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A Focus on Health and Wellness in Day Treatment

A Focus on Health and Wellness in Day Treatment

by | Jan 19, 2025 | Addiction Treatment

The renowned Buddhist monk and spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh famously said, “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously – our eyes can still see the beautiful sky,” and “our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.” This is emblematic of the importance of holistic health and wellness in recovery, especially when it comes to day treatment.

Better Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness

Millions of people struggle with issues of addiction and mental illness every year both in the U.S. and around the world. Yet, despite the prevalence of addiction and mental illness many people still stigmatize them.

For example, many people don’t realize that addiction is a “disease.” Many people mistake addiction as some type of moral failing or “choice.” This is simply untrue. Addiction has more in common with chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes than it does with a “choice.”

Also, many people don’t realize that mental illness and addiction are “family diseases.” This is because these issues affect more than the individual who is struggling. As is often said in many 12-Step recovery meetings, “Addiction is like a tornado destroying everything in its path.” However, many people don’t see that tornado coming, which is why being able to spot the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness can be so vital.

The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction and/or Mental Illness

Now, because addiction and mental illness cover such a broad swath of the “disease” spectrum, it can be hard to come up with a definitive set of signs and symptoms. However, there are more universal signs and symptoms to look out for. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:

  • Having trouble sleeping, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Losing interest in how one looks or one’s personal hygiene
  • Feeling nervous or overly “stressed out”
  • Experiencing problems at home, work, and/or school
  • Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
  • Isolating away from family and friends
  • Frequently feeling worthless, hopeless, and helpless
  • Worrying about “what the future may bring”
  • Using alcohol and/or substances as coping mechanisms
  • Excessive mood swings
  • Committing self-harm
  • Engaging in risky behaviors
  • Having suicidal ideations and/or attempting suicide

As one can see, these signs and symptoms are not to be minimized. Addiction and mental illness can be life-or-death disorders. This is why if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is important to reach out for professional help as soon as possible. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. It is also important to find the right type of treatment.

The Importance of Individualized and Comprehensive Care

Many people don’t realize that recovery and treatment is now a billion-dollar industry. Of course, this certainly has its positives, but it can also mean that people are getting less than optimal care.

Many recovery and treatment centers put their financial bottom line above their clients’ well-being. These are often the same recovery centers that only offer broad overarching “cookie-cutter” recovery plans that fail to focus on the individual.

Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we know that these types of plans rarely work. These types of plans are rarely comprehensive either, which is also an essential component of strong recovery. A recovery plan must focus on every aspect of the “Self.” This includes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. This is emblematic of what holistic health and wellness has to offer to a treatment plan. These components also best ensure that one gets to the root/core causes of one’s addiction and mental health issues.

Getting to the Underlying Root/Core Causes of Addiction and Mental Illness

Many people don’t realize that their issues of addiction and/or mental illness stem from somewhere “deep within.” Regarding addiction, this is why many people say, “It is about the thinking much more than it is about the drinking.” These underlying issues must be addressed if one is truly going to experience optimal healing. Often, these underlying issues are related to trauma and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

Trauma affects millions of people every year. According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Medicine, “General population studies have shown that a large proportion of people in developed countries have been exposed to at least one TE [traumatic exposure] in their lifetime (estimates from 28 to 90%), with the most common events being the unexpected death of a loved one, motor vehicle accidents and being mugged. Much more limited evidence for less developed countries suggests that fatalities due to injuries and accidents are more common in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries; for example, road injuries are the 10th leading cause of lost years of life in developed countries and the 8th leading cause in developing countries.”

Similar staggering statistics are present with PTSD. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Center for PTSD, “About 6 out of every 100 people (or 6% of the U.S. population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives… About 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. has PTSD in any given year.” Also, “In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD.” One of the best ways to handle these underlying issues of trauma and PTSD is to find a recovery program such as day treatment.

Better Understanding Day Treatment

Day treatment is an ideal way that millions of people have used to recover from issues of addiction and mental illness. Yet, many people minimize day treatment as being less effective than residential addiction and mental health care. This is a fallacy.

Day treatment has been shown to be just as effective as other formats of recovery. The benefits of day treatment however may make it more ideal for certain populations. These are individuals who still need to keep one foot in their everyday lives. For example, people who have occupational or familial responsibilities that they must attend to.

Some people feel that day treatment is less effective because it is less “intensive.” Again, this is false. Most day treatments require that one be engaged with their treatment eight hours a day, five days a week. Also, most day treatment programs require regular alcohol and drug testing, as well as attendance at 12-Step recovery meetings. Day treatment also uses the same means, methods, and modalities that residential treatment does. This includes holistic health and wellness techniques.

