healthy recovery

Balance Your Life

March 28, 2018 // by Aton Center

One of the six foundations of recovery as taught at AToN Center is to Balance Your Life. Having balance and a healthy lifestyle includes having fun! Whether it be a creative outlet, the great outdoors, playing sports or just hanging out with friends, many people in recovery find it helpful to develop (or rediscover) hobbies.

It’s natural to consider the activities that you liked prior to recovery, although for many people these activities are laden with triggers due to being tainted by previously participating in the activity while using. Often it is difficult to un-pair these associations.

We make it a point at AToN Center to help residents begin to have fun again without substance use. We do so by incorporating play/fun into our program via hiking, paddle boarding, bowling, mini-golf, the zoo, playing music (Rock To Recovery), playing games like ping pong, and many other outings and activities.

Often the key to actually having fun is to participate in activities you enjoy with like-minded people. Many individuals who love music and concerts often have strong associations with drinking and drugging while they saw live music in the past. In fact, for many bands and music festivals there is a well-known culture that normalizes excessive drinking and drugging. These types of events are particularly difficult for those in recovery because there is such an emphasis on drugs and alcohol. For the newly sober, and even the more seasoned, a music festival would be a high-risk activity. It is good to know that recently there is more of a sober presence at music festivals such as Bonnaroo and even at Phish shows!

There’s even a growing sober club scene! These exciting opportunities do not completely negate the risk involved in these activities but they provide support for those who do want to participate. Find more on sober clubbing here.

Dr. Sanders
Program Director
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Emotional Sobriety In Recovery

February 3, 2018 // by Aton Center

The struggle of daily life can seem insurmountable when people are unable to handle their emotions. A shortage of emotional maturity can make satisfaction a hard commodity to come by. This also makes it more likely that maladaptive coping skills such as substance misuse will be utilized to cope with the discomfort. Relying on drugs and alcohol to cope with negative emotions halts emotional growth and development.

This is why there is a focus in early recovery on continued emotional development, or emotional sobriety. A failure to develop this emotional sobriety makes it difficult for an individual to rebuild coping skills outside of drugs and alcohol. Unpleasant emotions are a part of life, so learning healthy coping skills is paramount to continued recovery from addiction.

The ability to manage feelings positively is a hallmark of emotional sobriety. An emotionally sober person is no longer held captive by negative emotions. They are able to ‘feel their feelings’ and maintain a sense of serenity at the same time without the urge to escape into substance misuse.

A key to emotional sobriety is learning to keep acceptance high and expectations low of the people, places and things that come into an individual’s life. When an expectation is not met, it leaves the door open for resentment and other negative emotions. Acceptance means living in the reality of a situation or problem and making a choice to find the best solution or response. There is a great deal of empowerment and peace in choosing to come from a place of acceptance.

One of the foundations at the AToN Center is ‘Manage Emotions’ which fosters the development of emotional sobriety in a multitude of ways. There are recovery studies on Codependency, The Role of Values, Building Sober Support, Entitlement, Frustration Tolerance and Honesty in Recovery. We also offer psychology groups that help build emotional sobriety such as Core Beliefs, Rationalizations for Use, Empathy, CBT on Emotions and Self-Esteem.

The development of emotional sobriety is a process that takes time and patience. But the pay off is a newfound sense of serenity and confidence in the ability to manage uncomfortable emotions without the use of drugs and alcohol to escape.

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Agreeing with the Critic

February 2, 2018 // by Aton Center

When a person is in their active addiction they often find blunt and tactless ways of sustaining their use. Defensiveness can be a significant problem in early recovery as a person is still accustomed to protecting and maintaining their habit.

Many residents at the AToN Center describe experiences of friends or family members trying to confront them on their intoxicated behaviors to which the response is to shut down any feedback at all. Often, this is done by focusing on a less relevant detail that detracts form the main issue at hand. This can take the form of arguing about how much you really had to drink or the exact number of days where the person was using.

The idea of agreeing with the critic is not that you agree with everything that another person says but that you learn to accept the parts of the feedback that are true. If someone brings up your use, find a way to agree with the feedback, look for the truth in what they are trying to share with you about your behaviors so that you will be better able to change them and work towards a healthy recovery. Imagine saying, “I didn’t drink on that particular day but it is true that there have been many more than I have.”

