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6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Group Therapy

6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Group Therapy

Group therapy plays a central role in nearly every quality treatment program and for good reason. Studies show that group therapy is a cost-effective way to treat many conditions, including addiction. More importantly, group therapy offers a valuable opportunity to learn and practice skills that are hard to acquire on your own or in private therapy. For example, group therapy allows you to practice communication skills in a safe environment where a therapist can moderate interactions. Group therapy is also a great way to get many different perspectives on your problems and not just the perspective of untrained peers or your individual therapist. However, like any form of therapy, you only get out of it what you put in. Here are some tips for getting the most out of group therapy.

Be open.

Being open is perhaps the most important part of group therapy and, for some people, the hardest. It can be hard to be honest about your feelings and experiences in front of a group, but the more you share, the more the group can help you. Keep in mind that a group therapy session isn’t like a work meeting, where communication should be clear and concise. It’s fine and often helpful to try to express thoughts or feelings you can’t quite articulate. This also goes for feelings or experiences you probably wouldn’t share in other social settings.

Openness is important for several reasons. First, by being honest about your emotions, you learn to better understand them. Just making an effort to describe how you really feel makes you more aware of your own emotional landscape. Second, it’s often harder to see ourselves clearly than to see others. By being honest with the group about your feelings, you can gain much greater insight into your emotional life. Third, we reflexively protect the places we’ve been hurt and by allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you discover that whatever you’re feeling is okay.

Learn to give feedback.

A major advantage of the group is that you get feedback from others while simultaneously practicing your communication skills. Giving feedback is one of the most valuable skills to practice. Not only is it important in the context of the group, but it is also a valuable skill in other areas of your life, especially when it comes to setting boundaries. It can be tricky to balance honesty and respect. We often excuse meanness by saying, “I’m just being honest.” Honest feedback is important, but it should always come from a place of compassion.

To be effective, feedback should be as specific as possible. For example, it’s better to give feedback specific to something someone said or did rather than how they seem to behave in general. Providing concrete examples is always helpful. So instead of saying, “you’re too negative,” try something more grounded like, “you said just now that you fail at everything, but I think you were overgeneralizing.” Also, be sure to give positive feedback. Let people know when you appreciate something they said or did.

Learn to accept feedback.

Accepting feedback is just as important as giving good feedback. Some people feel like they’re being personally attacked or criticized when they get feedback. This is understandable, especially for people who are used to being attacked or criticized. However, it’s important to manage those feelings constructively. Getting feedback from a group of people you can be totally honest with is a valuable source of information and if you’re overly defensive, you might miss out. If you feel like you’re becoming defensive, it may be a good idea to acknowledge that feeling and share it. In general, it’s good to acknowledge feedback and appreciate that the person who gave it is trying to help. You may want to see if others agree or disagree with the feedback as well. Finally, it’s also helpful to ask for feedback, rather than just wait. This way, you’re actively gathering more information about yourself.

Don’t rely on stories.

It’s tempting to prepare what you’re going to say in advance and especially to rely on stories. However, in the context of the group, that may be counterproductive. Stories are often pared down to be efficient and produce a certain impression. In effect, you may be using a story to project a certain image. This may be a way to avoid being honest or avoid struggling with uncomfortable emotions. It’s much better to be honest and responsive to what’s happening in the group.

Be wary of giving advice.

It’s often tempting to give advice when someone in the group describes a problem they are having. However, it’s usually best to refrain. It’s easy to give someone else advice, but even if it’s good advice, it may not be what they need to hear. A better approach is to listen and ask questions. Try to understand what they’re trying to say and how they are feeling. You can give someone advice if they ask for it, but more often, people just want to feel like they’re being heard.

Pay attention to group dynamics.

There’s a lot going on in a group and you can learn a great deal by paying attention to group dynamics. What kind of discussions make you feel uncomfortable? Which group members are good communicators? Which group members are others drawn to? Which members do people avoid? How does the therapist moderate conflict and misunderstanding? All of these things can help you learn new skills and understand your own position better.

 

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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6 Ways Addiction Changes Your Personality

6 Ways Addiction Changes Your Personality

Addiction can affect your life in many ways. It can damage your health, your relationships, your career, and your finances. Perhaps the biggest impact is on your brain. Prolonged substance use changes your balance of neurotransmitters and can even change the structure of your brain. These changes affect your mood, your ability to think, and even your personality. Here are some of the ways addiction changes your personality.

You lose interest in things you used to enjoy.

One of the primary characteristics of addiction is that it becomes the most important thing in your life and everything else gets demoted. Whether you enjoy spending time with your family, playing golf, or rebuilding motorcycles, your other interests will gradually lose ground to substance use. This damages your relationships for a number of reasons, largely because people don’t like being second to substance use. It also means instead of spending your time building relationships, mastering skills, or creating something useful, you’re just spending your time drinking or using drugs. This is unfortunate because much of our identity is determined by how we spend our free time. A person’s job might tell you something about them, but not as much as what they do for fun.

You become secretive and suspicious.

Someone with substance use issues often becomes secretive and takes more care to protect their privacy. They may become less talkative or more suspicious when people ask them questions. They may be wary others are trying to get information out of them, and may spend more time alone, choosing not to divulge where they’ve been or what they have been doing.

