Treatment Archives - Page 18 of 31 - Enlightened Solutions

Finding the Right Treatment Program

Written by enlightened solutions on May 9, 2018. Posted in 12 Step Program, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Finding the right treatment for your loved one can be very overwhelming. The type of drug, duration, and severity of addiction are factors to consider when seeking treatment. The cost of treatment can make a difference in choosing the right program, especially if insurance does not cover it.

Some programs offer in-patient residential treatment. Staff can monitor the patient’s medication and ensure the patient is going to therapy or counseling. This type of treatment facility is usually located in a remote area that boasts comfort and hospitality. People turn to drugs or alcohol to relieve stress. The serene setting of in-patient care creates a stress-free, comfortable environment for your loved one to enjoy while in treatment.

Out-patient programs allow your loved one to stay at home and go to treatment at a time that does not interfere with his or her work schedule. The patient needs to go through detox before entering any type of rehab. Medication-assisted detox can lessen the effects of withdrawal symptoms and is supervised by a medical professional. Out-patient treatment allows your loved one the flexibility to take care of personal commitments.

There are 12-step programs that are free and organized by former substance abusers. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a 12-step program for people recovering from alcohol addiction. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is for people recovering from drug addiction and Nar-Anon and Al-anon are for loved ones of the person with an addiction.

Faith-based treatment programs incorporate spiritual healing with therapy and counseling. This style of treatment is inspirational and encourages the person to stay sober. Dual-diagnosis treatment programs are for people with a substance addiction and a mental health illness. The dual-diagnosis treatment addresses both problems and helps the person through recovery.

The right treatment program for your loved one is tailored to his or her needs. In treatment, your loved one will develop plans to stay sober in recovery. Counselors will help your loved one find ways to avoid a relapse. After treatment, your loved one needs to continue group therapy where he or she will get support, encouragement, and advice from others. The right treatment for your loved one can save his or her life. Do not wait, get help today.

Enlightened Solutions offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach to the road to recovery. If you’re struggling with addiction and/or mental illness, our program is specialized in dual-diagnosis treatments. Don’t hesitate and call today: 844-234-LIVE.

Why is it Hard to Quit Drugs and Alcohol Alone?

Written by enlightened solutions on May 8, 2018. Posted in Drugs & Alcohol, Recovery. Leave a Comment

When a person tries to quit drugs and alcohol alone, he or she is putting themselves at risk for serious mental and physical health complications. The individual can go through intense withdrawal symptoms, depending on the type of drug used, duration of use, and the severity of addiction. Some withdrawals from drugs such as heroin will cause flu-like symptoms. The uncomfortable and sometimes painful withdrawals can cause individuals to relapse.

Drugs and alcohol change the way a brain controls a body’s functions. Over time, the brain becomes dependent on the drugs or alcohol and needs those substances to make the individual feel comfortable. When a person abuses drugs or alcohol, the brain’s neurotransmitters release increased levels of dopamine and the individual experiences euphoric and pleasurable feelings.

Many people use drugs or alcohol to cope with stress or anxiety. If a person has an underlying mental health condition, drugs and alcohol can heighten his or her symptoms. These substances can increase anxiety, paranoia, or depression. The brain relies on the drugs or alcohol to function, which makes it hard to quit. Medication-assisted detox is a safer and more comfortable way of stopping drug and alcohol use. A medical professional can monitor the detox process and administer medication if needed.

When a person stops using drugs or alcohol, he or she can feel very sick and feel strong cravings. Making the decision to stop using is a big step. A person can face many challenges during detox, rehab, and throughout recovery. Fortunately, there are support groups and meetings where other people understand what he or she is going through. The people at support groups and meetings can give advice and encourage each other during recovery.

Counselors can help find medication that reduces cravings to use drugs or alcohol. They can teach the individual how to cope with problems without using substances. After quitting drugs and alcohol, a person has a lot of work to do. He or she needs to learn how to live without substances to cope. People, places, and things associated with his or her drug or alcohol use need to be avoided. Meeting people in support groups can lead to new, sober friendships. The person needs to develop strategies for staying away from things that can cause a relapse.