Chad K. Cox PsyD
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

November 27, 2017 // by Aton Center

When residents enter into treatment, often they fear the physical withdrawal symptoms and forget about the emotional and psychological withdrawal symptoms that can make long-term sobriety so difficult.

These emotional and psychological symptoms comprise the second stage of withdrawal, called “Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome” or P.A.W.S. There is no set length of time that these symptoms may linger. It depends on variables such as age, length and type of substance misuse, environment, and recovery program.

Post Acute Withdrawal symptoms may include the following:

Lethargy
Anhedonia
Emotional Lability
Stress Sensitivity
Memory Problems
Sleep Disturbances
Physical Coordination Problems

At AToN Center, we teach you how to manage P.A.W.S symptoms by providing recovery study groups, mindfulness exercises and developing healthy habits with emphasis on the following:

Stabilization and Awareness (Mindfulness)
Nutrition
Exercise
Relaxation
Spirituality
Balanced Living

While there is no short- term “cure” for Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, AToN Center focuses on developing the ability to accept and manage the uncomfortable symptoms. Recovery from addiction is a process that requires learning new coping skills and developing a healthy support group to be maintained long after leaving AToN Center.

Kate Judd M.S., CADC-II
CD Counselor

AToN Center 888-525-1516

CD Counselor

Maintaining Motivation

November 8, 2017 // by Aton Center

Residents at AToN Center are making major lifestyle changes. They “reset” their lives in a way – they stop drinking and using.

They learn new ways of communicating, thinking and caring for themselves. By the time they stand at their AToN Ceremony, they are essentially a new person! So how do you maintain those positive changes that you worked so hard for? Here are some helpful tips:

1. Remember the reasons you changed your life! They likely include your well being, health, family, educational/career aspirations and more! Check out the CBAs you completed within the first few days of your admission at AToN. You could probably add to them! Review and update these lists often!

2. Review your AToN Workbook and AToN Binder periodically. You will find new insights as you progress through your recovery, which will help you maintain motivation!

3. Make future plans – plans that you can only achieve while in recovery. I believe that joy comes from personal growth and progression. Sign up for a class, take up a new hobby – SMART Recovery’s Vital Absorbing Creative Interest (VACI) tool can assist you!

4. Share you goals and your progress with someone! That person can keep you accountable and cheer you on when you need it.

5. Play the tape through – this not only works as a relapse prevention tactic, but as a motivation builder. Think about what you will gain by maintaining your active recovery plan!

6. Be gentle with yourself! We all have ups and downs. Turn to your support group and reset goals if you need to. Look at what you learned as a way to rebuild and maintain momentum.

Remember to ask yourself these three questions: What do I want for my future? What am I currently doing to achieve that? How do I feel about what I’m currently doing? SMART Recovery’s “Three Questions” exercise can always assist in maintaining motivation. These questions will help you evaluate your goals and your progress.

Dr. Cassandra Cannon
Clinical Director

AToN Center 888-535-1516

A Healthy Outlet

October 23, 2017 // by Aton Center

It can be extremely helpful to find a healthy outlet to engage in when you are in recovery from substance abuse or behavioral addictions. This can be a form of relapse prevention and a way to truly enjoy the new life you are living. The endorphins that are produced when enjoying something new and exciting can be a great deterrent to use substances or engage in unhealthy behaviors.

Finding out what makes you happy is a search many recovering individuals embark upon. Think about something you loved prior to engaging in your addiction… Something you have always wanted to do… Or a combination of things you enjoy that can make it even more fun… Sometimes teaching others to do something you love can bring even more fulfillment and purpose to your new sober life…

I found that after getting sober I fell in love with board sports: snow, skate, and surf! I also really love yoga! I began practicing Standup Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga and fell in love all over again. Being on the board, on the water, and practicing yoga in that element is simply euphoric. Teaching others has an even deeper meaning! Passing along something you found that helps add beauty to your life can be invigorating and strengthens the bond you’re creating in recovery.

As the saying goes “We have to give it away to keep it!”

Kristin Colton CATC II

Chemical Dependency Counselor

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Priorities, Structure, and Routine in Early Recovery

August 28, 2017 // by Aton Center

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint- Exupery

While actively in our addictions, often our values and morals are forgotten and instant gratification and self-centeredness prevail. This can cause us to lose sight of our purpose in this world and shifts priorities to dismal ends. In early recovery, we get to rediscover our goals and priorities which may have fallen by the way side of our chemical dependence.

