Exercise as an Adjunct to Recovery

Ralph E. Carson, PhD, RD

Exercise has long been touted as a means of reducing stress, maintaining healthy weight and supplying energy. Most addicts do not experience this benefit because they are looking for immediate results and do not have a grasp of how exercise improves mood, enhances metabolism and reduces depression. Repetitive and monotous activities stimulate nerve cell growth and promote restorative sleep that enhances recovery and initiates revitalization.

We are inundated daily with government guidelines, medical recommendations and frightening statistics that implore us to exercise. Resolutions are made to lose weight, lower blood pressure and improve our mood. Health club memberships, expensive home equipment and exercise videos are purchased in hopes we will be inspired to get fit. The ultimate dream is to achieve these goals quickly and painlessly. Yet, we know only too well, the only place where success appears before work is in the dictionary.

By understanding some fundamental physiology combined with motivational principles, we can make the prize worth the price and make exercise a productive tool in the treatment of addictive patients.

Ralph Carson, R.D. B.S., B.H.S., Ph.D., is a nationally recognized clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Dr. Carson is a frequently requested speaker on a variety of nutritional topics for medical groups, pharmaceutical companies, universities, athletic training camps and corporations. He has a successful clinical practice as well as being a faculty member of the University of Alabama at Huntsville for over 20 years. Dr. Carson is also a nutritional advisor to numerous university athletic departments including the University of Tennessee National Basketball Champion Lady Volunteers. Dr. Carson received his B.S. from Duke University, his B.H.S. in pathology (Cum Laude) from Duke University Medical School, and his Ph.D. in nutrition (Phi Kappa Phi) from Auburn University. Dr. Carson currently manages Oprah Winfrey’s web page on eating disorders and is the consultant for Pine Grove’s eating disorder program, The Women’s Center.

Visit http://www.pinegrovetreatment.com/ or call 1-888-574-HOPE (4673) for more information.

Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can be a long and difficult road, but once it has become clear to a person that their life has become unmanageable due to drugs and alcohol, it is time to seek treatment. The decision to get help is the first step of a recovery and treatment is intended to guide addicts and alcoholics to the path of recovery from addiction, enabling them to lead a healthy and happy life.

Treatment gives addicts and alcoholics the tools to go back into the real world and handle the stress, disappointments, and cravings that would otherwise encourage relapse.

Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi is known as one of the nation’s most comprehensive treatment campuses. For over twenty five years Pine Grove has offered a continuum of services ranging from outpatient to inpatient and residential treatment for adults, children and adolescents suffering from psychiatric and addictive diseases. Specialized services include the treatment of addictions, eating disorders, and professionals struggling with interpersonal difficulties. The Pine Grove Mission is to be a leader in healing and changing lives by providing the highest quality behavioral health services.

Visit www.pinegrovetreatment.com or call 1-888-574-HOPE (4673) for more information.

Warning Signs of Chemical Dependency

Dependence on alcohol or other drugs is a widespread problem. Many times, people don’t recognize it. Chemical dependency is simply the inability to control the use of some physical substance, not being able to limit how much is used. If you have a dependency problem, recognizing it can help you to move toward a happier and healthier life.

Here are some signs that might indicate a chemical dependency problem in you or someone you love:

- Trying to cut down or quit using a substance and failing at it
- Blackouts or lapses of memory after use
- Using the substance while alone or hiding the evidence of use
- Using the substance to forget about problems or worries
- Doing thing under the influence that cause regret afterwards
- Not being able to enjoy an event without the substance
- Neglecting responsibilities in order to use the substance
- Family, friends, or employer expressing concern about use
- Being willing to do almost anything to get the substance
- Financial or legal problems from using the substance

Recognizing that there is a problem is the first step toward recovering.

Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi is known as one of the nation’s most comprehensive treatment campuses. For over twenty five years Pine Grove has offered a continuum of services ranging from outpatient to inpatient and residential treatment for adults, children and adolescents suffering from psychiatric and addictive diseases. Specialized services include the treatment of addictions, eating disorders, and professionals struggling with interpersonal difficulties. The Pine Grove Mission is to be a leader in healing and changing lives by providing the highest quality behavioral health services.

Visit www.pinegrovetreatment.com or call 1-888-574-HOPE (4673) for more information.