Experiential therapy is a treatment choice that more therapists and clinics are offering because of how it can help patients immerse themselves in important experiences. This level of immersion provides you with the chance to fully engage with traumatic moments in your life so that you can more easily break away from the harm that they have caused.

Here’s what you need to know about what experiential therapy is, who it can help, and what the experience may look like.

Defining Experiential Therapy: Emphasizing Action

Experiential therapy refers to a category of therapeutic techniques that relies on hands-on activities and tools to help patients re-enact and re-live situations from their past. The goal of experiential therapy is to focus specifically on the activities and not just to talk about the experiences.

Through these actions, the genuine attitudes, feelings, and beliefs that rest in your subconscious mind can appear. This allows you to gain a better understanding of who you are and what you can do to improve your mental health. You can also get a sense of what your feelings of success, self-esteem, and responsibility are tied to.

Types of Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy can include a variety of options, depending on what’s more appropriate for each individual.

Music Therapy

Music therapy uses music’s natural mood-lifting properties to help you address mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. Writing music, analyzing music, dancing, or singing can all help you instill positive behavioral changes.

Nature Therapy

Nature therapy, also called adventure therapy, encourages you to experience nature and embrace the benefits it offers. Often, it involves wilderness guides, outdoor games, “forest bathing,” and recreational activities done in groups. Nature therapy is helpful for people of all ages, but it can be particularly useful for teenagers and young adults.

Animal Therapy

Interacting and caring for animals can have significant mental health benefits. You can make a connection with these nonjudgemental creatures that often reflect your own emotions. Equine therapy, in particular, can be very helpful in teaching you how to regulate your feelings while also involving physical activities outdoors.

Art Therapy

Being able to express yourself by drawing, coloring, or crafting can bring freedom in how you see and share your feelings. Because art is subjective, there’s no right or wrong way to express yourself. Art therapy can reduce shame and stress while also empowering you.

Psychodrama Therapy

This is the most common form of experiential therapy. Psychodrama therapy encourages you to recreate stressful and emotionally charged situations in a safe setting, allowing you to work through the negative emotions the experience creates.

In this way, you can step into another person’s shoes and see things from their perspective, helping you improve your communication skills and gain a better understanding of why the situation was so upsetting for you.

Body-Centered Therapy

Body-centered therapy refers to any therapeutic options that involve expressing yourself with your whole body, such as yoga, dancing, and breathwork. Moving your body can allow you to better process emotions, especially trauma.

Play Therapy

Play therapy is commonly used with children and involves therapeutic play to help address emotional and psychological issues that may be too difficult for them to put into words. It can be especially helpful in children who have suffered abuse or lived through other traumatic experiences.

When Is Experiential Therapy Helpful?

Experiential therapy can aid in the treatment of a variety of mental health challenges. These challenges can include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Anger management
• Grief
• Eating disorders
• ADHD
• Compulsive behaviors
• Stress
• Mood disorders
• Phobias

It’s also commonly used during the treatment of substance use disorders and can be helpful even for people who don’t have a diagnosable condition but have difficulties with past experiences. Additionally, patients who are looking to change relationship dynamics can benefit from experiential therapy.

Experiential therapy often works best when combined with traditional talk therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy. It can also be beneficial in both individual and group settings. The majority of experiential therapy options are appropriate for all age groups, while some, like play therapy, can be better suited to children.

Benefits of Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy offers benefits that, when combined with talk therapy, allow you to gain a clearer understanding of your behaviors and emotions. With this knowledge, you can then make the changes you need to start feeling your best again.

Improving Emotional Processing

Even if you know you’re angry or sad, these emotions can have layers. To be able to address everything you’re feeling, you need to separate these layers, and that’s not always easy to do with talk therapy. Experiential therapy allows you to explore all the feelings you have around a particular situation and overcome them directly.

This emotional processing makes it easier to feel a less powerful emotional response over time as you address all of the emotions that a particular event or situation brings up. It’s a bit like exposure therapy.

Achieving Situational Resolution

With experiential therapy, you can recreate traumatic situations and examine not only what your response at the time was but also the emotions it caused. You can release any negative feelings you have about the situation as well, which opens the door to healing.

Building Empathy

By allowing you to see an event or situation from different perspectives, experiential therapy options like psychodrama can help you build empathy about what others around you are feeling. Once you’re able to understand why someone reacted the way they did, you can be better poised to accept and forgive, which is vital for your own mental health.

Reducing Avoidance

Traumatic events can leave you avoiding thoughts, memories, and even people that are connected to your trauma. Often, people think that avoiding what hurts them can help reduce stress, but it typically does the opposite. Avoidance can actually trigger anxiety and allow the emotions behind the avoidance to grow.

Boosting Creative Expression

Engaging in creative endeavors like music or art can be a great way of reducing stress and managing emotions. Instead of putting emotions aside, you can put them down on paper or sing them out, giving you further insight into your emotional responses.

Artistic hobbies can also become a form of self-care. These hobbies give you the opportunity to take some time for yourself and unwind while also helping to bolster your self-esteem.

Developing New Coping Skills

When you participate in many different activities, you learn better ways of coping with difficult emotions. For example, if you learn to use drawing as a way to express yourself and cope with stress, you can depend on this activity when you’re struggling.

What to Expect From Experiential Therapy

Because experiential therapy is so diverse, the exact course of your treatment can vary greatly from someone else’s. The focus, however, will generally be on “hands-on” experiences. It’s a client-centered therapy option that allows you to express preferences for certain therapeutic interventions.

Some therapists work with one form of experiential therapy, while others incorporate many types into their practice. For example, some therapists offer both adventure therapy and equine therapy, while others may prefer music and art therapy for their patients.

No matter the intervention you engage in, your therapist will focus on your perception and awareness of what you experience as you draw or sing a song. You can then speak about the emotions the activity brought up. This can happen during the activity or after, such as in a talk session.

Examples of Experiential Therapy Activities

You may wonder exactly what trying experiential therapy may involve. Take a closer look at some examples of what this therapeutic option can look like in real life.

Empty Chair

In this exercise, you sit in front of an empty chair and begin a dialogue with the person you’ve had a conflict with. It may also be an aspect of yourself that you want to address. The exercise lets you have an imagined conversation that can help you give voice to your emotions and gain resolution to issues.

Expressive Dance

During an expressive dance exercise, you move to music in any way you want. You’ll usually need to close your eyes. This activity can suit both individual and group therapy sessions.

Hiking

Hiking lets you be outside in nature, which can help reduce stress and improve your mood. You also have the chance to build self-confidence in your physical abilities. It can be helpful for many mental health conditions, including substance use disorders.

Equine Leading

Leading a horse through a series of obstacles can help you with problem-solving skills and building confidence. You can also learn to observe the horse’s behavior and reflect on how it relates to your own emotions.

Guided Imagery and Music

In this exercise, you listen to a piece of music while engaging in guided imagery that your therapist has created. For instance, your therapist might encourage you to visualize a peaceful situation while listening to soothing music.

Creative Writing

With creative writing, you can explore difficult subjects from a safe viewpoint. Creative writing encourages your imagination and also offers a sense of accomplishment that boosts self-esteem.

Soliloquy

During this exercise, you get to give a “speech” about what you’re experiencing, and you’re encouraged to talk about your feelings. An example would be speaking about the death of a loved one and what that experience meant for you. Soliloquy can help you pinpoint the variety of emotions you feel.

Camping

Camping gives you the chance to unplug from your regular life and enjoy the calm of being outdoors. It can be a great option for group therapy and encourages you to build connections with others.

Finding Your Balance Through Action at APN Lodge

Experiential therapy is one of the many therapeutic options available for people who are struggling with mental health concerns, relationship problems, and anything else that affects their self-esteem and psychological well-being. With experiential therapy, you give yourself the permission to play, removing inhibitions and focusing more on action.

Experiential therapy can work very well when combined with talk therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy. You can uncover emotions in the activity and then address them in the CBT session so that you can start making behavioral changes. It can be challenging to make changes without first understanding the underlying emotions that are causing problems.

At APN Lodge, we offer a wide range of treatment options to help you address the obstacles you face, including experiential therapy. Whether you’re battling a substance use disorder, depression, or a combination of mental health concerns, our team can help you find the most appropriate treatment plan for your needs.

Contact us to speak with one of our experts and get started on finding the path to wellness today.

References

• Dijkstra, Maria T., and Astrid C. Homan. “Engaging in Rather than Disengaging from Stress: Effective Coping and Perceived Control.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 7, 2016, p. 206818, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01415. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
• Keller, Jennifer et al. “Forest Bathing Increases Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 21,1 8. 20 Dec. 2023, doi:10.3390/ijerph21010008
• Stewart, Joanna, et al. “Music Use for Mood Regulation: Self-Awareness and Conscious Listening Choices in Young People With Tendencies to Depression.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, 2019, p. 452056, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01199. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
• Tomaszewski, Crystal et al. “Impact of dance therapy on adults with psychological trauma: a systematic review.” European journal of psychotraumatology vol. 14,2 (2023): 2225152. doi:10.1080/20008066.2023.2225152

Life can take unexpected turns. Unfortunately, sometimes this can throw us into situations that shatter our sense of stability. Natural disasters, traumatic events, or crises can leave us feeling disoriented, vulnerable, and mentally drained. However – especially during these times – tending to your mental health is crucial.

Just as you would prioritize physical safety and basic needs, caring for your mental well-being is essential to recovering, healing, and regaining a sense of normalcy. If you’ve been through a disaster, this article is here to guide you with compassionate advice, practical steps, and reassurance that taking time to heal is not only okay—it’s necessary.

Understanding the Mental Health Impact of a Disaster

The aftermath of a disaster often goes far beyond physical damage. It can impact every area of your mental well-being. Below are some things you may experience.

Shock and Denial

Initially, you might feel numb, disbelieving, or disconnected from reality. This is a normal protective response that helps your mind cope with an overwhelming situation.

Anxiety and Hypervigilance

After a crisis, your nervous system may still be on high alert. This can make it challenging to relax or feel safe, as your mind is wired to search for threats. You might notice a spike in your anxiety, have trouble sleeping, or even experience panic attacks.

Grief and Loss

Whether it’s the loss of a home, a sense of security, or even loved ones, disasters can bring profound grief. Mourning these losses is a natural response, yet it can also feel isolating, overwhelming, and draining.

PTSD and Flashbacks

For some, the trauma of a disaster can trigger PTSD. This can include flashbacks, nightmares, or being easily startled. However, it’s important to understand that these reactions are simply your mind’s way of processing trauma—it’s not a sign of weakness.

Depression and Emotional Exhaustion

In the wake of disaster, it’s common to feel drained, hopeless, or uninterested in things you once enjoyed. You might feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. However, these feelings are usually temporary, and there are always ways to heal.

How to Process the Emotions of a Disaster in a Healthy Way

With all these difficult feelings, it can be hard to know how to start getting your life back on track. However, if you work on taking things one step at a time – and prioritizing the tasks that will help your nervous system repair – you can start to move closer to mental, emotional, and physical wellness. Below are some actionable steps you can take to deal with the impact of a disaster in a healthy way.

Acknowledge and Validate Your Feelings

It’s tempting to push through or dismiss your feelings during a time of crisis. However, acknowledging that you’re struggling is a crucial first step. Reminding yourself of the following things can help.

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

You’ve been through something intense, and feeling off-balance is a natural response.

