Mindfulness and Meditation for Veterans: Practices to Enhance Mental Health

mindfulness and meditation for veretans

As veterans go beyond the battlefield, they face formidable foes against their mental health. Several mental health challenges, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, can torment their transition back to civilian life. However, in these dark times, mindfulness and meditation techniques emerge as rays of hope. In this blog post, we’ll explore how these practices can serve as a holy grail for veterans’ mental health on the path toward a successful recovery journey.  

Mindfulness and Meditation in a Nutshell 

Before we delve deeply into the tips on how to apply these techniques to veterans’ well-being, it’s important to know the essence of mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness is a practice that involves purposefully having awareness of the present moment. It’s about acknowledging and accepting the presence of one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Meditation is a mindfulness technique that encompasses a range of practices, such as guided imagery and body scans, with the purpose of training the mind to increase self-awareness and emotional regulation, achieving a state of calm and clarity. Practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques can lead to improvements in stress management and foster a smoother healing journey. 

Mental Challenges Among Veterans: What’s It’s Like 

More than the physical injuries from their life of service, veterans also grapple with invisible wounds that torment the mind. Mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety can make the path to recovery even more arduous. Oftentimes, these challenges exist with other conditions, like how PTSD and chronic pain usually come together, which can further complicate mental health management. Some even suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs) while having these mental health concerns. Traditional mental health services may fail to address these unique needs, which highlights the importance of alternative approaches such as mindfulness and meditation. 

Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation for Veterans 

Mindfulness and meditation provide several benefits that can better resonate with veterans’ experiences. Here are some of the benefits: 

  • Reduce stress. Studies show that meditation techniques may help reduce the symptoms of PTSD. By fostering self-awareness and a sense of presence, mindfulness can lessen the persistent grip of stress. 
  • Regulate emotions. With mindfulness, veterans may learn to navigate turbulent emotions with grace and resilience, finding calm and peace in the process. It can also help veterans deal with anxiety and depression. 
  • Improve sleep quality. Increased stress and anxiety may prevent veterans from getting a good night’s rest. Meditation techniques may allow you to be more aware of your thoughts and to be able to let go of stressors and anxiety-inducing thoughts that may impede you from having restorative sleep. 
  • Increase self-awareness. Mindfulness and meditation techniques aid veterans in exploring the depths of their inner minds and thoughts, which can promote self-discovery and compassion in recovery. 

Tips for Incorporating Mindfulness into Your Daily Routine 

Embarking on a mindfulness journey doesn’t need to be unnerving. Here are some ways to effectively incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine: 

  • Start with simple exercises. Breathing exercises and mindful body scans are simple yet profound exercises that can be done anytime to foster a sense of calm, offering respite from chaotic thoughts. 
  • Consistency is key. Establish a routine that works best for you. Setting a specific time each day for mindfulness practices will create a habit that can seamlessly fit into your daily routine. 
  • Combine mindfulness with physical activity. Practicing mindfulness techniques with exercises such as yoga and walking can help bolster its mental health benefits and make the process more fun. 
  • Personal mindfulness practice. Just like each recovery journey is unique to each veteran, mindfulness is also personal. Finding techniques that resonate deeply with you and address your unique experiences as a veteran in the most effective way is highly recommended. 

Practice Mindfulness at the California Recovery Center 

As veterans navigate through the complex journey to recovery, mindfulness and meditation shine a ray of hope amidst these dark times. To cultivate presence and achieve resilience, veterans can access mindfulness resources through different treatment services. Here at the California Recovery Center, we stand in solidarity with you about the importance of these mindfulness techniques as powerful tools for a successful recovery for veterans. If you or your loved one is a veteran seeking treatment centers and recovery facilities, our doors are open to support you. With our Veteran Care Program, we offer veteran-specific treatment services for a journey of healing and transformation for our heroes returning from the battlefield.  

If you wish to learn more about our services, feel free to reach out to us today at (916) 848-5744.

Peer Support: A Key Pillar in Veteran Mental Health Recovery

In the challenging world of mental health recovery after a life of active service, the solace of finding a support system is often a transformative force. Oftentimes, veterans may feel isolated during recovery, emphasizing the significance of peer support as a source of emotional stability, camaraderie, and shared experiences. Seeking treatment programs that offer peer support as part of their care regimen can have a profound impact on veterans’ mental health and their recovery journey. 

