“Denial is the most cunning, baffling, and powerful part of my disease…When I look back now, it’s hard to imagine I didn’t see a problem with my drinking. But instead of seeing the truth when all of the ‘yets’ (as in, that hasn’t happened to me—yet) started happening, I just kept lowering my standards.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 328)

Alcoholism is a sneaky foe. Like cancer or heart disease, we often do not recognize the danger lurking beneath the surface. However, in the case of cancer or heart disease, once we receive a diagnosis from a professional, we are likely to believe the news and then decide a course of action for treatment. The alcoholic, by contrast, may be told by family, friends, and professionals that a drinking problem is apparent, but still cannot see it.

And it isn’t simply a willful obstinacy. Alcohol impacts the structure and function of the brain, blocking any realistic understand of what is happening. To the alcoholic, their pattern of life seems normal even if it includes daily drinking, black outs, a fortune spent on liquor, and perhaps a few run-ins with the law.

“Alcoholics are people whose drinking got them into a ‘blind alley.’ They haven’t been able to learn anything from their drinking experiences. They are always making the same mistakes and suffering the same consequences over and over again. They refuse to admit they’re alcoholic. They still think they can handle the stuff. They won’t swallow their pride and admit they’re different from ordinary drinkers. They won’t face the fact that they must spend the rest of their lives without liquor. They can’t visualize life without ever taking a drink.” (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, Jan. 23)

For many alcoholics, it is impossible to fathom that instead of having control of their drinking, drinking has taken control of them. Despite all evidence to the contrary, the unwavering sense of knowing what’s best for them, what they need, and what is objectively right cannot be shaken. Everyone else is crazy, over-reacting, or trying to bring him down. Alcoholics in such a state are resistant to rational discussion of the issue.

Alcoholics are also masters of justification and excuse-making. Rather than strive for what we should be, we pat ourselves on the back that we aren’t as bad as we could be, or as desperate as someone else. If the alcoholic is able to acknowledge personal error, an excuse or justification for the behavior will soon follow. Phrases like “I’m sorry,” “I was wrong,” or “I need help” are rare.

This kind of denial is a genuine hurdle to recovery and the enemy of the addict because it perpetuates the mindset that all is well, or that it is, at least, not so bad. Convinced there is no real problem or danger, the alcoholic is likewise unconvinced of the need for treatment.

“We had become hopelessly sick people, spiritually, emotionally, and physically…Many drinkers have said: ‘I hadn’t gone that far; I hadn’t lost my job on account of drink; I still had my family; I managed to keep out of jail. True, I took too much sometimes and I guess I managed to make quite an ass of myself when I did, but I still thought I could control my drinking. I didn’t really believe that I was an alcoholic.” (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, July 7)

If we refuse to believe we have a problem then we are also refusing to accept reality. This is tantamount to rejecting the greatest help available to us. We cannot get well if we will not accept that there is a problem. Our higher power can help us as we work the Twelve Step Program, but if we persist in denying the existence of a real and deadly problem, then we cannot in good conscience admit that we are powerless over alcohol and that our lives have become unmanageable.

Is recovery impossible if you still struggle to believe you actually have a problem? The answer is no. Recovery is possible, but you are not yet at Step One. Ask your higher power to show you the true nature of your condition, to help you see yourself rightly. Then wait and watch. Your answer will come if you are open to it.

Why the Increase of Drug Abuse

There are a number of reasons the abuse of prescription drugs is steadily climbing — the biggest being that they are easy to obtain. Teens like to experience what is called a “pharm party,” in which parents’ medicine cabinets are raided and the prescription and over-the-counter drugs are swiped to be blindly mixed with other pills and possibly alcohol for a fun yet conceivably fatal event.

