Harmony Foundation

Nature and Mental Health at Harmony

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Mental Health and Nature

On any given day at Harmony you can witness life’s challenges and know that a compassionate soul is there to help along the path of healing. The mental health professionals are part of a team at Harmony and work with clients in a way that combines the natural beauty of our campus with the intrinsic values of each client.

To further explain how we know being in nature can help heal, I’d like to share a study out of Stanford University which suggests that time spent in natural settings may improve brain health.

“As more and more of us live in cities, we spend less time in natural settings, including parks. Studies also show that people in urban settings without access to green spaces have higher levels of psychological problems than those with access to green spaces. Is there a definitive connection between time spent in green spaces and mental health? The answer is yes. In a series of two studies, Stanford researchers believe there is a connection between time spent in green spaces and a decrease in “morbid rumination,” what is more commonly thought of as brooding over the negative aspects of our lives.”

“This study investigated the impact of nature experience on affect and cognition. We randomly assigned sixty participants to a 50-min walk in either a natural or an urban environment in and around Stanford, California. Before and after their walk, participants completed a series of psychological assessments of affective and cognitive functioning. Compared to the urban walk, the nature walk resulted in affective benefits (decreased anxiety, rumination, and negative affect, and preservation of positive affect) as well as cognitive benefits (increased working memory performance). This study extends previous research by demonstrating additional benefits of nature experience on affect and cognition through assessments of anxiety, rumination, and a complex measure of working memory (operation span task). These findings further our understanding of the influence of relatively brief nature experiences on affect and cognition, and help to lay the foundation for future research on the mechanisms underlying these effects.”

The study further asks, what does this mean for everyone?

1. “Spend Time in Natural Settings – What can it hurt to take a daily walk in the park or spend time sitting on your back porch looking at the creek (if you’re lucky enough to have that situation)? Take your lunch to a natural setting and spend vacation time at least partially in the outdoors. Doing so will immediately improve your mental health.
2. Move – Movement is good for us. No doctor in the world says that it’s healthy to sit at home and do nothing. But instead of going to the gym, find a nature trail to hike or bike, golf, or take a stroll in the green belt. Even if you don’t get your heart rate up to aerobic activity levels, you’ll still mentally benefit from the movement.”

The healing journey for a client at Harmony can include a client expressing their emotions in a calmly lit room, moving forward on a walk to the river at Rocky Mountain National Park or learning a really cool coping skill. One of many examples of coping skills taught to clients is called 5,4,3,2,1 where one is taught to evoke all five senses. This is a great coping skill where a client is taught to tap into all 5 senses within as a viable resource. Another experience often happening at Harmony is witnessing clients as well as staff simply spending time with Cooper, our therapy dog.

As a mental health provider at Harmony, I have noticed clients seemingly more calm during sessions when we are taking a walk together in nature. I believe they appreciate the fact we are walking and talking side by side as opposed to sitting across from one another. Clients have stated, “Wow, this is better than sitting in an office, this is a nice place to get treatment.”

Since Harmony offers outings each week at an indoor climbing gym or hike in the park, depending on the weather, clients are able to take advantage of the natural beauty and the healing attributes of moving Harmony has to offer.

Harmony is a special place that helps client’s feel safe, accepted and cared about. For some on their path of healing it is a beginning, for others it is a renewal; for all whose path includes a stay at Harmony, it is a step toward healing in the arms of nature’s embrace.

Kelly Baker, MA, LAC, LPC, NCC
Mental Health Professional, Harmony Foundation, Inc.

References:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/22/how-nature-changes-the-brain/?mwrsm=Facebook&fb_ref=Default&_r=0
http://www.pnas.org/content/112/28/8567.abstract
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204615000286
http://www.girlscouts.org/

Does Treatment Work? Why Outcomes Matter…

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Does Treatment Work

by Dr. Annie Peters: Harmony Foundation’s Chief Clinical Officer

Harmony has been helping people who are struggling with addiction to find recovery since 1969. While Harmony is well-known in Colorado for providing clients and families with support and quality services for many decades, reputation means little without demonstrating that people do, in fact, get better.

Defining what recovery is, and demonstrating that people who use Harmony’s services begin finding recovery, are essential components to the provision of ethical and effective care. Harmony’s mission is to provide the foundation for recovery from the diseases of drug and alcohol addiction. If clients leave treatment and begin re-developing lives of purpose, satisfaction, and rewarding relationships, we know we have helped to provide the foundation for a journey toward wellness.

