Author: Jacob

How To Tell if Someone Is on Xanax

Written by Jacob on January 14, 2022. Posted in Drug Addiction, Substance Addiction.

Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is a widely prescribed yet highly addictive drug in the U.S., with even those on medical prescriptions at risk of abuse. Knowing how to tell if someone is on Xanax is crucial for potentially saving lives, as abuse can damage relationships and harm physical and mental health. Understanding these signs can help identify if a loved one is struggling with addiction, which, though frightening, can be overcome with proper care and support.

What Is Xanax?

Belonging to a group of drugs known as benzodiazepines, Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam, a commonly prescribed medication used to treat anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and insomnia.

Xanax decreases activity in the brain and body, producing a feeling of relaxation due to being a central nervous system depressant that increases the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a chemical messenger that stops brain signals that usually result in panic and anxiety.

Along with clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan), Xanax is listed among the 200 most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States.

Though Xanax is legal when prescribed, it is illegal without a prescription due to its adverse side effects and capacity for being misused. When someone is on Xanax and takes too much, it can be habit-forming and result in addiction.

What Is Xanax Abuse?

Unfortunately, Xanax is extremely addictive, and physical dependence can develop if it is taken for a prolonged period. Additionally, as the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepine, Xanax is the second most common prescription medication to be involved in emergency room visits due to drug abuse. Knowing how to tell if someone is on Xanax is crucial for early intervention and recovery.

Xanax abuse arises when someone takes it against the advice of a medical professional. It can also occur if someone takes the drug when it is not prescribed. This could include taking it recreationally at a party, for example, or another event. Chronic use of Xanax and taking it in high doses can lead to Xanax addiction. Addiction differs from Xanax abuse as those suffering from addiction may find they have lost control over their drug use and may struggle to cope with sober life.

Signs of Xanax Abuse

Recognizing signs of abuse is key to identifying whether someone is on Xanax. If you suspect a loved one may be misusing Xanax and are concerned, look for specific behaviors and physical symptoms. Identifying these signs can help you take appropriate action to address the issue.

Some key indicators include:

Physical Signs:

Drowsiness: Persistent sleepiness or lethargy, even after a full night’s rest.
Slurring of speech: Difficulty articulating words clearly, often sounding drunk or incoherent.
Blurry vision: Complaints of difficulty seeing or frequent squinting.
Motor-coordination difficulty: Trouble with balance, stumbling, or clumsiness.
Dizziness: Frequent complaints of feeling lightheaded or unsteady.
Feeling weak: Generalized weakness or lack of energy.
Difficulty breathing: Shortness of breath or labored breathing.
Respiratory failure: In severe cases, this can lead to respiratory distress requiring medical intervention.
Coma: Extreme cases of overdose can result in loss of consciousness and require immediate emergency care.

Behavioral Signs:

Neglecting physical appearance: Noticeable decline in grooming and personal hygiene.
Losing interest in hobbies or activities: Withdrawal from activities that were once enjoyable or important.
Shifty and secretive behavior: Increased secrecy, lying about whereabouts, or hiding drug use.
Financial problems: Unexplained expenses, borrowing money, or stealing to support drug use.
Relationship issues: Strained or damaged relationships with family, friends, or colleagues.
Manipulative behavior: Using deceitful tactics to obtain more Xanax or other drugs.

The Importance of Recognizing These Signs

If you are wondering how to tell if someone is on Xanax, know that it’s crucial to recognize the warning signs. Here’s why:

Early intervention: Recognizing the signs early can lead to timely intervention, which can prevent the situation from worsening.
Safety: Addressing these signs can help keep the individual safe from the severe physical consequences of abuse, such as respiratory failure and coma.
Preventing addiction: Early recognition and intervention can prevent the development of a more severe addiction.
Support and treatment: Identifying these signs allows for the possibility of guiding the individual toward professional help and support, which is essential for recovery.

By understanding and recognizing these signs, you can take proactive steps to help your loved one and potentially save their life. If you suspect someone is abusing Xanax, consider discussing your concerns with them and seeking professional advice on the best course of action.

What to Do If a Loved One Is Abusing Xanax?

Discovering that a loved one is abusing Xanax can be distressing and overwhelming. However, taking appropriate steps can make a significant difference in their recovery journey.

Here are some practical steps to take if you suspect or know that a loved one is abusing Xanax:

Educate yourself – Learn about Xanax, its addiction potential, and withdrawal symptoms.
Observe and document – Note behavioral and physical changes. Keep records to aid discussions with healthcare professionals.
Communicate openly and supportively – Talk with empathy and concern. Choose a private, sober moment to discuss without being accusatory.
Encourage professional help – Suggest seeing a doctor, therapist, or addiction specialist. Help find resources and make appointments.
Set boundaries – Establish clear limits to protect yourself and others, avoiding enabling behaviors like giving money.
Seek support for yourself – Join support groups for family members of individuals with substance use disorders.
Be patient and persistent – Encourage commitment to the treatment plan. Be supportive and celebrate progress, understanding recovery is a long process.
Consider an intervention – If necessary, arrange a professionally facilitated intervention to encourage treatment.
Understand the risks of withdrawal – Ensure any discontinuation of Xanax is under medical supervision to manage severe withdrawal symptoms.
Promote a healthy environment – Support a recovery-friendly lifestyle, reduce stress, and avoid triggers for substance use.

Addressing Xanax abuse in a loved one requires a compassionate and informed approach. Remember that professional guidance and support are crucial for both you and your loved one during this challenging time.

Family worried about young man and wondering how to tell if someone is on Xanax.

Xanax and Other Drugs

Combining Xanax with other drugs is extremely dangerous. Most fatalities involving Xanax are due to polydrug abuse, which is mixing multiple drugs.

How to tell if someone is on Xanax includes looking for the exacerbated effects when taken with other substances, which can result in death. Abusing Xanax while drinking alcohol, for example, can be life-threatening as the potency of both drugs will increase, and both are central nervous system depressants. Even taking Xanax and alcohol in small amounts is highly dangerous.

Using other drugs alongside Xanax can also result in long-term health effects such as depression, memory problems, insomnia, irritability, and addiction.

What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms From Xanax Addiction?

Those who use Xanax in higher doses than recommended for a long time will likely experience withdrawal symptoms when they begin treatment.