Never try to quit drugs or alcohol alone. There are safe options to quit drugs and alcohol. Anyone who wants to quit using drugs and alcohol should seek professional help. Quitting drugs and alcohol is the first step to living a healthy, sober lifestyle.

6 Reasons Why Childhood Trauma Can Lead to Drugs and Alcohol

Written by enlightened solutions on May 7, 2018. Posted in Drugs & Alcohol, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

When a person experiences trauma at any age, he or she might turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. Some trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and put a person at risk of developing a drug or alcohol addiction. Traumatic events can bring back painful memories or flashbacks so people with childhood trauma often turn to drugs or alcohol to escape reality.

Abuse in any form is traumatic for a child. Sexual, physical, emotional, and mental abuses are very traumatic and can impair a child’s development. Fear, bad memories, and safety are some reasons why childhood trauma victims turn to drugs or alcohol.

For a teenager with childhood trauma, the risk of developing an addiction is increased. Teens often engage in risky, impulsive, or dangerous behavior and teens are easily influenced by peer pressure to try addictive substances. A teen with a traumatic history is likely to use drugs or alcohol to relieve painful memories of his or her childhood abuse or trauma.

Here are 6 reasons why childhood trauma can lead to drugs and alcohol:

Escaping memories. People with childhood trauma abuse drugs and alcohol to escape the memories of their trauma and suppress any thoughts that lead to reminiscing about the event.
Feeling good. Drugs and alcohol change the brain’s function and cause the neurotransmitters to release high levels of dopamine. The dopamine gives the person a temporary pleasurable effect.
Seeking safety. People who experience childhood trauma can feel safe when they abuse drugs or alcohol because their moods, emotions, and feelings change. They can feel safe now as opposed to the vulnerable child they once were.
Control. A person who goes through childhood trauma can feel like they are in control when they use drugs or alcohol. The temporary shift in attitude allows the person to freely express his or herself and be in control of what they do.
Stress relief. Sometimes people with childhood trauma turn to drugs or alcohol to relieve stress and anxiety. Substance abuse can actually contribute to more stress and anxiety.
Develop social relationships. Childhood trauma might have affected the person’s social relationships as a child. Using drugs or alcohol can make a person feel more social.

Seek medical treatment if you have PTSD or experienced childhood trauma and are using drugs or alcohol to cope. Mental health and addiction are treatable and recovery is possible.

6 Ways Alcohol Impairs Driving

Written by enlightened solutions on May 3, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Alcoholism. Leave a Comment

Alcohol consumption affects every individual in various ways. When it comes to how much is too much, each person is impacted differently. The effects alcohol has on a person depends on his or her physical and mental conditions, and how much and often they drink. Alcohol causes an individual to lose the ability to control speech, thinking, coordination, movements, and affects vision.

Alcohol impairs a person’s ability to drive. When a person drinks and drives, they risk having an accident or causing a fatality. Here are six ways alcohol impairs driving:

Concentration. While driving, a person must concentrate and multitask all the time. A person must steer, focus on speed, follow traffic signals, watch for other vehicles, and avoid pedestrians. Even a small amount of alcohol impacts the ability to concentrate while driving.
Reaction. A person must have the ability to react quickly to avoid harmful situations or accidents while driving. If a person is intoxicated, his or her reaction is slowed and can cause an accident. Alcohol slows down a person’s reaction response and can result in deadly consequences.
Vision. A driver needs to be able to see clearly while operating a vehicle. He or she needs to see other cars, bicyclists, pedestrians, and wildlife to avoid fatalities. Driving conditions are a factor in a person’s vision, too. Driving in direct sunlight, in heavy rain, snow, or in the dark can affect a person’s vision. Driving while intoxicated significantly increases the visual impairment.
Perception. Alcohol affects a person’s perception, which can lead to an accident or fatality. A driver needs to use their perception to avoid dangerous circumstances.
Judgment. A driver uses good judgment when driving. When a person drinks and drives, his or her critical thinking, reasoning, and ability to make good decisions is significantly reduced.
Comprehension. Alcohol lessens a driver’s ability to understand traffic signals and road signs. An intoxicated driver cannot identify situations that require a quick reaction to stay safe on the road.

Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous and is illegal. Driving while intoxicated is deadly and should be avoided. Alcohol impairs a person’s brain function and interferes with his or her ability to react. If your loved one or friend is drinking alcohol, do not let him or her drive.

Are You an Alcoholic if You Don’t Drink Every Day?

Written by enlightened solutions on May 1, 2018. Posted in Alcoholism, Recovery. Leave a Comment

A person does not have to drink every day to develop problems with alcohol. Alcoholism is not defined by how often you drink but is more about the reasons you drink. A person who does not stop drinking, even when they face negative consequences, can have problems with alcohol.

When a person drinks beyond his or her limit, they can experience vomiting, blackouts, overdose, or death. Not having the ability to control how much is consumed can be very harmful to a person’s physical and mental health. Excessive drinking can cause brain damage and can impair a person’s memory. When a person drinks more than they should, he or she puts themselves at risk for serious health issues.

Excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism. When alcohol is consumed, the brain’s neurotransmitters release high amounts of dopamine, which give the person a pleasurable feeling. Over time, an individual must drink more and more of the alcohol to achieve the same euphoric effects. The brain becomes controlled by the alcohol and affects a person’s speech, vision, motor skills, critical thinking, judgment, and decisions. A person who is intoxicated can act on impulse and not think about consequences of his or her actions.

A person who blacks out drinks so much that he or she does not remember a portion of the time they were drunk. Regular blackouts are a major sign of alcoholism. The person cannot control his or her compulsion to drink and cannot limit their intake. When a person drinks too much alcohol and blacks out, his or her brain’s memory function is interrupted causing the person to not remember anything during that time.

If you do not drink every day, you can still have a problem drinking and develop alcoholism. Many factors contribute to a person having an alcohol addiction such as genetics, environment, mental health, and history of alcohol abuse.

If you or a loved one live has an alcohol addiction, get help from a licensed professional. Treatment is available and can be tailored to individual’s needs. There is hope for recovery, and no one should feel they need to fight addiction alone.

Have You Developed Codependent Behaviors? Part Two

Written by enlightened solutions on April 27, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Codependency is common among those who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Thankfully, recovery is possible. See if you have any signs of codependency in your life by reading through the list below.

You put yourself last in everything you do: If you’re not first, you’re last. This sentiment couldn’t be more true in codependency. Codependent behaviors place everyone and everything else high above oneself. When you are struggling with codependency, you struggle to give yourself any value because you do not know how to give yourself value. As a result, you put everyone else’s needs before your own. This is one of the most dangerous parts of codependency. The more blind you become to your needs, the more likely you are to engage in other harmful behaviors to have them met. Substance abuse, eating disorders, and other self-harming behaviors are common for people with codependency in their lives. Since you cannot meet your own needs or ask others to meet your needs, you find ways to perpetuate your feelings of low self-worth as a way of meeting your needs.

You enable people’s bad behaviors just to keep them close: Low self-esteem and low self-worth are two common characteristics of people who have developed codependent behaviors. People attach themselves to others because they do not believe they are worth sticking up for themselves. Often, people who are codependent do not voice their opinion, get their needs met, or even know what their needs are because they categorize them as non important. Even when relationships are abusive and toxic, someone who has become codependent will stay in them. Problematically, codependent behavior enables others’ problematic behaviors.

Your life suffers as a result of your codependent behaviors: Most people experience small forms of codependency in their relationships, but their lives don’t suffer as a result. Codependency can become extreme and damaging. You might place other people’s lives so far above your own that you stop caring for yourself. Your hygiene suffers. You don’t eat. You push people away. You don’t show up for your job. You lose your ability to be accountable or responsible for your own life because you are too busy doing so for others. If your codependency has started to have a negative effect on your life, the time is now to change. Through therapy, twelve step work, and a commitment to transformation, you can recover your relationship with yourself.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Have You Developed Codependent Behaviors?