Name Your Emotions for What They Are

Whether it’s sadness, fear, anger, or confusion, putting a name to what you feel can help you process your emotions and reduce their intensity. There are no bad feelings, only poor ways to deal with them.

Speak Kindly to Yourself

Replace self-criticism with gentle encouragement, such as, “I’m doing the best I can right now” and “It’s okay to not have all the answers.”

Prioritize Basic Self-Care

Another important step to take after experiencing a disaster is to prioritize basic self-care—no matter how much you think you don’t have time for it. During the chaos following a disaster, self-care can often fall to the wayside. However, your physical health is closely tied to your mental health, so it’s important to focus on the basic human needs listed below.

Getting Enough Rest

Sleep is critical for emotional recovery. Try to stick to a sleep schedule, even if your mind is racing. Simple techniques like deep breathing, white noise, or guided sleep meditations can help.

Nourishing Your Body

When overwhelmed, eating nutritious meals may not feel like a priority. But foods rich in nutrients – like fruits, vegetables, and proteins – can boost your mood and energy.

Movement and Exercise

Gentle exercise such as walking, stretching, or yoga can help reduce stress hormones, boost endorphins, and clear your mind.

Ground Yourself with Mindfulness Practices

In addition to exercising your body, it can help to work on exercising your mind— especially during times of high stress. When your mind feels like it’s spiraling, mindfulness can be a powerful tool to bring you back to the present moment. Grounding techniques can help reduce anxiety and reconnect you with a sense of safety. Listed below are some mindfulness practices you can try.

Breathwork

Focusing on your breath – especially deep belly breathing – signals your nervous system to relax. Some research even suggests that meditation can be effective in improving mental health after a natural disaster.

Body Scans

Slowly bringing awareness to different parts of your body can help release physical tension caused by stress. A body scan is a mindfulness practice where you slowly focus your attention on different parts of your body, noticing any sensations, tension, or discomfort, to help release stress and bring a sense of relaxation and presence.

5-4-3-2-1 Technique

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is when you name five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This exercise can quickly shift your focus from distressing thoughts to your immediate surroundings.

Lean on Social Support

Disasters can leave you feeling isolated, but reaching out for support can be incredibly healing.

Connect With Loved Ones

Even a quick check-in or text message can lift your spirits and remind you that you’re not alone.

Share Your Story

Talk about your experience – whether with a friend, support group, or therapist – to help you process your emotions and reduce the burden of keeping everything inside.

Accept Help

If someone offers to assist with tasks like meals or errands, let them. This is not the time to tough it out alone.

Set Small, Achievable Goals

After experiencing a disaster, you may feel like your world has turned upside down. While it’s natural to want to rebuild quickly, overwhelming yourself can worsen your mental state. Instead, consider setting smaller, more acheivable goals by implementing the following strategies.

Break Goals Into Small Steps

Focus on one thing at a time, whether it’s finding temporary housing, replacing lost documents, or even just taking a shower. It’s important to realize that there’s only so many hours in a day and focusing on solely the task at hand can help you from feeling overwhelmed.

Celebrate Small Wins

Each step forward is a victory. Recognizing progress – no matter how small or slow – can help boost your motivation and overall mental outlook.

Limit Media Exposure

Another important thing to do post disaster is to limit your media exposure. While it’s important to stay informed, continuous exposure to distressing news can increase anxiety and fear. Instead, there are many coping techniques you can use.

Set Boundaries

Limit how much time you spend watching news coverage or scrolling through social media.

Curate Your Sources

Choose reliable news outlets and avoid emotionally-driven reports that can heighten panic.

Take Breaks

Give yourself permission to disconnect. Engaging in uplifting or neutral activities – like watching a comedy or reading a book – can give your mind a break.

Find Comfort in Routine

After a disaster, life can feel chaotic and unpredictable. Therefore, establishing a simple daily routine can help restore a sense of normalcy and control. The following actions can help restore routine to your world.

Starting Your Day With a Calming Ritual

A calming morning ritual could be sipping some tea, stretching, journaling, or listening to a favorite podcast. Whatever it is, make sure it’s obtainable and suitable to your preferences. After all, you want it to be something you look forward to, not something that fills you with a sense of dread.

Setting a Bedtime Routine

Additionally, you may want to consider setting yourself up with a bedtime routine. Examples of this may include:

• Turning off electronics an hour before bed.
• Taking a warm bath.
• Or, practicing deep breathing to prepare for more restful sleep.

Rediscovering Joy and Purpose

While it may feel impossible to imagine right now, joy and purpose and peace will eventually return to your life. When you feel ready, try to reconnect with activities that brought you happiness before the disaster occurred, or explore new hobbies to spark inspiration. If you’re not sure where to start, the following pursuits can help you rediscover a sense of hope.

Creative Expression

Writing, painting, or playing music can be a powerful way to release emotions and process your experiences.

Volunteering

Helping others – even in small ways – can give you a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude.

Spending Time in Nature

Studies show that spending time outdoors can lower stress levels and improve mood. Even a short walk in a park or sitting by a window with a view of greenery can have a positive impact.

Seeking Professional Help

Sometimes, the impact of a disaster is too heavy to navigate alone. If you’re finding it hard to cope, consider reaching out for professional support. Therapy and other mental health services can provide a safe space to process trauma and learn healthier coping strategies.

Here at Plus by APN, we take a holistic approach to mental healthcare because we know that your mental peace doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The process of reaching a state of mental wellness is completely unique for each individual. Therefore, mental health services need to be diverse as well.

Whether you’re looking for traditional psychotherapy or psychiatry services or you’re wanting to explore alternative therapies – like ketamine treatment, deep TMS, neurofeedback, stellate ganglion block, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and more – we’re here to navigate you through whatever works for you.

Together, our team of mental health professionals can guide you on the path to wellness. To learn more about our suite of services, complete our free consultation form today or give us a call at 877.271.6006.

References

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• Calm. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 — a Simple Grounding Exercise to Calm Anxiety.” Calm Blog, 12 Sept. 2023, www.calm.com/blog/5-4-3-2-1-a-simple-exercise-to-calm-the-mind.
• Cleveland Clinic. “Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises & Techniques.” Cleveland Clinic, 30 Mar. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing.
• “Climate Change and Mental Health.” Psychiatry.org, Nov. 2019, www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/climate-change-and-mental-health-connections/affects-on-mental-health.
• Cusack Handler, Joan. “Art as a Path to Emotion.” Psychology Today, 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/of-art-and-science/202008/art-as-a-path-to-emotion.
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• Gerasimo, Pilar. “How to Create Your Own Morning Ritual.” Mindful, 10 Mar. 2020, www.mindful.org/how-to-create-your-own-morning-ritual/.
• “Getting Started with Mindfulness.” Mindful, 2018, www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/.
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Turk McBride, a former athletic defensive lineman in the NFL, was known for his ability to play both defensive end and tackle. Drafted in the second round of 2007 by the Kansas City Chiefs, McBride spent six seasons in the league, also playing for the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears. However, when his NFL career came to a close, he was forced to face one his biggest challenges yet—addressing his mental health issues head on.

When Turk first came to APN for healing, he was still stuck in his previous NFL-mindset: he didn’t believe there was strength in weakness. However, as Turk began to surrender to the process, he learned just how powerful and strong vulnerability really is.

In the APN podcast episode, I Had to Open Up About My Mental Health to Win: Recovery x Turk McBride, Turk shared how he applied the same principles utilized throughout his NFL career to his recovery process. Now, he’s able to use these fundamentals to better support himself on his journey to mental health and wellness. To learn more about Turk’s story, continue reading the article below or check out the full podcast on our YouTube channel.

When One Door Closes Another One Opens

For most of Turk’s life, he had been working towards his goal of becoming a professional athlete. When he finally achieved that goal, he did everything in his power to maintain that status. However, when it was all taken away, Turk was left with the harrowing reality of his depression.

“I stopped playing football in 2014 and I fell into a major depression,” Turk said. “I never assumed I would be one of those guys [but] when your wife is telling you you’re depressed, that’s the last thing you want to hear … I looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Hey—who do you want to become as a person, as a husband, and as a father?’ And I started taking the advice that my wife [was giving me] to heart.”

Gradually, Turk became more aware of the things he was struggling with.

“I feel like the NFL broke up with me via text message,” Turk said. “Like, I put so much time and effort and energy in and it just was [a shock to be dismissed so easily]. I’d seen several [of] my friends commit suicide and [I knew that] if something drastic [didn’t] change, [I] may be in that category.”

Eventually, Turk agreed to seek treatment at All Points North Lodge in Edwards, Colorado. Still, this choice didn’t come without sacrifices.

“I left two days after my daughter’s birthday and wanted to stay for 30 days, [though] I wound up staying for 60,” Turk said. “I missed my daughter’s first day of school just by being here, so it was extremely difficult. However, sometimes you have to go through that difficult time to really become who you need to be for those people. [Even though] I will never get that moment back … understanding how to be the best father … can last for as long as God has me on this earth. Personally, I’d rather lose that moment in time to be able to get so much more.”

From Hesitant to Humbled

Even though Turk agreed to go to treatment, he struggled to be open to the process at first.

“I had so much anxiety [and] fear,” Turk said. “I really didn’t want to open up [or] make any friends. [I thought], I’m only here to shut my wife up … All I gotta do is just pray a little bit and read some scriptures [and] I’ll be fine … But once we got in that first group and I saw someone that looks like me and played [who was] being vulnerable and open it [was] like, Oh. And then you hear your peers start telling stories and you’re like, Well okay. Well let me open up as well.”

Even though Turk didn’t come to APN to make friends, he certainly left with more than he bargained for.

“I [wound] up creating brotherhoods … just by having [gone] through what we went through,” Turk said. “The only thing that felt close to that was training camp when you know you’re going through adversity and pain and suffering [together]. When you’re going through all that, you build that camaraderie with a person. When we’re extremely emotional, vulnerable, [and] open … we wind up building something [truly meaningful].”

Turk shared what an emotional rollercoaster the entire APN process was for him.

“I mean this is something that’s quite difficult,” Turk said. “When I first came here I thought it was going to be one way … but after the my first day or two I’m like, Okay. I’m tired of crying now … But to be honest it was amazing for me being able to unpack around my peers – around people that I played with – [and] hearing different journeys so I can relate [and] feel like I’m not alone.”

Learning the Strength in Vulnerability

Part of what was so difficult for Turk at first was learning that there is strength in vulnerability.

“Being an athlete, we’re so accustomed to being un-vulnerable,” Turk said. “We have to be so strong. We have to be so mentally tough. And to be a professional when you come here is a total opposite. It’s—you have to be vulnerable. You have to open up. You have to be caring. You have to be loving, to understand who you really are, so you can become who you need to be.”

While this shift didn’t happen right away for Turk, he slowly began to learn that APN was a safe place for him to be himself.

“Day one I was extremely isolated,” Turk said. “[Two weeks in, I] slowly start[ed] eating with people … having one-on-ones with people and start[ed] building … Being vulnerable in this new situation—it was funny. But, also at the same time, it was great.”

When Turk wasn’t sure how to access this new skill of showing vulnerability, the professionals at APN led the way.

“Lara, [an APN therapist], introduced our group to this thing called a trauma egg,” Turk said. “From that point on, the first trauma egg story that I heard, it was like, This is my brother right here … Ever since then, I was able to be extremely vulnerable. [Now, post treatment, we have] a group text message where every day we’re just sending each other devotionals—just giving one another encouraging, motivational words … we’re still as close as we were when we [were] here.”