But they’re not just for parties or teens; mothers use them, too. Women make up half of those abusing prescription drugs, mostly because women are more likely than men to seek the advice and aid of a doctor, and, in turn, be prescribed the drugs for their ailments. Many women feel they have to fill a multitude of roles and often turn to drugs to find the energy to tackle it all. It’s not uncommon to become resistant to the effects of the drugs and require larger and larger doses. Many doctors seem to be handing them out almost wantonly. But doctors alone are not to blame; pill mills, online pharmaceutical stores and international ones make it easy to procure the drugs, and more than a few people illicitly sell their drugs for spare cash. Concerned friends and family members may even give the drugs away when someone they care about starts complaining about aches and pains. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 75% of people who misuse prescription drugs are using drugs prescribed to someone else.

Some of the most commonly abused drugs in Texas, especially East Texas, are Hydrocodone, OxyContin, Valium and Xanex. Opioid painkillers, like Vicodin and OxyContin, are the most common for fatal overdoses. Valium and Xanex are often used for anxiety disorders among other things and belong to the family of benzodiazepines. Along with stimulants, or amphetamine-like drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin, they make up another major cause of overdoses. Fortunately, not all overdoses are fatal: in 2008, 305,885 United States citizens ended up in the ER for prescription drug overdoses, but also walked out. That’s more than double the number of overdoses reported in 2004. In 2009, deaths from overdoses of Rx drugs had overtaken the number of traffic deaths by over 1,200, with expectations that numbers will rise. This epidemic hits people from ages 12 to 53 and everyone in-between, though young adults ages 18-22 seem to make up the largest group. The appeal of prescription drugs seems to be that they are doctor-prescribed and FDA-approved, which means, to many, that the drugs must be safe.

Abuse Affects All Walks

This is hardly an epidemic that only affects the mother or the teen; famous Texans have overdosed on drugs, tragically ending their lives when the deaths may have been prevented. Anna Nicole Smith is one such tragedy; her battle with prescription drugs was long and fairly evident. She accidentally overdosed when depressed over the death of her eldest son, who also died of an overdose, and a large mix of prescription drugs was found in her system.

Clean It Up and Haul It Out

Many people hang on to their prescription drugs because they don’t know what to do with them when they are no longer needed or past their expiration dates. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in conjunction with more than 4,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide, is the most responsible way to dispose of your unused and unwanted prescription meds. Since beginning this campaign in September 2010, the DEA has collected over 2 million pounds of unneeded, unused or expired prescription drugs. Here are a few of the collection points. If you don’t see your city, check the DEA site:

• Houston: Houston Police Departments on Emanuel Street, Ley Road, Montgomery Road, Sherman, Aldine, Bissonnet Street and Westplace Drive. Veterans Affairs, Holcombe, Blvd. University of Houston, Calhoun and University Drive.
• Jersey: Jersey Village Police on Lakeview Drive
• Bellaire: Prosperity Bank, Bellaire Blvd
• Austin: Cornerstone Church, Reinli. Barton Creek Square Mall, South Capitol of Texas Highway. Household Hazardous Waste Dept., Center Drive.
• Dallas: 12th Step Ministry on Northwest Hwy, Southwest Patrol Division on Illinois Ave, Walmart parking lot on Wheatland Rd, and Richland College on Abrams Rd., Walmart parking lot on Airport Freeway, University Park Fire Station on Winslow Ave, Southwest Center Mall on Camp Wisdom, South East Patrol on Jim Miller Rd, Duncanville Police Dept on Wheatland Rd.
• Irving: Walmart parking Lot on Market Place Blvd.
• Farmers Branch: Farmer’s Branch Police Dept on Valley View Lane.
• Highland Park: Highland Park Dept on Drexel Dr.
• Fort Worth: Edgecliff Village City Hall, Edgecliff Rd. Dollar Tree Shopping Center, Sycamore School Rd. Ridgmar Mall by Dillards, Green Oaks Rd. Hulen Mall by Sears, Hulen Street.
• Richland Hills: Richland Hills Fire Dept., Diana Drive.
• Pantego: Pantego Police Dept., Miller Lane.
• Arlington: Walgreens and Arlington Police Dept., both on Green Oaks Blvd.
• Lake Worth: Tarrant County North Patrol, Lake Worth Blvd.
• North Richland Hills: Fire Admin. Bld, Dick Fisher.
• Kennedale: Kennedale Police Dept on Municipal Drive.
• Corpus Christi: HEB, Port Ave. KIII-TV, Padre Island Drive. HEB Parking Lot, Saratoga Blvd. HEB Flour Bluff, Waldron rd.

