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Alcohol and Cancer

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Addiction, wellness. No Comments on Alcohol and Cancer

Alcohol may seem like a harmless drink even if you only drink socially. The truth is that according to the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alcohol is a known carcinogen. Going into treatment for alcoholism will show you taking control of your body and will lower your chances of developing cancer.

Even a modest drinker who has only had one drink a day still has a chance of increasing the risks of some cancers. There are many types of cancers that you can contract such as liver cancer. You could get cirrhosis which is the scarring and inflammation of the liver. Healthy tissue gets replaced by scar tissue which prevents the liver to function the right way. Alcohol can also affect estrogen levels by changing the way your body metabolizes them, leading to breast cancer. Very Well Health says that 75% of people with oral cancer are drinkers and the chances can go even higher if you smoke as well. Other cancers can include throat, esophageal, laryngeal, colon and rectal cancer.

Alcohol has the potential to give someone cancer because of ethanol and acetaldehyde. Ethanol is the main ingredient in alcohol and acetaldehyde is created once alcohol is digested in the body. Drinking can weaken the body’s ability to process and absorb important nutrients like Vitamin A, C, D, E, folate, and carotenoids. Folate is a vitamin that cells in the body needs to stay healthy. Heavy drinkers tend to have low levels of folate which can play a role in breast and colorectal cancer. The cells that are damaged by alcohol try to fix themselves which leads to changes in DNA that lead to cancer. Bacteria in the colon and rectum converts alcohol into large amounts of acetaldehyde. Alcohol can also lead to excessive weight gain as extra calories are being added to your diet increasing the risks of many different types of cancer that comes from obesity.

If you quit drinking alcohol right away, it will not lead to an immediate reduction in cancer risk. Eventually, the cancer risks will decline if you continue towards your path of sobriety but it could take years before the risk goes away. For example, The International Journal of Cancer says that people who stopped drinking still had high risks of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers than people who never drank even 16 years after they stopped. The chances, however, were still lower compared to when they started.

The type of alcoholic beverages are not going to matter in terms of contracting cancer. Ethanol is an ingredient found in all alcoholic beverages. The larger or stronger the drink, the more ethanol there will be and the more your risk of cancer will be. There will never be a way to completely prevent the risk of ever getting cancer but there are ways to prevent your chances of cancer as a result of alcohol. The obvious way to avoid alcohol-related cancer would be to not touch a drop of alcohol. Try to avoid going to bars or meeting friends who drink in front of you. Let them know that you simply are not interesting in drinking alcohol and would prefer a non-alcoholic beverage like water, soda, coffee, tea, or juice. If it is too late for that, limit the number of alcoholic beverages you consume. The American Cancer Society recommends that men only have no more than two drinks per day and women should have no more than one. An average beer is 12 oz, a bottle of wine is 5 oz, and a bottle of liquor is 1.5 oz. If you are a woman and are afraid of getting breast cancer, you should have no more than four drinks a week.

Another thing that you should avoid doing is binge drinking even if it is just for one night. One night has the power to change the rest of your life. If you are a woman, it means not having four drinks within a short period of time. Men should not have five or more drinks in a short period of time. You should also avoid mixing alcohol with tobacco products as that will increase your chances of cancers like oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus. Eating more foods with folate can help reduce cancer risks like leafy green vegetables, fruit, dried beans, and peas. If you have any questions or concerns about your alcohol intake, speak to your doctor to see if you can rule out cancer.

If you are currently in cancer treatment, you should avoid alcohol as even small amounts can irritate mouth sores caused by cancer treatments and can even make them worse. Alcohol can also conflict with certain cancer treatments which can cause serious side effects. Even if you decide to relapse after surviving cancer, it does not mean that you will never get cancer again as you can get a different kind. It is important to ask yourself whether drinking alcohol is more important than contracting a fatal disease. Think about the family and friends that you have who would hate to see you ill or die as a result of an addictive substance that you could have gone into treatment for. By not touching alcohol or going into treatment if you have, you are taking control of your body and will lead a long, healthy life.

Through years of experience working with art and music therapy, we know how powerfully beneficial they are in healing and relapse prevention. Call Enlightened Recovery today: (833) 801-LIVE.