There are several reasons for this. First, they are often aware that their friends and family wouldn’t approve of their drinking or drug use. They might not approve of it at all or they might just think it’s excessive. This usually indicates the user, themselves, is aware on some level that they have a problem. Second, they may be using illicit substances or illegally obtaining controlled substances. They may be concerned about getting into legal trouble or getting others in trouble.

You may become depressed or anxious.

Depression and anxiety often occur along with substance use. Typically, depression and anxiety come first, and someone develops a substance use disorder from self-medicating depression and anxiety symptoms. However, addiction can also cause depression and anxiety. First, substances change the balance of your brain chemistry. For example, drinking alcohol relaxes you at first because alcohol enhances the effect of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and diminishes the effect of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. However, your brain soon adjusts for this change, producing less GABA, and more glutamate. This leads to more feelings of anxiety and agitation when you’re not drinking. A similar change happens with other substances as well.

There are other ways substance use can lead to anxiety and depression. When you’re afraid of withdrawal and you need to find some way to get drugs or alcohol every day, you may become anxious until you can actually meet that need. Also, people with substance use disorders often feel a sense of hopelessness in the face of their addictions. They see how addiction is harming them and they want to quit, but can’t. That constant feeling of hopelessness can lead to depression.

You become emotionally volatile.

Substance use often leads to emotional volatility. You may lose your temper easily or suffer from mood swings. This is often related to the anxiety and depression mentioned above. When you constantly feel anxious, you feel at some level that you are being threatened and are therefore more likely to lash out. This is especially true if you feel like someone is standing in the way of your drinking or using drugs. You feel like drugs or alcohol are basic needs that someone is denying you, so you become aggressive. Many people don’t realize that irritability and aggression are also common symptoms of depression. What that aggression seems futile, it might collapse into sadness or despair.

Brain imaging studies have also suggested that long-term substance use weaken the brain’s prefrontal cortex and it’s links to other parts of the brain, especially the reward centers that are excessively stimulated by substance use. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher functions like self-control, attention, planning, and emotional regulation. When working properly, it moderates the emotional responses generated in the older areas of the brain. However, excessive substance use weakens this area, making you vulnerable to emotional swings.

You choose different friends.

The more involved you get with substance use, the more it changes who you spend time with. You tend to push away the people who care about you and are concerned about your substance use. You also tend to spend more time with people whose substance use habits are similar to yours and people who can help you get drugs. Who you spend time with has a big impact on your values, beliefs, and behavior. Often, our friends’ attitudes influence us in ways we are not aware of. Spending time around other people who drink heavily or have other substance use issues is likely to reinforce your own bad habits.

You engage in risky behavior.

Addiction often leads to risky or unethical behavior. As noted above, studies have found that prolonged substance use impairs your prefrontal cortex, which is involved with planning, attention, emotional regulation, and self-control. It’s also involved with foresight. You’re less able to foresee the negative consequences of your actions. However, people with substance use disorders are typically too preoccupied with substance use to care. Since substance use becomes your top priority, good foresight and planning simply means getting drugs or alcohol efficiently. Since other considerations matter less, even close personal relationships, you may be indifferent to the ethical considerations involved, even perhaps stealing from loved ones so you can buy drugs. What’s more, many drugs lower inhibitions and make you willing to engage in risky behavior, such as sharing needles and unprotected sex.

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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What to Do After a Relapse

What to Do After a Relapse

Relapse is always a possibility at any point in recovery. Although your risk of relapse drops the longer you’re in recovery, the risk never falls to zero. Estimates of relapse rates vary widely between studies, but a frequently cited estimate from the Journal of the American Medical Association is that between 40 and 60 percent of people who get treatment for drug or alcohol addiction will relapse within the first year of leaving treatment. Some estimates are much higher and some are much lower. What seems clear is that your risk falls the longer you stay sober. On average, there’s a big drop after a year, and another big drop after five years.

There’s some disagreement over whether relapse should be considered part of recovery itself. People who support this view say that expecting someone to never relapse sets an unreasonable expectation that puts unnecessary pressure on people in recovery and makes the people who do relapse feel more discouraged and less likely to try again. Critics of this view believe it gives people in recovery permission, or at least an excuse, to relapse. What’s more, relapses can be extremely dangerous. People who have been sober for a while no longer have a tolerance for a substance. Most overdoses happen after a period of sobriety.

Whether or not you consider relapse part of recovery, it’s better to avoid relapse if you can. However, relapses do happen. Although it can be extremely discouraging, a relapse is not a permanent failure. Many people relapse several times before sustaining recovery. The key is not to give up. Here’s what to do after a relapse to give yourself the best chance of success in recovery.

Figure out where you are.

Not all relapses are the same. Some people have one drink, regret it immediately, then get back on the wagon. Some people get drunk, wake up the next day and decide to get sober again. At the other end of the scale, someone might relapse and feel like as long as they’re using again they might as well go all out. They might keep using for days, weeks, months, or years. This is a total relapse. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle and the seriousness of your relapse determines what you should do next.

Get sober as soon as possible.