Staying on the path you are on now will only perpetuate the problem and reduce the likeliness that your loved one will ever get the help he or she needs.

Find help.

Living with an addicted spouse causes tremendous stress. You may be dealing with a loved one who is constantly high on prescription drugs while you manage a job and care for the rest of the family. Tend to your own emotional well-being by reaching out for help. Working with a therapist will provide a safe outlet for you to express feelings, such as anger, frustration, sadness, or guilt. A professional will also help you develop strategies to cope with those powerful emotions in a healthy way.

You’ll also find help in alcoholism or drug abuse support networks, such as Al-Anon. These networks act as mutual support groups, allowing members to share their experiences, frustrations, advice and more. Regular attendance will provide insight into your spouse’s addictive behavior, understanding from others who are in the same position, and, just as importantly, a room full of shoulders to lean on. Support groups let you know that you are not alone.

Set boundaries.

Tough love is one of the cornerstones to helping your loved one on the road to sobriety. It’s natural for you to want to help the spouse you love, even if their addictive behaviors have hurt you. However, it’s essential to set guidelines regarding their behavior around you, and if applicable, your children. Every situation is different, so talk with a professional about which boundaries are appropriate for your family. Some guidelines to consider include:

• No direct financial aid. For example, if your spouse needs to put gas in the car, give him or her a gas card instead of cash or a credit card.
• No money for bail or fines. Your addicted spouse needs to experience the consequences of and take responsibility for his or her own actions.
• No tolerance for using in the home. You and other family members deserve a safe environment. If your spouse cannot abide by this boundary, you may need to ask him or her to leave the house to use or drink.
• Assume legal custody of children. All children deserve to grow up in an addiction–free home.  Studies consistently show that growing up in an addicted household has a direct impact on a child’s physical and emotional well-being. This may sound like an extreme step, but it may be necessary to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Learning to say “no” to an addicted spouse is never easy.  Anyone who tells you otherwise has not been in your shoes.  A therapist or addiction specialist can help you develop strategies for saying “no” to protect the boundaries that safeguard you and others. As difficult as it might seem, you may find that setting clear boundaries provides the incentive your loved one needs to enter treatment.

Enabling your spouse will not make the addiction better. It might feel as though you are handling the problem, but in reality it’s setting the stage for continued alcoholism or drug abuse. It will not be easy to stop enabling. Sometimes, it will even feel like the tough love approach hurts far more than it helps. Addiction recovery is a process, and by discontinuing your enabling behaviors you are taking a very important step towards your spouse’s healing and recovery.

It’s pretty easy to enable someone, especially when you love the person.  While some acts of enabling are obvious–such as buying liquor for him or her–others are easy to rationalize away or fail to recognize altogether.  Here is a list of indicators that you are, in fact, enabling your spouse and decreasing his or her likeliness of getting help:

