Alcohol Addiction Archives

How Long Does Withdrawal Last?

Written by Jacob on February 15, 2022. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Detox.

When a person abruptly stops using a substance such as alcohol, prescription drugs, or recreational drugs, withdrawal arises. During withdrawal, physical and mental side effects are experienced.

How long withdrawal lasts and when symptoms begin can vary. Factors that affect this include the substance used, duration of usage, and a person’s general health and well-being.

In most cases, though, people begin feeling initial withdrawal symptoms two to three days after using drugs or alcohol.

Find out more about withdrawal here, or contact us today to learn more about our withdrawal treatments.

Detox

Withdrawal symptoms are a normal part of detox, which is the first stage of recovery for a substance use disorder or drug addiction. During detox, harmful toxins leave the body, enabling many people to begin to overcome the effects of drug abuse physically. However, the length of time it takes to detox varies depending on the drug a person is detoxing from.

Detox can be completed at home via an outpatient facility or by attending an inpatient treatment facility. Depending on the facility and the severity of the addiction, those in recovery can either complete a natural detox or medical detox.

Medical detoxes are carried out via inpatient treatment facilities. Here, medical professionals provide medical supervision and prescribe medication to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and ease the detox process.

Depending on the severity of drug abuse, detox may see a person gradually taper off of using certain drugs. Tapering use means progressively using a lower quantity or strength of a substance until use stops completely.

When a medical detox is sought, withdrawal symptoms are generally less severe. However, the symptoms experienced depend on the substance.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms vary depending on how severe addiction is. However, they typically include:

Nausea
Fever
Vomiting
Insomnia
Hallucinations
Seizures
Anorexia
Tremors
Rapid heart rate
Convulsions

Light to moderate drinkers often experience mild symptoms that alleviate somewhat quickly. In contrast, severe alcohol withdrawal often requires medical attention, especially as fevers, seizures, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions can be life-threatening.

Even those who abuse a small amount of alcohol are at risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms, so medical detoxes are usually recommended to anyone hoping to reduce their alcohol intake.

Opioid Withdrawal

In America, three million people are thought to have an opioid use disorder. Those living with this condition usually abuse opioid drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, heroin, and fentanyl.

As opioids are highly addictive substances, people often build up a tolerance quite quickly. This means that they need to take a higher dose to feel the drug’s effect. Sadly, taking an increasing amount of opioids to feel the same effects often leads to opioid dependence, causing many people to rely on the drugs.

Though sometimes overlooked, opioid dependency can arise when prescription drugs, such as those prescribed by medical professionals, are abused. An addiction can also occur when illicitly bought drugs are taken.

Unfortunately, when drugs like heroin and fentanyl are taken, there is a high overdose rate. In fact, over 70% of drug overdose deaths in America in 2019 involved an opioid.

When withdrawing from opioids, relapse can be common as withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, although not generally fatal.

Opioid Withdrawal Timelines

The withdrawal timeline is heavily affected by the type of opioid a person is detoxing from. For example, short-acting opioids, such as heroin, can cause withdrawal symptoms to begin just a few hours after the last dose. However, this depends on how long a person has been taking the opioid and the amount normally consumed. With short-acting opioids, withdrawal symptoms generally peak between 36 and 72 hours and continue for up to 10 days.

In contrast, longer-acting opioids, such as fentanyl and methadone, aren’t cleared from the body as quickly, so the withdrawal process can last longer. Drug withdrawal symptoms for substances like methadone can begin as late as two to three days after the last dose.

The withdrawal peak, where people generally experience the most severe symptoms, usually surfaces around day three. This stage is often called the protracted withdrawal period. In total, the symptoms of withdrawal can linger for about 23 days.

Common Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

There are different stages of withdrawal. In the early stages of withdrawal – the acute withdrawal period – people generally experience symptoms such as:

Flu-like symptoms
Watery eyes
Excessive sweating
Fever
Runny nose

During the protracted withdrawal period, symptoms include:

Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Trouble sleeping
Diarrhea
Feeling weak
Increased blood pressure
Agitation and restlessness
Bone and muscle pain

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)

PAWS usually arise six months after a person stops using a substance and can last for up to two years. While the majority of recreational drugs and alcohol can cause PAWS symptoms, there are some drugs that are more likely to cause PAWS.