Even though Turk now has lasting friendships that were forged from vulnerability, it took time for him to shift from his previous NFL-mindset.

“When I came here and I saw the other former NFL players, it was a sense of comfort but also a sense of anxiety. Because, hey, I may have to be vulnerable in front of these guys where [in the past], I broke a forearm in [a] football game, [put] a piece of tape on it, pop[ped] two Tylenol, [and] finished the game with four more tackles. So it’s all about how tough you are … Coming here, it was the total opposite.”

The APN Mission

It’s not every day that a bunch of former NFL players get together in such a vulnerable, transformative way. However, there’s something unique about the APN program that truly sets it apart from other treatment options available today.

“I had a great relationship with everyone [at APN],” Turk said. “When it was time for me to leave it felt like I was leaving friends that I knew for a very long time and it was [hard]. I learned so much from everyone that was here from the upper management [to] the ladies that [were] just helping with the laundry. Everyone here, it seems like they had a mission or [that the] APN mission was embedded in them. So it was enlightening for me to see so many people caring because that’s a world that I’m not accustomed to … People start[ed] caring about Turk when I started playing football … so people caring for your well-being and your safety and your wellness—it was left field to me … What they’re doing [at APN] is not an occupation. It’s not a job. It’s not a career. It’s a calling. You know God had to put something on their heart for them to [give] that serving.”

As Turk began to realize just how much the APN team was invested in him, he also had to learn how to shift his mindset around transactional behavior.

“One of the things that I am learning to get over or reprogram myself [about is] that life is not transactional,” Turk said. “Coming here is like, Okay. They’re doing all this. They’re taking out time to help me. What the hell do they want from me? And it’s like, they don’t want anything. So they helped me in more than one way.”

Applying Football Principles to the Healing Journey

Even though some of what Turk learned in the NFL was counter to what he was learning at APN, there were other ways he learned to apply his professional athletic psyche to his healing approach.

“One of the main things that I kind of looked at that was in my football career [was] I always did the things I didn’t want to do,” Turk said. “I didn’t want to come [to APN] at all. I didn’t want to be vulnerable. I didn’t want to open up. I didn’t want to unpack what was packed up for years or even decades. So me not wanting to come here was really a sign for me that I really needed to be here.”

Just like with previous adversities that Turk had faced in his professional career, he applied the same gritty can-do attitude to everything he did at APN.

“I feel as though being an athlete helps a little in this particular journey,” Turk said. “Having to overcome adversity. Having to do things you’re unaccustomed to doing. Or having to do things to become better … I just take the journey of football and translate into this. If you’re not getting better, then you’re getting worse. So every day I’m taking the proper steps for me to get better in something. It may be communication. It may be love. It may be how to accept love. It may just be having patience. Every day I just try to get better.”

Doing this work day in and day out is certainly not easy. However, Turk highlights why the work is worth it.

“Sometimes you have to punt the ball. Sometimes it’s a turnover. Sometimes some things happen, but you have to understand with that there’s an adversity. And with that adversity, you can build strength … You have to make certain sacrifices and … those sacrifices [will] hurt in [the] moment, but it helps you out on the back end.”

The Journey Continues

Today, Turk understands that his journey continues.

“[I’m] taking one step at a time, just trying to become the best version of me as possible,” Turk said. “I may not be who I want to be at this moment, but I can see it. So as long as I … see it, then I can always work to it … taking one step at a time … [APN] gave me a start[ing] point. Like, Okay. This is the data that we collected thus far and I guess we need to go in this direction [now].”

While the “data” and the measurement of progress is important, Turk also understands that there’s a greater picture that includes ongoing setbacks, trials, and tribulations.

“Sometimes you don’t have a good day. Sometimes you don’t have a good week. Sometimes you don’t have a good month. But it’s still that understanding [that this] is [a] journey. Sometimes I have to go take a detour, but I still need to get back to the destination.”

Because the healing journey is long, Turk has recognized the importance of acknowledging small wins along the way.

“What I learned here [is] you have to also celebrate the small victories,” Turk said. “You just can’t celebrate a huge accomplishment. You have to, you know, enjoy the journey.”

Reframing Expectations

Part of learning how to enjoy the journey involves reframing expectations.

“You just have to really have the proper expectations for [yourself],” Turk said. “[At first], I didn’t have the proper expectations. [I’d say], ‘Okay. I’m gonna come here. I’m going to be here for 30 days. And I’m gonna be better.’ Realistically, [that’s not] having the proper expectations.”

Now, Turk just expects himself to show up while trying to detach from the outcomes.

“I feel like you get promoted [in this journey], but you never graduate,” Turk said. “No matter what, I’m not gonna give up. No matter the adversity, trials, [or] tribulations, I’m going to be relentless [in] try[ing] to be my best self.”

If you’re interested in learning more about All Points North and our addiction, trauma, and mental health recovery programs (including our Athletes Track), submit our confidential contact form or call us at 855.934.1178 today. You never know how good your life can get when you allow yourself to receive the gifts of healing.

More From Turk

Listen and watch the Turk’s episode of Recovery x APN below, and find more episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.



Here are eight key changes to expect after getting clean from drugs and alcohol and beginning your new life of sobriety.

1. Improvement in Sobriety’s Temporary Challenges

It’s important to first recognize that getting clean isn’t easy. But as you build more tools to stay sober and find the support you need, it will become easier to maintain your sobriety.

When people first get sober, they often experience a number of mental health symptoms that are directly connected to their substance use disorder. These symptoms could include:

• Intense physical withdrawals
• Invasive drug and alcohol cravings
• Struggling with motivation
• Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
• Feeling sad, depressed, fearful, or anxious

As difficult as these experiences can be, they are inherently temporary in nature. For example, physical withdrawal typically ends within days or weeks. Cravings can last much longer, but grow less frequent and intensive with each passing day. Even mental health symptoms improve the longer you stay sober and the more time you give your brain to recover.

Remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Getting clean is just the first step, while achieving recovery is an ongoing process of improving your mental health and well-being for the rest of your life.

2. Unexpected Free Time

When people are in the midst of a substance use disorder, they often spend inordinate amounts of time seeking out their substance of choice, using that substance, and recovering from its effects. Getting clean means all of that time is now free and available, which can often lead to periods of idleness or boredom that can be triggers for returning to substance use.

In addiction treatment, most of this time is accounted for. Residential programs offer several hours of therapy and treatment each day, complemented by experiential therapies or opportunities for recreation to keep people busy, entertained, and active.

Similarly, intensive outpatient programs have several hours of treatment and services to help people focus on their recovery and see improvements in their mental health. This could include individual therapy sessions, peer-to-peer support groups, or meetings with a psychiatrist for medication management.

Yet when people return home from treatment, they often find that they don’t know what to do with their time. This is an often overlooked aspect of the recovery process, as boredom can lead to cravings and restlessness that make maintaining your sobriety more of a challenge than it needs to be.

Finding ways to fill this empty time is of paramount importance for staying sober. There is an abundance of healthy ways people can keep themselves occupied, including:

• Starting an exercise routine
• Going to self-help support groups
• Taking up a new hobby
• Socializing with friends and family members
• Enrolling in school

If you’ve started your recovery in an addiction treatment program, continuing the routines that you started in treatment can be a great way to stave off boredom or idleness as well.

3. Changing Social Circles

Humans are inherently social creatures, and your social circle can have a substantial impact on how easy or difficult it is to maintain your sobriety. While many people enter treatment with the notion of keeping the same circle of friends that they had when they were in active addiction, that often isn’t the most conducive approach to long-term sobriety.

This isn’t to say that you need to isolate yourself from friends and family members entirely, but it’s important to develop a strong social support network for recovery. This means spending time with people who understand the challenges of getting and staying sober, who can support you when you face challenges, and who encourage living a sober lifestyle.

Creating this new social circle isn’t always easy. However, there are a few simple tips that can help you develop a supportive recovery network:

• Attending self-help support groups
• Keeping in contact with friends you made in treatment
• Identifying friends or family members who support you in your recovery
• Meeting people at sober events

Developing just a few close social connections with other people in recovery can be an incredible resource for staying sober and make getting clean and staying clean much easier.

4. Pushback From Friends or Family Members

Many of your friends or family members may not understand recovery or the work it takes to stay sober. Addiction is a complex issue, but there are still pervasive beliefs and stigma that lead people to believe it’s just a matter of willpower, that addiction is a choice, or that addiction is only temporary.

As a result, it is common for people who have just graduated from addiction treatment to hear friends and family members make comments such as:

• “So you don’t have an addiction problem anymore, right?”
• “You were addicted to painkillers, so having one drink shouldn’t hurt.”
• “Can’t you smoke marijuana and still stay clean?”
• “Do you still have to go to those meetings?”

All of these comments can be triggering for substance use and may cause you to doubt your convictions for recovery. Of course, changing the behaviors of others is often an impossibility, but there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself ahead of time.

First, recognize that these types of pushback can happen. When you understand that you may face these types of questions or pressures from loved ones, you can prepare yourself ahead of time for how to deal with them.

Second, make a plan for how to answer these questions and deal with any triggers or cravings they may bring up. This could include setting boundaries with friends and loved ones about your recovery, or having a supportive friend or family member with you in situations where you think this may happen.

Like so many aspects of recovery, this type of pushback is often the most difficult to deal with in early recovery. When you get more sobriety time under your belt and become more confident in your recovery, this pushback can begin to affect you less and less.

5. Changes in Appearance

Addictive substances can have a number of negative effects on your physical appearance. While each substance affects your appearance differently, it’s common for people who are getting clean to start seeing improvements in their physical appearance, such as:

• Clearer skin and complexion
• Brighter eyes
• Stronger and healthier hair
• Weight stabilization
• Improved dental health
• Reduced puffiness and bloating

Some of these improvements in physical appearance can happen almost immediately, while others will continue to improve as you accumulate more time sober.

6. Better Physical Health

Drugs and alcohol of all types can have devastating effects on your physical health. Frequent health challenges that people face during addiction include:

• Liver disease
• Accidental injury
• Skin sores
• Respiratory problems
• Digestive problems
• Muscle loss

Getting clean helps stop the damage you’re doing to your body from substance use, as well as start you on the path to long-term physical recovery.

These improvements in physical health can be further enhanced by starting a regular exercise routine, which is one of the best lifestyle changes you can make during your recovery. Exercise can help you improve your physical health, help manage cravings, and provide you with an outlet for restless energy that keeps you moving toward your recovery goals.

7. New Ways of Coping

One of the most common challenges for people new to recovery is not having effective coping mechanisms for everyday challenges. The simple fact for many people is that they’ve used substances to cope with their problems for years and have let more natural and healthy coping skills slip by the wayside.

Going to addiction treatment or working with an in-person or virtual therapist can help you learn new and healthier ways of coping. Yet putting these skills into practice is the true test of improving your mental health — and after getting clean, you’ll need to learn and implement these coping mechanisms to build a lasting and stable recovery.

When learning new ways of coping, think about what the major challenges in your life are, as well as the healthy ways you can manage them. If you struggle with interpersonal conflict, learning healthier communication skills might be your best coping strategy. If you struggle with anxiety, learning grounding techniques or mindfulness can help you to rein in your symptoms.

