Lymphatic System & Addiction: How Exercise Boosts Immunity and Fights Infection During Recovery
When searching online, most blogs and fitness articles will tell us that exercise is good for inflammation and our immune system. But “how” physical activity targets this area of the body is often overlooked. In this edition of our Addiction: Head to Toe series, we take a deep dive into how and why exercise is crucial for immune health […]
Your CNS & Addiction: How Yoga Hacks the Autonomic Nervous System and Restores the Body During Recovery
Historically, yoga has been looked at as a ‘complementary therapy’ in addiction treatment. Now, scientific research, with more continuing to emerge, shows yoga can be a clinical game-changer for those in addiction recovery. How is this possible? Yoga has the power to hack the nervous system and restore this complicated region of the body. As […]
Tackling Stress and Social Distancing During Addiction Recovery: It’s All About Perspective
COVID-19 is causing stress for millions of people around the world. However, for those in addiction recovery, these feelings are magnified, especially with the need for social distancing. In this article, we offer actionable tips from addiction recovery professionals on ways to reduce stress, reframe negative thoughts, and combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Depression and Addiction: Why Treating The Whole Person Matters
One in five U.S. adults are affected by mental health disorders. Of these disorders, depression affects the most Americans, with over 7 million adults having one major depressive episode a year. Unfortunately, many people who develop mental health disorders also have an addiction. In this article, we examine the latest societal and healthcare costs of co-occurring disorders, how healthcare professionals are tackling this crisis, and why treating the whole patient matters.
Top 7 Stress Reduction Techniques to Use in Addiction Recovery
One of the biggest challenges people face in addiction recovery is finding new ways to cope with stress. This article highlights the top seven stress reduction techniques and latest research that will benefit both patients and healthcare professionals during addiction treatment and recovery.
Barriers in SUD Treatment and the Call for Addiction Medicine Specialists
There are 21 million Americans suffering from addiction and only 3,000 physicians specially trained to treat them. This article examines the current barriers in substance use disorder treatment and the risks of not having addiction medicine specialists in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. We also highlight what is being done on a national level to increase the number of physicians with expertise in treating SUDs and the benefits of this care.
Genetic Testing for Addiction Risk: Are These Tools Reliable?
Even with all the breakthroughs in genetic research, the validity of specific DNA assessment tools used to evaluate addiction risk is still heavily debated in scientific circles. In this article, we examine how genes affect the risk of SUD, as well as the reliability and controversy surrounding current genetic testing tools used in predicting substance use disorders. Finally, we discuss why comprehensive addiction assessments matter.
Tackling the Cycle of Chronic Stress and Addiction
To tackle the cycle of stress and substance use disorders (SUD), we must look at all the elements causing the repetitive sequence in an individual, including genetic, environmental, and cognitive factors. We explore these factors, including the latest research highlighting how stress can increase predisposition to SUD through changes in neuronal activity in the brain. We also address why we need to understand a person’s cognitive orientation during addiction recovery and why this method helps form a more comprehensive treatment plan in stopping the cycle of stress and addictive behavior.
Decoding Addiction: How Cognitive-Based Therapies Treat Substance Use Disorders
How new approach in cognitive-based therapy is creating effective individualized treatment plans to patients in addiction recovery.