Visit to ATCPCC

I spent 3 days last week in Santa Barbara at the Addiction Treatment Centers & Professionals Consortium of California listening to treatment centers from all over the country talk about what they are doing. This conference was pretty interesting; it's always nice to keep a finger on the pulse of what people are doing across the country. A good chunk of providers were there, about 60 from around the country.

I was really impressed with a few people there (and of course I presented and thought I did well, talking about Sober Living By The Sea) and I thought I'd talk about the others doing good work around the country.
Hero House, with homes in Atlanta and San Juan Capistrano, CA, has a specific focus on college students, providing them a safe environment following treatment (like the TEACH program) complete with educational support. Randy Haveson, the founder and executive director, has a great passion for helping students recover and I'm looking forward to doing some work with him.

Jane Eigner Mintz of Real Life Interventions, from the Cleveland area, rolled out her new model of intervention, the Field Model. This is based more on a clinical aspect rather than the Johnson or Systemic model. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this looks like. She also is developing a school for interventionists, which will be helpful in providing families with qualified professionals.

And of course, Jaywalker Lodge was impressive, bringing two of their therapists out from Carbondale, CO. They talked about the men's relapse prevention program, as well as their longer-term outpatient/sober living option. They have a wonderful small town feel and treat the client who is looking to hit the "reset" button and get a fresh start.

There are others out there also doing good work- these three stood out to me. We'll see what pops out in the next year or so.

Here's a video on opioids and the brain from HBO's "Addiction" special:



In other news, if you haven't checked out my favorite sports columnist, Bill Simmons, today is a good day. Here's a link to his ESPN website.

And for something hilarious click here.

As usual, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And be sure to support my advertisers! See you this week.

Make sure to check out my podcast on The Afflicted and Affected starting today at 4 PM Pacific, and read my abridged life story on the Equinox Fitness website.

Exercise and Substance Abuse Prevention

Don't know how I missed this in my previous post about exercise and recovery, but there have been some articles published about the effectiveness of exercise and sports as actual deterrents to substance abuse. About a year ago, the Associated Press posted an article about exercise as a prevention tool. The National Institute on Drug Abuse received a $4 million grant to explore this further. "Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in so many areas of physical and mental health," said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA Director. "This cross-disciplinary meeting is designed to get scientists thinking creatively about its potential role in substance abuse prevention."

There has been other research: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit. The quitters who worked out got an extra benefit: They gained half as much weight as women who managed to quit without exercising, says lead researcher Dr. Bess Marcus.

''Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, it helps the body detoxify, it puts you on a better cycle of physical behavior, and it leads to decreased stress. It also improves thinking and mental function and decreases your tendency toward addiction,'' said Dr. Marc Siegel, an internist at New York University Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.

For example, ''there's evidence that exercise is maybe the best non-pharmacological antidepressant we have - studies have shown that it works better than some drugs. It's also a great anti-anxiety intervention,'' said James Maddux, a professor of psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and an expert on the mind-body health connection.

I know when I was in treatment, I used exercise as a type of coping tool- gaining a "runner's high" and creating a challenge to complete. I still work out today as a way of keeping my cravings (especially around nicotine!) at bay. Not to mention the fact that working out creates chemical changes in our mind and body to make us feel better and happier. I know my mood has improved since I started working out more often. For now, let's list exercise as a tool in a toolkit for fighting addiction- it's not the end-all/be-all, but it's another way to encourage this next generation to avoid the pitfalls of addiction.

If you're looking for a great blog about exercise, staying in shape and diet advice, check out Move Ur Body- great content and advice here. Be sure to check out Phoenix Multisport, a group in Boulder, CO who uses exercise as a recovery tool. And Sober Living By The Sea, where I work, provides physical activity to their patients as an ongoing part of treatment.

Here's a great video about Todd Crandell of Racing For Recovery, an individual who used triathlons to help defeat his own addiction:



And Jaywalker Lodge, an extended care program for men who have been through multiple addiction treatments, does expeditions every year. Here's a video of their winter expedition:



As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later.

Addiction Recovery and Physical Activity

The longer I've been in recovery, the more important I've been finding physical activity. When I was in treatment, we went to the gym a couple of days a week, but there was no real stress on it, plus we weren't exactly in the best shape when in treatment. I also find myself eating lots of sweets and just in general, eating more than when I was actively using. And of course when I left, I continued to eat the way I had in treatment and quickly started to gain weight. After experiencing some sobriety and a lack of physical activity, I joined a gym and rediscovered the joys of physical activity. Playing in a basketball league and working out provided a new foundation for feeling good about myself.

These days, I've become even more passionate, enrolling in the Team In Training program to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research (you can donate to my cause here) and riding 100 miles in one day in August. I'm also contemplating another century (100 mile ride) in Austin in October to raise money for cancer research via the Livestrong Foundation. We'll see how it goes. Either way, I know by training for these events I've created an avenue for success and a challenge, both of which keep me engaged and healthy- both key elements of my recovery.

Other groups have popped up around the country to encourage physical activity in recovery. Treatment centers like Sober Living By The Sea in Newport Beach, CA (where I work), Jaywalker Lodge in Carbondale, CO, and Gray Wolf Ranch in Port Townsend, WA all include various treks, physical activities and sports in their treatment plans. Phoenix Multisport, a group based in Boulder, CO specializes in groups of recovering individuals engaging in tough physical activities like climbing and biking. And make sure to check out Racing For Recovery, featuring Todd Crandell, a recovering addict who now raises money for addiction treatment by doing triathlons. CNN posted an article on recovery addicts participating in triathlons.

Another good resource if you're interested in recovery and sports is the book by Andrew Dieden, "The Sports Lover's Guide To Recovery." The book is filled with great quotes, stories and experiences. You can get the book here.

For a great story, check out the redemption of Josh Hamilton, a highly regarding baseball prospect who got derailed from drug addiction. He then climbed his way back. Check out the article on ESPN.

So basically, if you're in recovery, make sure to get involved with som sort of physical activity- it will help your healing process! I'm sure we'll see more treatment centers employing the physical aspect of treatment in the years ahead.

I've posted this before, but a great video from Doug MacBain who rode across Canada to raise money for an addiction recovery home:



For "Addict" socks, click here.

As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! See you tomorrow.