While it may seem like a good idea, quitting Xanax cold turkey can be extremely dangerous. For this reason, it is important for anyone who has become addicted to Xanax to go through the withdrawal process under the guidance of a licensed medical professional. This can be done at a drug rehab center under the supervision of a specialist and other health professionals.

Xanax withdrawal usually involves tapering the dosage slowly, which helps ease the withdrawal symptoms. However, withdrawal can still result in a range of unpleasant physical and psychological side effects. Some of the common physical symptoms include:

Vomiting and nausea
Sweating
Heart palpitations
Muscle pain
Shaking
Weight loss
Headaches
Seizures

Some psychological symptoms include:

Anxiety
Depression
Concentration issues
Hallucinations
Irritability
Insomnia
Memory loss and problems
Mood swings
Nightmares
Suicidal thoughts
Psychosis

Xanax Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms

Because Xanax is prescribed to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia, quitting the drug can result in these symptoms returning with intensity. These are known as rebound symptoms. Although they usually decrease in severity after one week, it is important to seek support from mental health services and addiction specialists to solve the underlying cause of drug addiction.

Xanax Rehab in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Substance abuse treatment is a long-term endeavor, and detoxing is just the first step. Once detox has been completed, those in recovery are advised to continue with different treatment options to ensure they maintain sobriety.

Addiction treatment options include attending support groups such as a 12-step program, seeing a mental health professional, and building a support system. Implementing healthy coping strategies will also help those in recovery stay on the right path and adopt a positive routine.

Those in need will be advised to enroll either in an inpatient or outpatient rehab program for treatment. The program best suited to them will depend on their recovery needs, the severity of their addiction, and how long they have struggled with addiction.

While many people overlook it, psychological support is vital during recovery. Getting to the root of the problem by addressing underlying mental health issues will help decrease the risk of relapse.

A group therapy session where people learn how to tell if someone is on Xanax and offer support.

Learn How To Tell if Someone is on Xanax at Tulip Hill Recovery

If a loved one is struggling with Xanax abuse or addiction, the good news is that there is help available. Addiction is a disease that causes many to experience feelings of shame and isolation, so remember to be kind to anyone who may be struggling.

With the right care, advice, and support, Xanax addiction can be overcome, and a life free from substance abuse can be achieved. Contact us today to learn more about how to tell if someone is on Xanax.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction: Recognizing When It's Time to Seek Help

Alcohol Detox at Home

Written by Jacob on January 13, 2022. Posted in Healthy Tips, Stories.

Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, can significantly impact your life and affect your physical health, relationships, and work. Most people think the only option is admitting to a detox center. Tulip Hill Recovery provides a alcohol detox at home so you’re the most comfortable. According to the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, almost fifteen million people had an alcohol use disorder in 2019.

Quitting alcohol has numerous health benefits, and in some cases, it is a life-saving decision. The first stage in the recovery process is usually alcohol detoxification or detox. Detox involves removing alcohol and its harmful traces from your body, paving the way for effective addiction treatment and a sober life ahead.

Detoxing from alcohol unsupervised can be extremely dangerous, so you must seek appropriate medical support. However, it may be suitable for you to detox from alcohol at home with the guidance of doctors and other medical professionals. This blog offers advice on whether you can safely detox from alcohol at home and some tips to get you to the other side.

Is It Safe for Me To Detox From Alcohol at Home?

Detoxing from alcohol can be dangerous and even life-threatening. Severe alcohol withdrawal can involve withdrawal symptoms called delirium tremens (DTs), which can cause death without proper medical treatment.

12 nofollow noopener noreferrer3>According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), alcohol detox usually requires twenty-four-hour medical supervision. However, if you have a less severe form of addiction, you may be able to detox from alcohol at home as long as you have access to medical support.

Before starting any detox program, it is essential to seek medical guidance to ensure you detox safely. Professional medics treat every case individually, but they may consider:

How long you have been drinking
How much you usually drink
When you had your last drink
If you live with a co-occurring mental health disorder
If you live with behavioral health conditions
Underlying health problems
Your medical history
Your home environment

What Are Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms greatly vary from person to person. This is because your medical history, drinking habits, biology, and physical and mental health affect the withdrawal process. Withdrawal symptoms can range from minor symptoms to severe symptoms, and they can be physical and mental.

Minor withdrawal symptoms include:

Feeling anxious, nervous, or irritable
Feeling depressed
Feeling tired or exhausted
Shaking
Mood swings
Nightmares
Dilated pupils
Sweating
Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
Nausea and/or vomiting
Reduced appetite
Faster heart rate
Pale skin

DTs, which may be fatal without proper medical support, are one of the most severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Physical symptoms of DTs include:

Fever
Seizures
Extreme confusion or agitation
Hallucinations
High blood pressure

Because of the risk of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you must undergo alcohol detox with professional medical support in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

What Is Outpatient Alcohol Detox?

If you attend an outpatient treatment program, you remain at home and engage in parts of daily life as you detox from alcohol. It involves visiting an alcohol rehab center or another qualified healthcare provider for regular check-ups, professional treatment advice, and prescription medicines.

Outpatient detox programs, also known as community detox, allow you to balance your work and home responsibilities while ensuring your safety through the withdrawal process. Licensed medical professionals will design a safe detox plan and provide treatment or move you to inpatient facilities if you are experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Outpatient programs are much cheaper than inpatient detox programs and are usually covered by insurance providers.

What Is Inpatient Alcohol Detox?

Many people struggling with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) need to attend an inpatient detox program to detox safely. An inpatient medical detox involves a residential stay at an alcohol addiction treatment center under the twenty-four-hour supervision of medical professionals. During this time, doctors and nurses are by your side to safely manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms and help make the detox process as comfortable as possible.

Can I Go Cold Turkey?

No, you should never try quitting cold turkey. If you suddenly stop drinking, you put yourself at risk of potentially life-threatening medical complications such as DTs, seizures, and Wernicke’s Encephalopathy.

Safely detoxing from alcohol requires gradually tapering off usage. Doing so involves knowing how many units of alcohol you usually drink. You may want to keep a drinking diary for over a week to track your alcohol consumption accurately.

When you are ready to detox from alcohol, a medical professional should provide you with a detox plan tailored to your circumstances. A common rule is to decrease consumption by 10% every day. So, if you usually drink twenty units a day, you could start by drinking eighteen. When you are drinking less than ten units a day, you may be able to stop drinking altogether.

