Author: VKM

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Wellness

What is Altruism and Why Does it Matter?

From volunteering your time to donating money, calls for altruism seem to be a core part of society yet it might be unclear what that means? And if altruism is an action, is there more that we should be doing? Today we’re uncovering the roots of altruism and how we can live out that value.

What is Altruism?

Altruism, at its core, is the unselfish desire to compassionately improve things for other people (or causes). Synonyms of altruism are things like being morally good and virtuous, while the direct opposite of altruism is to act with selfish intention and disregard for those around you. 

A desire for altruism in your life may feel a bit obvious, yet it’s not always so straightforward in understanding how it may play into your life and what altruism could look like for you. 

3 Reasons You Should Focus on Altruistic Living 

Doing good feels good 

For yourself, those around you and those that are supported by your positive action, doing good just feels good! Your emotional and physical centers in your brain are activated when you express kindness without any expectations. Altruism plays on that side of your hardwired reward system.

There is micro and macro good that comes from operating this way. People who are surrounded by positive action and affirming reinforcement through community and choices are often more likely to trust themselves as well as the world around them. Doing good for others is a meaningful way to feel positive about your contribution to the world, and also let others’ victories fuel your own growth. 

Altruism builds community 

There are many ways we come together with other people to support a single idea.  Altruism is a foundational community builder. Working toward a cause that means something to you has a beautiful way of uniting people. Whether that idea is stretching our bodies and spirits in a yoga class, giving blood, or volunteering to build houses, there are infinite ways to create community through a desire to do meaningful good. 

Community groups focused on a cause that is directly rooted in your altruistic beliefs has a positive impact that’s wide-reaching. Within you, this blossoming community can help to feel your holistic self spiritually awakening a depth of purpose you may have lost touch with, and practically helping you move toward that purpose. 

Beyond you, community altruism effectively increases the reach and benefit for your fellow community members and those who are supported by your effort. Community efforts help to ensure your altruism is effective, influential, and purposeful. 

It can be anything you want it to be

Altruism is a specific theme and way of being, but there is no specific way of effectively engaging with altruism. No matter what your skill set, there is a way for it to help you flourish in incorporating altruism into your lifestyle. If you’re a creative thinker, a prolific artist, or a shrewd business person- altruism has room for you. Empower yourself to use your skills creatively. 

Your talents and unique way of being will come in handy with purposeful and direct ways to engage in making the world a softer and more supportive place. While that’s happening, you’ll also benefit from seeing new ways to engage your skills; it will broaden your perspective and maybe even your mind!

Are there risks to being altruistic?

There are risks to everything we choose to engage in throughout our lives and altruism is no exception. Two of the main risks in altruism are causing unintended harm to others, and compassion fatigue.

Causing harm is never the intention of someone who is seeking to do good and improve the world for the causes you care about, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Be mindful of the impact that follows your intent to mitigate this risk. 

Empathy burnout happens when you take no time for yourself to refuel your own tank. When you are practicing altruism, it is critical that you also cultivate a self-care practice that is both meaningful and impactful for you. There are many ways to develop your self-care practice and few ways to get it wrong – the important part is just that you do.

3 ways to practice altruism in your life 

Offer no-strings-attached help (and mean it) 

Pay for someone’s drink, offer someone advice they ask for, or consult on a project that’s trying to get off the ground and can’t afford your services. 

When you extend your hand to help pull someone else into new spaces, do so without cuffing them to the expectations that you hold. Commit your help without expecting anything in return. There are no conditions on this – not on manners, response, or responsibility. 

Speak sincerely and with compassion to others 

Offering authentic kindness to others is a balm to the soul of both speaker and listener. Offer words that mean something to someone in your life today, and let them sit with those words as encouragement and affirmation. No matter how confident someone looks, you may be surprised to learn the internal fights they’ve braved to reach that space. Sincere recognition of their energy is a beautiful way to offer altruism on a personal basis. 

Be intentional with the causes you advocate for 

While a good cause is a wonderful thing, not all good causes are organized the same way. When you are supporting an organization or a person who shares your views, take time to do a critical study of their culture and impact. Ensuring you align with the way they go about achieving their results and how their actions impact people is an important part of ensuring that your contribution is truly doing the good you’re intending. 

Go forth and engage with the world, and your altruistic side, in whatever authentic way feels empowering for you today. Explore our inspiration page for other experts we admire sharing their thoughts on altruism. 

At Villa Kali Ma, we provide residential and detox addiction treatment services to women from our location in sunny Carlsbad, CA. If you’re looking for support with substance use recovery for yourself or an important woman in your life, call us today. (866) 950-0648

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Wellness

How does your holistic wellness measure up? [QUIZ]

Whether you’re feeling out of sorts or looking for a checkup to affirm your progress toward holistic healing, this wellness quiz is just what you need! Along the road to recovery, it’s easy to lose sight of ourselves and our goals but this quiz will give you a sense of where you are and what you need. 

Are you ready to explore what’s so important about holistic healing for women in recovery? Read on, and take the quiz below to plan your next steps! 

Why is holistic healing important in recovery?

During recovery, it can be particularly easy to focus on finding your feet in one area of your life and ignore the rest. It’s a logical path, after all! You don’t want to overwhelm or over-run yourself with tasks that steal every ounce of your energy. It’s tempting to focus on one thing at a time and that approach may work for some people. But for most women in recovery, embodying a holistic approach to wellness is ideal because at no point will you be asked to shut off any part of yourself. 

