3 Famous Singers Who Beat Addiction

Most of the narrative around addiction in the media focuses on the tragedies. Stories about people who succumbed to addiction make for much more drama than stories of hope and forgiveness. We are therefore more likely to hear about a celebrity going into rehab than coming out sober. Unfortunately, we are also more likely to hear about overdoses than successful recovery.

This is often true with musicians as well, who make a lot of great music about their struggles with addiction. However, there are many famous singers who have beaten addiction and gone on to make moving, hopeful music.

The following 3 famous singers have beaten addiction, giving us some incredible songs in the process.

Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been making music for almost four decades. But the band’s existence could have been cut short if Anthony Kiedis had not successfully battled heroin addiction. Original guitarist, Hillel Slovak, sadly died of a heroin overdose in 1987. Kiedis describes in his autobiography Scar Tissue how the death of his friend impacted him. It was one of a number of turning points that helped him eventually find his way to recovery.

The song Under The Bridge is one of the band’s most honest and beautiful songs about addiction.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato’s struggles with addiction have been well-documented, for better or worse. A major factor in her personal battles has always been the public nature of her personal life, from when she was a child star until now. Lovato has had a long and complex recovery story. In 2018, she revealed that she had relapsed, releasing the incredible song Sober. Shortly after that, she overdosed.

Thankfully, she has since recovered, recently gifting us with the gorgeous Anyone, a moving track which is also a call for help.

Elton John

For a great movie that deals with themes of addiction, watch the recent Elton John biopic Rocketman. The movie itself is quite a lot of fun at times, with Taron Egerton doing a great job of playing a young Elton John, both in the acting and singing department. Sir Elton John publicly battled addiction for a long time, suffering an overdose in 1975. However, he recovered and became an advocate for people struggling with addiction.

The song My Elusive Drug is a sweet ballad about finding love that once seemed impossible.

The post 3 Famous Singers Who Beat Addiction appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/3-famous-singers-who-beat-addiction/

Tips For Staying Safe From The Coronavirus In Rehab

The coronavirus is the big media story of 2020 so far. Originating in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has spread across the entire world. Recently, it has started spreading more rapidly in the US.

Many people are panicking, while others can’t quite see what the big deal is. As always, the appropriate response is somewhere in between. While other illnesses certainly kill more people, we have more understanding of them and better ways to curb their spread. Thus far, the numbers of people infected by the coronavirus are rising rapidly, and it is not clear yet just how deadly it is.

The good news is that if you pay close attention to hygiene and follow some simple habits when going out in public, you should be safe from contracting the virus.

However, if you are going into rehab, you might be a little bit more concerned. You will be living in close contact with other people, who will each receive visitors regularly. Nonetheless, rehab is not just something you can delay for later.

There are ways to prevent the coronavirus spreading in rehab. Follow these tips to ensure you are less likely to contract the virus.

Don’t share cigarettes

For better or worse, people in rehab smoke a lot. It is in many ways an understandable habit for those of us who are quitting our main addictive coping mechanism. In rehab, therefore, people share cigarettes without a second thought.

Unfortunately, sharing saliva with someone who has the coronavirus is a surefire way to contract the illness. Even if you simply take the cigarette from between their fingers, you are putting yourself at risk by subsequently putting it between your lips.

As great as a rehab community is, exercise some stronger hygiene boundaries and only smoke your own cigarettes.

Stay in separate rooms if possible

If your rehab is crowded, you may have no choice but to sleep in the same room as others. However, make sure the staff spreads residents apart as much as possible. Ideally, you’ll be able to stay in a room by yourself. If not, separated beds are a much better option than bunk beds.

That said, symptoms of the coronavirus include coughing and fever. If someone exhibits signs of perfect health, there is little risk in sharing a room with them. There may be many reasons a person is coughing (including the aforementioned smoking habit), but at the moment, someone with a cough should take extra precautions for the peace of mind of other residents.

Wash your hands

This is another hygiene matter that becomes a little bit trickier in rehab. Hand sanitizers are alcohol-based, and not really an option among recovering addicts. However, by washing your hands thoroughly with soap throughout the day, you should be able to maintain good hygiene. Wash for at least twenty seconds (or twice the time it takes to sing happy birthday).

Most importantly, do not touch your face. The coronavirus can only be transmitted via oral or nasal ingestion. As long as you keep your hands away from your face, nothing will be transmitted by them.

