Free Tips Blog

05/07/12

Category: General

Substance Abuse Prevention through Wellness

It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have a substance abuse issue. If this is you or someone you know or if you can identify with the notion of an addictive personality, ‘this one's for you', Read More:

In a simplified way, addiction is about wanting to control feeling good on instantaneous demand. Roget Lockard, Professor of Family Therapy at Amherst contends that almost all of us are addicts of some kind. He says that all addictions stem from the one addiction we all have in common: The addiction to self righteous thought, in other words the notion that we know how things are supposed to go... that we are "right". The professional treatment community for addiction recognizes that the addictive abuse of a substance or behavior is merely a symptom and that there are underlying causes.

Not having the feel good associated with practicing wellness habits is part of the underlying cause. After the acute phase of recovery under the supervision of professionals in those areas, comes the need for their establishment.

Julian N. Hartt, Jr, LCSW, an expert for over 40 years in the treatment of substance abuse, states that wellness programs are needed to reintroduce people to their bodies as objects greatly neglected and in need of care.

The list of necessary habits to develop are simply the basics: Right exercise, right nutrition, right stress management and correct sleep habits.

Addicts or not, science shows when people participate effectively in these wellness behaviors, they are more productive, get more done, their earning power increases, and school and work performances improve.

Here's the tip:  Begin in a small way on any or all of these basics and keep track of your activity level in a simple journal. Example: Almost everybody is dehydrated (qualifies as part of "nutrition") and that creates lots of problems including pain. Too much pain of any kind and addicts are more likely to engage in their addictive behavior for relief. Start small by drinking one glass of water first thing in the morning and build from there.

For more detail on how wellness habits can prevent substance abuse, click on this link for video of my presentation to the West Hartford Commission on Substance Abuse Prevention.

Since it looks like we might very well all be addicts, why not start a positive addiction: practicing our wellness habits, because....... Wellness Works!!

Vincent