Your healing will take into account the way you experience the entire world, in every moment, paying attention to each part of you. Wellness is a spectrum, just like light, and ensuring that every facet of your Self shows up in your recovery is the best way to see your most vibrant self.

Take the Quiz now! 

Consider each question. While your health is made up of many facets, you should think most about the facet the question feels connected to in your life. 

Answer each question with Yes, No, or Maybe. 

  1. Are you in tune with your intuition?
  2. Do you make time to move your body intentionally each day?
  3. Is your nutrition a balanced and thoughtful choice you make?
  4. Are you making a conscious effort to avoid and stop harmful habits?
  5. Can you harness a sense of calm during stressful times?
  6. Is your mental health something you feel good about?
  7. Do you use empowering words when you speak to yourself and others?
  8. Are you getting restful, adequate sleep most of the time?
  9. Do you feel an overall sense of attunement to the world around you?
  10. Is communication valued and respected in your relationships?

If your answers are mostly “no”

Your holistic wellness is hurting, and it’s likely that you are too! 

When one or more aspects of your holistic wellbeing take a dive, it can be difficult to determine what caused it and where you need the most support. During these times, having community spaces to find support and expert help in guiding you toward identifying those difficult places and building them up is key. Every step leads you closer to affirming growth that will help your healing bloom- and you’ve just taken the first one with this wellness quiz. 

You are doing all the right things, and it’s okay not to be okay. Use this quiz as a tool to find the next step forward in holistically reclaiming your wellness. 

If you had more than 3 “I don’t know” answers 

Uncertainty is a clear sign that you could use some guidance, but it doesn’t mean there’s trouble in your holistic paradise. Whether you’re just not sure which part of you is trying to answer the question, or there are fluctuating circumstances in your life that make it difficult to give a definitive answer, clarity is the next step to take toward wellness. 

Now is the perfect time to consider adding supporting tools to your healing spaces. If you’re already engaging in some things to improve your wellbeing, think about where you might benefit from adding something new. Things like reiki or labyrinth walking may help you shake off the fog of uncertainty to see a clearer path toward wellness ahead.

If you answered mostly “yes”

You are doing a wonderful job of keeping your holistic wellness on track! This is great, and you should be proud of yourself. Holistic wellness in recovery illustrates a commitment to your healing alongside an effort to work toward growth. 

However, when things are going well, celebration can often lead to cessation. To stay on this track toward being a wellness wonder, be sure to stay engaged with the communities and tools that help you succeed. If you’re an alumni of our program, this network of resources are available for the lifetime of your healing. When you’re doing well, showing up in these spaces acts as a beacon of hope for others who are earlier on in their own journeys. 

Every day is a new opportunity to find the holistic wellness you’re craving, no matter where you are on your recovery journey. Thank you for taking our quiz. Keep coming back for more quizzes, tips and guidance to keep your journey an engaging and fulfilling one. 

If you or someone you know would benefit from the holistic healing environment at Villa Kali Ma to help them overcome substance use disorders and trauma, reach out today!

(760) 350-3131 | Follow us on Instagram

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Wellness

The Connection Between Wellness and Happiness

What’s the connection between wellness and happiness? If you are well, does that mean you are automatically happy? Our understanding of the human experience leads us to say probably not, but you’re definitely on the right track. Keep reading to learn more about the connection between wellness, happiness and the power you have over both in your life. 

Yes, being “well” truly can make you feel happier 

While there’s so much more to wellness than happiness, there is no denying that your well-being directly affects how happy you feel. It is difficult to feel fulfilled when there are parts of your life that echo with emptiness and, due to this, there is a direct correlation between caring for yourself and positive emotional experiences. 

But wellness is about more than being happy 

However, you cannot simply dismiss emotions that aren’t “happiness” and expect to find meaningful wellness. True happiness is a sense of positive regard for yourself and the life you live. With that in mind, it’s important to note that true wellness will be inclusive of a variety of emotional experiences integrating into an overall sense of personal fulfillment. 

What does wellness mean, exactly?

The Global Wellness Society tells us that wellness is “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” By its very existence, this definition puts the power of your wellness into your hands—exactly where it belongs. 

Wellness is yours to attain, and doing so is a choice you get to make across every dimension of your lifestyle. Choosing to seek wellness is to engage in the things that contribute to a sense of fulfillment in some aspect of your life. Wellness is fueled by action in that it is not simply something that happens to you. You have the power to create wellness in your life, and it is something you can directly contribute to no matter what other ways the world seeks to disempower you. 

Factors that improve your wellbeing

Resilience

How well you adapt or respond to things that don’t go the way you thought they would is a key part of your wellness. Being resilient means that, come what may, you are up for the challenge. There is no requirement for you to be unafraid of change or completely confident in your resilience. It simply asks you to believe in your ability to cope until you overcome. 

Outlook

When you look ahead in your life and the world at large, do you see something worth thriving for? A positive or optimistic outlook is a beneficial part of supporting your holistic wellbeing. 

The good in the world is worth enduring the difficult days when you come to them. An outlook that helps you to remember that will support your happiness levels in becoming a baseline for positivity. 

Generosity

Giving—and giving back—are important in the impact they have on your wellness and a general sense of personal fulfillment. Be generous with your time, your energy, and your positivity. When you can, be generous with spreading your wealth through the world in every sense of the word. A well person is a therapeutically positive person, so be generous with the way you share your wellness with the world. 