As the old saying goes, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Whatever the circumstances of your relapse, the most important thing is to get sober again as soon as possible. How you do this depends on how extensive your relapse was. If you drank for one night, passed out, then woke up hungover and regretting your mistake, getting sober is simply a matter of deciding you’re not going to drink again.

Get to a 12-step meeting as soon as possible and let your group know what happened. Many people are reluctant to do this because they’re embarrassed and they feel like they’ve let their group down. They feel like they’ll be judged for relapsing, so they might actively avoid going to meetings, which only makes the problem worse. Everyone in your group has been in your shoes. They will welcome you back; that’s what the group is for. It may be hard to go back to one day sober, especially if you only had one or two drinks, but you’ll be better off in the long run if you’re honest with your group. It’s important to treat even a minor slip-up seriously because even if it seems like no big deal, you might mistakenly take it as evidence that you can now drink in moderation. One slip up might turn into a couple of drinks now and then, a couple of drinks a day, then, before you know it, you’re back where you started.

If you had a more extended relapse, getting sober again might not be so simple, but it is still urgent. As noted above, a relapse is when you’re at highest risk for overdose. Many people also feel ashamed and discouraged after a relapse, which may make it even worse. If you’ve started to build a tolerance again, you may have to go through medical detox to get sober. This is especially true if you have previously experienced difficulty detoxing.

Forgive yourself.

No one feels good about a relapse. You might feel like you’ve wasted all the effort you put into recovery, that you’ve disappointed all the people who care about you, and that it proves you can’t do anything right. While it’s normal to feel disappointed, dwelling on it doesn’t help. Try to remember that you’re not alone; 40 to 60 percent of people relapse in the first year. Recovery is hard and you always knew there would be setbacks. More importantly, shame only makes it harder to get back on track. Shame makes you feel like you deserve to be punished, so try to take a more compassionate position towards yourself. You made a mistake, like everyone does, but you can forgive yourself and move on.

Analyze what happened.

When you’ve stopped digging and gotten to a stable place, the next thing to do is figure out what went wrong. It’s a good idea to actually write a narrative of everything that happened leading up to your relapse, being as detailed as possible about specific events and how you felt. It’s also a good idea to talk it over with your therapist or 12-step group. Did you feel overwhelmed by life stress? Did something happen like a job loss or divorce? Were you feeling depressed or lonely? A relapse can be a valuable source of information, so get some different perspectives and learn as much as you can from it.

Make a new plan and try again.

When you’ve analyzed what went wrong, make a new plan. Enlist the help of your therapist, group, sponsor, or family, and try again. Take into account what you’ve learned and make adjustments. For people who relapse repeatedly, the problem is often that treatment just didn’t last long enough or that they didn’t get adequate support while transitioning back to normal life.

 

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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Signs You May Be Heading for Relapse

Signs You May Be Heading for Relapse

Relapse is a common danger in addiction recovery. A frequently cited study in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that between 40 and 60 percent of people treated for addiction will relapse within a year. In fact, there is an ongoing debate about whether relapse should be considered part of recovery. Proponents of this view argue that acknowledging relapse as a normal part of recovery makes people feel less discouraged after a relapse and more willing to try again. Critics argue that this view can undermine a person’s resolve to stay sober, that a relapse can be extremely discouraging, and, perhaps most importantly, overdose are most common after relapse. Whatever your position, one thing is clear: it’s best to avoid relapse if you can.

Contrary to popular belief, relapse doesn’t usually just happen. It’s not typically the case that someone with a year of sobriety will arbitrarily decide to go on a bender. There may be cases where a sudden shock leads to a relapse, but typically relapse is a gradual process with distinct phases. It’s an idea that grows over time, perhaps invisibly, until one day you take the final step of using again. If you are familiar with this process, you may be able to correct course before a relapse happens. The earlier you make adjustments, the more likely you will maintain your recovery. Here are the typical phases leading to relapse.

Emotional

Relapse often begins on an emotional level. Feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed every once in a while is normal, but if you feel that way often, it may be a sign that something is wrong. Perhaps you were enthusiastic and optimistic about recovery at first, but now you feel disillusioned or cynical. Twelve-step veterans often call this “stinking thinking” and know it’s an early warning sign that relapse is coming.

There are several reasons you may be experiencing emotional turbulence. It could be that life is throwing a lot at you and you’re having trouble coping. It could be that your expectations of recovery were too high. Perhaps you thought life would be great once you quit drugs and alcohol, but progress isn’t coming as fast as you expected and you feel disillusioned. Sometimes it just takes a while to shake the anxiety and depression caused by long-term substance use.

When you start to feel this way, it’s crucial to recognize it and adjust. Talk to a therapist or share with your group. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by life in general, seek social support and focus on healthy coping strategies.

Mental

If your emotional state keeps getting worse, you might start having thoughts of relapse. That is, you might start thinking about using again. Even if you don’t really plan to use again, you might start reminiscing about the good times when you drank or used drugs with friends, conveniently forgetting all the bad times. You might start thinking that you’ve done so well for so long that you probably have your addiction under control and you can start using again in moderation. When you get farther down the path of mental relapse, you may start bargaining with yourself, entertaining ideas such as rewarding yourself with a beer during lunch if you finish a work project by Friday. You may start spending time with old friends who still drink or use. You’ve progressed very far in the mental stage when you start coming up with excuses for relapsing or make a specific plan to relapse.

