How Can I Move Forward From Alcohol and Substance-Related Legal Troubles?

Many people find themselves in legal situations due to their active addiction. These legal troubles can seem to pop up out of nowhere in recovery because we often ignore situations like these when we are active. Dealing with these legal troubles can feel overwhelming, especially in early recovery. The good news is that taking the next right step in recovery is all one has to do. The key is to keep it one day at a time, and eventually even the most insurmountable situations will begin to sort themselves out.

Healing at the Cellular Level

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in healing at the cellular level. But what exactly does “healing at the cellular level” even mean? It simply means that to fully recover in the long term, we must do so holistically. 

Many people get confused when they think of “holistic healing.” Their minds often shift strictly to Eastern medicines and philosophies. While, yes, these components can be part of healing holistically, holistic simply means “whole” – it means whole mind-body healing. This means healing the entirety of the capital “S” Self: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Also, healing at the cellular level takes more than just willing it into being. It takes action. Healing at the cellular level requires deeper introspection, as well as getting to the root/core causes of one’s addiction.

Getting to the Root/Core Causes of Addiction

Many people also get confused when it comes to what needs to be treated when it comes to addiction recovery. It is not the act of taking the drink or the drug that needs to be addressed, it is the reason that one chose to take the drink or the drug in the first place. It has to do with the underlying issues. The issues often have to do with some type of trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD can be very debilitating. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, by Doctors Mann, Marwaha, and Torrico, “Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent and complex psychiatric condition that arises in response to exposure to traumatic events, significantly impacting an individual’s mental well-being. Characterized by a diverse array of symptoms, PTSD can affect cognition, mood, somatic experiences, and behavior, leading to chronic impairments and an elevated risk of comorbid psychiatric illnesses, including an increased susceptibility to suicide.”

Trauma and PTSD also affect a lot more people than many may realize. According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), “PTSD is a widely accepted diagnosis, but some believe that the term medicalises understandable responses to catastrophic events and further disempowers those who are already disempowered. About 3% of the adult population has PTSD at any one time. Lifetime prevalence is between 1.9% and 8.8%, but this rate doubles in populations affected by conflict and reaches more than 50% in survivors of rape.” PTSD is also present in individuals who face significant legal troubles.

How Can I Move Forward From Alcohol and Substance-Related Legal Troubles?

The best way to move forward from alcohol and substance-related legal troubles is to stop running and start healing. It is also important not to try to take on too much right away. One of the keys is first connecting to a responsible and reputable recovery center.

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know that many of our clients also deal with an array of legal issues once they begin their recovery process. Of course, we are not lawyers and cannot give out legal advice, but what we can do is connect our clients to any and all of the right resources that might help them to address their legal issues.

Also, again, while there are no guarantees, seeking treatment is often looked upon favorably by the courts (if that is the type of legal trouble that one is facing). The reality is that most in the judicial system would rather see individuals struggling with addiction get well than get harmed by the system. Of course, this will take work. It will take clearing the wreckage of one’s past.

Clearing the Wreckage of Our Past: Addressing Legal Troubles

Once an individual gets sober and starts healing at the cellular level, they soon realize that they cannot hide from their past. However, they should also not be controlled by it.

That is why addressing legal troubles completely as soon as one is healthy enough to do so is so important. Legal troubles can feel like a giant monkey on one’s back, and it is important to shake it sooner rather than later. If not, one may find themselves dealing with a potential relapse, and that isn’t going to serve anyone.

Addressing Legal Troubles and Making Amends

The amends process can be a critical component of anyone’s recovery. This is when one makes a conscious effort to admit their faults to those whom they have harmed. Also, it is much more than saying, “I’m sorry.”

Many people affected by addiction have heard “I’m sorry” so many times that it begins to lose its potency. That is why an amends isn’t simply an apology; it is a way of showing the other person that one has changed. Also, this amends process can prove to the court system that an individual is ready to right the wrongs of their past. While there is no guarantee, this amends process has also caused people to drop charges on an individual for acts they committed while they were in active addiction. The key is to do the work and to do so with fidelity.

12-Step Meetings: Working With Others in Recovery

For people in addiction recovery, one of the best things they can do is start to build healthy and genuine relationships. A great place to make this happen is in 12-Step recovery. This is a program that can help one begin to be open and honest about their feelings while also learning to help others.

Recovery meetings are a great way to engage with a healthy community while also learning accountability. This can really be bolstered by the sponsor/sponsee relationship. This is the type of bond that many people with untreated addiction avoid because it can make them feel uncomfortable. However, in recovery, this discomfort can dissipate. Working with other people in recovery is also a great way to avoid a potential relapse (as previously mentioned). It is said that working with other people is one of the best ways to avoid a relapse.

In the primary text of 12-Step recovery (commonly referred to as the Big Book), the chapter “Working With Others” states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure 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.” This is the type of life’s purpose that can be critical to recovery for someone who is looking to move beyond past legal troubles.

Sticking to a Multi-Angled Treatment Approach

When it comes to recovery, it is also important to utilize a multi-angled approach. This simply means to use as many effective means, methods, and modalities for recovery as possible.

