Plato famously wrote, “Man – a being in search of meaning.” Finding meaning in one’s life is a critical component of long-term happiness and serenity. Yet, a life of active addiction and/or untreated mental illness can easily make one forget this truth. That is why finding meaning in recovery as soon as possible is so important. It can make the recovery road much smoother and that new way of life much more satisfying. The good news is that there are many helpful tools and techniques that can help you find meaning in recovery. Now, the key is to start seeking it.
How Can I Find Meaning in Recovery?
There are two major components to finding meaning in recovery. One is “openness.” You need to be open to new experiences and new modes of thinking, as this is where meaning often lies. The second is “willingness.” You need to be willing to take action and seek meaning. There is no point in remaining a bystander in your own recovery.
Of course, if you are struggling with untreated addiction and/or mental illness, it is going to be very hard to find meaning. This is because the very insidious nature of those diseases blocks the potential for self-exploration and seeking a greater meaning in life.
In active addiction and with undiagnosed mental illness, one often feels hopeless, helpless, and worthless. This is because life has become a vicious cycle of either never-ending substance seeking or self-doubt due to emotional distress. That cycle must be broken if recovery is to happen and meaning is to be found. Also, if these steps are to be taken, it is important that they be taken all the way. The goal of recovery is to heal at the cellular level, but what exactly does that even mean?
What Does It Mean to Heal at the Cellular Level?
Healing at the cellular level is all about healing all aspects of the capital “S” Self. This means that you must heal multiple layers of your life and being, including physical symptoms, emotional stresses, mental blocks, and even spiritual doubts.
The reality of the situation is that the recovery industry has grown exponentially in recent years. It is now a multi-billion-dollar industry. While this may be positive in that there are more places for people to go to get the help that they need, it also brings with it some red flags. The truth is, there are some recovery centers out there that are looking more after their own bottom line than they are their clients’ well-being. They are not concerned about healing at the cellular level.
These are often the same places that only offer overarching “one-note” recovery plans that don’t take the individual client into account. Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we know that this type of recovery rarely works in the long term. It also often fails at addressing the underlying issues of mental illness and/or addiction, which are critical for cellular-level healing and ultimately finding meaning in recovery.
Addressing Underlying Issues and Finding Meaning
It is important to remember that addiction is more about why someone takes the drink or the drug rather than the drink or the drug itself. Ultimately, it is about the “why.” Often, these motivations are caused by unaddressed underlying issues, and these issues tend to be trauma-related.
Many people don’t realize how much trauma exists. In fact, millions of people around the world experience trauma every da,y and not everyone gets a chance to work through it. This can lead to many issues, including mental health issues like post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and addictions like alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD).
These underlying issues can be quite insidious. They often lie dormant as issues continue to build and build until something has to give. This slow build is why it can be so beneficial to know the signs and symptoms of untreated mental illness and/or addiction. Being able to spot these signs can help you or a loved one get critical help sooner rather than later (when time can be of the essence).
Signs and Symptoms That There May Be a Problem
Now, of course, the worlds of addiction and mental illness are vast. So, pinning down an exact list of symptoms that fit every situation is impossible. However, there are many signs and symptoms that are universal. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
- Not being able to stop drinking or using after starting
- Excessively thinking about drinking and/or using
- Feeling overly anxious and depressed
- Experiencing physical symptoms like headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Struggles with sleep cycles
- Negative changes in appetite
- Losing interest in one’s physical appearance
- Experiencing mood swings and acting out aggressively
- Feelings of self-harm
- Having suicidal ideation
Now, as you can see, these can be very serious symptoms, which is why seeking professional help as soon as possible is crucial. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. But, where does recovery start?
Taking the First Steps to Recovery
Recovery often starts in the home. This is because addiction and mental illness are family diseases, and it is often the family that either takes action or is available to help when the time is right.
If issues arise, the key is to begin the process of reaching out to the professionals. Now, if an individual is in need of help but is unwilling, the need for an intervention may be necessary. A professional interventionist can ensure that the proper boundaries are set to help get a loved one the help that they need. An intervention is also a great starting point to get into a safe and secure detox.
A detox is often needed at the beginning of the recovery process. This is because detoxing from alcohol and substances can be very uncomfortable, and without proper help, an individual will often stop midway through and go back out and drink and use. It is also important to note that one should never try to detox on their own because it can be dangerous. With substances like alcohol, it can even be deadly. A safe and secure detox is also important because it can connect the individual to the next stages of the recovery process.
The Recovery Process
Now, the recovery process begins when an individual is willing to get the help that they need. This may take the form of a residential treatment stay or something like an intensive outpatient program (IOP). Both of these are great options, and choosing one simply depends on the individual and the severity of the situation.
Residential treatment is a great option for someone who can get away and solely focus on their recovery for 30 to 90 days. However, not everyone has that ability and cannot fully separate from their career or household responsibilities. In this instance, an IOP is ideal as it allows one to keep one foot in their everyday lives as they navigate their recovery.