Harmony contracts with an external research organization, OMNI Institute, to examine treatment outcomes regarding substance use, psychological well-being, and improvement in life satisfaction.
Data collection for the most recent outcomes study performed by OMNI began in March 2015, and the study was finalized in 2017. One hundred and forty eight (148) Harmony clients were assessed upon admission, at discharge, and at 1, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. The percentage of clients who responded at these time points were, respectively, 100%, 94%, 63%, 61%, and 64%. While results cannot be generalized to clients who were unable to be reached for follow up, a number of statistically significant findings can be reported and provide valuable information about the effectiveness of care provided at Harmony.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Understanding the people we serve helps us provide the highest quality of care by tailoring treatment interventions to the specific needs of our clients. In this study, the average age of clients was 38, with a range from 18-65. Sixty-four percent (64%) of clients identified as male, and 36% identified as female. All clients were asked to identify their “primary drug.” The majority of clients (74%) identified this as alcohol, followed by heroin (10%), methamphetamine (6%), other opiates/painkillers (5%), and marijuana (3%).

Clients under the age of 25 typically used more substances – the average number was four. The primary drug differed by age as well; clients under 25 identified heroin or alcohol (38% for each), followed by marijuana (13%).

REASONS FOR DRUG/ALCOHOL USE

Clients were asked about the reasons they used alcohol and drugs, and their responses help us understand how to help people better. Many clients (30%) said they used substances for “self-medication” or emotional pain/mental illness (28%). Other common answers were using for pleasure (22%), to escape reality (15%), habit (13%), or pain (5%).

PREVIOUS TREATMENT AND REASONS FOR SEEKING TREATMENT
About a third of clients had been to a detox treatment before, and about a third reported a prior treatment for substance use. Another third reported never having any treatment for drug or alcohol use.

About half of clients surveyed reported a prior diagnosis of a mental health disorder, with the most common diagnoses being depression (37%), anxiety (25%), ADHD (11%), PTSD (7%), and bipolar disorder (6%).

Most clients said that coming to treatment was a personal decision (71%). Other common reasons given for seeking treatment were a family situation, health reasons, a legal situation, or a job-related reason.

POST TREATMENT OUTCOMES

After leaving Harmony, clients were asked at 1, 6, and 12 months about their drug and alcohol use. They were asked whether they had been continuously abstinent from drugs/alcohol since discharge, and they were also asked if they had been clean/sober for the previous 30 days. As can be seen in the table below, over half of clients at one year post-discharge had been continuously abstinent since coming to Harmony, and 71% of them had been abstinent for the past 30 days.
Follow-up     %Abstinent for      %Continuously Abstinent
     Time            Past 30 Days                   since Discharge
1-month           77% (n=88)                            68% (n=91)
6-month           64% (n=90)                           57% (n=91)
12-month          71% (n=90)                            54% (n=95)

Abstinence since treatment is not the only outcome that demonstrates that clients are recovering and have improved their lives. In this study, we also wanted to determine how quality of life had improved for people who had come to Harmony. So all those surveyed were asked questions about relationships with family and friends, physical/emotional health, and other factors. Clients reported significant improvements over time in their family relationships, friendships, spiritual connection, physical health, emotional health. They also reported significant positive changes in their ability to handle finances and handling problems or conflicts, as well as improvements in self-respect. There were also significant reductions in arrests and other legal problems post-discharge, as well as improvements in employment status.

Because so many of our clients have co-occurring mental health issues, we also asked questions about symptoms of anxiety and depression. There were statistically significant reductions in symptoms such as hopelessness, fatigue, nervousness, restlessness, sadness, and feelings of worthlessness.

WHAT PREDICTS ABSTINENCE

In order to continuously improve Harmony’s services, we wanted to determine if there were factors that were associated with post-treatment abstinence. For example, do older clients have better abstinence rates than younger clients? Is primary drug related to abstinence rates, such that clients who primarily used alcohol do better than clients who primarily used heroin?

Interestingly, the only variable that predicted abstinence was the reduction in mental health symptoms during treatment. In other words, the more clients’ symptoms of depression and anxiety decreased during their time at Harmony, the more likely they were to remain abstinent after leaving treatment.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

One of the most compelling and recurrent themes in this study was the importance of mental health care and support. As mentioned above, self-medication of emotional pain and mental health issues were primary reasons clients reported for using drugs and alcohol. Half of our clients had co-occurring mental health diagnoses. And the single best predictor of post-treatment abstinence was the reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety that clients reported during their treatment at Harmony. For the past few years, Harmony has worked to improve the quantity and quality of support provided for mental health issues. We have added mindfulness groups, a trauma coping skills group, and education groups on a variety of mental health topics. Clients can receive both addiction-specific counseling at Harmony and counseling specific to psychological issues. Given the results of this study, Harmony plans to continue enhancing the services provided to help people recover not just from chemical use, but from underlying emotional issues that can increase risk for relapse.

