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Why is Yoga a Part of Recovery?

February 17, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

When we begin our recovery, some things are obvious. We obviously need to go through detoxification as we become sober. Therapy makes a lot of sense, we have been through a lot. Meditation can be very calming and help us clear our minds. Learning coping skills, having some recreation and group activities… all of these make sense. One thing stands out, though: why is yoga a part of recovery?

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a practice that is thousands of years old. Originally, it was a spiritual practice, handed down through generations. Modern yoga is often seen as more of a physical workout. Many do find it very relaxing and find that it centers them, or helps them to feel mentally and physically well.

The truth is that yoga is a physical, spiritual and mental workout. The holistic focus of yoga does so much more than make us burn calories, sweat, or tone our muscles. Yoga also helps us feel relaxed, focused, and mentally healthy, too. There are three main components of yoga that help us to be well:

1) Breathe – a big part of yoga is to learn and practice deep breathing. This helps in multiple ways. Breathing is a cleansing practice. Not only are we focusing on taking in more oxygen, which helps our bodies and minds, but we also focus on exhaling. When we exhale, the air leaves our bodies, but negative energy is also released with each time we breathe out. Breathing helps us to cleanse our minds, bodies, and spirits and to invite new, healing oxygen and energy into our bodies. It is not just about the physical exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. Breathing is healing on a physical and emotional level.

The focus we acquire as we breathe is also very beneficial. We become more in tune with how our bodies are feeling and what is going on inside of them. This is so healing after substance use, where we physically punished our bodies and emotionally disconnect from our physical and mental pain. With every deep, cleansing breath that we take, we are healing the mental and emotional connections to our physical bodies.

2) Meditate – meditation hones our minds and acts as a workout for the control center of our bodies. As Yoga is a meditative practice by nature, we increase our ability to focus and clear our minds. This is very calming and relaxing for many of us who have physical side effects from substance abuse that make it difficult for us to hold still or remain calm and relaxed.

Meditation also helps us to exercise the part of our minds that will help us to control our cravings. The more we meditate, the better we get at conditioning our minds to resist cravings. Meditation is a very powerful tool against substance cravings, which impact us mentally, emotionally and physically. The mental conditioning and healing that yoga provides is exactly what we need in our recovery.

3) Tone Our Bodies – this is one of the obvious benefits, as many of us know yoga to be a physically challenging endeavor. The stretching and holding of various positions does wonders for the body in the recovery process. It may not seem like it would be much of a physically demanding workout, but the act of holding our bodies still is an excellent physical challenge. This is healing, as our bodies have suffered a lot during our substance use. Learning to use them in a way that requires strength and relaxation, concentration and endurance, all at the same time, helps us to improve our body strength, conditioning, and control.

This focused, intense muscle workout also helps us to regain mastery over our bodies. Not just the ability to hold still and stretch and hold our muscles into unholy positions, but the ability to control what our bodies are doing. We can feel the sensations as we stretch and hold, we can be acutely aware of everything going on in our bodies. For us to focus mentally, emotionally, and physically can be exceptionally healing.

Why Yoga?

Yoga is not just any exercise. It is a complete, holistic workout for the mind, body, and soul. While that would be healthy for anyone, yoga is particularly helpful in helping us heal from substance abuse. It is kind of like re-learning to walk, except the skills we acquire such as breathing, meditation, and toning of our bodies may be new skills to us. Yoga empowers us to take control and heal our minds, bodies, and souls in a way that is realistic and helpful.

Your recovery should heal you holistically – emotionally, mentally, and physically. Yoga is a rigorous and demanding workout for all aspects of your being. You can recover without yoga, but the benefits of yoga are beneficial to explore as you progress on the journey of sobriety.

Yoga can take your weaknesses and makes them strengths. It can give you more power and control over your body, mind, and soul than you may have ever thought was possible. This is why yoga is a part of recovery. The mindfulness of self and healing that occurs can improve life in significant ways, and you are worth that.

Find out the value of yoga in recovery. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 today. You can heal your mind, body, and soul.

Smashing Stigma about Recovery

February 17, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

There has been a lot of stigma about addiction. Society portrays people with substance use issues as outsiders, miscreants, living on the street and on the fringe of society. But we know that addiction is me. It is you. It is us. Addiction affects human beings from every walk of life, at every age. We are all human beings who live and breathe and love like everyone else, no matter our station in life. When people realize that we are all addicted, only then will perceptions change. When we stand tall and tell our stories, then we can smash the stigma about addiction and recovery.

Our Own Stigma

One of the biggest stumbling blocks of stigma is that we ourselves have bought into it. If we believe that we are the stereotype that society has painted of addiction, then stigma has won. Self-loathing tends to go hand and hand with substance use, but it is neither productive nor helpful to our cause. When we buy into the stigma and wallow in our self-loathing, we become what we believe about ourselves.

We can learn to separate our behaviors from our true selves and learn the art of acceptance. We can learn about what addiction is, why and how it affects us, and how our behaviors can change when we seek treatment. The first step in smashing stigma is to convince ourselves that we are human beings with strengths and weaknesses, graces and challenges, just like everyone else. No one is perfect, but when we suffer from substance abuse issues, it doesn’t make us less of a person. It makes us more human. It gives us the opportunity to affect change.