This isn’t just a matter of staying sober. Learning these new coping styles is a skill for ensuring you live a healthy, productive, and less stressful life, which can make maintaining your recovery much easier.

8. Positive Mental Health Outcomes

Substance use disorders and mental health challenges often go hand in hand. It’s common for people new to recovery to experience co-occurring mental health conditions such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Bipolar disorder

In many such cases, these mental health conditions are actually caused by substance use itself. Mental health professionals label this as a substance-induced mental illness, which typically improves dramatically once people have achieved stable sobriety and recovery.

For others, sobriety alone isn’t enough to recover from a mental health condition. Ideally, people who are seeking treatment find dual-diagnosis treatment options, which can treat both mental health disorders and substance use disorders simultaneously.

Alternatively, there are those in recovery who do not have a diagnosable mental health condition but still have mental health struggles. These struggles often appear when people achieve sobriety for the first time, as drugs and alcohol can mask mental health challenges while under the influence.

But if you continue putting in diligent effort toward your recovery, you can see substantial improvement in mental health outcomes. Time and time again, research has shown that people who achieve recovery experience better mood regulation, improved senses of well-being, fewer mental health symptoms, and a host of other holistic improvements.

Of course, if you’re not seeing the improvement in your mental health that you’d like, you can always sign up to meet with a trained therapist to discuss your mental health challenges. Working with a therapist can help accelerate the mental health improvements you see and keep you feeling your best in recovery.

Call APN Lodge for Sobriety Support Today

Getting clean is just the first step of the recovery process. Building a healthier and productive life in recovery is where you will find the most reward.

If you or a loved one is struggling to take these critical steps toward recovery, the team at APN Lodge can help you determine the source of your challenges, guide you toward the treatment options that best fit your needs, and support you every step of the way as you navigate the future. Contact us today by filling out our confidential contact form or calling us at 855.934.1178 to learn more.

References

• Arpin, Sarah N., et al. “Having Friends and Feeling Lonely.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167215569722. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
• Canver BR, Newman RK, Gomez AE. Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. [Updated 2024 Feb 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441882/

Caught in the grips of addiction, Ashley found herself unable to cope with life’s challenges any longer. After calling a family member for support, she learned of All Points North (APN) Lodge addiction and mental health recovery program. While it was not Ashley’s first time at a treatment center, coming to APN finally gave her the tools needed to turn her life around.

Now, Ashley’s speaking out about her story and how life has changed since leaving the lodge. To learn more about her journey, continue reading the article below or check out the full APN podcast episode, Treatment Gave Me Hope for a Better Life: Recovery x Ashley.

At Her Wits’ End

Like many people who face addiction and mental health problems, Ashley needed to hit rock bottom before she could start unfolding the life she was meant to live.

“[I’d] been struggling for a long time,” Ashley said. “This [was] not my first rodeo. APN’s [the] third [treatment center I’ve been to]. It had [gotten] to a point where I was hiding everything, like where I was going, who I was talking to, where my money was going. I even had a little refrigerator that I would hide things in. It was just the hiding and the lying to my husband and it got so bad [that] the chaos was overwhelming to the point where … I was at the end of it. I wanted to take my life.”

Fortunately, Ashley had the courage to pick up the phone and call someone she loved for help.

“I called one of my family members and I said, ‘I have no words. I don’t know what to do. I am at my wits’ end. Help me.’ And he said, ‘Do you have insurance? Do you got this amount of cash? Let’s go.’ I was literally on a plane the next day,” Ashley said.

However, before Ashley got to the treatment center, she decided to have one last hurrah.

“I was drinking at the airport and I remember telling the bartenders, ‘These are my last drinks. I’m going to rehab!’” Ashley said. “My husband had cut all the credit cards off because he knew what I was doing at the bar … so I couldn’t pay for my bar tab. [Then this woman] grabs my hands and she goes, ‘I heard you’re going to rehab. I paid for your tab. Once you get on that plane, I hope you come back a different person.’ And I think about her quite often … I could have been arrested [for] being as drunk as I was and being a flight risk … so I’m just thankful I was able to get here safely.”

Immersing Herself in the Process

When Ashley finally did make it to APN Lodge, she decided to go all in.

“I showed up to every class,” Ashley said. “I was present. I brought my DBT book even though it was a pain in my ass. Like, that class was hard for me. I overthink things and I’m just like, this doesn’t make sense. I have ADHD … I really took an interest in every class, even with art. Like what the fuck, am I doing art class? I like to be out and active and running, you know? [But] I embraced every aspect.”

Even though Ashley found herself immersed in some activities she wouldn’t typically engage in, she also had plenty of time to do the things that filled up her cup.

“We got a crew together [and] we went on hikes every morning at 6 am,” Ashley said. “[One night] we went up to the big house and went star watching. We made s’mores and saw some awesome animals up there. Every part I just took in.”

By surrendering to the process, Ashley was able to uncover some pivotal moments of insight.

“The [process] of being mindful and finding who you are – that authentic self – is just like, holy crap … I really embraced it all and I think it’s really important to [do] when you [come to] any recovery place … just be vulnerable, and be willing, be open and be honest with yourself. That’s really what I did because what I was doing was not working.”

APN Aftercare & Community Connection

After 72 days in treatment, it was finally time for Ashley to return to everyday life. However, she wasn’t going to be left hanging. As an APN alumni, Ashley would have access to a variety of long-term supports to utilize on her recovery journey.

“I’m still involved in the aftercare program at APN—the Zoom, the Living Sober,” Ashley said. “I still do family therapy with my husband [and] I have a personal therapist … Through these [meetings], I’ve met some wonderful people and it’s amazing to see their faces … I’m on a couple group chats with some previous clients here and [social media makes] it so easy to follow [their] stories and then just check in and say hi.”

Through all of these efforts, Ashley has learned the value of community support in recovery.

“Picking up the phone is easy,” Ashley said. “It’s been beautiful to keep connection and [see] what they’re doing. And if they’re having a bad day, they can pick up the phone because we do have similar issues … Where it may not be easy for me to pick up the phone and call my husband, I could pick up the phone and call somebody else that’s in the APN family and they understand completely.”

Setting Boundaries and Setting Up for Success

Another aspect of Ashley’s long-term recovery plan is to set boundaries and set herself up for success.

“If I don’t feel comfortable doing something [and] I know it’s going to present a hazard to my sobriety, I am in [a] position now [where] I’m like, I come first. I need to be selfish,” Ashley said. “I need to take a step back … I don’t need [to provide] an explanation to everybody—it’s not necessary. I need to put myself first. Maybe in a year or so, I’ll be able to do these things. It just takes time to create a safe space.”

Part of creating a safe space is preparing yourself for positive outcomes, as Ashley explains.

“You go into these situations in the long run that you’re prepared [for],” Ashley said. “If you do put yourself in a vulnerable situation, always have that exit plan. You know, I drive now. If my husband and I have to drive separately – because I’m not going to pull him away from fun – I’m gonna drive. I bring Bug, [my emotional support service dog]. I have [a] deterrent. I have something to focus on. I’ll leave two hours early … Preparing yourself and being proactive and in situations sounds like a lot, but in the end it’s so much easier than being drunk [and dealing] with the whole repercussions of having to apologize and pick up the pieces.”

Not only does Ashley prepare herself for events and occasions, but she also engages in healthy routines to better support her sobriety.

“[During my stay at APN], one of the NFL players [who was here] said, ‘You’d be really good at CrossFit,’” Ashley said. “So my plan was [to] find a CrossFit gym in my local area, which I did. I was there the next day … I literally took APN’s plan from the moment I woke up—getting my coffee, getting my green drink, going to the gym, the classes that we went to was [all] my work schedule … I literally took the APN schedule and routine and I transplanted it into Arizona into my home. Then, as I became more comfortable being home and having like the real-life surroundings, I started adding little things here and there.”

Just like Ashley was all in at APN, she’s been all in since returning home.

“I didn’t go to the grocery store for I don’t even know how long … because that liquor aisle is right there right when you walk in,” Ashley said. “[When I was ready], I made a point to let the guy know who I check out with [that] I don’t drink anymore … I posted on my social media all the time. I let everybody know and I think that holds me accountable … So like I did at APN, I hit the ground running … It wasn’t easy but it worked for me.”

Blips in the Brain

Just because Ashley had set herself up for success didn’t mean she didn’t have human moments every so often.

“[I remember thinking on] Thanksgiving … Yeah, a drink would be a good idea right now,” Ashley said. “I had gone to the store [with] Bug. [I] have her for a reason because she allows me to stay focused … And I looked at Bugger [and I said], ‘No it doesn’t. Nope. I’m here for stuffing.’ [Then I got what] I was there for and got in the car. I picked up the phone. I called my mom. I had a moment. I had one of those thoughts and it’s OK.”

Like anyone who engages in self-reflection, Ashley questioned if she was on the right path. However, with her support system’s help, she could accept and normalize her experience.

“[Sometimes I] question myself, Are those [thoughts] normal? Am I a bad person? Am I really living sobriety if I have those blips in the brain?” Ashley said. “But it is normal.”

Light at the End of the Tunnel

As Ashley’s interview was wrapping up, she had some parting words to share with her listeners.

“If I could just say one thing to anybody who’s struggling, who’s listening to this right now—don’t lose hope,” Ashley said. “The road is not at the end [as] I once thought it was. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know that’s super cliche, but I thought I was going to lose my husband. I’m one of the lucky ones who didn’t. I didn’t lose my family or closest friends and I’ve just been blessed that people actually believe in me.”

Because Ashley put herself first by coming to treatment and going all in on her recovery journey, she’s been able to reap some high rewards.

“I told somebody today – one of the current clients – stay as long as you can,” Ashley said. “If finances warrant and your insurance warrant, stay as long as you can because it’s so important. It’s just a page in your life, you know? Your mental health and finding yourself and getting on that right path … is so important.”

If you’re interested in learning more about All Points North and our addiction, trauma, and mental health recovery programs, submit our confidential contact form or call us at 855.934.1178 today. You never know how good your life can get when you decide to go all in.

More From Ashley

Listen and watch Ashley’s episode of Recovery x APN below, and find more episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

By taking a comprehensive approach and acknowledging the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, individuals can attain overall well-being rather than just symptom management. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of combining traditional and alternative mental health therapies. Additionally, we’ll provide an overview of some of the therapies available at APN. Ultimately, it is our goal to help others on their journey to wellness, regardless of how or where they get there.

Understanding Traditional Mental Health Therapies

The formalization of mental health therapy began to take shape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the emergence of modern psychiatry and psychology.

One significant milestone in the history of mental health therapy is the establishment of asylums or psychiatric hospitals. While these institutions are often criticized for their harsh conditions and questionable practices, they represented early attempts to provide care and treatment for individuals with mental illness.

Over time, many people advocated for more humane treatment and introduced moral therapy approaches such as emphasizing kindness, empathy, and social interaction as therapeutic tools.

Throughout the 20th century, advancements in psychotherapy, pharmacology, and neuroscience further expanded the scope of traditional mental health therapy. Psychotherapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy became increasingly prominent, alongside the use of psychiatric medications to manage symptoms of mental illness.

Today, traditional mental health therapy encompasses a wide range of evidence-based modalities aimed at addressing the diverse needs of individuals with mental health conditions. While the field continues to evolve with ongoing research and technological advancements, its roots in ancient practices and the pioneering efforts of early mental health advocates have greatly shaped our reality today.