While the results of this study show that Harmony clients do, overall, have improved lives and decreased drug and alcohol use, we want to help more individuals and more families to recover, with more significant reductions in substance problems and more improvement in life functioning. Harmony is committed to continuous improvement in our services to provide even better care and help more people find their way to recovery. Studies such as this one remind us why this work is so important and why we need to always examine ourselves and find areas for improvement.

CLIENT FEEDBACK

At the end of each survey, clients were asked if they had any feedback about the Harmony experience. Common answers were that they appreciated the support provided by staff as well as the community they built with the other clients. While data can provide us with important feedback on who we serve and how we can continually do better at helping people find recovery, it is these comments that remind us why we do what we do at Harmony:

“I have come to better understand myself, my need to use, and what I am struggling with so that I won’t need to turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with my problems.”

“I’m really grateful to Harmony…it helped me a lot… I was in really bad shape. If I would have went somewhere else, I probably wouldn’t still be clean.”

“The staff here was absolutely amazing and seemed to truly care about me and my recovery. They were instrumental to my time here and truly helped me recognize qualities and worth in myself that make my sobriety worth fighting for.”

 

Conrada “Bunni” Jauregui Shares Her Gift of Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Gift of Recovery

After being “out there” for many years, running amuck with my addiction, turning my back on “life and my family” it was time to turn my life around and what better time than the holidays. It was the perfect “gift” I could give myself and my family. Holidays were not always festive when I was in my active addiction. I spent little time with my family and more time with friends drinking and using.

My “norm” became a bottomless pit of darkness, I couldn’t see anything but black surrounding me and my addiction was putting me in harm’s way. I needed help. I needed “to change” no matter what. So when the opportunity came up for me to go to treatment, I went willingly.

I entered treatment at Harmony on December 16th a few weeks before the holiday season. I was excited to leave California and go to Colorado. Even though I was “high” when I arrived in Colorado, I remember the beauty of the mountains and the snow and how I felt like I could get better here. I knew that it was going to require sacrifice if I was going to get better, including letting go of Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Years. This was my time to get well, and my family’s time to rest and know I was someplace safe.

Being in treatment during the holidays wasn’t so bad. Harmony made the experience special. They provided us with presents on Christmas morning, we decorated and I shared my early recovery with new friends.

My family is important to me but I needed to feel and learn that I was most important. Everyone’s road to recovery is different. Making this decision to stay in treatment was a rare opportunity for me to turn my life around. So I surrendered to all my short comings, the time away from my family, and decided to become the most important reason to get sober.

Today, my sobriety is the reason why my life is so rich and vibrant. My willingness to look back at the short-term sacrifice of being in treatment during the holidays contributed to helping me get my family back again. This year, I can celebrate the joy of the season healthy and full of gratitude, knowing that this gift of recovery continues to bless me and all those I love.

As we approach the holiday season and you are reading this testimonial, know that you are worth every bit of happiness “sobriety” offers. Don’t wait until after Thanksgiving, Christmas or the New Year to make this change in your life. Do it now so that you can experience the countless holidays to come that are free from the pain and suffering of addiction. Give that gift of recovery to yourself and to your family. I did and it was the best gift ever!

Recovery during the Holidays. Watch one woman’s story of hope.

Importance Of Meditation

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Lotus Flower

Meditation is one of the most important tools in recovery, but many people skip this step, or feel they don’t have time for it.

When we meditate, we can relieve some of the stresses in our lives. Stress negatively affects our health, bodies, and minds. We become frustrated, unhappy, and impatient. Stress is also one of the main reasons people turn back to drugs or alcohol.

Taking time to meditate can save us from making a disastrous mistake. Meditation can give us balance and calm our minds. We can transform our thinking from negative to positive, disturbed to serene.

It takes practice to meditate. When I entered rehab and participated in meditation, I felt like my head was going to pop off my body. The silence and sitting still almost drove me crazy. However, after a couple of days of practice, I actually felt better and more comfortable.

