The term “wellness” is one we hear often. Usually, it is combined with other concepts; health and wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness, physical wellness, etc. Because wellness is applied to so many aspects of life, it can be difficult to define wellness and understand how I can help with various aspects of your day-to-day life. Contact our Santa Monica drug rehab center to learn about our Thrive health and wellness programs.
What is Wellness?
The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” This definition contains two important elements. First is the use of the word ‘active.’ Wellness is not someone achieved without effort. Instead, a state of wellness is achieved through intentional choice and action aimed at achieving an optimal state of health and overall well-being.
Second is the idea that wellness is holistic. Something that is holistic incorporates many parts into something whole or interconnected. In the case of health, holistic wellness is the treatment of the whole person. It is a treatment that encompasses your physical, emotional, and spiritual health to heal, rather than focusing only on the symptoms of illness or disease.
What Are the Types of Health and Wellness?
There are several types of wellness. Depending on the wellness model you choose, there may be six types, and sometimes as many as nine or twelve.
- Physical wellness: Nourishing a healthy body through nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc.
- Mental wellness: Engaging the world through learning, problem-solving, creativity, etc.
- Emotional wellness: Acknoelwding, accepting, and expressing our feelings and emotions. Also, the ability to understand the feelings of others.
- Spiritual wellness: Searching for meaning and a higher purpose in life.
- Social wellness: Connecting with and engaging others in meaningful ways.
- Environmental Wellness: Encouraging positive interrelationships between human actions and choices and planetary (environmental) health.
Other commonly referenced types of wellness include financial, occupational, and creative wellness.
How Do You Achieve Wellness During Addiction Treatment?
Ongoing drug and alcohol addiction dramatically affects your health. In time, the vital organs of many life-sustaining body systems fail to function as they once did due to years of struggling to process toxins out of your system. The safest way to detox from drugs or alcohol is at a professional detox and addiction treatment program. However, the detox process, even medically-supervised detox, is not without challenges to your body and mind.
Even after completing detox, it can take weeks, months, or even years for your body to recover from the damage done by drugs and alcohol. As a result, it is essential to incorporate routines and lifestyle changes into your recovery program to improve your opportunities for positive, lasting recovery outcomes.
Practice mindfulness
In recent years, mindfulness has become a popular, perhaps even trendy, concept. But, mindfulness practices are not new. Many such as meditation, yoga, qigong, and tai chi have been used for centuries as part of various forms of medicine, relaxation, and religious practices. Mindfulness can help center your thoughts and allow you to focus on your present emotions and the environment around you. Mindfulness also enables you to acknowledge and better understand the messages your body is sending.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Diet is a crucial component of health and achieving overall wellness. A healthy, balanced diet helps you replenish nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are lost as part of everyday activities. Choosing foods that provide sustainable energy throughout the day is also important.
Movement and exercise
Exercise or movement offers many benefits for people in recovery (and anyone else). Even low-impact exercise can improve your cardiovascular health, help maintain weight, build and tone muscle and improve your mood. Exercise can also take your mind off some of the more challenging withdrawal symptoms that accompany detox and many steps of the addiction recovery process.
How Thrive Health and Wellness Programs Can Help in Recovery
The journey to overcoming addiction is not without challenges. Your body (and brain) need time, support and help to heal from the toxic effects of substance use. Thrive health and wellness programs can help you take the first steps toward your healing goals. To learn more about our addiction treatment services in Santa Monica and the ways we can help you incorporate wellness practices into your addiction recovery, contact us today.
