Technology and Addiction: Navigating the Digital Age in Recovery
Technology is everywhere, a tool that for most people is integral to daily life. Different apps, platforms and devices control how you communicate with others, connect with them, and even go about your daily life, from simple things like choosing a restaurant to more complicated things like choosing a therapist. It is important to be cognizant of the relationship between technology and addiction, as technology can be a potential hindrance to recovery, but it can also be a valuable tool depending on how it is used. How Technology and Addiction Can Be Harmful Navigating the digital age in recovery starts with understanding how technology and addiction can be harmful. Addiction rewires the brain and changes your behaviors. In the early stages of recovery, you might still struggle with these behaviors. Unfortunately, there are ways that technology can inadvertently exacerbate these behaviors with things like: It is imperative that you approach technology cautiously, as unhindered connectivity to social media or smartphones can actually lead to additional stress and triggers. How to Use Technology in Recovery Navigating the digital age in recovery extends to understanding the way that you can positively use technology in addiction recovery. Apps to Support Sobriety For starters, there are many mobile apps that you can use to give you a support system during your sobriety, especially the early stages. When used appropriately, these apps can give you the tools you need no matter where you are. Online Communities Similarly, technology can be a useful resource when it comes to virtual support groups. There are plenty of reasons why you might be unable to attend a support group in person but that doesn’t mean that you have to go without support. New technology makes it possible to find: All of these can connect you with other people who are going through similar struggles, provide a sense of belonging and a place to seek advice or share your experiences. Virtual Therapy Tangentially, virtual therapy has grown in popularity as well. For those who are in recovery and might want a specific type of support or support for co-occurring mental health disorders, there may not be qualified professionals close by. However, you can find therapeutic resources online with access to professionals who specialize in the areas you need. This makes it possible to get the resources and services that help you the most, no matter where you are located. How to Use Technology in Recovery That said, it’s important that you learn how to use technology safely, mitigating the risks of technology and addiction. With The Differents, we provide guidance on how to use technology mindfully as a tool to empower you in your recovery. As part of our luxury drug rehab, we emphasize understanding positive versus negative uses of technology in recovery, moderating your habits so that technology and addiction don’t make one another worse. Our goal is to increase your awareness of technology, recognize potential triggers, be aware of screen time and what type of content you are consuming, and find ways to support your overall recovery journey. Reach out to our team today to get started in your inpatient or outpatient treatment.
Building a Support System for Long-Term Sobriety
Each person in recovery is different in terms of what it is they need and how they get support from others. However, one of the things that remains the same is that everyone needs support in some form of another. That is why building a support network is essential to long-term stability, providing you with people who can be there when you need emotional support, a shoulder to cry on, someone who understands what you’ve gone through, or someone who can give you advice. Why Building a Support System Matters So why is building a strong support system important? Building a support network in recovery means you are more likely to: Having a support system means having people you can turn to when you are triggered, people who are there for you in the form of going for a walk, getting out of town for an afternoon, or just meditating with you. It also means having people that understand what you’re going through, people who can offer support, who may have been in your shoes before or who can give you advice on coping skills. One person can’t provide everything you need and they’re not supposed to. That’s why a whole network is so integral to your recovery because it provides you people you can turn to when you have different needs like actionable coping skills, someone you can vent to, or someone who can just sit with you. Building a Support Network in Recovery Building a support network in recovery means having multiple people or groups to whom you can turn for different things. For example: Tom is in recovery and he knows that building a support network is important because he can succeed in his recovery alone. So his support network includes his spouse to whom he can turn for intimate conversation about his feelings and support within the house. However, building a support system in recovery means more than just a spouse as that one person can’t always be his entire form of support. So Tom also has his sponsor and he can call his sponsor when he is feeling overwhelmed, triggered, or just wants to talk. Tom has a support group he goes to regularly and he knows that they are there for him and they want him to succeed. Tom has worked hard at building a strong support system and part of that has been a close coworker and a best friend both of whom are there in different circumstances, both professional and personal, to hold him accountable and to willingly participate in sober activities with him or to be the person at a work function that also doesn’t drink. In Tom’s case, his support system includes: As Tom is working on building a support system he might find that he needs more or less support at any given time and that might mean a therapist or someone else with whom he can talk, or even his doctor. Now consider another example: Sharon is currently in treatment but she is being encouraged to build a support system when she is done. So Sharon has made a list of the people she might need/want in her support system including: Sharon knows that when she leaves, her father who also has a history of addiction but has been sober for 27 years, will understand what she is going through and be there to support her while her sister is one of her best friends and is someone she knows she can call day or night. Her therapist and support group give her a different kind of help, with things like insights into personal triggers and actionable coping skills whereas her best friend provides emotional support and is happy to participate in sober activities with her. Building a Support System with The Differents At The Differents, part of our outpatient rehab is designed to prepare you for what comes next. During any level of care you will participate in support group meetings and group therapy. These sessions help you create a system of coping mechanisms you can use when you are triggered and a support network. Regular participation in support group meetings can prepare you for continued participation in local support groups when you return home. Participation in group therapy can prepare you for socialization, exposing you to other people and sober activities as well as actionable skills that you can use as part of your recovery. Call our team today to explore your options for recovery and building a support network.
