Category: Addiction Treatment Tips

Addiction Treatment: Does Counselling Really Help?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date December 4, 2020
No Comments on Addiction Treatment: Does Counselling Really Help?

Getting counselling as part of addiction treatment plays a vital role in overall addiction treatment and recovery. You see, counselling sessions can help you understand the root causes of your addiction.

Through counselling, you can learn the different techniques to recognize addiction relapse symptoms and avoid them. Typically, common counselling methods include dialectical behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and more.

Generally, most of the causes of addiction are often environmental and genetic. However, life experiences such as stress, trauma, and occasionally, early exposure to substance abuse can also affect an individual’s vulnerability to addiction.

In most cases, addiction causes mental and physical side effects. These mental and physical side effects include anxiety, depression, increase in stress level, withdrawal signs, cravings, etc. Counselling for addiction treatment doesn’t focus on these side effects. Instead, it focuses on the environmental and genetic causes of addiction.

In this article, we’ve put together a comprehensive discourse on the concept of counselling for addiction treatment. Over the course of this blog, we will describe the basic procedure for addiction counselling. More importantly, we will answer the biggest question of them all — does counselling really help with addiction treatment?

What is Addiction Counselling?

Addiction counselling consists of several forms. Typically, the most prevalent type is individual counselling. However, as a recovering individual, you may have to participate in group or family counselling sessions.

Group counselling sessions will enable you to enjoy the privilege of sharing your challenges with others. Also, it provides you with the opportunity to share recovery tips, symptoms of relapse, and more with experts.

In general, addiction counselling is a form of counselling that is specially designed. This is because of its outlook on addiction as a serious disease rather than another sign of an underlying issue. Furthermore, it doesn’t dismiss the fact that those underlying problems may have influenced your behaviour towards substance abuse.

During drug addiction counselling sessions, the challenges and issues that led to the addiction will be assessed. Once the counsellor or therapist completes a thorough evaluation of your situation, they will design a particular treatment plan for you to follow. This treatment will help you overcome all challenges regarding the addiction. Thus, allowing you to attain sobriety and final recovery goals.

Ultimately, the addiction counselling process is facilitative. This means that it allows you to overcome the issues causing anxiety and stress. This makes it easy to address the situation and deal with them in a healthier way.

Also, addiction counselling treatment will examine the motives behind the addiction. This will then help you understand and become more aware of your actions. This is one of the most significant roles of counselling in addiction recovery.

How Counselling for Addiction Treatment Works

Rather than just a physical dependency, addiction is a mental issue. Naturally, detox will help free you from physical dependence. However, the cognitive problems causing addiction will not be resolved with detox. This is where counselling for addiction treatment becomes useful to create long term sobriety.

Counselling treats the problems that initially led to psychological addiction. Generally, the mental part of addiction requires a longer timeframe and can be challenging to treat. At 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab centre, we provide counselling for addiction treatment in our rehab facilities, and it often extends into the future even after being discharged.

The Role of Counselling in Addiction Recovery

Addiction counsellors provide a crucial support scheme for individuals recovering from different types of addiction. In most cases, the counsellor’s approach is to build a stable relationship with their patients — one that is based on trust. Also, counsellors provide non-judgemental guidance, resources, and a support system that can help boost your addiction recovery.

Typically, there are several aspects to counselling. For instance, it’s essential that you engage a professional counsellor. It’s also crucial that the procedure is about helping you discover ways to deal with your addiction issues. Telling you what to do or giving advice is not addiction counselling.

To help you understand the role of counselling in addiction treatment, we’ll break the process down. Addiction counselling in Canada,

Is the process that occurs when a counsellor and a patient set aside a specific time to explore the factors causing addiction. Typically, most of these factors may include your emotional as well as stress-related feelings.
Is the act of aiding or assisting you in seeing things from a clearer perspective or a different outlook. This will enable you to focus on experiences, feelings, and behaviour designed to promote a positive influence.
Is a relationship of trust. In counselling, confidentiality is highly significant. Professional counsellors will often explain how their policy works on confidentiality. However, they may be mandated under the law to disclose your data if there is a life at risk.

Types of Addiction Counseling

In general, addiction counselling consists of several types and classes. Currently, no one can scientifically prove that one method of counselling works better than the other. However, it’s an indisputable fact that addiction counselling is effective in addiction recovery.

Notably, there is no one technique that is ideal for everyone suffering from addiction. In fact, the proper counselling approach for addiction treatment options is dependent on your individual needs.

While none of the different forms of addiction counselling is better than the other, a group therapy session is often preferable over an individual therapy session. Every patient gets to enjoy a free-flow of support during group therapy sessions. Most importantly, there are always motivational challenges from other patients going through the same recovery process. This will help you remain accountable and also reduce the possibility of relapse in the future.

The good news — most rehab centers today often include addiction counselling as a comprehensive part of their treatment. Furthermore, you can consult an addiction treatment service near you to learn more about the different types of counselling for addiction treatment.

Generally, the common factor to all types of addiction counselling is that they all view addiction as a problem with varying phases. The treatment during addiction counselling sessions often aims at the patient in recovery and not the substance.

Below, you’ll discover different types of addiction counselling.

Behavioural Therapy

With behavioural addiction therapy, the aim is to help you attain goals for your present life. This type of counselling for addiction treatment evaluates your unhealthy and undesirable behaviours. It also identifies the factors supporting such behaviours.

Addiction is a recurring behaviour. This happens because the substance produces feelings of euphoria, desire, relief, and supposedly, helps you feel calm. Therefore, even if you’re already going through negative consequences as a result of the substance, you’ll only see the benefits and how high it makes you feel. As such, you’ll keep maintaining the behaviour, and over time the adverse effects will begin to manifest.

In behavioural therapy, a therapist or counsellor will use specific interventions to address these negative behaviours. At our facility, we will use behavioural counselling techniques to engage you in different intervention techniques. The end result is to help you build your mindset and regain total control.

Group Therapy

Group therapy offers room for communication from other patients. It’s a platform to share similar pieces of advice and experiences with other addiction treatment patients. This can help you develop adequate coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills to easily fight addiction.

Individual Therapy

Individual treatment is a one-on-one conversation between you and a therapist. Firstly, you will have to build trust with your therapist. When you attain a trust level with your therapist, you’ll be able to communicate and discuss the issues that are causing your addiction.

It often progresses more swiftly than other treatments. This is because the therapist only has to focus on understanding one patient at a time. Generally, both group therapy and individual therapy can go hand-in-hand for faster recovery. Both are capable of enhancing addiction treatment and improving your interpersonal relationships.

Humanistic Therapy

This form of counselling is also known as Person-Centered Therapy. This kind of counselling assumes every human possesses the capacity to resolve their problems. This belief further extends that everyone will succeed if provided with proper understanding, acceptance, and support.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing falls under the category of humanistic therapy. However, it’s more structured and particular for treating drug addiction. This type of counselling helps you make healthier decisions rather than being manipulated to do things with shame or guilt.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

This kind of counselling targets your behaviours, feelings, and thoughts. Its view is that the negative style of human thinking often leads to adverse behaviours and negative feelings. As such, these develop into negative thinking that may cloud your mind. The interconnections of thoughts, behaviour, and feelings are the origin of cognitive behavioural therapy.

During a CBT session, a therapist will act as your coach as well as your teammate. They will help you understand and assess the factors causing the unusual thoughts, behaviours, and feelings you want to address.

In Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, the therapist will look for cognitive distortions feeding your thoughts and behaviours. An example of these distortions is ways of thinking that are faulty. In most cases, these behaviours may seem logical to such individuals, whereas they are irrational and illogical in reality. As part of addiction treatment counselling, your therapist will help you unravel these dangerous thought processes.

Contingency Management

This kind of counselling falls under the category of behavioural therapy. Furthermore, it is a therapeutic management pattern based on regular monitoring of a particular trait or behaviour. It also includes the removal (or provision) of concrete, positive rewards when the trait occurs — or does not.

Counselling for Addiction Treatment: Does it Help?

Once the issues that led you into substance addiction are identified, there is a higher chance of a successful recovery. Some factors that may lead to substance abuse can be bad influences, emotional traumas, life stressors, etc.

With the help of a professional addiction therapist, the root events or causes can be dealt with. Also, you will be guided thoroughly on becoming more aware and in control of your decisions. Below are some of the benefits of counselling for addiction treatment:

Develop Stress Coping Mechanisms

One of the top benefits of counselling is that it helps you develop healthy coping mechanisms. Typically, counselling can help you change the way you respond to life stressors. Through these counselling sessions, you’ll be able to identify unusual and self-destructive responses to these stressors.

Firstly, you need to learn new and healthier ways of coping with stress. After that, your behaviour toward substance use will change for the better. This will greatly help you manage cravings and triggers.