Now, neither one of these recovery roads is better than the other. They just need to be tailored to the individual to help them heal at the cellular level. Also, both residential programs and IOPs should use the same modalities while taking a multi-angled approach.
The Multiangled Approach
Now, the multi-angled approach simply refers to utilizing as many means, methods, and modalities of recovery as possible. One should not be relegated to one form of treatment. The key is to use many methods that support each other for healing at the cellular level.
A multi-angled approach also lends itself best to helping you find meaning in your recovery. This is because it offers multiple opportunities for self-exploration and personal growth. These modalities often reside in three different categories: psychotherapy, experiential therapy, and holistic healing methods.
How Can I Find Meaning in Recovery? Effective Treatment Options
When it comes to finding meaning in recovery, it is important to make recovery the most important part of your life. After all, it is a healthy recovery that is going to put all of those other aspects of life, like family wellbeing and financial security, back in place.
There are multiple modalities that can help with finding meaning. Perhaps the most pivotal is psychotherapy. This is because psychotherapy is an ideal evidence-based way to get to the underlying issues that were previously mentioned.
Utilizing Psychotherapy for Recovery and Meaning
Psychotherapy is effective because it can help you start to see the negative way that you have been viewing yourself and the world around you for so long. It is this skewed view that often leads people to start to misuse alcohol and substances as ways to self-medicate for their emotional pain. Psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are ideal for addressing these emotions and helping to manage and mitigate negative behaviors.
CBT is helpful at clearing away the stress that gets in the way of finding meaning in life and recovery. According to the peer-reviewed journal BioPsychoSocial Medicine, “CBT is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people to identify and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on their behavior and emotions. Under stressful conditions, some individuals tend to feel pessimistic and unable to solve problems. CBT promotes more balanced thinking to improve the ability to cope with stress.”
DBT can also help with “balanced thinking,” as well as help with acceptance and mindfulness. According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry (Edgmont), “In DBT, mindfulness skills help patients attend to what is happening in the present. Some of the mindfulness skills involve attending to and nonjudgmentally observing the current experience, describing the facts of the current experience or situation, and fully participating in the activity/experience of the present, while attending to one thing at a time (‘one-mindfully’) and focusing on effective, skillful behavior.” Experiential therapies can also help clear a path for finding meaning.
Utilizing Experiential Therapy for Recovery and Meaning
Many people argue that talk therapy is not enough to truly help one find themselves. These same people are proponents of experiential therapy because it is through “experiences” that one finds what they are made of, as well as what their goals and aspirations may be. This can be especially true with nature-based experiential therapies like surf therapy and horticulture therapy.
Here on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, we have some of the best surfing in the world. A mere 15-minute journey from our luxury 30-acre property at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ sits one of the best surf breaks on the island. Here, one can meditate and find meaning while catching amazing waves surrounded by stunning sealife.
Surf therapy also offers a myriad of other benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Carefully planned water activities tailored to the needs of the individual can contribute to correct psychosocial and cognitive development. The International Surf Therapy Organization summarizes the benefits of adequately indicated surf therapy as follows: improved physical health and mobility; improved mental health, including reduction of specific symptoms, such as posttraumatic stress and depression; improved well-being (strengthening of trust and confidence, encouragement of independence, resilience, and protective coping strategies) and improved social skills.” Surf therapy also lends itself well to a program that includes holistic healing methods.
Utilizing Holistic Healing Methods for Recovery and Meaning
Holistic healing methods like yoga and meditation have been around for thousands of years. Initially, they were solely used for religious or spiritual purposes, but they have since moved into the realm of recovery. They are also ideal for clearing away the mental blocks that can get in the way of finding deeper meaning in recovery. This is because they offer an opportunity for mental clarity, emotional stability, and cognitive clarity.
Holistic healing methods like yoga therapy also offer many other benefits that can be ideal for healing at the cellular level. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent, reduce, or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”
Working With Others for Long-Term Recovery
Now, one of the best ways to find meaning in recovery is to focus your attention on helping others. It has been said that helping others is one of the most important parts of recovery because it gives you purpose and motivation. It also shows you that recovery can work on many levels. By helping another individual, you are helping yourself even more. This is because working with others is one of the best ways to avoid a relapse in recovery.
The primary text of 12-Step recovery (also known as the Big Book) states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail…. You can help when no one else can.” Yes, helping those around you can truly be the foundational meaning of your life. We realize that selflessness is a key to serenity. Also, it makes us stronger individuals in the process.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” That is why we focus on helping each and every client find meaning in their recovery.
Plato also famously said, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” If you are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, then you are ready to recover. The time to begin is now. You can do this! We can help.
Many people can feel lost in recovery, especially in the early stages. This is why it can be so important to find meaning in recovery, including helping others and seeking a Higher Power. The sooner this happens, the better the chance for a healthy and well-structured long-term recovery. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about the benefits of finding meaning in recovery, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ today at (808) 775-0200.