Other People’s Perceptions

It can be difficult to change other people’s perceptions, sometimes it’s impossible. That doesn’t mean that we should give up. One of the most powerful ways to affect change in this world is by living authentically. By showing the world who we are, every single day, and experiencing and sharing human emotions side by side with other people, we can change the world.

The perceptions of society are formed from the media, especially the entertainment industry. In the year 2020, there are still parts in plays, movies, and television shows portraying “the town drunk” or “the crack addict.” The ignorance that is perpetuated so profusely is very powerful, but often on a subliminal level. This is why we need to live courageously and without shame, our real-life experiences with other people will create a conscious representation of human beings who live with addiction. When we are able to convey the reality of what substance abuse and recovery looks like, then we can truly change other people’s perceptions.

Education Conquers Ignorance

Another way to influence change is to help educate others about substance use. When we are willing to talk about our experiences, we can also educate others about what substance use is and is not. We can clarify misconceptions and share knowledge so that others are better informed. When people are educated, ignorance makes way for tolerance, acceptance, and support. Education humanizes substance use and empowers people to relate instead of judge, to support instead of dismiss. Education smashes stigma and creates space for everyone to grow.

Being Brave

It can be difficult enough to face our own truths, to fight the stigma that is deeply rooted in our own lives. It takes true courage to share our truths, to stand up and speak out about things that we ourselves have been ashamed of. However, there is power in being courageous. There is power in doing something that exposes the truth and legitimizes humanity. That power lifts us up and helps us to realize that we are brave. Sharing our truth can help lift others. Being honest and authentic helps to reinforce our own existence.

Being Heroic

There is something else that comes from our courage in standing up and sharing: we can become role models in other people’s lives. When we talk about our own experiences with substance use and recovery, we can help empower others to face their own substance use and to make changes in their lives, too. When we normalize that which was stigmatized, we open doors for others to grow and find their own recovery.

Educating others about substance use and sharing our experiences can take courage, but when we are willing to step out of our comfort zone, we can change the lives of other people. Even if we did not have anyone to light the way or educate us, we can open windows and doors for other people and create a generation of change that can last forever. We can be heroes for the present and the future. With a ripple effect of knowledge and wisdom, we can change the world.

Breaking the stigma of addiction and recovery begins within ourselves. As we learn to accept and learn more about the forces within us, then we can live in a way that humanizes substance use and changes the perceptions of others. That conversation can lead to education and empowerment that not only affects change in perception but also can inspire change in others. We can change the stigma. The power is within us. Our own transformation can also change the world.

Change the perception of addiction and recovery. Stand tall and be the face of change. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 now.

The Greatest Love

February 13, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

At the time of the year when love is being celebrated, there is a lot of commercialization surrounding what love is or how to show it. However, there is a love that is more important than flowers, chocolates, or anything that is considered romantic. It is your love of yourself. The greatest love you can ever experience in this world is self-love.

Loving yourself is not just looking in the mirror and saying “I love you.” Loving yourself is forgiveness, compassion, and a burning desire to be your best every single day. Loving yourself goes well beyond indulging in something you enjoy or treating yourself well. It is about your commitment to your integrity, your well-being, and your power. Your recovery is how you demonstrate the greatest love.

Forgiveness

Substance use can bring out your worst, expose things that maybe you didn’t even know you were capable of. You do not need to be those things.

On the flip side, the ability to forgive yourself shows a moral character that goes much deeper than your troubles. If you are in emotional pain and you feel low, you can accept yourself for who you are, even at your worst. You can acknowledge both your true self and your behaviors, and you can accept yourself for your flaws and your strengths.

Acceptance leads the way to forgiveness, which is such a powerful and healing experience. When you look in the mirror, you do not have to like what you see at this moment. You do need to believe in qualities that may be masked by what is currently on the surface. Knowing that you can be better, wanting to be better, and being willing to forgive the parts that are not there yet can give you a peace that can be the foundation for the rest of your life.

Compassion

Sometimes compassion is seen as a weakness, but it actually takes great strength to show yourself compassion. Compassion is not justifying your behaviors or hiding what you may have done. Compassion is accepting yourself for who you are, what you have done, and being merciful in your self-judgment.

You can show yourself compassion when, instead of trying to hide your worst parts, you are willing to dig deep and weed out the things you don’t like when you look in the mirror, willing to change. Compassion is showing yourself unconditional love, and having the strength to seek healing to make your weak parts strong. Compassion is loving yourself in spite of yourself.

Integrity

To heal yourself, you will need integrity. It is easy to face ourselves when we have done something well or achieved something amazing. It is much more difficult to face ourselves when we have done something that is embarrassing, harmful, or destructive. Having integrity means that we can own up to everything – good or bad – and be honest with ourselves and others about what we have done. Self-love requires integrity because it is only when we have looked internally and acknowledged all of the parts of ourselves that we can truly say that we love ourselves.

Wellness

Your recovery journey begins now. Once you’ve looked in the mirror and accept who you are and what you’ve done, you are ready to find your own wellness. You have put in the work to change the parts of what you don’t like.

Wellness is loving yourself mind, body, and spirit. It is loving the good parts of who you are, having compassion on yourself when you are not at your best, and wanting change enough to work every single day to improve the parts of you that you don’t like as much.

Wellness is finding the balance between your mind, body, and spirit. It is also finding the balance between your past and your present, and the balance between who you are and who you want to be. We achieve wellness when we start our recovery journey and we have the courage to face each new day with the desire to maintain the balance that we have found.