Here’s how being happy can actually improve your wellness

Body 

A happy body is connected to itself in breath and movement. Intentionally moving your body will reward you with an awareness of self. When your body is hurting, you struggle to stay connected to the ways in which it grounds you and that sense of awareness is lost. 

 The movement of your body gives you a practice run of producing a positive stress signal and responding to it in a positive way. In that regard, a happy body is one that is conditioned to respond to stress without immediately hitting crisis mode.  

Mind 

A positive mindset is the secret to thriving. This isn’t to say that you must be happy all the time. Dismissing all of your difficult or negative thoughts would be a disservice to your overall well-being. 

A positive or happy mind is not a relentlessly cheery one, but instead, a mind in which all thoughts are validated and supported in appropriate ways that help you reach toward fulfilling goals instead of self-harm. 

Spirit

Whether you are a spiritual person or not, the overall sense of self that keeps us rooted in our identity throughout our lifetime plays an important role in your wellbeing. Happiness in your spiritual center can contribute to a sense of peace that leads you toward your path of desirable outcomes. This sense of enlightenment or rightness can be achieved through meditation and spiritual practices that are customized to fit your needs and beliefs. 

The world around you benefits from your fulfillment 

Happy people are better for the planet. From the way we connect with animals to the way we treat the world around us, science has found evidence that even our Mother Earth benefits from the healing energy we put into our own happiness. 

Whether you are trying to get well or hoping to harness happiness along your holistic journey, recognizing the connection between wellness and happiness is a valuable step in the process. Every effort you make toward a life wholly lived is one that will benefit your wellness and, in turn, help you to move through life as a happier, healthier person

If you want to learn more about our programs or the way that we integrate holistic wellness into our addiction treatment programs, give us a call at (866) 950-0644 or connect with us online today!

Categories
Wellness

You Can’t Miss These Mindfulness Tips This May

Mindfulness is more than a state of being. It’s an art, and while many of us love the idea of mindfulness, the implementation into our lives is not as seamless as we might hope. However, with practice, you can become the expert in your own blend of this art form. 

Like all forms of therapeutic support, mindfulness is rooted in evidence that has developed over time both in our facility and in the broader community beyond us. We want to share these mindfulness tips with you to help you to have a rich mindfulness practice this Mental Health Awareness Month. 

What does it mean to be mindful?

In general, mindfulness speaks to a state of being one with your awareness. When you are mindful, you are aware of your feelings, your body and the world around you at this moment; your awareness is not wandering on a journey through your lifespan in either direction. 

Wit that said, successfully engaging in a mindfulness practice is not just the moments you spend actually being mindful. The healing power of mindfulness is embodied in the way you engage with the world, how you express yourself and even the way you feel your emotions. 

Here are five ways to be mindful right now 

1. Try Square breathing.

Each part of your breathing should take four seconds in this exercise. Inhale- hold- Exhale- hold. 

2. Color! 

Whether you use an app or you put color to paper in the physical sense, the act of coloring is a meditative practice when you focus wholly on it.

3. Do a sun salutation. 

Yoga’s foundational 26-posture sequence is designed to help you feel grounded to the Earth as well as your body. Do one cycle of sun salutation asana today. 

4. Fixated gaze practice. 

Find one object in the room or space around you, and focus on it. Try to take in its details while observing nothing else around you until it all falls away. Set a timer if you’re prone to getting lost in this space. 

5. Scan your body. 

Close your eyes and sit in a space where you can turn your focus inward. Then, beginning at the top of your head or the tips of your toes, move through every muscle, soft space and joint and observe what’s happening in that area of your body. 

The key elements of mindfulness 

Like most aspects of our lives, mindfulness is a series of moving parts. It functions for each of us like a bespoke puzzle whose pieces are shaped by the experiences we have. No two souls will experience mindfulness the same way; but even so, there are elements that run through mindfulness as universal themes. 

Acceptance

Your mindfulness practice is rooted in an ability to accept what you find within or beyond yourself. The key here is knowing that accepting something as your current reality does not mean you have to tolerate or embrace it as your future. Even the truths you accept can be altered to suit your needs for fulfillment. 

Patience 

Change and growth are not overnight success stories we can will ourselves into. They are as much a practice as the mindfulness itself, so patience is a critical step in finding your way forward through a mindful awareness of your holistic healing. 

Non-judgment 

You cannot hate your past into changing, and you cannot shame your future into compliance. You must check judgment at the door of your mindfulness journey in order to make sustainable changes. Whatever you’ve done and whomever you’ve been, bring acceptance with you here instead of judgment. 

Trust 

Trusting yourself may feel difficult while you are learning how to be aware of your most reliable self. Hearing the voice of your truth instead of the voice of fear or past pain comes with time, so if you’re still working on trusting yourself, try trusting the journey of mindfulness to get you there. 

Support 

When you struggle to find support in your friends or loved ones, look outside yourself and see if there is community in other parts of your life than can support you along your mindfulness journey. Alumni support groups at Villa Kali Ma are a lifelong connection to others who understand where you’ve been, and you may also try support in spaces like classes or clubs. 

Here are 5 ways to grow your mindfulness practice 

1. Add mindfulness to your routine tasks 

You can’t mindfully will away your commute or housework, but you can incorporate things like a meditative podcast, playlist or breathing exercise into your routines as you do them! 

