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Addiction & recovery

Addiction is a complex condition characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. It often involves a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Recovery is often a lifelong journey. It involves continuous self-awareness and management of the addiction. Embracing a recovery-oriented lifestyle, setting realistic goals, and maintaining a strong support network are key elements for sustained success.

Remember, recovery is highly individual; what works for one person may not work for another. Professional guidance, support, and personal commitment are all essential components of effective addiction recovery.

If you are someone you know is struggling with addiction and recovery it is important to seek the right qualified professional to help you.

complementary & holistic care for addiction & recovery

It is important to work with a licensed medical and/or mental health professional to address your concerns with addiction and recovery to ensure you receive the right treatment. At Bliss, we offer complementary and alternative medicine and holistic wellness services for clients struggling with addiction and/or or going through the recovery process.

  • Ayurveda is a 5,000 system of functional and lifestyle medicine rooted in consciousness - conscious connection to mind, body, heart and spirit. It offers wisdom that can inform how we think about ourselves, others and the world around us, our relationship to food, our daily habits and practices and our sleep.

    When working with clients with addiction and/or going through recovery we do a complete intake and assessment to understand your struggles, where you are aat in your journey, who is part of your care team, and make detailed recommendations to help make navigating the journey of recovery so much more supportive.

    This might mean helping you make more mindful choices about nutrition, improving digestion so the body does not have to work so hard. We can also provide holistic sleep support so you have more energy and do not feel so drained, or guiding and coaching you to make positive behavior modification that have been shown to help rewire the brain so there is less and less dependency on substances to meet your needs.

  • Addiction is a challenging condition, and often the result of a variety of factors, many of wich are outside of our control!

    Somatic awareness of ourselves is a nuance in self-connection that is rarely taught because most people do not know how to do it and it happens so quickly we need to learn to pay attention to it. We believe we feel something in our body even before our mind registers what it might be, and this is a catalyst for the "craving". We can guide you to listen to the body, feel safe and connected to your body and develop this somatic literacy to help make your brain and body work for you on your recovery journey.

    We work with each client to understand how addiction is impacting their life and offer safe, trauma-informed, and compassionate spaces to explore their relationship to anxiety, how it shows up in the body, and teach some practical strategies for staying regulated.

  • Addiction is a disease, it has a very negative impact on our brain health, Brain chemistry and brain architecture. Not to mention, there is a strong correlation between addiction and adversity in childhood when our brain architecture is so heavily influenced.

    We use a brain-based approach to coaching and mentoring clients in the recovery process to understand and implement strategies to improve brain health so that you can feel more healthy, empowered, and committed to your recovery journey.

  • Energy Medicine comes in many forms and we offer sound healing, energy work like Reiki and Pranic healing, bodywork, breathwork and other modalities to help clients change their relationship to anxiety. Sometimes this means creating safe, quiet, relaxing spaces where clients learn how to be calm and still.

    We educate clients on the energetic qualities of addiction, the deeper meaning, the opportunity for growth, and the origin so you can have more compassion for yourself.

    You can learn how to move stale, stuck, and negative energy from the body and to bring more balance back to the whole. It may also include "moving" the energy through integration and "digestion" of past experiences so we no longer have to hold them with such force.

From the American Psychological Association

Here are a few key points about Addiction & recovery

what factors contribute to addiction

There are several factors that contribute to addiction.

  1. Biological Factors: Genetic predispositions and brain chemistry can play a significant role in addiction. Substances or behaviors that activate the brain's reward system can lead to changes in brain function and structure, reinforcing the addictive behavior.

  2. Psychological Factors: Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or trauma can contribute to addiction. Often, individuals use substances or behaviors as a way to cope with emotional pain or stress.

  3. Social Factors: Environmental influences, including peer pressure, family dynamics, and socioeconomic conditions, can impact the likelihood of developing an addiction. Supportive or enabling environments can either foster recovery or contribute to the continuation of addictive behaviors.

What does addiction and recovery look like

Recovering from an addiction, especially long term addictions is not always easy, and often is a journey of a lifetime. But, with the right support you can create the freedom you desire. Here are some general steps:

  1. Acknowledgment and Assessment: Recognizing the presence of an addiction is the first crucial step. Assessment by a professional can help determine the severity of the addiction and the appropriate treatment.

  1. Detoxification: For substance addictions, detoxification (detox) may be necessary to manage withdrawal symptoms safely. This process should be supervised by medical professionals.

  2. Therapeutic Interventions:

    • Behavioral Therapy: Techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) help individuals change patterns of thinking and behavior associated with addiction.

    • Counseling: Individual or group counseling can provide support, explore underlying issues, and develop coping strategies.

    • Medication: Some addictions benefit from medication to manage cravings, reduce withdrawal symptoms, or treat co-occurring mental health disorders.

    • Somatic Therapy/ Yoga Therapy: This can be very effective for people struggling with addiction because it creates a new or renewed connection to the body which can facilitate greater self-awareness and self-regulation.

  3. Support Systems: Building a strong support network is vital. This may include family, friends, support groups (like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous), or community resources.

  4. Lifestyle Changes: Adopting healthy habits, such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and stress management techniques, can support long-term recovery.

  5. Relapse Prevention: Recovery is an ongoing process, and relapse can be a part of it. Developing strategies to manage triggers and stressors is important. Many people find that continuing therapy or support groups helps maintain their recovery.

what are the types of addiction

There are multiple types of addiction, you can truly become addicted to almost anything, even things you might perceive as “good” for you.

  1. Substance Addiction: This includes addiction to drugs (like opioids, cocaine, or alcohol) and nicotine. Substance use disorders are often characterized by tolerance (needing more of the substance to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal symptoms. This can even include food addictions!

  1. Behavioral Addiction: This includes compulsive behaviors like gambling, internet use, shopping, or eating. These behaviors can activate the brain's reward system similarly to substances.

The World Health Organization named the following addictive substances:

  • Alcohol, Caffeine, Cannabis (marijuana), Hallucinogens (LSD, mescaline, phencyclidine, etc.), Volatiles (paint thinner, gasoline, gasoline, glue, etc.) 6) Opiates (morphine, heroin, codeine, methadone, etc.), Tranquilizers, sedatives and anxiety relievers (diazepam, chlorazepate, etc.), Stimulants (amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, etc.), Tobacco

And the following behavioral addictions:

  • Internet addiction, Gambling addiction, Shopping Addiction, Sex Addiction, Relationship Dependency, Eating Addiction

My story

Shae Goodell

Addiction is something I know all too well. It runs rampant on both sides of my family. Up until 2013, I struggled with addiction and it was debilitating and so disempowering. I hid it from my children because I felt so much shame. Over the last eight years of research, education, and training I now know that my addiction is not “my fault”, what is my fault is choosing NOT to do something about it. I am so thankful I decided to heal from my addiction and have been clean for over ten years now. I still notice the pull to alcohol and certain foods especially when I struggle psychologically and I am so thankful for all the tools and resources I have available to me to stay committed to this path.