Peer Support in Veteran Recovery: Why It Matters

Veterans in recovery often face unique challenges, making the path to healing more unique and complex. With peer support, it provides an avenue for veterans to prosper by creating a sense of belonging. Often, veterans may feel alone in their recovery journey, but peer support, helps break the stigma that seeking recovery treatment is a sign of weakness. Peer support is all about sharing stories and building connections with people whom you can relate to, enhancing resilience in dealing with mental health struggles, and moving towards a successful path of healing. 

Empathy: Feelings of Understanding 

It is beneficial to create a sense of understanding during the journey to recovery. For veterans, it is often a confusing transition from a time in active service to “normal” civilian life. Living a life that is different from the one you used to have might leave you with feelings of being lost and isolated, often marked with stress, depression, and anxiety. But with peer support, it creates a sense of solidarity, understanding, and comfort in knowing that others have walked a similar path as you. 

Overcoming Stigma and Isolation 

For veterans, having mental health issues is stigmatized as it blurs the image of being a face of strength, especially during their time of service. This leads many veterans to deal with these challenges in silence. Peer support can provide a safe space where veterans are heard and listened to without fear of judgment or discrimination. Opening discussions through peer support can help break down the barriers created by the stigma associated with seeking help, thereby reducing feelings of isolation and shame. 

Navigating Challenges Together 

Sharing experiences with peers during challenging times in the recovery journey is also a crucial role of peer support. Veterans exchange stories and strategies that they can relate to and resonate deeply with when engaging with fellow peers. This lays out a good foundation where veterans can inspire and encourage each other. Engaging with peers can help veterans manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges as they find new coping strategies through discussions with other veterans, effectively navigating challenges together. 

Fostering a Sense of Belonging and Community 

One powerful aspect of peer support is the sense of belonging among veterans. With their unique set of experiences, veterans share a common language that civilians cannot fully comprehend. The bond formed from shared experiences produces a place where a deep and understanding connection can be felt, and in turn, it cultivates a community wherein veterans can express themselves without the fear of being misunderstood. This sense of camaraderie also builds trust among the veterans, strengthening their resilience and promoting their overall well-being. 

You Are Not Alone: Peer Support at the California Recovery Center 

In the journey to mental health recovery, peer support is like a ray of sunshine that provides hope and solidarity for veterans. By creating a sense of understanding, empathy, and community, peer support programs play a significant role in the lives of veterans as they navigate the challenging path toward reclaiming their lives. Here at the California Recovery Center, we believe that everyone is capable of leading successful and fulfilling lives. Our therapies include group sessions, allowing one to meet fellow veterans. So, if you’re a veteran in recovery struggling with mental health challenges, know that you are not alone. Feel free to reach out to us at (916) 848-5744. Together, we can overcome barriers, find strength in camaraderie, and build brighter futures for ourselves and for each other. 

Redefining Valor by Seeking Help and Embracing Vulnerability

Redefining Valor by Seeking Help and Embracing Vulnerability

Defining ‘valor’ may be a challenging thing to do, even for veterans. Despite the word being typically used to address veterans and their acts of service, misunderstandings may still arise about what ‘valor’ truly means. As veterans transition to civilian life, they face a new set of challenges such as trauma, PTSD, addiction, and mental health conditions that redefine the ‘valor’ and strength outside their service. In this blog post, we will discuss how admitting the need to seek help and embracing vulnerability are signs of true ’valor’ and may be the first step towards recovery. 

For individuals in service, ‘valor’ usually means bravery in combat or threatening situations while remaining calm. But during service, personal needs and challenges are often neglected to focus on this goal. While this doesn’t entail that active service members don’t experience trauma, anxiety, depression, and other health conditions, it only highlights the fact that they make a conscious effort to suppress or neglect these feelings, often taking a toll on their personal well-being.

One of the most common ways to ‘push down’ these challenges is the use of drugs or alcohol to “numb” the sensations and “disarm” stressors brought about by these challenges. Moreover, an active drinking culture during service may normalize the use of addictive substances. But for veterans who are transitioning into civilian life, might continue to engage in these practices, resulting in more health challenges during the recovery process. 

The constant attempt to uphold ‘valor’ during and after service not only jeopardizes a veteran’s mental and emotional health during recovery, but also leaves them without practiced strategies to effectively identify and manage these challenges as they transition to civilian life. Adopting a new definition of ‘valor’ might be the key to equipping veterans with a new way of facing these challenges and navigating through a successful healing process. 

