by Kind Dev | Dec 19, 2024 | Addiction
John Lennon famously sang, “And so this is Christmas / and what have you done / another year over / and a new one’s just begun.” Regardless of what winter holiday one celebrates, it is a time of reflection and goal-setting for the future. This can be especially true for those individuals in treatment and recovery. Over the holidays, it is important to keep a positive mindset that doesn’t dwell too much in the past or get too wrapped up in the uncertainties of the future. The good news is there are many tools and techniques that can help one avoid a relapse over the holidays.
The Prevalence of Addiction in the U.S.
Every day, addiction affects millions of people in the U.S. and beyond. This is especially true of alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is also the most common addiction that occurs today. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), “28.9 million people ages 12 and older (10.2% in this age group) had AUD in the past year. This includes 16.8 million males ages 12 and older (12.1% in this age group)” and “12.0 million females ages 12 and older (8.3% in this age group).”
Many people also struggle with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the U.S. This has been bolstered in recent years by the uptick of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Also, fentanyl is now showing up in many illicit substances, leaving unsuspecting individuals in the crosshairs of addiction, overdose, and overdose death. It is also true that many people struggle with co-occurring disorders of addiction and mental health.
How Common Are Co-Occurring Disorders?
Co-occurring disorders are significantly more common than many people may think. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders….Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.”
These co-occurring disorders can be particularly damaging because one issue can often overshadow the other. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or an underdiagnosis. That is why it is so critical to see a specialist who focuses on both addiction and mental illness if there is any suspicion that a co-occurring disorder may be present. However, before seeing a specialist, it is also important to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of addiction.
Better Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Addiction to Avoid a Relapse
Now, of course, the signs and symptoms of addiction are always going to vary based on the individual. However, one can look out for many universal signs and symptoms. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
- Experiencing physical ailments such as headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Not being able to stop once starting drinking or using
- Experiencing trouble at work or school
- Loss of appetite and a lack of care regarding physical appearance and wellbeing
- Exhibiting excessive mood swings
- Causing harm to oneself or others
- Having suicidal ideations
Now, many people can minimize addiction or falsely categorize it. However, as one can see, these signs and symptoms are significant and can be deadly. This is why reaching out for professional help sooner rather than later is critical. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
The Importance of Detox for Avoiding a Relapse
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapses can be. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Addiction Relapse Prevention by Doctors Guenzel and McChargue, “One primary concern in addiction treatment is the high rate of relapses within a short period after even the most intensive treatment. Many studies have shown relapse rates of approximately 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs that often last 4 to 12 weeks or more and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.”
One of the best ways to avoid becoming one of these statistics is to begin the recovery process the correct way. For many individuals, this involves starting with a safe and secure detox. A professional detox will ensure that the individual gets all of the direct attention they need at a crucial time in their recovery. It will also ensure that an individual is physically and mentally safe.
Many people don’t realize that detoxing from certain substances, especially alcohol, can be very uncomfortable and even deadly. A professional detox setting will ensure that an individual gets all of the nutrient replenishment that they need, as well as making sure that they remain hydrated. An effective detox will also connect an individual to the next stages of their recovery.
Avoiding a Relapse With Day Treatment
Many people are confused when it comes to day treatment. They feel that it may be less rigorous or effective than residential care. This is simply untrue. Day treatment has been shown to be highly effective and is a comprehensive and intensive form of recovery.
Day treatment generally involves five eight-hour days a week, including many means, methods, and modalities. These modalities include (but are not limited to) psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation.
Day treatment can also be highly beneficial to the individual who needs to keep on foot in their everyday lives. This individual may have familial or occupational responsibilities that need attention. However, even though individuals remain active in their everyday lives, they will have the tools to avoid a relapse. This includes a relapse over the holidays.
Avoiding a Relapse Over the Holidays
The holidays can be a difficult time for anyone. However, this can be especially true for individuals in treatment and recovery. These difficulties can easily lead to a relapse if an individual does not have the tools set in place.
One of the best ways to avoid a relapse over the holidays is to stay connected to one’s recovery plan. This means continuing regular therapy sessions, maintaining a daily routine of physical and emotional health (such as meditation and exercise), and connecting with others in recovery (such as attending 12-Step meetings).
The good news is that one does not need to be glum over the holidays to avoid a relapse. For example, many people feel that they cannot be around others who are drinking over the holidays. This does not need to be the case. As long as one maintains their recovery “fitness” and stays connected to their plan, they will have the tools to navigate nearly every situation and avoid a relapse.
Enjoying the Holidays in Recovery
People don’t get sober to shut down and no longer enjoy life. They get sober because they want a new sense of freedom, out from under the thumb of drugs and alcohol. Perhaps, this is no truer than around the holiday season.
Enjoying the holidays in recovery simply requires a little preparation. It requires having alternative plans when a situation begins to feel triggering. It involves having a “game plan” when going to a holiday function, such as having nonalcoholic beverages available and knowing what to say if asked why they don’t drink. One of the best ways to avoid a relapse and enjoy the holidays is to connect to others in recovery.
Avoiding a Relapse: Connecting With Others Over the Holidays
Working with others in recovery is an essential part of staying sober. It is so essential that there is even a chapter entitled “Working With Others” in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (most commonly referred to as the Big Book). The chapter states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail….You can help when no one else can.”
Day treatment is an ideal place to meet others in recovery. This is where one can build a healthy “sober network” that one can rely on when situations arise over the holidays. Working with others also gives people a purpose in recovery, which can be an essential aspect of the process. One of the best places to make a connection to other people in recovery is via group therapy, but that is not the only therapeutic modality that can help one recover.
Avoiding a Relapse: Means, Methods, and Modalities
One must take a multi-angled approach to recovery. This means focusing on all aspects of the “Self” during treatment – the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
The reality is that the recovery industry is worth billions of dollars. Unfortunately, this reality has created many predatory recovery centers that care more about their bottom line than their client’s well-being. They offer only overarching “cookie-cutter” recovery plans that don’t consider the individual.