2. Bring mindfulness to your meals 

Getting mindful about your food routine can go a long way in connecting to your body and healing your health. Try meal planning and intentional ingredients to get mindful about the way you nourish your body. 

3. Buddy up 

Ask a friend to be your mindfulness buddy. You can share mindfulness tips, support one another on hard days, and work together to build accountability into a loving practice you share. 

4. Make mindfulness a musical endeavor 

Add the soundscapes and music that makes you feel calm into a playlist so that you have your mindfulness in your pocket. Mental Health Awareness Month is a great time to look for new tunes to add to it as well. 

5. Start a journaling practice 

Journaling has many benefits, and as a mindfulness tip, it can help you to stay on track. You can use your journal to freehand the thoughts that crop up during the day, or to intentionally document a mood or habit you want to keep track of. 

Are you feeling inspired to begin or refresh your mindfulness practice today? We want to hear all about it! Join us on Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter using the bar below to keep up with mindfulness tips, tricks and happenings within the Villa Kali Ma world today! 

Categories
Trauma

Can You Be Addicted To Being A Victim?

Someone who has experienced a lot of trauma may find their world becomes colored by a dichotomy of power vs. helplessness that’s always more heavily slanted toward their experiences of being out of control. It doesn’t matter if it’s addiction, childhood trauma, or hurt that is pervasive across many stages–pain of this nature can seep through your defenses. When you’ve been hurt, abused, or disempowered throughout your life, feeling helpless can become a default. 

What is a victim mentality?

In general, a victim mentality is born of the repeated sense that you are at the mercy of the happenings in the world without any real say in the outcome. While this can produce frustration at failed attempts to bring about change, it also absolves you of any responsibility for doing so. Excuses for why you can’t change come readily, as does a list of external factors at fault for the current circumstances in your life. 

The refrain of not being at fault is a coping mechanism and a truth: you are not at fault for the things that have happened to you. However, a victim mentality is the manifestation of that coping mechanism on a scale that eclipses your sense of control over your life until you can’t feel it anymore. 

Self-pity vs a victim mentality

No one plans to become addicted to being a victim, but for many, it begins as a culmination of bad things in the world feeling like they’ve outweighed the hope. When your reality has been re-written by trauma, you are the victim. When your reality is re-written time and again by pain, you become powerless against your victim status. 

The difference between being addicted to being a victim and self-pity is somewhere between the two. Self-pity is a short-term expression of the pain of trauma; it’s you feeling sorry and hurt for what’s occurred to you. When you begin to wear that hurt as an identity, it’s a victim mentality.  

3 Signs someone in your life has a victim mentality

So what does a victim mentality look like? There’s a certain power in being a victim, and when someone is used to being hurt, that power feels alluring and protective. Here are some signs that may be of concern for someone struggling with a victim mentality. 

1. Blame without accountability 

Impressing the reminder that you are not responsible for what’s happened to you can take on a new life if it begins to bleed out to the parts of your life where you retain your agency. Being unable to take responsibility for the actions you take, while feeling entitled to let others know when they’ve wronged you or been wrong can be a slippery slope toward victim addiction. 

2. Living in the past 

When every attempt for others to remind you that hope and brighter days are ahead is met with contempt because all you can see in the past, it’s time to take a long look at the shape of your healing. Reliving your trauma can be deeply painful, but doing so on a stage that helps you to feel validated and supported can become addicting. That hit of dopamine that comes from receiving attention for your strength may make it difficult to move on from that trauma. 

3. Negative self-talk

The voice that leads your inner narrative is cruel. A hurtful internal voice can stand in the way of healing. When you feel sorry for yourself, and others feel sorry for you as well, it’s difficult to be anything more than worn down by the pain you feel. Negative self-talk perpetuates abuse of yourself and gives power to the pain that made you feel helpless to begin with. 

How do you break an addiction to being a victim?

It might feel shameful to even consider that you could become addicted to being a victim, but there are lots of things that feel like perks in victimhood. When you are hurting, there is freedom and validation in expressing that hurt. It can help you heal, but when the hurt keeps coming, it’s easy to blur the lines. It carries a secret power, but that power has a price that will destroy your determination. We want to empower you to find your way back to healing from helplessness. 

3 Ttips to holistic recovery 

A victim addiction is a learned behavior which means it can be unlearned. Through the process of unlearning the coping mechanisms that insulate a permanent victim from the pain of the world, they can reclaim their sense of power. Support through the process is critical, and many of our holistic programs are designed to engage your empowerment in your recovery. 

1. Let go of grudges and comparison 

Constantly holding yourself to the standard of comparison for others will reinforce a victim addiction quickly. Let go of the concept that you must feel or heal like someone else and begin to accept curiosity in your healing instead. 

2. Self-forgiveness 

When you let go of the pain at the core of your helplessness, your strength will begin to turn inward as well. The truth is: you are already so incredibly strong. Release that strength from the shackles of contempt by finding the forgiveness you deserve. 

3. Make space for small victories 

Risk feels really scary when you’ve experienced a lot of trauma. Instead of jumping to the need to overcome huge hurdles in the blink of an eye, let your expectation for wins focus on the here and now. Find small victories that help you to feel empowered as you build up your competence in confidence. 