It Treats Attachment Disorders

Generally, humans tend to form lifelong trust and security within the first four to five years of existence. Whenever we face deficits in such relationships, such as being abused or neglected, we start adopting different coping mechanisms. This happens mostly because we want to regain that level or feeling of security again.

During adulthood, most individuals with attachment disorders often turn to drugs or alcohol. With proper counselling, a therapist will analyze your childhood insecurities and help you understand the behaviour correctly. This will allow you to confront the issue and realize its overall impact on your behaviour and substance use.

It Improves Family Relationships

Addiction counselling isn’t just for the individual recovering from addiction. It’s also useful for their immediate families and loved ones. Family counselling is a powerful technique in ensuring that addiction recovery isn’t just successful but effective. Generally, when the family is defective, it may influence patient recovery negatively.

However, when your loved ones attend family counselling sessions, they will have a better understanding of helping someone going through addiction. This way, they will learn better ways to communicate with you and express their thoughts on crucial issues. With better open communication, the family will heal, and members of the family will enjoy a healthy trust.

Provides a Safe Environment

Addiction counselling, such as group therapy, is crucial in the recovery process. During addiction counselling sessions, patients will get to share their frustrations, fears, and experiences with one another. Typically, the setting is safe, maintained, guided, and controlled by the counsellor.

Participants can also help each other during discussions while learning from one another. For instance, patient A can learn holistic tips on how to avoid using dangerous substances and maintain sobriety. Furthermore, group therapies are suitable for addiction patients because it encourages companionship and connection.

Treating Dual Diagnosis

In most cases, an individual with a drug or alcohol addiction may also experience random mental health issues. This may appear as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, among others. If not adequately addressed, it may prolong the recovery period and also make it more difficult.

Also, counselling can assist patients who have mental health issues and addiction problems. This is because such patients will enjoy effective therapy sessions for different destructive behaviours and meds for mental issues.

FAQs About Counselling for Addiction Treatment

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Does counselling work for addiction treatment?

Yes. Counselling for addiction treatment is one of the best ways to treat substance abuse altogether. It helps drive effective changes in the lives of the addicts to ensure there is little possibility of a relapse in the future.

Why Do I Need Addiction Counseling?

Thinking you don’t need to go through addiction counselling during recovery may be tempting. However, addiction is a life-long journey that requires consistency, effort, time, and hard work to pull through.

In actuality, only a few individuals enjoy the process of uncovering and discussing long-held trauma and pain. It’s hard work. However, you are likely to suffer a relapse if you refuse to do the necessary work to isolate the underlying issue.

When Is It Appropriate to Seek Addiction Counselling?

The main objective of counselling is to help you explore your difficulties in a safe environment. This helps you resolve the issues underpinning your addiction to substances and helps you attain sobriety. So, it’s best to seek counselling as a part of your addiction recovery plan.

Is there a Need for Counselling During Addiction Treatment?

Yes, there is a need for counselling during addiction treatment. In fact, most rehab centers today are now incorporating addiction counselling into their treatment program to ensure optimum results. Addiction counselling provides a significant support system for people recovering from drug abuse.

Conclusion

So, does counselling really help during addiction treatment? Yes! It’s an incredibly effective and useful treatment technique for drug and alcohol addictions. Counselling for addiction treatment does not only help with attaining sobriety but also eliminates the root cause of addiction.

Finally, counselling for addiction treatment is a beneficial method for recovering from addiction. You can incorporate the therapy into your recovery program during the early stages of your treatment. This will help you on your way to sobriety and avoiding relapse in the long run.

Notably, there are several advantages of counselling if you follow the procedure adequately. There, you can learn several things about yourself and how to deal with your drug use problems.

Now that you’ve learned about the several types of addiction counselling, you can discuss with an expert on what’s best for you.

Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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Should I Go To an Addiction Treatment Centre during the Pandemic

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date October 7, 2020
No Comments on Should I Go To an Addiction Treatment Centre during the Pandemic

Understandably, with the coronavirus wreaking havoc worldwide, it may not seem like the best time to seek addiction treatment. However, according to experts, there is no better time than now. Indeed, if you are struggling with substance abuse, we recommend you go to an addiction treatment center, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, there are measures in place to keep you safe.

The decision to go to rehab has always been difficult for people who have a substance addiction. However, in times of crisis, such as the one we live in now, making that decision is even more challenging. Granted, due to how fast the coronavirus spreads, staying at home can seem like a safe decision to make. But, it may quickly become quite the opposite.

You see, pandemic or not, addiction will not go on break, nor will the constant threat of overdose reduce. Therefore, your best move is to take advantage of the fact that addiction treatment centers are open.

However, if you have fears due to the pandemic, you’re not alone. Many other people have questions like ‘can I go to inpatient rehab during COVID-19?’ or ‘is addiction rehab safe in these times? These are perfect relatable questions, and we’ll help you reach the right conclusion. This article will help you understand why seeking an addiction treatment center during the pandemic is the smart move.

Should I Seek Addiction Treatment during the Pandemic

There is no other way to say this than to give a resounding ‘Yes.’ If you have a problem with any substance use, it is crucial that you check-in at an addiction treatment center, especially during the pandemic. You see, the pandemic has generally changed life as we know it. Unfortunately, these drastic changes caused a ripple effect of decline for many people.

We are not saying the coronavirus is not real. Indeed, we have put specific strict measures in place to control the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, we are saying the pandemic should not stop your breaking free from alcohol and drug addiction. After all, there is a reason essential services, including our addiction treatment center, stayed open during the pandemic.

The reason is simple – to ensure that you get help when you need it. So if your question is ‘Can I go inpatient rehab during COVID-19’, you now know you can. Moreover, with various government offices and private employers suspending work, this is the optimal time to address your substance dependency.

Addiction treatment centers are open and remain committed to giving you the help you need. However, if you’re still wondering, ‘Should I go to an addiction treatment centre during the pandemic,’ we understand. In the next few paragraphs, we will help you understand why the best time to seek addiction treatment services is now.

Why You Should Seek Addiction Treatment despite the Pandemic

The oddities of life which the coronavirus pandemic initiated have a worrying impact on those who have an active substance addiction. Even more, factors such as isolation and accompanying boredom have put many others at risk of developing an addiction. Therefore, if you have a substance abuse problem, you should seek an addiction treatment center during the pandemic. Here are some reasons you should enlist addiction treatment rehab.

Your addiction may get worse during the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has ensured the enforcement of protocols such as self-isolation, social distancing and more. This may lead to boredom, not to mention mental and emotional stress in people who don’t live such a lifestyle. Unfortunately, to avoid these negative feelings, many may turn to alcohol and drugs.

Furthermore, the absence of regular daily routines compounds the problem. For most people, day-to-day schedules such as work, school, or even family responsibilities help slow addiction progression. For instance, someone may hold back on alcohol because they don’t want a hangover at work.

However, since many adults have lost their jobs and most schools are on break, many people have more free time to indulge in substance use without immediate repercussions. Instead of allowing your addiction to get worse, it may be best to seek professional help.

Substance abusers have a greater risk of contracting the virus.

According to experts, patients with a compromised immune system are a greater risk of contracting the coronavirus. That is not all. Immune-compromised patients also have a higher fatality rate. Now, how do these facts relate to you? People with addictions to drugs and alcohol have considerably weaker immune systems. In other words, the coronavirus is a more significant threat to such people.

Now, except you produce your drugs or alcohol (which is rather unlikely), at some point, you’ll run out of supplies. This means that you’d want to go out and get more, thereby exposing yourself unduly to the virus. While you may take precautions such as wearing a face mask, unsanitized packages and money can as quickly transmit the virus.

Instead of risking your life during the times, you may also decide to kick your substance-use habits now. Seek out an addiction treatment centre during the pandemic.

You are at a greater risk of an overdose

In the months following March 2020, the sales of alcohol rose by 55% as the isolation laws became effective. This proves that many had the general desire to stock up on their substance of choice. Considering this, it is a safe bet to assume that drug sales also went up during this time. In other words, substance users are trying to limit their contact with the outside world.

While this seems like a safe and smart thing to do, there is a downside. One of the elements of addictive use of substances is the tendency to increase dosage ever so often. Since the chemicals are now more readily available in bulk at home, the chances of an overdose have drastically increased. In light of this, you should reach out to addiction treatment services instead of risking an OD, or worse.

Inpatient addiction treatment qualifies as staying ‘indoors’

Another reason you should seek out an addiction treatment centre during the pandemic is that it is reasonably safer. Unlike the outside world, an addiction rehab facility is more controlled in terms of people traffic. Moreover, there are various medical personnel on-site to attend to your various health needs. So, you can rest assured that you’d be reasonably safe from the pandemic while you give yourself time off to get better.

Measures We Are Taking To Ensure All Our Inpatients Are Safe During Addiction Treatment

Now that you know you should seek an addiction treatment center, you may be worried about your safety during the pandemic. We understand your fears, and we’ve put stringent measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus. So if you’re wondering, ‘Is addiction rehab safe during COVID-19?’ Here are some of the steps we took to ensure the safety of our clients during treatment.