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we know that this approach rarely works. That is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, including psychotherapies like CBT and DBT.
Better Understanding Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT comes out of the school of CBT and was originally focused solely on suicidal women with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it has since moved into the realm of other aspects of addiction and mental health recovery.
DBT can be particularly effective because it focuses on the underlying issues of addiction and mental illness and helps to address the negative way that one views oneself and the world around them. This therapy then works to adjust the negative cognitions (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and behaviors (actions) that drive an individual’s addiction.
DBT works with five functions. The three most critical are enhancing capabilities, generalizing capabilities, and enhancing motivation. Regarding enhancing motivation, the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry (Edgmont) states, “A third function of DBT involves improving patients’ motivation to change and reducing behaviors inconsistent with a life worth living. This function primarily is accomplished in individual therapy. Each week, the therapist has the patient complete a self-monitoring form (called a “diary card”) on which he or she tracks various treatment targets (e.g., self-harm, suicide attempts, emotional misery).” This therapy also works well with other types of modalities, like experiential therapy.
Better Understanding Nature-Based Therapies
Nature-based therapies can be essential for recovering at the cellular level. Many people lose touch with nature because addiction isolates them away from these types of healthy experiences. However, connecting to nature can be incredibly healing.
Nature immersion therapy also offers many other benefits, especially something known as “connectedness to nature”. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN). Various environmental psychologists have different interpretations of the term. For some, CN refers to the emotional bond between humans and nature; the extent to which individuals perceive themselves to be part of the natural environment and their relationship with it.” This “CN” can also be bolstered by additional holistic healing methods.
Better Understanding Holistic Healing Methods
Healing holistically (meaning physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) can be essential for long-term recovery and avoiding a relapse. There are many ways to make this holistic healing happen. One highly effective way is via yoga. Yoga offers both physical and spiritual components that are highly productive tools for people in recovery. It can also connect an individual to a meditation practice.
Meditation offers a myriad of benefits. According to the International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda (AYU), “During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall. Research has confirmed a myriad of health benefits associated with the practice of meditation. These include stress reduction, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, reduction in pain (both physical and psychological), improved memory, and increased efficiency.” Additionally, ”A study on the effect of meditation on the executive attentional network found that meditators were faster on all tasks.”
Another way to combine the positive effects of connectedness to nature and meditation is via horticulture therapy. Horticulture therapy can be an ideal way for one to bolster their recovery. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “People’s interactions with plants, through goal-orientated horticultural activities in the form of active gardening, as well as the passive appreciation of nature, could be therapeutic to people with mental disorders in many ways. First, horticulture could have emotional benefits, such as reducing stress, reducing psychiatric symptoms, stabilizing mood, and increasing the sense of tranquility, spirituality, and enjoyment. Second, it could help people to reduce fatigue and restore attention and cognitive ability.”
A Focus on the Individual at NorthStar Recovery Center
John Lennon concludes his song, “A very merry Christmas / And a happy New Year / Let’s hope it’s a good one / Without any fear.” That is one of the gifts of sobriety – no longer having any fear or anxiety about what the future may hold.
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” That is why our recovery plans are comprehensive, individualized, and focus on the future. This can best ensure that there are no relapses over the holidays.
Recovery is out there. There is hope, and we can help. The key is to take that first step and reach out, especially over the holidays.
Relapses can be very common over the holidays. This is why it is critical to understand the prevalence and dangers of relapse, as well as be aware of some solutions to avoid a relapse. Many tools, like relapse prevention plans, can ensure that the entire family has a safe and healthy holiday season. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about avoiding a relapse over the holidays, please reach out to NorthStarRecovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.
by Kind Dev | Dec 5, 2024 | Addiction
The iconic American author and philosopher Joseph Campbell famously said, “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” This is especially true for individuals in recovery. However, many people avoid getting the help they need because they don’t feel it’s “the right time.” Many people also worry about handling day treatment over the holidays. The good news is that, with the right recovery center, this worry is unfounded. There are many effective ways to recover from addiction, even during the holidays.
The Prevalence of Addiction in the U.S.
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent addiction is in the U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8.0 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD.”
Now, while these statistics can seem overwhelming, the important thing is not to get discouraged. Recovery is possible; it’s just a matter of reaching out for the right help. Unfortunately, many people are unable to do this. This may be for many reasons, but one of the primary ones is that people don’t realize that they have a problem. This is why it is so important to be able to detect and understand the signs and symptoms of addiction when they manifest.
The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
Of course, the signs and symptoms of addiction are going to vary based on the individual. However, there are many universal signs that there may be a problem. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
- Experiencing otherwise unexplained physical symptoms like headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
- Feeling an overwhelming sense of dread
- Not being able to stop using or drinking once started
- Feeling overly anxious, nervous, or “stressed out”
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness (depression)
- Experiencing alcohol or substance-related trouble at work or school
- Committing self-harm
- Having suicidal ideations
As one can see, these are significant issues, which is why if any, many, or all of the symptoms manifest, it is important to seek help sooner rather than later. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
The Prevalence of Trauma and PTSD
Many people who struggle with addiction also struggle with mental illness. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders…. Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.” Many of these people also struggle with issues of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).
Trauma is highly prevalent around the world, affecting millions of people daily. According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Medicine, “General population studies have shown that a large proportion of people in developed countries have been exposed to at least one TE in their lifetime (estimates from 28 to 90%), with the most common events being the unexpected death of a loved one, motor vehicle accidents and being mugged.”
The same is true with PTSD. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Center for PTSD, “About 6 out of every 100 people (or 6% of the U.S. population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.” Also, “About 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. has PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD.” Yet, many of these people don’t get the proper addiction care that they need because they are not properly dual-diagnosed. This is where the importance of individualized care comes in.
The Importance of Individualized and Comprehensive Addiction Care
The treatment and recovery industry is now worth multi-billions of dollars. Unfortunately, this means that there are many predatory recovery centers out there that put their bottom line above their client’s care. These are the types of recovery centers that only offer broad over-arching “cookie-cutter” recovery plans that don’t take the individual into account.
