Take Control of Your Anger

Learning to express your anger in a healthy way is crucial for your overall health and recovery. This is because flying off the handle is harmful to your body and mind – and it’s also a major relapse trigger. You may even have heard of the acronym H.A.L.T. – Hunger, Anger, Loneliness, and Tired – which are all feelings that could nudge a person toward using again.

Luckily, you can take some practical steps to stay cool when life gets you heated up. Try these tension tamers today: 

Give yourself a timeout. Look at your smartphone and resist reacting until at least two minutes have passed and you’ve taken steps to calm down. You could also just go for a quick walk or leave the room – whatever gives you some space and breathing room to gain control of your emotions. 

Practice relaxation strategies. Here are a few recommendations adapted from The American Psychological Association:

• Focus on your breath. Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm. Close your eyes and imagine your breath coming up from your "gut" as you inhale. Exhale slowly. 

• Find a mantra. Think of a calming word or phrase – "calm” or “slow down,” for example – and repeat it to yourself after taking a deep, relaxing breath. 

• Use imagery. Close your eyes and visualize a time when you felt relaxed. If you can’t recall a past experience, use your imagination and dream up a stress-free place. 

Pinpoint your triggers. In other words, make a conscious effort to figure out what sets you off. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), these events are common anger triggers: 

• A long wait at the doctor’s office
• A rumor about your relapse or recovery
• Traffic or large crowds
• A joke that poke fun at a sensitive topic
• Being wrongly accused or mistreated 

Pay attention to your mind and body. Right before your anger escalates, you’ll likely experience a host of physical, behavioral, emotional and cognitive signs, notes SAMHSA. These include:

• Increased heart rate, tightness in the chest, feeling hot or flushed
• Clenched fists, raised voice, harsh stare 
• Fear, hurt, jealousy, disrespect 
• Hostile, images of aggression and revenge

Post-Treatment Support for Men & Women

At Haus Recovery, we provide our clients with continued support as they transition from a secure recovery environment to sober life filled with daily stressors and tension. To learn more, call today: 888-551-4715.

How Hobbies Can Help

Hobbies make for happy sober lives. Investing just a small amount of time doing something creative and that you’re passionate about – that’s non-work related – can do wonders for your mental health and overall happiness. Let’s take a quick look at some of the health benefits of having a hobby as an adult: 

• Boosting self-confidence
• Exercising the brain
• Expressing creativity
• Reducing stress
• Improving social connections
• Getting out of the house
• Learning something new

But what if you don’t have a particular passion as an adult? Where do you start? Here are some activities that you may enjoy – and that will also aid in your lasting sobriety.

Gardening: Slows the mind, boosts your mood, and lets you soak up the sunshine. Plus, gardening is a great reminder that you’re just one small part of the greater universe. 

Yoga: One hour of yoga increases GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) by 27 percent. GABA is a brain chemical linked to the reduction of stress and anxiety. 

Visual arts (photography, painting/drawing, writing): The process of creating art doesn’t just make you feel better, but it’s been found to create real, physical changes inside your body. Some of the many perks of visual arts: 

• Decreased negative emotions and increased positive ones
• Reduced depression, stress, and anxiety
• Improved expression, positive identity and social networks
• Greater awareness of beauty in the world

Running: This is perhaps the best hobby for preventing or managing depression.

Cooking: Teaches you to be more mindful of what you’re putting into your body. The repetitive tasks inherent to cooking (chopping, measure, washing, etc.) can also help you to stay focused on the present. 

Recovery Activities at Haus Recovery

For individuals who have abused their body with drugs and alcohol, healthy recreation is often a distant thought. Yet sobriety is the beginning of a fun, fulfilling, and lifelong adventure. At Haus Recovery, we’ll help open you up to new experiences and joys as you embrace your new sober life. To learn more, call today: 888-555-4715.

Are You Living With Intention?

Chances are you woke up this morning with a mental to-do list – pick up the dry cleaning, go grocery shopping, schedule a work meeting, pay the utility bill – but have you thought about what’s important to you or how you want to feel, think and live? 

One of the many benefits of pursuing a life free of addiction is that you have more time, energy and emotional resources to start living your life with intention. 

What Does Living With Intention Mean?

Living with intention means different things to different people. In general, however, it can mean being an active participant in your life and seizing each day to the fullest. 

By living with intention, you’ll:

• Break free of the thoughts from our past.
• Be open to change.
• Be mindful and kind and present. 
• Learn what’s important to you. 
• Be connected to your intuition. 
• Live by your own values and needs.
• Be authentic.

Here are a few ways to start using those life skills learned in rehab to live a new sober life with intention: 

• Uncover your values. Take time to really think about what’s important to you and what values you want to instill in your daily life. Living your life with self-acceptance, health and gratitude, for instance, will make it a lot easier to make smart, sober daily decisions.
• Consider how you’d like to improve your health. Would you like to eat more vegetables or build more muscle? Or, maybe you need to work on how you handle stress? Especially for those in recovery, taking care of your physical and emotional self is an essential part of living life with intention.
• Visualize your life in 5, 10 and 20 years. Take a few minutes to think about how you want to live or what type of person you’d like to become. Write it down so you can add to it or adjust it as your goals develop and change. 
• Take a small step forward. What can you do today to prepare yourself for the person you want to be a year from now? What’s one action that will move you closer to your career of family goals? Consider working with an addiction recovery specialist to map out these steps. 

A Healthier Lifestyle With Deeper Purpose

At Haus Recovery, we help our clients stay focused and confident as they master their full recovery potential. To learn more about our services and activities, call us today: 888-551-4715.

Why Spending More Time Outdoors Can Help Your Long-Term Sobriety

Did you know that nature offers one of the most reliable boosts to your mental and physical well-being? Here are just a few ways spending more time outdoors can help your overall health and sustained sobriety: 

• You’ll protect your mental health. Spending time in the great outdoors – especially when it involves exercise – has been shown to ease anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
• You’ll sleep better. There’s nothing like a healthy dose of fresh air to help you fall and stay asleep throughout the night.
• You’ll stress less. Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reduce blood pressure and heart rate. This is partly because of scent. The smell of many flowers have been study-proven to decrease stress and increase relaxation.
• You’ll think more positively. In one study, Stanford scientists found that walking in nature helps reduce obsessive, negative thoughts.
• You’ll exercise more. The color green (found on trees, grass, plants) has been found to make exercise easier, according to research conducted at the University of Essex. 
• You’ll meet new people. And this is especially important as your rebuilding a new network of sober friends. 

Outdoor Fun for a Better Recovery

Make yourself a recovery promise to spend just 15 minutes or more each day in a natural environment. Here are some ideas:

• Bike to work.
• Go for a weekend hike.
• Start your morning with an outdoor walk, run, or jog.
• Tend a garden.
• Take your computer and work outside.
• Meditate outdoors.
• Picnic in the park.
• Read a book under a tree or on the beach.
• Go fishing.
• Take a stroll on the beach.
• Try your hand at tennis.

Get Nurtured in Nature

Our Southern California location is blessed with mild temperatures and abundant sunshine, making it the perfect place for outdoor recreation as part of your recovery activities. To learn more about our sober living services, activities, and amenities, call today: 888-551-4715.