What Are Some Tips for Getting Through Alcohol Detox at Home?

Reach Out to Your Support System

Detox from alcohol abuse can be challenging, and you shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help. Your friends, family, and other loved ones can provide you with emotional support and encouragement to get you through.

Try Mixing or Alternating Your Drinks

You can try adding water or a mixer to your drinks to reduce their strength if you’re trying to taper down at the start. You can also alternate drinking beverages containing alcohol with those free from alcohol.

Eat a Balanced and Nutritious Diet

Eating a healthy diet has numerous benefits for your physical and mental health. Your gut is your ‘second brain,’ and a nutritious diet can help give you the energy and positive mindset to get through the challenges of detox. It can also help you recover from the physical impact of alcohol dependence. In particular, brown rice and wholemeal bread provide vitamin B1 (thiamine) to combat thiamine deficiency and help prevent Wernicke Encephalopathy, an acute disorder involving confusion, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia.

Stay Hydrated

Make sure you stay hydrated with plenty of water, especially if you experience vomiting or diarrhea. Avoid coffee and energy drinks as these can dehydrate you and cause or exacerbate insomnia.

Stay Physically Active

While it may be difficult to summon the energy to exercise during alcohol withdrawal, staying physically active can help get you through. Light exercise such as walking or yoga can boost your mood, helping you remain resilient and committed. It can also act as a usual distraction when you experience alcohol cravings or an unwanted desire to drink.

Alcohol Detox at Home in Tennessee

Alcohol detox is usually only the first part of substance abuse treatment. Long-term recovery from AUD involves identifying the underlying causes of addiction or substance abuse and developing the skills to overcome them. It requires personal growth, coping mechanisms, and re-discovering how to engage in sober life.

Effective addiction treatment programs usually offer a range of treatment options tailored to your unique needs. Treatment options may include:

Individual counseling
Group therapy
Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Experiential therapy
Complementary therapy
Family therapy
Medication

Whether you detox at home with medical support or in an alcohol rehab center, alcohol detox is a life-changing experience. While it can be challenging, it paves the way for long-term treatment and a fulfilling sober life ahead.

Meet Addiction Specialist in Murfreesboro

The Transformative Power of Altruism in Recovery

Written by Jacob on January 6, 2022. Posted in Healthy Tips, Mental Health.

Have you ever helped someone and found yourself feeling a little happier than before? It’s a scientifically proven fact – helping others makes us feel good too.

You might not think so, but small acts of kindness, also known as altruism, can help you in your recovery journey. Find out how here.

What Is Altruism?

Simply put, altruism is all about putting others first and acting selflessly. It could be as simple as giving a gift without any expectations or helping someone out with a chore.

The Power of Giving Back in Recovery

Substance abuse leaves a long-lasting impact. Even once you’re in recovery, you’ll have to face up to past mistakes and understand how your actions have hurt others. You’ll also need to learn to forgive yourself.

Aside from the emotional and mental effects of drug abuse, you can expect to encounter withdrawal symptoms in rehab. All these factors can sometimes make it difficult to focus on getting better, let alone helping others. However, as noted above, altruism is a powerful tool in recovery.

Why, you ask? We explain below.

Improves Mental Health

Helping others helps us. Whenever you make someone else feel good, your brain instantly releases endorphins that give you that pleasurable feeling.

A decades-long study conducted by Maria Pagano proved that altruism positively impacts mental health, indicating that it increases feelings of wellbeing and reduces stress among individuals. After all, when you’re feeling good, you’re more likely to stick to sobriety and avoid relapse.

It’s also worth remembering that helping others is a form of social interaction. In addition to boosting your happiness, you’ll also be building a support network that you can make use of both inside and outside of rehab.

Provides a Sense of Purpose and Accomplishment

Helping others offers a sense of accomplishment. Although you may have many goals to achieve during your recovery, simple acts of kindness are easy to achieve. They will also help give you a purpose.

Overcoming addiction can seem frightening. After all, it was your life. When you’re suddenly stripped of the one thing that was important to you, you might start to feel like you lack a sense of direction. Helping those around you will help you see the power of recovery through others, making it easier to stick to your goals.

Sets the Stage for the ‘New You’

During active addiction, you’re a different person. Things that once interested you no longer do, and you might have pushed family and friends away in a bid to hide your addiction from them. Now that you’re in recovery, you’ll probably want to rebuild yourself and the image you created throughout the height of your addiction.

By helping others and putting them before yourself, you will be able to set the stage for the new you. Not only will this give you a renewed purpose, but it will be visible proof to others that you’re making positive changes.

Practicing altruism in recovery

Now that you understand what altruism is and its benefits, you may find yourself wondering how you can practice it throughout your recovery.

There are several different ways to practice altruism in recovery, and we have shared a few suitable options below.

Attend the Twelve-Step Program

It’s easy enough to give a gift to a stranger or lend them a helping hand, but what happens when it comes to already established relationships? Practicing altruism, especially if the relationship is strained, can be difficult.

Going through the twelve-step program will push you to recognize your mistakes and make amends with those you have hurt. You might not think so, but making peace is a form of altruism. This is because you’re offering an olive branch to someone without any expectation. Because they could ignore you or reject you, it’s a selfless act.

In addition to having the opportunity to make amends, attending a twelve-step program group will enable you to connect with others on a similar journey. In doing so, you can build a support network.

Since much of the twelve-step program is group-based, you’ll be provided with the perfect setting to practice altruism. As well as giving you space to be more generous with others, the twelve steps will also help you stick to sobriety. You won’t just be learning how to give up your addiction; you’ll also be learning how to accept yourself and start developing healthier habits.

A 2019 study proved this point, indicating that individuals who participate in the twelve-step program enjoy an overall better quality of life than those who don’t.

Be Open to Listening to Others

Rehab provides the perfect opportunity to listen to others. As well as attending group therapy, you could make an active effort to forge friendships with others. Instead of just focusing on your own problems, give others a chance to open up. You don’t even need to offer advice – listening is just as effective.

Volunteer Your Services

It’s a no-brainer, but volunteering is a great way of putting altruism into action. Just because you’re in rehab or recovery doesn’t mean you have to focus your efforts there. Pick something you’re passionate about and get involved in the cause.

