Most of the addicts find it quite hard to re-enter their normal life after they complete their drug treatment. Addicts may have forgotten the basic necessities of life and they may not be able to cope with the day-to-day life. They need training and guidance to help them learn a specific set of skills needed to get through life. This is when ‘Life Skills Training’ program comes into play. This program helps addicts learn the life skills which addicts never learned or probably forgot in the midst of addiction. However, many people are not fully aware of what life skills training is and how this program can help addicts in getting through recovery. What is Life Skills Training? Life Skills Training is a classroom-based prevention program. This program is universal and helps to prevent adolescent tobacco, alcohol, marijuana use, violence and basically any type of addiction. In simpler words, this program helps addicts to step back into the day-to-day life without having stress on their minds. This program is used as a relapse prevention skill to help the addict face the challenges of life. This program is basically categorized in two major parts. Personal Life Skills. Relational Life Skills. In personal life skills, the basic necessities are taught such as grocery shopping, personal hygiene, financial planning etc. In relational skills, the addicts learn how to cope with solving issues, time management etc. Life Skills Training in Early Soberness: For addicts…

Whether you are navigating the tricky waters of recovery for yourself, or if you are trying to help a loved one through a tough time, knowing how to nourish and care for the recovering body is an essential part of the process. Many who are embarking a clean living sober lifestyle aren’t aware of the damage that can be done by addiction and abuse.  To get the body back in the right track involves awareness and changes to nutrition, helping the system to clear toxins and lingering chemicals. So what does addiction do to the human body? It damages the liver, leaving the organ unable to do its primary job of filtering nasty toxins. Liver cancer is a possible result as years of abuse cause to liver to swell and become inflamed. It compromises the immune system.  Addicts will often suffer from ailments minor to more serious as the abuse lowers its ability to fight off even simple viruses and bacteria. It destroys appearance and in turn causes the user to feel self-conscious about their looks. Sufferers often notice bad & yellowed skin, weight loss, rotted teeth and reddened eyes. Some of these things are irreversible even after recovery. It stops the brain from making natural chemicals that induce positive feelings. It causes the user to become malnourished. Most users fail to eat properly and don’t get enough essential vitamins and nutrients. Chronic stomach issues are quite common amongst those…

Addiction is a lasting disease that induces severe damage to a person’s body, mental, social and spiritual health and well-being. Many addictions start as a dealing mechanism or a means of filling a spiritual emptiness. Because of this, people in cure for addiction should learn how to handle their feelings and environment in more healthy ways. Most addiction treatment center provides one-on-one and group guidance, training, healthful nutrition, leisure and exercise. Daily workout offers many benefits to those wanting recovery. Practicing yoga will help with the healing process by giving certain benefits. Below are few ways yoga helps a person’s addiction cure program. Calming Effect A major benefit related to yoga practice is the soothing effect. Yoga employs many strategies all through one session, such as deep breath and meditation techniques, which can help lessen stress and relaxed the mind. People recovering from addiction can find it tempting to physical abuse a substance when dealing with a horrible or difficult situation. By calming the mind with yoga exercise, deep breath and meditation, the stress ranges decrease and the craving to use a substance is reduced. Reduced Cravings Cravings for medications or alcohol occur at sudden times. Various situations can cause the craving for a certain substance. Though stress is a major factor that influences cravings, other mental states of mind may also become a trigger. Yoga enables individuals to convert inward and concentrate on their feelings and mental state. By…