No two people’s recovery journey is the same. This means that their recovery plan shouldn’t be the same either. Yet, across the board, this seems to be what is happening. This is not the case at NorthStar Recovery Center. We find that “one-size-fits-all” recovery rarely works.
Individualized treatment plans that focus on the individual rather than the diagnosis are key. As the father of modern medicine Hippocrates famously said, “It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.” These individual plans must also be comprehensive, using modalities from multiple areas of recovery. This includes psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation.
How to Get the Help One Needs
The key to getting help is “willingness.” The reality is that if one thinks they may have a problem with addiction, they most likely do. People who don’t have an issue with addiction most likely are not asking the question, “Do I have a problem.”
However, asking the question is the first step toward a better and more fulfilling life. When that willingness exists it is important to reach out for help right away. The window when one is willing can close very quickly. The best way to reach out for help is to tell a loved one. This will ensure that there is someone to advocate for recovery. The next step is to reach out to recovery centers. Any reputable recovery center will be able to either help (with insurance, for example) or find an individual the right place for them. This is how we operate at NorthStar Recovery Center, including over the holidays.
What Exactly Is Day Treatment?
Many people are under the misconception that day treatment is less intense than residential treatment. This is simply untrue. Day treatment offers all of the means, methods, and modalities of residential addiction care, but it also offers the freedom to keep one foot in everyday life.
Day treatment usually entails eight-hour days, five days a week. It will include therapy, recovery meetings, and other exciting types of treatments like nature-based therapies. It will also include some accountability like requiring one to attend outside recovery meetings and alcohol and substance testing. This can be worrisome to some who wonder about handling day treatment over the holidays. The good news is that with the right recovery plan, there need be no worries.
Handling Day Treatment Over the Holidays
The key to handling day treatment over the holidays is to stay connected to one’s recovery plan and to focus on both “one day at a time,” as well as healthy goals for the future. It is also important to stay close to other people in recovery.
Connecting with other people in recovery who have shared experiences can be highly beneficial. This is even discussed in length in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (commonly referred to as the Big Book). The chapter is entitled “Working With Others,” and it states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail… You can help when no one else can.”
Staying connected to sober people in recovery can also make the holidays more enjoyable and help to avoid a potential relapse. Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse can be. According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Also, “For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.”
Handling Day Treatment: Better Understanding Means, Methods, and Modalities
The key to effective long-term recovery is to utilize a multi-angled approach that uses many means, methods, and modalities for treatment. This is also how one gets the essential underlying issues that one must address if they are to fully recover at the cellular level.
It is often said in recovery rooms and 12-Step meetings, “We come for our drinking, and we stay for our thinking.” This is because addiction recovery is about much more than simply putting down the drink or the drug. It is about addressing what caused one to pick up that drink or drug in the first place. This is where psychotherapies like DBT and CBT can be so helpful and effective.
Handling Day Treatment: Psychotherapies
CBT is particularly effective at treating addiction because it gets to the underlying issues and negative ways in which one views oneself and the world around them. It also helps to address essential negative cognitions (thoughts) and emotions (feelings) to best address and modify negative behaviors (actions).
CBT is also highly effective because it offers autonomy and makes the individual part of the recovery process. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy Research, “Consistent with the medical model of psychiatry, the overall goal of treatment is symptom reduction, improvement in functioning, and remission of the disorder. In order to achieve this goal, the patient becomes an active participant in a collaborative problem-solving process to test and challenge the validity of maladaptive cognitions and to modify maladaptive behavioral patterns…. Although these strategies greatly emphasize cognitive factors, physiological, emotional, and behavioral components are also recognized for the role that they play in the maintenance of the disorder.”
CBT is also highly effective when used with other psychotherapies like DBT and trauma-informed therapy. It is also benefitted by the use of experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy.
Handling Day Treatment: Experiential Therapies
As its name suggests, experiential therapy is more about having experiences –rather than merely having discussions in “talk therapy.” Often these experiences are either adventure-based or involve creative output. This is the case with art therapy.
Art therapy is particularly effective for people who struggle with addiction and co-occurring mental illness. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Art therapy is used most commonly to treat mental illnesses and can aid in controlling manifestations correlated with psychosocially challenging behaviors, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing the quality of life. [It] can help people express themselves more freely, improve their mental health, and improve interpersonal relationships. The basis of art therapy is established on the idea that people can recover and feel better via artistic expression.”
Nature is also highly effective when engaging in experiential therapy. This is because nature offers a myriad of benefits. According to the U.S. National Park Service, “5 minutes walking in nature improves mood, self-esteem, and relaxation. Frequent exposure to nature reduces anxiety and depression while promoting a sense of wellbeing and fulfillment.” Also, “Physical activity in a green space can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels by 15%.” Also, many holistic healing methods like yoga can be utilized outdoors.
Handling Day Treatment: Holistic Healing Methods
The iconic yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar famously said, “Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. Originally it was solely a religious and/or spiritual practice, but it has since moved into the recovery realm.
The benefits of yoga therapy are vast and varied. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.” It can also help manage stress over the holidays.
Handling Day Treatment Over the Holidays: Setting Healthy Goals for Long-Term Recovery
Setting goals in recovery can be pivotal. This is because it gives an individual purpose and drive.
There is perhaps no better time to set healthy recovery goals than around the holidays and the new year. As is often said, “New year, new you.” This is what handling the holidays in recovery is all about: positive forward momentum. As previously mentioned, it can also help to reduce the chances of a potential relapse.
Healing Over the Holidays With NorthStar Recovery Center
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” We also believe in handling the holidays in healthy ways like celebrating milestones and safe and sober gift-giving.
Joseph Campbell also famously said, “Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” Yes, handling the holidays in recovery can be challenging. However, it is also a time to show us that the choices we have made will forever make our lives more fulfilled and beyond our wildest dreams.
