Mental Health Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Best Rahabs In Arizona

April 5, 2021November 22, 2022

What is the Importance of Mental Health?

How to Improve Mental Health

If you want to know how to improve mental health, the key may be halting your substance use.

In any given month, over 165 million Americans use an addictive substance.

That is more than half of the teen and adult population.

And whether or not you realize it, your drug or alcohol use may be damaging your mental health.

In fact, substance problems are a major source of mental health issues.

And without a sound mental state, it is impossible to maximize your sense of well-being.

No one should be left to deal with these kinds of issues on their own.

If you feel that your substance use is impacting your mental health, seek help as soon as possible.

This is by far the best way to avoid further problems and return to a healthier, happier way of living.

What Exactly is the Importance of Mental Health? - Best Rehabs In Arizona - A clinician who specializes in addiction treatment if discussing the importance of mental health, especially during recovery.

How to Improve Mental Health: Addiction as a Mental Illness

When thinking about how to improve mental health, it is important to keep something in mind.

Today, experts classify substance addiction itself as a form of mental illness. The term for this illness is a substance use disorder, or SUD.

You also qualify for a diagnosis of the same illness if you suffer from major, non-addicted substance abuse. Tens of millions of Americans have a substance use disorder.

The SUD category is an umbrella for multiple types of mental illness. Each of these illnesses is named for a class of addictive substances.

Examples of these names include:

Alcohol use disorder, or AUD
Stimulant use disorder
Opioid use disorder, or OUD
Cannabis use disorder
Sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder

Why are these conditions considered to be forms of mental illness? Because they significantly alter your state of mind and reduce your ability to function. They also change the way your brain works, and may physically damage your brain. In addition, SUDs alter your behavior and cause you to do harmful things you would not normally do.

A doctor can check if you have the symptoms of a substance use disorder. There are 11 different possible problems in affected people, including:

Losing control of how much or how often you use drugs or drink
Making substance use and related behaviors the focus of your daily routine
Growing less and less sensitive to the effects of drugs or alcohol
Having a habit of using addictive substances in risky or dangerous situations
Not being able to quit drug use or drinking, even with repeated efforts
Failing to meet your responsibilities because of your level of substance use
Substituting drinking or drug use for other activities you once loved to do
Experiencing social or relationship issues as a direct result of your substance use
Feeling powerful urges to drink or take drugs throughout your day
Developing symptoms of substance withdrawal if you quit or cut your consumption

Some of these problems are strictly related to addiction. Others reflect the presence of non-addicted abuse. From a mental health standpoint, addiction and major, non-addicted substance abuse are equally serious. What is more, they often occur simultaneously.

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How to Improve Mental Health: Dual Diagnosis

Unfortunately, some people with SUDs also have other mental health issues to deal with. This is not a rare problem. In fact, for every two people with a SUD, roughly one will be affected by an additional mental illness. The same statistic holds true in reverse. In other words, roughly one out of every two people with a mental illness also has a SUD.

What kinds of mental illnesses are most likely in people with drug- or alcohol-related SUD? The list of these conditions includes anxiety-based disorders such as:

Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD

Other commonly found illnesses include:

Depressive illnesses like major depression
Bipolar illnesses like bipolar I disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia and related conditions
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD

The current standard term for co-occurring SUDs and additional mental illness is dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis is a serious concern because it often has a double negative impact on your well-being. This is why it is so vital to understand the importance of mental health.

When it is present, it can make both your SUD and additional mental illness symptoms worse than normal. This double whammy on your mental health poses significant treatment challenges. For this reason, the question of how to improve mental health in people with dual diagnoses is vital.

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How to Improve Mental Health: Treatment for SUDs

If you have a SUD, professional treatment should be a top priority. There is a range of treatment environments available, including:

Medically supervised detox, or detoxification
Inpatient programs
Partial hospitalization programs
Intensive outpatient programs
Standard outpatient programs

Your doctor can help you find the right option for your particular SUD symptoms. Once you are enrolled in the right kind of program, you will receive help tailored to your needs and understand the importance of mental health. This help may include:

General supportive care
Medication
Behavioral therapy or counseling

While in treatment, you will benefit from the experience of addiction specialists. You will also learn how to improve mental health through your own efforts. As a rule, you should pursue some kind of follow-up treatment once your primary rehab program is over. You can also further your recovery by joining a mutual self-help group.