Comfort from afar

There are going to be a lot of emotional moments in rehab, and your instinct may be to hug a person or share a tissue. Try and resist the urge to do so. Comforting someone without touching them is in itself an important skill to learn. It forces us to be more at ease with someone else’s emotions since we are unable to “hug” the pain away.

Importantly, throw away any tissues and wash your hands.

Don’t panic

While all of this seems like a lot to take in, there is no reason to panic. As long as you’re following these steps, you are unlikely to contract the virus, even in close quarters with other residents. And if you do contract the coronavirus, you will likely recover within a week or two.

The coronavirus may dominate the news for the next few months, but it is no reason to delay your rehab journey. Armed with the requisite information, you will be well-prepared to stay safe.

The post Tips For Staying Safe From The Coronavirus In Rehab appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/tips-for-staying-safe-from-the-coronavirus-in-rehab/

Can Music Therapy Help In Addiction Recovery?

While in rehab, I was given the opportunity to try music therapy to help with my addiction. But I had a few misgivings.

Since I was young, music has been my creative outlet. I always loved singing, and I learned to play both guitar and drums. Even when my skills were unrefined, I was writing songs and I never lost the thrill of finding a cool riff or getting some wordplay just right.

However, my songs tended to be pretty dark. Throughout my years of drug use, my music either reflected my despair or played off it. I sometimes even used it to glorify my depression and substance use.

What I’d learned from making music was that expressing something didn’t magically make it better. On the contrary, playing some of my favorite songs often made me feel sadder or more hopeless. Which is why music therapy seemed like it would be misguided at best.

Nonetheless, I still loved music and decided to give it a try.

Using Creativity To Heal

Music therapy was not what I expected. I didn’t just pick up a guitar and play some sorrowful tunes. Rather, I was guided by a therapist in using my music to help understand what exactly it was that I was feeling. Instead of letting the feeling get subsumed by the creative expression, I connected with it. What I had lumped together as “sorrow” turned out to be a mix of sadness, anxiety, guilt, shame, and more.

In the same way that I could use music to express those feelings and wallow in them, I learned to use music to bring about transformation. I didn’t stop playing through the difficult feelings, ubt I started allowing myself to include a sense of resolution. I widened my repertoire to include a much more diverse array of emotions.

Creatives like me often get caught up in the poignancy that emerges from the difficult feelings. However, learning that happiness is as poignant gave me the ability to connect to myself in a more honest, mature way.

I think a lot of artists go through this. I know Sam Smith has recently embraced the more self-affirming aspects of his creativity, introducing a new energy to his music that complements the sadness he has managed to portray so beautifully.

Music therapy was effective for me because there was finally someone to help me work through the emotions I was expressing in my songs. I learned to use creativity to heal rather than to simply indulge in my own gloom.

Music Therapy In Rehab

Music therapy is a very useful addition to therapy. It is one more way of holistically progressing along one’s own emotional journey. It refocuses the importance on the process of music, rather than just the end product. It is a truly affirming way of using creativity.

The post Can Music Therapy Help In Addiction Recovery? appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/can-music-therapy-help-in-addiction-recovery/

How Can We Learn To Feel Gratitude In Rehab?

Gratitude is spoken about a lot in drug and alcohol rehab. Recovering addicts talk about their gratitude for surviving as long as they have. They talk about gratitude for having another chance. There are countless possible outlets for your gratitude.

However, some of us are a little more cynical about gratitude. After all, much of our therapeutic journey in rehab is about breaking down our distortions and seeing life as it is. We learn to see things not as we’ve been hardwired to see them, but also not how we wish we could see them. It is in therapy that people start questioning whether they should be blindly grateful to their parents, for example. This can be essential to transitioning from living a life to please your parents to the life that is actually best for you.

In this context, gratitude can begin to feel like a lie. You say the right words, but can you really force yourself to feel them?

What Is Gratitude?

Before going any further, we need a definition of gratitude that we can work with.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines gratitude as:

the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness

What stands out is that gratitude requires a second party. You are thankful for something, and willing to show appreciation and return kindness. When another person has done something for you, they are the second party. When you are grateful for something “life” has given you, the higher power you believe in or the universe itself might be the second party.

The Problem With Gratitude

The problem with gratitude, especially for those of us with a more cynical nature, is that other factors can make it difficult for us to feel this way. Are you able to force yourself to feel gratitude for surviving when you went through so much pain? Can you feel thankful for another chance at sobriety when you know how hard the journey will be?