These modalities should include treatments from the “traditional” psychotherapeutic realm, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), therapies from the experiential realm like surf therapy and horticulture therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga and mindfulness meditation. This addiction care should also be individualized and comprehensive.

A Focus on Individualized and Comprehensive Treatment

The reality of the situation is that addiction care facilities have boomed in recent years. This can be helpful in that many more people may get the help that they need. However, it can also be hurtful because it means that there are more predatory recovery centers that are only looking to cash in on the situation. These are often the same recovery centers that only offer “one-size-fits-all” overarching treatment plans.

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know that these treatment plans rarely work. That is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive. This ensures that every aspect of the previously mentioned “Self” is addressed. It also ensures that as many effective means, methods, and modalities of recovery are utilized. These are modalities like nutritional therapy.

Healing With Nutritional Therapy

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we have a maxim: “Food is medicine.” This is because we believe nutrition to be an essential part of healing at the cellular level. That is why we have some of the most renowned nutritionists and dietitians working with us. We also have a naturopathic doctor who works closely with all of our clients.

It is important to remember that nutrition is as much about what stays out of our bodies as what goes in. According to The Journal for Nurse Practitioners (JPN), “Nutritional Therapy uses food to prevent and reverse diseases that plague most western societies: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and depression. In order for food to be therapeutic, it must be nutrient-dense, measured in part by the nutrients and anti-nutrients contained in consumed foods. Nutrients are plant and animal sources providing macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, probiotics), and fiber [and] anti-nutrients are food products that have no biological necessity.”

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we also believe in the importance of food being delicious and satiating. That is why we have world-class chefs on staff who tailor every meal to the individual’s needs and likes. They also use organic and local ingredients to create amazing and memorable dishes.

Experiential Modalities: Healing With Surf Therapy

There are many types of experiential therapy that can help one recover from addiction at the cellular level. This is the type of healing one needs to face legal troubles head-on. One of these is surf therapy.

Surf therapy has been shown to offer a myriad of benefits for addiction (and co-occurring mental health disorders). According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology, “Increasing prevalence rates of mental health problems among adolescents are an issue of growing concern. Surf therapy is a novel intervention that may provide tangible benefits to address this problem. Congruent with the ecological dynamics perspective (EDP), the existing research postulates that surf therapy yields psychological benefits in part due to the unique affordances of immersion in a blue space such as the ocean.”

The good news is that surf therapy is especially effective on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. This is because 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, an individual can get all of the benefits of surf therapy while also meditating under the rejuvenating Hawaiian sun. After this rejuvenation, facing legal troubles can feel much more manageable. 

Healing With Horticulture Therapy

When one steps onto Exclusive Hawaii Rehab’s luxury 30-acre property, one will see some of the most amazing local fruits and vegetables growing all over its lush, sun-soaked landscape. This includes amazing citrus and coconut trees, guava bushes, pineapple patches, and bursting vegetable boxes. Many of these fruits and vegetables have been tended to by clients engaging in playful horticulture therapy.

The benefits of horticulture therapy are vast and varied. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “People’s interactions with plants, through goal-oriented horticultural activities in the form of active gardening, as well as the passive appreciation of nature, could be therapeutic to people with mental disorders in many ways. First, horticulture could have emotional benefits, such as reducing stress, reducing psychiatric symptoms, stabilizing mood, and increasing the sense of tranquility, spirituality, and enjoyment. Second, it could help people to reduce fatigue and restore attention and cognitive ability.” It has also been shown to help with one’s self-esteem and overall quality of life.

Healing With Holistic Modalities

There are many effective holistic healing methods that can help one recover from addiction (and comorbidities of mental health) at the cellular level. This includes holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation. These two holistic modalities can also be highly effective when used in tandem.

Yoga and meditation can offer a myriad of benefits. These benefits can be physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual (keys to healing the “Self”). The following are just a few of those benefits:

• Better strength and posture
• A greater focus on mindfulness
• Creates empathy
• Acquiring a better sense of self
• Finding a better sense of mental balance and clarity
• Helping one connect with others and heal relationships
• Increased positivity and wellness
• Improved breathing
• Connects individuals with new, relatable people
• Encourages spirituality
• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Can help individuals who struggle with suicidal ideations

As one can see, these benefits are vast and varied. These modalities also work very well with other types of treatment, making them even more valuable to individuals who are seeking a more comprehensive plan of action. The key is finding the right types of treatments that work together and sticking to them. It is also highly beneficial to have a record of one’s recovery journey because it can show the legal system that one is putting in the work and choosing to change for the better. 

Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know that one does not enter treatment without facing external issues like legal troubles. However, we also know that with a little acceptance, willingness, and action, these issues can be resolved for good.

As with life, recovery is a journey, and that journey is best enjoyed with others who can help us along the way. We can be that help and support. The time to recover is now, and there is no better place than Hawaii’s Big Island. You can do this! We know it!

Many people end up struggling with legal troubles as a result of their alcohol and substance use. That is why it is important to get the proper advice on navigating legal issues in recovery. The good news is that taking the next right action in recovery is the best way to resolve legal troubles. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about getting past legal troubles in recovery, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today at (808) 775-0200.