This return to our values can help us prioritize our daily schedules and routines which serve as a reflection of what is most important to us. A solid daily schedule and routine is a touchstone in early recovery because it fosters accountability, confidence and security. This is accomplished by first taking inventory of values, then using those values which we hold dear to us as a road map to plan a healthy routine. If values are in conflict with one another, personal identity and priorities will reflect conflict. When we live according to our values, we derive more meaning and purpose from daily life.

At AToN Center, we first learn to reconnect and identify the values which define us through therapeutic exercises such as “Values and Goals Clarification”, “Core Beliefs”, and “Fun in Sobriety.” Then we focus on planning a structured daily routine by engaging in an exercise called “Optimal Weekly Schedule” in which we focus on specific time management, priorities, and goals which are based on our values.

These separate exercises have a symbiotic relationship which serve to increase self- efficacy, provide purpose and meaning, and keep us responsible.

Kate Judd

CD Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

WHEN

August 19, 2017 // by Aton Center

I was recently given an assignment by my sponsor/coach to write on the acronym WHEN. The assignment was to give a word to each letter and explain why you choose that word. I was able to see how using the word WHEN can really effect the way one is living today. I want to encourage you to do this and see what comes out of it.

I chose the words:

W-Waiting
H-Hard
E-Everything
N-Never

When writing on all of these words I was able to reflect on how these words have so much power over my life TODAY! If I am focused on when this or that happens and not in the present moment I miss all that life is offering me NOW.

At AToN Center we get to do a lot of work on Mindfulness, practicing Present Moment focus, as well as CBT and testing the POWER of words and thoughts on the emotions and actions.

I am so excited to be a part of a program that continues to teach me as I teach others, as well as grow in my own recovery and life! So instead of focusing on WHEN, I want to challenge us all to look at NOW, as this is truly all we have…

Kristin Colton CATC II

Chemical Dependency Counselor

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Researchers Support Mindfulness When Addressing Co-Occurring Depression and Substance Use Disorders

August 7, 2017 // by Aton Center

Meditation and Mindfulness are practices that call to attention our current thoughts, feelings and opinions. Theravada Buddhism which helped establish the practice of Mindfulness was established over 3000 years ago. Modern science is increasingly assessing the benefits of Mindfulness. Those suffering from Co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis may find much needed help through practicing Mindfulness.

Mindfulness helps lessen the feelings of anxiety and depression and helps lessen the severity of triggers and cravings that often lead to relapsing on drugs or alcohol.

The following research article in Addiction, published by the Society for the Study of Addiction finds merit in Mindfulness for those suffering from co-occurring disorders (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2905496/);

“A recent consensus definition of mindfulness emphasizes two complementary elements:
1) the placement of attention on the immediate experience; and, 2) adopting an open, curious, accepting attitude toward that experience. Taken together, these data provide a rationale for the hypothesis that MT (Mindfulness) may target shared underlying mechanisms in MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) and SUDs (Substance Use Disorders) in a dually diagnosed population.”

This research article suggests that Mindfulness helps the practicing individual not “ruminate” on feelings of depression, but rather practice healthy coping skills. When healthy coping skills are learned and practiced, the recovering individual is less likely to choose relapsing.

At AToN Center, we teach Mindfulness and Buddhist practice in conjunction with other evidenced based coping skills to help those suffering from dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders live healthy, happy lives.

Chris McDuffie, MA CADC II
Chemical Dependency Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

An Apple a Day…

July 27, 2017 // by Aton Center

In treatment at the AToN Center there is often some time given to addressing healthy eating as a part of recovery. Many residents have shared their own negative experiences with their diets while in the midst of their addiction. Some tend towards the over eating side – they can indulge in fast food, frozen foods, candy, sodas and other calorically dense items as a way of staving off a hangover or because one’s will power has been diminished by the addiction.

For those struggling with alcohol they often get their calories from those nearly nutrition-free drinks. Others lose their appetite while using. A person can stop feeling the legitimate feedback of their hunger pains because their body is saturated with mood altering substances.

A positive sign of recovery is when one’s hunger returns in a more balanced and healthy fashion. At the AToN Center we promote wellness in food to such an extent that our chef’s often get more compliments than any other staff members. Remember when you are working on your recovery don’t forget to attend to the energy your body needs. Avoid the junk and load up on the fruits and vegetables.

Chad K. Cox PsyD
AToN Center 888-535-1516

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