Our team at AKUA Mind and Body believes in celebrating recovery daily as addiction recovery is based on progress, not perfection. Each new day is one step forward in the right direction. The terms “sobriety” and “recovery” are often used interchangeably. However, these two terms have very distinct meanings when it comes time to addiction.
Anhedonia, Apathy and Depression May is Mental Health Awareness Month. A special month devoted to raising awareness and education about mental health. Mental health goes beyond the extent of the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Mental health includes being aware of our emotions, thoughts, personal
If you have a friend or relative who is struggling with a substance use disorder, whether it is alcohol, recreational drugs, or illicit drugs, it can be one of the most challenging situations to witness. Addiction can be crumbling, and when you are sitting in the backseat watching it unfold with your loved one, it
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goals requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” –Martin Luther King Addictive behavior is a symptom of deep underlying emotional processes. This destructive symptom often turns into habitual behavior. We don’t plan to become addicted to
Mentorships come in all shapes and sizes, from mentorships in the career and education space to mentorships in sports and the outdoors community; mentorships can be informal or formal. Mentorship in addiction recovery provides a structured accountability system between two individuals who can support each other and provide guidance to help teach and meet each
Having a loved one living with Mental Illness and/or an Addiction Disorder can be difficult. Fortunately, Akua provides many support groups that are available for friends and family members of those struggling or recovering from a Mental Health and/or Substance Use Disorder. AKUA’S VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS Offered Monday through Thursday, 5:30- 6:30 pm PST. Free
Alcoholism, formally known as alcohol abuse disorder, is the psychological and physical dependence on alcohol. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), in 2015, 15.1 million adults in the United States had an alcohol use problem. Individuals who are addicted to alcohol will go to extreme lengths to hide their addiction, will go through
Anxiety and Bipolar Disorder The hope and vision of World Bipolar Day are to bring world awareness to the world about bipolar disorder and to eliminate social stigma. This mood disorder affects nearly 3% of the adult U.S. population each year. World Bipolar Day (WBD) is celebrated each year on March 30th, Vincent Van Gogh’s
Traumatic stress and traumatizing events have a wide range of effects on brain function and structure. Trauma is defined as the perception that your safety and livelihood are in jeopardy, in other words, thinking that your life is at risk. Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes, from emotional trauma such as bullying, verbal abuse,
Self-harm, also known as intentional self-injury behavior, is the purposeful action of inflicting physical harm on your body and is a red flag sign for emotional distress. According to psychiatrists, self-harm is appropriately recognized as nonsuicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID) as these self-harm behaviors are done without any intention of suicide. In other words, the individual
“You don’t get over an addiction by stopping using. You recover by creating a new life where it is easier to not use. If you don’t create a new life, then all the factors that brought you to your addiction will catch up with you again.” -Anonymous Recovery can be viewed by many as a
Resiliency is often defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress, such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors”, according to the American Psychological Association. As much as resiliency involves “bouncing back” from these tough situations, it often
Trauma is a six-letter word that affects an individual emotionally, mentally, and physically for a long period of time and sometimes a lifetime. Trauma comes in all forms and can occur throughout any life stage. Whether the individual has been emotionally, physically, sexually, verbally, or psychologically neglected, abused, or traumatized, it is nearly inevitable that
“Get your beauty sleep” is an understatement, and we all need sleep to survive. Studies show that teenagers and all adults should get, on average, 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. However, the reality is drastically different. The average American adult sleeps six hours each night with hopes of stacking sleep on the weekends,
Challenges of Mental Health Disorders or Substance Abuse Mental health and substance abuse disorders affect all individuals regardless of their ethnicity, culture, or race. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental health disorders or substance abuse regardless of their background, however, background and identity can make access to treatment much more difficult. Studies have shown
Family Support During Addiction Treatment The family plays a central and pivotal role in addiction, whether it is an addiction to alcohol or illicit drugs. During the depths of an individual’s addiction, each family member plays a pivotal role and can strongly impact the individual in both positive and negative ways. Whether the family member
A European study published indicates that binge drinking and depression are much higher in female military spouses than the general female population. According to another study, nearly one-third of deployed soldiers’ military spouses had at least one mental health diagnosis. The number doubled when the spouse was deployed for more than 11 months. These spouses had a higher
“According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 1.6 million people (0.6 percent of the population) reported using methamphetamine in the past year, and 774,000 (0.3 percent) reported using it in the past month”. As methamphetamine-related deaths continue to rise, drug addiction treatment professionals are continually faced with challenges to
Boundaries are important for every relationship. From early childhood, we learn to set boundaries to protect ourselves and help others understand what is acceptable. All healthy romantic relationships have boundaries; whether they are spoken or unspoken, we set them for ourselves and our partner. They especially protect and help us during our loved one’s addiction
Cocaine Abuse Treatment & Recovery Process Cocaine is a common illicit stimulant that is abused to obtain a euphoric high. Also known as coke, C, blow, powder, snow, flake, and many other street names, cocaine comes in a powder that can be snorted or injected and in a solid form that can be smoked. Cocaine
Depression Symptoms & Recovery Factors Sorrow and worthlessness are the cornerstone feelings of depression. Many individuals, often feel as though they have no energy, hope, or drive, which can interfere with romantic relationships. It may sometimes be hard to open up to your romantic partner about your battle with depression. As a result, you may
The Goal of Substance Abuse Treatment The goal of substance abuse treatment is always sobriety. Staying away from drugs and alcohol, avoiding people who are associated with drugs and alcohol, and learning to control your unhealthy triggers and thoughts is the epitome of a successful recovery. However, sobriety is challenging for many different reasons. Change
Mental health disorders can be described as any mental, behavioral or emotional disorder that results in impairment in multiple aspects of an individual’s life. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately one in five adults in the United States lives with a mental health disorder. There is a large amount of stigma attached
How does your sexual orientation contribute to your addiction? Are you comfortable in your own skin? Have you told anyone your sexual orientation? Do you have anyone in your life that supports your sexual orientation? Have you told anyone about your struggle with addiction? In the early those of addiction treatment, LGBTQ individuals need support,
Addiction is a family disease, meaning that if an individual is struggling with a substance use disorder, it will affect the rest of the family in various ways. As they respond with a wide range of coping mechanisms, their reactive behaviors influence their loved one who is struggling with addiction. The family dysfunction that results
“And after a long time the boy came back again. “I am sorry, Boy,” said the tree, “but I have nothing left to give you- My apples are gone.” “My teeth are too weak for apples,” said the boy. “My branches are gone,” said the tree. “You cannot swing on them-“ “I am too old
Substance use disorders, whether it is heroin, marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, or stimulants, no doubt, harvest secrecy, isolation, and deception. Individuals with a substance use disorder often live in a complex web of lies specifically designed to keep dangerous coping mechanisms in place and “protected” from those who sincerely want to help. Individuals will often hide
The New Year signals a new start, a whole new year to wipe your slate clean, and a chance to make lofty goals known as New Year’s resolutions. New Year’s resolutions can be troublesome for many individuals. On the one hand, these are a way to set high standards and new goals, but most of