How to Prepare for EMDR Sessions
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a highly effective treatment for trauma and emotional distress. For those embarking on EMDR therapy, being well-prepared can enhance the overall experience and outcome. Here’s how to get ready for your sessions: Understand EMDR Therapy EMDR helps reprocess traumatic memories through guided eye movements, which can change how memories are stored in the brain. Educating yourself about the process will make you feel more comfortable and empowered during the sessions. Set Realistic Expectations EMDR can sometimes bring up intense emotions as old memories are processed. While the therapy is designed to heal, it’s important to expect discomfort at times. Be patient and trust the process, knowing that healing is a gradual journey. Establish Emotional Support Having a trusted friend or therapist to lean on during the EMDR process can be comforting. Let someone know that you’re undergoing therapy and may need extra support in case strong emotions arise after your sessions. Ensure a Safe and Calm Space It’s crucial to be in a safe and comfortable environment for EMDR. This will allow you to focus without distractions. You might want to prepare by having calming activities available, like meditation or deep breathing exercises, to ground yourself if needed. Be Ready to Focus on Your Memories While EMDR is guided, it’s important to be ready to engage in your memories. Your therapist may ask you to recall specific traumatic events, so preparing mentally for these discussions can help ease any anxiety. If you have difficulty bringing these memories to the surface, don’t worry—your therapist will help. Hydrate and Rest EMDR can be mentally and emotionally draining. Make sure you are well-rested and hydrated before each session. Proper physical care can support your emotional well-being and help you stay focused throughout the process. Keep an Open Mind EMDR can bring up unexpected memories or emotions, and it may take time for your mind to process the changes. Stay open to whatever comes up, and allow yourself the grace to experience the process fully without judgment. Track Your Progress Keeping a journal to track your feelings, insights, or any changes you notice between sessions can be helpful. This reflection allows you to measure progress and address any emotional challenges with your therapist. The Differents Offers EMDR For Your Needs By preparing mentally, emotionally, and physically for EMDR, you set the stage for a more successful healing process. Remember, this therapy is an opportunity to move forward and embrace emotional freedom, so approach it with patience and trust in the therapeutic journey.
What is Outdoor Therapy and How Is It Used to Treat Addiction?
