Did you help someone this month? Even if it was you helping yourself, that calls for a celebration.
There are a lot of healthy ways to celebrate! Here are a few ideas.
- A Water balloon fight?
- A gift? (Sensibly priced, of course)
- A nap and then a movie, or a movie and then a nap?
How do you celebrate the positive changes in life?
Recovery from a substance use disorder can be a challenge by itself. When you add in the preconceived notions of what it means to be struggling with a substance and what recovery means to the wider public, it’s just another layer of challenges.
We want to move past the stereotypes associated with substance use disorders and one way to do that is to understand them. That’s why we put together this article on how to change perspectives on getting treatment for alcohol use.
Check it out. It may help you reconsider how you think about treatment and recovery.
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Changing Perspective on Alcoholism Treatment - Shadow Mountain Recovery
No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine” before. The truth is there isn’t any “best” medicine, not when it comes to treating everything humans may be struggling with.
There have been studies, however, that show laughter is definitely useful when helping an elderly person who is struggling with depression, insomnia, and overall sleep quality.
Now that you know, who can you help today by making them laugh? It’ll be worth it for both of you!
Co-occurring disorders are pretty common for those in recovery. A co-occurring disorder is when someone struggling with mental health is also struggling with substance use, or the other way around, as well.
How common? Surveys have shown that close to half of the people who’ve struggled with mental health have also struggled with substance use.
We want to know every challenge someone is facing while working on long-term recovery and that is why dual-diagnosis is important. Check out this explanation of what dual-diagnosis is, why it’s important, and how we do it.
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Dual Diagnosis: What it is and Why it’s Important - Shadow Mountain Recovery
Time for recess!
Chances are, you remember (at least a little, anyway) how much you loved recess at school. It was a break from the chore of schoolwork, but more than that, it was FUN.
Why should that stop just because you aren’t in school anymore or your school is a college? It shouldn’t!
It turns out play is just as important for adults as it is for children. Check out this article, then check out of your worries and find some way to play.
PSYCHCENTRAL.COM
The Importance of Play for Adults
How are you sitting right now? Are you slumped? Hunched? Slouched? Did you know sitting up straight actually helps you feel more confident, less stressed, and generally more aware?
A study showed the difference between slouching and upright postures and found if you sit up when dealing with stress it makes it easier to maintain your self-esteem and increase your positive mood.
Turns out there was a good reason our parents were always telling us to sit up straight.
It’s the middle of the month which means it’s time to look back on what you’ve done and what you have planned!
What are some things you’re proud of accomplishing in the first half of the month? Do you have your plans ready for the second half?
We find it helps us a lot to make a plan (even though, yeah, sometimes the plan gets changed at the last minute).
At Shadow Mountain we know how deeply art can affect us. It can be a way to see our lives from a new perspective and sometimes that different look reveals a surprising part of us.
If you are looking for more art to interact with don’t worry, the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival has you covered.
Tickets have to be bought before you arrive, so make sure you get online first! Check out some art!
SANTAFEINDEPENDENTFILMFESTIVAL.COM
Motorama at the Downs — Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th!
The National Hispanic Cultural Center is hosting a drive-in family movie night on October 11th, so mark your calendars and get your snacks ready.
On October 11th they are showing Selena, so also get ready to dance and sing along. More info can be found at the link!
NHCCNM.ORG
Hispanic Heritage Month: ABQ Balloon Park Drive-In Film Screening: Selena - NHCC
It can be a scary thing to think about, but are you struggling with depression? Is someone you know struggling with depression?
Tomorrow is National Depression Screening Day. If you feel a sense of hopelessness, or feel as if you’ll never be happy again, it might be depression. Nearly 17.7% of U.S. adults experience major depressive episodes, so you are not alone.
We have more info you can read about right here. There is help for you!
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Depression Treatment Programs - Shadow Mountain Recovery
Every year, October 4th–10th is Mental Illness Awareness Week.
It’s a week dedicated to raising awareness and fighting stigma associated with mental illness, which is obviously a goal very close to our hearts. To read more about what the week means and how it helps to bring understanding to this complex subject, check out this page at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
NAMI.ORG
Get Involved | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
It’s now officially October which means the spooky season has arrived!
Do you celebrate Halloween? Do you know someone who does? If so, it might be time to start making a costume.
Here’s something cool to think about: making a costume, or art in general, actually has positive effects on your brain.
Check out this article on what your brain is doing while you make art. Then grab some markers, some paper, and some scissors. What’re you going to be for Halloween?!
NPR.ORG
Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain
Sometimes it’s hard not to get stuck looking out the window at that New Mexico landscape and sky.
A lot of people love New Mexico, that’s a fact. New Mexico magazine even wrote a piece about “literary New Mexico,” which you should read. It’s a great list of places in the state that are connected to the written word, to art in general, and to knowing thyself just a tad more
NEWMEXICO.ORG
New Mexico Writers' Dens
It’s always nice to find out more about where you come from and live.
The Gathering of Nations will present videos from their Pow Wow vault online on November 26. You can learn more and register at the website.
New Mexico has a long and rich history, so check some of it out and get to know the state a little better.
https://www.gatheringofnations.com/
It might be kind of a weird Halloween this year. Well, weirder than normal.
