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Thursday, February 25, 2016

When Spring Fever Is in the Forecast, Add Outdoor Time to Your Study Plans

benefits of studying outdoorsEvery year as days grow longer and warmer, a phenomenon breaks out on college campuses. Spring Fever erupts spontaneously from coast to coast, and students who are preparing for midterm exams and term papers find themselves struggling to concentrate. Libraries and dorm rooms are left behind as students migrate outdoors for sports, sunbathing, and relaxation.

Make a Plan to Keep Yourself on Track 
As generations of college students have learned, fighting Spring Fever is a hopeless endeavor. The best you can do is develop a plan that keeps your work on track as you allow yourself some springtime R & R. Here are a few tips to help you focus amid the many campus distractions:

Start with some spring-cleaning in your workspace or dorm room. A cluttered work area is just another reason to escape outdoors when you don’t want to study.

Set a schedule that begins early. You’ll want to enjoy every second of daylight you can, so don’t linger in bed. Eat well, too. You’ll need the energy that a healthy diet provides.

Spring may invite spontaneity, but structure will help you stay focused. Plan outdoor activities around classes & studying. Keep a checklist of assignments & studying that must be done; then, reward yourself with time outside when you have accomplished them.

Move your exercise routine from the gym to the outdoors. Physical activity sharpens your mind and uses up some of your restlessness. Take an early run, then shower & study for a while.

Take your reading outdoors, or join classmates in an outdoor study group. You’ll soak up some vitamin D & enjoy the social interaction—as long as you can stay focused for a period of time.

College Rehab That Builds Success
Young people whose futures have been waylaid by drug and alcohol addiction find a new start at Southern CA’s Hope Academy. Our mission is to guide our clients through the process of lifestyle change as they work toward becoming successful young men and women, one step at a time.

If your son or daughter has a problem with addiction, call us now at 866-930-4673. Our residential rehab team will help your loved one learn to embrace a sober lifestyle and re-engage successfully in school and work.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

If You Could Prevent Birth Defects, Would You?

harmful effects of alcohol during pregnancyThis is a question that young women should be asking themselves when they reach for a drink. According to a report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), women who do not use contraceptives run the risk of pregnancy and should not drink alcohol. 

Don’t Wait for a Positive Test 
About half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned. In addition, many young women who are trying to get pregnant continue to drink once they have stopped contraception. They may be unaware of a pregnancy until 4-6 weeks after conception. “Alcohol can permanently harm a developing baby before a woman knows she is pregnant,” said Annie Schuchat of the CDC (as reported by CNN). That is why the CDC recommends that physicians advise women to stop drinking when they stop taking birth control.

Harmful Effects of Alcohol on Pregnancy 
Any alcohol, including beer and wine, can put a pregnancy at risk and harm a fetus. Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is also known to impair development of a fetus at any stage.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
When a woman drinks during pregnancy, the alcohol is absorbed into her womb and affects the fetus. What harm is done depends on the stage of development. The CDC cites these physical conditions that may affect children born with FASD:

• Abnormal facial features
• Small head size
• Low body weight
• Shorter than average height
• Vision & hearing problems
• Poor coordination
• Sleep & sucking problems as a baby
• Problems with heart, kidneys, or bones

Children born with FASD may also be affected by these mental and learning disabilities:

• Hyperactive behavior & problems with attention
• Poor reasoning, judgment skills, & memory
• Speech & language delays
• Learning disabilities, including low IQ & problems with math

Completely Preventable Birth Defects
According to the CDC, “FASDs are completely preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol during pregnancy.” Considering the possible consequences, would you take the risk?

Learning Responsibility & Sobriety
Hope Academy Rehab understands the unique needs of young adults who are struggling to free themselves of addiction to drugs and alcohol. Our recovery program helps you become strong, healthy, and empowered so that you are ready to resume your schooling, your job, and your life. Call 866-930-4673 to speak with an admission counselor and begin your enrollment today.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/pregnancy-alcohol-drinking-risks/

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Love Addiction: Not All Hearts & Flowers

love addiction treatmentIt’s that time of year when Valentine hearts, chocolates, and flowers start appearing everywhere. Love is in the air and romance is on just about everyone’s mind. For some people, though, falling in love happens over and over throughout the year and becomes all-consuming. Like drug and alcohol addicts, these people cannot seem to help themselves. They are addicted to love.