Outdoor therapy refers to therapeutic sessions spent outside. Studies have indicated that time spent outdoors improved symptoms of physical issues like high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Outdoor therapy: Striped patterns typical of hard concrete buildings and city landscapes can cause things like migraines, headaches, and epilepsy because the gray matter in your brain is designed to process complex organic scenes made of overlapping striping patterns found in nature. The linear borders and contrast found in urban settings requires more oxygen for your brain to process and that can lead to things like headaches. Spending time in nature can alleviate these issues by giving your brain a break from the over processing that comes from city landscapes and helping you to feel mentally recharged. Outdoor Therapy for Addiction There are several types of programs which offer outdoor therapy often in the form of a group activity that takes you on things like hikes so that you have an opportunity to be outdoors every week or two. Mindfulness and Focus on the Present Being outdoors can give a chance to spend meditative time with nature where you absorb your surroundings with all of your senses. This is a highly mindful practice, one that forces you to be present and focused on what’s happening in front of you instead of worrying about the future or contemplating the past. This is essential for people in recovery who are looking for ways to build their resilience and emotional control, avoid unnecessary stress, and learn to prioritize things that matter in recovery. Exercise Another benefit to outdoor therapy for addiction is the fact that it promotes exercise. Most Americans spend 90% or more of their time indoors, and of that, the majority of it is spent sitting and looking at screens. Even in recovery you are more likely to spend the majority of your time indoors, sitting in therapy or reflecting, but otherwise indoors. You are also likely to encounter excess stress from the recovery process. Too much stress for lengthy time frames can lead to physical symptoms like body aches or headaches, depression, and increased anxiety. Exercising, or just simply spending time in nature can: Being able to regularly exercise is not only good for preventative health but an essential component in substance abuse treatment when damage may have been done through drug and alcohol abuse and now you need to build a routine, improve your mood and your sleep through endorphins, and strengthen your body. Note: The idea of forest bathing or spending time outdoors, can be as simple as spending 10 minutes per day in a local park, or a small area of town that has pockets of nature mixed into the landscape. After your outdoor therapy you can continue this practice and reap the health benefits. Socialization When you participate in outdoor therapy for addiction treatment, the group setting takes you out of a clinical office and somewhere more relaxing where you aren’t just sitting in a group facing one another and talking but rather socializing. Socializing like this can: You might find people in your same group with whom you enjoy hiking, talking, or exploring. From there, you might continue the practice long after your therapy has ended. Starting Outdoor Therapy with The Differents At The Differents, our facility is nestled in the Tahoe/Reno area with access to the Tahoe National Forest. We understand the profound impact that being outside in nature can have on an individual, especially on addiction recovery. That is why all of our programs specialize in recreational therapy or outdoor therapy, with low impact options as well as hikes, snowshoeing, and seasonal activities that cultivate improved exercise levels, socialization, better mood, and increased mindfulness. To learn more about our PHP, IOP, or withdrawal management and outdoor therapy, call us at (844) 407-0461.
Is Cocaine Physically Addictive?
Historically there was incorrect information regarding cocaine, particularly prior to the 1980s when it was thought that cocaine wasn’t physically addictive but new clinical and preclinical research has sought to answer the question “Is cocaine physically addictive” with modern medical understandings of the brain and the way cocaine regulates an individual’s ability to experience pleasure. What is Cocaine? Today we know that cocaine is one of the most potent stimulants. It is typically used recreationally, where individuals place it on their gums or snort it through their nose after which they get a short-lived but very intense high. But is cocaine physically addictive? Is Cocaine Physically Addictive? Yes, cocaine is physically addictive. Cocaine use can rather quickly lead to an addiction because of the way cocaine impacts the brain’s reward system. With regular use, cocaine will increase the levels of dopamine in your brain, which causes your brain to no longer produce otherwise normal dopamine levels associated with healthy and safe activities like good food, exercise, or sex. This means an individual who uses cocaine repeatedly will not be able to experience that same pleasurable response from other activities other than cocaine. This change in brain structure and function means an individual is more likely to use cocaine again and again, trying to experience that same pleasure. Cocaine Tolerance One of the biggest problems with continued use is that physical addiction to cocaine happens very quickly. Cocaine, unlike other drugs, can start to build a tolerance in an individual after a single use. This means you only have to use cocaine once for your body to start developing tolerance. When you start developing a tolerance that means that you need to use larger and larger amounts each time you use cocaine to get the same effect that you got during your previous times. Long term this puts individuals at a serious risk for health problems as well as overdose. Why Is Cocaine Physically Addictive? Cocaine is physically addictive because it increases the release of dopamine in your brain with each use. Under normal circumstances your body releases dopamine as a reward when you do things that help you survive as a species like eating good food or having sex. That dopamine is typically recycled after it’s been released so you get a short-lived feeling. With cocaine, that recycling process, called reabsorption, doesn’t happen. So, not only do you get higher than normal levels of dopamine but cocaine prevents your body from reabsorbing it which means you have excess dopamine floating around in your neural pathways creating even more intense feelings than you would get elsewhere. This feeling of euphoria is reinforced through your tolerance which means that as you seek to replicate the same feeling you end up using more and more cocaine which furthers the damage to your reabsorption processes. Long term these changes can make it difficult for you to feel good doing any other activity and as soon as you stop using cocaine you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms like cravings, irritability, depression, and anxiety. Thankfully, with the right type of treatment program you can overcome the physical aspects of cocaine addiction. Is Cocaine Physically Addictive? Learn to Overcome Addiction with The Differents The right type of cocaine addiction treatment starts with detox to help you overcome those physical feelings of dependence. From there you’ll participate in ongoing programs that help you overcome the mental aspects of your addiction and to rebuild your brain’s natural dopamine responses. At our facility we provide daily schedules for our residential cocaine treatment programs that emphasize a human connection, empowering you to make positive lifestyle changes and to discover your passion. When you are able to find purpose, develop human connection, and gain direction for your life, you can find ways to cope with things like stress and trauma without resorting to addiction. With our residential programs, individuals receive one-on-one counseling and group therapy each week, participating in a variety of exercise programs like basketball, bowling, hiking, yoga, and more. We work hard to incorporate exercise with arts and crafts, meditation and journaling time, movie nights, game nights, and other activities that give our luxury drug rehab a more well-rounded change for the mind, body, and soul.