Written by enlightened solutions on April 26, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

You can’t stand being alone. At the most extreme, people who are codependent stay in harmful, abusive, toxic relationships and situations just to avoid being alone. Codependency means becoming completely dependent on other people in order to feel whole. If you have developed codependent behaviors, you have found subtle ways to make sure someone else is included in everything that happens in your life, and everything you do in your life. Recovering from codependency is challenging, but it is possible. Look for some of these signs to decide if codependency recovery is right for you.

How you feel depends entirely on how other people feel: One of the most common traits of codependency is not being able to feel your own feelings, but base your feelings on those of others. When your friends are sad, you are sad. When your romantic partner is stressed, you are stressed. This isn’t empathy or even sympathy. You have placed the value of other people’s life experiences far above your own for so long, you cannot connect to your own life experiences anymore. When somebody asks you, “How are you?” You find it difficult to answer. Instead, you talk about how everyone else in your life is doing.

Making decisions for yourself is hard to do: How can you trust yourself? That is a question most people with codependent tendencies ask themselves. When you become so used to relying on other people, it feels as though you cannot rely upon yourself. Autonomy is one of the many gifts of recovery, but becoming autonomous is hard to do when you find it hard to make decisions for yourself. Everyone in recovery is suggested to take suggestions in the beginning because the addicted/alcoholic mind cannot be trusted. Eventually, you have to learn to trust yourself.

Abandonment issues feel beyond your control: Even if someone is leaving the room without telling you, you feel a certain twinge of fear and panic that they don’t like you, they’re hiding something from you, they’re leaving you, and they’re never coming back. You’re not paranoid. You’re just codependent. Most people who develop codependent behaviors have experienced some form of abandonment in their life, including neglect. Abandonment issues make themselves most evident in all forms of relationship.

Bring Springtime Into Your Aromatherapy

Written by enlightened solutions on April 25, 2018. Posted in Alternative Therapy, Healthy Living. Leave a Comment

April showers bring May flowers, which means it is time to start bringing more flowers into your life. Aromatherapy is a great way to bring more flowers, and their healing essences, into your recovery to connect to the season of awakening.

Flower Essences For Spring

Essential oils of flowers can be healing, soothing, invigorating, and simply delightful during the springtime. You can use essential oils in many ways to maximize flower based aromatherapy. Essential oils can be used in diffusers, which spread the smell throughout your home or space. You can also apply essential oils directly to the skin as an alternative to perfume. In addition to smelling like the purest essence of flowers, you’ll also be giving your mind, as well as your body, a wealth of benefits. Some essential oils can be used in cooking. If you’ve never had rose or lavender flavored ice cream, spring is the perfect time to try a new recipe. Add lavender or rose essential oils to chocolate treats for a flowery touch. Sip on flower based tea and breathe in the aromas.

Here are some of the most healing flower essential oils to use as aromatherapy this spring:

Lavender: Lavender is a healing wonder of nature. You can use lavender on wounds, acne, scars, and more. What lavender is most well known for is its soothing, relaxing scent. Lavender can reduce anxiety and induce a lovely state of calm.
Rose: Perhaps no flower scent in the world is as immediately recognizable and wonderfully potent as rose. Rosewater is becoming a popular beauty trend. Just like lavender, rose essence can have a calming effect.
Jasmine: Springtime can be a time of romance, possibly thanks to the Jasmine flower which is known to be an aprhodisiac. Feelings of love can benefit your recovery in more ways than romance. Spark a romance with yourself by sipping on Jasmine tea or using jasmine oil.
Ylang Ylang: With a name like that, ylang ylang can only mean happiness. This bright and happy flower scent is known for being uplifting.

Other ways to bring in the flowers

Fresh flowers are always a guaranteed way to bring aromatherapy into your life. Springtime is full of beautiful blooms which you can bring home or go visit. During the spring, many local farms or botanical gardens put on beautiful displays of flowers and invite the public to tour the grounds. If you can’t make it to flowers, simply bring a fresh bunch of seasonal flowers home. While walking around your house, make sure to stop and smell the flowers.