Power

Self-love is power. The power to see yourself for who you are and the power to change what you don’t like. Acceptance, forgiveness, and compassion give you the power to be free. Free from pain, free from addiction, and free to live your life with integrity. Loving yourself also gives you the power to pick yourself back up if you stumble or fall, the power to run when you didn’t even know you could stand on your own two feet. When you love yourself, you take the control back in your life and give yourself immeasurable power to succeed.

Love is a word that can be used in many ways. While romantic love may be celebrated one day a year, the greatest love can be celebrated every single day. When you are able to forgive yourself, have compassion, show integrity, and do the work to obtain your wellness, you will find a source of endless power. That power is self-love. You are worth it. You deserve it. Start your recovery today and discover the greatest love.

Give yourself the gift of the greatest love. Give yourself the gift of recovery. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 now.

How Can I Get the Most Out of My Recovery?

January 31, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

Along with the stigma of substance use comes the media-glorified tradition of the intervention. When someone has a problem with substance use, family and friends conspire to talk them into or even force them into getting help. Being an unwitting and unwilling victim of other people’s good intentions is the least effective start to your recovery process. Sometimes, it still happens, though. Whether you got here with “help” or you got here of your own desire for help, there is one question that is always worth asking: How can I get the most out of my recovery?

The answer is you.

Let it Go

Whatever your process was for getting here, leave that behind. The resentment you may be holding onto about people who pushed or forced you into treatment is not helping anyone. Words that were said to you or about you in the past because of your substance use will not help you get anywhere. Your own reservations about coming to treatment, your fears, your past failures… none of this is helping anyone, least of all you. And all of it is history now. You are here, you are ready, and your success depends upon you. So just let go of everything else and take a leap of faith.

Open Your Mind

There are lots of preconceived notions floating around about what treatment for substance use is. Don’t let them cloud your judgment. Recovery is a personal experience. The best treatment facilities allow you to choose from many treatment options to personalize your own treatment. That means that your treatment can be whatever you want it to be.

When you open your mind to the possibilities in recovery, possibilities become open to you. For example, if you thought that treatment for substance use was all about sobriety, you can think again. Treatment can be so much more than stopping our substance use. Treatment involves many mental, physical, and spiritual factors that help us to dig deep and look at why we used substances in the first place. It is about healing, mentally and physically from the harm we have suffered, and it is about learning new ways of thinking and behaving in order to live a holistically healthier life going forward.

Make the Choice

The process of your recovery begins when you make the choice. You buy into the healing process when you decide you want more for yourself and your life. This is a decision that only you can make. All of the therapy and classes and yoga and meditation and whatever other treatment methods are happening won’t make a difference in your life long-term until you make the choice.

Recovery is yours. While there are a lot of people around who want this for you, while they will do anything and everything in their power to help you, they cannot do it for you. Only you have the power to make the changes. Only you can make the choice.

Do the Work

Once you have decided and made the commitment to yourself and your life to not only stop using substances, or to get treatment for your substance use, but to also recover your life and live powerfully going forward, then you must do the work. Again, no one else can do this for you. You need to dig deep. Do every little thing you can to make this change. Do all of the big, hard things that you need to do to make this change. When you do the work, you become the change.

Doing the work means truly learning mindfulness. Showing up for meditation not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Doing the work means truly making the most of your therapy sessions by being alert, conscious, and willing to learn. Doing the work means looking inward and learning more about yourself, about why you used substances, and how you can fortify yourself going forward. Doing the work means doing everything you can at all times to be the person you want to be.

Reap the Rewards

No one else can make the choice for you. No one else can do the work for you. And no one else can reap the rewards like you. When you do everything that you can to maximize your recovery process, then you also get the maximum rewards. You can have a certain freedom that comes with committing to staying free of substances. You can have the peace of mind that comes when you have done the work and are healing from your past pain. You can have the joy in knowing that you are the captain of your own ship and the security of knowing that what you have learned will help you to keep you at the helm of your life going forward.

How do I get the most out of my recovery? That is a question that only you can answer. You are the only one who has complete control over your recovery experience. No one else can do it for you. No matter how you got here or who got you here, you have to be the reason that you stayed. You have to be the reason that all of this happens. And when you make that choice and do the work, you will be the one who reaps the rewards. Make your choice. Change your life. Take control today.

Maximize your recovery process by calling AToN Center at (888) 813-5928. Make the call today and take control of your recovery and your life today.

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction

January 30, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

Your memories of your family are always intertwined with substances. Mom always kept a bottle hidden and would drink when she was sad, and also when she thought no one was looking. When dad was drunk, he would be very, very angry. Even grandpa always smelled like alcohol, and grandma committed suicide after losing a long battle with drinking and depression. Now, there is you. Drinking is how your family has always coped with life. So when life got tough, you started drinking.

But no. You don’t want your life to be like that. Families have a lot of great traits and traditions to pass along, but this is not one of them. Maybe it won’t be easy, but you can break this cycle of addiction. You can be a pioneer in your family, a pioneer of mental health and sobriety. You can love your family, and still choose a different path. This is your life, your recovery.

The Genetics of Addiction

Alcohol use is merely one example. Families propagate addiction in many ways, often in multiple ways per family. It can be illicit drugs, prescription drugs, or even addictions such as gambling or sex or food addictions. There can also be co-occurring disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD, and more that make the situation that much more complicated. Overall, if your parents struggle with alcoholism or drug addiction, you are likely to be at least 50-60 percent genetically predisposed to addiction as well. This figure increases even more with environmental factors.