Why Are Veterans Vulnerable to Substance Abuse?
Individuals who are enlisted in any branch of the military are subject to unique cultural stresses that increase the risk of substance abuse and mental health disorders. So why are veterans vulnerable to substance abuse? Deployments and military culture can be very stressful with issues like: Veterans are more vulnerable to substance abuse in large part because of trauma. Twenty percent of veterans with PTSD have substance abuse issues as well. One in three who get help for substance abuse has PTSD. Veterans Vulnerable to Substance Abuse: Facts Ten percent of all military veterans have a substance abuse disorder, higher among male veterans than females. Alcoholism Not only are veterans vulnerable to substance abuse, but they are more likely to struggle with alcoholism, something that often starts during their career at a time when things like mandatory drug screening and the belief that seeking help could have an impact on security clearances make it one of the only options for self-medication to those dealing with PTSD, stress, and other issues. Studies have found that veterans are around six percent more likely than non-veterans to use alcohol and one percent more likely to abuse alcohol. Five percent of veterans who seek treatment abuse alcohol most frequently out of all available substances. Opioids Two-thirds of veterans report extreme pain, and of those, many receive opioids sometimes illegally but mostly through a prescription. Over nine percent of veterans have severe pain compared to only six percent of the general population, which means they are one-third more likely to develop an addiction to opioids or overdose from opioids. Opioid overdose rates for veterans jumped six percent from 2010 to 2016, the majority of which were related to heroin and synthetic opioids, not prescription pain relievers. Dual Diagnosis There are several reasons why veterans vulnerable to substance abuse may be more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol for self-medication, and that can be the experiences within the military as well as the adjustment that comes from reintegrating into society with those experiences. People who experience trauma or injury during combat are at a much higher risk of developing substance abuse. Veterans who have a substance abuse disorder are up to four times more likely to get a diagnosis of depression or PTSD. In fact, upwards of fifty percent of those veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Getting Veteran Care for Substance Abuse Many veterans, even today, are worried about the stigma or the potential impact on benefits that might come from getting treatment. However, at The Differents, we provide confidential veterans drug rehab programs designed to meet the specific needs of the veteran community. With our luxury drug rehab, veterans vulnerable to substance abuse can get the help they need. We are centered in the Reno, Tahoe area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Our luxury facility provides addiction treatment specifically for those who have served in the military and may be dealing with co-occurring psychological or emotional struggles. We understand that it’s far too easy to turn to drugs and alcohol as a form of self-medication for the stress of being in the military, as well as untreated or undiagnosed PTSD. Our innovative approach helps you find meaning in life beyond addiction, deal with your experiences as a veteran, and utilize tailored treatment that helps you cope with physical and emotional burdens. Moreover, we provide veterans with unique options to cover addiction treatment costs. Overall, veterans often struggle with physical and mental scars from their time in the military. Veterans vulnerable to substance abuse may worry about the impact that seeking treatment can have or the financial burden of getting the right care. However, our facility can help with specific treatment plans for veterans. Contact our team today at (844) 407-0461 to learn more about our cost options for veterans.
What Are Reasons Treatment Can Fail?
