In Treatment: Healing at the Cellular Level Over the Holidays

The holidays are meant to be a time of family and friendship. Yet, for many families with a loved one struggling with addiction, the holidays don’t feel that way. Yet, many people put off going to treatment because they don’t feel that it is “the right time.” The reality is that the right time to get help is as soon as a problem becomes apparent. This includes going to treatment over the holidays.

What Does Healing at the Cellular Level Look Like?

Healing at the cellular level is about healing holistically. Many people are under the misconception that “holistic” is some type of unscientific form of recovery. This is simply misunderstood. Holistic merely means “whole” – to heal the “whole self.” This means healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Healing at the cellular level is all about healing the entirety of the capital “S” “Self.” The key is to find the right combination of modalities that work for the individual. It is also critical to understand what addiction is all about. This includes the fact that it is a disease and not some type of moral failing or “choice.”

Better Understanding Addiction

Yes, addiction is a disease. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will.”

Millions of people struggle with addiction in the U.S. and abroad every day. This includes people who struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD). The most common addiction in the world is AUD. This is for a number of reasons, perhaps the biggest being that alcohol is legal and one of the most legally promoted addictive substances in the world.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) also continues to be one of the biggest forms of addiction in the world. One of the biggest reasons is the influx of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. 

It’s also important to understand that many people who struggle with addiction are not yet aware that they may have a problem. This is why being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of addiction can be so important.

Better Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Now, of course, the signs and symptoms of addiction are always going to be based on the individual. However, there are some universal signs and symptoms of addiction. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:

• Trouble with sleep patterns, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
• Physical ailments such as body aches and gastrointestinal problems
• Excessive hangovers 
• Isolating away from family and close friends
• Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
• Feeling overly anxious, nervous, and/or “stressed out”
• Having feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness
• Depression
• Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
• Exhibiting excessive mood swings
• Having co-occurring issues of mental illness
• Harming oneself or others
• Engaging in risky behaviors
• Having suicidal ideation or attempting to commit suicide

As one can see, the signs and symptoms of addiction can be very serious. This is why seeking professional help sooner rather than later is so crucial. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. The good news is that there are many effective modalities that make addiction treatment more available and effective than ever. This includes getting help over the holidays.

Better Understanding Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment is more structured than ever. According to the Psychiatric Clinics of North America, “In determining and evaluating the effectiveness of various treatment approaches, the primary focus is, in most cases, abstinence, or at least a clinically meaningful reduction in substance use. Other important outcomes usually assessed include treatment retention and associated problems, such as psychiatric severity, medical problems, legal concerns, family/social relations, and job/vocational functioning…. Methods of intervention for substance use disorders vary from pharmacological to behavioral or psychosocial, and from singular or specific therapies to a broad array of services within a program. The scientific focus again can differ by these dimensions.”

When it comes to addiction treatment, again, it is also important to remember that addiction is a “disease” rather than some type of moral failing or “choice.” Addiction is more like a chronic disease similar to cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. When this is better understood, it makes more sense how clinical addiction treatment should be. However, it should also involve many other modalities like nature immersion therapy and holistic healing methods like yoga. This is also what individualized addiction care is all about.

The Importance of Individualized Addiction Care

Just as no two individuals’ active addiction journeys are the same, no two individuals’ recovery journeys should be the same either. This all starts by understanding that the treatment intake process must always be personalized. It should be less about the diagnosis and more about the individual. This includes a deep dive into one’s familial, genetic, social, and occupational information. It should also focus on the goals that one has for the future.

The fact of the matter is that recovery is now a multi-billion dollar industry. Unfortunately, this also created many predatory recovery centers that focus more on their bottom line than their client’s well-being. These are also the types of recovery centers that only offer overarching treatment plans that don’t take the individual into account. They also tend to use a limited amount of modalities and, thus, lack the necessary comprehensive addiction care.

The Importance of Comprehensive Addiction Care

It is critical to use as many means, methods, and modalities as possible when it comes to getting an individual the addiction care that they need. This includes psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like art therapy and surf therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and meditation.

The key is to find the right comprehensive combination of modalities that work for the individual. It is also important to choose the right treatments that are going to help an individual get to the underlying root/core causes of their issues. This works over the holidays as well as any other time of year.

Getting to the Root/Core Causes of One’s Issues

It is important to understand that addiction is about a lot more than the drink or the drug. It is about the feelings and thoughts that are associated with wanting to take that drink or drug. This is why many people in 12-Step recovery say that it is “more about the thinking than it is about the drinking.”

The good news is there are many ways to get to the underlying issues and root/core causes of addiction. One of those ways is via CBT and DBT. These two psychotherapies can be particularly effective because they get to the underlying way in which one negatively views oneself and the world around them. Once these underlying issues are detected one can begin to change their cognitions, emotions, and behaviors associated with them.

When Is the Right Time to Go to Treatment?

It is important to remember that the best time to go to treatment is as soon as a problem is detected. Many people wait because they feel like there is some sort of ideal time to go to treatment. This is merely a “stall tactic,” and one should never wait to get the help that they both deserve and desire.