Understanding Alternative Mental Health Therapies

At the same time, the history of alternative mental health therapies is also diverse and spans cultures and civilizations throughout history. Many alternative therapies have roots in ancient healing practices and traditional medicine systems that predate modern Western medicine.

Alternative mental health therapies can include mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, and more. While some alternative therapies lack empirical evidence, many have shown promising results in improving mental well-being and reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma.

The Power of Integration

Combining traditional and alternative therapies offers a synergistic approach to mental wellness. By addressing the mind, body, and spirit holistically, individuals can experience comprehensive healing and long-term resilience. For example, a person undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety may benefit from incorporating mindfulness meditation to manage stress and enhance emotional regulation.

Several studies have supported the effectiveness of integrating traditional and alternative therapies. One meta-analysis found that combining psychotherapy with mindfulness-based interventions resulted in greater improvements in depressive symptoms compared to either treatment alone. Additionally, another study demonstrated that by combining medication with yoga, individuals with depression could benefit from improved health outcomes.

Benefits of Holistic Approach

Taking a holistic approach to mental wellness offers numerous benefits, including those listed below.

Comprehensive Care

Holistic therapies address the underlying factors contributing to mental health issues, rather than just managing symptoms. Many people find that by taking a holistic approach to their mental healthcare, they can improve aspects of their mental well-being that traditional treatments alone were unable to provide.

Personalized Treatment

By integrating various modalities, individuals can tailor their treatment plan to suit their unique needs and preferences. Because no two individuals are the same, it makes sense that cookie-cutter approaches to mental healthcare don’t work either.

Empowerment

Holistic therapies empower individuals to take an active role in their healing journey. Rather than relying on external factors alone – like therapy sessions and psychiatric medication – individuals can learn how to better support their personal needs through practices that support their ongoing mental wellness.

Long-Term Resilience

By fostering resilience and coping skills, holistic approaches can promote long-term well-being and reduce the risk of relapse. Adding another layer of support, individuals can increase their likelihood of success when navigating the challenging moments of life.

All Points North (APN): A Leader in Holistic Mental Health Care

All Points North (APN) is at the forefront of providing comprehensive mental health services that integrate traditional and alternative therapies. With a focus on holistic wellness, APN offers a wide range of evidence-based treatments and innovative modalities to address addiction, mental health disorders, and trauma.

Residential Treatment Programs

APN offers residential treatment programs designed to provide intensive support and therapy in a structured environment. These programs incorporate a combination of traditional therapies, such as psychotherapy and psychiatric medication, with alternative modalities like mindfulness training, yoga, meditation, and more.

Virtual and In-Person Therapy

Providing both virtual and in-person therapy options, APN strives to accommodate individual preferences and needs. Through telehealth services, individuals can access therapy from the comfort of their own homes, making treatment more accessible and convenient.

Mindfulness Training, Yoga, and Meditation

Mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, and meditation are all integral components of APN’s holistic approach to mental wellness. These practices are known to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and restore emotional balance, thus enhancing overall well-being and resilience.

Psychiatry and Innovative Modalities

APN offers comprehensive psychiatric services, including medication management and innovative modalities such as deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine therapy. These cutting-edge treatments offer new avenues for individuals who may not have otherwise responded to traditional approaches.

Holistic Therapies

In addition to traditional and innovative modalities, APN provides a range of holistic therapies to support mental health and wellness. These include equine therapy, neurofeedback, stellate ganglion block, massage therapy, and more.

Combining Traditional and Alternative Mental Health Therapies

The integration of traditional and alternative therapies offers a holistic approach to mental wellness that addresses the body, mind, and spirit. By combining evidence-based treatments with innovative modalities, individuals can experience comprehensive healing and long-term resilience.

All Points North (APN) is dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health services that embrace this holistic philosophy. If you or a loved one are seeking support for addiction, mental health issues, or trauma, reach out to APN by filing out our confidential contact form or calling us at 855.934.1178.

References

• “Acupuncture: What You Need to Know.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-what-you-need-to-know#:~:text=Acupuncture%20is%20a%20technique%20in,for%20at%20least%202%2C500%20years. Accessed 22 June 2024.
• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 1999. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 34.) Chapter 7—Brief Psychodynamic Therapy. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64952/
• “Everything You Need to Know about Massage Therapy.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 30 Apr. 2024, health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-massage.
• “The History of Psychotherapy.” Restoring Wellness Solutions, 3 May 2024, restoringwellnesssolutions.com/the-history-of-psychotherapy/.
• Khoury B, Lecomte T, Fortin G, Masse M, Therien P, Bouchard V, Chapleau MA, Paquin K, Hofmann SG. Mindfulness-based therapy: a comprehensive meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013 Aug;33(6):763-71. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005. Epub 2013 Jun 7. PMID: 23796855.
• Markowitz, John C, and Myrna M Weissman. “Interpersonal psychotherapy: principles and applications.” World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) vol. 3,3 (2004): 136-9.
• “Meditation: What It Is, Benefits & Types.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17906-meditation. Accessed 22 June 2024.
• “Mental Health Medications.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications. Accessed 22 June 2024.
• Shapero, Benjamin G et al. “Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry.” Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing) vol. 16,1 (2018): 32-39. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20170039
• Shapiro, David et al. “Yoga as a complementary treatment of depression: effects of traits and moods on treatment outcome.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 4,4 (2007): 493-502. doi:10.1093/ecam/nel114
• “What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral. Accessed 22 June 2024.
• “Yoga: What You Need to Know.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed 22 June 2024.

Working with a team of addiction professionals can not only bolster your defenses against potential relapse but also provide you with the tools to reclaim your sobriety if a relapse does occur.

Understanding Relapse

In general, relapse refers to people returning to substance use after a period of sobriety. Relapse can happen at any stage in the recovery process, and it can be either a single episode of substance use or a prolonged return to active addiction.

But critically, relapse can also be understood as a process. A person who is working toward recovery doesn’t just spontaneously decide to return to addictive behaviors. Instead, there are a number of factors that lead up to relapse, and patterns begin to emerge that can be recognized, prepared for, and worked against.

Identifying these signs of relapse as early as possible is the best way to help people keep on the road to recovery and maintain their abstinence and well-being for years to come. With that in mind, let’s look at a few common predictors of relapse that can influence people’s decisions to return to substance use.

Why Relapse Happens

Typically, there isn’t just a single reason relapse happens. Instead, there is a constellation of factors that can increase the risk of relapse occurring, as well as protective factors that can help people overcome difficult situations without resorting to substance use.

Physical Withdrawal

Drug and alcohol withdrawal is not only incredibly uncomfortable, but it can even be life-threatening in certain situations. If you or a loved one is attempting to break free from substance use for the first time, you should always seek the help of addiction or medical professionals at a medical detox facility or hospital setting.

While each substance has a unique set of withdrawal symptoms, some of the more common challenges people face include:

• Intense substance use cravings
• Shakes
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Nightmares

If substance use withdrawal is left untreated, these symptoms can quickly lead people to abandon their goal of sobriety and seek relief from the physical pain and discomfort they experience during withdrawal.

If they don’t receive the assistance of a medical detox, most people will relapse in these first days of withdrawal. The prospect of overcoming these symptoms often seems overwhelming, and using their drug of choice “just one more time” to find a brief relief can quickly become an overwhelming compulsion.

As difficult as it can be to go through physical withdrawal, there is good news on this front. Medical detox can drastically reduce the symptoms of withdrawal for the most common substance use disorders, and the experience of withdrawal generally only lasts between one and two weeks.

Cognitive Processes

The next predicting factor is cognitive processes — or the ways people think about their substance use. For example, a person new to recovery may be experiencing thoughts such as:

• “I’ve never been able to get sober before, so why would I think that I can now?”
• “One drink shouldn’t hurt.”
• “I need drugs or alcohol to help me in social situations.”
• “Didn’t I enjoy drugs and alcohol? I want to get back to the good times.”

Scientists have an abundance of terms for these types of thoughts and processes and how they can influence a person’s risk of relapse.

Take the first example above; researchers call this low self-efficacy. When people don’t believe in their own ability to maintain their sobriety, they are more likely to return to substance use.

The second example refers to a cognitive distortion known as minimization. It occurs when people downplay the consequences of substance use, making it more likely for them to relapse in the future.

The third and fourth examples refer to positive expectancies for substance use and nostalgia, respectively.

When people start thinking in these ways, the risk of relapse is incredibly high. But again, there are scientifically proven methods of helping people break these thought patterns and learn new ways of thinking and behaving.

Starting cognitive-behavioral therapy or a relapse prevention program can help people identify, challenge, and change these processes during recovery.

Coping Behavior

The way people cope with stressful situations can influence whether they experience relapse. Typically, people new to sobriety lack a robust set of healthy coping mechanisms, and instead, they turn to unhealthy methods of coping to deal with the challenges in their lives.

While in active addiction, drugs and alcohol are often the primary methods of dealing with stressful situations. Taking a drink or using a drug of choice can reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, or distract people from the challenges they face — at least temporarily.

The problem with drug use as a coping method is that it typically does not solve the problem. Left unaddressed, the problem itself gets worse, and people begin to experience new challenges when they develop a substance use disorder.

This leaves people in early recovery with few tools to handle life’s stressors successfully. Rather than facing their problems head-on, they avoid them — this is called avoidance coping. This coping can take many forms, such as procrastination, distraction, or denial of the problem altogether.

Alternatively, people may turn toward attempting to reduce their emotional distress rather than the problem itself — this is known as emotion-focused coping. This pattern of coping often turns to self-pity, excessively sharing emotions with others, or escapism.

These are just two examples of negative coping behaviors many people use in early recovery, which can increase their risk of relapse. These coping strategies — like substance use itself — only provide temporary relief and don’t help people resolve their stressors and challenges.

Mood States

Mood states can lead people to make emotional, impulsive decisions — often including the decision to relapse. Anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness can all be a warning sign for impending relapse, but surprisingly, for some, so can excitement and euphoria.

Negative mood states are perhaps the easiest to understand. No one likes feeling anxious, lonely, or depressed, and especially early in recovery, people will often feel like a return to substance use can alleviate these difficult experiences.

But it’s just as important to consider how positive mood states can be risk factors for relapse as well. Some of the most common situations where people relapse include celebrations or parties, where people are filled with joy and excitement. Feelings of elation can lead to people dropping their defense, feeling a sense of lowered inhibition, and being more likely to engage in drug or alcohol use.

Environmental Factors

Just as internal states can influence whether a person is about to relapse, so can external events. People who live with a substance use disorder often have memories tied to particular situations, such as parties, bars, friends’ houses, or even their own homes.

When people enter into these situations, they often experience what addiction researchers label a “trigger” — or a sudden impulse to return to substance use. These places can spark cravings, remind people of substance use, and encourage them to relapse.

This isn’t just relegated to certain locations, either. People can feel triggered when they see certain people, such as their parents, high school friends, or boss. They can experience a trigger when they listen to certain music, watch certain television shows, or even have certain foods that spark cravings and thoughts of relapse.

Of course, each of these environmental factors is highly individual. What triggers one person may not be triggering to someone else, and it’s vital that people identify their own triggering events that could increase their risk of relapse.

How to Prevent Relapse

With so many different factors contributing to relapse, it may seem like it is unavoidable. But each of these various events that can increase an individual’s risk for relapse can be overcome, especially if you seek treatment at a specialized addiction treatment center.