When our minds are not at peace, finding happiness is almost impossible. If we train our minds to meditate, we can learn how to quiet our heads, and eventually know peace even in the most challenging times.

Many times it is hard to control our minds. Our mind is like a sheet blowing in the wind, blowing everywhere from external situations. If things go as planned for us, we are happy. If a wrench is thrown into our plans, we are instantly unhappy. Our mood fluctuates because many of us are tied to external situations.

When we train to meditate, we create inner peace, so we can eventually control our minds no matter how bad the external situation becomes. Eventually, we will become balanced, instead of constantly being pulled from happiness to sadness.

There are a plethora of ways to meditate to find peace. Of course there are the more traditional ways to meditate with breathing exercises and meditating on compassion, peace, and love, but there are also other ways to clear your mind.

I like to take a long drive. There’s something about taking a long drive that clears my head. I can just focus on the road, and clear my mind. I don’t have to talk to anyone, listen to anyone, or do anything except drive. It’s cleansing for me.

Some people recommend taking walks. Getting outside the office or house and into fresh air has healing properties.

Many people pray to their Higher Power when they meditate. The power of prayer can be extremely healing.

Journaling is an excellent way to meditate. Putting thoughts and emotions onto paper gives you more perspective. If something is bothering you, writing it down and actually seeing it in front of you can help you work it out. Writing a gratitude list is also helpful. Focusing on positive things can also change your perspective.

Yoga or exercise is also a great way to rid yourself of negative feelings. Exercising produces serotonin, a chemical responsible for mood balance.

I also meditate through cleaning. I always feel better after spending a few hours cleaning my home. I feel like my mind is cleansed as well as my home. There’s something about sitting in a clean house that is especially healing for me.

Meditation and prayer ties into the 11th step in Alcoholics Anonymous. The step tells us, “sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

Prayer can take many forms. If you are not comfortable with “God” in the dominant religious sense, don’t let that throw you off. “God” can be defined as your Higher Power, whatever you choose that to be.

You can pray to your Higher Power by asking for guidance, speaking out loud to Him or Her, or just expressing gratitude for living today.

Here at Harmony Foundation, we believe in the 12 Steps of recovery. If you are ready to start a new life and find peace in a life of sobriety, our treatment center is the perfect place for you. We have been successful in helping many people live 100% addiction free lives.

Teenager Dies From Using Caffeine Powder

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Caffeine Powder

A straight-A teenager from Ohio died from ingesting pure caffeine. Currently it’s not closely regulated or banned, but many people want others to know how dangerous it can be.

Logan Steiner, 18 years old, died suddenly days before his graduation from a lethal dose of caffeine powder. His autopsy showed he had more than 70 micrograms of caffeine in his blood.

Superintendent Jay Arbaugh said, “he was just a terrific kid, he was a role model for the Special Olympic athletes, they loved having him there.”

State Senator Gayle Manning said she is looking into if taking steps to regulating caffeine powder would be advantageous.

Only 1 teaspoon of caffeine powder is equivalent to 30 cups of coffee.

Lorain County’s Coroner Stephen Evans, MD. said, “this is news to the coroner’s office; we had never seen this before. What it does is, it leads to cardiac arrhythmias, speeding heart, and it leads into seizures and those two things are what took his life.”

Evans believes caffeine powder should be taken more seriously and closely regulated. He said the powder can be abused just like any other drug.

Many young people, athletes, and students use the caffeine powder to give them more energy. Many do not even know it could be dangerous.

Companies say its powder elevates mood, endurance, and increases focus.

Any substance we put into our bodies should be closely monitored. Many people have no idea anyone could overdose and die from caffeine, but it is possible. It’s also possible to overdose and die from alcohol, or illegal drugs.

Most people who take drugs or drink do not intentionally overdose. Alcohol poisoning happens when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream, the brain controlling basic life-supporting functions like breathing, temperature control, and heart rate start shutting down.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include seizures, difficulty breathing, slow heart rate, dulled responses, and no gag reflex, which prevents people from choking.

Blood alcohol content (BAC) can rise even when a person is unconscious. The alcohol in peoples stomach and intestines continues to travel through the bloodstream and circulate through the body.

Drug overdose can be similar to overdosing on alcohol. Symptoms include abnormalities in vital signs like blood pressure, temperature, heart rate. Skin can be dry and hot or cool and sweaty. They can have abdominal pain, vomiting, or nausea.

If you are abusing substances and want to stop, Harmony Foundation can help you. Our facility offers specialized programs for both men and women to help you break the chains of addiction.