We have enforced pre-admission protocols, which include screening for any symptoms of COVID-19.
We have suspended external contact with our residents, including family visits and outside group meetings. This is to protect our patients, staff and their loves ones.
We follow strict guidelines on the washing of hands and clothes frequently.
We continuously remain vigilant for any flu-like symptoms amongst our patients and even staff.
We have enforced social distancing protocols amongst our patients and staff, even during group sessions.
Finally, we are keeping our facility clean and decontaminated at all times.

Wrap Up

Postponing addiction treatment may feel like a natural response given the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. However, it is not the best decision. Indeed, the pandemic is the exact reason you should commit your health into professional hands within a safe facility. In other words, you should get treatment at an addiction centre, especially during the pandemic. This way, you can stay safely away from the pandemic while getting the help you need.

Are you looking to kick your substance use habit? You can use our addiction treatment centre in Canada. We follow all government-stipulated precautions and regulations against the spread of the coronavirus. Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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Addiction Treatment Tips

Addiction Treatment Canada: Is Addiction Hereditary?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date October 5, 2020
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Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment Rehab

One of the greatest questions surrounding addiction is: why does it happen to some people and not others? Is addiction hereditary, or is there something else going on? How do we explain the fact that some people can consume alcohol regularly without becoming alcoholics, and others cannot?

Why is that some trauma survivors develop addiction problems, and others do not? And what about the evidence that children of addicted parents are statistically more likely to become addicted to drugs or alcohol than children of parents who do not have addictions?

The simple answer is that while there does appear to be a link between addiction and genetics, this is just one part of the answer. Having parents or other family members who have substance use disorders does not make it inevitable you will experience the same issues. However, you may be more likely to develop an addiction problem if faced with the right combination of environmental triggers.

Nature vs Nurture

The “nature vs nurture” debate has been going on for decades. It centres around whether the essence of who you are is primarily a result of our genetic composition or the environment in which we are raised.

There is an undeniable correlation between addiction and family history. But does this automatically translate to a connection between addiction and genetics? Or could children of addicts be falling into addiction as a result of behaviour learned from their parents?

How Does Genetic Predisposition Work?

Our genetic makeup is what determines the attributes we are born with. This information is contained within thousands of genes in our DNA, and it acts as kind of a blueprint for who we are. Everything from the colour of our eyes to whether we are good at math or music is contained within this blueprint.

In most cases, our genes are arranged in 23 pairs of chromosomes – one pair comes from each parent. This is why members of the same family may look alike or have similar talents or personality traits. Also, certain illnesses and conditions can be passed from parent to child in this way as well.

Predispositions to certain things can be inherited as well. This means if you carry the gene, you do not necessarily have the condition or the “thing”, but you may be more susceptible to developing it. Examples include autism, some cancers, and some mental illnesses. Similarly, there is increasing evidence of hereditary factors that affect addiction.

Twin Studies

We all know our basic reproductive biology: when a sperm cell penetrates an egg, the resulting process of cell division and growth culminates in a baby. About three percent of pregnancies result in the birth of two or more babies – twins, triplets, and so on.

There are several kinds of twins, and some have more DNA in common with each other than others. The most common twins are:

Identical (monozygotic) twins: one sperm fertilizes one egg, which then splits into two. In most cases, the fetuses share an amniotic sac.
Fraternal (dyzygotic) twins: two sperm fertilize two eggs. Most fraternal twin fetuses are in their own amniotic sac.

There are other kinds of twins, such as half-identical twins (two sperm fertilize one egg which then divides) and mixed chromosome twins (two sperm fertilize two eggs, which fuse and then divide). These are extremely rare, so the data relating to addiction and genetics pertains to the more common fraternal and identical twins.

Because identical twins start from the same two cells – one sperm and one egg – their DNA consists of the same pairs of chromosomes from each parent. What this means is that they have the same genetic blueprint.

Fraternal twins, on the other hand, have the same genetic variances as siblings born to the same parents at different times.

What does this mean for genetic predisposition?

When looking at whether there are hereditary factors that affect addiction, twin studies are a good place to start. If there is a genetic connection, we would expect identical twins to have equal odds of developing an addiction problem. Fraternal twins are genetically similar to non-twin siblings, so they would not have the same chances of becoming addicted.

Multiple studies of both fraternal and identical twins have revealed some interesting correlations not only when it comes to substance-specific addiction, but also the stage of addiction.

While the ranges for specific substances are broad, it appears that genetic predisposition accounts for around 50% of the risk of becoming addicted
This also applies to behavioural addictions such as disordered gambling
The early stages of substance use are driven by environmental factors, but the later stages are more strongly influenced by genetics
Contrary to what some people think, there is not a singular “addiction gene”. Rather, several possible genetic markers have been identified.

What Other Factors Contribute To Addiction?

If genetics only accounts for half of a person’s addiction risk, where does the other half come from? And how does it all fit together?

The more we learn about professional addiction treatment, the more we understand that it is not caused by a singular “thing”. In almost all cases, addiction results from a complex combination of factors that include the following:

Some hereditary mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia, are often a risk factor for substance abuse.
Biological sex plays a role: It appears that while males are more prone to develop addictions, females may be more likely to suffer a relapse.
Children with addicted family members are at risk of experimenting with substance use as a result of learned behaviour.
The teenage years are a minefield of trouble: Teens who are bullied, who have a strong desire to “fit in”, and who lack connections with positive adult role models, are at high risk of developing substance abuse disorders.
People who experience or witness trauma or abuse often turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with the stress or to block out painful memories.

How Can I Protect Myself And My Family From Addiction?

If there is a pattern of substance abuse in your family, you may be worried that addiction in yourself is inevitable. But this is not the case. A link between addiction and genetics does not mean that you will definitely become addicted to drugs or alcohol. It simply means that, given certain combinations of environmental factors, you may be more at risk of developing a substance abuse disorder.

There are things you can do to mitigate this risk:

Be open to conversations with your family members. Talk about the genetic risk of addiction as openly as you would talk about the genetic risk of other conditions, like cancer or heart disease.
Humans fear what they don’t understand. The more you know about addiction, the easier it will be for you to avoid it. Instead of shying away from the topic, immerse yourself in learning about it.
If you are a parent, ensure that you have open lines of communication with your children. Make sure they are provided with strong support at all stages of their childhood and adolescence.
If you are in trouble, speak out. There is no shame in asking for help when you need it.
If your doctor is prescribing certain medications, such as antidepressants, sedatives, or opioid painkillers, be sure to let them know if you believe you are genetically predisposed to addiction.
Make sure you and those close to you are familiar with the early signs of addiction. The sooner a problem is recognized, the sooner you can get help.

What If I Become Addicted?

Addiction is an unfortunate reality of life. People find themselves in circumstances that overwhelm them, and if they lack the support they need, or if they cannot see any other way of coping, they may turn to drugs or alcohol.

But all is not lost. No matter what stage of addiction you are in, there is help available for you. 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre provides addiction treatment services that are customized to meet the needs of each individual. Using a combination of treatment methods, including group and individual therapy, creative therapies, and meditation and yoga, we will help you explore and resolve the root causes of your addiction. More importantly, we will help you develop the tools to cope with the stresses of life without needing drugs or alcohol. To get started, call us at 855-601-0555.

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Addiction Treatment Services: What are Your Options?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date September 25, 2020
No Comments on Addiction Treatment Services: What are Your Options?

Many people struggle with drug and substance abuse or addiction. For these people, recovering from addiction can be difficult. However, the first step to achieving that is acknowledging their struggle and seeking treatment. There are many options for addiction treatment available today.

These treatment options depend on a number of factors. One factor is the type of addiction a person suffers from. Other factors include the length and severity of the addiction as well as the effect it has on the person.

Despite the high number of treatment options, it is crucial that you choose one which will help you achieve sobriety. In this article, you will know the addiction treatment services you can choose for a successful recovery. In the end, you will also know where you can go for your addiction treatment.

Types of Addiction Treatment Services

As earlier stated, there are many options for addiction treatment. However, you must know how to choose an addiction treatment option tailored to your needs. This is because treatment services are different for every person. They are also based on the needs and situations of each person.

The hallmark of a good treatment program is that it ensures the active involvement of individuals in recovery. Hence, when you seek addiction treatment, ensure you choose one where you are actively involved in every step of the way. The different addiction treatment programs include the following:

Detoxification

After addicts realize they are struggling and need help, the first step in recovery is usually detoxification. This treatment helps addicts safely withdraw from alcohol or drugs until it leaves their system. In most cases, detoxification involves medications that help you minimize withdrawal symptoms. These medications will reduce once you become independent of drugs or alcohol.