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How to Improve Mental Health: Treatment for Dual Diagnosis

It takes a special effort to improve mental health if you have a dual diagnosis. Why? Not only must you get help for your SUD symptoms. You must also get help for your particular form of additional mental illness. This two-part treatment is essential. Without it, your mental health will likely continue to suffer.

Mental health and addiction facilities may use medication for two aspects of your dual diagnosis treatment. First, you may receive a medication targeted at your SUD symptoms. In addition, you may receive something targeted at your other mental illness symptoms.

Other forms of treatment are also used in dual diagnosis programs. For example, you will almost certainly be treated with behavioral therapy or counseling. There are specialized therapy options available for people with dual diagnoses. One such option is called Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT. You may also receive a more widespread use SUD therapy such as:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT
Motivational Enhancement Therapy
12-Step Facilitation Therapy
Family Behavior Therapy
Contingency Management Intervention

Get More Information on How to Improve Your Mental Health

More than 20 million Americans suffer from mental illnesses called substance use disorders. And many of those affected must also cope with additional, serious mental health issues. If you feel you may have a SUD or dual diagnosis, professional treatment is a must. Otherwise, you may find yourself caught in a worsening spiral of mental and physical despair.

Most people with SUDs do not seek help. It is crucial that you do what you can to escape the ranks of the untreated. Every day, mental health and addiction facilities support recovery from SUDs and dual diagnoses. Some of the very best facilities provide all of the services you need in a single location.

Need more information on how to improve your mental health and protect your well-being? After all, the importance of mental health is crucial during and after recovery. If your concerns are substance-related, just called the specialists at Best Rehabs In Arizona. Our deep expertise gives us the ability to answer any question you may have. Best Rehabs In Arizona is also a top destination for the treatment of SUDs and dual diagnosis. We offer programs suited to anyone affected by these pressing mental health issues and the importance of mental health overall.

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September 17, 2019September 29, 2021

How to Avoid Drug Use in College

If you’ve watched a lot of movies about college students, you might be under the impression that everyone experiments with drugs when they’re in college. But this simply isn’t the truth. Because of this, we’ve decided to highlight exactly how to avoid drug use in college, and reasons to consider it.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, some college students do admit to using drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. But surveys have shown that only about one out of every five college students uses illicit drugs regularly.

Are you concerned that drug use in college could potentially be a problem for you? Whether you’re a recovering drug user who wants to steer clear of drugs in college or someone who has never used drugs and wants to keep it that way, there are steps you can take to avoiding using drugs during your college years.

Check out the things you can do to avoid drug use in college below.

Pick a College That’s Not Known for Its Party Scene

Every year, a variety of print and online publications put together lists of the top party schools in the entire country. These schools are very popular among those who are focused on spending a lot of time partying during their college careers.

But if your goal is to avoid drug use in college at all costs, these schools are not going to be for you. The last thing you want to do is put yourself in the middle of a place where you’re going to be subjected to heavy drinking and drug use all the time.

This doesn’t mean that you need to enroll in a school that has a “dry” campus. You can if you want to, but you don’t have to go to that extreme if you don’t like any of the schools with dry campuses.

You should, however, try to find a school that has little to no party scene, if possible. You won’t have to duck and dodge parties where drugs are being used all the time if you’re at a college where parties are few and far between.

Make the Right Living Arrangements

There is something to be said for spending at least a year or two living on-campus at college in a dorm. You can learn a lot about yourself and how you interact with others by setting up shop in a dorm.

But if you think that living in a dorm might expose you to drugs and increase your chances of using them, you don’t have to do it. You can either get an apartment off-campus or, better yet, live at home with your parents as a commuter student.