Benefits of Medical Detoxification

Posted on by Christy Weeks
Harmony Entrance

Harmony Foundation is a certified drug and alcohol treatment center where highly trained professionals handle medical detox. Detoxing from drugs and alcohol is imperative in order to start living a life free from addiction. Detoxification is a process where the toxins which have amassed in our bodies are safely removed and monitored.

Stopping immediately, or going “cold turkey” can have severe and even deadly health consequences. Purging toxins from your body at home can lead to hallucinations, seizures, and heart failure. It’s wise to detox safely at a fully licensed center like ours.

Checking into a facility with a certified medical detoxification center has a number of benefits.

Our caring and professional team here at Harmony Foundation provides each client with individualized care, and each patient’s treatment plan is customized. Each person is different, so we believe taking time to create a specialized plan is important.

Another benefit of going to a medical detox facility is access to medical professionals. Harmony offers a highly qualified team of nurses and medical staff. Our nursing staff is available 24 hours to assist with any patient’s medical and detoxification needs.

In order to give you the best treatment possible, we offer psychological and physical assessments. A physical examination is provided as well as comprehensive laboratory tests. Your results are evaluated with our Medical Director, and a consultation with our psychologist or psychiatrist is available if needed.

Detoxing in a safe, calm environment is also advantageous. Our facility is set in the Rocky Mountains, and situated on 43 acres of gorgeous scenery. It’s a place where you can find peace and serenity. Medical detox can sometimes be uncomfortable, but being in a tranquil environment will help you adjust more comfortably.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s research has shown that 90 days in treatment is the “gold standard” for treatment. When entering a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, the first week is when a patient goes through detox. During this time of expelling toxins, you may undergo some withdrawal symptoms.

When withdrawal occurs, it’s difficult to focus on recovery right away. Some patients need extra time to adjust and focus. This leaves only a couple weeks of the 30 day program to heal both physically and mentally.

Studies have also shown that it takes 90 days for the brain to reset itself after being chemically addicted to substances. It takes time to change old behaviors and to learn how to live a new life free from addiction. The more time you have to heal, the better chances you give yourself to remain sober.

If you are struggling with addiction, Harmony Foundation can help. Our caring staff members will walk you through the medical detoxification process and will tend to any of your needs 24 hours a day. Getting treatment in a tranquil and safe environment like ours is the perfect start to living a healthy, sober, new life.

HALT

Posted on by Christy Weeks

 

Photo Credit

HALT is something we hear in AA meetings, telling us to stop and take a look at what’s going on with our minds and bodies. HALT is an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. These are all thing we need to be aware of because it can throw a wrench in our day, or program of recovery.

H is for hunger. When we’re hungry, we cannot think straight. We are irritable, quick to fight, and it negatively affects our mood. A spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, Marjorie Nola explains, “when [blood sugar] is low, the hypothalamus is triggered and levels of several hormones such as growth hormone, leptin, and ghrelin are affected. This imbalance then causes a shift in neurotransmitters and suppresses serotonin receptors.”

When we aren’t producing enough serotonin, mood swings will surely arise. Frustration and anger usually follow. Eat a healthy snack, and healthy meals. Try to stay away from fatty or sugary snacks, and you’ll feel better throughout the day.

A for anger comes next. Anger is also something important to look out for. When we’re angry, we certainly don’t think clearly. We may say or do things that are mean, or inappropriate. Words spoken in anger cause pain and hurt. When we are in a program of recovery, we all strive not to induce any pain on others.

If we can stop ourselves before acting out in anger, real personal growth and development will follow. We will feel proud of ourselves and see a different person than we were when we were using.

L for loneliness can be scary sometimes. When we feel lonely, we feel like no one is there to support or understand us. Many times we turned to drugs or alcohol to fill the void of loneliness. When we enter the program of recovery, we learn we are never alone.

Most AA meeting will have a phone list on the literature table with the names and numbers of people who will be glad to talk to you or meet up with you. Every person in those meetings has walked a similar path, so they have a deeper understanding of what you’re going through. If you’re feeling lonely, pick up the phone and make a call.

T for tired. When we’re tired, we feel overwhelmed, irritable, and exhausted. Even the smallest task can seem impossible. It’s important we take care of ourselves and look out for our health. Get a good nights sleep. Meditate on a regular basis. Take a nap if it’s possible. It’s not selfish to take a break for yourself, it’s necessary.