1. You take on his or her responsibilities. Living with addiction leaves little time for your spouse to fulfill his or her normal obligations. If you start changing your schedule to pick up the kids because your inebriated spouse can’t, or if you find yourself completing work assignments or schoolwork because your spouse is high, you are enabling the addiction.
2. You make excuses. A person struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction often exhibits unacceptable or inappropriate behavior. As a spouse, you might find yourself making excuses for it: “She’s been very tired lately….you know…work, kids, etc.,” or “I’m sorry he had to leave the anniversary party right away; he’s been feeling sick this weekend.” Making excuses for your loved one prevents him or her from taking personal responsibility for bad behavior. Your spouse–whose thinking is clouded by the addiction–will often be more than happy to be let “off the hook” by your endless excuses on his or her behalf.  It makes being an addict much easier.
3. You avoid talking about the addiction. Do you avoid bringing up your spouse’s prescription pill abuse because you want to “keep the peace”?  Do you avoid mentioning concerns about your spouse’s heavy alcohol use because you worry what the reaction might be? Your spouse has a serious problem that is not going to go away on its own.  Alcoholism impacts brain functioning in fundamental ways. As a result, your spouse’s behavior will inevitably get worse, affecting every aspect of your marriage, as well as your family life. Addiction is best addressed by the addict’s loved one, painful as that may be.
4. You provide financial help. Substance abuse takes a financial toll. Your loved one needs money to support an addiction, whether he or she is hooked on heroin or prescription pills. In many cases, addicts also need money to pay for necessities, like gas.  If you’re estranged from your spouse, you may even be fronting money for basics like rent or groceries.
5. You clean up your spouse’s messes. You may have bailed your alcoholic spouse out of jail after a DWI charge or lied to his or her boss, claiming a bout of the flu was the reason behind several days of missed work. Addicts cannot reclaim their lives until they begin to take responsibility for their choices and behaviors. Cleaning up after your addicted loved one only delays his or her opportunity to become sober.
6. You use or drink with your spouse. Indulging with your addicted spouse only reinforces the message that the behavior is acceptable to (and even endorsed by) you. Don’t give in to your spouse’s urging or manipulations to get you to use or drink with him or her.
7. You directly support the addiction. If you’ve ever taken your addicted spouse doctor-shopping or picked up a bottle of wine at the store, you’ve directly encouraged the destructive behavior.

Consequently, effective treatment facilities craft unique programs that address the needs of each individual seeking help. As research reveals increasing evidence that “convention” does not always breed “success,”, drug treatment professionals are, not only thinking outside the box, they’re creating new boxes altogether.

A recent article on ehow.com chronicled a “next generation” mindset that began to shape 21st Century treatment options. Today, the programs producing the most successful results tend to address the development of the whole person, as opposed to just attacking an addiction.

By incorporating curriculum options such as “expressive therapy,” “body therapy,” and “recreational therapy,” effective alcohol- and drug-abuse treatment facilities change the sum of the person, while addressing the various parts of an addictive lifestyle.

Expressive therapies use the arts and the addict’s expression of himself or herself through them. Programs incorporate drawing, painting, drama, expressive writing, and music to help the addict express emotions in a creative and positive way.

Body therapy uses acupuncture, yoga, massage, martial arts, and nutritional means to help an addict become healthy – and thus better equipped to overcome substance abuse.

Recreational therapy puts the addict in a setting where he or she can literally “exercise” some of the demons that have helped lead to substance abuse. Activities can take place outdoors or inside.  What matters is that the addict becomes involved in challenging or relaxing healthy endeavors that replace choices made previously.

One of the pioneers in this treatment revolution, Spirit Lodge is committed to creating a uniquely adapted treatment episode for each guest. Each plan is tailored to meet the physical, mental, emotional, family, and spiritual needs of the individual.

Spirit Lodge’s caring, professional staff is prepared to address practically every issue involved in drug treatment including intervention, evaluation, medical detox, Suboxone® treatment, long-term treatment (via 35- and 60-day programs), family counseling, recovery coaching, recovery fitness, spiritual care, and aftercare.

The key to Spirit Lodge’s success, however, lies in how these disciplines are addressed. Set in a serene, spa-like facility and featuring an array of revolutionary holistic treatment alternatives, Spirit Lodge doesn’t simply address addiction; it creates an environment for lasting change for each of our guests.