Learned Behaviors

Another major factor in addiction comes from learned behaviors. If you see dad drink whenever there is stress, or even on a regular basis, you will naturally learn that this is appropriate behavior. If mom gets high when the going gets tough, or even at the end of every day, then it will seem very natural for you to do the same. Learned behaviors are reinforced every time we witness them, and it can be very difficult to un-learn these actions. In fact, they are more than likely burned into our subconscious, and so repeating these behaviors is literally second nature to us.

Crisis Living

Another factor in addiction cycles within the family is the propensity for crisis living. It is very rare to live a calm and peaceful life when there is substance use in the home. Families live in crisis emotionally, financially, and physically, which in turn perpetuates more substance use.

For example, abuse is rampant with substance abuse. Whether it be emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, the result of childhood trauma is often to turn to substance abuse. Financial crisis can be caused by the cost of substance habits, or merely not being able to make and keep a budget because of the substance use. Chronic financial crisis begets inherited money problems as well as more substance abuse. Substance use can also create other physical crises such as moving often, dealing with accidents or incarceration of family members, or death. All of these crises situations and more perpetuate future generations of substance abuse.

Breaking the Mold

You can change the story, write a new script for your life. Taking the leap of faith into recovery can feel especially foreign to you if no one else in your family has done it. After all, you are breaking the mold to desire mental health and freedom from substance use. But breaking the mold can also be exhilarating. You face a new future, with doors opening for you that you never thought possible. Making this choice is powerful for anyone, but you are breaking a cycle. You are truly empowered.

Courageous Soul, Broken Heart

Being courageous can have its consequences. Many families with generational addiction will not only not be supportive of your choice but could disavow themselves of you altogether. More likely, you may find that in order to be true to your own recovery, you may have to drastically change your relationships with them, even to the point of not having any communication with them. These are worst-case scenarios, but you should know that the possibility of pruning your family tree exists. Sometimes with great courage, we are left with a broken heart.

However, this sacrifice is not in vain. You are doing this for you, to give yourself a life that you would otherwise never have. You are doing this to create freedom for future generations, too. To save your life, and the lives of your children, their children, etc., you may be forced to make painful choices. Making these choices with love and clarity, without the lenses of enabling or making excuses for addiction, you will find that true love is being willing to create a new life for yourself and in turn bless the generations that came before as well as the generations to come.

This is the life you have known, and you know it is not healthy. You want something more. You want freedom from substances, the gift that keeps on giving for generations to come. You can find your road to recovery, with or without your family’s blessing. It will be hard, given the genetics, learned behaviors, and crisis lifestyle. But it will also be empowering. You can break the cycle, write a new story. The power is in you and will transfer to your posterity. Be the gamechanger in your family tree.

Break the cycle of addiction in your family. Give your future generations the freedom to live addiction-free. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 now.

Changing the Fear Factor

January 27, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

Whoever coined the phrase “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself” clearly never faced the paralyzing decision to seek treatment for addiction. On the one hand, we are often faced with this decision when we feel like we have absolutely nothing to lose. But there is also the stigma, having to explain it to family, friends, and people at work. And submitting ourselves to some unknown type of treatment for what is sometimes not even a definite time period is really hard to do. Or the worst fear of all: do we even want to recover? There are so many fears surrounding treatment for substance use. However, we can change the fear factor and change our lives.

What is Treatment?

If treatment for substance use was a carnival, people would be lined up to get in, substance use or not. How many of us even know what treatment is, though?

Treatment for substance use usually begins with some kind of detoxification, usually with some type of medical monitoring around the clock. Certain types of substances, such as opioids, can have severe side effects during withdrawal. These side effects are lessened considerably with the use of Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT. This sounds scary but is very short term.

Once your body is free of substance, then the work of treatment begins. Programs vary widely in terms of either set programs that everyone conforms to or personalized treatment that is designed with your needs in mind. Often, the latter is successful because we have a say in which types of therapy and programs are used, which helps us individually, and also allows us to “buy-in” to the treatment.

Usually, there is both individual and group therapy. During these sessions, specific methods may be used, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT,) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT,) trauma recovery, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR,) and relapse prevention. Additionally, there are usually opportunities for exercise and learning about nutrition. This can be as simple as yoga or breathwork, or as extensive as hiking or tennis or basketball. There are also activities such as meditation that help to heal our minds, bodies, and offer skills that can help us for the rest of our lives.

The ideal treatment is designed for holistic health: classes, training, therapy, and activities that seek to improve our mind, body, and soul simultaneously. Again, the idea is that we have the opportunity to choose from a variety of services to personalize our recovery experience. AToN Center, for example, knows that when we are given choices in recovery, we are more likely to achieve the ideal: autonomy in our own recovery, independence in our mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Treatment length varies. Most often, some length of residential treatment is required. This is a kind of treatment where you stay at the facility around the clock for a period of time. Many facilities value and even encourage family visitations, where they can also receive therapy and learn what we are going through. In this way, the treatment is truly holistic within our lives as well. After the residential stay, there may be other meetings, therapy sessions, etc. as needed on a case by case basis to support our recovery.

What is Holding Us Back?

There are so many excuses we can hide behind to prevent us from being healthy: work, school, family, cost of treatment, and more. At the end of the day, all of these excuses have ways to be resolved. Truly, it is a matter of whether or not we really want this. That is where the biggest questions arise: Can I really do this? Am I worth it? Will people still like me when I am sober?