MOMO Challenge Encouraging Suicide Being Exposed to Egg Harbor Schools

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Mental Health, wellness. No Comments on MOMO Challenge Encouraging Suicide Being Exposed to Egg Harbor Schools

The MOMO Challenge started in 2018 where a character named MOMO contacts you through WhatsApp and convinces you to contact that character with their cell phone. Once that happens, players are supposed to either commit self-harm or suicide or else they will be threatened with “an evil spell.” After the suicide of a 12 year-old in Indonesia, panic has struck and the challenge is said to continue spreading to the schools of more teens.

The MOMO Challenge Spreading to Schools

The MOMO Challenge that encourages teens to commit suicide is still spreading to campuses. It first started when first graders at Brick school were talking about the challenge as it was found on Facebook and WhatsApp. Children from Glassboro and Oaklyn schools have been exposed to this challenge. The South Brunswick Police Department has been warning parents about the dangers of this challenge as well as to monitor their children’s social media accounts in response to worldwide reports. The New Jersey Crisis Intervention Team is also doing their part to ask parents to read and speak to their children. School districts are saying that their students are scared at the reemergence that this game continues to have. Parents, educators, and board members need to not be afraid to talk to students about this challenge so that they are aware and informed of this game’s dangers.

What Happens in the MOMO Challenge

There are experts and charities that believe that the MOMO Challenge is nothing more than moral panic spread by adults. They believe that that there is no evidence that the game has caused harm. The way the challenge goes is that a scary doll figure with a sinister voice targets children’s websites like YouTube Kids and the figure comes on the screen during the video. The figure attempts to talk to children about committing dangerous acts including suicide. This challenge has been found on Facebook, WhatsApp, and other forms of media targeting children.

Actions Taken Against the MOMO Challenge

The South Brunswick School District will have a workshop for parents and students at the Social Media and Technology Symposium in March. This workshop will give parents and students the opportunity to learn about cyber safety and how to better navigate around social media.

Mental Health Effects of Nightmarish Media

Children can develop anxiety after watching a scary video. The part of the brain that stores emotions, the amygdala, will hold onto this memory and bring about feelings of being scared or anxious. One study, “Tales from the Screen: Enduring Fright Reactions to Scary Media,” said that one quarter of students who had fearful reactions to media in the past continued to have them years later. Children can also develop sleep disorders at the exposure of seeing scary footage as well as at night. They could be having terrifying nightmares of what they saw as well as having heart issues, weight problems, behavior problems, learning difficulties, and mental health issues.

It is also said that children that are constantly watching media violence will have a tendency to act out that violence. Their emotional response to violence or see someone hurt will decrease since these are images that they are used to seeing. They could just be seeing violence as a natural thing that happens all the time in a hostile world or are lacking empathy in victims of violence.

What Parents Should Do In Response to the MOMO Challenge

Parents should limit the screen time to about an hour a day. If there is too much freedom in what children sees, then that means there will be a chance that they can find footage on YouTube or other video streaming sites that will have disturbing footage. Find your children media that is appropriate to their age such as making sure they have children’s accounts to streaming sites like Netflix. Use parental ratings guides to teach your children what shows or movies are appropriate to their age and apply filters to their computers or televisions.

You should also let your children know about how important it is that they look at the title and description of a video before you watch it. If you know that a video has a warning about graphic and disturbing content, it is best to stay away from those. In order to have more knowledge about what your children are watching, tell your child to only use their computer in family spaces where you can see them. If your child do happen to see any violent or disturbing images, do not try to change the subject with them or tell them that they are not old enough to know. Let them know what they are seeing and why it is not for children’s eyes. Help them work through any fears and worries they may have.

What to Do If Your Child Sees Scary Images

If your child is having feelings of distress because they saw something violent or scary that they should not have seen, empathize with them. Let them know that what they saw is very scary and perfectly understandable to feel this way. Teach them to take deep breaths before they go to bed to prevent nightmares occurring and to fall asleep faster. Rationalize that what they are seeing is make believe. By being aware of the MOMO Challenge and monitoring your child’s screen time will prevent this dangerous challenge from having an effect.