When you are healing trauma or substance abuse, confronting victim addiction in yourself or someone you love can feel overwhelming. Call (760) 350-3131 to get the help you’re craving today. 

Categories
Trauma

10 Signs That Trauma Is Running Your Life

Trauma is not a mythical mystical thing that once was or that only happens to someone else. Trauma can happen to anyone, and any chronic or significant stressor deserves the title. We as humans experience trauma in many ways: it occurs in the moment in which we stop being able to handle the experience we’re having and the emotions it brings up. 

Once trauma occurs, particularly if it happens to us when we are young, it can linger well beyond what you’d expect. 

What happens when you have unresolved trauma?

If you read this article title and can cast your memory back directly to something you recognize as trauma, you are likely thinking “not this again”. It’s easy to think that if we’ve done all the right things—acknowledged the trauma, gone to therapy, followed our self-care checklist, let time heal your wounds—they should stop affecting your life. 

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Unresolved trauma can linger in every day life in ways you may not even realize are connected to the things that once hurt you so deeply. 

Here are ten ways that trauma may be running your life without you realizing it. 

1. Sleep difficulties

Whether you find yourself unable to fall asleep, or frequently being woken from a nightmare or without being sure why you’re awake, you’re not getting the rest you need. On the other end of the spectrum, perhaps you’re experiencing the urge to sleep through the responsibilities that need your attention because it’s easier to just not be awake. 

2. Edginess 

From constantly being prepared for danger to jumping at the mere thought of a risk that could be around the next corner, unresolved trauma may have you wound tighter than a spool of thread. 

3. Isolation

Feeling lonely even though you’re alone by choice, but you really can’t motivate yourself to reach out to anyone in order to fix it? While choosing a solo life can be a healthy choice for some, it’s never a healthy lifestyle if it doesn’t feel like one you chose for yourself. 

4. Conflict Intolerance

No one actively enjoys conflict, but there might be something more to your avoidance if every raised voice or sudden gesture has you looking for the emergency exit. 

5. Dissociation

Does everything feel mildly detached from reality, as if you’re observing a story being told to you? This separation from emotion and experience could be a signal that trauma is writing your life script instead of you. 

6. Substance abuse or eating disorders 

The urge to numb or escape the things that hurt you may combine with other risktaking behavior to culminate in a dangerous relationship with food or substances. 

7. Intense emotions 

Anger, anxiety and shame are often the emotions that stand out in stark contrast to your standard emotional landscape. If you feel these sharp feelings with a magnitude that far outweighs your other emotions, you may have a reactionary relationship with them.  

8. Numbness

On the flip side, perhaps you’re feeling nothing at all. No anger, no sadness, no joy. For some people, unresolved trauma leads to a sense of apathy that just feels like detachment from the world and those within it. 

9. Flashbacks 

Experiencing unwanted returns to a time and place you’ve long since left can be a powerful indicator of trauma that’s still impacting your life. Flashbacks may occur alongside dreams, memories or other triggers but they can also occur without any warning at all. 

10. Shame 

An emotion that feels so much heavier than any five letters should be able to bear, shame is a sense of humiliation or distress attached to your experience of a memory or behaviour. When you feel shame powerfully in your life with no real root for what’s brought it on, it can color the way you make decisions and process memories. 

Can childhood trauma still affect you as an adult?

Adverse childhood experiences, also called ACEs, are the events that become trauma when the world moves forward before you can process what’s occurred. For most children, that is any major event. 

The things that happen to you when you are young are often ones that sink into the foundation of your being. It’s not they are more important or impactful. It’s simply that they occur at a time when you didn’t know how to be anything else; so you grew with the responses to that trauma ingrained in the way you respond to the world around you. 

Just because it happened in the past doesn’t mean that it will stay there. When your unresolved trauma begins to seep into your daily life, it can be difficult to stay ahead of the sinking feeling and maintain any sort of wellbeing. 

If you are struggling to overcome the impact of trauma on your daily life alongside addiction, our comprehensive programs at Villa Kali Ma can offer you a trauma-informed opportunity to heal more wholly than you ever thought possible. 

Call us today. (760) 350-3131

Categories
Yoga

Crying During Yoga? The surprising truth about feelings 

Have you thought about the physical presence of your emotions? It’s an important element of your holistic self that can bring greater depth to your recovery.

I remember the first time it happened to me. The lights were low in the yoga studio and it smelled soft, like pensive rejuvenation. We were a few poses into the relaxing yoga flow when the instructor asked us to bring our right legs forward and fold into pigeon pose. 

Ah, yes. Such a good release for those tired hips that need a bit more– wait, why am I crying? I shouldn’t be crying! 

They say that hip openers and heart openers in yoga can crack open your emotions. Before that unexpected emotional release, I don’t think I truly knew what that meant. It was surprising and eye-opening in so many ways that I would love to share with you. 

Do you feel your feelings? 

Letting your body support you in feeling your emotions can be transformative. This concept is nothing new to ancient or modern medicine. Exercise, meditation, and movement are all an important part of the conversation around reclaiming your mental wellbeing. 

Take a moment to go inward before you continue forward. 

Take a breath – breathe in for four seconds.

Now hold it in your lungs as it moves through your body. 

Do you feel the places the air is moving? 

Now exhale – let your breath go as you count to four.

Take note of your body. 

What do you feel? 