If you get to this point, your recovery is in crisis. If you want to stay sober, you have to make a change right away. Talk to your therapist, call your sponsor, or go to meetings. This is your last opportunity to save your recovery.

One powerful antidote to the mental stage of relapse is to “play the tape.” This is a strategy common in 12-step circles. The idea is simple: you force yourself to see all the consequences of relapse. When you’re in the mental stage of relapse, all you think about is the relief you can get from using again or all the fun times you had while drinking or using drugs. Your brain leaves out all the awful consequences of addiction. When you play the tape, you force yourself to remember your substance use as it really was. Think beyond the initial relief, to the disappointment and remorse that will soon follow. Remember in vivid detail the worst moments of addiction and why you finally decided to get help.

Physical

Physical relapse is when you actually start drinking or using again. As noted above, this isn’t typically a fluke or accident. If you actually relapse, you’ve probably been planning it for a while and at some point made a definite decision. It’s important to note that not all relapses are the same. Sometimes people slip up, say, by having a drink or several drinks, regretting it immediately, then going back into recovery. Others go all in and it may take weeks, months, or years, before they’ll consider quitting again.

Although relapse is discouraging, and possibly dangerous, a relapse does not mean failure. By one estimate, 90 percent of people with alcohol use disorder fail in recovery at least once before sustaining recovery long term. Many people do succeed in recovery after several failed attempts. The important thing is to try again as soon as possible. Learn what you can from the relapse and try to correct for it the next time. Often, people who keep relapsing need a different approach, such as long-term treatment with extensive follow-up support.

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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Shame in Recovery: Navigating the Waters of Healing

Shame in Recovery: Navigating the Waters of Healing

For many, the physical and mental restoration that is worked towards in recovery is only half the battle; there’s often a lingering effect of guilt and shame that also must be worked through. In 2017, NPR conducted an interview with author Neil Steinberg, whose written several books on addiction recovery. He explained in the interview that addiction in and of itself is a secretive disease – and along with it being portrayed as a “weakness” or a “failing,” it’s not surprising that many in recovery still struggle with shame, guilt and stigma. He stated,

“Nobody says, here, wait a second, ‘Mom, I’m going to go hide in the bathroom and guzzle vodka.’ You don’t say that. You’re used to being secretive and ashamed of it while you’re doing it.”

The Difference Between Guilt and Shame

Guilt

Dr. Georg Fuerstein told Inner Self that guilt derives from the Old English term gylt, which means “a fine for an offense.” Today, those who experience guilt often experience that nagging feeling of having done something wrong; even once a person is in addiction recovery, they may have great concern over the “rightness” or “wrongness” of their actions. Furthermore, a person in recovery may fear punishment from their loved ones, especially when it comes time to addressing these transgressions in person. Guilt sets that tone that a person needs to “make things right.” While a person can’t change their past, they can work towards changing their present and future, and this is the only action that can be taken when guilt arises.

Guilt is a normal emotion – as humans, we’re built to recognize the mistakes and errors we’ve made and to apply judgment to them – but if this consumes a person in recovery, they will find that it’s hard for them to reach their goals.

Shame

This emotion grabs a bit more at the core, and occurs when a person feels “bad” or “unworthy.” Those in recovery who experience shame may feel that their actions are too bad for them to ever come back from – that their family members should no longer include them in their lives, or that they’re basically “bad” human beings. Shame is often much more difficult to heal from than guilt because it’s rooted in a person’s self-concept. Both shame and guilt often serve as “revolving doors” of emotion, peddling back and forth as a person tries to make sense of their life.

A 2017 study published in the journal BioSocieties found that for many, the stigma behind addiction sparks these two feelings; genetic predisposition can even facilitate feelings of shame if a person feels there’s no way out because that’s “just who they are.” There are so many symptoms of mental illness that can stem from both guilt and shame, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and more – but by participating actively in recovery, a person can make huge strides.

A Path Towards Healing

Within researcher Donald Nathanson’s book “Shame and Pride: Affect, Sex, and the Birth of Self,” a quadrant model to understanding shame:

  •    Withdrawal – isolating and hiding
  •    Attack Self – self-criticism and self-harm
  •    Avoidance – denial, substance abuse
  •    Attack Other – blaming others and lashing out

No matter which side of the spectrum a person tends to act upon (and this may even include more than one side), there are ways to heal from shame:

  1.     Recognize that you and your needs matter.

Addiction doesn’t define you. Acknowledge that underneath all of the shame, embarrassment and feelings of failure, you have needs. This includes feeling a part of society, feeling important, wanting to have connections – and if this matters to you, it’s important.

  1.     Build relationships that facilitate healing.

Both with yourself and with others, find people who support your need for connection, love, joy and adventure. If you find that you’re being rejected by certain friends or family members for your past with addiction, give them time – and continue reaching out to others who may become part of your social support network.

  1.     Learn to tolerate the emotion.

Many people who feel shame want to avoid it, and that’s natural; however, you can’t let your feelings of shame hold you back from living your life. Every relationship you attempt has the potential for rejection and humiliation – that’s what comes with being vulnerable. However, you can still push forward and recognize that despite shame, you can build healthy relationships.