If you or someone close to you is struggling with addiction, you may have dealt with situations in the past where treatment was tried but failed. There are several reasons treatment can fail, and it doesn’t mean that there is no hope but rather that a different type of treatment should be attempted at a different time. Top Reasons Treatment Can Fail So, what are the main reasons treatment can fail? One of the biggest is that a person simply isn’t ready. Another is that they had the wrong level of care. One of the final reasons treatment can fail is that someone wasn’t given enough support after their immediate inpatient or outpatient program. Poor Motivation One of the biggest reasons that treatment can fail is that someone doesn’t have the right motivation. This is not a personal shortcoming or indicative of failure but from time to time clients will check themselves into an inpatient or an outpatient program at the behest of a loved one. A close friend or family member may have requested or even demanded that someone seek help for addiction, but deep down, it wasn’t a personal choice, and that individual simply wasn’t ready from a motivational standpoint. Things like motivational interviewing can certainly help with this, and so can a more holistic approach to treatment. Lack of Support There are times when treatment fails because an individual doesn’t have the right type of support. For example: Wrong Level of Care Another big reason treatment can fail is that an individual client is participating in the wrong level of care. There are several levels of care for addiction, ranging from a full residential program where an individual resides at a treatment facility full-time and has supervision twenty-four hours per day to outpatient programs where individuals participate in support group meetings once per week. Sometimes a client will participate in a level of care that is inadequate for what they need. This often happens when someone looks at healthcare coverage or tries to pay for treatment out of pocket and they opt for the cheapest or most affordable option which is generally the lowest level of care. However, not all levels of care are created equally and sometimes people struggle because they are getting the wrong level of support. Inadequate Aftercare Tangentially, people can complete a program successfully but fail to have supportive aftercare, which means they leave something like a residential program without any type of peer support or assistance with things like housing. Then, they find themselves reverting to old habits with old friends and dealing with a relapse. Getting Treatment with The Differents At our facility, we know that there are several reasons treatment can fail and that is why we prefer a personalized approach that incorporates several levels of holistic treatment. Non-Verbal Communication If you are not someone who is comfortable sharing intimate information with a therapist in a traditional office space, you can participate in our equine therapy. With guided interactions, you’ll be able to focus more on self-reflection and nonverbal communication with your therapist. This opportunity can facilitate emotional insight and deeper connection without the pressure of sitting in a sterile office space. Connections to Nature At The Differents, we understand the importance of connecting to nature as part of your recovery. Sometimes the reasons treatment can fail have to do more with feeling confined in a hospital space or not being able to connect with majestic landscapes and deep reflection. To help overcome this hindrance, we provide winter adventures with snowshoeing and skiing, ice skating, and sledding escapes in the nearby Tahoe mountains. We also offer opportunities to observe wild Mustangs across vast expanses of public land, reconnecting with the world. Amenities We also know that a lack of amenities can make it difficult to find peace during your treatment and stay focused on long-term recovery. That is why we offer top-tier beauty professionals at our luxury drug rehab to give clients exclusive pampering ranging from luxurious massages, revitalizing facials, or rejuvenating manicure and pedicure sessions. All of this works in tandem with the rest of your treatment plan to support a holistic recovery approach and improve your level of self-love. Overall, there are several reasons treatment can fail, but thankfully, each failure is an opportunity to learn. If you or someone close to you has tried treatment before and struggled with failure, take time to determine whether you might do better with a different level of care, a different type of treatment, or continuing aftercare. Reach out to our team today to discuss why our amenities make recovery easier.
What Are Successful Intervention Strategies?