The physical zones of our emotional being 

Our bodies have an atlas of emotions that guide the way we feel our feelings in a physical sense. When we can map the physical sensations of our emotional landscape, we unlock the key to a more holistic recovery than we could’ve imagined! 

Negative emotions 

If your day has been particularly long you might feel frustrated, tired, or anxious. Those feelings may center in your head and neck as tension, or drop to your chest so they restrict that breath. For some people, those difficult emotions dwell in the gut, causing upset to the digestive systems and adding more frustration. 

Negative emotions function like a protective shell or a heavy weight. They concentrate and collect, heavy and tense in the spaces they congregate in your body. It can disrupt your energetic flow and cause physical pain. 

Positive emotions 

Maybe you’ve had a great day! Do you feel bubbly and light? Those happy feelings often radiate through the body, extending out into your limbs with a fluidity that your heavier emotions don’t have. Can you feel the soft effervescence of them? 

Positive emotions tend to bloom in the body.  Much like the sun, your emotions expand around your physical self. They radiate out in the spaces where you move and feel the world around you. 

Past emotions are stored in the body too

It’s not just what you’re currently feeling that takes up space. Your trauma, your joy and your in between moments all imprint on your being.  Rejecting the feelings that come up for you doesn’t actually stop you from feeling them. You have a whole lifetime of unfelt feelings hiding in your physical self as much as your emotional self. 

It’s more like hitting your physiological snooze button, and they just sort of swirl and hibernate in the spaces you harbor them until they come up again. Often those latent releases occur when you least expect them – hello yoga class – or they may occur during things like massage, which can have a similar effect. 

How can we use this knowledge to foster holistic healing?

One of the most powerful keys to unlocking your holistic recovery is simply recognizing the complexity of your emotional experiences. They relate so intricately to your physical being that in trying to separate them, we often cut ourselves off from the things that can help us reach our full potential. 

You do hold the power in unlocking the healing you’re craving. With or without the support of those who want to see you succeed, there is action you can take right now to move toward a holistically bright future. 

Connecting your chakras to emotion 

The energy centers that activate from the top of your head to your root are called chakras. Each of the seven chakras offer different opportunities to balance and engage with your recovery. 

Healing through movement 

You can use yoga, mindful movement, and connection with nature to open the lines of communication between body and mind. We have many programs that will support you in making these connections. 

Breathing into your being 

The breath is the thread that connects your internal self with the outside world. You can use breathwork and meditation to deepen that work and facilitate healing of the stored energy that’s disrupting your healing today. 

If you’re ready to reconnect and empty out those emotional reserves holding back your holistic recovery, we’re here to help however we can. Connect with us today to learn more about our programs by calling (866) 950-0643.

 

Categories
Substance Abuse

What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal?

When you stop drinking, it’s always the hope that you’ll immediately feel better and people act as if life is going to improve. They quickly list all the positives you’ll face in being sober but no one really talks about what happens in the in-between. 

That in-between has a name, and today we’re talking all about what happens when you stop drinking alcohol, and spoiler alert: it can really be a bad time. The truth is, withdrawal can be really hard and many people return to drink without giving themselves a fair chance at holistic recovery. 

We want to help you prepare yourself for the reality of withdrawal because we believe you’re worth that recovery. 

A snapshot of the first week after you stop drinking 

If you’re a mild alcohol consumer, you likely won’t notice anything in the first couple of days that you stop drinking. If you’re reading this though, you’re likely not a mild alcohol consumer (or you love someone who isn’t). For people who have a dysregulated relationship with their alcohol consumption, the first week is going to be a rough time once you stop drinking. 

There are a number of things that go on in your holistic self that you’ll take notice of in the early days of withdrawal and most of them won’t be very fun. We’re going to break down the symptoms of withdrawal between your two major systems of self to talk about what you may experience in that first week. 

In your body 

Over the first few days, withdrawal probably feels like groggy agitation. There will be lots of highs and lows as your body tries to figure out what to make of this whole sobriety business. It’s likely that you’ll have a headache, and your eyes may hurt as they strain to focus without the “beer goggles” phenomenon that often occurs when you drink. This is due to excess pupil dilation and it may cause headaches. 

You might find yourself feeling restless and antsy as if you need to move or do something. You likely won’t have the energy to actually do that though, as your muscles will feel heavy and they might ache. The shakes and aches are not uncommon as your body begins to clear the toxins it’s been storing from the alcohol. 

You’ll sweat them out, so you may be feeling a little damper than usual. You may struggle to eat and feel nauseous or even be sick when you do eat. 

Sleep is also likely not coming very easily even though you’re definitely tired. Your body isn’t sure how to settle into sleep rhythms without the lullaby of alcohol these days, and it’s definitely not doing you any favors. 

In your mind 

Withdrawal is uncomfortable and we don’t just mean physically. It’s likely you will feel agitated beyond restlessness. You may struggle to regulate your mood, or even to register exactly what mood you’re in as it shifts rapidly between anxiety, frustration, depression, and resentment. Your head will feel foggy, but it might feel like that fog is made of bees. 

When you do manage to drift off to sleep, withdrawal increases the likelihood that you’ll have nightmares. In response to the myriad of physical symptoms withdrawal is bringing out for you, you may feel like a stranger in your own thoughts. 

There are some dangerous symptoms of sudden withdrawal 

Severe withdrawal can cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure, hallucinations, a racing heart or even seizures. This severe form of withdrawal is called Delirium Tremens. If you begin to feel afraid or unsteady, please seek emergency support for your withdrawal symptoms as they can signal a medical emergency. 