When we talk about mental illnesses or substance abuse, one of the major disorders which top the list is Dual Diagnosis. The reason for that is because dual diagnosis victims suffer from mental illnesses and substance abuse simultaneously. This disorder is becoming popular amongst the masses. However, many people are still unaware of what dual diagnosis basically is and about the other aspects attached to this dual disorder. What is Dual Diagnosis? Dual diagnosis, commonly known as co-occurring disorders, is a term which refers to the co-existence of mental illness and substance abuse in a person. For some people, multiple mental illnesses may occur and for other, multiple addictions might take place in the case of dual diagnosis. The symptoms of dual diagnosis varies from person to person as it is a combination of two disorders occurring simultaneously. Dual diagnosis usually occurs when people seek out different addictions in order to deal with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety etc. Importance of Dual Diagnosis? Almost 37% of individuals suffering from alcohol abuse and approximately 53% of individuals addicted to drugs have one serious mental illness according to the national Association of Mental Illness (NAMI). That means that the number of patients suffering from dual diagnosis has risen in the past few years. Many people in mental health parlance, use alcohol and drugs as self-medication to get relief from the symptoms of these mental illnesses. Getting drunk can fix the mental…

It seems that more and more people are going the way of being “straight edge” or sober, even if they are individuals who have never struggled with addictions. This is largely due to the evident benefits of sobriety, especially in a time where, let’s face it, survival isn’t always the easiest. It is expensive enough to pay for rent, clothes, and food- add recreational substance use, whether it be alcohol or a more illicit substance, it becomes far more difficult to afford the necessary things we need to get by day to day.   Benefits of sobriety include Saving Money, individuals who use substances such as alcohol on a regular basis usually don’t truly realize just how much money is spent on drinking until. Even if you rationalize your spending, a night out can really add up really fast. Lets think about the average night on the town: there is the cost of the alcohol – if your going out you have to pay tips on top of the probably overpriced drinks, then a cab or Uber trip, possibly drugs or cigarettes,  and that 2 a.m. pizza or  fast food burger. If you multiply that over how many times you do it in a month or a year you could be looking at hundreds to thousands of dollars. Making ends meet, aka. Survival, is always a lot easier when you’re sober.   Another benefit of sobriety is you will Look…

Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious disease that should not be taken lightly. Due to the higher accessibility of drugs, it is easier for people to become addicted. Drug addiction does not only affect the person physically but also mentally; however, with proper therapies and treatments, addiction can be successfully treated and managed. Following are some therapies that have proved to be effective in treating addictions:      Individual Therapy: In this therapy, the client meets with the trained therapist and discusses his background and triggers. The environment is safe, caring, and confidential between them. The therapist uses different techniques and methods to work with the client. He tells the client about the side effects of drugs. Individual therapy is useful when we are dealing with clients with dual diagnosis i.e. more than one disorder or problem. For example if a person is suffering from severe depression and suicidal thoughts along with drug addiction, he or she would be treated with a dual diagnosis.      Group Therapy: Usually group therapies are given preference because it takes place in presence of others who are dealing with the same diagnosis or illness. In this type of therapy, the person is challenged and supported by others at the same time. This social interaction proves to be a motivation for the client. This is a great location for bonding between clients in the same addiction treatment program.      CBT: Cognitive behavioral therapy works best when you want…

Addiction is often called a family disease because of how it affects everyone surrounding the individual who is dealing with it. Loved ones and family members are often left to deal with manipulation, lies, and abuse of the emotional or even physical variety.  When one spends their days dealing with worry, sadness, and fear, this way of living can take an enormous toll on his or her quality of life. When this goes on for long enough, serious mental health issues can begin to occur. The two main mental health issues include anxiety and depression.   Anxiety – Depression and anxiety often appear together. Anxiety can sometimes be the cause of depression. In a similar manner, depression can also be the cause of anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety include but are not limited to: feelings of fear, stress, worry, or unease. If left untreated, these symptoms have the potential to escalate to a panic disorder. Anxiety and panic disorders can have serious effects on mental and physical health. Stress levels and moods are affected by anxiety, which can then lead to malnutrition, illness, and fatigue. Depression – Depression can manifest itself as a physical pain in the chest, feelings of complete hopelessness and despair, as well as sadness. Extended bouts of depression can cause mental and physical health issues in the same way as anxiety. These symptoms can lead to clinical depression, which can cause a change in you thoughts, moods,…