For example, if you love animals, you might enjoy helping out at a local animal shelter or horse ranch. Not only will the act of altruism give you a boost of happiness, but you’ll also be doing something you love.

To Conclude

The road to sobriety isn’t always easy, and sometimes you’ll face challenges. However, getting out of your bubble and putting your attention on others is a great way of focusing your mind on something other than your problems. It will also make it easier to forge friendships and lay the right foundations to begin your new sober life.

Does Being Sober Mean You Can’t Party Again?

Written by Jacob on January 5, 2022. Posted in Healthy Tips, Stories.

Recovery usually involves making adjustments in your lifestyle to avoid relapse triggers. But does being sober mean you can’t party again? There’s no need to withdraw from socializing and miss out on fun events such as seeing friends or going to special events. With a little planning and preparation, you can go out, have fun, and still stay sober.

Here are some tips for when you decide you are ready to party again:

Stick With Supportive Friends

When you were using, you may have done so in a group of people who had their own substance abuse issues. Spending time with old friends, especially in a party setting, could cause you to reminisce and romanticize your days of addiction. This will leave you in a vulnerable position. You could even be encouraged to relapse by people who are not on the same recovery journey as you.

If you decide to socialize in a party setting, stick with friends who understand your need to stay sober and who will support you to make good choices. Your friends can get help and give advice on how best to help you.

It is a good idea to have a friend at hand who will take care of alcohol-related issues without a fuss. For example, if you are offered an alcoholic drink by a well-meaning person, a friend can jump in and offer to get you an alcohol-free drink instead, or tell them that you don’t drink without you having to answer any follow-up questions.

A friend might decide to opt-out of drinking alcohol alongside you, but you cannot assume or expect this. You must accept that you will be around alcohol in these settings. But there are ways to feel less left out.

Bring Your Own Alcohol-Free Drink

There will likely be alcohol-free drink options at parties and events. But just in case there isn’t, it is a good idea to bring along a drink of your choice. Ensuring you have something delicious at hand will stop you from feeling left out and tempted to stray from your sobriety. You could bring soda, juice, iced tea, or mocktails. Ask for a glass with ice and a slice of lemon, and pour your own drink that fits right in with everyone else’s. Carrying an alcohol-free drink will also stop people from offering to get you a drink that might contain alcohol.

Keep in mind that some drinks labeled as alcohol-free, such as alcohol-free beer, often retain a small percentage of alcohol from the natural brewing process. It is not recommended that you drink them, especially if you are early in your sobriety. If in doubt, talk to your recovery team for advice.

Be Present

In the past, you might have used any celebration or occasion as a reason to drink or abuse substances. In fact, taking substances might have been the only reason you were out at all. When you go out for a special occasion, make an effort to be present. Focus on who you are with and why you are there. Maybe you have been invited to celebrate a friend’s birthday, work promotion, or wedding. Perhaps you are simply catching up with friends. Talk and socialize, celebrate with your loved ones, make memories, but most importantly, have fun.

The great thing about being sober is having a clear mind to make good choices and being able to remember them the next day.

Know When To Call It Quits

When you find yourself bored at an event, and you know this is when you would have reached for an alcoholic drink, leave. If you need to be intoxicated to enjoy yourself, then you aren’t enjoying yourself. If a situation is putting you at risk of relapse, you need to get out of there. Put yourself and your recovery first.

Supportive friends will understand. Friends who can’t respect your boundaries regarding recovery are not being supportive. As stated above, you need to surround yourself with supportive friends when taking the first step to attend parties when sober

Take things one step at a time, and if you feel you have jumped back into parties early or feel overwhelmed, talk to your support team or 1 rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”2seek help elsewhere.

sober couple celebrate Christmas holiday together

3 Tips for a Sober Christmas

Written by Jacob on November 18, 2021. Posted in Healthy Tips.

With Christmas just around the corner, you may be wondering how to stay sober during all the festivities. As the holiday season is a time of parties and celebration, maintaining sobriety can be somewhat daunting, especially to those just starting their recovery journey.

Whether you think it’s the most wonderful time of the year or not, you can have an enjoyable Christmas without turning to alcohol. After all, being sober does not mean having to miss out on all the fun.

Here are three tips for celebrating Christmas sober.

1. Plan Activities That Don’t Involve Alcohol

Christmas is all about spending quality time with family and friends. Before embarking on your path to sobriety, you might have engaged in many social events involving alcohol. But it doesn’t have to be this way, and there’s no need to miss out just because you are dedicated to your sobriety.

There’s no better time than now to start new traditions that you will look forward to for years to come. Why not plan a night of board games, festive movies, or baking treats with loved ones? Many of these fun activities can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Instead of alcohol, why not set up a hot cocoa station with a variety of toppings to add? If that doesn’t appeal to you, try masala chai tea, a warming drink with rich spices that invokes the Christmas spirit.

2. Keep Busy

Like many others, you may find that keeping busy will help you avoid falling into bad habits or dwelling on old traditions.

Whether creating a routine that includes a form of fitness activity or taking the time to learn new skills, meet new people, and do good for your community, there are many things you can do to stay busy.

Over the festive period, your social calendar might not look busy. If this is the case, why not join a book club, sports group, or community? Crafts also make a great distraction – you’ll even have a finished product at the end to show for your hard work. You could even use them as Christmas gifts.

Another idea for staying busy is volunteering your time to charity, such as animal shelters or soup kitchens. Volunteering is exceptionally beneficial if you find yourself feeling lonely around this time of year. Not only will volunteering leave you feeling good about yourself, but you’ll have the chase to make some friends along the way. You’ll also be making a positive difference in other people’s lives.

3. Plan Ahead

A little planning ahead eases unnecessary anxiety during the festive period. If invited to an event or gathering, consider taking a delicious non-alcoholic drink with you just in case there aren’t any provided. If you go to a restaurant, research the menu ahead of time to see if any of the meals include an alcoholic drink. In doing so, you can ask in advance if they would substitute something non-alcoholic.

If you are participating in gift exchanging or secret Santa, see if someone would be willing to swap with you should you receive an alcoholic gift. Better yet, suggest to your family members, friends, or colleagues that no alcoholic gifts are given. Instead, come up with a theme such as silly socks, puzzles, mugs, or homemade items only.