Behavioural Therapies and Counselling

After detoxification, addiction treatment programs that follow are usually counselling and behavioural therapies. These therapies depend on your needs. In the beginning, they are high in intensity. However, they gradually reduce as your symptoms improve. Some of the therapies for addiction treatment are:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This therapy helps uncover thoughts or feelings capable of hindering a recovery patient. Hence, it reduces your risk of relapsing or compromising your sobriety.

Biofeedback Therapy

It is a type of drug-free therapy that helps recovery patients understand the involuntary processes in their bodies. A therapist will place electronic sensors on your skin and monitors your brain’s activity. Based on the results and analysis, the therapist will recommend psychological techniques beneficial in overcoming addiction.

Holistic Therapy

It is one of the therapeutic addiction treatment programs that focuses on your overall wellbeing. It also treats physical withdrawal symptoms. Examples of holistic therapies include guided meditation, art therapy, yoga, and acupuncture.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

This addiction treatment option helps you accept difficult thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. It also enables you to focus on validation, find a balance between change and acceptance.

When you do so, you tend to cut down on unhealthy behaviours. This therapy also boosts your motivation to change, focuses on your strengths, and helps you live right.

Experiential Therapy

This treatment uses non-traditional methods of treatment to aid recovery patients to get over repressed feelings and emotions. This treatment usually involves patients engaging in outdoor recreational activities.

Psychodynamic Therapy

This addiction treatment program will help you explore your emotions. It aims to help you uncover subconscious thoughts related to your addiction. When you do so, you can identify the underlying reason for your addiction. It also helps you avoid situations that can lead you back to drug or substance abuse during recovery.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

This therapy helps you learn how to change certain behaviours or negative thoughts related to your addiction. Most times, these types of addiction treatment services are used in treating recovery patients with co-occurring conditions. Examples of these conditions include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder.

The overall aim of counselling during addiction treatment programs is to help patients change their behaviour or attitude towards substance abuse. It also helps them boost their self-esteem, strengthen life skills, and support other addictive treatments.

Rehabilitation Programs For Addiction Treatment

These are programs tailored for addictive treatments that last longer. These types of addiction treatment services are very effective. They help you remain free of addiction and resume your normal lifestyle. Licensed addiction treatment services usually offer rehabilitation programs to their patients.

These programs mostly go on in a facility with patients having complete daily access to medical staff. Examples of rehabilitation programs include:

Inpatient Rehab

This is one of the options for addiction treatment that addresses all areas of a recovery patient’s addiction. It consists of structured treatment programs tailored to the needs of every patient. In this type of rehab program, recovery patients live in a substance-free facility.

While there, they receive therapeutic support and medical care daily. Inpatient addiction rehab is best for people struggling with chronic addiction. Patients with co-occurring behavioural and mental disorders also benefit from it.

Sober Living Homes

This acts as a connection between inpatient rehab and a patients’ return to their normal lifestyles. If you are in recovery and you need more time to reinforce the things learned in rehab, this facility is good for you. A sober living home will help you strengthen healthy habits while you remain within its structures.

Outpatient Rehabs

It is one of the flexible options for addiction treatment. In this program, patients receive the same type of treatments and therapies in inpatient rehabs. However, they do so while living at home during the recovery process. That way, they remain in contact with their families and normal lifestyle while attending their scheduled treatment sessions weekly.

The risk of this addiction treatment program is that patients are exposed to the real world. Hence, they are at a greater risk of experiencing triggers that can cause them to relapse. Therefore, it is only recommended for patients with mild forms of addiction. Those patients must also remain committed and disciplined in their approach to recovery.

Support Groups

When addiction recovery patients finish with their addiction treatment programs, it is good for them to join support groups. These groups play important roles in helping them remain on the right path after treatment.

If you join a support group, you will meet individuals in similar situations. These individuals encourage you throughout your recovery process, ensuring you stay on the recovery path.

The following are examples of support groups:

12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
SMART Recovery
Al-Anon and Nar-Anon

Addiction counsellors also play important roles in addiction recovery. They provide recovery patients with unbiased support during treatment. Counsellors will create a treatment plan and aftercare program that suits their patients. They also schedule and conduct individual or group therapy sessions.

Addiction Treatment Medications

Medications are one of the important options for addiction treatment. While you undergo detoxification and even throughout your addiction treatment, you may have medications prescribed for you.

These medications work in several ways to help you manage your withdrawal symptoms. They also work to help you reduce your cravings and treat the disorders you have.

Medications are effective especially when combined with addiction treatment programs. Some medications taken for alcohol addiction include:

Naltrexene
Disulfiram or Antabuse
Acamprosate or Campral

There are also medications for depression, anxiety, mental health conditions, etc., which can cause substance-related disorders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions people ask pertaining to options for addiction treatment:

My addiction treatment program is not effective. What can I do?

Speak with your doctor or an addiction treatment professional. There are several approaches to addiction treatment. Explore other treatment programs. If possible, use medication in conjunction with your treatment to aid healing. If you believe the problem lies with your addiction treatment service, then you should consider changing to a new one

What addiction treatment option should I choose?

Your choice of addiction treatment programs depends on a number of factors. These include the severity of your addiction, how long you have been an addict, and the state of your health. Your addiction treatment service will choose a treatment program that will benefit you.

Is Inpatient Rehab Only for Celebrities?

This is a very false notion. Inpatient rehab is for anyone struggling with severe symptoms of addiction. Such persons recognize they need professional help in overcoming their addiction. Hence, they enrol for inpatient rehabilitation.

Where Can I Find Treatment?

Selecting the best addiction treatment program can be difficult. This is especially as you have a long list of options for addiction treatment. There are a number of addiction treatment services to choose from. However, ensure you choose the best one suited for your needs.

Here at 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, our treatment service stands out among many others in the country. We offer all treatment programs and have a world-class inpatient facility. We don’t just treat your addiction but also live a long-lasting positive impact in your life. Contact us today to learn more.

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Addiction Treatment Tips

How To Organize An Intervention for Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 20, 2020
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Here’s why you need to know how to organize an intervention for addiction treatment. The path through addiction is a treacherous one. It’s one that has many complications. Chief among them is the fact that addicted individuals don’t always know that they are addicted.

“I can quit anytime I want” is a phrase loved ones hear all too frequently. It’s like standing outside a burning house while your family member sits in the living room without even knowing that the house is on fire.

Sometimes, we have to go in and drag that person out of the burning building. We can do that by learning how to organize an intervention.

What Is An Intervention?

There are several methods of intervention, and all of them involve conversations with the addict. These conversations come about with a view to having them enter an addiction treatment program.

The specific technique addiction treatment experts use is a function of the circumstances. In addition, it’s a function of what the interventionist and the family members think will offer the greatest chances of success.

Johnson Model

This method is the one most people picture when they think of interventions. Close friends and family members meet with the addicted person and read prepared statements that describe how addiction affects them. The statements end with a plea for the addict to enter rehab.

Sometimes there is an ultimatum – for example, “If you don’t go to rehab I will no longer financially support you.” This model has been popularized by reality TV shows like Intervention Canada.

These shows deal with a serious topic and can have some educational value. However, they air primarily for entertainment purposes and should not be a guide to planning an intervention.

Family Systemic Intervention

An addict’s problems closely intertwine with those of their family members. In some cases, the addiction can result in abusive behaviour patterns. In other cases, the reverse is true.

Unlike other methods of intervention that are focused on the addict, this one aims at encouraging all family members to seek the specific help that they need.

Brief Intervention

Brief interventions are not usually planned. They involve a short discussion between the addict and a professional such as a doctor or counsellor. This may happen after the addict has been admitted to the hospital for an overdose.

For instance, if a school principal discovers that a student has been using drugs on school premises. Similar circumstances can also call for a brief intervention.

Crisis Intervention

Usually reserved for immediate emergencies, a crisis intervention generally consists of police officers pointing the addict toward treatment for addiction and/or mental illness. This may occur in the event of a suicide attempt or a medical emergency.

Step By Step Guide To Planning An Intervention

Part of learning how to organize and intervention is understanding that every intervention is different. These addictions vary greatly due to individual and family circumstances, what led to the addiction, pre-existing physical and mental health conditions, and a variety of other factors.

Step 1: Assemble The Intervention Team

This is the person or the group of people who will talk with the addict. If you are following the Johnson Model, the team will typically include close friends and family members, and in some cases, a professional interventionist.

One of the most important tips for holding an intervention is to select the team carefully. The goal is to support the addict and not to belittle them. Also, you should only include people you know can stay true to this goal.

Step 2: Do Some Research

We are most afraid of the things we don’t understand. Hence, addiction can seem overwhelming if we do not equip ourselves with knowledge. Before holding an intervention, it is a good idea for all participants to learn about addiction and recovery, and about what addiction to the specific substance entails.

A critical part of this step is finding out about addiction treatment in Canada: what facilities are available, what programs they offer, and crucially, whether they have space available for your loved one.

Step 3: Write Impact Statements

These statements are at the heart of most interventions. Each participant – other than the interventionist – prepares a speech about how the addiction impacts them. The goal is not to judge or attack the addict, it is simply to let them know that their actions are causing harm.

