When a person suffers from a physical ailment, like a broken arm, there is a certain and well-trod path to recovery. However, when the problem is in both the body and the mind, as occurs with addiction, the treatment plan is much less certain. Everyone suffers from addiction differently, and as a result, most substance abusers require exceedingly personalized care to reach healthy and happy sobriety.

Unfortunately, much of addiction rehabilitation isn’t personalized at all. In fact, the vast majority of rehab centers provide the same three steps for recovery: detox, counseling and aftercare. While such a bare-bones approach can be effective in certain situations, many substance abusers need something more — and that’s where alternative programs come in.

Many inpatient drug rehab facilities are beginning to focus on different strategies for healing the mind and body of those afflicted by addiction. While they might not look like the rehab centers one expects, these facilities offer recovery and success thanks to personalized care through programs that have been shown to have a positive effect on many who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction — like these:

Massage

Massage doesn’t just feel good — it also has myriad positive impacts on the body and mind. Massage has been found to increase feel-good hormones, which serve to replace those often missing during recovery. Additionally, massage facilitates the removal of metabolic waste, which can build up during a period of addiction, and the therapy reduces the impacts of anxiety, depression and other psychological concerns that often accompany substance abuse. Massage is among the most popular alternative treatments available at rehab centers because it is known to be so effective in treatment.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a treatment that involves inserting hair-thin needles at specific locations and depths around the body. An important element of Eastern medicine, acupuncture is said to facilitate the movement of energy through the body to improve the body’s own self-healing mechanisms. For those disinterested in needles, acupressure accomplishes a similar result through targeted, intense massage. While studies on acupuncture are mixed, with some demonstrating obvious success and others failing to reach a clear conclusion, many people find that acupuncture helps them control painful conditions, like substance withdrawal, with minimal risk.

Aromatherapy

The sense of smell is exceedingly undervalued. In truth, smell is among the most powerful sensations, deeply connected to memories and emotions in ways that remain poorly understood. This is why aromatherapy is a formidable tool in drug and alcohol rehab centers; it taps into the power of smell to assist in healing and promote well-being. Aromatherapy can take many forms, from essential oils dispersed in diffusers to aroma-laden lotions, skin masks, bath compounds and more. Different smells produce different effects in different people, so it is worthwhile to experiment with aromatherapy more than once.

Meditation

Meditation is the art of centering oneself in the moment, gaining greater awareness and maintaining a healthy sense of self. There are almost uncountable ways to meditate, from lying down and listening to meditative tones to practicing breathing exercises to paying attention to one’s surroundings to mindfully exercising. The key to meditation is to monitor one’s thoughts and avoid harsh judgement of oneself, one’s environment, one’s community, etc. This is an especially important practice for those recovering from substance abuse because it helps one delve deeper into the causes of addiction, the lingering addictive behaviors and other thoughts and emotions detrimental to one’s life.

Chanting

Chanting is a rhythmic, repetitive song, prayer, word or sound. It’s common to find people chanting in religious or spiritual environments, but chanting can be a wholly secular activity, as well. Like meditation, chanting focuses the mind on a particular concept, reducing uncontrolled, racing thoughts and emotions and helping a person develop positivity and resolve. Some researchers believe that chanting can have a physiological effect in reducing blood pressure and heart rate and increasing the presence of feel-good hormones.

Yoga

Often, prolonged substance abuse results in an atrophied body and mind, which makes it difficult for those in recovery to integrate into the world without their addictive crutch. Yoga helps to bolster both body and mind through mindful movement, which requires strength, flexibility and intention. Another Eastern practice long used for health, yoga has recently been coopted by get-thin-quick schemes and lost much of its beneficial meaning. However, when yoga is practiced mindfully, it can function as a holistic training beneficial to addiction recovery.

It’s important to note that alternative treatments alone usually aren’t enough — those suffering from substance abuse need traditional treatment, too; detox, counseling and aftercare are paramount for ensuring a life free from dangerous substances. Still, the addition of holistic treatments like those listed above tend to bring greater relaxation, comfort and meaning to the process of sobriety, which might mean faster and longer-lasting success.

Recovery for cancer patients starts immediately after diagnosis. This should be the mentality and not otherwise. Your whole life changes once you find out you have cancer. The journey from there on will be hard and emotional.

It is easy to lose hope along the way, but when you have the right support, you can get through anything. So, what do you do once you find out you have cancer?

1.    Find an expert in your disease

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, find an expert in that area, and consult him. Don’t stop there find another and other to be sure that you are getting the best type of treatment where you are.