The answer to all of these questions is an absolute yes. You can do this. You are more than worth this. And yes, of course, people will still like you when you are sober. Actually, they will probably like you better, as you are able to show up in your life when you are substance-free. However, it is up to us as individuals to do the work.

Some people also ask “What if I fail?” When we consider where we are in our substance use and where we are headed, failing at recovery is generally a step up. When we are desperate enough to seek help, that is helpful. But what if we don’t survive to make it to that point? Seeking treatment should never be scarier than staying in our substance abuse. When we allow fear to make our decision, we are submitting control of our lives to fear, rather than ourselves.

Recovery is hardly the worst thing to happen to us. In fact, it is likely to be the best thing to happen to us. Changing the fear into action takes courage. Making that call, stepping into treatment, and boldly working through recovery takes immense courage. But none of it is as scary as what could happen to us if we don’t: Accidents, injury, serious illness, losing our families, incarceration, and death, to name a few. If we look at what we should really be afraid of, it is always going to be our addiction. The fears we have about recovery are more about enabling our substance use than protecting ourselves. Burst out of the fear factor and jump into recovery. Your new life awaits you.

Break the fear factor with AToN Center. Call (888) 813-5928 now and embrace a new life, where fear is history.

Are There Gender Differences in Recovery?

January 21, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

The human experience of recovery impacts us all on every level, regardless of gender. However, there are actually differences in the way that males and females experience recovery that is more commonly attributed to gender. Being aware of the differences and shared experiences helps all of us to be mindful of one another as we recover.

Separate but Equal Paths to Substance Use

Substance abuse is an equal-opportunity life destroyer, but how we get there is often different depending on our gender. For example, women are more likely than men to have co-occurring disorders such as depression or anxiety or eating disorders. Many women cite sexual trauma in childhood or later as the impetus for their substance use. There is also a higher number of women who suffer from PTSD and turn to substances. Women are often introduced to substances by a familial or romantic relationship, and statistically, women progress in their addiction from casual use to addiction much more quickly than men do.

Men, on the other hand, are statistically more likely to start using and also to become addicted to substances than women, particularly young men. Men are more likely to use substances due to peer pressure. Men are also far more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors while using substances. This includes unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, violence and criminal behavior, sexual violence, and accidents. The rate of substance use amongst males who are incarcerated is astronomically higher than that of the general population.

How we start using substances is often different, how quickly we become addicted or whether or not we become addicted is different, and what we do while under the influence can be different, too. But addiction still impacts our entire lives, regardless of whether we are male or female.

Barriers to Treatment

Just like our paths to addiction can be different, men and women can face different barriers to treatment. For example, the most common barrier to treatment for women is that statistically, women are the primary caregivers in their families, whether they care for children, elderly, or family members with disabilities, access to residential treatment is difficult due to their role in their families. While women are more successful in abstinence from substances while they are pregnant or actively caregiving, their role as caregivers is prohibitive in getting the help they need.

Men face cultural barriers as well. The traditional male stereotype of the male being strong and capable makes it very difficult to admit that there is a problem, let alone ask for help. Men are also more ambivalent about seeking help for health issues. Whether it is a matter of avoidance of the problem or that stereotype of perceived weakness, these can be barriers for men in seeking help for substance use.

Gender-specific Challenges in Treatment

The challenges that women uniquely face in treatment include finding appropriate treatment for a co-occurring disorder, which creates a ping pong effect in a relapse of the other disorder, then substance abuse, and back again endlessly. The caregiver role once again makes it difficult, because even if they are able to find care for their family members for which they are responsible, women have a more difficult time with the emotional separation during treatment. Additionally, women have to be concerned about pregnancy or potentially becoming pregnant during recovery, which is more difficult at such an emotionally vulnerable time.

Men experience more powerful withdrawal symptoms in recovery, making it a more unique physical challenge for them. Men stereotypically struggle with expressing their emotions, making the recovery process more difficult and potentially longer for them. Men also feel more shame for their substance use, often due to cultural perceptions of strength and weakness that are placed on them. All of these factors can make the recovery process more difficult for a specific gender.

Recovery: The Shared Experience

All of the challenges, statistics, and stereotypes about substance use and recovery amongst the different genders are helpful in understanding differences. But at the end of the day, we are all still human. All of us are struggling with something that is beyond our power to control. We can celebrate our differences, but we struggle together as one. We need each other to heal, no matter how we got here or what our individual challenges may be.

That woman who is always crying and pulling out pictures of her kids can use support just as much as the man who is struggling to open up at all. Because at the end of the day, we all need every ounce of support that we can get. Addiction does not care what gender we are or any other demographic aspect that we fall into. Luckily, recovery also does not care what gender we are, it is there for us to embrace and make our own, with the support of the shared experience.

Men and women often access substances differently. Our reasons for using substances may be different, but the pain is the same. The result is the same. And our need for recovery is the same. Even if we experience unique challenges in accessing treatment based on our gender, we benefit from sharing our experiences as we recover. We can be sensitive to gender differences while offering support equally in recovery. Substance abuse may be an equal opportunity life-destroyer, but recovery is an equal opportunity lifesaver. Whatever your gender, you can start your recovery today.

Find a personalized recovery for you. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 today to begin your journey.

