Recovery

Years of substance use and addiction can alter and break down certain mental processes. Many people are unaware that it can have the same effect on the body. Lack of proper nutrition, under-eating, and the physical impact of substances can deprive the body of the nutrients it needs.

Recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) is a pivotal time to begin making decisions in alignment with your healthy self. You get to put down the parts of you rooted in patterns of addiction, limiting beliefs, and past trauma. Identifying your true values and making decisions from that space leads to holistic wellness.

One of the hardest aspects of change can be permitting yourself to change. It is easy to become stuck in believing that, because you have been one way all your life, you will always be that way. Recognizing you have autonomy when it comes to change can be the catalyst you need to cultivate the life you desire, reach your goals, and be your authentic self in the world.

Have you ever had a belief about yourself that limits you in some way? Limiting beliefs are ways of thinking that hold you back in some area of your life. Identifying what your limiting beliefs are, questioning them, and rewiring your thought patterns to believe the opposite can help you reach your goals and desires.

Exercise has many benefits not only for your physical health but mental health as well. Yet, beginning new habits, such as a fitness routine, can be easier said than done. It can be hard to find a routine that is not only sustainable but also adds joy to your life. Making fitness work for you, rather than against you, can make all the difference in gaining all the mental and physical benefits you can from an exercise regimen.

Battling the voices of judgment, self-doubt, and inadequacy is exhausting. It can hold you back from doing and being all you desire. As that is true, you may wonder how can you possibly begin to experience a true sense of self-acceptance, compassion, and freedom when it feels as if your inner critic is holding you hostage? Through learning to relate to your inner critic differently, you can find freedom.

Having a holistic approach to healing can allow people to experience wellness from the inside out. This type of approach to healing creates space for sustainable and long-lasting healing in a way that approaching just one aspect of treatment for mental illness and addiction would not.

It can be hard to imagine being able to experience inner peace, especially if you have spent many years living in a state of chaos, anxiety, and fear. In this sense, inner peace may be a new experience that feels unfamiliar in your body. Sometimes you must lean into unfamiliarity to allow inner peace to begin feeling normal.

Everybody has a different window of tolerance. “Window of tolerance” is a term used to describe the bounds you have within you so that you can function optimally in your everyday life. Getting outside of your window of tolerance happens when you are either over- or under-stimulated, which can look and feel different for everyone.

Healing from addiction is a process that usually has several phases of treatment to allow for sustainable and long-term recovery. One, sometimes overlooked, but essential part of recovery is aftercare planning.

Cravings are one of the most challenging parts of recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. Not only is this burning desire impossible to satisfy (so it goes with addiction), but you cannot give in. If you do, you know you will be taking a few steps backward in recovery, and that is the last thing you want. You are finally on your feet, and you feel ready to tackle the world. But it would be best if you found a way to settle these cravings so you can focus on tasks and be productive. How can you accomplish this?

Being patient with yourself is one of the most critical parts of recovery from substance use or mental illness. Healing takes time, the process is not linear, and there is no endpoint since recovery is a life-long journey.