Finding a New Meaning of Valor: The First Step Towards Recovery 

As veterans transition to their new lives as civilians, they need to overcome these personal challenges while also dealing with the various external stigma and expectations that can impact their perspective of what is true ‘valor’. The first step to finding a new meaning of ‘valor’ is to acknowledge the challenges that come with the old definitions and that admitting the need for help is also a sign of true ‘valor’ for veterans in their new lives. 

‘Valor’ in civilian life after a time on active duty is no longer the ability to suppress weakness or vulnerability in times of danger but rather the capacity to willingly acknowledge that personal needs should be addressed, and weakness and emotional vulnerability should be embraced and faced head-on. As veterans explore the new-found definition of ‘valor’ by first acknowledging the need for help and support, they can prioritize resilience and bounce back from stresses and obstacles, commit to self-care and personal growth, and confront and challenge stigmas for themselves and the whole veteran community. 

Embracing vulnerability and seeking help have a transformative impact on an individual’s journey to healing and recovery. No veteran must brave the new ideas of ‘valor’ alone, as there are communities and professionals available that will aid in the first step towards effective healing. 

Taking the First Step into Treatment with California Recovery Center 

Exploring a new kind of valor might feel foreign and dreadful, especially to veterans who take pride in the kind of valor from their once active line of duty in service. ‘Valor’ has many definitions, and it is always contextual. Admitting the need for help while transitioning to civilian life is a crucial first step towards effective healing and recovery. Here at the California Recovery Center, we are prepared to help you navigate the different definitions of ‘valor’ to create an effective approach towards healing. Our line of treatments offers specialized veteran substance abuse programs that are evidence-based, including detox, therapy, and ongoing support for our heroes returning from the battlefield. If you or your loved one is a veteran struggling to transition into civilian life, we eagerly welcome you with open arms and a plan for your recovery.

Learn more by reaching out to us at (866) 864-1986. 

Supporting Our Veterans: Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Veterans substance abuse affecting him

The pressure of military life often leads to veterans undergoing substance abuse. As we celebrate Veteran’s Day later this week, we must remember not only their accomplishments and courage but also their struggles both during and after service. 

Co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders continue to haunt our veterans, and we must always be there to support them. Here’s how we can celebrate Veteran’s Day in a meaningful way. 

Why do veterans turn to drug and alcohol? 

Military life is stressful for many veterans. Some of the things they experienced include: 

  • Constant risks of injury or death on the field 
  • Losing colleagues while on duty 
  • Worrying about their loved ones back home 

To cope with the stress, some of them abuse substances. The most abused substance is alcohol, with 1 in 3 service military personnel found to be “binge drinkers.” 

This abuse continues well after service, as they face difficulties rejoining civilian life like: 

  • Catching up with the rest of the world 
  • Mending relationships formed before the war 
  • Finding stable employment 

Many studies have dug into the incidence of veterans and substance abuse. A 2019 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed the following statistics: 

  • 11% of veterans are diagnosed with having a substance use disorder (SUD). 
  • Veterans diagnosed with having an SUD are 3-4 more likely to be found with co-occurring PTSD or depression. 
  • Between 37 to 50% of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars were diagnosed with co-occurring SUD and mental disorders. 

Solving this issue has turned out to be challenging as well. In the 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey (HRBS) that studied drug use among veterans, only 8.6% of respondents self-reported their substance abuse. 

Besides wanting to avoid the punishment of discharge, this is because they want to steer clear of: 

  • Being mocked by their peers for being “weak” and seeking support for their addiction 
  • The stigma towards substance use victims 
  • Facing the risk of losing job prospects and relationships 

In other words, veterans turn to substance use because of their experiences both during and after service. Even with treatment services like Veterans Affairs (VA) drug rehab, many veterans prefer to hide their issues than risk facing judgment by society. 

How to support veterans against substance abuse 

The first thing you need to do to help veterans is to determine if they’re undergoing substance abuse. To do that, you need to look out for the signs. 

In particular, there are 3 types of signs that you have to look out for: 

  1. Appearance – Disheveled image, wearing the same clothes for extended periods of time, lack of hygiene 

  1. Behavior – Occasionally spacing out while being with someone, forgetfulness, staring into the distance on their own 

  1. Sociability – Isolating themselves during social events, constantly stuttering while talking, unenthusiastic responses when being talked to 

The key to supporting veterans against substance abuse is to help them reintegrate with daily life. They have been away from home for a long time — the last thing they need is to be alienated for their substance abuse problems. 