Begin Your Path Towards Healing Today

If you’re ready to embark on this beautiful sobriety journey, speak with a professional from Burning Tree today. It’s never too late to start building the life you’ve always wanted.

 

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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Holistic Practices for Building a Better You in Recovery

holistic approach

We all have a unique story to tell. We’ve all been through different circumstances – different chains of events that have led us to where we’re at today. Substance abuse is only the tip of the iceberg, because underneath lies a lot of thoughts and feelings that make up who we are. Holistic practices take this into account by acknowledging the fact that we can’t treat everyone in addiction recovery the same way; there’s no “one-size-fits-all” treatment.

What Does Holistic Mean?

The American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) explains that holistic practices,

“…Encourage the patient to include healing strategies that support the whole person.”

Let’s take a look at the three main areas of holistic health:

Mind – this includes acknowledging everything that’s affected our mental health; examples of this may include recovery from trauma, mental illness, eating foods that support brain health, etc.

Body – the mind and body work together, and by feeding your body nutritious food, along with exercising to keep your body fit and flexible, you’ll find that benefits spill over into other areas of your life as well

Spirit – spirituality is separate from religion, but it emphasizes our purpose in life. If we feel needed – if we have a direction for where we want to go, and if we become stronger in our sense of spirituality, we’ll become stronger in recovery, too

In 2016, Elite Daily noted that holistic health is about observing everything as a whole – and there are several holistic practices that you can pick up during your time in treatment (and throughout the rest of your journey to recovery, too)

Types of Holistic Practices

Lucy R. Waletzky, MD, and Marsha J. Handel, MLS, highlighted several holistic practices via AHAA:

  •    Acupuncture – opening energy pathways throughout the body to release tension, stress and negativity
  •    Biofeedback – using instruments to provide feedback to clients on bodily processes so they can develop greater awareness and tools for reducing stress and anxiety as well as help for relapse prevention
  •    Neurofeedback – individuals learn to alter their brainwave patterns through specific technological processes
  •    Exercise – moving the body to boost mood, increase vitality, promote a deepened sense of awareness, gain strength, and more
  •    Meditation – connecting with the present moment to build awareness and reduce overactivity in the brain that stems from depression, anxiety, stress and more
  •    Nutrition – feeding the body healthy vitamins and minerals to help promote neuronal activity in the brain and increase overall functioning
  •    Yoga – powerful positions that promote flexibility, balance, awareness, concentration, calmness, etc.

A 2017 study published in the journal Nursing Outlook explored the benefits of holistic practice for those in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD); researchers expressed that not only can holistic practices help treat direct issues in recovery (as well as help clients learn more about themselves), but they can also serve as preventative measures for the future, too.  Last year, an individual shared their story of recovery through Thrive Global, a website that publishes stories and information on topics related to well-being. They stated,

“Before I learned to meditate, my mind was out of control…meditation provided me with enough space to catch a thought pattern before it dragged me around for hours or days on end. I was able to access a part of me where peace and tranquility existed.”

Holistic practices like meditation can help those in recovery find new ways of relating to their thoughts; in addition to this, clients may find that it becomes easier to make decisions, that stress and anxiety aren’t as intense and that relaxation is easier to achieve once balance is found.

Efficacy of Holistic Practices in Addiction Recovery

There have been numerous studies conducted which only further promote the effectiveness of holistic practices in addiction recovery, even when combined with traditional practices such as medication management and therapy. For example, a 2017 study published in the Asian Journal of Applied Science and Technology found that after assessing 120 people in recovery, those who pursued yoga and an overall active lifestyle witnessed positive changes in other areas of their life.

Furthermore, a 2015 study published in the Open Journal of Psychiatry found that after comparing results of cravings between 10 males who struggled with methamphetamine addiction to 10 males who didn’t, neurofeedback therapy provided positive results. Those with addiction experienced less cravings after receiving several sessions in neurofeedback therapy – and it’s safe to say that the integration of these holistic practices only serves to broaden the possibilities of success for those who want to reach their recovery goals.

Seek Help Today

If you’re ready to find treatment that is personalized to your needs, speak with a professional from Burning Tree today. It’s never too late to begin your journey towards healing and restoration – and with so many diverse practices available to you, you’ll have all the support you need.

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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Post Traumatic Growth in Recovery: Your Guide to Becoming Stronger

Traumatic

We can’t always control what happens to us – and sometimes we’re caught in unfortunate, devastating, downright traumatic situations that leave marks on us- physically, mentally, or both. In some instances, these traumatic incidents occur during childhood – when we feel helpless and vulnerable. In others, we’re adults – but we still feel the pain of not being able to change what’s happened. Traumatic events happen to so many of us: war, assault, accidents, natural disasters and so much more can make us feel as though we’ll never heal again. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines trauma as when,

“…A person experiences, witnesses, or is confronted with actual or threatened death or serious injury, or threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others.”