These are some of the best ways to plan for and break free from these relapse risk factors.

Relapse Prevention Programs

Relapse prevention programs were invented to help people understand the process of relapse and provide actionable tools to help people resist temptation when it occurs. In general, relapse prevention programs have a few main components:

• Identifying high-risk situations and personal risk factors
• Creating a relapse prevention plan
• Teaching healthy coping methods
• Building support systems to help maintain recovery

By helping clients understand relapse as a process, identify the early warning signs of relapse, and avoid high-risk situations, a relapse prevention program provides a comprehensive set of plans and strategies to help people maintain their recovery long-term.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has a long history of treating a number of common mental health challenges effectively. It is the gold standard of evidence-based practice in mental health care and can be used as a tool to help people overcome several of the challenges that may lead to relapse.

CBT is built upon the foundation of a simple understanding that our thoughts, behaviors, and moods all influence one another. This provides three distinct targets for intervention and can help people to break thought patterns that can ultimately lead to them experiencing relapse.

The goal of CBT in relapse prevention is to help people change the cognitive processes that lead people to think they can’t sustain sobriety, need drugs or alcohol, or can return to substance use without consequences.

Further, it can help treat many co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety, which can contribute to mood states that may drive people toward relapse.

Mindfulness Strategies

Mindfulness strategies have quickly become one of the leading tools in helping people overcome cravings and resist relapse. Mindfulness is learning to become entirely present in the moment. By learning this skill, people can sit with their cravings without feeling the need to take action upon them until the craving passes on its own.

The use of mindfulness in preventing relapse has created its own set of evidence-based therapies, including mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP). MBRP is built upon the foundation of traditional relapse prevention programs but has quickly proven itself to be an even more effective strategy for helping prevent relapse.

Get Professional Help

If you’re new to substance use recovery or are considering getting sober for the first time, starting treatment at a professional addiction treatment center is the surest path to preventing relapse in your journey toward recovery.

To get started with treatment at APN, call our team, start a conversation with one of our representatives by calling 855.934.1178, using the live chat function on our website, or filling out our confidential contact form to get more information.

References

• Larimer, M E et al. “Relapse prevention. An overview of Marlatt’s cognitive-behavioral model.” Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism vol. 23,2 (1999): 151-60.
• Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Alcohol And …, depts.washington.edu/abrc/mbrp/reprints/MBRPAlcoholSUDs2005.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2024.

In college in the early 1990s, Peter did his fair share of recreational drugs from a young age. That was until he had a life-changing acid trip at a Grateful Dead concert. The result of that traumatic experience would culminate in decades of mental health issues that would prevent him from living a normal life.

In the APN podcast episode, I Don’t Have to Deal With My Trauma Alone: Recovery x Peter, Peter opens up about his unique mental health manifestations as well as his healing journey that started at APN Lodge. To find out more about Peter’s story, continue reading the article or check out the full podcast episode below.

Big Trauma and Little Trauma

Something that was extremely important to Peter when he realized he needed help was finding a treatment center that dealt with trauma and mental health, as opposed to many treatment facilities that are strictly for addiction recovery. APN is a unique place in that it’s a comprehensive destination for mental health, trauma, and addiction treatment. APN podcast co-host, Dan, further elaborated on this aspect of APN.

“We’re not just a substance abuse treatment center,” Dan said. “We have the ability to focus on clients that are struggling with mental health as well. I think APN is so unique because it has the ability to work with a dual diagnosis but also brings people together [to] see how common they are. At the end of the day, it’s all about community and being there for each other. It’s like, yes, you’re here for mental health or trauma; I’m here for addiction; but, we’re still in it together and we still can support each other. It’s a unique environment that APN has.”

Andy, APN podcast co-host, also chimed in to discuss the importance of trauma treatment in recovery, whether it be from mental illness or substance abuse or both.

“I worked with a therapist in the past and they described trauma as if I take a sledgehammer to a wall and swing at it, it’s going to put a huge hole in that wall. Right? Which is big Trauma. It’s a car accident. It’s an intense situation. [But], if I took 80 grit sandpaper and I rubbed the same spot of the wall, both walls are going to look the same. There’s going to be a huge hole, right? But, those small traumas are very difficult to identify without help and they are running our lives today.”

For Peter in particular, big Trauma was definitely a contributing factor to his ongoing mental health issues.

“You know, talking about big T / little t … I’ve definitely had had my share of both,” Peter said. “But there’s definitely a moment I can look back in my life and say okay this was a pivotal moment that really steered my ship and kind of dictated where I went.”

Peter went on to describe a time in his early 20s when he had a bad acid trip at a Grateful Dead concert.

“I had the quintessential bad trip, like no joke,” Peter said. “I [was] at a Grateful Dead concert two days before my 22nd birthday. About two weeks later I was on spring break back on campus at school smok[ing] weed and all of a sudden I’m tripping again.”

Even though Peter stopped smoking weed after this occurrence, he would still be experiencing a nearly perpetual “trip” over the next 90 days.

Peter’s Trauma Continued

For Peter, this was an extremely traumatic experience and a pivotal moment in his life.

“I basically went into a flashback state and I didn’t know what to do,” Peter said. “It was literally the closest I’ve ever come to understand of living hell. This [was in] 1993 [and] mental health at that point [was] certainly not something that [was] mainstream like today.”

Peter tried to seek help from the counselors at his college campus and was diagnosed with PTSD at the time. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to help him much beyond that. To make matters worse, Peter’s trauma was constantly being reactivated by his natural surroundings as a college student.

“I [was] still around a lot of people who smoke[d] weed and [did] drugs and stuff like that,” Peter said. “I started to get a little bit better. It started to ease and then one day I was at home, people were smoking weed, and I got a sniff and was right back there [in my trip again]. [After that], every time I would smell marijuana I [would] have a panic attack and [be] tripping.”

This frightening experience led Peter down a challenging path of becoming more and more fearful and isolated from a young age.

“I [was] so on edge that the littlest thing [pushed] me over,” Peter said. “I basically develop[ed] a phobia [over] the smell of marijuana and anything that [could alter] my mindset. I wouldn’t take Tylenol, certainly not drink any alcohol, or marijuana, or anything like that. I [eventually] came through it but I wasn’t really whole after that. I developed a lot of psychological issues, like a a bad bout of OCD for a while, [and a fear] I was going to get dosed with LSD.”

Suddenly, Peter went from doing the things many of his peers were doing to avoiding social situations like concerts and living in constant fear of living his life.

Paralyzing Periods of Panic, Fear, and Anxiety

Over the next few years, Peter was able to find some intermittent relief from his panic attacks and was even able to socialize again at times.

“I was able to you know hang out with people and go to bars again [while still sober] but then about three years later I was at work one day and all of a sudden–boom! I [was] tripping balls again. I had to leave work, go home, and pin myself in my apartment [to figure out] what [was] going on,” Peter said.

At that time, Peter started going to group therapy for his issues with panic and anxiety. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite bring about the relief he was hoping for.

“That’s when things really started getting bad for me,” Peter said. “I got really phobic about touching certain things or I was really afraid I’d gotten dosed again. Basically, I thought that’s why this was happening, so I developed this OCD that was like if I touched the railing you know walking up the steps to catch the train, I was going to touch something; if I got food that was take out [it could have been laced with drugs]. I [was] just living in fear [of] everything. It completely crippled me socially, professionally, mentally, and psychologically.”

From Stone-Cold Sober to Social Drinker

After an eight-year period of sobriety, Peter decided to try something new.

“I wound up being completely sober from 22 to 30, but when I was 30, I decided I [was] tired of still living in this prison [I’d] created for myself,” Peter said. “I [had] all these fears and things I’d be afraid of. I’d eat an entree that had white wine in it [and I’d be afraid] that the wine would trigger a flashback. So, I wound up doing what used to be called immersion therapy – which now I think they call exposure therapy – for alcohol.”

While most therapists wouldn’t recommend alcohol to a patient who was experiencing intense mental illness, Peter’s situation proved to be unique.

“I was so terrified of alcohol that [I thought] if I had one sip, I would start tripping,” Peter said. “I was like, this is unhealthy. It was dictating my life. So, I sat down one day with a friend and I just had a sip of beer … and nothing happened. Over the course of the next five or eight years I kind of started casually drinking again like a half a drink here, a toast of champagne at a wedding, or a glass of wine. I became a social drinker but because of that experience I kind of have this built-in braking system where my body won’t let me drink that much.”

Even though Peter was trying the best he could to confront his ongoing issues, time would reveal the depths of his unresolved traumas.

Coming to APN as a 50-year-old

“When it came time for me to come to a place like APN, I wasn’t drinking but my life had become unmanageable,” Peter said.

As a 50-year-old man who had run out of coming up with answers and solutions to his ongoing problems, Peter turned to his younger brothers, who had both been in long term recovery, for help.

“So I asked my brother [to] go for a walk with me and I said, ‘I need help. I just can’t do it by myself anymore.’ He looked at me and I’ll never forget this. He said, ‘I’ve often wished through the years that you had the gift of addiction. If you had become an addict like I did, you would have dealt with this shit a long time ago instead.”

Like so many people struggling with addiction and/or mental illness, Peter was still living with deeply unresolved traumas that were contributing to his many troubling symptoms.

“I didn’t realize how important [the trauma] was,” Peter said. “There was some sexual childhood trauma that was really playing a [role] in my shame and my self-esteem and things like that. I’ve always had you know different weird diseases … like with like breathing … sinus surgeries and weird stomach issues. When I first got to APN, someone read my intake and they left a book in my room, Body Keeps the Score. I’m [was] like two pages into this book and I’m like, Oh my God. This is me. Yeah, right this is absolutely me.”

Realizing he needed more help and then accepting it was extremely hard for Peter.

“It was a struggle for me to have [to] admit that to myself. [I’d] never had to ask for this kind of help. But, once I finally decided to do it, it was a huge relief off my shoulders. I had no other choice, really. My body was breaking down because of the toll the trauma was [taking and] all these things I’d kicked in the can for years down the road. Like a lot of people with mental health, I was doing it when there was a critical need for it.”

Feeling At Home and Opening Up At APN

While Peter was apprehensive at first, he quickly realized he had landed in the right place upon arriving at APN.

“Coming [to APN Lodge had me wondering], is this the right place for me? I’d ask[ed] a lot of questions before coming in about what the group was like [and if I would] be with people who are addicts [or whether they would] have similar experiences to me or whatnot. Walking in was like immediate affirmation–yes I’m in the right place. I’m in the right place,” Peter said.

Even though he felt this sense of relief after coming to APN, he was still hesitant to participate in group therapy, at first.

“I was very resistant to the group therapy,” Peter said. “I was thinking, I want more one-on-one. I was really hesitant because of this childhood stuff that I was uncovering [and] the shame that I had around it. So coming in, that was my biggest fear. [But], when I finally got put into my group [with] eight other men [on the first day] … I just let it all out. [I was] bawling, I mean Niagara Falls [bawling]. I [was] opening up and telling things to eight men that [I’d] never seen before in my life and it was a massive breakthrough. Every single one of those guys individually came up to me and said how blown away they were by my courage and I’ve never considered myself to be a courageous person. … But, I was full. My shame cup [had] nowhere to go. It was overflowing.”

Peter spoke openly about how important he learned vulnerability is, especially when it comes to trauma healing.