Many people also wait to get the treatment that they need because they are concerned with how they are going to pay for it. This is understandable. However, it should never be the reason that one does not get the life-saving help that they so desperately need. The key is to reach out for help. Many insurance companies pay for many types of addiction treatment. Also, for those who don’t have insurance, many recovery centers can come up with payment plans and agreements for getting an individual the care that they require.

Going to Treatment Over the Holidays

Getting the help one needs over the holidays can be daunting and feel devastating. This is often due to FOMO (the “fear of missing out”). However, one should always remember that “missing” out on some festivities over the holidays will make all of the following holidays much more fulfilling.

It is also important to remember that going away to treatment over the holidays does not totally separate one from their loved ones. Addiction is a family disease and, thus, the entire family should start to get help once a loved one starts to get the help that they need. Besides, one of the best holiday gifts one can give their family is the willingness to get well and recover.

Avoiding Relapse Over the Holidays

It is also true that many people experience a relapse over the holidays. A large percentage of people relapse every day. This includes people who are just out of treatment. Also, this is especially true over the holidays.

The key is to have a relapse prevention plan as soon as one gets out of treatment. This includes setting boundaries around the home, getting the whole family the help that they need, and connecting with other people in recovery.

Connecting with other people in recovery is one of the best ways to avoid a relapse over the holidays. These are the individuals that one can connect with when they are experiencing “triggering” times over the holidays. They are also the individuals who can make the holidays more fulfilling by holding sober events and helping other newer people in recovery. Another effective way to avoid a relapse over the holidays is with psychotherapy.

Recovery Over the Holidays With Psychotherapies

As previously mentioned, psychotherapy (“talk” therapy) is an ideal modality when it comes to addiction treatment. One of the major reasons for this is that psychotherapy is “evidence-based,” which means that it has long been shown to be effective in treating many types of addiction and mental illness.

Psychotherapy is also highly effective at treating addiction because it makes the individual an active participant in their own recovery. This offers essential autonomy when it comes to treatment and makes an individual feel their purpose in the process. Another effective type of psychotherapy is psychedelic therapy (of which there are many varieties).

Recovery Over the Holidays With Psychedelic Therapies

Long have psychedelics and psychedelic therapies been stigmatized in the public sphere. This is because many people feel that psychedelics are only used as illicit substances. This is simply not the case.

Psychedelic therapies can be highly effective, especially MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT). According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Center for PTSD, “MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) involves the use of MDMA as an adjunct to psychotherapy for the treatment of different mental health conditions. MDMA is a monoamine releaser and re-uptake inhibitor with indirect effects on neurohormone release. The effects of MDMA include reduced fear, increased social engagement, increased openness, increased receptiveness to positive affect, increased empathy and compassion, increased feelings of closeness, and increased disclosure of emotional content.”

There are also many other types of effective psychedelic therapies. These therapies include psilocybin psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). There are also many other types of experiential therapies that can be highly effective for addiction recovery over the holidays.

Recovery Over the Holidays With Experiential Therapies

It is important to remember that the winter holiday season can bring with it seasonal depression. This is a dangerous addition to a pre-existing addiction. This is also why engaging in nature-based therapies on the Big Island of Hawaii can be so beneficial over the holidays.

This includes nature immersion therapy that takes advantage of all of the beautiful natural sites that the Hamakua Coast has to offer. This includes majestic waterfalls, amazing overlooks, and sunny beaches. There is even a live volcano that one can explore. 

Another highly beneficial nature-based experiential therapy that one can engage with at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab is surf therapy. A mere 15-minute journey from our luxury 30-acre property sits one of the best surf breaks on the Island. Here one can catch some of the best waves in the world, meditate between the breaks, and get all of the other emotional benefits of surf therapy.

When one is done feeling all of the benefits of surf therapy, they can get their hands in the earth and engage with another highly effective nature-based therapy – horticulture therapy. With horticulture therapy, one can find peace and serenity while connecting with nature. Plus, one can become inspired by seeing the fruits of their labor (literally).

There are also many other types of holistic modalities that can help with recovery over the holidays. This includes yoga therapy, mindfulness meditation, acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage therapy, and reiki.

Healing at the Cellular Level Over the Holidays With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we understand that the holidays can be a difficult time for recovery. However, we also know that it is the best thing that a person may ever do for themself.

At Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” We also believe in supporting our clients “one day at a time” while also helping them prepare for their new amazing future.

John Lennon famously sang, “So this is Christmas / And what have you done? / Another year over / And a new one just begun.” In recovery, that new year beginning has the potential to be the best one yet.

Many people avoid going to treatment over the holidays because of FOMO (the “fear of missing out”). FOMO can also lead to an early departure from treatment and, ultimately, a relapse. The good news is that this feeling will not be the norm at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, due to all we have to offer regarding our various means, methods, and modalities. 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 right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about healing over the holidays, please contact Exclusive Hawaii Rehab at (808) 775-0200.