Located on the shore of Southern New Jersey, Enlightened Recovery is a recovery center that uses evidence-based therapies and holistic healing to treat addiction and mental illness. With the opportunity to learn about therapies that are keyed in to healing the human spirit and learning about new stress reducing techniques centered around a 12 step network, you will be ensure a lasting recovery. For more information, please call us at 833-801-LIVE as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How to Stop Feeling Like You Have to Fix Yourself

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Many of us working towards recovery take our healing very seriously. We commit to personal development, self-care, spiritual practice and accountability. In this process, however, we can come to view ourselves as being flawed. We feel as though we have to fix ourselves. This can make us feel inadequate, like something is inherently wrong with us. When we make ourselves feel this way, we’re actually doing ourselves a disservice in our recovery. We’re holding ourselves back and limiting our progress because subconsciously we think we aren’t good enough as we are.

Striving for self-improvement and growth are important for our evolution, but we can operate from a place of encouragement rather than self-disparagement. We can choose to believe in our goodness rather than fixating on our flaws. We can see ourselves as whole beings with potential for growth rather than as imperfect people needing to be fixed. The things we want to improve upon in ourselves only make us stronger; they don’t imply we weren’t good enough already.

When we constantly feel as though we have to fix ourselves, we set out on a quest for perfection that is simply unattainable. We beat ourselves up for every perceived inadequacy in our character. We have to accept our flaws and imperfections as part of the unique individuals we are. We have to learn to have self-acceptance, including everything we don’t love about ourselves, not despite it.

To combat our ingrained feelings of inadequacy, let’s work to change our self-talk. Let’s practice affirming, “I am good enough. I am growing and evolving. I am whole and perfect as I am.” Catch yourself when you start telling yourself you aren’t good enough. Shed your habits of comparing and competing with other people. Heal jealousy and envy by recognizing that we all have light to add to the world, and none of us is better than anyone else.

Personal development adds to our growth and can aid in our recovery, but when we take it too far and constantly feel like there are things we need to fix, we stunt our growth instead. We sometimes can feel like we’re on a never-ending search for improvement. Every day we’re taking inventory of where we need to improve. Take some time to stop fixing, and just start living. Learn to be in the present moment. Embrace the beauty that is everywhere around and within you. Practice gratitude for everything you appreciate about yourself and your life. Let yourself enjoy the rewards of all your hard work.

The treatment programs at Enlightened Recovery include holistic healing modalities that work to heal mind, body and spirit. Call (833) 801-LIVE today for more information.

The Unseen Challenges in Recovery

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When we think about the challenges we face in recovery, the most obvious one is probably staying sober and resisting the temptation to use again. There are some additional, unseen challenges that we might not be aware of if we haven’t experienced them firsthand. These difficulties can be so overwhelming and disheartening that they deplete us of our willpower and contribute to our chances of relapsing. Many of these challenges are things people don’t necessarily want to talk about publicly, because there is still stigma surrounding them. People in recovery can suffer in silence and isolate themselves rather than seek out the help they need.

One unseen challenge that affects people in recovery is unemployment. Many of us lose our jobs because of our addictions or have to take time away from work to complete treatment. Once it’s time to reenter the workforce, we can find it harder than expected to pick up where we left off. Employers can be hesitant to employ us if they know of our history with addiction. Interviewers can take our lapse in work to mean we are undependable and not a good hiring choice. Even if we are working our recovery program successfully, hiring managers can assume we will fall off the wagon and be a liability. The stress that can come from joblessness can contribute to our inability to cope with the demands of life, leading us back to our drug of choice to try to escape that stress.

A harsh reality of unemployment is homelessness. We know that many addicts find themselves homeless because of their struggles with addiction, but what we may be less aware of is that many people still grapple with homelessness even when recovering. It can be tremendously difficult to get back on our feet after addiction has taken over our lives and totally destabilized us. If we can’t find work or if no one will rent to us, we can easily find ourselves homeless. Without the stability of work and shelter, we can become depressed and susceptible to relapsing.

When we are not financially independent, many of us find ourselves forced to be dependent on other people. Unfortunately for many of us, the relationships in our lives that developed out of our addiction are abusive, and in recovery we find ourselves dependent upon abusive partners. Domestic violence is a huge problem for people struggling with addiction and those already in recovery. When we can’t find the resources we need to make a life for ourselves and be independent, we are more easily caught in cycles of dependence and abuse.