Furthermore, these statements should include any consequences the addict will face if they do not accept treatment. Finally, it should include an offer to support the addict in some specific way if they do accept treatment.

Step 4: Plan And Rehearse The Intervention

Logistically, this means setting a day and time for the intervention. Also, it involves laying out some rules of engagement.

Participants should read their statements together at least once and decide which order to present them in. This way, you can thrash our potential objections.

Step 5: Execute The Plan

On the day of the intervention, follow the plan as closely as possible. Now is not the time to deviate from your prepared statement. If you have an interventionist, they will guide the discussion and diffuse any difficult moments that arise.

As painful as it is, you have to accept the possibility that your addicted loved one will not accept help. If this is the case, you need to prepare to follow through on any consequences you spoke about in your impact statement.

However, if they accept to get help, the next steps should be set in motion immediately. Send the addicted person to rehab immediately, or make the phone call to book them in for treatment.

What To Consider Before Holding An Intervention

An intervention is not the time or place for spontaneity. You have a much higher chance of succeeding if you follow a well thought out plan. Figuring out how to organize an intervention can be delicate, given the emotions and relationships that are involved.

Some things to bear in mind include the following:

Participants should avoid words like “alcoholic” and “junkie”. Instead, use terms that respect your loved one as an individual. Do not define them by their addiction.
Schedule the intervention for a time when the person is likely to be sober and in a good frame of mind. If they show up intoxicated, prepare to wait.
Don’t invite everyone the person knows – this will lead to an unruly session. Also, the addict will feel as if they are being ganged upon.
It is natural that participants will show some emotion while they are reading their prepared statements, but strong displays of emotion should be avoided.
The goal of the intervention is not to shame, humiliate, or attack the person who is addicted. The primary goal is to support the addict by offering help.
If your impact statement includes consequences for the addict not seeking help, you need to be prepared to follow up on this. For example, if you are planning to tell the addict that you will move out if they do not seek help, start looking for alternative living arrangements. Stating consequences and not following up on them sends the message that there are no consequences.
Conversely, if your statement includes an offer of support, make sure you can commit to what you are offering.

How To Get Help For An Intervention

There are many benefits to enlisting the services of a professional interventionist. These include the following:

The interventionist can provide help with planning the intervention. This includes guidance on prepared statements.
The interventionist provides neutral ground: The addict may be more inclined to participate in the intervention if it is being run by someone who does not know anyone there.
The interventionist has the training to know when a situation is about to become emotionally charged. Furthermore, they can diffuse tension better than people who have an emotional stake in the outcome.
The interventionist can, in many cases, arrange for immediate transportation to the rehab facility if the addict accepts help.
It provides emotional protection for you: At a time when you are struggling with your relationship with the addicted person, it can be too overwhelming to figure out how to organize an intervention yourself.

1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre provides top quality addiction treatment in Canada, and it all starts with professional intervention services. To get started, give us a call at 855-601-0555.

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Addiction Treatment Tips

The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation In Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date August 12, 2020
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The two primary ways of treating addiction problems are behavioural and pharmacological therapies. The former is our concern here. Vital to understanding behavioural treatment is realizing the benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment.

Behavioural therapies work their ways from outside to locate triggers that lead to drug use. When found, an attempt is made to switch these triggers off or instill a different reaction.

If you think behavioural therapies include unlocking chakras to attain sublime freedom, you’re right. It seems impossible, but it is most important in long-term addiction management to prevent relapse.

In this blog, we will help you define the meaning of mindfulness for addiction treatment. Furthermore, we will explore the amazing benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment.

Why Mindfulness Therapy is Important

If behavioural therapy was a whole, mindfulness would represent about 70% of it. Here’s why:

All addiction problems have an emotional origin. You either start using because you’re scared, anxious, angry, threatened, pressured, or depressed.
You birth these emotions from a place of unhealthy desire. Ronald Alexander – a top psychologist, describes this state as a “wanting mind”. A severe lack of satisfaction and fulfillment in your present life characterizes it. You constantly find yourself thinking about what could have been if you took some steps you didn’t take some 5, 10, or 15 years ago. How better your life could have been; how you could be riding the fastest cars and more.
The wanting mind sucks you into the vacuum of the fantasy world you want to live in. Trust life to constantly splash the cold water in your face, pulling you back into what you believe is a harsh reality.
The constant back and forth between the two worlds you’ve managed to build for yourself affects you. The anger, frustration, pressure, and depression are factors that push you into using.
You don’t even see these things coming. It is neither easy to look back head-deep in addiction and locate the source of the problem.
Here’s where mindfulness meditation comes in.

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

The benefits of mindfulness/meditation during addiction treatment are immense. However, the best part is that the practice is very straightforward, yet amazingly powerful. Essentially, it’s a series of cognitive-behavioural therapies that help you become mindful of the unhealthy emotions that trigger addiction.

The same emotions that trigger an addiction sustain them. When you find them, mindfulness meditation helps you loosen your grasp and let go. This is the only real, lasting way to the freedom that you crave. It doesn’t just help you break free from the powers of addiction. It also enables you to live your best life in the present reality.

What makes us human, if not our ability to desire? Even the present world we live in was borne out of a cumulation of desires from different people, at different times. We’re beneficiaries of the change these people wanted.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with longing for a better future. What’s unhealthy is mindlessly wishing to change the past, and believe the future is not worth experiencing.

Mindfulness Meditation and the Brain

One of the benefits of mindfulness for addiction treatment is increased control. With mindfulness meditation, you have control over the behaviours you before-hand excused as ‘natural.’ You subject yourself to an unparalleled level of discipline, by consciously learning trained behaviours.

Mindfulness meditation debunks scientific claims that the brain’s plasticity suffers after childhood. Sarah Lazar is a renowned researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital. Time and over again, she has proved how mindfulness meditation re-wires the brain. In one of her researches, she proved that mindfulness meditation is associated with increased cortical thickness and denser gray matter.

Your bilateral, prefrontal right insular region is not left out. Never mind the complexity of the name. It’s the region of your brain that commands optimism, general well-being, an amazing sense of creativity, and curiosity. This part of your brain also improves your observation power as to how your mind works. Interesting, isn’t it?

Here’s the best part: the benefits of mindfulness meditation for addiction treatment that you get as a beginner can match those of folks who have been practicing several years. All it takes is a few hours every day. It’s a small price to pay for a free, transformed life.

Mindfulness meditation takes you on a journey of self-discovery. And it is not always pleasant.

Ignorance is bliss. So, sometimes, we put up serious defence mechanisms when it’s time to open that chapter of our lives. We want to know nothing, yet somehow need to know everything. These defences belittle the consequences of your addiction problem and make you believe that you might not need to change. And change is difficult.

When you feel like you’ve struck a nerve, take special notes, and tell your counsellor/psychologist about it. Break those strongholds, and you stand an actual shot at freedom.

Mindfulness Meditation and Your Hormones

In the previous section, we show how mindfulness and meditation can rewire the brain and behavioural patterns. But there’s more to the benefits of mindfulness for addiction treatment.

There’s more science to mindfulness meditation than its relationship with the brain. Triggering the parasympathetic nervous system in the brain will reduce the circulation of some hormones too.

Cortisol is the hormone your body produces whenever you’re either mentally or physically stressed. Cortisol significantly weakens your immune system, causing an eventual breakdown. Then, you must rest. See? The body always collects!

Nonetheless, cortisol and adrenaline are hormones that are key in generating appropriate responses to dangerous situations. When in excess amounts in the body, however, they could cause serious problems.

Here’s another critical benefit of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment: when you mindfully meditate, you immensely reduce the concentration of cortisol in your blood.

Consequently, you boost your immunity and equip your body with powers to fight withdrawal symptoms during the detoxification process.

How to To Do Mindfulness Meditation

During addiction treatment, you can harness the benefits of mindfulness meditation in 4 easy steps:

Get comfy: In a quiet place, sit upright in a cushion. Rest your head and shoulders comfortably, and place your hands on your legs.
Breathe: Do what keeps you alive, but only with more intention and consciousness. Savour every breath; feel every chest movement.
Focus: It’s hard to only focus on your breathing, but it’s what you must do. It’s good to notice other thoughts trying to infiltrate your space. Don’t give them a second of your attention time. If it helps your focus, count your breaths.

Religiously do this for 20 minutes every day to enjoy maximum effect. You don’t even have to do it alone. At addiction treatment centers in Canada, there’s a small community of people like you and an expert tutor to guide you.

Conclusion

The benefits of mindfulness meditation in addiction treatment are many. It promotes every fibre of your being that exudes grace, optimism, compassion, confidence, and all the positive emotions in the world (all these usually originate from the left side of the brain).

It does all this while simultaneously depressing negative emotions like fear, anger, anxiety, and hatred. So, does mindfulness help with addiction treatment? There’s only one way to find out – try it!