Why withdrawal happens

People who drink heavily (whether they are dependent on alcohol or not) are often using alcohol as a numbing agent for some kind of discomfort in their lives. Alcohol helps you to disconnect from your emotions by providing a depressant effect on the signals and hormones that register the way you’re feeling. Alcohol short circuits them for the time being and it can give you some relief. 

Withdrawal occurs for two reasons. Firstly, it takes away that numbing effect and the full might of whatever your drink was numbing will hit you like a Mack truck. Your body may rebel to the intensity of losing its numbing agent so abruptly. 

Secondly, your body doesn’t quite realize that you’re no longer drinking and is still making hormones to accommodate the shift in your chemistry that drinking creates. What was a manageable amount of system input becomes overload to a body that’s not trying to wade through the quicksand-like delay of alcohol. 

That overload is withdrawal. It causes all the difficult, confusing and just generally awful symptoms you experience when you stop drinking. For many people, that overload doesn’t feel sustainable and it can make you second guess your efforts to get sober. 

You can take control of your sobriety and your life 

There is hope! Beyond the two-week mark of removing alcohol, things will begin to improve. It’s likely you’ll see improvements in nearly all of your symptoms as well as other aspects of your life. Things do get better, but only if you stick it out. 

If you carry nothing else from this article with you today, I hope that you remember what I say next. 

Are you ready? 

It’s important and I’m sharing it just for you. 

Yes, you. 

Every state you enter on this journey is a temporary one but your value in this world is concrete. 

This feeling will end and you are worth the determination it will take to get through it. When withdrawal feels like too much for you to manage on your own, programs like our detoxification program can help you to get sober safely.

 There are options to support you but make no mistake: you carry the strength and the ability to move through this difficult space with the determination and beauty of the entire universe behind you. You can take control of your detox, your sobriety, and your life. You have the power, and we are here to empower you so can remember the world beyond withdrawal even on your darkest days. Connect with us today to learn more about our programs and how we can help. A phone call to (866) 950-0643 can get you started on the right path. 

Categories
Substance Abuse

What Is Substance Use Disorder?

So many terms are thrown about to describe the same struggle that almost 20 million Americans face. So what exactly is substance use disorder, and how do you know if it’s something that’s impacted your life? 

We’re getting into the details of this diagnosis in a clinical and real-world manner, and we want to make sure you get the answers you need today. 

Are addiction and substance use disorder the same?

There is a marginal difference between addiction and substance use disorder, but at their root, they mean the same thing. Substance use disorder has many causes, some rooted in trauma and others in genetics, but primarily it is an incompatibility between a person and their sobriety. 

 

Substance abuse may begin from a clinical need for pharmaceutical intervention that spirals beyond a healing use or from a self-driven need to escape an emotion or reality within the life you live. Substance abuse is not picky in where it starts or where it will leave you, but it is a clinical way of discussing the inability to live your life without the substance you’re abusing. 

What are types of substance abuse?

While any substance can be abused when it becomes an all-consuming part of your life, there are a handful of recognized substance use disorders most commonly treated in a clinical setting.

Alcohol

You may hear alcohol use disorder also referred to as alcoholism. The terms are one and the same; both are characterized by a chronic dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. Whether it’s beer, wine, or spirits, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a clinical diagnosis that can control your life. 

Some of the signs and symptoms are alcohol cravings, drinking no matter the impact on health, and an inability to go without alcohol. Behavioral changes and effects on physical health may occur as a result.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that alter your perception of reality are often called hallucinogens. Hallucinogens include drugs like MDMA  (ecstasy), salvia, LSD (acid),  and psilocybin (mushrooms). These psychoactive substances produce changes to the way you experience the world around you. 

Those who experience hallucinogen abuse are at risk for overdose due to increased tolerance and the user taking larger doses to feel the effects. Signs of abuse disorder may include agitation, paranoia, memory changes, anxiety, and impaired reflexes. 

Marijuana 

Although often hailed as being “nonaddictive,” marijuana abuse disorder is a problem that can occur without notice. Marijuana is famously known for creating a calm atmosphere and is medically lauded for reducing many symptoms. While its use to support clinical symptoms is important, marijuana can, like any other drug, be abused without mindful use. 

Symptoms of marijuana abuse disorder are ignoring risks, increased cravings, heightened anxiety, inability to cope without marijuana, and increased anxiety. 

Nicotine 

Plastered on packages and billboards across the nation, the prevalence of nicotine is not an unfamiliar topic in the US. Cigarette and tobacco consumption has declined in recent years, but access to nicotine remains easy and readily available. E-cigarette use has increased nicotine access alongside the declining use of tobacco. 

Leading to lung, mouth, and throat cancer, nicotine abuse disorder has a powerful lifelong impact for those who fall prey to it. Nicotine abuse symptoms may include cravings, personality changes during withdrawal, agitation, frequent respiratory infections, and impotence.

Opioids 

This class of drugs is primarily made up of commonly-prescribed substances derived from the opium poppy. This sector of painkillers has clinical applications to reduce major pain. Opioids also include heroin. Whether you’re using the prescription kind or illegally obtained opioids, addiction is a serious concern with opioids. Their function is to reduce pain, but side effects include confusion, euphoria, and lowered respiration. 