The year following treatment is a vital time in our recovery. At Enlightened Recovery, we believe in supporting you after you’ve completed treatment. We have relationships with a number of sober living houses, and we also work with you on life skills and relapse prevention. Call us today: (833) 801-LIVE.

Should We Be Told To Love Our Bodies?

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We receive thousands of messages a day which instill ideologies about our body image. These messages tell us how we should feel about ourselves, which is usually some form of negative perspective. We could always be better. We can always do more. We should be better and we should be doing more in order to be better. Consequently, we never feel like we are enough because we don’t feel like we are doing enough to feel good enough about ourselves. The result has been generations riddled with eating disorders, poor self-esteem, body image issues, and complex mental health problems.

The body positive movement which has steadily been rising on social media platforms is a long awaited and necessary revolution in body image. Rather than promote negative messages, the body positive movement promotes positive messages of acceptance and self-love. However, the movement does make an assumption: that we should love our bodies and that loving our bodies is better. On the one hand, the assumption is logical. Positivity and self-love must be better than negativity and self-criticism. There is a place for both. Truly holistic living understands that there is a balance between both, embracing both the yin and the yang. Should we be told to love our bodies. Arguably, what we should be hearing is to meet ourselves exactly where we are without any kind of aversion. Perhaps we don’t have to be negative or be positive but recognize the fact that we are being– and that our being happens within our physical form.

Body neutrality is a budding buzz term for the body image movement. As cited by New Zealand’s Stuff, cllinical psychologist Bryan Karazsia explains that “Body neutrality goes a step further [than body acceptance] to as an important question: Why all the fuss about the body?” Instead of focus on being body positive as an antidote to body negativity, body neutrality means practicing equanimity. Equanimity is a largely Buddhist concept which broadly means creating a foundation from which you cannot be shaken by either good or bad. Being present in your body can mean mindfully acknowledging moments which feel either negative or positive, but do not let either define how you feel or see your body. It is easier said than done, however, it isn’t said enough by advocates for transformational body image.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Negativity on Television

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Healthy Living, Sober Living, wellness. No Comments on Negativity on Television

There’s something to be said when it comes to being gifted with happiness. There aren’t a lot of reasons why people want to be stressed out and unhappy. However, there are thousands of movies and tv shows with a lot of negative content that come right into the living rooms of families across the world. The news can send the happiest person into a temporary state of depression. Right now there’s a plentitude of distress and sadness in our world. Although this is true, there is also a lot of beauty in the world.

The question of whether the glass is half empty or glass half full, is fairly common. This will determine if a person can handle life’s difficulties without slipping down the rabbit hole into a deep depression. Saying this, people do have good days and bad days, but let’s take a look into why these days are good and bad in the first place. What might influence a day to be generally better?

In sobriety, it’s crucial to stay spiritually fit. This simply means, to have a constant connection with a higher power. As one continues to ask for guidance and stays in gratitude, it’s more likely there will be generally more joy in life. When someone begins to slip away from serving others and meditation, it will almost always lead to the road to becoming a victim and soon thereafter, a relapse. It doesn’t help that much of what’s considered entertainment, glorifies alcohol. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Do yourself a favor and turn on the GAIA channel and learn about spirituality and beauty. Watching the latest season of disgruntled housewives yell at one another will never give anyone anything but displaced agony. This might seem extreme, but if you look at the big picture, over time the company you keep reflects your personality. If the company is violence and history on the television, what might begin to reflect back? For those who are feeling hopeless and cannot control life anymore, it’s time to get into a treatment, where life lessons can be learned in a safe environment.

If you are struggling to find the right path in life and cannot quit abusing substances, begin on a spiritual path with us today. We at Enlightened Recovery want to help you find who you are inside, and begin to heal. For more information please call us today at 833-801-5483.

Do Both Men And Women Face Body Image Issues?

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Healthy Living, Mental Health, wellness. No Comments on Do Both Men And Women Face Body Image Issues?