To learn about the unique Spirit Lodge experience, please visit our website, www.spiritlodge.com, or call us at 888.899.0369> to discuss how we might help you or a loved one overcome alcohol dependence or drug addiction at our state-of-the-art rehab center.

Many of Spirit Lodge’s guests are referred to the holistic alcohol and drug treatment center by professionals in the medical, therapeutic, addiction/recovery, and legal fields. These professionals take great care in selecting treatment facilities for their patients/clients. After all, lives – not just reputations – are on the line. In order to best serve the needs of these referents, Spirit Lodge taps the expertise of qualified therapists, interventionists, and other healthcare professionals to create a smooth, unique path to treatment.

The Spirit Lodge “experience” is just that. It lasts 35 to 60 days, and the center’s staff adapts a specialized treatment episode for each guest. The treatment plan begins with an assessment of the guest’s individual situation, including helping him/her determine what led to the choices he/she made previously.

Then it assesses the treatment options that meet the physical, mental, emotional, family, and spiritual needs of the individual to, ultimately, equip each guest with the necessary tools to conquer his/her addictions and “live life sober,” the lodge’s motto.

And that’s just what happens, as most guests tell the staff, in letters and emails they send following time spent at Spirit Lodge.

“I am very grateful that my first and, hopefully, last experience in rehab was at Spirit Lodge,” one guest wrote recently. “This place is very special and that is because of the staff, surroundings, and environment.”

This guest followed a protocol that is typical to what any addict who chooses Spirit Lodge might experience. Upon arrival, she received a comprehensive evaluation, which included:
• Complete History & Physical Assessment
• Biological Assessment
• Family Assessment
• Medical Assessment
• Dietary Assessment
• Psychological Assessment
• Psychiatric Assessment
• Spiritual Assessment
• Personalized Luxury Drug & Alcohol Treatment Plan

The staff then set about providing the finest level of holistic rehabilitation treatment for her. As part of her treatment, she was put on a recreation regimen that included workouts in the fitness center, as well as day trips, golf, and horseback riding. She was enrolled in gourmet cooking classes and participated in yoga and meditation classes. And, of course, she had regular access to the pool, hot tub, and to spa treatments.

The end result: She gradually was transformed from a person addicted to prescription drugs into someone whose mind, body, and spirit became equipped to life a drug-free life.

And she celebrated this transformation with the staff. “It is a fabulous treatment center!” she said in her note following her stay at Spirit Lodge. “I can’t put into words how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to go there.”

Using the substance abuse struggles of his youth and the education he received as a result of that experience, Joseph tailored Spirit Lodge to be a state-of-the-industry, upscale alcohol- and drug-treatment alternative that successfully changes lives.

Now, after three decades of a professional career in the chemical dependency field, Joseph is one of the country’s foremost authorities on the subject. Indeed, he is a recipient of the “National Counselor of the Year Award” from the National Association of Addiction Professionals, and he is frequently consulted by other drug treatment professionals hoping to tap his expertise.

His realized concept, Spirit Lodge, provides all the evidence they need to know that the facility and its founder are revolutionary, constantly evolving, and, most of all, successful in addressing the often agonizing challenges involved with addiction.

“Through the years, it has been my dream to create a new concept in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction,” Joseph says. “The Spirit Lodge model is a breakthrough in the way treatment is delivered. I have dedicated the past 28 years to treatment and recovery excellence and now have created an effective, innovative program in a beautiful, healing environment.”

Joseph knows of what he speaks. Since assuming leadership of Right Step, Spirit Lodge’s sister facility, in 1994, he has grown the organization from a single treatment center to multiple locations that comprise the largest drug- and alcohol- addiction conglomerate in the Southwest.

Spirit Lodge takes the tried-and-true treatment foundation found at Right Step, and embellishes it through a holistic medical regimen and a picturesque setting that simultaneously transform the mind, body, and spirit.

