Treatment

Trauma is an unfortunately common experience for many people throughout the world, and a high rate of those in addiction recovery have struggled in the past with trauma as well. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common disorder that develops for those who’ve gone through traumatic events such as accidents, natural disasters, combat, assault and more – and all too often, symptoms like flashbacks, insomnia, anxiety and depression can make it incredibly difficult to enjoy life. Substance abuse tends to take place when a person tries to “drown out” those painful thoughts and feelings – only to realize that the pain remains there, it’s just hidden. Writing therapy can help a person heal by taking the pain that’s on the inside and putting it to paper. Dr. Matthew Tull, an associate professor and director of anxiety disorders research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, explained in 2018 that journaling can foster post-traumatic growth, which is defined as, “…the positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a major life crisis or a traumatic event.” Writer’s Digest suggests that traumatic experiences can fuel one’s writing by taking that pain, anger, distress and/or sadness and putting it outwardly towards a writing project. If you’re ready to spark healing from trauma, consider taking on any (or all) of these 5 writing prompts:

We’re not always given the best coping mechanisms growing up, and sometimes we may see people, life and situations as being more “black and white” than they really are. It’s hard to get out of that mindset – and in most cases, this type of thinking can perpetuate conflicts with loved ones and can even escalate the painful emotions we’re already experiencing. Many people in addiction recovery experience this exact feeling; and, in many cases without the correct support, a person will begin to rely on substances because that seems like the only way out of anger, depression, resentment and other discomforting feelings. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) was originally created to help treat borderline personality disorder (BPD) – a disorder that can make it challenging to see the “in-betweens” or the “gray areas” of life. Oftentimes, however, people without this disorder will face such feelings – and that’s why DBT can be used to help treat a variety of conditions. WebMD explains that DBT addresses a variety of aspects of life that people have issues managing, such as:

In the whirlwind of addiction, it’s hard to identify what’s up from down. Life can feel like an ongoing battle of events, and you may have struggled desperately to come back to surface – only to find that the addiction pulled you back even stronger. Recovery is one of the most transformational periods of growth for a person because they’re finally able to stop and focus on their entire wellbeing – and with that comes a much greater capacity for happiness and fulfillment in life. Stabilization is the most important step to the beginning of a person’s recovery journey, and this is typically through detoxification. Holistic treatment at Avalon Malibu takes into consideration all the aspects that make up a person – focusing on the healing and restoration of their mind, body and spirit. A publication by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes that at this stage, clients are typically scared – so in order to become stable, much support and care is provided.

Most talk of addiction is centered on opioids, alcohol, marijuana or other related drugs – but barbiturates aren’t discussed as often and this can make it even more challenging to seek help if it’s needed. Barbiturates are depressant drugs used to treat anxiety and muscle spasms, prevent seizures and to help a person sleep; the two primary ways of using these types of drugs are injecting a liquid or by swallowing pills. Medical News Today notes that barbiturates were first developed in 1864 – and since then, benzodiazepines have taken the place of many barbiturates for treating different conditions. Recreational use of barbiturates can place a person at increased risk for addiction. There are several effects that come from barbiturate use for those who don’t need it for medical purposes:

Individual psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) can afford us the opportunity to dig deep within ourselves; the therapist-client relationship is so important because it fosters a person’s growth and development in areas of a person’s life they wish to thrive in. Recovery involves so many different aspects of healing and restoration – and individual therapy isn’t the only way those in addiction recovery can grow. Group psychotherapy sessions provide a unique, safe space for individuals to build upon the foundation they’ve developed in other areas of treatment; because it’s a format different from individual therapy sessions, clients can gain different benefits from attending.

Recovery is a time when we can take a step back and focus on our health. Before recovery, you may have struggled greatly substance abuse and/or mental illness, leaving you with little room to lead the life you’ve always wanted. Holistic recovery is less about treating solely your addiction or mental illness – it’s more about treating you as an entire person. The Association for Addiction Professionals describes holistic recovery as this: “Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit and community. The array of services and supports available should be integrated and coordinated.” In the past, professionals have focused primarily on the addiction/mental illness as the sole focus on treatment – but as researchers have been studying for many years, it’s more about compassion for everything a person’s gone through that truly helps them heal. There are many aspects of a person, such as:

In many cases, it feels as though we simply woke up one day, just to find that we’re suddenly struggling with symptoms of mental illness. We may begin feeling more anxious than normal, more depressed about our lives or more paranoid about seeing friends or family. Before, everything seemed fine – so why are we going through this now? While it may feel as though mental illness simply came “out of the blue”, it had to have started somewhere, right? Let’s take a look at some potential causes for the development of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, phobias and more. Genetics: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that if someone in your family has a mental illness, the odds that you will develop one increase. First-degree relatives – such as your parents, siblings and children are the best sources of information, followed by your second-degree relatives, such as your nieces and nephews, half-brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc. Environment: Our lifestyle both growing up and as adults can have major impacts on the development of mental illness. Some of these environmental risk factors can include: smoking, sleep deprivation, pollution, exposure to toxins during childhood, extreme weather conditions, hazardous work conditions and more. Other environmental factors could involve people – such as the early loss of a parent, poverty, social stigma, etc. Trauma: Traumatic events can have a significant impact on a person’s livelihood, and sometimes this can lead to the development of a mental illness, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Substance Abuse: In some cases, addiction can bring out symptoms that cause a person to develop a mental illness. When this happens, a person then has two conditions to treat, often called a co-occurring disorder. If you’re ready to get started towards complete health and rejuvenation, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

As we progress through recovery, we learn more about ourselves; we learn more of what matters to us, what we struggle with in life as well as our personal beliefs about ourselves and life. Essentially, life is a classroom with so many different lessons – and for many people in recovery, the concept of boundaries is a bit blurry. Even after seeking treatment, it’s common for those in recovery to deal with cravings to use again; people, places, situations and emotions can spark that feeling to return to substance abuse, because that’s what’s made us feel comforted in the past. With this new stage of life, however, it’s important that you develop certain boundaries with yourself so that you can stay on the road to success. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), highlights the work of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in forming a relapse prevention plan, which truly helps those in recovery establish healthy boundaries with themselves. A scenario of a person who previously struggled with alcoholism, for example, may work on identifying several factors:

We’re not given a “Book of Life” when we’re born, and if that were the case, a lot less people would struggle with mental illness, addiction, and other painful experiences because we’d have already taken the right steps to seeking help. It just doesn’t work that way – and, unfortunately, it’s typically not until we’re well into adulthood that we begin recognizing distressing symptoms. Even as adults, we may believe that this is how life really is – and we may not seek any help at all. If this is something you can relate to, it’s important to know that seeking treatment is not only going to provide you with more answers regarding your day-to-day experiences, but it will also help you prevent any conditions you have from developing further.

Valium (generically named diazepam) is a drug used for its calming properties; medically, it’s typically prescribed to help treat anxiety, muscle spasms and seizures. If not taken directly as prescribed, however, a person can become dependent on this drug, later developing an addiction. Just last year, WebMD reported that drugs like Valium and Xanax, along with other benzodiazepines, are being misused by around 1 in every 5 people who take the prescription drug. Drugs like valium are becoming used twice as much by adults than what was previously reported; by getting a clearer grasp on what Valium is, how it can affect a person and what a person needs to do to seek help, we can hopefully provide more support for our loved ones who are struggling with addiction.

Therapy is an incredibly important part of addiction recovery because it gives you a chance to face some of your internal battles, but it can be really nervewracking if you don’t feel all that comfortable sharing details of your life with someone you don’t quite know yet. Comfortability in therapy takes time, but once you’ve reached a steady dynamic with the person you’re working with, you’ll feel much better moving on to more deeper parts of your mind. In 2017, writer Jas T explained how uncomfortable he felt in therapy via The Mighty, a website that publishes relatable stories on addiction, mental illness, recovery and more. He stated, “Before my first-ever meeting, I was so anxious about seeing the college psychologist that I had a panic attack. I still remember my first few meetings. I did not say a single word or all I could say was, ‘I don’t know’. It was mostly my psychologist doing the talking.” If this is something you’re currently going through, know that you’re not alone – and there are some tips to help you ease into the idea of therapy. Tip #1: Write out what you’d like to talk about, or even just how you’re feeling before entering the session. By doing this, you’ll be a bit prepared for what you’d like to work on. It gives you session a foundation to build off of, and you don’t even have to feel nervous about what to say because you already have it prepared. If you’re too uncomfortable explaining it all outloud, you can even have your therapist read it themselves. Tip #2: Jot down thoughts or realizations as bullet points. This may help you before, during and after your sessions so that you can get a clear sense of what you’re experiencing in therapy. It will also hep simplify some of the thoughts you don’t want to forget. Tip #3: Find a therapist you feel comfortable with. If you don’t feel comfortable with your therapist, ask to try a different person. Get to know your therapist and spend some time building a dynamic with them. It may feel awkward at first, but it’s completely normal.

12-Step support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) receive much of the spotlight when it comes to addiction recovery, but did you know there are alternative groups that a person can become involved in? A common thread amongst non-!2 Step support groups is the open concept of religion and spirituality, whereas many 12-Step support groups promote these areas as being vital to healing and growth. As Very Well Mind emphasized in 2017, those who do not find prayer and other religious messages to be of importance may find non-12 Step programs to be more their style; each person is different, however, and not one model of support can truly fit everyone – that’s where various non-12 Step programs come into play.