These include:

Marijuana. Insomnia, which is a withdrawal symptom of marijuana detox, can lead to PAWS if untreated.
Cocaine. Decreased impulse control and depression can be experienced for months after cocaine detox.
Methamphetamine. Often impulse control functions are inhibited, sometimes for years after withdrawing from methamphetamine.
Opiates. Insomnia, anxiety, depression, and decreased impulse control may be encountered if opiate PAWS are experienced.
Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepine withdrawal, in particular, can result in PAWS. Though many people are prescribed benzos for conditions including depression or anxiety, symptoms of anxiety can return after quitting benzos alongside PAWS, worsening the initial issues. Here, panic attacks, extreme anxiety, and insomnia are not uncommon. Benzodiazepine dependence is incredibly challenging to deal with alone. But adverse consequences, such as severe depression and relapse, can be avoided by seeking professional medical help.

Dealing With Unpleasant Symptoms

Withdrawal effects can significantly vary. While some people experience physical symptoms such as losing their appetite and high blood pressure, others may experience psychological symptoms such as anxiety or hallucinations.

In some instances, more severe symptoms can cause a person to relapse. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens (DTs), for example, can be incredibly stressful and even dangerous. However, facilities and treatment plans are available to help treat withdrawal symptoms and support each person through the detoxification process.

As part of a medical detox inpatient program, treatment is also available for mental health issues and substance use disorders, as are medications that can ease symptoms.

While the thought of attending a detox may seem scary, the risk of relapse significantly decreases when medical detox is completed due to managing withdrawal symptoms. It’s not just physical symptoms that professional detox can help with. Having a strong support network is crucial for long-term recovery, and entering treatment is the perfect chance to make connections that facilitate lifelong change.

Long-Term Support

Detox itself is rarely enough to result in long-lasting sobriety. Some people choose to complete an inpatient treatment after their medical detox, where they stay at a treatment facility. Others may prefer to opt for treatments such as therapy that do not have a heavy impact on their daily schedule, and so they choose an outpatient option.

Alcohol and substance abuse treatment can be daunting, but treatment centers offer holistic and flexible options. Sober life requires hard work and emotional support, so seeking treatment or joining a support group is always a positive step.

How Does Alcoholism Affect Families?

Written by Jacob on January 25, 2022. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Substance Addiction.

In our society, the family is the starting point for attachment, bonds, nurturing, and socialization. Realizing how does alcoholism affect families is eye opening. A family member who abuses alcohol will have a negative effect not only on themselves but also on members of the entire family.

Alcohol abuse can put a strain on relationships, causing fractures within the family unit and affecting the mental health of the entire family. This is why alcoholism is known as a family disease.

Secrecy, loss, fear, emotional instability, violence, or abuse are all factors that can emerge when substance abuse is present within a family. Understanding how alcoholism affects family members will help you to understand the necessary steps you should take to care for yourself.

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that involves feeling unable to control alcohol use, despite its negative consequences. It is also known as alcohol addiction. AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. Some things that characterize AUD are compulsive alcohol use, losing control over alcohol intake, and lacking emotional stability when sober.

Alcoholism Affecting Child Development

It is thought that more than eight million children under the age of eighteen live with at least one adult who has a substance use disorder. Children of alcoholics often develop emotions and thought patterns as a result of their parent’s addiction which continues into their adult lives. It is important to know what signs to look out for in a child in order to support them if a family member has an alcohol addiction.

Growing up around family members who are abusing alcohol leads to a tangle of complex emotions in a child. It can have dire consequences on their healthy emotional development. They might feel guilty as if it is their fault. Due to being in an environment where lying and denial are normalized and ever-present, children often feel distrustful of others. This has a tendency to continue into adulthood, negatively impacting friendships and relationships. They also may feel anxious, depressed, detached, frustrated, and angry. They may be worried about domestic violence and feel unsafe at home. This is incredibly confusing and is a lot to be dealing with as a child!

Teachers, relatives, or other adults in contact with children with an alcoholic parent should look out for the following behaviors:

Low self-esteem
Isolation
Risky behaviors
Missing school, failing classes, or seeking attention
Disheveled appearance
Lack of concentration

How Does Alcoholism Affect a Spouse or Partner?