When you feel hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, it’s time to stop, and take care of yourself. Make sure you’re giving your mind and body what it needs. If you are self medicating through drugs and alcohol, checking into our Colorado based substance abuse treatment center is a great idea. Harmony Foundation is a safe place where you can find recovery and learn to live a healthy life free from addiction.

Spaces Left for Harmony’s Spiritual Renewal Retreat in May

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Weekend Spiritual Renewal Retreat, Estes Park, Colorado 

As a leader in the field of addiction treatment, Harmony Foundation recognizes the importance of consistently nurturing one’s spiritual practice. That is why we are offering a weekend Spiritual Renewal Retreat at the beginning of May. 
The retreat will be facilitated by Harmony Foundation’s spiritual advisors Marty Faraguna and Debra Avezzano who describe the retreat as a “weekend for participants will be a time to relax and step away from the day to day routine of life and refocus on and revitalize their spiritual journey. In a serene, intimate environment the spirit will be nurtured in relationship with others through meditation, laughter, discussion, and other activities.” 
Through several workshops, classes and opportunities for prayer and meditation, participants will have ample opportunity to rekindle, reflect and reprioritize their personal spiritual beliefs. The goal for the retreat is to offer each participant the ability to integrate their spiritual realizations into their daily lives after the retreat. Here are more details: 
Friday through Sunday, May 2-4 For Harmony Alumni and Friends 

Join us at the luxurious Fall River Lodge in Estes Park 
$225.00 per person $375.00 per couple 
*Retreat price includes: Meals, Lodging, Activities and more . . . 
Facilitated by Spiritual Advisors Marty Faraguna and Debra Avezzano 
For Information and Registration Call Debra (970) 577-3160or e-mail her at davezzano@harmonyfoundationinc.com 

Spiritual Renewal Retreat Agenda – May 2014 

Friday, May 2 
3:30 Participants Arrival & Room Assignments 
4:15 Meet and Greet 
4:45 Dot Dorman, Harmony CEO 
5:30 DINNER 
7:00 Music Therapy 
Saturday, May 3 

6:30 Yoga 
7:45 BREAKFAST 
8:45 Spirituality: A Larger Perspective 
10:00 Healing Touch Mini-Presentation/Chair Massages 
10:30 Guided Meditation 
12:00 LUNCH 
1:15 Labyrinth History & Meditation Walk 
4:00 Quiet time by the River 
5:30 DINNER 
6:30 Centering Prayer 
7:15 Buddhist Meditation 
Sunday, May 4 
6:30 Yoga 
7:45 Breakfast 
9:00 Participants Share their Journey 
10:15 Closing Prayer

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Philip Seymour Hoffman: The Disease of Addiction Doing Pushups

Posted on by Christy Weeks

For many recovering addicts, the tragedy of Philip Seymour Hoffman was a humbling reminder that no matter how many years someone has sober, the disease is still there – doing proverbial “pushups” and that relapse is never off the table.

The disease of addiction progresses even when addicts are not using, which is hard for addicts and others to wrap their minds around until they hear real life tales of how this happens. Hoffman’s story is a very real life example of this: police reported to several news agencies they found 5 empty bags and 65 additional bags full of heroin in his apartment the night he died. He got sober in his early 20s, remained sober for 23 years and just a few years later overdosed with heroin in extreme excess. This is a classic case of the disease doing push ups and progressing even after laying dormant for over 20 years.

Sentiments of sadness spread through sober communities across the US after his death along with those of frustration over the varying public opinions on what addiction is, many of which were expressed in a way that suggested addicts purposefully choose their demise. It makes those in recovery want to tell the world how it really is – but then they harness the principals of the program and let the opinions of others live and let live.

Aaron Sorkin who is in recovery from addiction wrote a poetic piece yesterday for Time that shed some light on addiction and relapse in response to varying opinions. He said Hoffman wasn’t acting on choice; “He didn’t die because he was partying too hard or because he was depressed — he died because he was an addict on a day of the week with a y in it” – suggesting that when the disease of addiction is active, it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is or what sentiments surround substance abuse, it just takes over everything, including lives, because it is real.

Because we understand the disease of addiction, its progression and the reality of relapse, Harmony Foundation specializes in relapse prevention and treatment. We help addicts identify the triggers that can lead to a relapse and welcome those who have relapsed back into our care. We try to intervene before tragedy strikes and lay our hearts heavy when it does. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Philip Seymour Hoffman and his friends and family and all others who have lost their lives to this terrible disease.