Forcing yourself to ignore these factors might feel noble, but it isn’t good for your mental wellness. At best, you will be faking it. At worst, you will grow resentful and distrust the whole process.

Moreover, if you are still struggling with the concept of a higher power, you may feel like this is just another way of pretending you “get” it.

To understand how to use gratitude in an honest, meaningful way, let’s talk about a term that is often used as its synonym: appreciation.

Appreciation

The Oxford English Dictionary defines appreciation as:

recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something

or

a full understanding of a situation

The first definition is not really independent of the second. Appreciation essentially refers to seeing things for what they are. When you recognize and enjoy the good qualities of something, you’re not necessarily ignorant of everything else. You can appreciate how good a chocolate tastes while being fully aware that too much of it will harm you. You can appreciate it while being fully aware that Nestle made it not for your benefit, but for their profit.

So too, you can appreciate the fact that you survived, while being aware of the tremendous pain that got you here.

Gratitude Through Appreciation

It is often the case that, in trying to decide whether or not to be grateful, we weigh the good against the bad. But most of the time, they don’t need to be weighed against each other.

On the other hand, that does not mean that gratitude is unhealthy or dishonest. If gratitude is borne of appreciation, rather than the other way around, it can be a validating feeling and experience. You can be grateful for having another chance, without avoiding the fear you feel about yet another failure.

To really experience gratitude, without forcing yourself to feel something you don’t, you need to learn to appreciate both the “good” and the “bad”. This way, you won’t feel like you’re repressing what you’ve gone through. Gratitude will be a profound personal experience, and not just another exercise in denial.

The post How Can We Learn To Feel Gratitude In Rehab? appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/how-can-we-learn-to-feel-gratitude-in-rehab/

What Makes This Time Different? Keeping Faith After Relapse

Addiction does not just end. Everyone seems to know this, from addicts to their loved ones to people with only a passing association with addiction. When someone leaves rehab, there is a not insignificant chance they will return at some point.

The natural question after relapse is: what makes this time different?

This is one of the toughest questions recovering addicts grapple with. This time, I am determined to change. But I was determined to change last time, too. This time, I see no other option. But I saw no other option when I last left rehab. This time, I will work the program without fail. But I made the same commitment last time.

It is incredibly demoralizing to find yourself back in rehab, knowing that even if you succeed in getting and staying clean, there’s no guarantee it will last forever.

However, this reality points to one of the foundations of addiction treatment. In fact, recovery often hinges on this particular point.

Out of control

The term “out of control” is often used by non-addicts to describe the behavior of addicts during a bender. They have no control over their actions, which is why they are in a downward spiral. In recovery, however, our lack of control becomes healing.

Many of the 12 Steps revolve around the admission that, most of the time, we have no control. We are powerless over our addiction, which is why we are in rehab. We can’t fix this ourselves, which is why we submit to a higher power. And, crucially, we have no control over the future, which is why we focus on the present.

One of the most frightening realities of relapse is realizing that our days, months, or years of sobriety are back to zero. Sobriety was meant to last forever, but we’re so very far from forever. In recovery, we learn that forever is meaningless.

Giving up on forever

As long as we’re hoping to be sober “forever,” we are trying to force the future into our control. Recovering “forever” is impossible, and that ambition means that we can only be successful at the end of our lives. Do you really want to be living for that moment?

The key to recovery is coming to understand that the only moment we have is the one we are in. It is the only moment we have any power over. It is as important a moment as any. And it is the moment in which we can choose sobriety.

Finding yourself back in rehab is so demoralizing because you start seeing your time spent sober in the light of your relapse. But any time sober is not compromised by a relapse. What makes this time different is that this is now and that was then. This is the only time we have.

The post What Makes This Time Different? Keeping Faith After Relapse appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/what-makes-this-time-different-keeping-faith-after-relapse/

How To Forgive Yourself In Rehab

Is it possible to forgive yourself in rehab when you’ve hurt the people you love most?

For my daughter’s sixteenth birthday weekend, my husband and I had planned a Friday night dinner, gifts on Saturday morning, and shopping on Sunday afternoon. Melissa was excited by the itinerary, but more so to spend time with her recently-sober mom. On that Thursday, my husband gave me cash to go buy Mel’s gifts. This was a display of trust I had worked hard to earn.

They didn’t see or hear from me until Tuesday morning.

