Recovery

Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnoses, take place when an individual is diagnosed with both a mental illness and a substance use disorder (SUD). Millions of people across the U.S. have co-occurring disorders. If you are struggling with this, know that you are not alone, and you can recover. When seeking treatment for co-occurring disorders, it’s crucial to find treatment centers that specialize in treating both substance use and mental health. Many treatment centers focus only on addiction, resulting in a lack of support for those with a dual diagnosis. Unfortunately, this lack of support often leads to relapse, as untreated mental health issues tend to perpetuate addiction.  At Avalon Malibu, treating both addiction and mental health simultaneously is our top priority. By getting to know our clients and their unique experiences, we can create personalized treatment programs that meet their individual needs.

Early recovery can feel like a rollercoaster at times. From going through potential withdrawal symptoms during your detoxification to experiencing emotions again after years of feeling numb, the challenges of early recovery can be overwhelming. Despite the ups and downs, you may go through in the beginning, it’s important to remind yourself that it will get better. Recovery is possible, and stability can be achieved with proper treatment. Experiencing peace of mind, body, and spirit is a feeling like no other, especially after spending so much time in survival mode during active addiction. A change like this is not easy, but it is always worth it. If you’re ready to seek stability, here is a guide to help you better understand the process.

Life tends to throw curveballs. Navigating these obstacles can be difficult and chances are, you won’t always have all the answers. Having people in your life that you look up to as examples of how to walk through life’s challenges is crucial, especially for those in recovery. Seeing sober individuals who are genuinely happy, living lives that wildly contrast those previously lived during active addiction inspires hope and motivation. Grabbing on to a few people in your recovery community who have what you want can greatly increase your chances of maintaining long-term sobriety. By following in the footsteps of another who has experience living life in recovery, you can increase feelings of community and direction. They will remind you that you are not alone in your struggles while reiterating the fact that you are capable of overcoming them, just as they did.

Addiction takes hold for months and even years, causing so many harmful effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Yet, those seeking recovery often expect to find some magical solution to heal themselves instantly. Nobody looks forward to the inner work and reflection necessary to recover from the aftermath of addiction. However, sustainable recovery takes time and consistent effort. Typically, it requires certain lifestyle changes that are practiced on a daily basis towards consistent personal growth and development. Long-term residential treatment programs are incredibly beneficial, as they offer the time, space, resources, and support necessary towards building healthy habits and a strong foundation in your recovery, promoting long-term sobriety.

For many people in addiction recovery, true growth and understanding take place when they’re able to look within themselves. Deep inward reflection like this creates self-awareness, which in turn provides insight into thoughts and emotions. If you’re ready to see some incredibly positive changes in your recovery, it’s time to sit down and look within.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the most well-known self-help groups out there. People from all different backgrounds come together at these meetings to share their addiction stories, seek support from their fellows, and learn how to progress in their sobriety.  Other self-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and even non-12-step programs, such as SMART Recovery and Women for Sobriety, offer wonderful support to people who are in similar circumstances seeking additional help. Self-help groups provide support similar to that found in more formal treatment programs. However, experience has shown that recovery benefits from a combination of both.

If you’ve recently completed a residential treatment program at Avalon Malibu, you may be working towards an intensive outpatient program while you transition into home and work life. Recovery is such a courageous journey, and you’ve already been taking major strides towards your health and wellbeing. However, you also have responsibilities to uphold: a family, a job, and bills to pay. Now it’s time for you to reintegrate these crucial components of daily living while also balancing your recovery journey. Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are an excellent step towards building up independence while still having additional support to feel confident as you move forward.

Research shows that the highest addiction recovery success rates occur when individuals receive help abstaining from substances, as well as support cultivating healthy lifestyle changes in general. What many don’t realize, is that recovery from addiction to drugs and/or alcohol involves so much more than abstinence. The recovery process requires commitment growth in developing coping skills, building self-esteem and self-efficacy, goal setting and creating healthy habits. When treatment for addiction takes such a well-rounded approach, those recovering can create and sustain quality sobriety that will propel them into a happier and healthier future.

Each year, Valentine’s Day reels in billions of dollars. On average, each person in the United States spends over $100 on jewelry, cards, chocolates and more. So many gifts are given on this day, especially as those in relationships seek to show their love by offering each other meaningful gifts and tokens of their affection.

When we’re talking about substance abuse, nutrition is rarely the focus of the conversation. A few simple drinks after work hours can easily translate into several more drinks at home every evening. Similarly, occasional drug use with friends can eventually turn into nightly intoxication sessions. At the time that it’s all happening, it could feel completely harmless. However, when you’re not paying attention is often when bad habits can develop. These bad habits can, eventually, take over your life.  If you’re in recovery for addiction, you can probably recognize that it’s been harder for you to focus on your health and nutrition because substances have taken up so much time and energy. It might be difficult to go shopping for healthy, nutritious foods and to schedule time each week to exercise when our brain has become wired to crave substances, even if we’d rather work against it. If you feel like you’ve got a long way to go, don’t feel discouraged. Just as your brain and body became trained to crave substances, you can retrain them back towards healthy living by working hard in treatment.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you may be hearing a lot of talk about love, romance, and relationships. Typically, Valentine’s Day is a holiday meant to celebrate that special someone. If you’re not presently in a relationship, chances are that days like these might leave you feeling a little left out. Seeing seemingly happy relationships all around you, maybe you find yourself wondering if it’s time you sought one out for yourself. If you’re in recovery from addiction, however, the answer to this question can be a bit more complicated, as there are many more factors to consider.

There are so many different factors that contribute to who we are as human beings. Each one of us has a unique background, family and medical history, interests and skill set, thought process, and much more. Unfortunately, many treatment programs don’t address all of these other factors that are vital in a person’s recovery. While it can be helpful to hone in on detoxification, for example, there are some pieces that often aren’t recognized as important. These overlooked areas of emphasis could make a huge difference in someone’s recovery. Integrative care is more a personal approach that takes into consideration the many aspects of a person’s health that would need to receive attention in order for them to thrive in recovery.