2.    Build your inner grit

You will be fighting for your life. Make sure you have consulted nutritionists and integrative doctors to help build up your physical and spiritual well-being. You have to be proactive in this situation because going through treatment is not easy. You want to remain strong.

3.    Get support

Involve your family and friends to help you through these trying times. Friends and family can help you do most of the research. You can also opt to go for a womens cancer retreat and meet people going through the same thing as you relax your body and eat healthy food. It is also essential to find and join a cancer support group near you. A cancer survivor will understand what you are going through and offer emotional support throughout the process.

Pampered in paradise has great packages for womens cancer retreat, and they also host events. It is never too early to join a cancer support group.

4.    Stay informed

Studies have shown that patients who are well informed have less of a hard time during treatment. Write down all the questions you have about your disease and find the answers. Your family can help you with this. There are numerous resources online that you can get information from as well as the experts you found in step one above.

5.    Know your treatment options

Medicine is advancing in technology as well as the pharmacy department. After researching all about your disease and consulting various experts, you will have a list of possible treatment options. Do your research on those as well and see which one is best for you.

Different types of cancer have different types of treatment. Each of these treatments has various side effects. Some are also more likely to increase your chances of survival, and some are not. Be informed enough to make a reasonable decision concerning the treatment.

6.    Remember to stay healthy

Follow your new diet to the core. Fit in some simple exercises within your schedule to keep your physical strength up. If you are spiritual, pray some more, meditate or do some yoga. Maintain social contact with friends and family.

You never know how long your battle will be, but you will be one step ahead if you follow the above steps.

Considering the fact what a great number of articles we come across every day about what we should do to maintain our health and how many TV-shows have been broadcast in recent years in which therapists explain what kind of food and physical exercises are good for our overall well-being, it’s no wonder that nowadays we’re more health conscious than ever.

We’re focusing a great amount of attention to the type of food we consume and the environment we live in. We’re trying to make sure we eat organic, gluten-free food, drink healthy, sugar-free beverages, go to the gym at least 4 times a week and, of course, avoid toxic environments.

But, what many of us fail to understand is that the quality of our relationships, both romantic and otherwise, can be as toxic to our physical health as junk food or any toxic environment. Poor or troubled relationships can lead to anxiety, stress, depression, and even more serious health conditions.

We can have bad, toxic relationships with members of our family, our friends, our coworkers, or our partners. So, the real question is: How can you tell that you are in this kind of relationship?

To figure that out, we advise you to answer the following questions:

– When you are around the person, do you generally feel comfortable and content, or do you usually feel stressed out and drained?

– Do you feel safe when you’re around this person or do you feel like you’re in danger?

– Do you feel happy or mentally and physically drained after you spend time with this person?

– Do you feel that they’re invested in the relationship as much as you are?

– What kind of feelings predominate in your relationship with this person: feelings of satisfaction, happiness, and security, or uneasiness and tension?

– Do you feel like this person accepts and cherishes you for who you are, or do you feel like you have to change your behavior to make them happy and like you more?

After you answer the questions, try to make a comparison between your answers and these descriptions of healthy, happy and bad, unhealthy relationships:

-The typical characteristics of healthy, fulfilling relationships are kindness, patience, understanding, security, healthy arguments, mutual respect and caring, and willingness to make compromises and sacrifices for each other’s happiness.

–The typical characteristics of troubled, toxic relationships are selfishness, lack of trust, jealousy, dishonesty, insecurity, rejection, unfounded, harsh criticism, and derogatory comments.

How can you change a bad, unhealthy relationship?

The first thing you need to do so as to change an unhealthy relationship is to identify the red flags that you are in one. More often than not, people are unaware that they’re in a toxic relationship, even when members of their family and their friends can spot the warning signs.

Then always remember that you deserve to be surrounded by people who truly love and care about you and who are able to see your worth. You deserve to be treated with kindness, respect, dignity, and love.

Once you begin to truly believe that you’re worthy of other people’s respect and love, you’ll also start feeling more comfortable addressing bad behavior when it happens.

For instance, it’ll become easier for you to tell the person directly how you feel. Telling them something, such as, “I don’t like the fact that you’re always laying the blame at my door, even when I’m not the one to blame,” or “I wish that you’d stop making me feel like whatever I do is never good enough” won’t be difficult for you at all.

Last but not least, if you’ve exhausted all ways of changing the unhealthy relationship, and nothing worked, then you should consider reducing the amount of time you spend with the toxic person, or even distancing yourself from them completely.

Remember – maintaining your mental, physical, and emotional health should always be your number one priority and you must never compromise your well-being for anyone or anything.