Of course, reducing their substance usage is one of your main objectives, but you have to do it in a very supportive and welcoming way. This means that you have to avoid being upfront about it as much as possible. 

Here are very effective ways you can help them combat their substance use: 

  • Always engage in casual, friendly conversations with them. Most of their social interactions in the field were often serious, stressful, and required quick responses. Talking to them in a relaxed, easygoing way helps them socially reintegrate with normal daily life. 
  • Help them through their personal problems. Be it financial or social, supporting them through their current problems keeps them away from the substances. 
  • Suggest recreational activities that don’t involve alcohol. Sports, board games, hobbies—these activities, in general, help them redirect their energy to something that utilizes their physical prowess in a fun way. 
  • Encourage seeking professional treatment. Seeking professional assistance will provide them with the necessary coping tools and strategies. They’ll be able to navigate difficult situations with greater awareness.

Remember to always exercise patience and empathy, as this process will take time. 

Helping veterans with their mental health 

All veterans deserve support and care for what they experienced during their service. Even if a veteran currently doesn’t consume any substances, at some point, they eventually might. 

They may have been mentally and emotionally drained from the stress of military service. Returning home should mean more than just being away from the battlefield — it has to be a genuine, fruitful reintegration into normal daily life. Otherwise, they might be unable to cope with their negative experiences and eventually resort to substances. 

  • Invite them to social gatherings. They lost time away from home and may have greatly missed their family and friends. Inviting them is a good way for them to catch up with loved ones while reintegrating themselves to peacetime. 
  • As much as possible, try to avoid asking about their experiences in the field. You may unknowingly cause them to feel discomfort as they remember harrowing moments while in service. 

  • If they are vocal about their experiences, talk about them in a positive light. Compliment their bravery, resourcefulness, or physical prowess as an acknowledgment of their accomplishments. Avoid asking about touchy subjects and be polite if you do decide to ask. 
  • Always ask them how they’re doing. Give them a phone call or shoot them a message every once in a while. Doing this lets them acknowledge that they are, indeed, back home and that their presence is appreciated outside of military life. 

Alcohol and drug rehab for veterans 

Remembering Veteran’s Day should not be confined to just 1 day. It’s a continuous process of establishing a strong, holistic support system for veterans undergoing substance abuse. If we continue to aid veterans struggling with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, we can open up a culture where other veterans can feel welcome in showing their vulnerabilities — we can show that life after the military is filled with hope and support. 

At California Recovery Center, we solemnly salute our troops for braving struggles even after the line of duty. Our line of treatments includes specialized veteran substance abuse programs for our heroes returning from the battlefield. If you or your loved one is a veteran struggling with alcohol or drugs after service, we eagerly welcome you with open arms and a sure plan for your recovery. 

5 Signs a Family Member Is Living With Addiction and Mental Health Issues 

Husband comforting wife undergoing family addiction

Family addiction is a serious issue that affects 46% of families in the U.S. alone. Left untreated, it can cause a devastating rift between family members. This also comes in conjunction with mental health issues, which comes either as the result or the cause of substance abuse. The worst part is that loved ones tend to hide these problems out of fear that they’ll be stigmatized or kicked out by their family. 

The best way to deal with family addiction is rehabilitation, not punishment. Of course, you should take action only when you’ve identified that substance abuse or mental health is truly the issue. However, your loved ones may be afraid to express their problems to you outright. In this case, you have to look out for signs of their trouble. 

Here are 5 signs that a loved one is dealing with addiction in the family: 

1. Self-isolation from family

One of the most common signs of addiction or mental health is self-isolation. With a lot of social stigmas associated with substance abuse, victims tend to keep to themselves while living with addiction. 

You can clearly see this when your loved one becomes: 

  • Less communicative. They no longer start conversations on their own and give brief disinterested responses when talked to. 
  • More irritable than usual.  They’ve built a bubble around themselves and become frustrated when someone tries to intrude into their comfort zone. 
  • Secretive and defensive. If they’re pushed about their issues, they either deny them or avoid the topic altogether. 

If you’ve observed these in your loved one, be more lenient and accommodating. Foster a welcoming space that lets them feel free to express themselves without prejudice. For instance, you can stay beside them as you go about your usual day-to-day activities and strike a smile at them every once in a while as a positive acknowledgment of their presence. 

They may not immediately open up right away when you do this, but it’s an effective first step to helping them. 