Mindfulness meditation demands your intention, consistency, and discipline. Other people’s lives have changed before their eyes. Yours won’t be an anomaly. Don’t belittle its simplicity; instead, embrace its power.

Are you having addiction problems? Are you suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms? Have you failed at an attempted mindfulness meditation because you find it abstract? Use our in-patient addiction rehab for the best care and guidance in Canada and the USA. Call 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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Addiction Treatment Tips

How to Prevent Codependency

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date July 29, 2020
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Learning the basics of how to prevent codependency is not a day’s job. However, despite this complexity, the results that come with preventing codependency are well worth it.

Addiction is a ravaging cancer. It keeps eating but is never satisfied. For starters, it can destroy the affected individual. However, there’s more to it. Directly and indirectly, it affects the relationships they share with friends and family.

Many times, the people that are closest to these addicts confuse love and pity. Because of the magnitude of their love, they often allow themselves to be unintentionally taken advantage of. Learn how to prevent codependency today, and save yourself, your relationship, and your addicted loved one.

There is a fragile line between journeying with your loved ones through their addiction recovery and developing a codependent relationship with them. You may be oblivious of the fact that you’re in the process of forming one right now. It’s why, among other things, we will show you some markers to know that you’re in a dangerous zone with your addicted loved one.

What is Codependency?

To know how to prevent codependency, it is crucial to know what codependency is. In a relationship with loved ones, the behaviour one person has that tends to promote a refusal to change a bad habit in the other is known as codependency.

Wikipedia has one of the best definitions around. It defines codependency as a behavioural condition in a relationship where one person enables another person’s addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achievement. Now, of course, it makes more sense contextually when you view it through the lens of addiction.

Putting codependency this way makes it seem like such a bad thing. But that’s exactly what it is! It, however, never feels like that in the heat of the moment.

“I’m not doing a bad thing. I’m only so in love with him that I’m willing to let him walk all over me, again and again. He will change when he sees love and tolerance first-hand. I can change him. It’s my duty to.”

Nothing could be more untrue!

At this juncture, it is imperative to say that codependent behaviour is as toxic as addiction itself!

Codependent behaviour heralds a false sense of ‘okay-ness’. It does a good job of keeping an addict in a comfort zone since they believe their habits have become tolerable. Without constantly reminding a person of the nature of their behaviours, you place zero demands on them to change.

There are only two ways to care for an addict: Healthy caregiving and codependent caretaking. For very obvious reasons, we strongly suggest the former.

Here are some of the common types of codependent behaviour:

A dangerously exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others.
Exaggerated importance of a relationship in your life. This births a parasitic and unhealthy attachment, with an accompanying fear of abandonment.
A common delusion that love is synonymous to pity.
A giant need for recognition and approval.
An overwhelming sense of guilt upon self-assessment.
A generally narcissistic behaviour that makes a person believe they can control and change others. They generally don’t believe that this is the job of addiction rehabs.
A problem of indecision
A tendency to hurt yourself upon discovering your efforts are neither noticed, nor appreciated.
An inability to bring yourself into the place of trusting others – a mild form of paranoia.

What is Enabling Behaviour?

It’s best to think of an enabling behaviour as the firstborn child of codependency. If you are going to learn how to prevent codependency, you should be wary of enabling behaviour.

It goes a step further from being taken advantage of. In fact, it escalates into actually encouraging or helping the addict to sustain his helpless drug use.

Enabling behaviour may be as mild, and indirect as covering up for these loved ones in the community. Perhaps by lying for them or giving excuses for their actions. Or it may be as serious, and direct as giving them money to buy the drugs that are ruining their lives.

PS: If a person has an addiction problem, it should be made known to all who care to know. Trying to hide it will only be doing yourself and the person a disservice.

Enablers always find themselves protecting their addicted loved ones from the consequences of whatever actions they take. They’d rather bear the brunt than expose them to the reality and gravity of what they’ve done.

Sweet as that may sound, it only offers negative results. If there’s anything an addict needs, it is the ability to learn from the consequences of his mistakes, mature, and grow. You seize this ability from them as an enabler.

Examples of enabling behaviours

We must review some behavioural traits and actions that may either directly or indirectly foster addiction in your loved one. You just may be guilty.

Telling lies on behalf of a user.
Choosing to believe an addict’s excuses for using.
Offering any form of financial support as regards drug abuse.
Cleaning up a user’s mess after they get wasted.
Paying bail when they wind up in the police station.

How to Prevent Codependency

Ignorance is an inky blackness; knowledge is a perpetual light. In the name of love, you may have reinforced a loved one’s addiction. It’s a common error many people make out of ignorance.

And it’s okay. We don’t expect you to drown in guilt and sorrow. Effective knowledge stimulates immediate action, and that’s where we’re headed.

If you’re just about beginning one, here are some proven tips on how to prevent codependency. If you’ve been involved in a codependent relationship thus far, it’s time to stop.

You’re not Superman

Newsflash! It is impossible to do everything! No human has the power to change a fellow human. Even Superman, in all his glory and strength, didn’t possess this power.

The sooner you realize this limitation, the less stressful your life becomes. The best you can do is try.

It’s not your fault

We are products of the choices we make. If a person uses and has become an addict, it is their fault, and theirs alone! It’s not because you were not always home.

Neither is it because you were never there for him. True as those instances may be, you didn’t conceive the idea for them. And you certainly did not execute it!

If you’re not the reason for their problems, fixing it is not your job either! It’s why addiction treatment services exist.

Speak!

This remains one of the best things you can do for a loved one. Your love for a loved one with an addiction problem should drive you to tell them the truths they do not want to hear. Some of these truths are the two points above.

Chief amongst them, however, is that they need to check in to an addiction rehab where professionals will give them maximum care.

PS: As much as you want to speak the truth, endeavour to speak it with empathy.

Conclusion

The proof of codependency in our world weirdly beacons that people genuinely care for one another. There is, however, a better, more effective way to show your concern.

Recommending the professional services of an addiction treatment service is a practical step on how to prevent codependency. This absolves you of any direct contributions to their welfare. In the long run, it preserves the integrity of your relationship.

Here at 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we can provide you and your loved ones with expert treatment. With careful guidance and revolutionary methods, we can help you or your loved one achieve sobriety! Contact us today!

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Addiction Treatment Tips

Guide to Coping With Addiction Cravings and Relapse

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date July 22, 2020
No Comments on Guide to Coping With Addiction Cravings and Relapse

The most difficult part of addiction treatment is learning how to cope with cravings and possible relapse. Recovering from any form of alcoholism or substance abuse is a long-term process. It’s easier within the protective cocoon that an in-patient addiction treatment centre offers. The challenge is coping with the inevitable cravings and possible triggers that come with a return to normal daily routines.

The possibility of a relapse is completely normal. Addictions change the way the brain thinks. It’s a chronic disease that provokes compulsive substance abuse tendencies. Therefore, even after months of getting the finest addiction treatment services, it is still possible to relapse.

In essence, it means you may abuse the addictive substance. The possibility of this happening offers dangerous consequences. This is why having a guide that helps you cope with cravings and addiction triggers is highly useful. In fact, it may be the difference between long-term sobriety and a relapse.

The first step to preventing relapse is to recognize triggers and learn how to manage addiction cravings. However, there’s more to it. There are certain steps people in recovery can take to prevent relapse. This comprehensive guide offers all the information you need to cope with addiction craving and possible triggers effectively. Come along!

What Are Addiction Cravings?

Some addiction treatment experts define cravings as unbearable withdrawal-like symptoms. They are correct. For starters, the seemingly unbearable nature of addiction cravings makes managing them a tough task. However, there’s more to it.

Addiction withdrawal is the brain’s knee jerk reaction to time without the addictive substance. During addiction, the brain gets dependent on the rush of dopamine that the substance produces. Therefore, without this feeling, it gets very “angry”. This is why withdrawal comes with severe side effects like nausea, anxiety, headaches and more.

Cravings are similar to the symptoms of addiction withdrawal. Even after months of in-patient addiction treatment, the brain won’t heal quickly. Therefore, it’s possible for those cravings to happen from time to time.

Addiction cravings manifest in the strong urge to indulge in the substance, whether pills, marijuana, alcohol or cocaine. The very nature of it is irrational.

This is why a high percentage of people give in to these feelings. Furthermore, it’s why many experts suggest attempting recovery with professional addiction treatment services. They can offer the support necessary to learn how to cope with cravings and avoid relapse.

What Causes Addiction Cravings?

Part of coping with addiction cravings and avoiding relapse is understanding where these feelings come from. Typically, they are the result of the brain’s response to triggers.

In addiction treatment, triggers are pesky reminders of substance abuse and indulgence. For instance, the smell of cocaine can be a trigger. Sometimes, watching people drink in a movie can be a reminder of your old drinking days. From sensory stimulants to emotional reactions, addictions triggers invariably lead to cravings.