If your partner abuses alcohol, it can be a very scary time. Your loved one’s addiction will likely come between you, with your partner prioritizing drinking over your relationship. Alcohol abuse within romantic relationships often results in lower marital satisfaction and poor self-esteem. It can also cause more serious mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Alcoholism Affecting Trust

A partner who is abusing alcohol can seriously damage trust within a romantic relationship. Someone struggling with AUD may be secretive and deceitful in order to hide their addiction. This may start as a way to protect the partner, but the lies often get bigger and more frequent in order to disguise the addiction. This is normally due to feelings of guilt, shame, and fear.

Trust is vital in healthy relationships and once it is broken it can be extremely difficult to fix. This can lead the partner to feel isolated, upset, and resent their significant other.

Alcoholism and Intimacy

For intimate relationships to function healthily, there of course needs to be a level of intimacy. Unfortunately, this can become hugely impacted by a spouse or partner with alcohol problems. It can impact levels of respect, which can put a huge strain on your relationship. This can affect levels of affection and care. Physical intimacy can also be impacted as alcohol can affect sex drive. Stability within the relationship as well as expectations are also frequently fractured as a result of alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism Affecting Finances

Alcoholism affects many aspects of a relationship, one of which is money. Serious financial problems often result from a family member who suffers from alcohol abuse. They may blow the family budget and spend all of their money on drinking.

They may also neglect work or studying in order to feed their addiction, resulting in lost wages. This can take a toll on their romantic partner, making them feel stressed and anxious.

Alcohol and Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence is defined by the World Health Organization as behaviors involving physical abuse, psychological abuse, or sexual harm to those in intimate relationships.

Drinking alcohol often contributes to this and there is evidence to show that drinking can increase the severity and frequency of domestic violence. Domestic disputes can quickly escalate when drinking problems are involved. This can have a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of the victim. Not only may their physical health be affected but their mental health is often severely damaged.

It is important to note here that domestic abuse is not solely limited to violence within romantic relationships, but it can also be perpetrated on other members of a family.

How Do I Cope With One or More Family Members Struggling With Alcoholism

If you are affected by alcoholism, there is help available. It’s important to be aware of a variety of different coping mechanisms so that you are able to deal with problems you might face in numerous situations. Below are some practical tips you can implement which will help to ease the emotional strain of the situation.

Understand that their addiction is not your fault. There can be a lot of guilt and self-blame when it comes to addiction, but know that your family member’s addiction is a chronic disease. You would not blame yourself if they got cancer, so try to treat it in the same way.
Support Groups. Support groups such as Al-Anon will help you to feel understood and supported by others going through a similar situation. In these groups, you can learn helpful coping skills and feel less alone.
Take care of yourself. It may feel hard to take care of yourself at this time when you can see that a loved one also needs to be taken care of. However, it is incredibly important to look after yourself and prioritize your own needs. It is important to protect your own well-being.
Therapy. Seeking support from a professional therapist will help to guide you through your thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental space. You will be free to say whatever you like and be one hundred percent honest about how you feel. This can be extremely liberating.
Accepting addiction. This can be a tricky step but is very freeing. Accepting that your family member is suffering from alcohol abuse can help to give you clarity and acceptance that they may need professional help.
Reach out to friends and family members. Seeking support from other family members or loved ones is important for providing you will support and a space to talk things through.
Rebuild your self-esteem. Your self-esteem may be very low due to your loved one’s drinking. Rebuilding self-esteem by doing the things for yourself that you enjoy will help to improve your mental health.
Family counseling. Talking things through as a whole family in family therapy can be extremely helpful. It allows you to work on rebuilding broken bonds between family members and to talk honestly about feelings in a safe space.

Alcohol Rehab Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Understanding how alcoholism affects families is a great first step. After that you need to take action in finding help for your loved one. Alcohol rehab in Murfreesboro involves treating the underlying causes of your addiction. Tulip Hill Recovery is here to help with dual diagnosis, substance abuse, and mental health disorders. We also provide treatment for veterans. Our family-run alcohol rehab offers flexible outpatient programs to reduce the costs of long-term treatment while maintaining a high level of support.

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.

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.

Am I Addicted to Alcohol?

Written by Jacob on March 7, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction.

Alcohol consumption is a normal part of life in the United States, so most of us aren’t alarmed or concerned when we see someone drinking. However, nearly 33% of American adults experience alcohol abuse at some point in their lives, meaning that even though we don’t always clearly see it, alcohol addiction is more common than we’d like to think.

Am I Addicted to Alcohol?