Celebrate Christmas on Your Own Terms

There is no right way to enjoy Christmas. You might choose to put up your Christmas decorations the moment Thanksgiving is over, the night of Christmas eve, or not at all. You are under no obligation to celebrate in a specific way. Irrespective of your preferences when celebrating the holiday, be kind to yourself during this challenging time.

Remember the acronym H.A.L.T – this stands for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. These are risk states that can throw a wrench in your recovery. Recognize your triggers, and don’t be afraid to reach out to your support network. There are many people out there working on their sobriety and also having a sober Christmas. You are not alone in this journey.

The key to a successful sober Christmas is being prepared and staying in control.

No Age Restriction – Exploring Addiction In Older Adults

Written by Jacob on October 8, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction.

It is a common misconception that substance abuse disorders develop in people as young adults. Older adults can also suffer from drugs, alcohol, and pharmaceutical dependencies.

Developing a substance abuse disorder has no age limit, and neither does recovery. In our latest blog post, we look at how addiction impacts the health and lives of older adults.

The Complex Network of the Brain

Substance addiction happens for a variety of reasons, including early development, genetics, and environmental factors. The brain is ultimately at the center of addiction; all perception-altering substances alter neurotransmission in the brain. This means that they either stimulate our pleasure and reward centers or slow down the responses of the central nervous system.

The brain is particularly sensitive to damage in older adults who use substances. Length of use also factors in here – the longer someone has been using, the higher their risk of temporal lobe damage. This leaves us more susceptible to loss of perception, memory, coordination, and reaction time – skills we need to live our everyday lives.

Older adults who use substances are more vulnerable to accidents such as car collisions or trips and falls. It’s important to remember that this doesn’t just include alcohol or illegal drugs – prescription medication can be a contributing factor.

Healing the Body – Impacting the Mind

As we age, we become more vulnerable to ailments – we’re more susceptible to aches, pains, and chronic illnesses.

Older adults are often prescribed painkilling medication for issues such as joint and muscle pain, other conditions associated with different diseases and ailments, and post-injury recovery. One study demonstrated that 25% of all pain-relieving medication prescribed in America was given to people aged 65 and over. These prescription painkillers can be highly addictive, and there are risks of developing substance abuse disorders even when medication is prescribed by a physician.

Whether you obtained your substances from a doctor or a dealer, the outcome can be the same – dependence.

Loneliness

Loneliness comes with its own variety of health risks and is another factor that contributes to increasing levels of substance abuse in older people. A study of 3,000 participants aged 55-85 showed that the use of psychotropic drugs correlated with feelings of loneliness.

Adjusting to retirement or having children leave the nest can be a huge emotional hurdle. It can be very difficult to adjust to having more free time in place of a bustling social or professional calendar. Some 28% of older adults live alone in the U.S.A., which also contributes to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Feelings of loneliness are not impossible to overcome. There are lots of positive steps that one can take to have a healthy social life as an older person, such as joining a club or community group. Social participation doesn’t only limit susceptibility to substance abuse but improves the quality of life overall!

Care for Addiction

One of the crucial steps when working towards sobriety is rebuilding social support networks. Since older people may be more likely to suffer from loneliness, recovery comes with some challenges. While they can seem problematic, they do not outweigh the benefits of sobriety, and there are always options for finding a social network that can help one through the process.

Many states have addiction recovery centers with programs focused entirely on older adults. Other such therapies include music therapy and movement therapy. There are also medical interventions to alleviate the physical responses to weaning off of substances.

As an older adult, it may be frightening to have a substance abuse disorder. However, it is never too late to change, and regardless of a person’s age, it is always possible to get sober. With the right support, older adults can find recovery and turn their lives around!

Contact Tulip Hill Recovery in Murfreesboro, TN, today.

The Effect of Positive Affirmations

Written by Jacob on September 22, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

The way that we talk to ourselves is powerful. When we tell ourselves that we aren’t good enough or can’t do something, we self-sabotage and can stop ourselves from even trying. Negative thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Positive affirmations can have powerful effects on our inner dialogue and direct us towards achieving the things we want in our lives.

What are Positive Affirmations?

Have you ever felt stressed and told yourself, “this is going to turn out ok”, “I have the skills I need to do this task”, or “all I can do is my best…” If the answer is yes, then you have already used the power of positive affirmations.

Positive affirmations are short sentences or mantras that you tell yourself to combat negative feelings and self-sabotaging thoughts. By repeating affirmations, the negative thought or feeling is gradually worn down and replaced with something positive. This process degrades the power of negative thoughts and harnesses the power of our internal dialogue for the force of good.

You can use positive affirmations in almost any area of your life. You can use them to:

Improve your sense of general well-being
Find a sense of calm and peace in a difficult working environment
Help power through a difficult situation in your life
Strengthen your faith in a romantic relationship
Aid your recovery journey from addiction

What are the Effects of Using Positive Affirmations?

Replace Negative Self-talk with Positive Thinking

The main effect that positive affirmations have is to replace negative self-talk with a more positive outlook and belief in oneself.

For example, the negative thought “I’m not worthy of my partner’s love. I’m fundamentally broken, and they’ll soon find someone better than me!” might lead someone to push their loved one away and even end the relationship prematurely.

A positive affirmation to counter this thought could be, “I am worthy of love and respect. I am whole and secure in the love of those around me.” By regularly repeating this, you retrain your brain to think positively and banish the self-sabotaging negative thoughts through the sheer power of repetition.

Guide You Towards Healthier Coping Strategies

Positive affirmations can provide an opening for action around something you are struggling with. Repeating affirmations around difficult tasks or a habit you are trying to break often serves as the first step towards change.

For example, if you are struggling to cope with criticism in your workplace environment, you might try repeating affirmations such as “I understand that criticism from my coworkers is not an indictment of my worth as a human being,” and “I retain a deep sense of peace even when I’m annoyed.” Then when you next receive criticism that you find difficult, these statements will rise to the surface of your mind, and you’ll be more likely to remember to take a deep breath to retain a sense of calm.

Reveal Areas of Your Life that You May Need Support With

Even when positive affirmations cannot solve the issue you are trying to tackle, they can make you more aware of your inner feelings and thoughts. This is an important step towards improving other areas of your psychological and emotional well-being.