“I’ve had a number of different therapists over the years and they’ve been very helpful, but I never really got to the trauma thing until I got to APN,” Peter said.

Lessons Learned and Rewards Earned Along the Way

As a 17-month-alumni at the time this podcast aired, Peter shared several of the lessons he learned and how his life has changed for the better over the past couple of years.

“I feel really good,” Peter said. “My head is clear. I have much more self-awareness. And, one of the things I will say when I look back on [the flashbacks] is it was definitely a curse but it [was also] a blessing. It’s made me a much more compassionate person, a much more empathetic person, [and] someone who can really relate to suffering and pain and tragedy.”

For Peter, a lot of his deep healing work has been tied up in the processing of his shame.

“A lot of what I had to deal with at APN was the shame [of] knowing that I did this to myself in a lot of ways,” Peter said. “So I was really beating myself up over the years for – having in my mind – ruined my life because of my drug usage. I’ve had to go through a lot of self-forgiveness because [of that].”

For most of Peter’s life, he put off dealing with the uncomfortable. Now, he embraces it like a badge of honor.

“You know, for me and the way that my brain works it’s like I get uncomfortable when things are good,” Peter said. “I am most in my comfort zone when things are not going so well, when it’s a little bit iffy. That’s home for me. So once things start[ed] going good I start[ed] to [think], what’s gonna happen now? And I think some of this goes back to when I was coming out of these flashbacks and I’d become so used to feeling this anxiety inside me that was ever-present. When it started to go away, [I got scared].”

Courage Over Comfort

As Peter has explored throughout his healing journey, it takes incredible courage to be vulnerable and to do the work it takes to transcend incredible darkness. Now, when Peter is staring fear in the face, he has a much different response than in the past.

“[After learning about Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability and courage], I kind of created this mantra for myself: ‘courage over comfort,’ Peter said. Instead of going to my comfortable place, my isolation place, I can [now] turn and face things and practice courage when I can.”

Because of Peter’s willingness to be brave, he can finally be within the vicinity of someone else who might be smoking weed.

“When [marijuana] first went legal [in Colorado] it was kind of a problem for me,” Peter said. “We call it the ‘Colorado cologne.’ You walk around and you just smell the skunk right all over the place … so I had to kind of re-go through that again and do some more work around that when I first moved here. But, I’m at the point now where I can get through it. You know, I’m going to see a Widespread Panic [concert] at Red Rocks tomorrow. There’s gonna be weed everywhere. But, that’s all part of my growth program and part of my kind of exposure therapy. I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone because otherwise I just self-isolate and go down that rabbit hole and it’s no good.”

There’s no telling where Peter’s new mantra will take him next. However, one thing’s for sure–he’s no longer imprisoned by the terrors of his past.

If you’re interested in learning more about All Points North and our addiction and mental health recovery programs, submit our confidential contact form or call us at 855.934.1178 today. You never know how good your life can get until you let yourself feel the things that are hard.

More From Peter

Listen and watch Peter’s episode of Recovery x APN below, and find more episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Abbey experienced chronic illness for decades that was ruling her life. What she didn’t realize for so long was that her symptoms were rooted in nervous system dysfunction as a result of trauma. After trying countless medications and treatments, Abbey learned about stellate ganglion block through telehealth therapy services with APN.

Originally a nonbeliever in trauma as the root cause of her illness, Abbey’s world was turned upside down when she finally figured out the role it was playing in her life. Fortunately for Abbey, that meant a new and better life was possible. To learn more about Abbey’s journey with chronic illness, trauma, and healing, continue reading the article below or check out her APN podcast episode, My Chronic Illness Stemmed From Trauma: Recovery x Abbey.

Physical Issues That Started as a Teenager

As a teenager, Abbey traveled a lot with her family.

“I had kind of an interesting early childhood where I was in business with my dad. So that was just kind of odd because we had some notoriety for it and I was sort of marketed as this like child prodigy,” Abbey said. “When I was 15, we went to Ethiopia and I got really sick. I didn’t get any medical care until I was recovered from the initial illness which I lost a lot of weight [from]. I was like 78 pounds and 5’4” and then I started having all this swelling on my joints that was persistent.”

After that, Abbey’s life changed drastically.

“So I was seeking treatment mostly for symptoms of what was being called an autoimmune disease that was diagnosed when I was 15,” Abbey said. “It showed up in many different ways over the years but mostly as inflammatory arthritis and gastrointestinal problems.”

Another pivotal event occurred when Abbey was a teenager.

“When I was 16, my sister passed away,” Abbey said. “So that was obviously a huge transformative event in my life. That kind of stress is only going to compound everything that’s going on. It’s not going to help. That’s when I [started] doing therapy, but looking back I don’t think my care was managed well. To put a 16-year-old grieving teenager on birth control and Prozac probably [wasn’t the best thing].”

Chronic Illness Exacerbated as an Adult and Feeling Unseen by the Medical Community

Unfortunately, Abbey’s health only continued to worsen over the years.

“For decades I was chasing all these specific diagnoses and seeing all these different doctors and specialists who would do all these tests and could explain the minutia of every little dysfunction,” Abbey said. “[But even though they could explain] why every symptom was occurring, [they offered] no real long-term treatment plan [and] no cure [so] it was mostly just symptom management.”

Despite trying to advocate for herself and her persistent health challenges, Abbey was often dismissed by the medical community.

“The gastrointestinal issues were the hardest for me because I was really underweight and that’s not really seen as a problem by most doctors,” Abbey said. “They’re kind of like, ‘well you look great – what are you talking about?’ And then I think a lot of it was you know not being taken seriously when you’re kind of presenting more or less okay, even though there are these measurable, quantifiable symptoms going on–like your inflammatory markers are really high or you have diminished gastric motility, or you have all this fluid on your joints. It was still like, ‘but you’re managing; you look fine; you’ve got it all together; your life isn’t falling apart; so you know, what’s the problem?’”

Trying All the Things & Self-Blame

Determined to take matters into her own hands, Abbey was persistent in her efforts to try and improve her health. However, this also took a toll.

“Besides the stressors that I think maybe caused the onset of some of that stuff, just the management of it became its own huge stressor,” Abbey said. “Like conserving my energy and just figuring out how to get through my days managing different things and not wanting to be on medication and going into remission and then flaring up. It made me feel like in some way it was my responsibility or my fault when I had a flare-up that I should be able to manage it with my stress levels, my diet, my exercise, my sleep, and that I was doing something wrong if I wasn’t well.”

No matter how overwhelming it all got, Abbey never gave up.

“It [was] a lot. And the pain management and then trying different medications which all have their own set of side effects. Like for years I was injecting myself and I would get muscle atrophy at the injection site so I had like these dents over my body that looked like a little bite out of my muscle. Then on top of it [all], just trying to live a life and be a good parent and a good wife and friend.”

No matter how much Abbey had on her plate, she was always willing to try more if it meant a better life for her and her family.

“[I was committed to having] nothing toxic in our house. Some of it helped a lot but not entirely. I think my nervous system was used to operating in a certain way and I don’t know if without [stellate ganglion block] that ever would have changed.”

Throughout Abbey’s many efforts she was disciplined about implementing yoga, healthy eating, stress management tools, meditation, alcohol abstention, healthy sleep routines, breathwork, strength training, sauna soaks, cold plunges, therapy, and more. While Abbey claimed that these things helped, they were never enough to cure her underlying issues.

Chronic Illness Caused By Trauma

When Abbey first signed up for telehealth therapy services with APN, she wasn’t expecting anything more than a safe space to talk about her ongoing health challenges. Instead, her whole outlook was flipped in a big and meaningful way.

“I signed up for telehealth with APN and had my comprehensive intake assessment which I had never had before,” Abbey said. “I had done therapy off and on but I had never had that type of assessment. So they give you your scores after they screen for anxiety, depression, and trauma and anything over 15 is a ‘disordered’ amount of that feeling. So my scores for anxiety and depression were under 15 and my score for trauma was 52. I was like, that’s ridiculous! I have a great life and I’m so privileged. You know, I didn’t identify it with that. I did not see myself as a trauma patient or someone who had PTSD. So I knew of the stellate ganglion block treatment and I had seen it marketed as a PTSD treatment for veterans of war or trafficking victims. I never thought that it was something for me.”

As she reflected on all these things in hindsight during her APN podcast interview, Abbey pointed out how much she’s learned since then about the role trauma plays in peoples’ lives.

“My situation is not unique at all in that it was [all] these cumulative traumas,” Abbey said. “[That’s when I started] realizing that we all have so much trauma–just parenting through a pandemic or wildfires or you know just [being] discharged from the hospital. When almost all of our dysfunction is rooted in the nervous system, [it becomes clear how much of a role trauma plays in our health].”

Finding Stellate Ganglion Block

Once Abbey became aware of the possibility that her health issues were rooted in trauma and nervous system dysfunction, she was ready and willing to give stellate ganglion block a go. However, she could have never predicted just how much this therapy would alter her life.

“It’s a dual injection into your stellate ganglion cluster, which is a nerve cluster at the base of your skull that controls your autonomic nervous functions,” Abbey said while describing the procedure. “So your parasympathetic system is [all about] rest and digest [while] your sympathetic system is fight, flight or freeze. [I learned] that’s when your heart rate goes up, your digestion slows down, your immune system is on high alert. And I was like, holy shit this is me; this is describing me. Being stuck in that state for long term shut down my digestion, my immune system, [and] and my metabolism.”

While Abbey was hesitant to get too excited about the procedure – having tried so many things in the past that didn’t work – she figured she didn’t have much to lose.

“It [was] so easy,” Abbey said. “It’s a shot. It’s low risk. It’s a little drop of an anesthetic that is really commonly used as a nerve block in surgeries. You metabolize it in like 2-8 hours. You’re not on any medication long term. You’re not like changing anything biologically. But you’re resetting this nerve cluster. I have a video of my procedure where it shows this main artery that supplies that side of the nervous system and they show it being super restricted and barely getting any blood flow and then as they anesthetize the nerve cluster it just opens up and you just see it pulsing and just flowing freely and for me it felt like an absolute miracle.”

After that, Abbey’s life was never the same. Rather, it was better, brighter, and bolder.

“The stress was gone,” Abbey said. “I didn’t have to work through it. I didn’t have to process it. I felt no tension in my body. I felt no intrusive thoughts or stress or worry about the future. I just felt so such clarity and presence and it felt like peak performance–like exactly how you’d want to feel.”

From Surviving to Thriving

Like many other treatments Abbey had tried with mild success in the past, she was wondering if this new feeling was long term or fleeting. She went on to describe a stressful situation she had not long after her SGB treatment where her car broke down in the middle of nowhere while on a trip by herself. At the time, she thought she had undone all the work that had been accomplished during her stellate ganglion block session and that she would need to return for more.

“[About] five days [after this stressful event] I was at my local meditation studio for a sound bath taking extra special care of myself and I felt it unlock,” Abbey said. “I was like, oh my God. That was another transformative moment [when I realized] this stuff really does work and I don’t need to go get a shot every time something stressful happens. I can process it. I can manage it. My body can come back from it, like, we can function.”

While Abbey’s life isn’t perfect, it’s no longer shrouded by debilitating health issues.