Entering addiction treatment can be difficult at any time, but this can be especially true over the winter holidays. The good news is there are many effective ways to navigate being in day treatment over the holidays, as well as some effective modalities that can help with recovery in the long term. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about handling day treatment over the holidays, please reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.
by Kind Dev | Nov 24, 2024 | Addiction
The iconic English philosopher Herbert Spencer famously said, “The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.” This is also true of the mindset an individual must possess if they are to truly be free in their recovery. They must not want to “shut the door” on the past but always remember that the future is friendly. The effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain and the body can be destructive and intense, but they don’t have to be forever. There is a solution. Recovery is out there.
Drugs and Alcohol: Better Understanding Addiction
There is little doubt that a significant drug and alcohol problem is facing the U.S. and other countries around the world. There are many reasons for this.
One is that alcohol is legal and highly promoted as safe and “fun,” yet remains the number one addictive substance around the world – a substance that destroys the lives of millions of individuals and their families every year. Two is that there remains an opioid epidemic in the U.S. (and around the world) that continues to get worse as synthetic opioids like fentanyl continue to flood the streets and into people’s homes.
Third is the legalization and minimization of cannabis in the U.S., which touts the drug as harmless and non-addictive but does not mention all of the damage that it causes. Lastly, four is all of the other substances that remain highly prevalent and unchecked around the world – substances like methamphetamines, cocaine, MDMA, psychedelics, and kratom (just to name a few).
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8.0 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD.” These are the types of numbers that remind us of how important proper mental health and addiction care is. This proper care must be comprehensive, and crucially, it must be comprehensive.
The Importance of Individualized Addiction Care
Now, the fact of the matter is that no two people’s addiction story is ever going to be the same. It is for this reason that two peoples’ addiction care should not be the same either.
The reality is that the addiction recovery industry is worth billions of dollars. Because of this fact, many recovery centers focus more on their bottom line than on the well-being of their clients. These are the types of recovery centers and treatment facilities that only offer broad overarching treatment plans that don’t take the individual into account.
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we know that those types of plans rarely work. They do not get to the underlying issues that so often need to be addressed for an individual to fully recover. This is why we only offer focused individualized recovery plans that begin with a personalized intake process that considers one’s background, current situation, and future goals. We then use that information to create a wholly individualized recovery plan. Of course, those recovery plans are also highly comprehensive.
The Importance of Comprehensive Addiction Care
It is critical to connect with a recovery center that has access to multiple means, methods, and modalities for recovery. When a recovery center only has one form of treatment, what happens if that treatment does not work for the client? Then, there is nowhere left to turn.
With comprehensive recovery plans, there is always the next right recovery method to replace one that may not work or slowly starts to lose efficacy. That is what comprehensive recovery is all about. It is about being malleable in treating the individual.
For example, some individuals who struggle with drugs and alcohol also suffer from treatment-resistant depression. Many of the traditional modalities are going to be ineffective with them. However, when there are multiple options, there is a much better chance of finding something that will work or a combination of treatments that will work. Of course, one can only get to this stage if they first recognize and understand that there is a problem.
Drugs and Alcohol: The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
Because “drugs and alcohol” issues are on such a broad spectrum, it is not possible to categorize all of their symptoms under one umbrella. However, there are some universal signs and symptoms that can help an individual or a loved one see that there may be a problem with drugs and alcohol. The following are a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
- Having otherwise unexplained physical issues like headaches and gastrointestinal problems
- Struggling with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
- Loss of appetite and drastic changes in appearance
- Feeling overly anxious, nervous, or “stressed out”
- Having feelings of worthlessness, loneliness, or helplessness
- Struggling with depression or other co-occurring issues of mental health
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Committing self-harm or harm to others
- Having suicidal ideations
As one can see, these are significant signs and symptoms – ones that should not be ignored. That is why if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on the Brain
Many people forget about the damage that drugs and alcohol can have on the brain because the physical symptoms are so much more obvious. However, the cognitive (and biological) damage that drugs and alcohol can have on the brain is significant. For example, alcohol can actually make the brain “age” quicker.
Studies prove this. According to the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients, “There is a longstanding notion that alcohol has an interactive effect on the biological aging processes, whereby the brains of alcohol dependent individuals resemble those of chronologically older individuals who do not have alcohol dependence. Imaging studies have long found that the loss of grey matter volume as well as the disturbances to white matter microstructure typically seen in alcohol dependence are exacerbated with age. This phenomenon has also been investigated using the brain age paradigm, an approach that investigates healthy brain aging by estimating chronological age from neuroimaging data and examines the difference between an individual’s predicted and actual age.”
Aging is not the only issue that drugs and alcohol cause on the brain. It is also widely understood that drugs and alcohol can cause significant damage to the adolescent brain. This is crucial because it reminds us of just how dangerous and damaging underage drinking and drug use can be. The human brain does not fully develop until one’s late 20s and drugs and alcohol inhibit that development. It also inhibits one’s judgment which is one of the reasons why drug and alcohol use is often accompanied by poor decision-making and legal troubles. Of course, drugs and alcohol also do significant damage to the body.
The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on the Body
Drugs and alcohol can have a snowball effect that can eventually cause damage to every aspect of a person’s physical condition. This includes harming someone’s gastrointestinal system, causing bone and muscle aches, and creating intense headaches (often due to being hungover).
Drugs and alcohol have also been linked to a higher risk of cancer. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), “There is a strong scientific consensus that alcohol drinking can cause several types of cancer. In its Report on Carcinogens, the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lists the consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen. The evidence indicates that the more alcohol a person drinks–particularly the more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time–the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer.”
It is also true that drugs and alcohol can cause damage to many different organs. Drugs and alcohol can cause significant damage to the pancreas, liver, heart, and immune system. The good news is there are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help one fully recover from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD).
How to Best Recover From Drugs and Alcohol
The first step to recovering from drugs and alcohol is to admit that there is a problem. This can be very difficult because many people associate admitting that they have a problem with weakness or some sort of moral failing. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Addiction is a chronic disease similar to other chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It is only going to get worse unless some type of intervention takes place. That intervention starts the moment an individual is ready to give up the fight and gain the willingness that is necessary to recover. This can all start by entering day treatment.