In Love with Fantasy
You might think that being addicted to love would keep you in a state of constant euphoria. Instead, people with this behavioral addiction are seldom happy. The love they are constantly pursuing is usually (1) not based in reality, or (2) not the type of healthy interaction that produces a satisfying relationship. Love addiction often takes these unhealthy forms:

• Desire for the feeling of infatuation which characterizes early attraction.
• Immersion in fantasy romance or the idea of being in love.
• Pursuit of an unsuitable or unattainable relationship.
• Need to always be in a relationship even if it is not satisfying.
• Starting & ending relationships, one after another.

Rooted in Feeling Unloved 
Psychologists trace the origin of love addiction in most people to abandonment or neglect in childhood. An unloved child grows up desperate for love or a close relationship with someone who can bring validation to life. Love addiction is a kind of co-dependency where someone with low self-esteem looks desperately to someone else for security and a feeling of wholeness. Unfortunately, love addicts do not understand or know how to develop real intimacy. They are incapable of giving or receiving real love.

Recovery & Learning to Love
As with most addictions, recovery from love addiction requires self-examination, which can be painful and may best be accomplished with help from a professional psychologist. Therapy, 12-step programs, and support groups can help individuals confront their deep-seated feelings and develop strategies to resolve them. These groups can also provide positive examples of healthy, loving relationships that can be emulated.

Helping Young People Reset Their Lives 
When feelings of inadequacy lead to addiction, you need help to free yourself and begin to grow and mature. Hope Academy has a unique program with one-on-one coaching, college admission, and job preparation training to provide a reset for young adults 18 to 26 that have been waylaid by addiction. Call 866-930-4673 to speak with an admissions advisor and restart your life today.

Monday, February 1, 2016

For Successful Recovery, Disconnect from Old Friends

disconnecting from old friends in recoveryIt’s a feeling you never forget: the fear you have when you have to meet new people and make new friends. For young people who worry about peer pressure and have little self-confidence, this fear is especially strong. For young people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, the problem of leaving behind old friends and making new ones is even more complicated.

Why Disconnect? 
Deciding to leave the life of addiction behind is never an easy choice. Perhaps your family intervened, or perhaps you grew weary of having no control over yourself and your life. Whatever your reason for entering rehab, that decision has propelled you in a new direction and opened up new possibilities.

The time you’ve spent in rehab has been a time of growth. You have been educated about your addiction and the mental and functional conditions that may have caused it. You have learned better strategies for handling stress and forming social bonds. You have been introduced to the serenity of meditation and gratefulness, and the healthy enjoyment of garden-fresh food, outdoor exercise, and adventure recreation.

Your old friends have not shared in these changes, and they probably do not understand or share your new goals. In fact, they may represent a significant risk of relapse for you by:

• Encouraging participation in risky behaviors
• Sharing false memories of the fun of your addictive life
• Ridiculing & undermining your commitment to sobriety
• Questioning your loyalty & friendship

Grow a Circle of Friends in Sobriety 
You are bound to have some sadness when you realize that you have grown irreconcilably apart from old friends. But your first concern for maintaining your sober life is to do what is healthy for you and avoid any situation or person that might tempt you back into addiction. As you continue in your sober life, look to your support community for new friends, new interests, and continuing encouragement. You’ll find yourself growing in confidence and enthusiasm—and may discover that making new friends isn’t so scary after all.

Life Skills Training for Recovery Success 
Life skills coaching addresses the doubts and fears of recovering young adults, and it is just one aspect that sets Hope Academy Rehab apart from other programs. Our team helps you target real life problems like confronting old friends, returning to work after rehab, or re-enrolling and completing college. If you are a young adult who is ready to embrace sobriety and start living a new life, call 866-930-4673 to begin the enrollment process today.

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