A Focus on Health and Wellness in Day Treatment

The reality is that treatment can be challenging. However, overcoming those challenges is part of the process, and is how one finds success in long-term recovery. As Thich Nhat Hanh famously said, “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” Hope is a big part of a health and wellness practice.

So, what does health and wellness in recovery look like? Essentially it looks like anything that works to help one find a sense of serenity and balance. Yes, this can be found with other types of treatments, but they tend to be a focal point of holistic health and wellness modalities. This is especially true when it comes to yoga therapy.

Health and Wellness: Yoga Therapy

Yoga is an ideal and accessible form of treatment for addiction and mental illness. The iconic yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar famously said, “As animals, we walk the earth. As bearers of divine essence, we are among the stars. As human beings, we are caught in the middle, seeking to reconcile the paradox of how to make our way upon earth while striving for something more permanent and more profound.” Yoga helps us with this essential “reconciliation.”

Yoga therapy also offers many other benefits. According to the Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, “Yoga, which is a form of mind-body practice, draws its roots to India and it has been proven to reduce perceived stress, anxiety, [and] improve physical and mental health.” Also, “Yoga in the management of drug dependence has been an intriguing area of interest since the last decade. Yoga is being considered as a holistic intervention inducing dopamine homeostasis leading to long-term benefits in the management of addictive behaviors termed as ‘Reward Deficiency Syndrome.’” Another critical component of yoga is often meditation.

Health and Wellness: Mindfulness Meditation

B.K.S. Iyengar said, “Spirituality is not some external goal that one must seek, but a part of the divine core of each of us, which we must reveal.” Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Originally it was solely a religious or spiritual practice but it has since moved into many other areas. This includes the realm of recovery.

The benefits of mindfulness meditation are vast and carried. According to the International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda (AYU). “Research has confirmed a myriad of health benefits associated with the practice of meditation. These include stress reduction, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, reduction in pain (both physical and psychological), improved memory, and increased efficiency. Physiological benefits include reduced blood pressure, heart rate, lactate, cortisol, and epinephrine; decreased metabolism, breathing pattern, oxygen utilization, and carbon dioxide elimination; and increased melatonin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), skin resistance, and relative blood flow to the brain.”

Meditation can also help to reduce relapses, which remains a serious issue. According to the peer-reviewed journal Substance Abuse: Official Publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse, ”Substance use disorders (SUDs) have been described as ‘chronic relapsing conditions,’ with rates of relapse exceeding 60% and being relatively consistent across substances of abuse. A range of treatments have been developed to target relapse…. However, in spite of the best ‘standard of care’ therapy, relapse rates continue to be high, highlighting the need for the development of new treatment modalities to better assist individuals in their recovery.”

Health and Wellness: Massage and Acupuncture

There are also many other types of health and wellness techniques that can help with addiction and mental illness recovery. This includes modalities like acupuncture, reiki, aromatherapy, and massage therapy.

Massage can be particularly helpful for individuals who also struggle with co-occurring chronic pain, especially Swedish massage. According to the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, “Swedish massage incorporates moderate pressure touching and has minimal risk of adverse events, making it appropriate for protocol standardization and comparisons across studies. Using a standardized Swedish massage protocol, clinical research in healthy adults found a cumulative positive biologic effect which varied with massage frequency. While the precise biologic mechanism through which massage [affects] pain is unclear, consistent support exists for the beneficial effects for treating chronic pain, especially chronic low-back pain.”

Health and Wellness: Other Means, Methods, and Modalities

Of course, holistic health and wellness should also be utilized in tandem with more “traditional” types of therapy. This includes psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

It also includes experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy. The key is to find the right combination of therapies that work for the individual. However, it is also important to be willing to make changes based on what is and isn’t working. This is also why having as many modalities available as possible is so important.

Healing With Psychotherapy

Psychotherapies like CBT and DBT can be particularly effective because they get to the underlying issues that were previously mentioned. Ultimately, these therapies work to help an individual start to address the negative way in which one views oneself and the world around them.

Once these negative thoughts are addressed, one can begin to address the associated emotions and change the associated behaviors that are what ultimately cause the most negative consequences. Evidence-based psychotherapies also work well with holistic healing methods and experiential therapies.

Healing With Experiential Therapy

Many people don’t realize the benefits that nature can have on one’s health and well-being. According to the U.S. National Park Service, “5 minutes walking in nature improves mood, self-esteem, and relaxation. Frequent exposure to nature reduces anxiety and depression while promoting a sense of wellbeing and fulfillment.” Also, “Physical activity in a green space can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels by 15%.”