Utilizing Day Treatment
Day treatment is an ideal way to recover from drugs and alcohol. It is perfect for individuals who don’t require full residential treatment but still need a highly focused and motivated recovery.
Day treatment is an intensive program that generally occurs for eight hours a day, five days a week (though there will be variations depending on the program). It is ideal because it allows people to focus strongly on their recovery but also allows them an opportunity to stay connected to their day-to-day lives. One of the ways that many people make their way to day treatment is through a safe and secure detox program.
The Importance of Detox for Drugs and Alcohol
It is important to remember that one should never try to detox from drugs and alcohol on their own. This will not only be unnecessarily uncomfortable, but it can also be extremely dangerous. Now, this is especially true with alcohol, as detoxing unsafely can even be deadly.
A safe and secure detox is also ideal because it connects people to their next steps of recovery, whether it be residential or day treatment. This is where individuals can begin to utilize the various means, methods, and modalities that are going to help them get well and recover.
Utilizing Various Modalities in Day Treatment
There are a myriad of different options for recovery. This includes psychotherapeutic, experiential, and holistic practices.
Usually, it is best practice to have some type of evidence-based modality as the foundation of one’s recovery plan. This is why many people utilize psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as their primary recovery methods.
The Benefits of Psychotherapy for Drugs and Alcohol
CBT and DBT can be particularly effective at helping people recover because they get to the underlying issues of one’s drug and alcohol use. It is important to remember that AUD and SUD are as much internal issues as they are external. As is often said in 12-Step recovery, “It is more about the thinking than it is the drinking.”
CBT and DBT are also highly effective because they make the individual an active participant in their recovery. This active participation helps an individual see the negative way in which they view themselves and the world around them. From there, they can begin to make conscious choices to change their cognitions (thoughts) and emotions (feelings) and ultimately change their behaviors (actions). Experiential therapy can also aid in this process.
The Benefits of Experiential Therapy and Holistic Healing for Drugs and Alcohol
Experiential therapies focus on natural experiences and creative expressions rather than solely on “talk” therapy. These experiences may come from a nature-based experiential therapy, which has been shown to be highly effective.
Nature has long been known to have positive effects on one’s physical, mental, and emotional health. According to the U.S. National Park Service, “5 minutes walking in nature improves mood, self-esteem, and relaxation. Frequent exposure to nature reduces anxiety and depression while promoting a sense of wellbeing and fulfillment.” Also, “Physical activity in a green space can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels by 15%.”
It is also true that there are many holistic healing methods that can help an individual recover from the mental and bodily effects of drugs and alcohol. Two highly effective methods are yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation. For example, according to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Regular practice of yoga promotes strength, endurance, flexibility and facilitates characteristics of friendliness, compassion, and greater self-control while cultivating a sense of calmness and well-being. Sustained practice also leads to important outcomes such as changes in life perspective, self-awareness, and an improved sense of energy to live life fully and with genuine enjoyment.”
A Focus on Long-Term Success Over Drugs and Alcohol at NorthStar Recovery Center
Herbert Spencer also famously said, “Life is the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations.” There is no external solution to an internal problem. That is why we here at NorthStar Recovery Center focus on the underlying issues as well as putting down the drink or the drug.
At NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why we focus on individualized and comprehensive recovery plans with a focus on the future.
Recovery is just over the horizon. The key is to find the right program and people to get there. Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we know the way to a life that was once unimaginable.
There are many specific negative effects that addiction can have on both the brain and the body. The good news is that these negative effects can be countered by entering an effective day treatment recovery program. However, that recovery program must be individualized and comprehensive with a focus on the future. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about the negative effects of addiction and how best to recover, please reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.
by Kind Dev | Nov 7, 2024 | Innovative Therapies
The English philosopher and author Alan Watts famously said, “To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don’t grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead, you relax, and float.” This is symbolic of how one can best manage triggers in treatment (as well as post-treatment in their recovery). One highly effective method to use is the H.A.L.T. method, which stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired – a checklist to go through to see if one (or multiple) of these reasons may be the cause of the trigger.
The Prevalence of Addiction in the U.S.
Addiction remains highly prevalent in the U.S. and around the world. There are millions of people and their families affected by drugs and alcohol every day. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “40.3 million people in the United States had an SUD in 2020. In 2020, only 6.5 percent of people with SUD received treatment,” and, in 2021, “about 107,000 people died of drug overdoses.”
These are not insignificant numbers; they have grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, many people are also struggling with co-occurring issues of addiction and mental health.
Better Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness
Co-occurring issues of addiction and mental health are more common than many people may think. According to NIDA, “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders…. Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses.” Also, “Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.”
The issue with co-occurring disorders is that many people fail to address multiple issues because the signs and the symptoms of the issues often overlap and/or overshadow the other. This is why better knowing the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness can be so crucial.
The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction and Mental Illness
Now, of course, the signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness are not a monolith. The spectrum of issues is far too broad. However, there are many more universal signs and symptoms that may help an individual (or an individual’s loved ones) determine whether or not there is a problem. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Isolating away from one’s family and close friends
- Losing interest in activities and hobbies once enjoyed
- Having otherwise unexplained physical ailments
- Trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
- Negative changes in appetite
- Struggling with otherwise unexplainable physical symptoms like gastrointestinal problems and body aches
- Feeling overly anxious, nervous, or “stressed out”
- Being depressed and having feelings of worthlessness, uselessness, and hopelessness
- Not being able to stop drinking or using once started
- Exhibiting excessive mood swings
- Committing self-harm
- Having suicidal ideations
As one can see, these are significant signs and symptoms; ones that should never be ignored. That is why if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is important to seek professional help sooner than later. Doing this may help a loved one avoid serious long-term consequences of their alcohol and drug use.
