Neurological Benefits of Yoga During Addiction Recovery
Chronic substance use causes significant neurological deficits from cognitive dysfunction to balance and coordination issues. Yoga is used in many addiction recovery programs as it helps the brain release chemicals that not only help those with substance use disorders (SUDs) relax but lower stress levels. However, the benefits of yoga go far beyond promoting relaxation. Thanks […]
Your PNS, the Polyvagal Theory & Addiction: How Exercise Activates the Vagus Nerve and Restores Calm During Recovery
As part of our Addiction: Head to Toe series, we take a deep dive into the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the latest research about how this region of the body is affected by substance use disorders (SUD). By unpacking the Polyvagal theory, we demonstrate how exercise is used as a clinical tool to re-balance the PNS […]
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.
How Exercise Targets the Brain and Body in Addiction Recovery: A Head to Toe Look
In this paper, we take a head-to-toe look at what happens to the brain and body during active addiction and review the current care practices used during treatment. We then explore how exercise needs to be implemented as a clinical tool to mitigate the negative health consequences of SUDs, improve the mind-body connection, and allow those who are battling an addiction to become their own agent of change.
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.
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.