Developing Good Health Habits in Recovery Last week, in Part II of this series, we looked at finding a healthy balance between momentary and long-term satisfactions. Below, we’ll look at one more component of building a new life in recovery – developing good health habits. Whether you’re in recovery from addiction or not, good health habits are the cornerstone of overall well-being. In such a fast-paced society, with so much to do and so many distractions, it is more important than ever to remember to take care of ourselves and our bodies. Below are the 7 essential health habits Dr. Tom Horvath discusses in chapter 12 of his book, “Sex, Drugs, Gambling & Chocolate.” 1. Get Enough Sleep It’s likely that when you were actively pursuing your addiction, sleep fell to the wayside. ...

Finding Balance in Recovery Day-to-day balance is an important element in relapse prevention. Too much stress, too little downtime, or too much downtime and not enough activity are just two examples of an unbalanced lifestyle that could encourage addictive behavior. For those of you not quite sure how to achieve daily balance, Dr. Tom Horvath suggests keeping a daily and weekly schedule. By scheduling adequate time for the categories of lifestyle balance listed below, you greatly increase the chances of feeling satisfied with your life. With a healthy balance of long-term and momentary satisfactions, you'll be likely to find joy and fulfillment in life without substances and addictive behaviors. Consider the following categories: Work/relaxation Activity/contemplation (self...

(This 3-part series on building good habits, finding balance and working toward good health is adapted from chapter 12 of “Sex, Drugs, Gambling and Chocolate,” by Tom Horvath, Ph.D, ABPP) The Six Pillars of Building Good Habits “You can build a new life that is even more satisfying than life with your addiction.” - Tom Horvath So you’ve gotten through the acute withdrawal phase of recovery, dealt with immediate craving issues and have decided to take your recovery to the next level. Now what? Well, it’s time to rebuild your life. Just leaving the addiction behind isn’t enough – it’s time to start looking at how you can fill the void – that empty space that was once filled by addiction. For some, this may be exciting; a new life by design. For others, this may feel a little overw...

Dr. Horvath talks to KUSI morning news about the signs of a possible gambling addiction, how to address them and potential underlying causes of gambling addictions. KUSI News - San Diego, CA   If you think you or a loved one might be addicted to gambling, call us. We can help!

by Devon Berkhesier, Psy.D. Stress goes hand in hand with change; when we have to adapt to some type of change, we experience stress. Although we typically think of stress as harmful, it can, in fact, be beneficial by providing the motivation that we need to succeed. But when stress becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can cause significant health problems. Stress can affect virtually every system in the body, causing a wide range of physical ailments such as tension headaches, hypertension, stomach pain, and insomnia. Sometimes the effects of chronic stress are less immediate. For example, did you know that stress can suspend tissue repair, potentially resulting in osteoporosis and susceptibility to fractures? Stress can also worsen pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, chroni...

by Reya Ingle, Psy.D. Providing a Safe Place for Women to Heal Practical Recovery’s newest residential treatment home, The Restoration Inn, opened in late September this year to provide substance misuse treatment for women in a safe and supportive environment. The Inn maintains Practical Recovery’s signature non 12 step approach and commitment to individualized, self-empowering treatment for substance misuse and co-occurring disorders including relationship issues and trauma. The Restoration Inn is purposefully small with only four beds to allow for a true homelike environment. The small size of the home and the individualized focus remove the possibility of unobserved lack of true engagement in treatment as might occur in a large facility. At The Restoration Inn, client motivatio...

Updated November 9, 2021 by Devon Berkheiser, Psy.D. Self-esteem is important. When we feel good about ourselves, it’s easier to engage in positive and healthy activities. Self-esteem also prevents us from beating ourselves up when we make mistakes, thus allowing us to get back on track quickly, rather than being overwhelmed by shame and self-hatred. Here are a few tips on how to improve your self-esteem: 1. Challenge negative self-talk We all engage in self-talk. It’s simply the running dialogue that happens in our heads. Unfortunately, not all self-talk is positive, and negative thoughts about the self can be damaging to self-esteem. So be aware of your self-talk and “catch” negative thoughts. For example, if you find yourself saying, “I’m a total failure” when you make a mist...

by Devon Berkheiser, Psy.D. Boredom can be dangerous…. Having too much free time allows the mind to wander, and it can go to unhealthy places. While time for rest and relaxation is important, make sure that you have enough activity in your schedule to prevent you from feeling too bored. Here are some tips for how to do that, especially during the holidays when a lot of people have extra time off from their usual daily responsibilities. 1. Plan ahead—If you wait until the last minute to make plans, you risk other people being busy and/or unavailable. Instead, try to fill up your schedule in advance. Anticipate free time that you will have and schedule healthy activities for yourself ahead of time. Remember that too much isolation can be risky, so be sure to include some social acti...

Previous research suggests four to eight percent of women under the age of 44 are alcohol dependent. Further, up to 65 percent of alcohol dependent women have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder, and women are typically less likely to seek alcohol treatment as compared to men. Research also shows that many alcohol dependent women have high levels of stress in their marriage. Barbara McCrady of the University of new Mexico Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions and Elizabeth Epstein of Rutgers University led a study which found that couples therapy for alcohol dependent women may work well for women with supportive spouses. Couples Therapy vs. Individual Therapy The researchers compared alcohol behavioral couples therapy to alcohol behavioral individual therapy in a rando...

by Julia Rosengren, Psy.D. “A theory that is wrong is considered preferable to admitting our ignorance.” – Elliot Vallenstein, Ph.D. Julia Rosengren, Psy.D. is the Clinical Coordinator at Practical Recovery’s outpatient office (Practical Recovery Psychology Group). She has compiled a list of common misconceptions about treatment from her experience in the field. Myth #1: “I have a chemical imbalance. Talking doesn’t seem helpful.” From my experience, this way of thinking actually hinders treatment progress. Not only is this an oversimplification of what occurs in the brain, but externalizing the problem allows for feelings of helplessness. For example, if a problem is due to deficits in one’s brain chemistry, then theoretically there is little someone can do to remedy the issue be...