How to H.A.L.T. And Handle Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
In treatment and recovery, it is important to be able to step back and take a pause when times get tough. Now, this doesn’t matter if it’s one’s first day in treatment or if they have been in recovery for many years.
This pause allows one to recalibrate their thoughts and avoid a potentially catastrophic decision, such as using or drinking again. One exceptional way of taking this pause and handling triggers in treatment and recovery is by using the H.A.L.T. protocol.
What Exactly Is H.A.L.T.?
H.A.L.T. stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. These are four significant contributing factors to one’s discomfort in recovery. Actually, these are four significant contributing factors to anyone’s life, regardless of whether they are in recovery or not.
Now, the key is to engrain this protocol into one’s psyche so that it can be utilized at the drop of a hat. The reason is because that is how fast a trigger in treatment can lead to a relapse. One has to be ready to step back and think immediately.
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse is in the U.S., and also how biologically related relapses are. According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “High levels of stress and trauma exposure are commonly associated with substance use disorder. Increases in irritability, anxiety, emotional distress, sleep problems, dysphoria, aggressive behaviors, and drug craving are common during early abstinence from alcohol, cocaine, opiates, nicotine, and marijuana. The dependent state is marked by negative affect, distress, and anhedonia during early abstinence, which relates to neuroadaptations in brain reward and stress pathways.” H.A.L.T. can help to prevent these relapses from happening.
Hungry: Handling Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
While it may seem rather basic, the fact of the matter is that hunger can lead to a lot of bad decision-making. It can cause someone to become severely “restless, irritable, and discontent.” These are the feelings that lead to a relapse in recovery.
It should also be noted that for people in recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD), food can be particularly important, especially sugar. When one struggles with active AUD, their body becomes accustomed to the high amounts of sugar that is in the alcohol. It is when that sugar is no longer there that the body begins to crave it. This can lead to a specific alcohol craving.
This is why keeping some type of candy or soda on hand can be so helpful, especially in early recovery. The sugar can help ease those triggers in treatment.
Many people get concerned about the potential for weight gain from an intervention like this. The key is to remember that it may be a few pounds versus a lifetime of misery and suffering. Besides, it is also important to incorporate physical activity into one’s recovery. This will also help ease any discomfort that may come from changing one’s diet.
Angry: Handling Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
When thinking of the previous category of hungry, it is also important to remember that there is now a term called “hangry.” This is when someone is so hungry they get angry, and it is a perfect transition into the next part of H.A.L.T. – Anger.
In recovery, there is a saying that goes, “Resentment is the number one offender.” What this means is that in recovery an individual is more likely to relapse over a resentment than anything else. In fact, it is this resentful thinking that is actually going to be the first part of the relapse and not the actual use of the drink or the drug.
This is why one needs to remember to step back and halt when one gets angry. After all, anger ultimately only hurts the individual who is angry and not the other way around. Holding onto anger is like “hitting oneself in the head with a hammer in hopes of curing a headache.”
Being able to step back and process one’s anger is a major accomplishment in recovery, and it is one that can best ensure one stays sober in the long term. Another way to ensure long-term sobriety is by connecting to others in recovery.
Lonely: Handling Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
Connecting and working with others in recovery is so important that the primary text of 12-Step recovery (commonly referred to as the Big Book) named a chapter after it – “Working With Others.” The chapter states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail… You can help when no one else can.”
As previously mentioned, it is very easy to isolate in addiction. The same is true of people in recovery. This is why it is important to stay connected to other people both inside and outside of treatment. Now, this could be individuals one met in residential or day treatment, or it could be individuals that one met in recovery communities like Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.), or Al-Anon (a program for families affected by addiction).
Avoiding loneliness can also happen by staying connected to one’s set treatment plan and staying connected to the recovery professionals who have established that plan. This includes recovery coaches, therapists, and counselors.
Tired: Handling Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
Another way to let one’s guard down is to become overly tired in treatment and recovery. Being tired makes handling triggers in treatment extremely difficult. The fact of the matter is that being tired can make any situation more difficult.
Active addiction and early recovery can disturb one’s healthy sleep cycles. This is why creating a routine with healthy sleep hygiene is so critical. It means trying to go to sleep and waking up at the same time, as well as having healthy activities that surround those times, such as morning and evening prayer and meditation.
When all of the components of H.A.L.T. come together, one’s chance at success goes up exponentially. But, where can one learn to utilize the H.A.L.T. protocol to its fullest capacity? One effective place is day treatment.
The Benefits of Day Treatment
Day treatment is an ideal place for an individual to go and get the help they need without fully committing to residential care. This means that they can get highly focused and intense treatment while still getting to keep one foot in their day-to-day lives. It is ideal for individuals who have family and financial responsibilities that cannot be put fully on hold.
Many people view day treatment as a less effective form of recovery than residential care. This could not be further from the truth. Day treatment is highly intensive, often involving eight hours a day, five days a week of focused addiction treatment. This treatment also uses all of the modalities that most residential treatment facilities use.
The Many Modalities for Handling Triggers in Treatment and Recovery
When it comes to recovery, it is important to make sure that one’s recovery is both individualized and comprehensive. The only way to ensure that this happens is to choose a recovery center that focuses on multiple, means, methods, and modalities for treatment.
This means that an effective recovery center should pull from all areas of addiction and mental health care. It includes holistic healing methods like yoga and meditation, experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy, and psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Utilizing Psychotherapy
Many of the most effective recovery plans that help to avoid triggers in treatment begin with a baseline of evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT. They are simply considered evidence-based because there has been enough time and enough studies to show their efficacy.
CBT and DBT can be particularly beneficial because they make the individual an “active participant” in their own recovery. According to the peer-reviewed journal, Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Consistent with the medical model of psychiatry, the overall goal of treatment is symptom reduction, improvement in functioning, and remission of the disorder. In order to achieve this goal, the patient becomes an active participant in a collaborative problem-solving process to test and challenge the validity of maladaptive cognitions and to modify maladaptive behavioral patterns. Thus, modern CBT refers to a family of interventions that combine a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and emotion-focused techniques.” Experiential therapies can also be highly effective.