Can Grief Be Used As Inspiration?

Written by enlightened solutions on April 24, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

On February 14th, 2018, what should have been another average Valentine’s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, 17 students and faculty lost their lives. A school shooter opened fire with an assault rifle. Unbeknownst to the shooter, a national movement would be sparked. In just the couple of months since the event, there has been an uprising of student activism with school walkouts, protests, and a national march held on March 24th. The Generation Z students have accomplished an impressive amount of change. Laws are being changed, processes are being reviewed, and radical improvements are being made which might have otherwise taken years.

Interviews have revealed what is inspiring these young people to take such adult action: their grief. These children are experiencing trauma, PTSD, watching friends struggle in the hospital, and to cope, they are putting their grief into action. Some students have become international icons, their speeches being played around the world, their bravery recognized by millions. Rightfully, many are concerned for the students’ mental health. Should they be taking time to grieve? Sometimes, acting on inspiration is a healthy way of grieving.

The Atlantic wrote on the varying opinions about how the students are handling their grief. “After a traumatic event, a person has no choice but to move forward–where she might have a choice is is in where she will move.” Citing a professor of psychology, the article cites that “‘When something like this happens, you can’t continue your same path. You have to choose a new path’ And a person has lots of roads- healthy or dangerous or something in between- to choose from.”

Getting sober is traumatizing. Addiction is traumatizing. Despite the traumatizing experience of addiction and initial sobriety, there is grief. Grieving the loss of addiction, the loss of a substance of choice, is common for people in recovery. As The Atlantic explains, we have to move forward after addiction and we have to choose in which direction we want to go. Though we are grieving, our recovery can be action we take as inspiration from our grief. We cannot continue the same path. We have to choose something new. Hopefully we choose sobriety. We choose recovery. We choose action in our own lives which create radical improvements.

Bipolar Myths You Need To Kick To The Curb

Written by enlightened solutions on April 23, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Bipolar disorder is one of the most common co-occurring disorders with addiction. As with most mental illnesses, there are myths about bipolar which are damaging. Bipolar myths can get in the way of someone seeking the treatment they need to heal and recover.

People With Bipolar Are “Crazy”

The “crazy” stigma of mental illness is thankfully becoming old and tired. When we characterize bipolar disorder as “crazy” we are often imagining it in its most extreme form, with extremely manic highs and dangerously depressive lows, as if someone with bipolar were two distinct people. Bipolar disorder is not the same thing as multiple personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder, or any kind of schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, not a personality disorder. People can experience extreme forms of bipolar disorder, but mild forms of bipolar disorder with subtle symptoms are much more common than this harmful stereotype. Mild depression with intense mania, mild mania with intense depression- there are many combinations of bipolar with which people live. Living with a mental health diagnosis like bipolar disorder does not make someone ‘crazy’. ‘Crazy’ is a term we need to kick to the curb in 2018.

If Your Mood Changes, You’re Bipolar

Everyone who does not suffer from a psychotic disorder is prone to mood changes. Depression, for example, is a natural part of the grief process and a natural reaction to life. People are prone to be manic every now and then, running on high energy. Many of the symptoms of bipolar disorder are symptoms that people experience in their everyday life. People even have extreme mood swings- for example, women tend to have more severe mood swings around the time of their menstrual cycle, and everyone can have intense mood swings when they are stressed or exhausted. Unfortunately, the myth of bipolar disorder perpetuates a stigma that any kind of mood change means you’re “bipolar”.

Bipolar Disorder Can’t Be Treated

Bipolar disorder can be treated and treated successfully with proper intervention. Assessment is key in determining the nuances of someone’s bipolar, as well as addressing any comorbid issues like an addiction or another mental health issue. Medications are typically prescribed to help stabilize mood swings toward a more normalized equilibrium. Regular therapy can help an individual discover their triggers for mood changes, warning signs of mood changes, and develop strategies for coping with mood changes. Like with any mental illness, there is no cure for bipolar disorder. There are, however, many treatments which are proven to reduce symptoms of bipolar and allow people in recovery to leave peacefully.

Tag: Treatment