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Anyone who suffers from an addiction knows that recovery is a challenging, lifelong process. We must constantly be aware of our stressors and triggers to note if we are in a situation where we feel the need to repeat old negative patterns of behavior. The beginning of our recovery journey can be particularly difficult, because we may fear relapsing. Relapsing is defined as the recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement. Many people who are afraid of relapsing or who have already relapsed, are scared that they failed. Relapse is a normal part of the recovery process, though, and should not be considered a failed attempt at recovery – it is merely an opportunity for us to learn and grow from our experiences. There are three main ties to relapses – physical, mental, and emotional. Emotional relapses may occur in a person and while this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will go right back to their old addictive habits, it is the first stage of the relapse process and could indicate that a relapse could occur soon. If a person is feeling anxiety, intolerance, anger, defensiveness, mood swings, isolation, is missing meetings, is eating or sleeping poorly, or is refusing help, they could be on the brink of a relapse. Mental relapses occur when a person is at war between using the drug/substance and staying sober. When this happens, the person experiences fleeting thoughts of using, and they can’t seem to stop. A few characteristics of this may be lying to the people closest to them, romanticizing using the substance/drug in the past, dwelling on people, places, or things that tie directly to the addiction, spending time with people that they used to engage in the addiction with, etc. At this stage, it can become very difficult for the person to stay sober because at this point, they may feel that they can control their addiction and that using only one more time won’t hurt them. The person may also feel that they can easily get away with using again. Physical relapses could involve the person using the substance/drug only once and then realizing their mistake, or could mean that they fall back into old habits. Once a person has relapsed, they may feel anger, shame, disappointment, frustration, and more. Relapsing does not mean that we have failed. It simply means that we are learning more about ourselves and how we react to triggers and stimuli – it provides us with an opportunity to look further into why we relapsed and what we can do to prevent this next time. This may also present an opportunity for us to enter back into inpatient treatment, or to increase our meeting attendance. Millions of people have relapsed and recovered from it. If we can view this as a learning opportunity and grow from it, we can make the most of our journey through recovery.

A personality disorder is a form of mental illness that can affect nearly every aspect of someone’ s life and can cause them hardships in family relations, intimate relationships, friendships, work responsibilities, financial aspects, and more. Many people who suffer from a personality disorder may show symptoms but may not recognize what they suffer from. Understanding the characteristics of several types of personality disorders can help someone to note if they or a loved one suffers from this:

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that introspection is a means of learning about own’s own currently ongoing, or very recently past, mental states or processes. Reading psychology texts, observing one’s own facial expressions, and examining patterns of brain activity are just a few ways to understand oneself better; but is this process of introspection always easy? Not exactly. Sophia Dembling, author of Introverts in Love: The Quiet Way to Live Happily Ever After, noted for Psychology Today that introspection can be beneficial, but when it turns to rumination, you’ve gone wrong. She stated specifically, “There is an important difference between introspection and rumination. Time spent alone in thought can be positive – a rich environment for personal growth and creativity, but it can also be dangerous when we are negatively turned against ourselves. Introspection can be a process of health self-reflection, examination, and exploration, which is good for your well-being and your brain.” TED talk speaker Tasha Eurich points out that rumination is based on the question “why?”. When we focus solely on this question trying to achieve deeper meaning of who we are and why we act a certain way, we set ourselves up for negativity and shame. A study of students from a British University were told they failed an intelligence test, and were then asked why they felt the way they did afterwards. Compared to a control group, the students were more depressed immediately afterwards and the negative effects persisted for 12 hours later. If introspection involving “why” doesn’t help, that what does? Exactly that – “what”. Asking ourselves what is happening rather than why it’s happening gives us more of a sense of positivity and productiveness. When we ask ourselves “what” is happening, we give ourselves a chance to simply accept the present moment. We don’t have to force ourselves to think deeply about an answer that we are unsure of, and we don’t have to dwell on the fact that we don’t know why something happened. Simply examining what is currently happening may lead us to more awareness, which can help us deal with daily problems.