Utilizing Experiential Therapies
Experiential therapies are highly effective because they focus on the individual’s experiences and creative outputs rather than strictly on what they voice to a therapist (though this can be a crucial part of the process as well). There are many types of effective experiential therapies.
One highly effective type of experiential therapy is nature immersion therapy. In this therapy one better connects to themselves by better connecting to the world around them. Another common and effective type of experiential therapy is art therapy.
Art therapy is both highly therapeutic and highly informative. It lets an individual be extremely creative which offers an exceptional outlet, and it gives a recovery professional the types of insights needed to help an individual fully recover at the cellular level. A big part of recovering at the cellular level also comes from utilizing holistic healing methods.
Utilizing Holistic Healing Methods
One of the best types of holistic healing methods that one can utilize to best ensure that one gets all of the benefits of the H.A.L.T. protocol is mindfulness meditation. Meditation truly offers an authentic way to heal physically mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It can also be combined with physical activities like yoga and breathwork to truly bring about a sense of balance and essential serenity.
Healing Whole Mind-Body-Spirit at NorthStar Recovery Center
Allan Watts also famously said, “No work or love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.” That is one of the major keys to recovery – staying in the moment and taking it “one day at a time.”
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we believe in taking recovery one day at a time and celebrating successes. We also believe in healing the whole mind, body, and spirit, which is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive.
Remember that recovery is about the journey, never the destination, and that journey of a lifetime can start right here at NorthStar Recovery Center. Recovery is out there. It’s time to go out and get it.
“Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired” (H.A.L.T.) is an excellent acronym for helping people when they feel triggered in treatment and recovery. It is important to use H.A.L.T. as a framing mechanism to navigate all of the different “triggers” while in treatment (such as day treatment). H.A.L.T. is also a tool that can help to avoid relapse and aid in long-term recovery. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about H.A.L.T. and day treatment, reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center at (888) 311-0911.
by Kind Dev | Oct 24, 2024 | Addiction
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is something that affects millions of people all over the world. Also, it is not just the individual who is affected. It can affect everyone in their orbit, especially loved ones like close family and friends. However, these people who can be most affected are also the ones who can often make the biggest difference because they are close enough to the individual to reach them and offer them help. Yes, getting a loved one help for AUD can feel daunting, but it can also be one of the most meaningful and impactful actions a person will ever take.
The Prevalence of AUD in the U.S.
AUD is still highly prevalent in the U.S. and around the world. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), “29.5 million people ages 12 and older (10.5% in this age group) had AUD in the past year. This includes 17.4 million males ages 12 and older (12.6% in this age group),” and “12.2 million females ages 12 and older (8.5% in this age group).”
These are not insignificant numbers and they help to explain why many people will be affected by this disease in some way at some point in their lives. AUD also causes very significant and quantifiable damage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Excessive alcohol use was responsible for about 178,000 deaths in the United States each year during 2020–2021, or 488 deaths per day.” Also, “Each year, deaths from excessive drinking shortened the lives of those who died by an average of 24 years, for a total of about 4 million years of potential life lost.”
With statistics as staggering as these, it can become easy to forget that these are not just numbers but lives that have been devastated. But, there is also hope in these statistics because they represent people who can be helped to overcome their addiction. This all starts by being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of AUD.
The Signs and Symptoms of AUD
There are many signs and symptoms associated with AUD. These symptoms can be mild and severe (depending on the individual and how long they have been affected). It is also important to note that even mild symptoms should not be minimized as they may just be symptoms that are more visible of deeper struggles.
The following are just a few of the signs and symptoms of AUD:
- Isolating away from loved ones
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Otherwise, unexplained physical ailments such as gastrointestinal problems and muscle aches
- Excessive hangovers
- Missing school or work due to drinking
- Losing interest in appearance and personal hygiene
- Trouble with sleep, including sleeping too much and/or sleeping too little
- Spending excessive amounts of money on alcohol
- Exhibiting mood swings and outbursts
- Expressing feelings of anxiety and/or depression
- Committing self-harm and/or having suicidal ideations
As one can see, these are significant and dangerous side effects. This is why if a loved one is exhibiting any, many, or all of these symptoms, seeking professional help as soon as possible is highly recommended. Also, catching these symptoms early can mean the difference between short-term issues and long-term effects.
The Long-Term Effects of AUD on the Mind, Body, and Soul
AUD does not just affect one part of a person. No, it can affect their entire being. This includes mind, body, and soul. Physically, it can destroy muscle tissue and internal organs. Mentally, it can interrupt brain development and cause permanent cognitive damage. Emotionally, it can create feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and shame. It can also get to the core of one’s soul and cause them to lose faith in the joys of life.
The fact of the matter is that the primary long-term effect of AUD is premature death. This is a gravely deadly disease (as was previously noted by the CDC). However, AUD has many other devastating long-term effects. The following are just a few:
- Family disruptions, including the separation of spouses and parents from their children
- Financial troubles and the loss of jobs
- AUD has been linked to certain cancers
- Causes liver and kidney damage
- The potential for acquiring a co-occurring mental health disorder
- Homelessness
- The potential for acquiring co-occurring substance and behavioral addictions
Getting a Loved One Help for AUD
The good news is that AUD does not have to be a long-term reality. If a loved one is struggling with AUD, there is help, and there is hope. The key is to act as soon as possible. Understandably, many people are intimidated when it comes to approaching a loved one whom they think may have a problem. The key is to remember that this is a life-saving act and, in many instances, the individual is secretly hoping that someone will reach out.
Close friends and family are uniquely qualified to help their loved ones with AUD. Yes, this is because they are near the individual, but it is also because that proximity often allows them to set boundaries if a loved one who needs help is unwilling to accept it.
There is a reason why they refer to addiction as a “family disease.” This is because it negatively affects both the individual and those closest to them. These effects can also be physical, mental, and emotional. The emotional aspect is why many people get caught up in enabling their loved one who is struggling with AUD. This means that they offer the type of help (financial, legal, familial) that actually allows them to continue their negative addictive behaviors longer.