For example, you might believe the main problem you have with taking regular exercise is that you are lazy. You might try and use motivating positive affirmations such as “I love running” or “I feel energized and ready for my session at the gym” only to find that saying these statements aloud have no effect on your desire to go, but instead conjure up feelings of guilt and trauma from a bad time at school. This then highlights an area of focus for your personal development, which will ultimately help you in the long run and you could bring this to your therapist.

Can Positive Affirmations have a Negative Effect?

Positive affirmations have proven useful to many Americans for increasing positivity, building confidence, and helping them achieve their goals. However, self-esteem plays an important role in the effects that positive affirmations have on the person practicing them, and unfortunately, not everyone can reap the same rewards.

A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo found that people with lower self-esteem were put in a worse mood when made to repeat positive affirmations about themselves or their lives. The researchers believe this is because the difference between the affirmation and the reality of how you feel is too strong, so it feels like we are lying to ourselves and emphasizes the gap between how we want to feel and how we really feel.

People with lower self-esteem might find it more useful to use neutral affirmations rather than positive affirmations to nudge their thoughts in the right direction. For example:

“Even if I do not always feel worthy, I know that people love me.”
“Even though I feel hurt by criticism, I know it is not a judgment of my worth.”
“Running can be fun.”

You can also use questions instead of affirmations to largely the same effect – for example:

“Can I accept that I am worthy of love and respect?”
“Is it possible that criticism from my coworkers is not an indictment of my worth as a human being?”
“Could I enjoy running?”

Positive affirmations cannot fix everything in our lives – but they can provide a really helpful tool for adjusting our inner monologue and harnessing the power of positivity along the way.

Is a Heroin Detox Different From an Alcohol Detox?

Written by Jacob on September 17, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction.

Detoxification is the key first step in recovery from both heroin and alcohol addiction. These substances are both classified as depressants, and you may be curious about whether it’s the same detox treatment method due to similar depressant withdrawal symptoms. The answer is not exactly.

Basics of Depressant Withdrawal

As depressants, heroin and alcohol both dampen communication in the central nervous system – lowering the rate at which our brains fire off neurons and slowing down respective bodily functions.

But the body doesn’t want to be stuck in an impaired state all the time. When you keep using a depressant, the nervous system responds by overreacting to reverse the drugs’ effects and bring you back to equilibrium. However, when you suddenly remove the depressant, your system is still over-firing. This elevates anxiety, irritability, tremors, bodily pain and cramping, heart rate, and blood pressure – the list goes on.

This is why someone addicted to either drug experiences a dangerous withdrawal state when they stop or can’t access the substance they’re addicted to – and why they both benefit from a medical detox.

Different Neurochemistry, Different Withdrawals

Depressant intoxication and withdrawal may have some basic similarities, but the devil is in the details, and alcohol and heroin don’t have that much in common. To understand their unique detoxes, let’s dive deeper into how these two substances work.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol works partly by increasing the effects of GABA receptors – the docking ports for a naturally produced inhibitory neurotransmitter that has anti-seizure and anti-anxiety effects in the body.

When someone has been abusing alcohol for a long time, either by continuous drinking or binging, the body reduces its number of GABA receptors, losing the ability to inhibit responses. When someone is suffering from alcohol abuse disorder, withdrawal can present with unregulated symptoms of:

Anxiety
Sweating
Tremors
Agitation or anger
Dysphoria
High blood pressure

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome has a long record of dangerous symptoms. Up to 5% of people who cease habits of heavy drinking experience a condition known as delirium tremens. Symptoms include fever, seizures, extreme confusion, hallucinations, and cardiac problems, and can be life-threatening.

Heroin Withdrawal

Heroin overwhelms the mu-opioid receptors for the body’s natural opiates. It replicates a magnified opiate effect in the central nervous system, leading to drowsiness, pain reduction, feelings of contentment, and slowed gastrointestinal, respiratory, and cardiovascular function. However, as we know, the system doesn’t like to be impaired.

With time, we heighten the production of a counteracting chemical, noradrenalin. It cancels out some of the opioid’s effects, stimulating our wakefulness, blood pressure, and alertness. This response is why long-term users develop tolerance, needing more of the drug to reach the same high. It’s also why when heroin is gone from the system, we experience excessive stimulating effects, including:

Uncontrollable restlessness
Intense anxiety
Intense depression
Deep muscle cramps
Bone pain
Insomnia
Diarrhea

While most of these withdrawal symptoms are not independently life-threatening, extreme dysphoric moods can result in risky behavior in many people. Moreover, heroin withdrawal produces painful physical symptoms, which, combined with heroin’s deeply addictive nature, can put people in danger of a fatal relapse when they embark on withdrawal without detox support.

Different Detox Methods: Symptom Management and Tapering

The first step in recovery is quitting use and allowing the body’s natural chemistry to return to its original balanced state. A treatment center can offer medical care to individuals entering withdrawal, easing the process. This reduces symptoms, making detox more comfortable and, most importantly, safer.

Detox from heavy alcohol abuse at a rehab facility will often involve medications that manage the serious symptoms of GABA imbalance while your body finds a new equilibrium. The scale of alcohol withdrawal symptoms is quite varied, and so the exact treatment for your detox will be adjusted to meet your specific requirements. This may involve the careful and monitored prescription of long-acting benzodiazepines (to treat symptoms including seizures) or acamprosate (which stabilizes brain signaling). Medications like naltrexone or disulfiram can help manage cravings or relapse where it is a risk.

Heroin withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and dysphoria can sometimes be treated directly, but the most effective medical treatments for heroin detox work by a method known as tapering.

Your medical staff will first assess your initial tolerance before prescribing you a controlled dose of a long-acting opiate medication such as methadone or buprenorphine. They will slowly phase out your dose over the course of weeks until you have fully detoxed, adjusting for symptoms as you progress.

Why Detox?

Heroin and alcohol addiction work in different ways and their detoxes are not the same processes. That said, choosing detox over cold turkey withdrawal for either offers life-changing benefits. Accepting medical care means protecting yourself against severe or unmanageable withdrawal symptoms and putting your safety first in a monitored, professional environment. Detoxing appropriately is more than comfort; it can define your long-term success in recovery.

What To Do When Your Loved One Is Drinking Too Much?

Written by Jacob on September 8, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Healthy Tips, Support.