“I [still] use all those [holistic] things [and coping mechanisms] to maintain that ultimate post-SGB-state,” Abbey said. “[However], before I was using them to survive. [But], when you have a clear baseline – [when] your nervous system is wiped – it’s like system reset. I knew exactly how I can and should feel. Then, when there was any stressful stimuli or anything that happened [I was] still [able to] live life.”

Abbey describes how much different her life is these days since having the stellate ganglion block treatment.

“It changed me. It changed so much,” Abbey said. “I didn’t realize [my problems were a result of] nervous system dysfunction. [Now], I don’t have motion sickness anymore. I can read a book in the car, which is unheard of. I can go on rides at carnivals and theme parks with my kids. It helps with sleep. It helped with my period–like regulated my period and I [no longer] have PMS symptoms or cramps, which I didn’t think was possible. It’s mind-blowing.”

Passionate About APN and the Potential of Neurotech

After living with debilitating sickness for most of her life, Abbey wants to share with anyone who will listen how much stellate ganglion block has changed her life and how much it can change the lives of others.

“I believe we’re just scratching the surface with the applications of the treatment,” Abbey said. “I think it can help so many people in so many different ways, and I’m just so excited that APN is able to bring it to people.”

Once a naysayer on the impact of trauma in her life, Abbey now hopes to impress how significant this work is.

“The reason I think the treatment I had can work for anyone is that it addresses the nervous system,” Abbey said. “I think [so many things] set our nervous system on its path. We have all these either catastrophic or minor traumas – or you know just any stimuli at all – [and] our nervous system is going to adapt to it. It’s going to change some of its functions, even when those protective mechanisms no longer serve us. Our body’s not going to shut them off. They’re now hardwired into how we work. So, for your whole entire life those are just being layered upon each other. [But something like stellate ganglion block can help wipe the slate clean].”

Abbey truly believes that anyone and everyone can benefit from this treatment.

“I am so excited about what other possibilities there are,” Abbey said. “I think all these new technologies that APN has adopted – this cutting-edge neurotech stuff – is so thrilling. I think that the potential is we don’t even know what the potential is. We’re not the victims of our circumstance. We’re not beholden to whatever our quote-unquote personality traits are. Our psychology is something that we can manipulate to our benefit a lot more than we realize. And I think that some of these technologies give us the boost to then maintain [our wellness] with the ancient wisdom of mindfulness, nutrition, [and healthy living].”

Enough time has passed now that Abbey can finally rest easy, knowing that she no longer lives in chronic pain. Now, she can enjoy life with her spouse and children while she helps spread the word about this groundbreaking therapy to others.

If you’re interested in learning more about All Points North and their recovery programs, stellate ganglion treatments, and/or other mental health treatments, submit our confidential contact form or call us at 855.934.1178 today. You never know how good your life can get until you address the underlying causes of your issues.

More From Abbey

Listen and watch Abbey’s episode of Recovery x APN below, and find more episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Having an awareness of why this new addiction happens and the common substitute addictions people may experience can help prevent you from falling into patterns of old behavior that stand in the way of a better life.

Why People Turn to Substitute Addictions in Recovery

Breaking free from addiction is about much more than mere abstinence. Substance use disorders can quickly take control over your whole life, including who you spend time with, what you do from day to day, and how you’ve learned to cope with difficult situations.

For people who only focus on stopping substance use, the patterns of addiction can begin to show up in other areas. That’s why the best addiction treatment programs often emphasize holistic lifestyle change, treating co-occurring mental health disorders and showing people fun and healthy ways to live life in recovery.

Understanding Dopamine

Many of the substitute addictions people fall into have similar patterns of effects on the brain as addictive substances. Of critical importance is how these substitute addictions affect dopamine — the brain’s reward neurotransmitter that is associated with nearly every type of addictive behavior.

Your brain is a complex network of neurons that communicate through electrical and chemical means. Neurons that receive an electrical signal release chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which pass messages within the brain and play a large role in our thoughts, behaviors, and moods.

Dopamine is often known as the “reward” neurotransmitter. When dopamine is released, it encourages people to return to the behavior that releases dopamine.

Nearly every addictive drug is associated with a surge in dopamine levels in the brain. Opioids, nicotine, alcohol, and amphetamines all lead to spikes in the amount of dopamine released between neurons.

But dopamine isn’t just associated with substance use. Any pleasurable activity causes a dopamine release, including activities such as:

• Exercise
• Going to the movies
• Spending time with loved ones
• Sex
• Getting positive feedback

The primary difference between dopamine release in these natural activities and the dopamine release during substance use is the overall level of dopamine being released. Drugs and alcohol can cause spikes in dopamine that far exceed what might be released from a movie night at home.

Brain Changes During Substance Use Disorders

When people use addictive substances for extended periods, their brains adjust to the new, higher levels of dopamine being released. Dopamine that enters the space between neurons is collected by structures known as dopamine transporters, which receive the message of reward and pass it along between connections.

But when people have extraordinarily high levels of dopamine passing between neurons, the brain starts to remove many of these dopamine transporters. This is a phenomenon known as “downregulation.”

Downregulation is important in understanding substance use disorders and substitute addictions. When dopamine transporters are downregulated, it becomes more difficult for people to feel a sense of reward from everyday activities. Only the intense, high levels of dopamine caused by substance use can trigger a sensation of reward.

This accounts for many of the symptoms of substance use disorders, including:

• Tolerance
• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities that used to be important
• Lack of motivation
• Trouble enjoying daily life

The brain will recover from these changes, but it typically takes a period of prolonged abstinence for dopamine transporters to return to “normal” levels. In the case of long-term methamphetamine addiction, researchers found that it took 14 months for dopamine transporters to return to pre-addiction levels.

How Substitute Addictions Fit

People who have recently become sober are still experiencing the effects of the brain changes caused by addiction. They have fewer dopamine transporters and often experience challenges in finding activities or hobbies they enjoy.

As a result, many people gravitate toward substitute addictions. These substitute addictions are any pattern of behavior that leads people to engage in the behavior in an addictive fashion.

They may not be able to control their behavior, may continue the behavior despite serious consequences, and may neglect other important aspects of life in order to engage in the behavior more often.

Common substitute addictions are any type of behavior that provides a rush of dopamine similar to what drugs or alcohol produce. While the surge of dopamine may not be as intense as that provided by drugs or alcohol, it is these dopaminergic activities that people tend to gravitate toward.

Common Substitute Addictions

Here are a few common substitute addictions and why they should be avoided if you hope to achieve a healthy and sustainable recovery.

Pornography Addiction

Pornography addiction is a growing concern in the United States today. People new to recovery often turn to pornography for a sense of reward and pleasure, and it can provide the brief spike of dopamine that so many people in early recovery seek out.

However, pornography addiction is not without its own set of consequences. When people become addicted to pornography, they can quickly find themselves struggling to accomplish their daily tasks or stay focused on the work of recovery.

Instead, their mind can shift toward when they can view pornography again and push other important activities to the side.

Pornography addiction can have a number of other consequences as well. This substitute addiction can often lead to:

• Spending large amounts of money on content creators
• Feelings of guilt or shame about your behavior
• Damaging relationships with your loved ones
• Feeling like your pornography use has gotten out of control

Ultimately, pornography addiction can stand in the way of you achieving a holistic state of mental health and well-being and be highly detrimental to your recovery.

Sex and Love Addiction

Sex and love addiction is common in early recovery as well. In many ways, this substitute addiction is an addiction to another person and can rapidly interfere with your ability to build a healthy life for yourself.

When people start their journey in recovery and quickly start a new relationship, it becomes difficult for them to focus on self-improvement and healthy and sustainable practices. They become obsessed with another person rather than focusing on loving themselves.

Gambling Addiction

Gambling is one of the most addictive forms of non-substance behavior. People who start going to casinos or playing online poker during early recovery often get hooked on the experience of having a big win — even if they ultimately lose a great deal of money in the process.

Gambling addiction is one of the few behavioral addictions that’s actually listed in the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V-TR).

Thankfully, just like substance use disorders, there are support groups and 12-step organizations dedicated to helping people break free from gambling addiction and achieve a healthier life in recovery.

Exercise Addiction

Getting regular physical exercise is important for both your physical and mental health. But some people in early recovery take exercise too far, turning it into a substitute addiction that gets in the way of living a healthy and balanced life.

The difference between an exercise addiction and a healthy exercise habit is the relationship you have with exercise.

People with an exercise addiction may spend an inordinate amount of time at the gym, feel intense distress if they don’t have the opportunity to exercise, and neglect important relationships, work, or other activities in favor of exercise.

Paradoxically, exercise addiction can also lead to problems with your body image and physical health. People who have an exercise addiction can become obsessed with their physical appearance or injure themselves from pushing too hard.

Shoplifting Addiction

A shoplifting addiction — sometimes called kleptomania — is a compulsive pattern of stealing items from stores. People with this type of addiction often report experiencing an intense rush from stealing and seek out the experience over and over again.

People with a shoplifting addiction will often steal items they never use or have no desire for. The items frequently aren’t as important as the rush of stealing itself.

While many of the substitute addictions listed so far are harmful to your physical or mental health, a shoplifting addiction can often result in severe criminal penalties, including fines, community service, probation, or jail time.

Overeating

Food is one of the most common and natural sources of dopamine in daily life. However, for some people in early recovery, the downregulation of dopamine receptors leads people to overeat to experience this sense of reward.

If overeating gets out of control, it could lead to the development of a binge eating disorder. Roughly 1.4% of the adult population will experience a binge eating disorder in their lifetime, but 24.8% of people with a binge eating disorder report having had a substance use disorder.

The overlap between binge eating disorders and substance use disorders indicates that this is a common substitute addiction. Many researchers have gone so far as to characterize binge eating disorder as a food addiction and point out the parallels in dopamine response between substance use and overeating.

The Importance of Reward in Recovery

Navigating a life in recovery is often tricky work. While substitute addictions are best avoided, the behaviors themselves aren’t always negative.

For example, it’s healthy and generally recommended that people new to recovery start an exercise routine. The dopamine released during exercise is crucial to finding your recovery enjoyable. Not all pornography use is negative, and sex and love are important aspects of daily life.

The true problem arises when these behaviors enter into the realm of addiction. Addiction isn’t solely a problem of substance use but any behavior that becomes out of control despite severe consequences.

Determining what activities are damaging to your recovery and which support it can be the work of a lifetime. Many people struggle to find healthy alternative rewards, while others fall into repeating the patterns of addiction without the use of addictive substances.

If you’re struggling to find the right balance, consider reaching out to an addiction specialist for help. Starting individual or group therapy can help you work through these challenges, break free from substitute addictions, and build a life in recovery worth living.

Reach Out to APN

APN offers a comprehensive suite of addiction and mental health services for every stage of the recovery process. To contact our team, call 855.510.4585, speak with a representative on the live chat function on our website, or fill out our confidential online contact form for more information.

References

• Kessler, Ronald C et al. “The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys.” Biological psychiatry vol. 73,9 (2013): 904-14. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.11.020
• Schreiber, Liana R N et al. “The overlap between binge eating disorder and substance use disorders: Diagnosis and neurobiology.” Journal of behavioral addictions vol. 2,4 (2013): 191-8. doi:10.1556/JBA.2.2013.015
• Volkow, Nora D., et al. “Loss of Dopamine Transporters in Methamphetamine Abusers Recovers with Protracted Abstinence.” Journal of Neuroscience, Society for Neuroscience, 1 Dec. 2001, www.jneurosci.org/content/21/23/9414.