In order for a loved one to get the help they need, the enabling has to stop, and boundaries must be set. These may be boundaries like not allowing them in the home or around the family if they have been drinking, not supporting them financially, or not helping them out if legal troubles arise. While setting these boundaries may be hard, the key is to remember that they will be worth it if they direct a loved one to the help they need. That help may need to start with a safe and secure detox.
Help for AUD: A Safe and Secure Detox
It is important to remember that AUD can also be deadly when someone stops drinking. This is because alcohol withdrawal can not only be extremely mentally and physically painful, but without proper professional care and supervision, it can be fatal.
Alcohol withdrawal can lead to something called delirium tremens (DTs), and they can be very serious. According to the peer-reviewed journal Alcohol Health and Research World, “DT’s are a serious manifestation of alcohol dependence that develops 1 to 4 days after the onset of acute alcohol withdrawal in persons who have been drinking excessively for years… Death may occur in up to 5 percent of patients with DT’s. The risk of death is reduced, however, in patients receiving adequate medication and medical support.”
This proper medical support also helps get an individual ready for the next steps of recovery, such as day treatment. The primary way it does this is by getting an individual healthy enough to participate in their own recovery.
Many people don’t realize just how nutrient-deprived an individual going into treatment actually is. According to the peer-reviewed journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, “Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A.” Also, “Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins.” A safe and secure detox is going to ensure that these nutrient levels (and hydration) are back up to where they need to be to move on to the next steps of recovery.
Help for AUD: Day Treatment
Day treatment is often an ideal approach for many people choosing recovery. This is because it offers the intense treatment that is needed to combat the disease of AUD, but it also allows individuals an opportunity to keep engaging in their day-to-day lives.
Many people confuse day treatment as a less intense (and therefore less effective) treatment than residential care. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Day treatment requires a serious commitment, and it has been shown to be just as effective as inpatient care. It generally requires five full days a week and often includes outside recovery meetings. Day treatment also utilizes the same types of therapy that residential care does. This includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Help for AUD: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT has been shown to be highly effective at treating several different types of addiction and mental health disorders. This includes AUD.
The reason for this is that CBT helps get to the underlying core issues that are often the deeper cause of addiction. As is said in many recovery meetings, “Alcohol is but a ‘symptom’ of what’s really going on.”
CBT works by addressing the negative way that one views oneself and the world around them. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) refers to a class of interventions that share the basic premise that mental disorders and psychological distress are maintained by cognitive factors. The core premise of this treatment approach, as pioneered by Beck (1970) and Ellis (1962), holds that maladaptive cognitions contribute to the maintenance of emotional distress and behavioral problems. According to Beck’s model, these maladaptive cognitions include general beliefs, or schemas, about the world, the self, and the future, giving rise to specific and automatic thoughts in particular situations.”
CBT can help bring these negative cognitions (thoughts) and emotions (feelings) to the surface so they can then be properly addressed utilizing certain tools, techniques, and coping mechanisms. Similar underlying issues can also be addressed via group therapy.
Help for AUD: Group Therapy
One very critical component of a successful recovery is working with others. This includes both recovery professionals and recovery peers, both of whom are interacted with in group therapy.
Group therapy can be particularly effective in the treatment of addiction because it shows people that they are not alone. It also shows people that recovery is possible as they see their peers start to get well and move closer to their goals. Group therapy also offers a myriad of other benefits. The following are just a few of those benefits:
- Offers a sense of hope
- Helps individuals gain knowledge about the disease that they are struggling with
- Can help get individuals ready to interact with their loved ones again
- Offers healthy and nonjudgmental support
- Gives individuals a safe space where they can discuss their feelings
- Helps build relationships that can be carried on after treatment is over
Another major component of recovery is helping others. By helping others, an individual also greatly helps themself stay sober. As has been said, “It’s hard to think about your problems when you are helping someone else with theirs.”
The importance of working with others is even discussed in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (most commonly referred to as the Big Book) under the aptly named chapter, “Working With Others.” It states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other [people with AUD]. It works when other activities fail… You can help when no one else can.” Group therapy is an ideal setting to create the types of bond that can carry someone long into their recovery.
Help for AUD: Trauma Therapy
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent trauma is in the U.S. and around the world. According to the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Medicine, “General population studies have shown that a large proportion of people in developed countries have been exposed to at least one TE [traumatic event] in their lifetime (estimates from 28 to 90%), with the most common events being the unexpected death of a loved one, motor vehicle accidents and being mugged.”
Many people who struggle with trauma turn to alcohol (and other substances) as a coping mechanism to deal with it. Of course, this only masks the problem, and it only does so for a short period of time.
People who struggle with trauma and addiction often also benefit specifically from trauma therapy. This is because trauma therapy focuses on the underlying issues of trauma so an individual can heal on the inside rather than just focusing on getting sober. When one focuses on all of their issues in tandem (such as trauma and addiction), they have a much better chance of maintaining recovery and avoiding a potential relapse.
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse is in the U.S. According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Now, these statistics go down significantly when the proper steps are taken to get a loved one the help they need for AUD. These steps include setting boundaries, getting into detox (if needed), and choosing the right day treatment with the right types of therapies.
The Importance of Individualized and Comprehensive Care at NorthStar Recovery Center
Here at NorthStar Recovery Center, we know just how daunting it can be when it comes to getting a loved one help for AUD. However, we also know that with that help comes hope for a healthier and happier way of life for everyone involved.
The iconic American author and philosopher Joseph Campbell said, “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” There is a new life waiting beyond addiction. The key is to go out and get it.
Getting a loved one help for alcohol use disorder (AUD) can be both difficult and daunting. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be. There are many effective ways to get a loved one struggling with AUD the help that they need. This may start with a safe and secure detox and move into a day treatment program. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction or co-occurring disorders, we can help. You are not alone. You don’t have to go through this alone. For more information about how to get a loved one the help they need for AUD, please reach out to NorthStar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.