Related article: Preventing Addiction Relapse

How to Cope With Addiction Cravings: Avoiding a Relapse

Learning how to manage addiction cravings is an essential life skill for recovering addicts. There are no two ways about it. Addiction cravings will come. And if they get too intense, you may end up giving in to them.

So to avoid relapse, here are some effective tips to manage addiction cravings:

Get a Support System

In this case, a support system is someone or persons that champion your goals of long-term sobriety. It may be friends or a romantic partner. Conversely, it can be an addiction treatment expert near you on speed dial.

Regardless of which it is, the important thing is that they support your cause. When addiction cravings come into play, contact them immediately.

Your support system will engage with you over the phone. If possible, they may come over. Whichever the case may be, they will distract you, taking your mind off the craving. In the same vein, they can talk you through the episode. A support system is crucial!

Talk Yourself Through It

Thanks to in-patient addiction treatment, it is possible to build positive affirmation skills. This tip to coping with addiction cravings involves saying certain things to yourself.

From expressions of self-love to reminders of why you quit the addiction in the first place, they can modify the way the mind thinks — at that moment.

With logic and reason, you can talk yourself out of a craving episode. To manage cravings better, prepare a list of things to say beforehand.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

For those wondering what to expect from addiction treatment, this is one of its many facets. This tip to managing cravings and preventing relapse works using specific sensory organs.

It’s a three-step technique of distraction, visualization and redirection. To use CBT, start by redirecting your attention to something else. It may be a video game or a book.

Then, use visualization techniques to calm yourself. Most addiction treatment experts recommend focusing on things you can see, hear, smell and taste around you.

The combination of these steps distracts you from the craving. Instead of that bone-crushing feeling of “I won’t make it if I don’t use”, your mind wanders into more logical waters. This separation can help you get a grip and make the decision not to use.

It’s a pretty effective technique for managing addiction cravings. However, it’s one that you have to learn under the attention of addiction treatment experts.

Participate in a Hobby

We can make the case that a hobby, especially one of physical nature keeps the mind and body healthy. Of course, a healthy mind is a key to coping with relapse.

In addition, a hobby is important because it takes up time. For most addicts, drug use fills up the bulk of their time. With recovery, it means that you suddenly have long stretches where there is nothing to do.

In cases like this, a hobby helps you pass the time productively. Furthermore, it distracts the mind by providing an outlet. Some hobbies that can help you manage addiction cravings include:

Gaming
Hiking
Fishing
Cooking
Sports
Singing
Yoga

Ride the Wave

Distracting yourself is not the only way to prevent a relapse. Another technique that answers how to cope with addiction cravings is to surf through the cravings. Rather than resisting it, this mindfulness technique teaches acceptance and logical thinking.

To ride the wave of craving, the first step is acknowledgement. Accept it with the resolve that it’s something to deal with. Then, deal with it.

To do this, sit and close your eyes. Then, one by one, analyze each thought about the temptation to use the addictive substance. Verbal acknowledgment has the effect of showing you that it’s just physical reactions. It helps you realize that cravings are not a mountain to scale.

Describe the thoughts coming through your mind. You can even say them out loud to yourself. Do the same for physical feelings like sweating, racing heartbeat etc.

Keep up with this and in a few minutes, you’ll realize that the cravings are gone. Most of the time, coping with addiction cravings is as easy as that!

Self Care

Loving yourself can provide the mental strength to deal with cravings when they arise. Activities like eating regularly, getting a massage, jogging and getting beauty treatment fall under self-care.

With self-care, you get confident in the knowledge that you are actually enjoying life without any drugs in the mix. This can give you the mental toughness to deny temptations and cravings.

Know Your Triggers

Earlier, we describe triggers as places, people or sensory feelings that make you want to use drugs. By knowing what they are, you can avoid them before they cause addiction cravings. This is vital to the process of learning how to cope with cravings.

A simple tip to preventing relapse is to create a trigger list. More importance, identify the ones that are avoidable like visiting a friend who uses. Avoidance is the best way to prevent addiction triggers.

However, there are unavoidable triggers. Emotional triggers such as stress and sadness may be impossible to circumvent. Here are some tips for managing these kinds of triggers.

Discussing with a support system
Feeling the emotions instead of trying to suppress them
Practicing acts of generosity
Spreading positive energy to those around you

Know your triggers. Avoid them. That’s how you manage addiction cravings and prevent a relapse.

Meditation

This tip to coping with addiction cravings works by calming the mind. Furthermore, it offers clarity of thought and self-awareness. With these two in play, it is easier to make positive decisions when cravings happen.

How Addiction Treatment Helps

Sometimes, it’s easy to feel like you can manage cravings and triggers on your own. However, it doesn’t always turn out that way.

Managing addiction cravings and triggers is easier with the help of professional addiction treatment services. Here at 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre , we can teach you how to manage cravings and help you prevent a relapse. Call 855-601-0555 to get started!

Related article: 8 Signs Of Addiction Relapse

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Addiction Treatment Tips

Helping An Addict: Are You Enabling Them?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date July 20, 2020
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It’s easy to blur the line between enabling and helping an addict. When someone we love is going through an addiction, we are instinctively driven to help them. We do so by offering support in a variety of ways: we ensure that the addict has access to necessities of life like food and shelter, we are there to listen to them when they need to talk, we do what we can to protect them from the ugliness of the world.

But sometimes we have to face up to the harsh reality that we may be doing more harm than good. Because the things that we think are helping could be pushing our loved one further into their addiction. In this blog, we explore the signs that you may be enabling an addict.

What Does it Mean To Enable Someone?

Enabling someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol can mean two things: our actions make it easy for them to stay addicted, or our actions make it difficult for them to stop.

Enabling is rarely intentional. When we set out to help anyone with a problem, we tend to measure our success by whether or not that person is happy. This is especially true in the case of addiction, where the individual is often unhappy or going through a difficult time in their life. If something we say or so directly results in the person being happier, we are driven to repeat that behaviour, often without realizing that we are unintentionally feeding the addiction.

The line between helping and enabling can be blurred. We may give food to a hungry relative because, obviously, food is a necessity of life, but if the need arose because the relative spent their paycheque on alcohol, have we really helped them? Or did we in fact make it easier for our relative to spend their next pay on alcohol?

Here we discuss some ways in which you may be unintentionally enabling a loved one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

You commit to keeping the addict’s substance use a secret

People with addictions are often reluctant to tell anyone about their substance use. Even when someone is not acknowledging that they have a problem, on some level they may be aware that their behaviour goes beyond the bounds of what others would consider acceptable. If you are in an addict’s inner circle and they know you are aware of their drug or alcohol use, they may try to extract from you a promise that you will not tell anyone.

This creates at least two problems. First, you have sole knowledge of something that you may not be emotionally equipped to handle. And second, when the time comes to try and get help for your addicted loved one, other people close to the addict may not be on board, because they don’t know the extent of the problem.

You financially support the addict in any way

Most people are unlikely to financially support the addiction directly. If you know that a loved one is addicted to cocaine, you are not going to give them money if you know they are going to use it for cocaine. But you may be inclined to pay their rent or stock up their refrigerator with groceries. While it may seem that you are simply preventing the addict from starving or ending up on the street, these actions are a sign that you’re enabling the addiction to continue.

If you are meeting any of the addicted person’s financial obligations, they have no incentive to pay those expenses themselves. In essence, you are teaching them that they can use their money for drugs, knowing that they have a safety net to fall back on. As painful as it may be for you to have to turn down someone who is asking for food, it really is the kindest thing you can do for that person.

You bail the addict out of jail

It is a sad fact of life that people with addictions often find themselves in trouble with the police. This can take several forms: the addict commits a break-and-enter as they look for money or valuables they can sell. Or they may commit an act of violence while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Finally, they may be pulled over for impaired driving.

Seeing a loved one go through the rigours of jail time and a criminal trial can be painful. But bailing an addict out of jail and helping them fight criminal charges can send them the message that they can abuse drugs without consequence. If you’re doing this, then, it’s a clear sign that you’re enabling an addiction.

You let the addict get away with behaving badly

When substance abuse makes someone behave in ways that are not usual for them, we are quick to separate the addict from their behaviour. If the addict yells at us, for instance, we’ll tell ourselves that “it’s the drugs talking.” We excuse aggression, rudeness, theft of money or belongings, and abuse by reasoning that the addict “cannot help themselves”. However, there’s a clear line between being a softie and enabling an addict.

Most people excuse this behaviour to protect themselves. For one, we need the reassurance that we are not responsible for somebody else’s bad behaviour, and so we’ll tell ourselves anything in order to not take it personally. The reality is that you are never responsible for the way in which someone else behaves, and there is nothing wrong with calling the addict out on the things they do that hurt us.

Everybody – whether they are addicted to drugs or alcohol or not – should be held accountable for their own words and actions.