One of the most reliable ways to inform a friend or family member that they have an addiction and genuinely need help is to plan an intervention. Interventions offer a safe space to communicate the impact that addiction is having on friends and family and to offer aid in finding a personalized treatment plan. The most successful intervention strategies have consequences: design the attendees carefully, rehearse what will be said, and have reliable treatment centers at the ready. Establishing Consequences One of the more challenging aspects of successful intervention strategies involves laying out consequences. Family members often enable a loved one in their addiction without meaning to or realizing that they are doing so. Understanding this impact is important as it allows family members to recognize that the most compassionate thing they can do for a loved one is to establish consequences when a loved one breaks the rules or surpasses boundaries. This is an important point to express during an intervention: from now on, a loved one has to follow rules, such as not using drugs in the house or getting high at family functions. If those rules are broken, there will be direct consequences, like not being allowed to live at home or attend family functions. Interventions can be a safe place to establish those consequences moving forward while also providing your loved one with options for help so that they avoid those consequences. Picking the Attendees and Location Successful intervention strategies involve carefully selecting the attendees and the location. When staging an intervention, you want to be selective about who will be present, picking people with whom your loved one has a good relationship. Just because someone is a family member does not mean that they have to be present. In fact, if there is a negative relationship or problems with certain family members, your intervention is more likely to be successful if that person is not there. The people who attend do not have to be direct blood relatives. They can also be close family members, godparents, or friends of your loved one. The goal is to have people that your loved one trusts to whom they will listen. The location should also be neutral ground, not necessarily in the middle of the living room but sometimes in an office or other third-party space. It should be a place where your loved one feels safe, not attacked, and comfortable expressing themselves. Rehearsing What to Say Rehearsing what you plan to say is another key step. Successful intervention strategies hinge on not only writing down what you want to express to your loved one but also saying it out loud and practicing how you will deliver your words in as supportive and clear a manner as possible. This also extends to how you will deliver the consequences that you have set up. Having a Treatment Center Ready It is important to have a treatment center ready in the event that you have successful intervention strategies and your loved one decides they are ready to get help. Places like The Differents can offer several levels of withdrawal management as well as outpatient care with access to outdoor activities that encourage individuals to rediscover their purpose. However, it is equally important to prepare yourself for different outcomes. While it is imperative that you have a treatment center ready in the event that your loved one decides to get help, you need to be aware of the fact that they may respond with things like anger instead and deny the need for help or even that they have an addiction. Preparing yourself for all of these possible outcomes and responses can ensure that you have a more successful intervention. Getting Help at The Differents With The Differents, we believe that clients need a chance to discover fun activities with a purpose behind them. Gone are the days of traditional offices, couches, and closed-door discussions. Now is the time for a different approach to healing, where individuals can foster a bond with nature, build skills and self-esteem, and learn to find a passion for nature and purpose beyond addiction. For this, we offer activities like: Located outside Tahoe, our addiction treatment center specializes in holistic treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders that extends to things like motivational interviewing for those clients who still have trouble taking action, as well as outdoor therapy, recreational therapy, yoga, and sports medicine. If you have a loved one for whom you are seeking successful intervention strategies, presenting them with our focus on creativity and holistic care in a reimagined way can give them access to treatment that stands apart. Overall, the most successful intervention strategies incorporate boundaries and consequences, present information lovingly by rehearsing what you want to say, and do so with a strategy for who will be present and where the intervention will take place. Having a treatment center on hand should your loved one accept help is equally important. With The Differents, we can offer several levels of outpatient care that don’t require your loved one to reside full-time at a facility but still offer a personal experience in addiction treatment that’s unlike any other treatment center. Contact our team to learn about rehab reimagined.
The Importance of Finding Professional Drug Interventionists
A drug intervention is an opportunity for family members to confront a loved one about their addiction, to explain the ways in which addiction has impacted each member of the family, and to ask their loved one to get support. These can be very challenging things to plan, especially because of the emotional difficulties involved. For that reason, many families decide to work with a professional drug interventionist, someone who helps them plan the intervention and facilitate the intervention. Why You Need Professional Drug Interventionists Deciding to confront a family member is a very difficult decision, and it can be fraught with challenging emotions. Sometimes family members don’t know where to begin, they aren’t sure how to collect their thoughts and put them down on paper, or they just need someone else there to act as a mediator. Preparations It’s not uncommon for people in close relationships to predict how their loved ones might react and subconsciously become defensive or harbor annoyance or anger in response to these predictions. Many of these traits are small and subconscious, so family members don’t realize that their tone might change as soon as their loved one makes a certain face, but a professional drug interventionist can help family members be more aware of these subconscious changes and put them to the side during the intervention. In this way, finding professional drug interventionists can help you with all of the preparations. Location Professional drug interventionists might also offer alternative locations. It’s important that the location where you have your intervention be on neutral ground so that it