Rediscovering Me

January 16, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

When substance use takes over our lives, a lot of things get lost in the shuffle. Probably the most important thing that gets lost is ourselves. We forget who we are, what we want, and the things we love to do. Often, our very personalities change, and we are literally strangers in the mirror. One of the best gifts that we can take advantage of in recovery is to rediscover ourselves.

The Before Version

As we begin our journey of recovery, it can be a time of reflection. In finding where we want to go, it is sometimes helpful to look back on who we were before it all begin. What did we like to do with our time? What were our favorite things? What kind of people did we surround ourselves with? What were our dreams for the future?

Sometimes, our previous version of ourselves was not entirely rewarding, either. Perhaps we were saddled with past trauma or pain that influenced all of our choices and behaviors, even before turning to substances. Yet at the core of ourselves, there should be some clues as to who we were and where we wanted to go in our life.

Often, however, there is much we can gain from looking at our previous selves. Even if we were not exactly the person we wanted to be, there are likely things we can remember about ourselves that are still inherently us. Whether it was the music we listened to, the hobbies we had, or the people we spent the most time with, we can now look back and draw from our past life experiences to rebuild our new selves.

Version 2.0: Healing

As we begin the healing experience, change is the plan. Not that we should intentionally seek to become an entirely different person – at the heart of our life experiences, we are all unique in who we are. During healing, we have the opportunity to sort through the parts that total the sum or ourselves and pick and choose the pieces that we still identify with as we grow.

For example, as we are in recovery, we may remember that as a child, we watched baseball with our dad, and we realize that not only were those fond memories which allowed us to bond with our father but that perhaps the sport itself calls to us and we truly enjoy watching it now. This type of realization is part of the healing process, part of building our new and improved, version 2.0 selves.

Finding Ourselves Again

Another part of rediscovery is to explore new interests and hobbies, as well as try out new lifestyles and ways of doing things. We may try new things and not like them at all, but being willing to try new things is empowering in its own right. Finding new interests and hobbies that we do like is exhilarating, and gives us the motivation to continue on our recovery journey. Exploring ourselves and opening our minds to new possibilities also keeps our minds open to continuing on our journey of wellness.

Some of the things we can do to explore our world are:

• Try at least one new food per week. We can explore various types of ethnic foods, we can try new recipes, new restaurants, or seek out different desserts, sides, entrees, etc.

• Take a class. Find a new sport, hobby, or other activity and learn about it. Try it on for size. In addition to learning something new and stretching your mind and body, you also have the opportunity to meet new people.

• Renew a hobby or activity. If there was something you used to do but stopped, pick it up again. Whether it be playing an instrument, some form of art, a sport, or whatever, pick it up where you left off and see if it still brings you joy and fulfillment.

• Travel someplace new. Is there a destination that you have always wanted to go to, but never got there? Take this chance, plan a trip, and jump into the experience with fresh eyes. You may be surprised by how enjoyable it can be to be present and alive and explore a new destination.

The Importance of Self

All of the work of rediscovery serves to transform ourselves into who we want to be now. This is crucial to develop a strong self-identity, but also to give us purpose. When we invest in ourselves and finding our purpose, then we also create an intention for staying sober and continuing to better ourselves. When we work to give our lives meaning, we are also telling ourselves that we believe in ourselves, that we matter. We are worth the work, and we value who we are.

Step onto this path bravely to recover your life and rediscover who you are. As you change courses from the shackles of addiction to the freedom of recovery, you can explore the world with fresh eyes. As you learn a new way of life, you can also make new choices about yourself and what you want. Rediscover passions from your youth and find new ways to express yourself and enjoy your new journey. You are worth a rebuild of your identity and what you like to do, from top to bottom. Seize this opportunity to rediscover yourself today.

Find yourself again at AToN Center. Call (888) 813-5928 right now to begin your journey explore your life to find your true self.

Ring‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌New‌ ‌You‌ ‌ ‌

January 6, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

All‌ ‌around‌ ‌us‌ ‌people‌ ‌are‌ ‌celebrating‌ ‌the‌ ‌new‌ ‌year,‌ ‌and‌ ‌making‌ ‌resolutions‌ ‌and‌ ‌also‌ ‌breaking‌ ‌them‌ ‌almost‌ ‌faster‌ ‌than‌ ‌they‌ ‌made‌ ‌them.‌ ‌You‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌chance‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌something‌ ‌even‌ ‌bigger‌ ‌and‌ ‌better,‌ ‌though.‌ ‌You‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌chance‌ ‌to‌ ‌change‌ ‌your‌ ‌life.‌ ‌Take‌ ‌this‌ ‌chance‌ ‌to‌ ‌start‌ ‌your‌ ‌new‌ ‌year‌ ‌right‌ ‌by‌ ‌beginning‌ ‌your‌ ‌recovery‌ ‌journey.‌ ‌ ‌