2. Changes in appearance and demeanor

Substance abuse and mental health issues can also take a toll on how your loved one appears and behaves. Generally, they become less interested in keeping themselves well-presented to other people or, sometimes, maintaining their hygiene. 

Observe your loved one and watch out for these signs: 

  • Frequently disheveled appearance
  • Wearing the same clothes for extended periods of time
  • Occasionally spacing out
  • Unresponsiveness when talked to
  • Forgetfulness

Some of these signs may be inconvenient to you or your family. If your loved one is in charge of chores, for example, they may either forget to do them or leave them unfinished, which may become a habit over time. Family members may also use their lack of hygiene as a reason to stay away from them out of shame. 

In any case, you have to exercise patience and understanding. Instead of scolding them, for instance, gently remind them or assist them with their chores. Avoid being confrontational about their behavior or appearance. Instead, be more encouraging of healthy habits with the express intent of helping them out. 

3. Psychosomatic symptoms

The idea that “It’s all in the mind” couldn’t be farther from the truth when there are psychosomatic conditions that occur due to struggling with mental health. Lethargy or lack of energy is one of the most common psychosomatic symptoms that affect those suffering from substance use or mental health issues. 

Other symptoms include: 

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Sudden changes in weight
  • Unhealthy diet or irregular appetite
  • Inconsistent or excessive sleep

Lacking energy for everyday activities can lead to long-term deterioration physically and mentally. While you can help alleviate their physical symptoms, this is only a band aid solution at best. You have to solve the issue from its roots by focusing on the substance abuse and mental health issues at the core of the problem. As said before, this comes by promoting a positive environment for the struggling loved one. 

4. Showing lack of interest in hobbies

One of the tragic results of suffering from addiction and mental health issues is the loss of interest in hobbies that your loved one was once passionate about. Dopamine is responsible for providing pleasure in the midst of a reward. Substance abuse can affect how dopamine is produced and released by stimulating only when the victim consumes the substance. However, this also leads to a decrease of dopamine when the loved one is doing their actual hobbies. 

When this happens, you can’t just force them to return to their hobbies as a way of averting substance use. At worst, this further discourages them from taking up the hobby again. Instead, use a positive, gentle approach in encouraging them about their hobbies. 

Try some of these out, for instance: 

  • Recall happy memories about their hobbies 
  • Compliment their skills in a specific hobby 
  • Take up the hobby yourself, even if briefly, and ask your loved one to join you 

These can rekindle the spark within your loved one and encourage them to return to the hobby. It can also be effective in curbing the effects of substance abuse to some degree. Even if it isn’t, helping them return to their hobbies assures them that there’s something to look forward to outside of using substances. 

5. Struggling with school or work 

Another common sign of addiction and mental health is the impact on their performance either at work or in school. There are two ways that substance use affects their performance: 

  1. Impact on their mental state. Lack of focus, forgetfulness, and decrease in creativity and innovation are some of the symptoms of substance use that can affect how your loved ones perform. 
  2. Social stigma from colleagues. The fear of being discovered and stigmatized for substance abuse is highly prevalent in a school or workplace environment. Chances are, a vast majority of your loved one’s colleagues (even the management in a company or school) will become prejudicial towards them. 

The worst part about impaired performance is that this can also be a contributing factor to substance use, further proliferating it. 

Coping with substance use requires a significant amount of time and dedication. Spending time away from professional or academic responsibilities will be vital for this. It may sound detrimental and counterproductive, but it’s actually very beneficial for your loved ones. If they’re given time to focus on their personal lives and cope with their addiction and mental health, the other aspects of their lives will also improve – that includes their other responsibilities. 

Parents of addicted loved ones should discuss with the school’s guidance counselor to come up with a solution that can help the student cope with substance use while improving their academic performance. On the other hand, professionals undergoing substance abuse should consider taking an FMLA leave. 

Solve family addiction with professional treatment

Discovering that your loved one is undergoing substance use and mental health issues can be heartbreaking for the family. You may feel like you were unable to become a meaningful, positive presence to them, enough to lead them towards consuming substances. However, this is not the case – perhaps your loved ones are going through tough times in their lives that they didn’t feel that they should express. Whatever the root cause behind their substance use may be, the most effective solution is professional treatment. 

At California Recovery Center, our mission is to give extensive family help for addiction in a systematic, extensive manner. We provide outpatient and inpatient treatment options for your loved ones so that they can have flexibility in coping with their addiction and mental health issues. Feel free to reach out to us so we can discuss the best way to help your loved ones through their struggles.