Trauma and Addiction

In many instances, trauma can leave so many emotional wounds that a person develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be incredibly distressing to endure a variety of symptoms such as: flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety, irritability and others. Earlier this year, an individual shared their story of living with PTSD via the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA); they explained that after the traumatic incident they experienced, they were never the same. Their PTSD caused them to feel panic in even leaving their apartment – and every time they closed their eyes, they envisioned the traumatic event they survived.

Many people who struggled with addiction have also survived at least one traumatic event. In fact, the aftermath of trauma can leave some individuals abusing substances like drugs or alcohol just to mask some of the distress they’re experiencing. A 2017 study published in the Canadian Journal of Addiction assessed 132 individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse, and discovered links between severity of addiction, severity of life trauma and number of stressful life experiences. This means that trauma does have a significant effect on us, and the greater the severity of this – along with stressful life events like the loss of a loved one, or divorce – the more likely we are to struggle with addiction.

While it may feel like things will never get better, they will. Research is showing that although there are many people battling to overcome the effects of trauma everyday, there are also many people who are pushing past what’s been holding them back – and they’re becoming stronger because of it.

Post-Traumatic Growth

Science of People, a website that provides information on how humans behave, shared some enlightening news related to trauma:

  •    Many survivors of trauma have reported becoming closer to their friends and family, which has strengthened their relationships.
  •    While trauma can certainly make a person feel like a victim, there are many people who have come to find added wisdom, personal strength and overall gratitude for the people, places and moments in their lives that have brought them joy.
  •    Trauma can radically change a person’s life – and many find that because of this change, they’re forced to reassess what they want out of life. When this happens, a person’s life can become even more fulfilling than it was before.

The UNC Charlotte Post-Traumatic Growth Research group defines the term as,

“A positive change experience as a result of a struggle with a major life crisis or a traumatic event.”

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse surveyed 51 counselors who work with adults seeking help with substance use disorders (SUDs), and found that many counselors were able to witness their clients develop strength, even from the most traumatic of incidents. Does this mean that those who go through post-traumatic growth never feel pain moving forward? Of course not! It simply means that alongside the aftermath of trauma, they were also able to find strength, solidarity and courage to move forward with their lives in the best ways possible.

Applying This To Your Own Life

Not everyone in addiction recovery who has experienced trauma achieves post-traumatic growth, and this due to a number of factors:

  •    How dedicated a person is to their program
  •    How hard they work on their mental, physical and spiritual growth
  •    The work they complete in therapy
  •    Their attendance and participation in recovery-related activities, such as 12-Step programs (like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous)
  •    The level of hope they have for the future
  •    Whether or not they hold onto core negative beliefs or whether they choose to form beliefs that are more beneficial to their happiness and health
  •    And more

Everyone has the opportunity to achieve post-traumatic growth, but it’s all a matter of how you pursue recovery. Zig Ziglar, an American author, once stated,

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.”

Don’t give up on your recovery. Continue working with those who love and support you. If you’re ready to take the leap towards healing and restoration, speak with a professional from Burning Tree today.

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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How Impulse Control Fits into Addiction Recovery

Impulse Control

Once we’re on the path towards recovery, we’re able to start learning of the many ways addiction affects our mind, body and spirit. When addiction is active, we’re more likely to say and do things that we wouldn’t otherwise do when we’re sober. For example, we may lie to loved ones about our substance abuse, we may skip getting together with friends who don’t use, or we may become angry if we’re unable to drink or use drugs for a brief period of time. Addiction, in a sense, can hold a strong power over us – one that’s hard to break free from – and that’s why it’s important that we go through detoxification as well as learn techniques for managing withdrawals.

What is Impulse Control?

Impulse control is the ability to control a person’s urges – but those with impulse control disorders experience difficulty holding back from a feeling of tension that builds up prior to acting out on it. An impulse could be towards a number of things – gambling, substance abuse, sexual gratification and much more; in 2015, The Fix, a website that publishes information related to both addiction and recovery, explained that impulse control issues tend to go hand in hand with substance use disorders (SUDs). They stated,

“One has to fight the initial urge to drink and do drugs in the first place. Then once you get clean, the impulse to pick up again is going to come up, again and again.”

There’s often the argument that those with addiction have a “lack of willpower,” and a lack of impulse control could seem, on the surface, just like this. It’s important to note, however, that impulse control has much more to do with a person’s brain chemistry – and while a person is partly responsible for becoming involved with substance use in the first place, it’s their brain chemistry that make them incredibly more susceptible to abusing substances when they may otherwise have not done so.

For example, a study published in the journal World Psychiatry explained that those with “behavioral addictions” – such as gambling – have abnormalities in the reward processing center of their brain. Furthermore, the study emphasized that there are genetic similarities between those with behavioral addictions versus those with SUDs, which only further supports the idea that addiction isn’t reliant upon a “character flaw” – but the commonly asked question of whether or not impulse control comes before addiction is still quite complex.

The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior denoted a study that was previously conducted in England; researchers assessed 50 pairs of siblings, with one person in each pair addicted to cocaine and the other showing no history of drug abuse. Brain scans were conducted on all the participants, and researchers found that different sensory mechanisms appeared between siblings’ emotional center and control center in the brain.

Identifying Issues with Impulse Control

There are three main ways that impulse control appears in individuals:

Behavioral symptoms: such as lying, stealing, becoming aggressive, etc.