Nature immersion therapy also offers many other benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning… While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” This “CN” also offers many benefits when holistic healing methods are utilized outside.

A Focus on Long-Term Success at NorthStar Recovery Center

Thich Nhat Hanh also famously said, “People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” The “here and now” is what recovery is all about.

Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” That is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive with a focus on the future. We also take health and wellness seriously.

Recovery is about the journey, never the destination. There is no better place to start that journey than at NorthStar Recovery Center. Recovery is out there. It’s time to go out and get it.

The benefits of holistic healing while in day treatment can be exceptional for health and wellness. This ultimately means focusing on all aspects of recovery: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. However, it is important to remember that these holistic modalities should always be used alongside evidence-based treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about health and wellness in day treatment, please reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.

Utilizing the Twelve Steps in Day Treatment

Utilizing the Twelve Steps in Day Treatment

by | Jan 9, 2025 | Recovery

Many people balk at recovery because they are unsure of the “steps” that they need to take to get well. This is where the Twelve Steps of recovery can come in and literally be life-saving. Regardless of which path one takes, the key is to find what works and stick to it. Recovery is a way of life, and it is one that should not be missed.

Better Understanding Addiction

Millions of people struggle with addiction every year. Many people don’t realize just how prevalent addiction is in both the U.S. and around the world. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8.0 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD.”

Also, many people don’t realize that addiction is a “disease.” Many people are under the misconception that addiction is some type of moral failing or “choice.” This is a fallacy. Addiction has more in common with chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes than it does with a “choice.”

It is also important to remember that addiction is also a “family disease.” This is because addiction does not just affect the individual struggling but also affects almost everyone it comes into contact with. It is often said in 12-Step recovery that addiction is like a tornado that destroys everything and everyone in its path. This is especially true with addiction and co-occurring issues of mental health.

Better Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders

Co-occurring disorders are much more prevalent than many people may think. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders… Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.”

Many people who struggle with co-occurring disorders also go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed because either the addiction or the mental illness overshadows the other. This is why going to a professional that deals with both addiction and mental illness can be so critical. It is also extremely helpful for individuals to be able to spot the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness on their own. This ability can mean the difference between life and death.

The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Now, it is important to understand that the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness are going to vary somewhat based on the situation and the individual. However, there are some more universal signs that can be looked out for. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:

  • Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
  • Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness (depression)
  • Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
  • Using multiple substances at the same time
  • Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
  • Isolating away from family and close friends
  • Struggling with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
  • Loss of appetite
  • No longer caring about appearance or personal hygiene
  • Engaging in risky behaviors
  • Exhibiting excessive mood swings
  • Committing self-harm or harming others
  • Having suicidal ideations

Unfortunately, people often minimize the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness. However, as one can see, these symptoms can be extremely serious. This is why reaching out for professional help as soon as signs appear is so critical. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. Again, as previously mentioned, it can be life and death. The Twelve Steps can help with this.

Better Understanding 12-Step Recovery

Roughly 89 years ago, two individuals struggling with addiction got together and determined that the only way they were going to get sober and stay sober was by doing two things. One thing was to work with others struggling with addiction. Two was to accept a “Higher Power” (of their own understanding) greater than themselves.

These two individuals were Bill Wilson and Robert Holbrook Smith, the two co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and 12-Step recovery. Eventually, they would also write the Twelve Steps of recovery and publish its primary text (commonly referred to as the Big Book). The Twelve Steps have gone on to help millions of people beyond those struggling with alcohol use disorder (AUD). These steps are also used in such programs as Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.), Cocaine Anonymous (C.A.), Gamblers Anonymous (G.A.), and Alanon (a program for families affected by addiction).

What Exactly Are the Twelve Steps?

The Twelve Steps are a set of twelve principles that can be utilized to get sober and stay sober. They work as a system that builds upon one another until all of the steps are completed.

However, after the steps are completed, there is no “graduation.” The steps are then continually used to have a safe and healthy long-term recovery. This is important because many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse currently is in the U.S.

Relapse affects millions of people every year. According to the peer-reviewed Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment. For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.” To avoid a relapse by utilizing the Twelve Steps, one must first take that first step and admit that there is a problem.

The Twelve Steps: Admitting There Is a Problem

Now, the First Step of 12-Step recovery states, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.” This act of “admitting” is critical for recovery. It is the only way that one is going to accept the help that they need.

Now, that does not mean that one might not admit this reality right away. This is why it can be so important for the family to intervene and help get them the treatment that they need. Also, this means setting boundaries which can help them make the choice to get the help they need, such as going to day treatment. In day treatment, one can then find the “acceptance” that they need for recovery.