doesn’t prompt unnecessary emotional reactions. When you find a professional drug interventionist, they can typically provide a third-party location like their office or another community location where you can hold your intervention. Mediation Another reason why finding a professional drug interventionist can be beneficial for family members is the simple mediation that they provide. Someone who is struggling with addiction might be slightly more respectful of a third-party professional who is facilitating the discussion and mediating responses to a small degree. Finding Professional Drug Interventionists Finding professional drug interventionists might seem difficult; however, there are plenty of qualified treatment centers that also offer drug interventionist services directly or can connect you to third-party services that are highly qualified and vetted. Once you have a list of potential contenders, feel free to reach out about consultations, to go over how they would offer support for your family and planning the intervention, what they might offer in terms of location, and the overall price and availability. If a particular drug interventionist works with a treatment center they will be able to answer questions about treatment in a more informative way than you or your family might be able to. They can also help guide your loved one toward their treatment if they make the decision to seek help. Having the Right Treatment Center When you plan an intervention, one of the most important and often overlooked steps is to have a luxury addiction treatment center on hand and ready to accept your loved one for treatment if they decide to move forward. You want to be able to capitalize on the momentum your loved one has if they agree to get help. The best way to do that is to have a facility where they can go immediately to start their program. With The Differents, our facility is one with flexible schedules and a wide range of effective therapies. We want your loved ones to be comfortable, which is why we provide luxury amenities throughout their stay with access to trained professionals who can not only provide insight into how addiction works but what type of life skills and coping mechanisms will be most important moving forward. Overall, finding a professional drug interventionist can take a lot of the burden off families who are trying to intervene in addiction for a loved one. The right type of interventionist will be able to offer support in planning the intervention, deciding on the location, and facilitating the discussion when the time comes. Most important, of course, is to have the right treatment center ready and available if your loved one seeks help. Contact our team today to learn more about our treatment programs.
Exploring the Role of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehab programs provide many benefits, such as a more flexible schedule and a lesser time commitment. These programs also serve as an important source of ongoing support for those in recovery, and they can provide this care through a range of innovative therapies and treatment modalities. One of those methods is medication-assisted treatment. In this blog, we’ll explore the role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab and how it can help those in recovery maintain their sobriety. What is Medication-Assisted Treatment? Medication-assisted treatment is a federally managed program that includes medications approved by the FDA. These programs provide medication to help you manage long-term cravings and reduce the risk of relapse as you continue with outpatient treatment. A requirement for medication-assisted treatment is participation in psychotherapy during your outpatient care. The reason for this is that studies indicate medication is more successful when used in conjunction with therapy, especially for substance abuse. The Role of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Outpatient Rehab Medication-assisted treatment can take one of two forms, and many clients choose to utilize both: Detox The role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab generally starts with your detox process. For some, the detox process can come with serious risks of complications and extremely unpleasant side effects. The likelihood of getting through those can be increased with certain medications that ease discomfort. This is especially true for the withdrawal process from substances such as: This medication must be administered by a qualified facility. After completing detox, you can transition to the second stage. Cravings Drugs and alcohol have a profound impact on the way your brain functions. Substance abuse can change the size of your brain, its structure, and the way in which certain parts of your brain operate. It takes a long time to reverse these changes, and during that time frame, you can experience unpleasant side effects and particularly strong cravings unlike anything else. In order to minimize your likelihood of relapse, to help you actively participate in your treatment program, and to reduce your risk of overdose, medication-assisted treatment in an outpatient program can provide options that can: This medication must also be administered by a qualified facility while you continue to participate in your outpatient program, including the requisite therapy. What to Expect with Medication-Assisted Treatment If you participate in medication-assisted therapy, your treatment program will involve the administration of medications either orally or with injections for most medications. You’ll come to the facility for your doses as well as your ongoing therapy sessions. Therapy sessions typically involve individual and group therapy with moderate participation requirements depending on the level of care you are receiving. As you transition up or down throughout the different levels of care, your requirement for therapy might adjust accordingly. The role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab is to be a tool that you use while also learning long-term life skills and coping mechanisms that will eventually replace your reliance on any medication. Getting Professional Care with The Differents The Differents is offers outpatient rehab services and medication-assisted treatment. When you work with our team, you get personalized care with our 1:3 staff-to-client ratio. At our private, luxury addiction treatment center, you can participate in activities like: Hoping you make the most out of your time with us and beyond, we incorporate medication-assisted treatment in our outpatient rehab programs to help you to combat cravings and triggers. Overall, the role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab is to provide you with additional support as your brain’s neurobiology reverts back to what it was before substance abuse. With the help of ongoing medication, you can also manage co-occurring mental health disorders during outpatient rehab. Contact our team today to learn more about our programs.