Those addicted to opioids may experience powerful cravings, a breakdown of skin composition, difficulty fulfilling obligations, withdrawal, and increasing tolerance of the drug that requires a higher dosage. 

Sedatives and stimulants

While these categories of addictive substances are inherently opposite, the access and development of addictive behaviors in response to their consumption can be quite similar. 

Sedatives’ primary function is to help someone who struggles with sleep disorders or insomnia get enough rest. However, like all drugs, they can be dangerous when abused. This category includes barbiturates, benzodiazepines, carbamates, and sometimes even antihistamines. 

Stimulants—which run the gamut from caffeine to cocaine, methamphetamine, speed, and crack—cause heightened excitement and motivate users to get things done. Under this guise, some stimulants find purpose medically to treat or support those with attention disorders, while others are illegal in every form. 

The abuse of sedatives and stimulants is characterized by insomnia, blood pressure changes, tachycardia (unstable heart rate), sexual and respiratory dysfunction, and central nervous system disruption. Some stimulants may cause hallucinations, tooth decay, and aggression. 

How we heal is all the same 

No matter the kind of substance use disorder that’s taken up unwelcome residence in your life, there is a universal key to success: you want to heal. We can all begin to walk the lifelong journey of recovery the moment we believe in the possibility of life after active addiction. 

There is no actual secret, or one right way, to get sober. However, there is one right place to begin: in the authentic knowledge that you are capable of healing, and you deserve the future that lies beyond the struggle you now find yourself within. 

Recovery is possible, and our holistic healing program can begin in the first steps of detox or anywhere along the way. When you’re ready, we are too. Contact us today at (866) 950-0643 to learn more. 

Categories
Substance Abuse

Alcoholism in the Family 

Family relationships can be complicated. When someone you love is struggling in their relationship with alcohol, you may not be quite sure how to handle things. Today, we’re answering the questions you want to ask about alcohol use in families – even if you’re not sure where to begin. 

How many families are impacted by alcoholism?

It is estimated that, at some point in their lives, a staggering 43% of people will have struggled with someone in their family’s relationship with alcohol. When someone you love is struggling with their relationship with alcohol, it can create mistrust, confusion and hurt in every aspect of their lives. A family who comes together to support someone with alcoholism may feel connected, but there is often strain in the ties that bind. 

Family impacts of alcoholism include broken or damaged relationship bonds and present domestic abuse risks. Outside of these more profoundly observable experiences, there are smaller changes in family structure that may lead to altering dynamics. An inability to trust an individual and breakdowns in the stability of communication are common when someone is using alcohol. These things may make it difficult to talk to someone you once loved, creating a space where you hope for connection. When strong relationships become fragile bonds, you may wonder where to go from here and what those changes mean for you. 

Is it genetic to be an alcoholic?

While there are multiple factors that contribute to the risk of alcoholism, genetics do seem to be part of the equation. Not a single gene increases the likelihood of alcohol misuse, but information encoded across several series of genes can play a role in increasing the risk of alcoholism. The University of Rochester estimates that those who had a relative with alcohol misuse tendencies are 4 times more likely to struggle with alcohol use themselves. 

What’s the impact of alcoholism on children?

Alcoholism can impact children of any age, including having an impact on the children of alcoholics long after they’ve left childhood. There is no benefit for a child who has a parent or guardian that uses alcohol, but many risks become involved.

In the US, more than 10.5% of children are impacted by a parent who struggles with alcoholism. Those children will experience an increased risk of domestic violence exposure in their young lives, and as they grow, will continue to be more vulnerable than other children to the risks of alcohol misuse. 

Do adult children of alcoholics have risks related to alcohol?

There is an increased risk of alcohol abuse in adult children who have experienced alcohol use disorder in their adult caregivers. From a young age, these children were aware of the drinking going on. Witnessing it in excess can influence their perception of what’s normal and warp their standard of behavior before they even have their first drink. 

Outside of the risks of alcohol misuse themselves,  adult children of alcoholics may struggle with emotional regulation. They may struggle to identify stable relationships, establish trust or feel the truth in their own emotions in relationships they do develop. 

How does alcohol affect your relationships with others?

In every shape and form, alcohol impacts the relationships you have with others. You may find that your friends are really enjoying you on a night out when you can toss back the drinks and be the life of the party, but it’s unlikely that anyone else in your life is feeling quite as boisterous about your relationship with alcohol. 

In romantic relationships, alcohol increases the instance of domestic abuse by a large margin. Due to lowered inhibitions, altered perception, and reduced self-control, alcohol can is a contributing factor to a large number of domestic abuse cases across the globe. 

Where can we begin to find support?

When you are seeking ways to be supportive of a family member who is either struggling with alcohol misuse or in recovery, there are options available to you. Seeking therapy to help you heal unresolved trauma related to the relationships impacted by alcohol can be a great place to begin in stopping the cycle of addiction in its tracks. Healing your own hurt may seem counterintuitive but breaking the cycle can reduce enabling behaviors and help you in supporting your loved one. You can work toward a legacy rooted in their holistic being instead of their alcoholism. 

If you are struggling with your relationship with alcohol, you can begin with yourself before reaching for the help that is available. Considering your concerns, emotions, and experiences can help you to navigate the kind of support you want and what may feel accessible to you right now. There are many kinds of support available to you from detox to residential recovery programs, Villa Kali Ma has a multitude of programs designed to help you heal from the inside out. 

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