Body image is widely popularized as a specifically female problem. Citing the high standards of the fashion industry, an entire commodity marketplace focused on beauty, and the objectification of males, the female from falls under a lot of scrutiny. However, the female-identified body is not the only target of scrutinous eyes. The male-identified body also receives high expectations. Pressure to be strong, muscular, lean, sculpted, and more, make up the male body image standard to which many men feel they cannot compare.

Body image issues are not restricted to anyone gender. They also don’t discriminate based on race, age, socioeconomic background, or fashion choice. Body image issues can spring from unseens pressures and obvious ones. For example, receiving commentary in childhood about body, weight, and beauty can create skewed beliefs about the way one looks. Misinformed ideologies about what it means to be a “woman” or be a “man” can cause someone to feel like they aren’t “woman” or “man” enough, forever changing the way that they view themselves.

Social environments and culture during adolescence can contribute to body image issues in both males and females. Being around growing and developing bodies in puberty highlights how different each body can be. As young minds are expanding, they are also being inundated with targeted advertising, telling them how they should look, what defines how they look, and how they should feel if they don’t look that way. Typically in adolescent social settings, social circles are categorized where those who are considered “beautiful” receive more attention. Those who might have body types which differ from the “norm” can be bullied, gossiped about, and ridicules, leading to lifelong insecurities.

Throughout adulthood, the security one feels about their body can be threatened. Ending relationships, sexual rejection, sexual trauma, and other factors can contribute to a sudden insecurity about one’s body and one’s self. Both men and women are vulnerable to hearing the wrong message and developing a harmful belief about how they look.

Too often, body image issues lead to disordered eating and exercise behaviors, causing an unhealthy obsession in the way one regards their image. To cope with the emotional pain of rejection and insecurity, both men and women turn to drugs and alcohol. Co-occurring addiction and body image issues are common in men and women. Thankfully, recovery does not discriminate either. There is a solution. Healing is possible.

If you are struggling with body image issues and have turned to drugs and alcohol to cope, there is hope in recovery. At Enlightened Recovery, we bring together the best of clinical therapy, holistic healing, and 12 step philosophy to help clients heal mind, body, and spirit. For information on our partial care programs, call us today at 833-801-5483.

How Do You Regulate Your Emotions?

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Emotional regulation can often be the difference between staying sober and relapsing. Learning to live with your emotions is key to long term recovery.

You turn to other

When you feel your emotions come up, you turn to others for support, comfort, and clarity. You get by with a little help from your friends when your song just isn’t quite in tune. Turning to others for help and support is a healthy emotional regulation technique. Look out for warning signs of dependency. If you always turn to others and can’t emotionally think for yourself that can lead to problems in moments when you’re alone and nobody can be reached. Recovery is about developing independence.

You self-medicate

Almost every addict and alcoholic is guilty of self-medicating. You turn to external substances, of any kind, to “deal” with your emotions. Unfortunately, self-medication isn’t a healthy coping technique. It means you avoid your feelings, or, believe that your feelings are only supported through outside substances. In treatment, many people are surprised when they realize just how much they depended on outside substance to deal with almost everything in their lives, good and bad.

You’re all about acceptance

Life happens, right? There’s no need to worry about it! It was what it was, it is what it is, and it will be what it will be. Maintaining this kind of attitude to regulate emotions is healthy to an extent. Too much acceptance can be a form of avoidance. We can both accept things and have feelings about them at the same time. Acceptance doesn’t mean not feeling. It means accepting your feelings as well.

You don’t really feel much

You’re well known for “shutting down” and even using statements like “I just shut down.” When emotions come flaring up your mind goes into code red lockdown. Windows are shut. Steel doors are drawn. You go incognito. Unbeknownst to you, your stealth mode is not so stealthy. Emotional shutdown is noticeable and affects everyone.

You overthink everything, all the time

Ruminating thoughts, chronic analysis, and loop thinking are ways to try and make sense of emotion rather than feel emotion. You’re trying to find the right thing to feel which makes the most sense instead of authentically being present with what you’re really feeling.

You can learn to live with your emotions in a healthy and authentic way. Recovery is a promise beyond just quitting drugs and alcohol. Enlightened Recovery wants to take you on your journey to transformative healing. Call us today for information on our integrative partial care programs for dual diagnosis substance use and secondary mental health disorders. 833-801-5483.