What are you dressing up as? Or are you just staying in, watching some spooky movies? We’d love to know how you may be celebrating. Don’t be afraid to share pictures of those costumes or carved pumpkins!
Stay safe if you’re going out and have a Happy Halloween!
The Shadow Mountain residential treatment program is here to help you or someone you love get past addiction.
Read more about it at the link below and then keep in mind someone is here 24/7 to talk about treatment.
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Residential Treatment Programs - Shadow Mountain Recovery
Do you have a morning routine?
One way you can start your day off is to read a few pages of something you love, something that’s not on your phone.
Our phones are helpful, obviously, but it helps to not start your day scrolling and just having a moment to think and relax with something other than the entire internet.
Get ready for the understatement of the year: Texas is B I G.
You knew that, of course. But did you know it’s SO big that it includes the whole planet? Yep, just head on over to Earth, Texas to get a glimpse. The zip code for Earth is 79031.
That’s not all, though. Did you know Texas has a town called DISH, named after the home satellite company DISH Network? Sure does. The town mayor signed a deal that would get the whole town free television for 10 years if they renamed the town from Clark to DISH. The deal has ended but the name remains.
One of the treatment options here at Shadow Mountain is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It’s evidence-based and has been studied over the course of decades. Studies and scientific research aren’t always easy to understand or connect with though.
That’s why this article by writer Julie Myerson may be helpful. It gives her experience with CBT and makes it easier to digest and understand.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Julie Myerson: how mindfulness based cognitive therapy changed my life
Here at Shadow Mountain, we can help you with co-occurring disorders. That means if you're struggling with an addiction but also with a mental health disorder, we offer dual diagnosis. For a little more info about what that is, check out this link from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
As always, we are available to answer any questions you may have.
MEDLINEPLUS.GOV
Dual Diagnosis: MedlinePlus
Here’s to a new year and to new (or continuing) goals for your recovery. This has been a memorable year, to say the least. Let’s head into 2021 with a renewed focus on making our lives as healthy and meaningful as we can.
Thank you for your dedication and kindness. Everyone at Shadow Mountain is here for you. We want to spend the next year helping you all achieve even more positive outcomes.
Loneliness may be hanging around a bit more this year than other holidays of recent memory. If so, don’t worry, you are not alone and there are ways to find connections. This list from Psychology Today has good suggestions, though some of them are not suited to COVID-19 times.
Also, always remember someone is at Shadow Mountain to talk with you.
PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM
Feeling Lonely? Discover 18 Ways to Overcome Loneliness
One of the evidence-based treatments we utilize here at Shadow Mountain is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It’s a well-studied form of therapy that has proven over the years to be effective in treating both addiction and mental/emotional disorders.
Psychology Today wrote a little more about what CBT is and we recommend checking it out to know more about this great form of therapy.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/cognitive-behavioral-therapy
We’ve all heard about exercise helping someone feel happy and less depressed, but maybe we haven’t heard why, exactly.
Psych Central talks about the actual reasons for exercise’s benefits. It’s something we utilize here at Shadow Mountain with our activity-based therapy (ABT), so it’s a topic near and dear to us.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/why-exercise-helps-depression/
We are dedicated to always learning here at Shadow Mountain because that allows us to understand our clients better, but also sets the stage for us to help them more efficiently.
Recently, we took a look at the difficult subject of alcohol-related death rates in New Mexico. If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol do not be afraid to ask them how you can help. It may be the conversation that changes each of your lives.
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Alcohol Death Rates: How Excessive Alcohol Affects Health - Shadow Mountain Recovery
Trying to determine if you or someone you know has an alcohol use disorder is not always easy.
Marcelo Campos, MD wrote about this for Harvard Medical School and asks some important questions to help you find some answers.
HEALTH.HARVARD.EDU
Alcohol use disorder: When is drinking a problem? - Harvard Health Blog
If you know of someone who is struggling with meth addiction and want to help them, read up about meth sores over at the Shadow Mountain blog.
Meth can do a lot of damage to someone's body and mind. It helps to know what a person is going through. Understanding their situation makes the first step of getting help a little easier.
SHADOWMOUNTAINRECOVERY.COM
Meth Sores: What They Are, and How to Treat Them - Shadow Mountain Recovery
Shadow Mountain believes in a good ol’ fashioned hike. And not just to see the beautiful sights (but that is definitely in the top five reasons to take a hike), but because it can have a great impact on your mental and physical health!
HEALTH.HARVARD.EDU
Take a hike! - Harvard Health
Adderall® is a prescription drug that can help a lot of people, but it can also be misused and become dangerous.
We looked at the facts surrounding Adderall use and how it can impact your health and life. Check it out at the link, and remember there is always someone at Shadow Mountain and ready to talk.
https://www.shadowmountainrecovery.com/helping-you-understand-adderall/
Do you know someone struggling with bipolar disorder? It’s not possible to truly know what they are going through unless you also have bipolar disorder, but you can certainly work understand as much as possible.
This article on the National Alliance for Mental Illness website talks about the experiences of someone with bipolar disorder. It may give you some insights into the struggles they face.
NAMI.ORG
How Invalidating My Bipolar Disorder Invalidates Me | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