If you choose to move into an off-campus apartment, just be careful about who you move in with if you decide to live with roommates. You could end up putting yourself into a position where you’re living with someone who uses drugs and exposes you to them every day.

Fill Your Academic Schedule Every Semester

One of the most effective ways to avoid drug use in college is by staying busy as often as you can. Rather than taking the bare minimum number of college credits each semester, jampack your schedule so that you’re always either in class or studying.

Outside of helping you stay away from drugs, filling up your academic schedule will also allow you to graduate sooner than expected. This could cut down on your college tuition and make it easier to pay off student loans if you’re planning on taking them out.

Get Involved With the Clubs on Your College Campus

While it’s good to stay busy when you’re in college in an effort to avoid drugs, you shouldn’t spend your whole life sitting in the library. If the only thing you do is study, study, and then study

some more, you’re going to burn yourself out.

Why not give yourself a break by joining one of the many clubs that are available on college campuses? Every college campus is obviously a little bit different, but you can often join:

Cooking clubs
Community service clubs
Religious clubs
Sports clubs
Music clubs

Joining clubs will help you to meet new people who share interests similar to yours. You’ll often form longer-lasting friendships with people when you meet them at clubs as opposed to meeting them at parties, bars, or nightclubs.

Choose Your College Friends Wisely

If you want to stay as far away from drug use in college as you can, it’s going to be important for you to pick and choose the friends that you make wisely. You don’t want to spend your days hanging out with a habitual marijuana user if you’re trying your best to avoid drugs.

When you’re in the process of getting to know new people in college, look out for the signs that they might be a drug user. You might want to reconsider hanging out with someone if you know that they’re using drugs on a regular basis.

Let People Know You’re Not a Drug User in No Uncertain Terms

Peer pressure is something that’s often associated with high school students. In fact, one recent survey suggested that about 90% of high school students admit to experiencing peer pressure.

But peer pressure can affect college students, too! Since college students are still trying to forge an identity for themselves, it’s not uncommon for them to succumb to peer pressure at the start of their college years.

You should mentally prepare yourself for this when you head off to college and vow to stick to your strict “no drugs” policy. You should also go out of your way to let those that you meet in college know that you’re not someone who is interested in using drugs under any circumstances.

This won’t prevent people from asking you to use drugs altogether. But it will make it easier for you to turn them down when people ask if you’re interested in taking drugs.

Speak With an Advisor About Any Struggles You Face in College

When most people think about going away to college, they think about how much fun they’re going to have when they do it. What they don’t always realize is that, while college can be fun, it can also be very stressful.

About 75% of college students say they’re stressed out a lot of the time. Additionally, about 20% say they’ve thought about committing suicide in college due to the stress, anxiety, and depression they feel while in school.

Many students turn to drugs and alcohol to manage the stress that they feel in school. They take this approach instead of trying to find better ways to cope with the stress that comes along with being a college student.

Rather than doing this, you should set up meetings with your school advisor when you feel stressed out and talk to them about your struggles. They can provide you with ways to manage your stress more effectively and help you avoid turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with your feelings.

There are so many people who find themselves addicted to drugs or alcohol because they utilized them as a coping mechanism in college. Do everything in your power to avoid falling into this trap.

Remind Yourself of Why You’re Choosing Not to Use Drugs

You likely have a great reason for wanting to avoid drug use in college. What is it?

Some people choose not to use drugs in college because they want to make sure they’re able to get good grades. Others decide not to use them because they want to graduate as quickly as they can and pursue a career that they’re passionate about.

You need to come up with a reason for wanting to stay away from drugs and write it down. Put it on a piece of paper and hang it up next to your bed if you have to.

Keep your reason in mind at all times, especially when you’re feeling pressured to use drugs. Your reason will help you say no each and every time that you’re offered drugs at a party or another event.

Over time, you’ll find that it will become easier and easier to avoid drug use in college. You won’t have to remind yourself about your reasoning once you see how much better your college experience is when drugs aren’t in the picture.