If there is any concern that you might be addicted to alcohol, there are some questions you should ask yourself when deciding whether you should seek help:

Do you drink more often than you would expect?
Do you drink for long periods of time?
Do you wish you could drink less but struggle to do so?
Do you have cravings to drink whenever you are not drinking?
Does drinking affect your work, school, social and family life?
Have you driven after drinking?
Do you need to drink higher amounts of alcohol to achieve the desired effect?
Do you drink and struggle with a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or post-stress traumatic disorder (PTSD)?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be dealing with an addiction to alcohol. If you want help quitting so you can take back control of your life from alcohol, you should contact recovery professionals for help.

Start Your Recovery Journey at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, our team of clinicians and mental health professionals can help you recover from addiction and live a life free from alcohol.

We focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to addiction in order to treat it at its main source. Our treatment model emphasizes the dual diagnosis approach, which means we treat addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders that might be fueling the addiction. This helps a person in recovery become better equipped for dealing with the challenges of mental health disorders without feeling like they need substances or alcohol to cope.

Are you ready to talk to someone about treatment for addiction for you or someone you love? Please contact us online or call us at 877-845-8192 to get in touch with our team and help start the recovery journey.

What Makes Alcohol Addictive?

Written by Jacob on March 6, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction.

Drinking alcohol is common in the United States, which is why it should be no surprise that there are many people who develop an addiction. However, since so many people drink alcohol, you may be wondering, why do only some become addicted? What is it that makes alcohol addictive, and why is it so hard to quit once you’re addicted?

The answer to these questions can be broken down into different parts.

What Makes Alcohol Addictive?

The physical factor — Alcohol triggers a release of dopamine and endorphins in the brain. These are chemicals that naturally occur in your body that induce sensations of pleasure and relaxation. However, by triggering a large release through alcohol consumption, the brain can build up a tolerance to these chemicals and require more alcohol to achieve the desired effect. When this happens, you can develop cravings that make it difficult to stop drinking no matter how hard you want to.
The psychological factor — The mind plays a large role in addiction. For example, someone who is stressed or depressed may frequently turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism.Some addiction treatments, like what we provide at Tulip Hill Recovery, include mental health treatment that can help address mental health disorders that may be fueling the desire to consume alcohol.
Withdrawal symptoms — Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can make it undesirable to quit as well as unsafe. Withdrawal symptoms include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Shaky hands
- Nausea
- Seizures

Going through withdrawal can motivate the continued use of alcohol in order to avoid the effects. Additionally, withdrawal from alcohol can be risky to your health and usually needs to be monitored by clinical recovery professionals.

Start Your Recovery Journey at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to addiction in order to treat it at its main source. Our treatment model emphasizes the dual diagnosis approach, which means we treat addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders that might be fueling the addiction. This helps a person in recovery become better equipped for dealing with the challenges of mental health disorders without feeling like they need substances or alcohol to cope.

6 Tips For How To Stay Sober In Social Circumstances

Written by Jacob on February 5, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Healthy Tips.

Christmas. New Year’s. Birthdays. Office parties.

There are a ton of celebrations and holiday events that take place throughout the year, and many of these events involve social drinking. For someone who is recovering from an addiction to alcohol, it can be a challenge to not participate in any drinking during these types of events.

Maintaining your sobriety is crucial to living a life free of addiction. Even one drink can open the floodgates and lead to relapse.

In short, if you find yourself facing circumstances that will involve a lot of drinking, it might be best just to stay away. However, we know there are some events you cannot or do not want to miss. In these circumstances, you’ll want to remember the tips below and what your clinicians and therapists have taught you.

6 Tips for How to Stay Sober During Events and Celebrations

Bring an accountability partner — Bring a friend who is also sober or is willing to avoid drinking during the event with you.
Contact an accountability partner — If no one is able to come with you, at least have someone who is willing to let you check in with them on a regular basis for accountability. This could be someone you arrange to call before, during and after the event to check in on your well-being.
Practice saying no — People at a party might not know that you are in recovery and may offer you a beverage. Rather than being caught off guard and taking a beverage out of social obligation, script how you would like to decline. Be polite but firm, and if they continue to push you, either change the subject or walk away.
Bring your own beverages — If you know there is going to be a lot of alcohol at an event, such as a New Year’s party or a Super Bowl party, consider bringing your own drinks. There is a wide variety of creative and delicious nonalcoholic cocktails and other beverages you can enjoy instead of something with alcohol.
Limit your time around tempting circumstances — If you find yourself growing stressful or anxious around the alcohol as the event goes on, then you may want to leave or find another space in the event where people are not drinking.
Know when to leave — Make an exit strategy in advance, so you know when to leave and how you want to leave if you’re starting to feel tempted, stressed or anxious.