The Twelve Steps: Acceptance

Next, the Second Step of 12-Step recovery states, “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” In order to truly take this step, one must accept that they have a problem.

Once this acceptance occurs, an individual can then begin to believe that there is something out there that is ready and willing to help them recover. Now, this may be a Higher Power such as God or a religious figure, or it might be something like nature or even other people who have been successful in recovery.

It should be noted that many people avoid the Twelve Steps because they struggle with the “God” concept. However, it is important to remember that a Higher Power is about spirituality and not necessarily religion (unless that is the path that one wishes to take). Once one gets over this issue with a Higher Power, they most likely have taken on the willingness that is needed to continue with the Twelve Steps and successful recovery.

The Twelve Steps: Willingness

There is perhaps no bigger sign of willingness than when one is willing to complete the Ninth Step. The Ninth Step states, “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”

Now, the Ninth Step is all about humility and being able to admit one’s wrongs to others. However, it is not merely about saying sorry. It is also about making “living amends” by showing loved ones that a new life in sobriety is all about making the right choices and helping others. This is especially true when it comes to helping others with their recovery.

The Twelve Steps: Working With Others

Working with others is an essential component of a strong long-term recovery. Working with others is so crucial that it even has a chapter named after it in the Big Book.

The chapter “Working With Others” states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail… You can help when no one else can.” Many of these connections and friendships are made in recovery environments like day treatment.

The Twelve Steps and Day Treatment

Day treatment is an ideal environment for recovery. This is especially true for individuals who are able to keep one foot in their everyday lives as they also focus on their recovery.

However, many people minimize day treatment because they feel it may not be as effective as residential addiction care. This is simply untrue. Day treatment can be just as intensive, requiring eight-hour days, five days a week. This type of treatment also keeps people accountable by having regular alcohol and drug testing. Day treatment also uses all of the same means, methods, and modalities that are used in other types of treatment programs.

The Twelve Steps and Other Means, Methods, and Modalities

Now, the fact of the matter is that the treatment industry is now worth billions of dollars. Of course, this is good because there are more treatment centers available. Unfortunately, this also means that there are many bad actors who are more concerned with their bottom line than their client’s well-being. These are also the type of treatment centers that only offer overarching “one-note” recovery plans.

This is not the case at NorthStar Recovery Center. At NorthStar Recovery, we believe in the multi-angled approach that utilizes all areas of recovery. This includes modalities in the realm of experiential therapy like nature immersion therapy and art therapy, holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation, and psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

Healing With Psychotherapy

Psychotherapies like CBT and DBT are ideal for recovery because they get to the underlying issues that often cause addiction and mental illness. Many people don’t realize that addiction is more about the thoughts behind taking the drink or the drug than it is about the drink or the drug themselves.

CBT and DBT can be so effective because they help to make an individual an “active participant” in their recovery. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Consistent with the medical model of psychiatry, the overall goal of treatment is symptom reduction, improvement in functioning, and remission of the disorder. In order to achieve this goal, the patient becomes an active participant in a collaborative problem-solving process to test and challenge the validity of maladaptive cognitions and to modify maladaptive behavioral patterns… Although these strategies greatly emphasize cognitive factors, physiological, emotional, and behavioral components are also recognized for the role that they play in the maintenance of the disorder.”

Healing With Experiential Therapy

Many types of experiential therapy can help to bolster one’s experience with the Twelve Steps. This includes the way that nature immersion therapy helps individuals connect with their Higher Power.

Of course, nature immersion therapy also offers many other types of benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning.” Also, “While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” This ”CN” can also be found with holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation.

Healing With Holistic Healing Methods

The iconic yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar once said, “Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. Originally yoga was just used as a religious or spiritual practice, but it has since moved into the realm of recovery.

Yoga can help one find the serenity needed to practice the Twelve Steps. It also offers many other benefits. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering,g or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.” It also offers a great space for meditation.

A Focus on Long-Term Success With NorthStar Recovery Center

Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive with a focus on the future. They also offer a great opportunity to incorporate the Twelve Steps.

In many 12-Step recovery meetings, they say what is known as the “Responsibility Statement.” It goes, “I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of [recovery] always to be there. And for that I am responsible” This is also a cornerstone of what we believe at NorthStar Recovery Center. Yes, we are responsible, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Many people don’t realize the benefits that the Twelve Steps can have for someone recovering in day treatment. Also, these steps are most effective when used with other types of treatment modalities. Additionally, working with others can be a critical component of a successful recovery. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about utilizing the Twelve Steps for long-term success, please reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.