Substance abuse is the cause of thousands of deaths every year, affecting the lives of the people suffering through addiction and their loved ones. Treatment experts deal with these facts every single day. Treatment for substance use has come a long way, with a variety of options to help people achieve sobriety. However, these treatments don’t reach enough people who deal with substance abuse issues. One of the reasons for this is the stigma around addiction and relapse that still exists. We … [Read more...] about Destigmatizing Relapse and Addiction
Back2Basics
Building a Network of Support While in Recovery
Every person’s path through recovery is as unique as the individual themselves. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery, experts know that having a strong social support network helps increase the chances of a person reaching their recovery goals. When people are in the midst of their addiction, they often pull away from the people who care about them most and surround themselves with people who are living a similar harmful lifestyle. As the person begins recovering, they must … [Read more...] about Building a Network of Support While in Recovery
How Those in Recovery Benefit from Participating in Community Service
While in recovery for drug or alcohol addiction, people must avoid activities that may lead them back to their old ways. Many recovery programs offer recreational activities as part of their treatment, but seeking out alternatives to help with the recovery process can help as well. Getting involved in volunteering and community service projects is a great way to boost a person’s recovery process. Addiction recovery often involves therapy, medication and participating in group settings. … [Read more...] about How Those in Recovery Benefit from Participating in Community Service
Three Tips for Supporting Loved Ones in Recovery
Loving someone during addiction often feels like a hopeless endeavor. You may feel as if you are being used or constantly manipulated by your loved one, making it difficult to want to keep providing support. This level of stress is enough to drag down your emotions and can even make you physically sick. Loving a person suffering from addiction may feel like an uphill battle you will never win. If you have a loved one in recovery or in the middle of addiction, you have probably felt all these … [Read more...] about Three Tips for Supporting Loved Ones in Recovery
Understanding the Signs of Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol is the most used addictive substance in the United States. Through promotion of alcohol in media, online and entertainment arenas, alcohol abuse has become a major issue across the country. Alcohol abuse becomes more severe as a person becomes dependent on it. Some side effects of alcohol abuse include slurred speech, memory loss, blackouts, coma, breathing issues and even death. The Centers for Disease Control reports 40% of alcohol related deaths in the United States occur because … [Read more...] about Understanding the Signs of Alcohol Abuse
Community Service: A Boon for Back2Basics Residents, Flagstaff Community
Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery is proud to call Flagstaff our home, and when you live in a community, it is important to be a part of that community in a way that fulfills both you and the people around you with purpose. Community outreach via volunteer work has proven to be one of the best ways that Back2Basics residents and Flagstaff can help each other out. At Back2Basics, we believe that volunteer work is an essential part of addiction treatment because it gives people struggling … [Read more...] about Community Service: A Boon for Back2Basics Residents, Flagstaff Community
Why Relapse Doesn’t Mean You Failed in Recovery
For many people working on their sobriety, relapse is part of the process. At the time of a relapse, it will feel like a failure, but it doesn’t have to be. Many people who experience a relapse will come back and maintain continuous sobriety for months and years to come. Like everything else that goes into recovery, it is about having the right tools to overcome setbacks. Change Your Mindset About Relapse Addiction relies on guilt, self-loathing and shame to keep a grip on your life. … [Read more...] about Why Relapse Doesn’t Mean You Failed in Recovery
Outdoor Adventure Therapy: Treating Mental Health Issues that Lead to Addiction
Society can sometimes take a binary view on the way that we look at addiction. A person begins doing drugs and alcohol recreationally, which leads to overindulging in drugs or alcohol, which leads to addiction that requires treatment. However, as we continue to better understand mental health issues and the role these issues play in addiction, we being to understand that some people’s relationship with mental health and addiction is much more complicated. The last two years, from the start of … [Read more...] about Outdoor Adventure Therapy: Treating Mental Health Issues that Lead to Addiction
Understanding the Benefits of Outdoor Activities on the Road to Recovery
The outdoors is a great place to find healing and a better understanding of yourself. A scenic hike on a mountain trail, resting near a peaceful river or gazing across a vast landscape can bring a feeling of tranquility to a stressful and anxious person. Spring is inching closer in Flagstaff, which brings new opportunities for outdoor adventure therapy to serve a role in someone’s path to sobriety. Outdoor adventure therapy can be hugely beneficial for those struggling with addiction. Outdoor … [Read more...] about Understanding the Benefits of Outdoor Activities on the Road to Recovery
Cleansing Through Forest Bathing and Chocolate
Actress Mariel Hemingway walked barefoot through the red rocks of Sedona on a brisk March morning before joining directors, producers and writers in a news conference without her shoes. The event was designed to promote and explain the film, “Down to Earth: The Remarkable Science of Grounding.” Grounding or “Earthing” means connecting one’s body to the earth to restore electromagnetic balance. Scientists, doctors and researchers in the film say this act restores and maintains optimal health. … [Read more...] about Cleansing Through Forest Bathing and Chocolate