You Can Avoid Drug Use in College and Still Have a Great Time

Just because you’re choosing not to use drugs in college does not mean that you can’t still enjoy yourself. You can meet a ton of people, get awesome grades, and soak up every bit of the college experience—all without drugs.

By avoiding drug use in college, you’ll keep yourself on the right path and hit your academic goals before it’s all said and done. In four years (or maybe less!), you’ll leave college with a diploma and a great understanding of where your life is headed next.
Are you a college student who suspects that you might have a drug problem? Stop letting drugs hold you back. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get clean and stay clean so that you can get back to focusing on your studies.

June 20, 2019September 29, 2021

Dual Diagnosis: What Is a Co-Occurring Disorder?

Approximately 50% of people who experience a mental health condition will also experience a problem with drugs or alcohol. With this realization, we thought it wise to look more into ‘Dual Diagnosis: What Is a Co-Occurring Disorder?’

When addiction and a mental health disorder occur together, it’s called co-occurring disorder. People suffering from co-occurring disorders need a different approach than traditional programs.

Co-occurring disorders need a treatment program that addresses both conditions together. Without an integrated approach to treatment, the condition that persists will hinder recovery.

Keep reading to learn more about this mental health diagnosis. Choosing the right treatment means knowing where to look for help.

What Is A Co-Occurring Disorder?

A co-occurring disorder is when a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder exist at the same time. It’s also known as dual disorders or a dual diagnosis.

The term applies to any combination of addiction and mental health disorder. For example, depression and alcoholism or anxiety and prescription pill addiction. It could also mean posttraumatic stress disorder and gambling.

Co-occurring disorders put an individual at a higher risk for some problems. These include relapses, financial problems, and family problems, and social isolation. Other problems include incarceration, serious medical illness, and sexual and physical victimization.

Understanding Substance Abuse Disorder

Substance abuse disorder can range from mild to severe. It can involve any number of drugs as well as alcohol.

Addiction is a disease that involves alcohol or drug abuse. Sometimes, but not always, it also involves dependence.

Drug and alcohol abuse is the use of a substance to the point that it interferes with life. This includes relationships, work, and school.

Dependence is more severe than abuse. Dependence is when a person is unable to abstain from or control their use of substances.

Drugs and alcohol change your brain chemistry over a prolonged period of use. Over time, this can lead to physiological dependence.

This is why someone with an alcohol or drug dependence experiences withdrawal symptoms. And withdrawal symptoms can be a deterrent to getting and staying clean.

Understanding Mental Health Conditions

Every year, 54 million people in the US suffer from a mental health condition. With over 200 types of mental illness, the specifics of each are wide and varied.

Every mental health condition has its own range of symptoms. And symptoms affect individuals in different ways.

For example, many people experience periods of depression and anxiety. The problem occurs when these symptoms impact daily life and relationships. At the point, it may indicate a mental health condition.

Some mental health conditions are more common in co-occurring diagnoses than others. Mental illnesses commonly found in co-occurring disorder are depression and anxiety. But they can also include bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

What Comes First?

It’s not always possible to tell what disorder was first. The fact is that both disorders have a compounding effect on one another.

The disorders exacerbate the symptoms of each other. This makes it very difficult to tell what symptoms are caused by what disorder.

Causes of Co-Occurring Disorders

Mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders share common causes. The development of these conditions is usually a combination of the following factors.

Biology

Brain chemistry varies between individuals. Some people’s brain chemistry is more prone to developing addictions. Changes in the chemical makeup and function of the brain can be caused by many things. This includes injury, early childhood exposure, prenatal development, and many other things.

Environment

Not having a supportive community can affect your tendency towards drugs. Having easy access to drugs and alcohol also makes you a higher risk for drug use. And a home permissive of drug and alcohol use is also a factor in addiction and mental health.

Trauma

Trauma can be caused by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. It can also be caused by personal experiences during a natural disaster or in a war. Even exposure to trauma can have a devastating effect on one’s mental health.