Start Your Recovery Journey at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to your addiction in order to treat it at its main source.

Are you ready to talk to someone about treatment for addiction and building a better future for yourself? Please contact us today to get in touch with our team and start your recovery journey.

Make Your New Year’s Resolution of Staying Sober a Reality with the Help of Professionals

Written by Jacob on February 1, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction.

The new year brings renewed hope for people across the world. Many are hopeful that the rollout of vaccines will end the COVID-19 pandemic, helping life return to normal. Many people make New Year’s resolutions as an effort to commit to making an improvement in their lives. For some, this resolution comes in the form of giving up drug or alcohol use. However, this usually is easier said than done.

Quitting drinking or using a substance when you feel like it’s taking over your life is possible, but if your use of alcohol or drugs has developed into an uncontrollable addiction, then you will need professional assistance. Addiction is difficult to recover from both mentally and physically. But don’t lose hope. With the help of a professional, you can reach your New Year’s goal of staying sober.

Staying Sober with the Help of Addiction Treatment Professionals

Quitting is hard because of the physical, mental and emotional dependence on alcohol or substances. Regardless of what has its grip on you, when you’re facing these kinds of circumstances, you need help from someone else.

Clinical professionals and therapists can work with you to guide you through a safe and effective recovery program. Different people have different needs, but often, going through an inpatient recovery program can help you build a solid recovery foundation and set you on path for a happy and productive life after treatment..

Some recovery centers, like Tulip Hill Recovery, specialize in a more advanced form of treatment known as dual diagnosis. Under this kind of program, clients receive mental health treatment as well as treatment for their addiction. This is important because co-occuring mental health disorders can drive the need to use substances or alcohol as a form of coping. Mental health professionals can work with these clients to develop healthier coping mechanisms for the symptoms of their conditions, thus reducing the drive to turn back to drugs or alcohol.

Start your Recovery Journey at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to your addiction in order to treat it at its main source.

Are you ready to talk to someone about treatment for addiction and building a better future for yourself? Please contact us online or call us at 877-845-8192 to get in touch with our team and start your recovery journey.

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Understanding the Relationship Between Alcohol and Depression

Written by Jacob on January 11, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction, Dual Diagnosis.

It’s common for the consumption of alcohol to be tied with depression. Mental health disorders like depression can drive someone to using alcohol or substances as a coping mechanism. In the case of an addiction, these mental health disorders are known as “co-occurring disorders.”

Regardless of whether the depression comes first or the addiction to alcohol, both conditions fuel each other and cause each other to worsen. It is important to seek help from a professional when dealing with either or both depression and an addiction to alcohol. Clinical and medical professionals can help you recover from both conditions so you can live a life free from addiction and with better skills for managing your depression.

The Relationship Between Alcohol and Depression

Since alcohol loosens inhibitions, people turn to it in an attempt to cope with the symptoms of depression or other mental health disorders. However, alcohol is a depressant. When you consume certain amounts of it, it can lower your mood and worsen the depression.

As you continue to consume alcohol, you become more dependent on it. This can lead to increased depression, as well as an addiction and other struggles, such as strained relationships or missing out on work.

Treating Alcohol Addiction and Depression

Treatment for someone struggling with alcohol addiction and depression is done using the dual diagnosis approach. This is an addiction recovery approach that includes mental health therapy to help patients develop healthier coping skills for their mental health disorders, such as depression.

The dual diagnosis treatment approach is effective in helping patients reach recovery from their addiction and to stay recovered without feeling the need to return to using alcohol as a coping mechanism for depression.

Start your Recovery Journey at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, we emphasize the dual diagnosis approach in many of our treatments. We believe it helps equip patients for an improved quality of life after their initial treatment to help prevent relapsing, so they can continue to live free from addiction.

Why is Alcohol Addictive?

Written by Jacob on January 5, 2021. Posted in Alcohol Addiction.

It’s reported that in 2019, 14.1 million adults suffered from some form of alcohol use disorder (AUD). There may be many more who have gone unreported. AUD is so common because alcohol can be an addictive substance.