If your loved one has a drinking problem, it doesn’t only affect them. Alcohol abuse and addiction impact family members, friends, and other loved ones too. It can strain your relationship, cause you to worry and stress over their well-being, or lead you to deny their problem completely.

The good news is that you are not alone in your struggles. Scientists and medics across the globe are constantly working to provide effective advice and treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Around ⅓ of people who attend treatment for AUD have no symptoms a year later, and many others substantially reduce their drinking.

If you are worried about a loved one drinking too much, there is hope. Talking to your loved one about their problem and encouraging them to get help can be the first step on the road to recovery.

How Do I Know If a Loved One Has a Drinking Problem?

Drinking alcohol in moderation is a normal part of many cultures and not something to worry about. But excessive drinking or binge drinking can be extremely damaging to someone’s health, social, and work life. Consuming too much alcohol can increase your risk of brain damage, heart disease, and liver failure and leads to the death of around 178,000 people each year in the United States.

Sometimes it can be difficult to know if your loved one is drinking excessive amounts. However, recognizing a drinking problem is crucial and the first step in getting help. Here are some signs to watch out for:

Regularly neglecting obligations, responsibilities, and commitments in their work, home, or social life
Frequently binge drinking or drinking more than they say they want to
Lying or trying to hide how much they are drinking
Being unable to remember what they did under the influence of alcohol
Continuing to drink even when they know it is harming their health
Using alcohol as a coping mechanism or as a way to self-medicate for underlying mental health disorders

How Can I Talk to Someone About Their Drinking?

If you think your loved one is drinking too much, it is important to be open about your concerns. While you cannot force someone to stop drinking, you can let them know the steps they can take to address their problem. This might be speaking to a therapist, participating in support groups, or attending a treatment center.

Here are some tips to guide you through the conversation:

Speak to your loved one when they are not drinking, and you are both calm and focused
Voice your concerns in a compassionate way
Encourage your loved one to be honest about the reasons for their drinking
Don’t threaten to punish or bribe your loved one
Don’t blame yourself for their behavior or make excuses for it
Consider staging an intervention with the guidance of a professional therapist

How Can I Encourage a Loved One to Get Help?

Stopping drinking is not an easy process, and almost everyone needs some kind of support. If your loved one is physically dependent on alcohol, they may need medical assistance to withdraw safely. Even if they’re not, they likely need support to develop the skills to overcome addiction and make meaningful changes to their lifestyle.

You can encourage a loved one to get help by:

Accompanying them to a meeting with a therapist or treatment center
Being by their side when they call an advice helpline
Helping them make a plan of what changes they need to make and how they can do it

Remember, even after attending treatment, your loved one will still need your support. Adjusting to a sober life and overcoming the challenges it presents can be a difficult process that requires energy and commitment. However, with the right support, sobriety is possible for anyone – and it’s absolutely worth the effort.

Why Is There Still So Much Shame and Stigma Around Addiction?

Written by Jacob on September 1, 2021. Posted in Support.

With millions of Americans suffering from addiction to drugs or alcohol, you might think that it would be a common and accepted problem in society. But, unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma and shame surrounding addiction. Stigma and discrimination can be problematic for those suffering from addiction-inducing feelings of guilt and shame, which can be a barrier to recovery.

What Is Stigma?

Stigma is when there is a widespread societal negative opinion on a certain subject. In the context of addiction, stigma incorrectly characterizes the condition as a personal failing rather than a medical condition.

This could include people thinking that substance users are lazy, amoral, or otherwise incapable of dealing with the pressures of life. This couldn’t be further from the truth – addiction is extremely complex and often involves many factors outside the user’s control.

What Causes Shame and Stigma Around Addiction?

Negative Portrayals in the Media

The media plays an important role in shaping the views of the general public. Research in this field has shown that TV shows, movies, and fiction books are likely to portray people suffering from addiction negatively.

Negative media portrayals often frame the problem as the fault of the person suffering from addiction – even though we know that it is a complex health problem caused by a range of issues. This not only affects people’s empathy levels towards those suffering from the condition, but it also can make people reluctant to seek help due to fear of judgment.

This can result in feeling cast out from society, which sets a vicious cycle of using substances to cover up these difficult feelings.

Self-reliance Culture

American culture often promotes self-reliance and individuality. This can be amazingly positive, but it can also spill over into feeling ashamed for asking for help and support.

For example, society encourages males to be real men and bottle up their feelings – branding the sharing of emotions as a female trait. Addiction treatment requires talking about deep and difficult feelings and opening up to people. If people feel this is a weak thing to do, it can perpetuate shameful feelings and make recovery more difficult to attain.

The Shame Cycle

The shame of addiction can lead people to keep their problems to themselves, making it harder to reach out to family and friends for support. The stigma around addiction can also make people suffering from these mental health issues blame themselves and feel unworthy of recovery.

Shame is a powerfully negative emotion that can lead us to engage more in addictive behaviors. This pattern is what researchers call the shame cycle – as shame and addiction exacerbate one another.

How Can You Deal with Stigma?

There are several different ways to deal with the stigma that can accompany a mental health problem like addiction, such as:

Getting professional mental health treatment. Don’t let the fear of stigmatized labels keep you from getting the help you need and deserve!
Refuse to be isolated. Stigma can isolate us from those around us, leading us to internalize it further. You can beat this by reaching out and connecting with loved ones and telling them what you’re struggling with.
Remember: it’s not personal. Most people who buy into addiction stigma do so because they don’t understand it or have only seen negative portrayals in the media. There are no judgments on you as an individual, but on the society they have grown up in. Remembering this can help take the sting out of insensitive comments.
Join a local group campaigning against stigma. All over the world, people are coming together to fight for better support for mental health problems and to end the stigma that often surrounds this. Joining a group can help you feel better about yourself in the short term and help make the world an easier place to live for everyone in the future.

To recover from addiction, it is important to challenge the shame you may feel. You are not alone, and you do not need to feel ashamed. Trained therapists, your loved ones, and your community can support you in this process. Together, it is possible to break the cycle of shame and addiction and begin your recovery journey.

Contact Tulip Hill Recovery in Murfreesboro, TN, today.

What Is Ethical Substance Addiction Treatment?

Written by Jacob on August 25, 2021. Posted in Support.

Ethics refers to the important codes that protect clients and professionals before, during, and after treatment. In reaching out to a rehab center, you’re putting a lot of trust in their hands – they’ll be responsible for caring for you in some of your most vulnerable times.

