healthy recovery

How Can Gardening Help in Recovery?

Posted on April 27, 2020

We can compare our recovery journey to gardening: starting by weeding out our substances, then re-planting ourselves, finding our roots, watering and nurturing our new selves, and enjoying the growth that is visible to all. However, what if we did actual gardening when we are...

How Can I Find Comfort in Rehab?

Posted on April 17, 2020

in Addiction Rehab, healthy recovery, Rehab Centers

by AToN Center

Stigma would have us believe that rehab only takes place in drab, dreary hospital-like settings, with large groups of people sitting around in meetings where no one talks to each other. But stigma has not reached the year 2020. Treatment for substance use looks more...

The Healing Powers of Acupuncture

Posted on February 10, 2020

in acupuncture, healthy recovery, Holistic Healing

by AToN Center

The healing power of acupuncture has been around for centuries in some parts of the world. However, Western medicine is still trying to figure out exactly how and why it works so well here in 2020. They simply know that it does work, as there...

How Can I Be There for the People in My Life Again?

Posted on January 10, 2020

in healthy lifestyle, healthy recovery

by AToN Center

One of the ways that substance abuse impacts the people around us the most is in our inability to show up for others. Whether it is at home, with friends, or at work, time and time again we make promises, and time and time again...

Moving On: The Inherent Grief of Leaving Your Old Life

Posted on December 18, 2019

in 5 stages of grief, healthy recovery, trauma recovery

by AToN Center

With the new year on the horizon, many are evaluating their lives and preparing to make resolutions. There is not a better time to evaluate our own lives, our relationship with substance use, and what we want our future to look like. There is no...

Self-Care: Luxury for the Soul

Posted on December 11, 2019

in healthy lifestyle, healthy recovery, Mental Health

by AToN Center

We surround ourselves with luxury in our lives. Homes, cars, boats, and other material things that give us comfort and joy. But then we neglect our souls. Through substance abuse, we condemn our inner selves to the existence of pain and poverty, even if our...

Balance Your Life

Posted on March 28, 2018

in addiction recovery, healthy recovery, music, Phish, Rock To Recovery, sober activities, sober fun, sober lifestyle, sober living, sober outings

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...

Emotional Sobriety In Recovery

Posted on February 3, 2018

in Acceptance, addiction recovery, emotional sobriety, emotions, healthy recovery, recovery, recovery process, sobriety

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...

Important Factors When Seeking Treatment for Addiction

Agreeing with the Critic

Posted on February 2, 2018

in addiction, criticism, critics, Dr. Cox, healthy recovery, Healthy Relationships, recovery

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...

Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Posted on November 27, 2017

in addiction, balance, Balanced Living, exercise, healthy recovery, mindfullness, nutrition, P.A.W.S., recovery, relaxation, spirituality, substance abuse, substance misuse, withdrawal, withdrawal symptoms

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....