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The Wellness- Recovery Connection

The Wellness- Recovery Connection. Practical Applications For EAPs and Treatment Professionals John Newport, Ph.D. Importance of Wellness to Recovery.

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The Wellness- Recovery Connection

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  1. The Wellness- Recovery Connection Practical Applications For EAPs and Treatment Professionals John Newport, Ph.D. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  2. Importance of Wellness to Recovery John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  3. Wellness Defined:Wellness can be defined as the dynamic process of taking charge of your health and programming yourself to attain optimal health and well-being. • You are in the driver’s seat. • You set your goals and priorities, design and implement your wellness program, and determine how far you want to go! John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  4. Why Wellness is Essential to Recovery • Need to repair damage to body, stemming from years of excessive drinking and drugging • A wellness lifestyle provides a valuable safeguard against relapse • Wellness lifestyle becomes a Positive Addiction – reinforcing one’s commitment to sobriety • Helps clients add decades to their life expectancies – and experience their recovery in “full-blown Technicolor” John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  5. Positive vs. Negative Addiction (Glasser) • Negative Addictions – ingrained self-destructive behaviors that foster unhealthy dependencies and decreased self-esteem • Positive Addictions – contribute to improved quality of life, heightened self-esteem and independence • Examples: Exercise, yoga or meditation, hobbies, any challenging activity John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  6. Wellness and Recovery: Recent Historical Context • Escalating Health Care Costs • Paradox of high levels of health awareness – and “disconnect” in health-related behaviors • Decreased resources for chemical dependency treatment – “Neglected Step-Child Syndrome” John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  7. Wellness- Recovery Connection in Preventing Relapse: Relevant Research • Physical Exercise: (Sinyor) Canadian study of 58 alcoholics completing primary treatment with intensive physical conditioning component. At 3 months following completion of treatment, 69% of subjects in fitness group remained abstinent, compared with 39% of control group subjects. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  8. Research Findings (Continued) • Meditation: (Gelderloos) Review of 24 studies tracking daily practice of meditation against alcohol/drug consumption. All 24 studies reported reduced consumption, and increased rates of abstinence, among the meditators. • Other Studies demonstrate reduced risk of relapse in conjunction with other components of a wellness lifestyle. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  9. Wellness and Relapse Prevention – Author’s Research • Study Focus: Investigating association between active involvement in a wellness-oriented lifestyle and sobriety maintenance, following completion of primary treatment. • Study Design: Two groups of subjects (25 each). All subjects were poly-drug abusers completing a residential treatment program. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  10. Study Design (Continued) • Recovery Group: Maintained abstinence for 6 months or longer following primary treatment • Relapse Group: Relapse to drinking/drug use following primary treatment • Wellness Index Score: All subjects completed 24-item Wellness Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire, focusing on 11 components generally associated with a wellness-oriented lifestyle. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  11. Highlights – Author’s Study Findings Mean Wellness Index Scores(Highest possible score = 90): • Recovery Group 54.8 • Relapse Group 39.1 • Likelihood of difference occurring by chance less than 1 in 1,000 John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  12. Statistically significant differences registered for virtually all component items, including: • How they rated their overall state of health • Stress levels • Daily practice of meditation/relaxation exercises • Smoking behavior • Social supports • Overall life satisfaction John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  13. Meeting Attendance: • 88% of subjects in Recovery Group reported that they attended 12-Step meetings at least once a week, compared with only 36% of subjects in the Relapse Group. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  14. Ramifications of Available Research Findings: • There appears to be a definite and positive association between actively pursuing a wellness-oriented lifestyle and reduced likelihood of relapse – AND – • Available evidence also suggests that following a wellness lifestyle goes hand in hand with working one’s recovery program. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  15. Summary: How Living Well Can Help Prevent Relapse • Helps anchor clients in their recovery, reinforcing their commitment to clean and sober living. • Wellness tools are particularly helpful in safeguarding against relapse during early recovery – when mind and body are most vulnerable. • Learning Stress Management helps one require the resiliency needed to deal with life’s ups and downs. • Sound Nutrition helps combat the biochemical triggers frequently associated with relapse. • Exercise and other healthy behaviors serve as positive addictions, reducing craving for alcohol and drugs. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  16. Practical Applications John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  17. In coaching clients to adopt a healthy lifestyle –Transitioningis the KEY! John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  18. Nutritional Hazards of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction include: • Disruption of appetite and displacement of nutritious foods • Alcohol’s toxic effects on the body • Excessive alcohol consumption leads to predisposition to high-fat foods • Disruption of body’s blood sugar balance: The Alcohol-Sugar Connection John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  19. Nutritional Foundation for Recovery • Get the basics down – “3 + 3” • Emphasize nutritious whole foods (fresh vegetables/fruits, whole grains/other complex carbohydrates, lean sources of protein) • De-emphasize high fat foods, and go easy on sugar and caffeine • Be aware of your personal “junk food triggers” – and consciously transition yourself toward a healthy diet. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  20. Alcoholism and Nicotine as Co-Addictions • Cigarette smoking is leading preventable cause of death – killing 440,000 Americans each year • Between 80-95 percent of Alcoholics smoke cigarettes – and 70 percent are heavy smokers • Chronic use of Alcohol and Nicotine produces cross-tolerance, or decreased sensitivity to effects of both substances • Many Alcoholics carry their Nicotine Addiction with them into their recovery, although the majority report that they would like to quit! John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  21. Conquering Nicotine Addiction • Exercise, Stress Management and other “wellness tools” help to successfully navigate nicotine withdrawal • Medical Support: Obtain support from a primary physician who is familiar with addictions. • Nicotine Replacement Therapies: May be helpful, but use should always be monitored by a physician (addictive tendencies) John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  22. Conquering Nicotine Addiction (Continued) • Group Support: Low-cost, group support programs offered by American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, health plans – together with Nicotine Anonymous • Don’t Get Discouraged: “Slips are not uncommon. Average smoker quits 5 times before quitting for good. Go back to square one and redouble your efforts! John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  23. Other Key Dimensions of Wellness and Recovery: • Stress Management: Meditation/Relaxation Rituals, the Serenity Prayer as a stress mgmt tool • Exercise: Three basic forms of exercise. Choose a core exercise that you can learn to enjoy, get started, and continue “raising the bar” • Central Purpose, Spirituality and Life Satisfaction: Wellness and recovery focuses on quality of life – in addition to helping your clients improve their physical health status. John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  24. Action Planning for Wellness John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  25. Conducting Your Personal Wellness Assessment: Vital Signs and Health Assessment Worksheet Components include: • Basic Wellness Vital Signs (body weight, height, body mass index, blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol level, etc.) • Personal Health History: Strong Points/Weak Links • Family Health History: Strong Points/Weak Links John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  26. Wellness Planning Case Studies • Joe: A recovering alcoholic/addict in his mid-40s who wants to give up smoking • Sam: A recovering alcoholic/addict in his late 30s who is burnt-out and is contemplating a career shift • Ellen: A recovering alcoholic in her early 50s who is a breast cancer survivor John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  27. Practical Applications for EAPs, Treatment Programs and Counseling Professionals • Raising Awareness among Treatment Staffs • Raising Awareness Among Employers and Health Plans (Cost containment, improved health status outcomes) • Continuing Care (Relapse prevention, promoting quality sobriety) • EAPs: Use low cost wellness program as referral sources – and use follow-up counseling sessions to reinforce health lifestyle choices John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  28. Practical Applications (Continued) • Smoking Cessation: Actively support clients in recovery in quitting smoking • Burn-Out Prevention for Treatment Staffs at all Levels (help them practice what they preach) • Therapists: Consider broadening your role to serve as a “wellness coach” John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

  29. To your health!!! John Newport, Ph.D., Wellness and Recovery Associates

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