Quality addiction programs won’t take their position of responsibility lightly – they’ll communicate and uphold their own high standards to make sure your treatment progresses safely and effectively.

You’ve got to know that you can trust them – most treatment centers will provide some information about their ethical standards practice. However, they can be tricky to understand if you’ve never seen them before. This blog will shed some light on what ethical substance addiction treatment means.

Four Cornerstones of Medical Ethics

Different treatment centers will have varying ethical groundwork. That said, across them all (and across the entire medical field), there are four key principles you can expect to underlie their values:

1. Autonomy

You should expect your autonomy – your right to make your own decisions regarding your treatment – to be upheld from your first interaction to your last. Generally speaking, this means you have the final say in whether you will receive addiction treatment, which therapies you receive, the option to leave the program if you wish, and so on. If you’ve got certain expectations and needs, doctors need to consider them when making a recommendation.

2. Justice

Justice means that within your treatment center, doctors will treat patients equally. For example, in an addiction treatment center, clients will be treated fairly regardless of gender, race, age, SUD, or other disorders.

3. Beneficence

This one is fairly straightforward. Beneficence refers to the moral obligation, or duty, of the medical professional to act in the interests of and for the good of the patient. This tenant of ethical treatment is limited by the patient autonomy we mentioned before. Your specialist has a moral obligation to treat you but is still limited by what you choose for yourself.

4. Nonmaleficence

You may have heard the common doctor’s motto, “first, do no harm”. Nonmaleficence is a term that’s describing this value. In addiction treatment, this means offering only types of treatment that are informed by best practices, research, and other objective methods.

Since we are sometimes prescribed scheduled substances, this also means explaining the side effects and habit-forming potential of any prescription medications offered. You came to treatment to help yourself – it’s important doctors help you to understand the risk of any decisions you make.

Nationwide Organizations

The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) is a large group of providers who have chosen to abide by the same treatment, management, facility, and marketing rules. When we focus on their treatment code, you can see how the criteria for membership appears to uphold different pillars of the standard medical ethics code. Their treatment:

follows the same admissions, treatment, continuing care, and referral criteria regardless of the client. (Justice)
offers competent holistic treatment that addresses client needs. (Beneficence)
protects the human rights and dignity of the client and family. (Justice)
engages clients from start to finish in treatment planning and decision-making. (Autonomy)
is appropriately licensed for all services they offer requiring it. (Nonmaleficence)

Meanwhile, the largest association of addiction professionals in the US, the NAADAC, has an extensive ethical code covering a wide range of points of conflict, from personal beliefs to heritage to methodology and advocacy. Their code is too complex to include here but is an excellent example of what an in-depth ethics code looks like for an individual professional. They also include the four tenants as key concepts in their introduction to ethical standards.

Countless smaller providers will have their personal ethical codes listed on their websites. If you’re ever uncertain about the ethics of a treatment program, these two codes make good cross-references for the standard of care when choosing who you entrust to help begin your recovery journey.

Contact Tulip Hill Recovery in Murfreesboro, TN, today to learn more.

The Worrying Correlation Between Opioid Dependency and Early Life Adversity

Written by Jacob on August 18, 2021. Posted in Mental Health, Stories, Substance Addiction.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, misuse and addiction to opioid drugs is a serious national crisis in the United States. Every year, opioid misuse costs the country $78.5 billion, and in 2019 over 50,000 people died from an opioid overdose.

To help tackle this crisis, extensive scientific research has tried to uncover some of the reasons behind opioid dependence and abuse. Recent studies have suggested that early life adversity – stressful childhood experiences – could be an important risk factor for developing an opioid addiction.

What Is Early Life Adversity?

Early life adversity is the experience of distressing or traumatic events in a person’s childhood. Adverse childhood experiences may include physical or sexual abuse, exposure to violence, neglect, lack of affection, or witnessing a parent’s alcohol or drug addiction.

Early childhood adversity can affect brain development and have a major impact on a person’s later life and mental and physical health. It can start destructive thought and behavioral patterns that can be carried through to adulthood, affect the ability to form healthy relationships and cause low self-esteem, distrust, and aggression.

Early life adversity increases your risk of developing many kinds of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, alcoholism, and other substance use disorders.

What Is the Link Between Opioid Dependency and Early Life Adversity?

Recent studies have uncovered a worrying correlation between opioid dependence and early life adversity. They have found that individuals with a history of child abuse and adversity are disproportionally prone to opioid addiction.

Advanced and sophisticated research is currently taking place into exactly how this relationship works. A Molecular Psychiatry study found that, in rats, stressful early life events may lead to increased relapse-like behavior and major increases in opioid demand. They may also increase the desire for treats, leading people to seek highly pleasurable experiences like opioid highs.

Another study found that early life adversity like child abuse, neglect, and low socioeconomic status can affect your stress response system by diminishing your cortisol response to stress. Cortisol is a hormone that your body naturally releases in stressful situations that helps you respond to and recover from these events in a healthy way. Diminished cortisol responses can have a range of effects, including alcohol abuse and experimentation with drugs, and may help explain the link between early life adversity and opioid dependency.

A 1 rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”2third study found that childhood adversity could have an impact on the reward system in the brain. Disruption to the reward system is an underlying feature of most addictions and can contribute to the development of opioid addiction. It causes the brain to compulsively seek a substance in pursuit of a reward, even when it is harmful to your health and well-being.

Treatment and Prevention

The effects of early life adversity can be extremely damaging in the long term, leading to opioid dependencies and psychological disorders. However, adults, children, and families can seek treatment to safely manage the feelings connected with traumatic early life experiences and prevent them from causing further problems later in life.

Effective, evidence-based programs are available to treat opioid dependence and addiction. Rehabilitation centers offer various therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, talking therapies, and other treatment approaches to support people through the recovery process and help them maintain abstinence.

Most programs offer dual diagnosis treatment plans where early childhood adversity can be treated alongside addiction for people who have also suffered from childhood trauma. Treating co-occurring disorders as part of an addiction treatment program helps substance users overcome the underlying causes of addiction, so they do not slip back into old habits at the end of the treatment program.

This approach facilitates holistic healing of the entire person and supports them on the road to a happy and productive sober life. Contact us today for more.