These experiences may lead to a condition like PTSD or anxiety disorder. But they can also cause a person to cope with negative thoughts by turning to drugs and alcohol.

Genetics

If you have a relative that struggles with mental health or addiction, you have a higher likelihood of developing one yourself.

Risk Factors of Co-Occurring Disorders

There are some factors that put you at a higher risk of developing a co-occurring disorder. These include:

Having one or more mental illnesses
Being newly diagnosed with a mental illness
Not receiving adequate treatment for a mental illness
Recent traumatic experience(s)
Prolonged or untreated substance abuse

Addiction and mental health don’t discriminate on social status, race, occupation, or gender. They can affect anybody at any time in life.

Symptoms of Co-Occurring Disorders

There are significant variations in the symptoms of a co-occurring disorder. The symptoms depend on the mental health condition involved. It also involves the type of substance and degree of abuse.

Some symptoms of a co-occurring disorder are as follows:

Financial trouble
Legal trouble
Instability in employment
Instability in housing
Social isolation
Sexual deviance (including prostitution)
Aggression and violent behavior
Unexplained shifts in mood
Poor personal hygiene
Health problems
Noncompliance

Suicidal thoughts are a common symptom for people suffering from co-occurring disorders. For that reason alone, seeking immediate help after receiving this diagnosis is crucial.

Diagnosing a Co-Occurring Disorder

The symptoms of mental health overlap with the symptoms of substance use disorders. This makes it difficult to identify which condition caused the other. This can also make co-occurring disorder difficult to diagnose.

But two key factors help a medical professional diagnose the co-occurring disorder. These symptoms make themselves present during treatment.

One symptom is a mental health condition that worsens while receiving treatment. If treatment isn’t working, the problem might be that there’s a co-occurring disorder.

People who have mental health disorders sometimes use substances to self-medicate. Self-medicating brings relief for their symptoms.

While receiving treatment for the mental health condition, they’re unable to take substances. When you take away the substance, their mental health symptoms become more pronounced

Another sign of a co-occurring disorder is substance abuse treatment that doesn’t help. When someone with a co-occurring disorder gets clean, their mental health condition persists.

Without addressing the underlying mental health condition, they’ll find it difficult to stay sober as those symptoms persist.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment

Mental health disorder and addiction problems used to be treated as separate issues. But we’ve learned more about co-occurring disorders.

Today we know that treating the conditions separately doesn’t have much success. Treating the mental health condition will not automatically improve the substance use disorder. The same can be said for the other way around.

Instead, treatment for co-occurring disorders requires one, integrated treatment plan. An integrated treatment plan means coordinating both the substance use program and mental health intervention.

This integrated approach to treatment should begin while an individual is detoxing. Following detox, an inpatient or residential rehabilitation program should be attended.

This gives the individual a chance to address both conditions without the influence of drugs and alcohol. It also provides a safe and structured environment. There, they can begin therapy and building life skills.

Treatment programs specializing in co-occurring disorders will typically offer similar schedules. This includes group sessions, family therapy, and individual therapy.

In individual therapy, patients will use behavioral treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy. These therapies help the patient to understand and change their behaviors.

Because of the mental health condition, many programs also offer pharmacotherapy. This involves using medication to treat the underlying mental health condition.

Co-occurring disorders need different treatment than single-diagnosis. Typically, that means longer and more intense treatment.

The combination of disorders means that there is more to understand. There are more behaviors to manage and the patient needs to learn coping tools for both conditions.

It also means that co-occurring disorders require a comprehensive aftercare program to support the patient in their real world circumstances.

The Right Diagnosis and Treatment

A co-occurring disorder involves substance abuse disorder and a mental health disorder. These two conditions exist at the same time, and they exacerbate one another. Meaning they make the symptoms of each worse than they would be on their own.

Because they’re intertwined, there’s no way to tell which caused the other. Regardless of which came first, they must be treated at the same time. Treating one and not the other doesn’t work.

These disorders need an integrated approach to treatment. But only specialized facilities have the resources for this type of treatment.If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder, we have the tools and resources you need to get help. Contact us for more information.

February 8, 2019September 28, 2022

Jobs for Recovering Addicts: How to Get Your Career on Track After Rehab

Jobs for Recovering Addicts: How to Get Your Career on Track

One of the most important ways to stay sober is to occupy your time and energy with a career. Here’s how to find the best jobs for recovering addicts.

Living with purpose is a cornerstone of the recovery process. That’s why pursuing a career is one of the most beneficial steps a person can make.

Careers not only develop purpose, but they also cultivate accountability, responsibility, management, communication, and more. In fact, the skills you learn in recovery overlap with the skills you gain from a rewarding career.

Most importantly, you need a stable career that aligns with the goals of your long-term recovery plan. This means some jobs are more suited for people leaving recovery than others.

Let’s take a look at the best jobs for recovering addicts to help you find the right career path.

Jobs to Avoid

It’s crucial to avoid careers that thrust you back toward addiction. Avoid any and all work environments where alcohol (or recreational drugs) are present. No job is worth compromising all your hard work.

Steer clear of these career paths after leaving recovery:

Bartender
Pharmacy associate
Liquor store clerk
Beverage host
Club doorman
Bar promoter

It’s so important to avoid careers that present potential triggers for relapse. These also include emotional triggers like stress. That’s why it’s best to avoid high-stress jobs immediately after recovery.

Corporate executive positions, jobs in law enforcement, and public relations are all high-stress jobs to think twice about.

Remember, talk to your recovery counselor and sponsor about which jobs to avoid before setting your sights on a career path.

Use Your Strengths

Recovery is a journey. Along the way, you pick up invaluable skills. Ask yourself, how can you lend these skills to your new career?

Many people discover a passion for helping others while in recovery and find themselves working as professional addiction counselors. This career path lets you apply your experience and best skills learned in recovery.

Did you grow your skills in building, cooperation, problem-solving, and writing at your program? These are all highly applicable (and preferred) skills for the job market.

Did you grow as a communicator in recovery? Strong communication is a tremendous career asset. Not only can it lead to an addiction counseling career, but a career in teaching or physical therapy.

Here are several more careers to consider!

Art Therapist

For art therapists, art is more than just aesthetics. It’s a means to communicate. This is a wonderful career path that blends the creative and communication skills learned in recovery.

Art therapy is also recommended for people suffering from severe anxiety, self-esteem issues, trauma, and addiction. Since it’s offered at many recovery programs, art therapy, like addiction counseling, is a natural career fit for recovering addicts.

This career typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. However, a master’s is highly preferred. Art therapy masters programs are offered at several schools across the country, including the University of Chicago, Pratt Institute, University of Louisville, and Drexel University.

There are many more art therapy masters programs to pursue. But if you’re looking for something more flexible, you can earn an art therapy degree online through Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Colorado State University Online, and the International University of Professional Studies.

More Therapy Careers to Consider

Art therapy is one of many therapy jobs for recovering addicts. If you don’t want to become a therapist, but enjoy the field, you can always work as a therapy office manager or assistant. This is a good way to get your feet wet before pursuing a therapy career or degree.

You could also pursue a career in physical therapy, eating disorder therapy, trauma therapy, or social work therapy.

Wellness Careers

Another skill acquired through recovery is a passion for wellness. This passion could lead to these rewarding careers:

Yoga teacher and trainer
Personal trainer
Nutritionist or dietitian
Health store associate
Mindfulness coach
Aerobics instructor
Gym employee
Health food chef
Aromatherapy specialist

Let’s take a closer look at some of these exciting jobs for recovering addicts!

Yoga Teacher and Trainer

Remember, how important it is to choose a career that fits with your recovery goals? Nothing fits the bill more than yoga.

Yoga keeps you both physically and spiritually fit. These are essential tools for addiction recovery and this career path. If you already picked up yoga at your recovery program, build on your progress and channel these skills into a rewarding career.