Time‌ ‌for‌ ‌Change‌ ‌

The‌ ‌new‌ ‌year‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌perfect‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌a‌ ‌change‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ ‌life.‌ ‌No‌ ‌excuses.‌ ‌The‌ ‌calendar‌ ‌changes,‌ ‌and‌ ‌so‌ ‌do‌ ‌you.‌ ‌Procrastination‌ ‌is‌ ‌so‌ ‌2019,‌ ‌out‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌old‌ ‌habits‌ ‌and‌ ‌in‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌new.‌ ‌You‌ ‌know‌ ‌you‌ ‌need‌ ‌help‌ ‌managing‌ ‌your‌ ‌substance‌ ‌use,‌ ‌so‌ ‌take‌ ‌this‌ ‌opportunity‌ ‌to‌ ‌start‌ ‌the‌ ‌new‌ ‌year‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌new‌ ‌you.‌ ‌ ‌The‌ ‌old‌ ‌proverb,‌ ‌“There‌ ‌is‌ ‌no‌ ‌time‌ ‌like‌ ‌the‌ ‌present”‌ ‌has‌ ‌never‌ ‌been‌ ‌truer‌ ‌than‌ ‌at‌ ‌this‌ ‌moment.‌ ‌This‌ ‌year‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌clean‌ ‌slate,‌ ‌ready‌ ‌and‌ ‌waiting‌ ‌for‌ ‌you‌ ‌to‌ ‌fill‌ ‌it‌ ‌with‌ ‌personal‌ ‌growth,‌ ‌progress,‌ ‌and‌ ‌triumphs‌ ‌rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌regrets‌ ‌and‌ ‌self-loathing‌ ‌that‌ ‌so‌ ‌often‌ ‌accompanies‌ ‌substance‌ ‌abuse.‌ ‌Use‌ ‌January‌ ‌2020‌ ‌as‌ ‌your‌ ‌moment‌ ‌of‌ ‌truth,‌ ‌the‌ ‌date‌ ‌that‌ ‌you‌ ‌looked‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌mirror‌ ‌and‌ ‌chose‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌with‌ ‌your‌ ‌life.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

More‌ ‌than‌ ‌a‌ ‌Resolution‌ ‌

Entering‌ ‌recovery‌ ‌is‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌just‌ ‌a‌ ‌resolution.‌ ‌Recovery‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌journey‌ ‌that‌ ‌you‌ ‌actively‌ ‌choose.‌ ‌You‌ ‌choose‌ ‌to‌ ‌strip‌ ‌yourself‌ ‌bare‌ ‌of‌ ‌old‌ ‌habits,‌ ‌address‌ ‌your‌ ‌“why”‌ ‌of‌ ‌substance‌ ‌use,‌ ‌then‌ ‌choose‌ ‌healing‌ ‌and‌ ‌growth.‌ ‌You‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌opportunity‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌lifetime,‌ ‌not‌ ‌just‌ ‌a‌ ‌second‌ ‌chance.‌ ‌You‌ ‌can‌ ‌face‌ ‌everything‌ ‌that‌ ‌has‌ ‌held‌ ‌you‌ ‌back‌ ‌–‌ ‌your‌ ‌past,‌ ‌your‌ ‌fears,‌ ‌your‌ ‌pain‌ ‌–‌ ‌and‌ ‌now‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌look‌ ‌them‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌eye‌ ‌and‌ ‌choose‌ ‌to‌ ‌free‌ ‌yourself‌ ‌from‌ ‌them‌ ‌and‌ ‌step‌ ‌into‌ ‌a‌ ‌life‌ ‌of‌ ‌empowerment.‌ ‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌not‌ ‌just‌ ‌a‌ ‌resolution‌ ‌to‌ ‌break,‌ ‌a‌ ‌goal‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌forgotten‌ ‌before‌ ‌February.‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌your‌ ‌chance‌ ‌to‌ ‌seize‌ ‌your‌ ‌life‌ ‌and‌ ‌truly‌ ‌become‌ ‌the‌ ‌master‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌own‌ ‌fate.‌ ‌Your‌ ‌recovery‌ ‌journey‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌always‌ ‌be‌ ‌smooth,‌ ‌but‌ ‌it‌ ‌will‌ ‌always‌ ‌be‌ ‌yours‌ ‌exclusively,‌ ‌and‌ ‌you‌ ‌get‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌all‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌choices‌ ‌from‌ ‌here‌ ‌on‌ ‌out,‌ ‌rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌have‌ ‌substances‌ ‌dictate‌ ‌who‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌and‌ ‌what‌ ‌you‌ ‌do.‌ ‌Whatever‌ ‌has‌ ‌held‌ ‌you‌ ‌back‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌past,‌ ‌you‌ ‌now‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌chance‌ ‌to‌ ‌smash‌ ‌the‌ ‌chains‌ ‌that‌ ‌have‌ ‌bound‌ ‌you‌ ‌and‌ ‌live‌ ‌with‌ ‌exhilarating‌ ‌freedom.‌ ‌