“We serve no more than 24 guests at one time, both men and women, over 26 years of age.” Joseph says. “The minimum stay is 35 days. The core element in addiction recovery is the Twelve Step model, but Spirit Lodge expands this core to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, family, and spiritual health needs and related treatment plans for each individual.”

The facility’s team of MDs (addiction and psychiatric specializations), PhDs, therapists, LCDCs, nutritionists, educators, and staff, work collaboratively and individually with each guest via onsite spa services, personal trainers, gourmet chefs, nutritional counseling, hiking and biking, meditation, yoga and other recreational and educational enrichment opportunities.

“The treatment plan equips our guests with the necessary tools to conquer their addictions and live healthy, sober lives,” Joseph says. “Our drug and alcohol rehabilitation program has three primary components: a comprehensive assessment, a personalized treatment plan, and one year of recovery coaching after completing the in-residence program. This program has been carefully developed with tried and tested methods for ensuring the most comprehensive addiction recovery program possible to achieve successful sobriety and healthy life change.”

To learn about how you or a loved one can enjoy this change, please visit our website or call us at: 888.293.2202.

A recent article posted on drug-rehabilition.org noted how therapeutic recreation substitutes healthy, productive, drug-free activities for previously practiced destructive endeavors and, in turn, trains an addict how to make healthy, productive, drug-free choices with his or her time.

When someone battling addiction engages in both team-based and individual pursuits led by trained and experienced therapists, therapeutic recreation can lead to enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem, to better communication abilities and goal-setting, and to a range of additional essential skills that will help the person attain and maintain sobriety.

The staff at Spirit Lodge has taken “Therapeutic Recreation” to a whole new level, crafting programs designed to complement conventional treatment regimens which enhance the recovery experience. Spirit Lodge’s holistic approach mixes offsite recreational activities with residential substance abuse treatment to help guests move more quickly toward recovery. Here are some highlight programs:

• Cypress Valley Canopy Tours – Spirit Lodge guests hook to zip lines and view nature, high in the cypress tree canopy. A tour takes roughly one and a half to two hours. Teambuilding is the goal, offering a unique way to create deeper bonds within the group because few people, if any, will have experienced the thrill of a zip line tour before.

• Boating on Lake Travis – The nearby lake offers several watery options, including sailboats, wave runners, pontoon boats, fishing boats, ski boats, deck boats, stern-driven runabouts, party boats, and houseboats.

• Horseback riding – Paths are padded with oak chips and are beautifully shaded, making it an enjoyable and quiet walk for the novice or a smooth, yet exciting, lope for the advanced rider.

• Golf – Just a short drive from Spirit Lodge is the Pedernales Golf Club, owned by Willie Nelson. The beautiful nine-hole course spans the hill tops near the Pedernales River in western Travis County. The course is more than just a beautiful golf layout; it’s a relaxing and refreshing break interlude to classroom or individual therapy

• Longhorn Cavern – This Texas Hill Country wonder was created over thousands of years by the dissolving and cutting action of water on the limestone bedrock of the area. Fossil remains show that many Ice Age animals once occupied the cave. In more recent history, the cavern was used as a Confederate stronghold where gunpowder was manufactured in secret during the Civil War.

• Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg – Spirit Lodge guests can enjoy backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, picnicking, geological study, and bird watching at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.

To find out more about the unique Spirit Lodge experience, please visit the company website, www.spiritlodge.com, or call us at 888.293.2202 to discuss how we might help you or a loved one overcome alcohol dependence or drug addiction at our state-of-the-art rehab center.

Nothing, though, attests to a center’s ability to change lives quite like the stories from people who have “been there and done that.” Those who have been addicted – and then been made well again – know like no others exactly what it is that helps one facility separate itself from the others.

At Spirit Lodge, the accolades from guests who have experienced the center’s unique alcohol- or drug-treatment programs represent the facility’s signature accomplishment: It truly does help turn lives around in profound and lasting ways.