When I’d left the house that Thursday, I’d had no intention of using. Almost unconsciously, I had found myself dialing my dealer’s number, which I remembered despite having deleted it from my phone. By the time I’d spent Mel’s birthday money, I was already spiraling down a path of shame and self-destruction. I ignored my husband’s calls and eventually turned my phone off.

Is it just me?

The fact that I didn’t know why I had done it only made things harder. Was I just a bad person? That was the question I grappled with during my second stint in drug rehab. I could blame the lies I’d told before my first stint in rehab on the drugs. But this time, I had been clear-headed when I’d left the house. And I’d still ended up hurting my family. Could I learn to forgive myself in rehab?

Ultimately, it was the Serenity Prayer which helped me forgive myself and move forward:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Responsibility, not blame

The Serenity Prayer urges us to make a distinction between responsibility and blame. Blaming myself for my past actions was only leading me down a destructive cycle. I could call myself a bad person and feel justified for it, but that only justified my continued bad behavior. I cannot change what happened in the past – blaming myself only gave me an excuse not to change.

However, leaving blame behind does not absolve me of responsibility. Taking responsibility is about learning to change what can still be changed. I learned that I could behave differently in the future. I learned that I could still work towards making amends with my family. And I learned that I could begin to forgive myself.

Non-addicts tend to take a dim view of the lies and manipulations carried out by addicts. Understandably. But buying into that view does not make anything better. It does not exhibit righteousness or absolve you of what you’ve done. On the contrary, it makes it more difficult to get better.

Learning to forgive yourself in rehab requires an act of will. You need to keep the words of the Serenity Prayer in mind, remembering that the only way you can begin to make amends for the past is by working on yourself in the present moment.

The post How To Forgive Yourself In Rehab appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/how-to-forgive-yourself-in-rehab/

Mindfulness Practice for Opioid Addiction

According to a study published in Science Daily, “People suffering from opioid addiction and chronic pain may have fewer cravings and less pain if they use both mindfulness techniques and medication for opioid dependence.” Practicing mindfulness is said to increase self-awareness and self-control, therefore allowing those to curb their cravings as well as be less affected by emotional and physical pain.

Opioid Addiction

Opioids are commonly known as painkillers that are prescribed to treat mild to medium discomfort to severe and chronic pain.  Some of the most commonly prescribed opioids include oxycodone, fentanyl, buprenorphine, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. Opioids can change the brain’s chemistry and overtime a tolerance builds up. An opioid addiction occurs when the urge for the opioids occurs even after pain has diminished and they experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the drug. Opioid abuse is rampant across the world and opioid addiction has reached epidemic proportions.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a psychological practice that focuses one’s awareness on the present moment, and letting thoughts pass through consciousness without judgement. Many people equate mindfulness with meditation and use the terms interchangeably, but mindfulness can be practiced on a daily basis, on your drive to work, while exercising or even while washing dishes.

Mindfulness is all about being aware of your thoughts, feelings, behavior and sensations at any given moment. As explained by Thrive Global, “Mindfulness is the awareness of “some-thing,” while meditation is the awareness of “no-thing.” People can set aside a designated amount of time to meditate, where they can be still and focus on attaining a state of consciousness.

Mindfulness and Methadone

Methadone, which is a medication used to treat opioid addiction, along with mindfulness is said to be the most effective because although patients are more aware of their cravings, they are more apt to be in control of cravings, stress and pain. Being aware of their cravings without self-imposing judgment decreases the severity of the craving. Mindfulness also helps change negative thought patterns and to observe and enjoy pleasant moments.

Holistic Therapy For Pain Management

Other alternative therapies that treat opioid dependence include acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic therapy yoga, and other therapies. Although mindfulness may not solely cure opioid use disorder, the practice along with other forms of therapy are effective.

It’s important for those with opioid abuse disorder seek treatment at a professional facility immediately. Once a patient has medically assisted detoxed and entered treatment, they can then work mindfulness into their recovery journey.

 

References:

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2019-10-17/addiction-to-opioids-can-be-overcome-with-mindfulness

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191015103358.htm

https://medium.com/thrive-global/mindfulness-meditation-whats-the-difference-852f5ef7ec1a

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-10/uou-cjt101519.php

 

The post Mindfulness Practice for Opioid Addiction appeared first on Serenity Malibu.

source https://www.serenitymaliburehab.com/mindfulness-practice-for-opioid-addiction/