Many people tend to think they can control their alcohol consumption or hide it, but with AUD, drinking slowly takes over your life and becomes the sole object of your interest.

Professionals can help you recover from alcohol addiction as well as treat any co-occurring mental health disorders that might fuel your addiction.

Many people find it hard to believe that they have an addiction to alcohol, but it can happen to anyone. There should be no shame in admitting that you need help and seeking treatment from professionals.

Take a moment to understand why alcohol is so addictive and how it could affect you.

Social influence

Many celebratory occasions or casual gatherings involve the use of alcohol. Weddings, parties and dinners all usually involve drinks to help people loosen up and have fun. However, all this drinking comes with an unintended consequence. Over time, the push to drink during social occasions can lead to excessive drinking or a dependency that leads to more drinking on your own in private.

Chemistry

Alcohol causes changes in your body at the chemical level. It increases the production of endorphins, which can chemically induce sensations of pleasure or reward. Over time, your body craves this release of endorphins and you find yourself wanting to drink to achieve this pleasurable effect.

As the use of alcohol is prolonged or increases over time, your body can become physically dependent on the presence of alcohol just to simply function on a daily basis.

Mental health disorders

Mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression, can cause stress and other symptoms that lead to the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism. As mental health issues go untreated, the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism is prolonged, which can lead to an addiction.

Treating mental health disorders is a crucial part of the dual diagnosis approach to treating alcohol addiction. Learning to cope with mental health disorders in healthy ways can help reduce the drive for using alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Take Your First Step to Recovery at Tulip Hill Recovery

Are you or someone you know struggling with alcohol addiction? Our team is here to help. At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to your addiction in order to treat it at its main source.

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4 Things To Consider When Looking For Alcohol Rehab Centers Near You

Written by Jacob on December 2, 2020. Posted in Alcohol Addiction.

When you or someone you care about is struggling with alcohol, it’s time to consider visiting an alcohol rehab center for treatment. However, if there are several alcohol rehab centers near you, you might wonder which one is right for you or your loved one.

Deciding on a treatment center can be overwhelming and even discouraging. You may have reviewed websites, read reviews online, or contacted a center for more information, but the feeling of uncertainty may still remain.

If you’re researching alcohol rehab centers near you, here are some questions we think you should keep in mind.

1. What is the staff like?

Is the staff at the rehab center you’re interested in friendly and helpful? Do they work closely together to get to know each client’s needs and the challenges they face in their individual journeys? Do they have credentials, experience and positive reviews?

You can usually find this information online, but it also helps to contact a center or visit it in person to get a feel for what the staff is like.

2. Is there housing?

When beginning your recovery journey, it is helpful to live in a home with others on the same path while under the supervision of a clinical professional. At Tulip Hill Recovery, our clients can live in one of our sober living residences. This helps keep you accountable for staying sober and keeps you motivated for staying on track in your recovery journey. Plus, you get to build a community of support and friendship that can last for a lifetime.

3. Will my mental health needs be met?

Often, there are co-occurring mental health disorders that can lead to your need for alcohol use or develop because of it. Either way, it’s important to address co-occurring mental health disorders as part of your treatment. Mental health professionals can help you build healthier coping mechanisms for mental health issues, so you feel less inclined to turn to alcohol to cope with them.

4. Can I afford it?

We put this question last on the list because we believe it should never be a hindrance to you in seeking treatment. There are a variety of treatment centers available for people of all economic backgrounds, and our team at Tulip Hill is committed to helping you find the treatment you need, whether it’s with us or somewhere better suited for your needs. However, we understand that the question about cost is important to many people, so we want to address it.

If you’re thinking about the cost of an addiction recovery center, you should consider what all you get out of it. A center that provides a dual diagnosis treatment approach and helps you reintegrate to society can offer you more than a detox clinic that puts you back on the street after a few days.

Additionally, you need to review your health insurance plan and see what it covers. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans recognize mental health and drug and alcohol addiction as essential health issues that must be covered for treatment on some level. If you have an ACA insurance plan, check to see what kind of coverage it provides.

If you need help, our team at Tulip Hill Recovery can help you review your plan.

Take Your First Step to Recovery at Tulip Hill Recovery

At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on discovering what factors in your life may be contributing to your alcohol abuse in order to treat addiction at its main source.

Are you ready to talk to someone about treatment for alcohol addiction and building a better future for yourself? Please contact us today to get in touch with our team and start your recovery journey.