Social and emotional symptoms: socially isolating oneself, low self-esteem, experiencing drastic shifts in mood, guilt or regret, etc.

Cognitive symptoms: obsessive behaviors, irritability, suddenly entering into rage, difficulty concentrating, etc.

For those with impulse control issues, tension builds up until they feel they can’t resist the urge to act any longer – and once they become angry, use substances, dive into depression or something similar, they experience a brief period of relief. The difficult aspect of impulse, however, is that it comes back – and for those who feel the urge, addiction can easily develop if certain precautions aren’t taken.

According to Very Well Mind, a website that publishes information related to disorders, self-improvement, and psychology, there are quite a few risk factors that can make a person more susceptible to developing an impulse control disorder:

  •    Being male
  •    Having a genetic predisposition towards any type of impulse control issue
  •    Having experienced trauma, abuse or neglect
  •    Exposure to violence or aggression

Furthermore, mental health issues – such as those with depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and others may certainly increase a person’s chances of having impulse control concerns.

Recovery & Impulse Control

Impulse control is something that can be worked on over time as a person develops more strategies for managing the urges they experience on a day-to-day basis. Relapse prevention, for example, is a common part of addiction recovery – and it addresses topics like impulse control as a way to help clients find newer and more productive ways to relate to their thoughts and feelings. In many instances, there are people, places and actions that can help a person slow down their thought processes before they act in a way that could otherwise set them back in recovery.

If you’re ready to begin your journey towards healing and restoration, speak with a professional from the Burning Tree today. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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Secrets Behind Relapse: Why Some People Struggle to Recover

Secrets Behind Relapse: Why Some People Struggle to Recover

It can be incredibly difficult to take that first step towards recovery, but once you’re in it, what about relapse? A commonly feared term, relapse occurs when a person takes a few steps back towards addictive behaviors after having practiced abstinence in recovery. Misconceptions surrounding relapse indicate that a person is a “failure” or that they’re “weak” if they revert back to drinking or using substances again, but research has shown us that relapse may be quite common in recovery – especially during the first year, when a person is most vulnerable to cravings.

There are some instances, however, when a person truly doesn’t return to treatment after a relapse; and in these cases, the important question would be, “What is the marked difference between someone who relapses and returns to treatment, versus someone who doesn’t?” Various factors are what indicate the difference between these two scenarios, and knowing them could very well prevent you – or a loved one – from going down a path that doesn’t lead to healing and restoration.

Differentiating Factors

Jason Wahler, one of Lauren Conrad’s love interests in the reality show “Laguna Beach,” told Insider just last year that he’s been 39 days sober after having previously relapsed from 3+ years of sobriety. He explained,

“…I became complacent and I was blindsided.”

Even still, with having had a brief stint in relapse, he was able to return towards his goal of sobriety – but for those who relapse and never return, it’s often because of one of the following reasons (as elabroated on by Medium):

  •    They’re not being honest with themselves about the level of severity of their addiction
  •    A person is unsure whether or not recovery is even for them
  •    An individual is unwilling to change their life altogether

The reality is that everyone is different – and while one reason may be strong enough for a person to never return to treatment, another may be just a brief stage at which the person isn’t ready to seek help quite yet. Last year, The New York Times Magazine suggested that some people in recovery have mental health concerns alongside a substance use disorder (SUD), and this makes it even more challenging for them to stay in treatment because they’re battling the symptoms of two conditions.

Altogether, recovery is a complete lifestyle change – and those in recovery must be willing to ride the ups and downs that go along with restoration of their mind, body and spirit in order to build a life of sobriety. In some instances, the change towards recovery is so drastic that a person simply can’t imagine enjoying their life without substances; of course, this perception can be changed over time, but in the “thick” of changing lifestyle habits, it can certainly be difficult. Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, told U.S. Health News,

“Humans have a host of self-destructive behaviors; we do it with food, with lack of exercise, with smoking. How many of us haven’t resumed behaviors we pledged to stop? Changing your behavior is hard.”

Hope for the Future

Research is now showing that even if a person isn’t voluntarily wanting treatment, they can still recover; motivational enhancement therapy (MET) can greatly help a person weigh out the “benefits” and “costs” of seeking help, and detoxification in and of itself can even help a person gain clarity on the scope of their addiction. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Addictions Nursing found that while there are several factors that can hold a person back in recovery, there are many more benefits that can motivate individuals to continue seeking help, even after a relapse:

  •    Having the support of family members to reinforce recovery goals
  •    Identifying positive role models to connect with and rely on in troubling times
  •    Connecting with others in their recovery program, including addiction recovery leaders and their therapist
  •    Building spirituality through 12-Step programs as well as holistic practices, such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, massage therapy, equine therapy, etc.

Networks are incredibly important, and supporting a person who has relapsed could be just enough to encourage them to get back into treatment and push harder than ever before towards their health and wellbeing.

No matter what you’re going through, you’re not alone. There are so many people in recovery who have relapsed and gotten back up again – because recovery is much like life; it’s a learning process. You’re going to go through so many different emotions as you learn how to balance everything, but you have to continue pushing forward even when you feel uncertain about where your life is heading. Don’t give up on yourself – because there are many people out there who believe you can succeed.