To give yourself a leg up in the job market, make sure you have a certificate of completion by your side. Trained yoga teachers are expected to complete a set amount of hours before becoming instructors. Programs approved by the Yoga Alliance mandate at least 200 hours of training.

Personal Trainer

Like yoga, a career as a personal trainer aligns right with your recovery goals. You can maintain your physical fitness, help others, and apply communication skills learned in recovery.

While not mandatory, a professional certification in personal training is a great resume booster.

But not just any personal trainer certificate will do! Make sure it’s from one of these five certifying institutions:

National Strength and Conditioning Association
American Council on Exercise
International Sports Sciences Association
American College of Sports Medicine
National Academy of Sports Medicine

As a certified personal trainer, you can land a job at a major gym or even start your own business with clients.

Nutritionist

As you know, nutrition plays an important role in both detox and recovery. If your recovery program inspired a passion for healthy eating, imagine what you could do for others.

Most entry-level positions in this field require at least a bachelor’s degree. To take your career higher, consider pursuing a nutrition master’s program at Boston University, New York Chiropractic College, University of Connecticut, or John Hopkins Center for Human Nutrition.

There are also flexible online degrees through Arizona State University Online, Purdue University Global, and American University.

A degree, or experience, in nutrition can also lead to opportunities in health-related retail, health food service, food labeling, food safety, and education.

Health Food Chef

Don’t let those culinary skills go to waste!

If you have an exceptional palate and the cooking skills to match, parlay it into a fulfilling career as a chef! Careers that require you to focus on patterned tasks, like cooking, are ideal jobs for recovering addicts.

This doesn’t mean you have to work in a high-stress restaurant. Pursue low-stress food service jobs or chef positions you’re familiar with at recovery centers. You could even build a rewarding career as a personal chef and cook for others right in their own home!

Consider open chef positions at vegan cafes, smoothie shops, raw food restaurants, and other health food establishments.

Outdoor Jobs for Recovering Addicts

Fresh air is essential for a strong immune system, healthy brain function, energy, and stress reduction. These are just a few of the reasons why outdoor careers are some of the best jobs for recovering addicts.

Luckily, there are several job categories to choose from. Here are some popular careers that take you outdoors:

Gardening and landscaping
Geologist
Botanical garden employee
Garden groundskeeper
Farming
Plant nursery employee
Nature guide
Dog walker

Let’s hop outside and take a deep dive into some of these awesome careers.

Gardener

Like being a chef, a career as a professional gardener lets you focus on patterned tasks. This is an important trait to look for when deciding on jobs for recovering addicts.

Not everyone is a people-person or has the communication skills required for counseling, therapy, or management careers. Jobs with patterned routines are great for individuals who prefer to work independently.

Gardening is also creative and physical, two more traits to look for in a post-recovery career. A day in the life of a gardener may include raking, mowing, seed planting, pruning, watering, and more.

Related careers to consider include plant nursery associate, florist, and landscape designer.

Nature Guide

Coming out of recovery, it’s important to immerse yourself in nature and fresh air. There’s no better way to do this than to get involved with your city’s state parks!

You can also turn your love of nature into a fulfilling career as a nature guide. Look for open positions at public parks, local zoos, botanical gardens, and other outdoor attractions. Private companies may also have positions available for outdoor tour guides.

Dog Walker

Did a four-legged best friend help you through recovery? If you’re a dog person skilled in training, dog walking may be the perfect career for you!

Not only do you get to work with what you love, but you can also maintain a schedule that works with your recovery plan. A daytime schedule that works around your recovery is an important quality to look for in a career.

Not a dog person? No problem! Become a cat sitter or apply for a job at your local pet supply store or shelter.

Start Your New Chapter

A new career is your next stop on the recovery journey! Set yourself up for success with a career that aligns with your long-term goals for recovery.

Remember, your counselors and sponsors are here to help you make the right career decision for your new sober life. Use this article as a guide to help you find the right career and path that fits your needs.

You’re never alone in recovery. Check back often for more tools on navigating your recovery or talk to an expert who can help right away.