‌Holistic,‌ ‌Lasting‌ ‌Change‌ ‌

The‌ ‌best‌ ‌part‌ ‌of‌ ‌recovery‌ ‌is‌ ‌that‌ ‌it‌ ‌isn’t‌ ‌just‌ ‌about‌ ‌stopping‌ ‌drinking‌ ‌and‌ ‌using.‌ ‌It‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌complete‌ ‌makeover‌ ‌-‌ ‌mentally,‌ ‌physically,‌ ‌and‌ ‌emotionally.‌ ‌It‌ ‌is‌ ‌never‌ ‌enough‌ ‌to‌ ‌simply‌ ‌stop‌ ‌using‌ ‌a‌ ‌substance,‌ ‌and‌ ‌it‌ ‌rarely‌ ‌works,‌ ‌anyway.‌ ‌Your‌ ‌recovery‌ ‌journey‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌filled‌ ‌with‌ ‌opportunities‌ ‌to‌ ‌look‌ ‌at‌ ‌why‌ ‌you‌ ‌used‌ ‌substances‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌place,‌ ‌to‌ ‌heal‌ ‌from‌ ‌past‌ ‌trauma,‌ ‌and‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌new‌ ‌ways‌ ‌of‌ ‌thinking‌ ‌and‌ ‌build‌ ‌new‌ ‌habits‌ ‌for‌ ‌life‌ ‌that‌ ‌impact‌ ‌your‌ ‌mental,‌ ‌physical,‌ ‌and‌ ‌emotional‌ ‌health.‌ ‌ ‌You‌ ‌will‌ ‌get‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌new‌ ‌ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌breathe,‌ ‌move,‌ ‌and‌ ‌new‌ ‌ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌look‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌around‌ ‌you.‌ ‌You‌ ‌will‌ ‌get‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌new‌ ‌ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌look‌ ‌at‌ ‌yourself,‌ ‌too,‌ ‌with‌ ‌acceptance‌ ‌of‌ ‌all‌ ‌you‌ ‌have‌ ‌been,‌ ‌all‌ ‌you‌ ‌are,‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌control‌ ‌over‌ ‌what‌ ‌you‌ ‌will‌ ‌be.‌ ‌You‌ ‌get‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌better‌ ‌habits‌ ‌of‌ ‌sleeping,‌ ‌

Fortify yourself against relapses at AToN Center. Call (888) 813-5928 right now to gain the skills you need to succeed at recovery now and for your lifetime.

What Is EMDR and How is it Used?

December 8, 2019 // by ATON RECOVERY

Entering into recovery opens new paths in life and new understandings. One of the difficult parts of understanding can be all of the new words and acronyms that fly around. Going through detox and subsequent recovery can be hard enough without so many new things to learn. However, some things are not only well worth learning about but also help the brain’s capacity to learn and function. So what is EMDR and how is it used?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of those helpful tools used within recovery. Therapists use this tool to help the brain reprocess past trauma, which helps promote physiological healing and the brain’s ability to process new information and events. That is one acronym that is worth remembering.

EMDR Explained

The concept of EMDR was developed in the 1980s and has increased in efficacy as therapists utilize it increasingly. It is an interactive therapeutic method that utilizes guided eye movements or auditory stimulation while recalling past trauma. The concept is that the eye movement allows the person to reprocess the traumatic event very quickly, changing the association with the event from one of pain or fear to a more positive association.

The process could be compared to a computer. Whereas many files are stored correctly and opennormally, sometimes files have the wrong extension or become corrupt, and do not open normally. By changing the extension or replacing the corrupt file, that file is easily accessible and modified once again.

Within the treatment process, there is a very specific method for EMDR which requires specialized training. The person is asked to identify and recall images and associations from past trauma. While using the eye movement, the therapist can guide the person with words through the reprocessing of the traumatic event. The process is kind of like changing a file extension, only it takes two people for it to work. When the reprocessing is complete, many people report an immediate sense of relief or feeling of safety in relation to that event.

EMDR is powerful because the reprocessing occurs very quickly, as it is a physiological method rather than a psychological method of treatment. What can take some people years to heal from in talk therapy can be healed in a single session with EMDR.

Why Healing from Trauma is So Important

EMDR is most commonly used to treat trauma, especially Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD.) When there is unresolved trauma, especially from childhood, or if there is PTSD, then the brain can replay the events or the negative emotions associated with the trauma over and over again. This can impact the brain’s ability to process new events or information, causing perpetual pain or discomfort in many situations.

Healing from trauma is especially important within substance addiction. Not only because the brain is playing that scary movie over and over, but because our reaction to it is often to turn to substances for relief or escape. It is one thing to put mind over matter and become sober. But it is another thing to change the scary movie and give the mind the power to change the story altogether. By removing the initial cause for substance use, there are fewer obstacles to recovery and more long-term success.

EMDR in Residential Treatment

Residential treatment is an ideal situation to utilize EMDR. Because it deals with powerful emotions and memories, it is optimal for the person to have access to staff for emotional support around the clock.

When this powerful tool is combined with all of the other treatments, tools, and methods within a residential stay, it increases the efficacy of all of the practices. Putting another tool in the recovery toolbox empowers the person with more strength and versatility, allowing each person to learn to navigate their life with greater success.

Benefits of EMDR in Treating Addiction

There is an increasing number of studies that cite significant improvement amongst people in recovery who are treated with EMDR. One of the benefits is increased mental and emotional stability. When the brain is very literally and physically healed, it is easy to see why stability would also improve. Having the mental and emotional strength to face the life-altering changes to body, mind, and soul within recovery is vital, particularly in finding and keeping balance.

The use of EMDR also helps to prevent relapse, as proper brain processing facilitates consistency in thoughts and behaviors. This, in turn, promotes successful recovery from addiction, even if the substance use has been long-term. Giving the brain the ability to reprocess events that have caused pain and discomfort can be a game-changer. It is a very helpful tool in both healing and influencing whole life changes.

While not every person is a good candidate for using EMDR, it can be a very important tool in recovery for many. If you suspect that trauma or PTSD was the stimulus for your substance abuse, then you will want to find a residential treatment facility with experience in treating trauma. At AToN Center, licensed and experienced therapists use EMDR and many other methods to heal your past trauma. In doing so, it literally frees your mind to process life more clearly.

Find all of the tools you need to recover in a luxury setting with personalized care to meet your individual needs. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 to free your mind.