You cover for the addict’s lateness or absenteeism

The deeper someone falls into the pit of drug or alcohol addiction, the more likely it is that their attendance and performance at work will start to suffer. Early in their addiction, they may be late from time to time. They might miss the occasional deadline or deliver work that is below their usual standard.

After a while, the addict may start to sleep late. They will miss their alarm, and you will be unable to wake them up. If you help them cover up in situations like this, it’s a clear sign that you’re enabling the addiction.

You may respond by calling their employer or coworker and saying that your loved one is sick. Plans to attend important events may be derailed, and you may be tempted to make an excuse of illness or a flat tire. As part of being held accountable, the addict needs to face up to the times they are late and absent.

You allow the addict to use substances in your home

There is no denying that drug abuse can be part of a dangerous lifestyle. Many substances lead to an over-inflated sense of confidence, leading the addict to engage in potentially dangerous activities without regard for the danger.

It is easy to tell yourself that if the addicted person is going to use drugs, they may as well do so in a safe place, where they will be protected from doing anything rash. It may seem like you have a reason for it, but it’s a clear sign that you’re enabling an addict.

This has three potentially serious impacts. First, it gives the addict an easy place to use drugs, which reduces their ability and incentive to quit. Second, in some jurisdictions, knowingly allowing the use of illicit substances can get you into trouble. And third, you could be putting yourself at risk of harm at the hands of the addict.

Related article: Top Reasons Young People Use Marijuana

You take on housework and childcare responsibilities

Addiction does not only affect the addict. It affects everyone around them as well, and where the waters really get muddied is when the addict’s household includes vulnerable people, such as children, seniors, and people with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses.

You may find yourself increasingly doing things for the addict and the people who live with them. In addition to paying bills, you may go over to the addict’s home to do their laundry, vacuum or cook a meal. You do this “for the sake of the children”, and the result is that it becomes even more convenient for the addict to use drugs or alcohol.

If there are vulnerable people living with the addict and their safety is at risk, arrangements should be made to remove them from the home. These arrangements should be made with the sole intention of protecting the vulnerable, and not as a way to make life easier for the addict.

How To Help An Addicted Loved One Without Enabling Them

It is never too late to help someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. More importantly, you can provide help without enabling them. There are several steps that you can take.

Don’t blame yourself

The first step is to understand that this is not your fault. It is very easy to fall into the habit of enabling an addicted loved one. You have been trying to help, and this kind of problem does not come with an instruction manual. It is not easy to know what to do. So don’t be hard on yourself. Remind yourself that you are a good person who wants the best for your loved one.

Take care of yourself

A lot of people who are helping someone through a crisis forget to take care of themselves. If you are going to be at your one’s side through the addiction and rehab journey, you need to make sure you have the physical and emotional reserves to sustain yourself.

Make sure you are eating nutritious meals and getting some exercise. Follow pursuits that you enjoy; spend time with friends who can take your mind away from what is happening. See your doctor if you start to feel run-down, and explore the possibility of therapy for yourself if you are having trouble coping.

Research options for intervention and treatment

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. In the same way, you can explore options for addiction treatment, but you can’t force the addict to accept help. However, there are things you can do to increase the chances of them signing up for addiction treatment.

Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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Addiction Treatment Tips

How To Motivate Your Loved Ones To Get Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date June 22, 2020
No Comments on How To Motivate Your Loved Ones To Get Addiction Treatment

Addiction is an illness that does not only affect the addicted. Watching a loved one’s body and mind get ripped apart by substance abuse is an extremely painful thing to endure. While your love for your friend or family member motivates you to want to help them get addiction treatment, your relationship with that person might be falling apart. Their addiction may be making them combative, they might be stealing from you in order to support their addiction, and they may be acting in ways that are physically, verbally or mentally abusive toward you.

If someone close to you is going through an addiction, they do need some form of help as soon as possible. But at the same time, you need to protect yourself, whether that means preventing yourself from emotionally burning out, or literally protecting yourself from acts of abuse.

Although it may seem impossible to help your addicted loved one while also helping yourself, there are ways to do both. But in order to know how to help someone with an addiction, you first need to understand what it means to enable them, because the line between “helping” and “enabling” can become very blurred.

What Does It Mean To Enable Someone With An Addiction?

As humans, we are instinctively driven to support those we care about, and we tend to judge our success in this area by whether or not the people around us are happy. If they are happy, we deduce that our presence in their life is positive and helpful. If they are unhappy – particularly if they are unhappy as a direct result of something we have said or done – our natural reaction is to do something that will make them happy.

This leads us to unintentionally behave in ways that make it easier for an addicted loved one to remain addicted. We think we are helping them. We think we are doing the right thing. But what’s actually happening is that we are supporting the addictive behaviour.

Enabling can take many forms. Here are some examples:

You allow an addict to use drugs in your home because it is safer than them being on the street
You purchase food for an addicted loved one who used their wages to finance their addiction, and you reason that “at least you’re not giving them money to buy drugs”
You forgive repeated acts of abuse because “it’s not them, it’s the drugs”
You lie to others to protect an addict, for example, by calling their employer saying they’re sick
You pay their bills or do their housework “for the sake of their children”

If you have fallen into the trap of enabling, you cannot blame yourself. People with drug and alcohol addictions become manipulative not because it’s in their nature, but because it’s a survival mechanism for them. And the only way to break out of that cycle of addiction is by recognizing when your actions are enabling your loved one, and to do something different.

Related article: How To Help A Loved One In Recovery

How To Get Addiction Treatment For A Loved One Without Enabling Them

Knowing what enablement looks like is the first step. The next step is to know what you can do to motivate your loved one to get addiction treatment help.

Make sure you have the support you need

You cannot drink from an empty well: if you try to help your addicted loved one without putting in place adequate support for yourself, you could easily burn out.

There are support groups for families of people with addictions, such as Al-Anon, that will connect you with other people who are in a similar situation. Some of the support group meetings may actually teach you something new about addiction and recovery, and you may come away from others simply feeling less alone.

Another route to explore is therapy. One-on-one sessions with a professional may help you cope with the ways in which the addiction has impacted you and your relationship with your loved one. You can also gain some valuable insights into how your words and actions might be enabling the addict.

Get fellow loved ones on board

In a way, addicts are like children: if different people give them different messages, they will get confused. So, talk to the addict’s family members and friends and share whatever resources you have that will educate them on addiction.

Make sure everyone who is close to the addict shares a common goal of figuring out how to get addiction treatment for them that they will agree to.

Start thinking about treatment options

As much as addicts and their families believe that they can battle this demon alone, statistics are repeatedly telling us that addicts who enter a drug addiction treatment program are far less likely to suffer a relapse.

Approaching the addict about treatment is something that should be done at the right time, in the right way. But you can start by researching different facilities, finding out what they have to offer, and what the features of a good rehab program are.

Stop financing the addict

This starts with the obvious: don’t buy any drugs or alcohol for your loved one. If the addicted person’s substance of choice is cocaine, don’t buy them a beer as a reward for not using cocaine. If they are an alcoholic, don’t buy them cigarettes. You need to send a clear message that you will not support the use of substances in any form.

In addition to that, don’t give in to the temptation to buy their groceries or pay their bills. Many people do this, reasoning that at least they’re not giving an addict money that they will just spend on drugs. If you take over any of the addict’s financial obligations, you are essentially paying the addict to be one. Therefore, it takes away their incentive to have to fend for themselves.

Don’t excuse bad behaviour

Anyone who has been close to an addict knows that addiction can make a person act in ways that go against who they are as a person. Someone who used to be mild-mannered can become aggressive; someone with a strong code of ethics can start stealing.

In our quest to not take things personally, we tend to excuse the bad behaviour of those around us. We absolve addicts of their responsibility to behave in civilized, respectful ways. What actually needs to happen is that addicts – like everyone else – need to be held accountable for their words and actions.

Don’t provide a “Get out of jail free” card

It is an unfortunate reality that addiction is often associated with illegal activity. Your addicted loved one has a statistically good chance of having a run-in with the police after stealing money or goods to support their addiction, or by driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

No one wants to see someone they love go to prison, but if you act too quickly and bail your loved one out of jail, you are sending a clear message that the person can act in whatever way they please without consequence.

Be Prepared To Participate In Treatment

Once your loved one has accepted treatment, your part in their recovery journey is not over. Many addiction treatment programs involve family members and close friends in the treatment plan. This usually takes the form of family therapy sessions, during which the addict explores their relationships with loved ones. Everyone can benefit from this process: the addict and loved ones can learn how to communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts, and face up to challenges together. In this way, not only will you be a part of the recovery; you will be there to watch the person you love escape the chains of their addiction and reach their full potential.

To Sum It Up

The process of motivating a loved one to get addiction treatment is a multi-pronged process that will require a lot of attention and effort on your part. However, the results of getting your loved one to get professional addiction treatment is well worth it. Contact 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

Tags Addiction Rehab For Loved Ones