Process addictions are like other addictions in the negative pattern of behavior that is enacted and the negative ways in which it can affect daily life. A process addiction is a condition of compulsive behavior, such as excessive gambling, video gaming, shopping, etc. This addiction is like other addictions in that a person can become dependent and addicted to a certain behavior. Everyday Health has identified the top process addictions:

Family therapy is beneficial for a variety of reasons – it helps people understand one another, it helps families work through issues, it helps family members support a person suffering from an addiction or mental illness, and more. Family therapy often gives people a chance to work through issues that otherwise would be difficult to work through on their own – a supervised, neutral setting with an experience psychologist to help guide individuals through a respectful discussion can prove transformative. According to Desert Hope, “Family therapy concentrates on determining and adjusting how the overall structure, patterns of communication, aspects of relationships, power structure, and other aspects of the family system are affected by whatever issue is being addressed.” In family therapy, the therapist typically meets with individuals as well as other family members. After a few meetings with the family members, a therapist can often tell which form of treatment will work best. Family therapy has been shown to help people work through depression, obesity, alcoholism and drug abuse, although that list is not exhaustive. Dr. Nichols mentioned on Good Therapy that at the beginning of the sessions, she will provide information on confidentiality, who needs to attend ongoing sessions, the rules, her role, and expectations for everyone. This helps all family members to know what to expect and what is required of them. A variety of techniques may be used by a family therapist, and family members are expected to be respectful, honest, and take responsibility for themselves. One newly popular technique studied in Contemporary Family Therapy is Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH), or wilderness therapy, and involves family members partaking in outdoor activities to help them relieve stress and to use nature as both reality and metaphorical for their therapy needs. Of course, traditional therapeutic methods are also widely used.   Narrative therapy was also mentioned as a contributing beneficiary to therapy by allowing family members to externalize their situations, deconstruct problematic narratives by asking questions, identify unique outcomes or times when someone was not oppressed by an issue, link unique outcomes to future alternatives, invite members of a social network to witness the new narrative, and document new knowledge that has taken place. The techniques mentioned above are just 2 of many, but typically involves families working individually and together with a therapist to overcome family concerns. Family therapy could be a great tool for you to use if you wish to resolve family issues and bring the family closer together. If you are considering using this, speak with a therapist today to determine the right fit for you and your family.

According to Dr. Courtney Warren, clinical psychologist, when we deceive ourselves and others, we aren’t taking full responsibility for who we are. This can be very damaging because we are perpetuating the very aspects of ourselves that are hurting us the most instead of acting to change them. A recent study called Self-deception as a mechanism for the maintenance of drug addiction found that individuals with substance dependence exhibited higher levels of self-deception, especially through active denial, selective amnesia, projection, and confabulation. These are several ways that people deceive themselves and others, as explained by the researchers mentioned above:

When you make the decision to seek help for your mental illness, addiction, or dual diagnosis, you are taking a courageous step. Recovery is multi-faceted and incorporates all aspects of daily life, primarily because it forces us to change for the better. Our typical routine may have been different when we were engaged in actively-addictive behaviors, but once we enter recovery, our mornings change. The people whom we spend our time with may change, and the way in which we handle situations may improve. The Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration notes four main components that support a life in recovery:

It is common knowledge that war, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and getting robbed would all suffice as traumatic incidents. Childhood trauma can leave people feeling debilitated for years to come – some even their entire lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects over 14 million adults in the United States, according to Mental Health America. The National Center for PTSD defines PTSD as a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Those who have PTSD often experience nightmares, flashbacks, hyperactivity, intrusive thoughts, and negative emotions/feelings. Can something as simple as watching a violent show on television trigger someone to have PTSD? The answer is technically, no. Cultivation theory posits that those who watch television often and in substantial amounts tend to adopt the perceptions of what they see on TV. For example, if a person spends many hours a day watching scary movies, they may eventually come to believe that the world is a scary place and may therefore fear leaving their home. The person may show similar symptoms of PTSD, but are not directly experiencing it. The scary content that they viewed on TV may cause them intense emotions which could continue manifesting into a phobia or anxiety disorder. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, exposure to media, television, movies, or pictures cannot cause PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD are:

Just as someone from a physical addiction may relapse and return to their addiction because of a trigger, someone with a mental illness can relapse. Relapse is defined as the recurrence of any disease that has gone into remission or recovery. In the above narrative, this person suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and has worked diligently through their obsessive thoughts and compulsions. One day they felt triggered - whether by a person, place, situation, or their own thoughts – and retreated to old habits of behavior, by asking their partner for reassurance. When someone suffers from a mental illness, relapse often involves acting on those unwanted thoughts or feelings in a way that perpetuates the illness. For example, a person who suffers from severe anxiety may partake in recovery activities that help them recognize when they are feeling anxious and may provide them with tools to work through their anxiety. A relapse for this person would mean that one day, their anxiety gets to them and the person loses all sense of control that they had learned so far in their recovery. Some warning signs that someone is experiencing a relapse are: major mood changes, losing their sense of humor, becoming very tense or agitated, difficulty concentrating, retreating from social situations, neglecting personal care, dressing unusually, sleeping excessively or not at all, eating too much or hardly at all, becoming very suspicious or hostile, increased sensitivity to light or noise, and more. This list of signs is non-exhaustive, and may vary depending on the mental illness. If someone feels they may experience a relapse soon or are already suffering from a relapse, they should speak with a health care professional immediately. Working with a doctor and support team can help you get back on track and move past the incident. Family and friends should be receptive, loving and supportive and should research the mental illness to learn more ways of which they can help.   Residential treatment programs give you the time you need to focus on healing. Avalon Malibu is one of California’s only certified primary mental health treatment facility providing trusted programs with trusted results. For a confidential assessment and more information, call us today: 888-958-7511

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health issue that arises after someone has experienced a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD often include nightmares, flashbacks, emotional numbness, hyperarousal such as difficulty sleeping, feeling jumpy, and more. War veterans often experience PTSD, and many are deeply affected by it for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, many people take their own lives because PTSD can be so debilitating. It affects every aspect of their lives – from their work, to family life, and often trouble connecting with their significant other. In the past, there have been several drug forms created to aid in the effects of PTSD, but many involved patients taking several forms of medication along with psychotherapy, and even the combined therapy didn’t aid in full recovery of the symptoms. Researchers have been exploring more advanced treatment options for PTSD, and many of them hold much hope in aiding the negative symptoms of PTSD, or even eliminating them altogether. Here are a few recent developments regarding treatment for PTSD:

“Instead, it’s transformative. The trauma becomes a dividing line in survivor’s lives. They are different after the event. Sometimes that change is negative – the post-traumatic stress symptoms that have received so much attention. But the change doesn’t end there. Trauma survivors are often pushed by a brush with their own mortality, by the depth of their hardship or even the suffering of others, to find more meaningful and fulfilling ways of understanding who they are and how they want to live. They struggle, but they also change for the better.” Jim Rendon, author of an online book titled The New Science of Post-Traumatic Growth, provides a hopeful and encouraging aspect of post-trauma life. His book is focused on how post-traumatic growth propels us into self-improvement and success rather than destruction. While he addresses the pain and suffering caused by trauma, he aims to promote a more positive perspective for survivors to hold; one that can uplift and inspire. Lorna Collier, writer for The American Psychological Association, stated last year that resiliency and post-traumatic growth (PTG) are two separate entities. Resiliency is a person’s natural tendency or personal attribute to bounce back from challenging events. PTG, on the other hand, refers to someone who has difficulty bouncing back and experiencing a traumatic event that shakes their core psychologically and then ultimately finds a sense of personal growth. This process takes time, energy, and struggle – but it is possible and it’s worth it. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun in 1996, seeks positive responses in five principal areas:

Most people have a common fear – fear of clowns, spiders, snakes, darkness, etc. These fears are quite normal; even if someone fears a spider, they will still take a walk through the woods on a lovely day. A phobia is much different from a typical, rational fear, because it’s severe to the point of affecting daily life. Many people who have a phobia will go out of their way to ensure they do not come into contact with their fear. According to Chris Iliades, MD and writer for Everyday Health, these are the most common phobias: