Per Wickstrom

Struggling through decades of addiction taught Best Drug Rehabilitation founder Per Wickstrom some important lessons. His big breakthrough in his battle with addiction came when he realized that he needed to commit to sobriety for himself before any form of treatment could benefit him. Per Wickstrom went on to apply that same lesson elsewhere in his life: no one was going to hand things to him, and no one and nothing was going to solve his problems for him. He had to do it himself. After his recovery, Per Wickstrom decided he wanted to do more with his life than continue his career as a salesperson. One of General Motors’ top salespeople before checking into treatment, he realized that he should capitalize on this strength when shifting from one career to another. Mr. Wickstrom initially did this when persuading a bank to loan him the funds to start his first treatment center, then in convincing patients of the efficacy of his holistic treatment approach. His center has since become one of the largest of its type in the United States. Today, Per Wickstrom shares his experience with addiction and the development of life skills through a number of channels, including Twitter, where more than 1,000 people follow his feed. Additional outlets include Flickr and his personal blog, where Mr. Wickstrom regularly posts articles on a wide range of topics, including managing time and overcoming hardships in business as well as subjects of interest to people with addictions and their families.

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How to Get the Most from a Drug Rehabilitation Program

Per Wickstrom, who overcame his own struggles with addiction, is the founder of multiple rehabilitation centers in Michigan. Most recently, Per Wickstrom opened Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, which connects clients to a holistic rehabilitation experience. As Wickstrom knows from personal experience, rehabilitation presents numerous challenges, and individuals must understand how to get the most from a program in order to reduce their risk of relapse. 

                            One of the most important aspects of successful rehabilitation is honesty. Individuals cannot get to the root of their addiction if they are not honest with themselves and the professionals trying to help them. Furthermore, individuals should strive to develop relationships with other clients in the rehabilitation program. Through mutual respect and responsibility, individuals can build a support network for life after the rehabilitation center. In general, people begin abusing substances as a response to problems in their own lives. A rehabilitation program provides an environment in which to identify these problems and find better solutions. Without recognizing and adopting healthy solutions, individuals will return to their old and unhealthy ways when confronted with the problem again.

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The Dangers of Abusing Bath Salts

Dedicated to providing individuals and families with the resources necessary for overcoming addiction, Per Wickstrom has established multiple recovery centers, including Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, Michigan. Wickstrom continually strives to offer information on the newest dangers facing both adolescents and adults. One of the most pressing issues for substance abuse professionals today is the rising availability of bath salts, a term that refers to substances containing mephedrone or methylenedioxypyrovalerone. The media has sensationalized the violent behavior that can result from bath salt abuse, but this response is not typical. That said, many users suffer from acute paranoia and lack the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy. One of the major problems associated with bath salt abuse is insomnia. Some users have reported taking sleeping pills while high with absolutely no relief. Lack of sleep can quickly lead to extreme depression or temporary psychotic episodes. It can also increase adrenaline in the body, which tricks the mind into thinking that it is in danger. Other side effects of bath salt abuse include excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting, panic attacks, hallucinations, and seizures. In some cases, bath salt abuse has led to death. Individuals can learn more about this and other substances through Per Wickstrom’s website, www.perwickstrom.com.

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The Five Spiritual Treatment Modalities at Best Drug Rehabilitation

After a substance abuse rehabilitation program saved his own life, Per Wickstrom dedicated himself to providing the same opportunities to other individuals struggling with addiction. He founded Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, Michigan, a rehabilitation center that seeks to help clients overcome all aspects of addiction, including the physical, behavioral, spiritual, and emotional. Through Best Drug Rehabilitation, Per Wickstrom connects individuals to a personalized recovery program that offers five primary modalities through which they can explore spiritual recovery: self-help, faith-based, cognitive-behavioral therapy, holistic, and indigenous. The self-help track is non-religious and involves group support that relies on traditional topics related to addiction and recovery. The faith-based program allows clients to explore Christian values and beliefs to strengthen their spirituality and develop tools to prevent relapse. Cognitive-behavioral therapy emphasizes that behavior patterns and reactions can be changed even if outside stimuli remain the same. Individuals interested in holistic recovery can include yoga, meditation, martial arts, Eastern philosophies, and more in their recovery programs. The indigenous path draws on tribal beliefs for recovery and offers a 12-step group that takes into account cultural differences within Native American society.

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Pacha’s Pajamas Receives Best Children’s Music Album Nomination

Since his own struggles with substance abuse, Per Wickstrom has founded multiple rehabilitation centers, including Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, Michigan. Outside of his work in the field of recovery, Per Wickstrom remains actively involved in other initiatives to improve quality of life for various populations.  One of the programs that Per Wickstrom supports, Imagination Heals, works with children struggling with serious diseases in a number of hospitals. The program provides them with exciting activities, such as Laughter Yoga, and the opportunity to use their imagination with musical adventures like the Pacha’s Pajamas Story Cipher. Combining music and an exciting, engaging story, Pacha’s Pajamas provides an opportunity for children to momentarily escape from their daily lives in the hospital and engage in a new story. Earlier this year, the Independent Music Awards recognized Pacha’s Pajamas with a nomination for Best Children’s Music Album. This awards program recognizes self-released and independent label artists. Five albums received nominations for Best Children’s Music Album.  For more information on Imagination Heals and the Pacha’s Pajamas Story Cipher, visit www.imaginationheals.us.

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Strategies for Overcoming Peer Pressure to Use Drugs and Alcohol

As a Recovered addict Per Wickstrom has established multiple treatment centers in Michigan. Per Wickstrom most recently founded Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, where he offers holistic, personalized treatment. The development of coping skills in the face of various circumstances, including peer pressure, remains one of the primary objectives of this center. Understanding how to address and overcome peer pressure at all ages can prevent individuals from developing substance abuse patterns in the first place and relapse during the recovery phase. Although many people associate peer pressure with teens, it exists at all stages of life. The primary skill necessary for dealing with peer pressure is recognizing it. Once recognized, it can be dealt with by drawing on a variety of techniques, depending on the situation. These techniques include learning how to exit a situation gracefully, deal with fear of rejection, assert one’s prerogative without offending others, and stand by one’s convictions. Importantly, individuals must analyze the primary source or sources of peer pressure in their lives and develop new peer groups that do not promote negative, destructive behaviors. Part of overcoming peer pressure lies in removing one’s self from situations that involve it.

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The Purpose and Benefits of Imagination Heals’ Laughter Yoga

The founder of Best Drug Rehabilitation in Manistee, Michigan, Per Wickstrom connects individuals to holistic recovery from substance abuse. Outside of his work with Best Drug Rehabilitation, Per Wickstrom remains actively involved with the activities of Imagination Heals, a program that seeks to improve the quality of life of children in the hospital. One of the organization’s key programs, Laughter Yoga, strives to improve mood and reduce anxiety. Additionally, Laughter Yoga creates a group environment in which children can build relationships with each other and the hospital staff members who participate. Laughter is a key component to recovery, as it encourages resiliency and develops coping skills. When individuals laugh, their limbic systems become stimulated. This system regulates emotion, behavior, motivation, and long-term memory. In addition, laughter exercises the entire body and can actually prove a rather rigorous workout for the face and abdomen muscles. Increased heart rates and blood flow boost the immune system by triggering the production of new white blood cells.

For more about Per Wickstrom and his pursuits, visit his website at www.perwickstrom.com.

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