 

 

Burning Tree Ranch specializes in treating chronic relapse in people with chemical dependency. We provide long-term support through residential and extended care programs that help our clients break their old patterns of addiction and learn new skills to support a healthier life. Our Dallas residential treatment program is focused on providing premium substance use treatment at an affordable cost. Contact us today for more information.

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The Importance of Long-Term Residential Treatment and Why

Shea Barakatt LCSW, LCDC, EMDR Trained

Clinical Director, Burning Tree Recovery Ranch

I have been blessed for many years learning from clients, families, staff and my own personal experiences about the processes that allow an individual the best chances of living a substance-free life. I have always lived my life as an individual who will call it like it is, who is up front, who tells anyone who is inquiring about the no-holds-barred truth of a situation. The truth about this inquiry is that I will not be spouting out long clinical terms that make me look smart because no one will get that. But what I can share is my experience. I can share my experience on the miracles that have happened over long periods of time. I can share my experience working with clients for over a year, helping facilitate families heal, and developing new tools for communication and functionality. Yes, I may have lots of education, but I value my experiences and I love to share with others what I see as valuable.

There are so many treatment centers in the United States that discuss how their centers and modalities are the “best.” There are many great treatment centers out there that facilitate success for many addicts and alcoholics. What I will be discussing is the type of client that cannot stay substance-free but will continue to ride on the circuit of multiple treatment centers, only to seem to fall deeper in their disease, while in the meantime exhausting all financial means for themselves and their family. Their family begs for a solution to the chaos, destruction and the wreckage that occurs in the path of the client. I am referring to the client that belongs in Long Term-Treatment. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines Long Term-Treatment as 6 months or more in residential care. Residential care is where long term treatment is given in a setting where the individual is living at the facility, receiving clinical services and supervised by staff twenty-four hours a day. I will discuss why this is so important for the chronic substance user.

Time- The concept of time is so important. This is the first factor that most clients and their family discount. Most individuals discuss how they must return to work, their family, and their life. The truth is, most of that is wrecked anyway, not to mention possible legal consequences? Most clients that enter Long Term-Treatment have destroyed most of what they deem to be important. This delusion about “saving time” must be smashed. Without recovery, most of what they say they value, and love will be gone anyway if the time is not put into all the processes and experiences necessary for the individual to recover. In Long-Term Treatment, the staff must have time to work with the whole family, not just the individual. A family will send their loved one to treatment to fix the “identified problem,” the substance abuse. Well, guess what, that is not the case. Addiction is a family disease and we must have the time to separate each individual and help them work on themselves first. We then bring everyone back together to work on the family unit. Each individual had been playing a role that was not working. With this disease, the staff needs time to identify, solidify and unify solutions for each individual to help promote change in the family. This is a process and the process can be messy, but if everyone is willing and gets into action, change is just around the corner.

Time is very important to identify and treat the individual. Any co-occurring disorder may continue to precipitate active use. Most individuals that enter treatment have some form of secondary diagnosis, such as depression, anxiety, bi-polar, PTSD, etc. This also is why time is so valuable. Most chronic substance users have had multiple diagnoses over the years, and most of those diagnoses have been made while the client was either still using substances or in a matter of days or weeks after abstinence. What we know is that it takes time for the brain to reach some form of homeostasis. There are multiple studies that show it can take anywhere from 9 months to a year for the brain of a recovering addict to reach a baseline. These numbers all depend on the age of the individual, time in active substance use and the substances used. We must first treat acute symptoms for stabilization and then continue to evaluate the client over time to see if symptoms go away after the mind, body and spirit begin to heal. This is vital for an accurate diagnosis and the identification of the correct treatment. The process of medication management, clinical interventions and repetition will rule out what was actually behaviors and symptoms of either withdrawal from substances or active substance use.

Time is important to identify trauma in clients that have had these identified experiences. Many therapists have started using the modality of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing). This modality is very effective when practiced over periods of months in a safe environment such as Long-Term Residential Treatment. EMDR can be harmful to an individual when dealing with complex trauma outside of a safe environment and/or when practiced in a short-term setting. I believe it is unethical to start this treatment with an individual who will be leaving treatment in two or three weeks. There are a lot of memories and there is central nervous system disruption that can occur with this process. Therefore, the client and the therapist will need a long period of time to safely open and close each target to reach healing and a cognition shift. This is done effectively with an informed and experienced staff that can monitor, evaluate and process over time. EMDR is used in outpatient settings with clients that are more emotionally stable and have tools to deal with life on life’s terms in between sessions.

The final elements that demonstrate the importance of time are discipline and repetition. Behaviors and thought processes do not change in 90 days. Clients must have a consistent environment that pushes them to practice the tools learned. A client can be informed and given information. But if the client is not forced to put the information into practice over a long period of time, there may be no change in behavior or shift in thinking. This is vital in recovery. The addicted individual must have new muscle memory to carry out a new way of being in their new life. Change is not comfortable and most change is resisted. I always say the first step to new behavior is being “comfortable” with being “uncomfortable.” When this is acknowledged, new behaviors, solutions, and thinking can be initiated. And all of this takes time.

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