For Weight Loss, a Recipe of Teamwork and Trust

For many youth in India, illegal drugs are readily available, but rehab is socially stigmatized, government resources and information for narcotics are sparse, and there are few options for a user looking to get clean. A group of people in recovery in Sikkim has formed a football team as a means to recover, finding social support and exercise that is proven to aid in sustainable rehabilitation from drug use.

InSHAPE provides access to tailored health and fitness programs for people living with serious mental illnesses, helping them quit drinking and smoking, learn about nutrition and build a sense of community through gym memberships and workout groups. InSHAPE has been operating for 20 years, and studies show 60% of participants have clinically significant improvements in their physical health after a year in the program.

Back on My Feet helps people experiencing homelessness and substance use through the power of exercise, specifically running. Participants have ran more than 950,000 miles and 70% of them have found employment and housing. Moreover, participating in the group helps people in need find a sense of community and build a support system.

Alcohol has claimed more lives in Rio Arriba County in the past five years than other drugs. SMART, a secular alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, provides one path toward recovery, increasingly incorporating scientific findings into treatment as well as support for family members of addicts, helping them change the environment.

A comprehensive rehabilitation facility in Taos, New Mexico uses a holistic approach to curbing addiction by offering group therapy along with traditional medical treatment. By addressing deeper mental and emotional factors that can lead to addiction, the Questa Health Center has enabled addicts to face their demons head-on, with constant support.

The best way to lose weight is to join a small group. This article looks at the case study of Saddleback Church in southern California that mixed faith and peer support to help congregates lose weight, including the pastor. Surveys found that 72% of participants lost weight as a result of the program.

Cities across the world are learning that a tax on sugary drinks can help to shift purchasing habits and reduce the risks of health problems such as diabetes, heart attacks, and stroke. As a Boulder council member explained, modifying the behavior of consumers is possible when you "tax the behavior you don’t want and use the money to encourage behavior you do."

To prevent suicide amongst youth, research has shown that there's a simple strategy to get people the supports they need: training the adults in their lives on how to recognize warning signs and provide help. While the research is still preliminary, it highlights one more intervention technique to prevent teen suicide by helping youth in recovery stick to their treatment plans.

Criminal justice reform succeeds when states prioritize rehabilitation and over punishment. In North Dakota, the Free Through Recovery program increases the number of stakeholders in a parolee’s success, creating multiple levels of behavioral health support. The program is part of a criminal justice legislation package that included sentencing reforms and alternatives to incarceration. The state has been successful in beginning to reduce its overcrowded prison populations and serves as a model for other states.

A nonprofit in Charleston, South Carolina, uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help formerly incarcerated men shift their mindsets in order to meet the hefty challenges they face re-entering society. Turning Leaf Project actually pays students to take at least 150 hours of CBT and connects them to entry-level jobs in the city and county. So far participants have stayed out of prison, but keeping students in the program is challenging.