaking bicep strength for over all arm strength, it is easy to damage or injure the body. Yoga as a strength building practice will prevent hyper focused strength.

Can Food Reverse the Effects of Alcohol Damage?

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Alcoholism usually isn’t accompanied by a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet. Both unhealthy foods and excessive consumption of alcohol cause damage to the liver. Fatty foods are good for the brain and the rest of the body, but only if they are the right fats. Butter, cheese, heavy cream, certain animal fats, and meats are bad fats for the brain and body. Unfortunately, especially when under the influence of alcohol, they taste really good. People are inclined to believe that greasy, fatty, salty food aids in helping to “sober up”. Eating unhealthy fatty foods on a regular basis programs the brain to make poor food choices. As a result, the body gets used to unhealthy foods. Much like the cravings experienced with drugs and alcohol, the body craves fatty, greasy, salty foods- doing damage with every meal. Fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver, and more, are the consequences of liver damage.

Can Food Reverse the Effects of Alcohol Damage?

Recovering from alcoholism is a physical process as much as it is a mental and spiritual one. Healing the body is of critical importance for successful long term recovery. To carry the burden of detox and ongoing withdrawal, the body needs to be strong. Emotional growth can be physically taxing. In order to sustain the early recovery emotional roller coaster, the body needs the nutrients, vitamins, and healthy fats necessary to function efficiently.

Here are some healthy foods and tips for reprogramming your eating in early recovery:

  • Garlic and Onions: These smelly vegetables have allicin which is (). When preparing garlic and onions, peel, then cut them up and let them stand for about ten minutes. Within that time they will naturally produce allicin. Eat raw or cook to taste.
  • Herbal and Mushroom Teas: tea is a great way to get in the herbal and plant-based supplement needed in a day. Up to four cups of tea a day is recommended. Try anise, reishi, ginger, fennel, or chamomile tea.
  • Tomatoes: Lypocene is () which is great for (). Eat tomatoes partially cooked with a minimal amount of added oil.
  • Avocados: Omega fatty acids help the brain produce essential amino acids which it needs to function. Amino acids only come from food, the brain doesn’t produce them on its own. Avocados are a great source of omega fatty acids. Eating tomatoes and avocados together boost their nutritional value and taste delicious. Avocado can be eaten in a number of ways, from by itself to in a popsicle.

Eating a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, healthy protein and carbs is always recommended. Each person’s diet will be different and require accommodation. Enlightened Recovery offers individualized plans of care for patients in our partial, inpatient, and outpatient treatment programs. Each patient is given a dietary and nutritional plan. We offer education on diet and nutrition as well as practical life skill building for being in the kitchen at home. Enlightened Recovery welcomes men and women with addiction and co-occuring disorders.