And the words bear repeating:

• “I am very grateful that my first and, hopefully, last experience in rehab was at Spirit Lodge. This place is very special and that is because of the staff, surroundings, and environment.”

• “Fabulous treatment center! Can’t put into words how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to come here.”

• “Six months! On Sept. 13, 2010 I had my last drink on the way to Spirit Lodge. Today, I am very happy to be sober and functional again. Thank you all who reached out during a difficult time. It was not always easy to be locked up and “abused” by the staff – ha,ha! But, looking back, I had a great time at Spirit Lodge and the “heartless” staff did a great job. I laughed more in the weeks at Spirit Lodge than I had in years as a ‘happy drunk’. And I found a new life, new friends, and new reasons to be happy without being drunk. Best wishes to all.”

The realized dream of facility founder George Joseph, Spirit Lodge provides a unique, holistic program of addiction treatment to guests who are striving to end a dependence on alcohol or on drugs. The program was developed with tried and tested methods for ensuring the most comprehensive addiction recovery treatment and the limestone residence is set in a luxurious, upscale atmosphere similar to a spa.

From spa and concierge services to an executive chef who caters to the guests’ nutritional well-being, from expressive arts to acupuncture and a recovery fitness program, the Spirit Lodge experience is designed to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Spirit Lodge features the beauty and tranquility of a private enclave, and this idyllic setting provides a welcome counterpoint to the hard work of recovering from the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

Spirit Lodge is unique. It’s effective. And, best of all, based on what our guests say, it’s very successful at changing lives.

To find out more about Spirit Lodge, please visit the company website, www.spiritlodge.com, or call us at 888.293.2202 to discuss how we might help you or a loved one overcome alcohol dependence or drug addiction at our state-of-the-art rehab center.

Holistic healing

While we’ve all heard those success stories, very few of us have understood the process. Even members of the medical community have been at a loss to explain how a very sick person becomes very well – not because of a prescription or a procedure, but because the very resources just noted.

UBHN.org is a leading provider of information on holistic, homeopathic, and alternative medicine. In a recent article there, the author outlined the benefits of taking a holistic approach, not just to heal a specific disease, but to produce good health in general.

In a nutshell, it noted that holistic healing incorporates natural elements that everyone possesses – the physical, the mental, the emotional, the family and the spiritual components that mark every life. In the holistic approach, the body is purified and cleansed through the intake of natural remedies loaded with nutrients which make the body stronger. The mind is made purer by allowing negative thoughts to be released and replaced by positive thoughts. The spirit is purged through prayer or spiritual healing.

The sum, by utilizing all the parts, is a natural healing process that doesn’t simply treat a symptom, but cures the illness and leaves the person who undergoes the treatment healthy for the long haul.

Holistic healing is at the heart of the Spirit Lodge drug and alcohol treatment program. Spirit Lodge no more than 24 guests at a time, both men and women over 26 years of age. The minimum stay is 35 days, during which each guest partakes in a variety of holistic healing-based activities, all anchored to the core element in addiction recovery: the Twelve Step model.

The list of amenities at Spirit Lodge includes onsite spa services, personal trainers, a gourmet chef, nutritional counseling, hiking and biking, meditation, yoga, and other recreational and educational enrichment opportunities. As part of the personalized treatment, each guest has his or her own professionally tailored plan, with holistic healing at the heart of each activity.

“Through the years it has been my dream to create a new concept in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction,” said Spirit Lodge founder, George Joseph. “The Spirit Lodge model is a breakthrough in the way treatment is delivered. I have dedicated the past 27 years to treatment and recovery excellence and now have created an effective, innovative program in a beautiful, healing environment.”

To find out more about Spirit Lodge, please visit the company website, www.spiritlodge.com, or call us at 888.293.2202 to discuss how we might help you or a loved one overcome alcohol dependence or drug addiction at our state-of-the-art luxury rehab center.