Treatment

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects millions of people around the world. Individuals struggling with OCD typically have a very difficult time pushing certain obsessive thoughts out of mind. Consequently, this leads to compulsive behaviors in an attempt to relieve the stress caused by the obsessions. Unfortunately, compulsions such as cleaning, hoarding, repeatedly checking, counting, and other repetitive behaviors can become incredibly distressing as they get in the way of daily life.

Recent studies have shown that millions of Americans have used cocaine. Due to the high number of users, there have also been thousands of overdoses and emergency room visits. Consequently, treatment for cocaine addiction has become a major topic of discussion. Having the necessary help readily available can greatly reduce the progression of addiction. Furthermore, seeking out treatment becomes easier when recovery resources and options are clear. Therefore, increasing education around these options is imperative.  Cocaine dependency can be treated using a combination of resources. Some of these include medication, therapy, support groups and more. While addiction often follows similar patterns, the people suffering from addiction are all unique, requiring treatment programs that are tailored to their specific needs. Finding the right combination of treatment modalities for you’re individual circumstances is crucial. You can make the most of your recovery experience by taking the time to experiment with the options available to you.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and avoidant personality disorder (APD) both share a number of similar symptoms, increasing the risk of misdiagnosis. Both disorders involve intense fear of criticism and rejection, with a high level of emotional distress that can affect daily life. Therefore, emotional intensity is a major concern among those with either disorder. If loved ones can better understand both of these disorders, it will be much easier to support friends, coworkers and family members who have received either diagnosis.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the most well-known self-help groups out there. People from all different backgrounds come together at these meetings to share their addiction stories, seek support from their fellows, and learn how to progress in their sobriety.  Other self-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and even non-12-step programs, such as SMART Recovery and Women for Sobriety, offer wonderful support to people who are in similar circumstances seeking additional help. Self-help groups provide support similar to that found in more formal treatment programs. However, experience has shown that recovery benefits from a combination of both.

When two disorders occur at the same time, it’s referred to as comorbidity, dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders. Each person’s experience with this is different and, because of this, it can be hard to tell which disorder actually came first. In some cases, one can lead to the development of the other, while in other cases, one disorder can make symptoms of the other one worse. It becomes tricky to safely manage both at the same time, which is why having a healthcare team at Avalon Malibu could be the best option for recovery. Studies suggest that it’s not all that uncommon for a person to experience both a mental disorder, such as depression, and an addiction, such as alcoholism or drug addiction, at the same time. In fact, people with mental health disorders are actually more likely to abuse substances. So, if you are experiencing co-occurring disorders, the sooner you seek help, the better.

Millions of people in the United States are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Consequently, schizophrenia is considered to be one of the leading causes of disability in our nation today. Common symptoms of this mental illness include delusions, hallucinations, and unorganized speech and behavior patterns. Additionally, feelings like disassociation and/or detachment from oneself, general discontentment, anger, and anxiety are reported by individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Media coverage depicts schizophrenia in a negative light, generating fear around the illness due to a lack of education and understanding among the general public. Here are some facts about Schizophrenia, in hopes of dispelling some of the confusion and stigma associated with the disorder.

Benzodiazepines are man-made drugs that help treat symptoms such as inability to sleep, racing thoughts, unusual talkativeness, panic, and agitation. These drugs increase the production of a neurotransmitter in the brain, in which a person is likely to experience greater feelings of calm and relaxation. Examples of these benzodiazepines include Xanax, Librium, Valium, and Ativan. Unfortunately, all drugs in this class are highly addictive and consistent use can lead to dependency if it’s not watched closely. Once physical dependence has been established, a detox process is necessary to stop benzodiazepine use. Specific withdrawal symptoms experienced are greatly dependent upon the detoxing individual’s age, sex, weight, drug history and more. Most people would say that detoxing from benzodiazepines isn’t the most pleasurable thing on Earth, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible.

If you’ve recently completed a residential treatment program at Avalon Malibu, you may be working towards an intensive outpatient program while you transition into home and work life. Recovery is such a courageous journey, and you’ve already been taking major strides towards your health and wellbeing. However, you also have responsibilities to uphold: a family, a job, and bills to pay. Now it’s time for you to reintegrate these crucial components of daily living while also balancing your recovery journey. Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are an excellent step towards building up independence while still having additional support to feel confident as you move forward.

Research shows that the highest addiction recovery success rates occur when individuals receive help abstaining from substances, as well as support cultivating healthy lifestyle changes in general. What many don’t realize, is that recovery from addiction to drugs and/or alcohol involves so much more than abstinence. The recovery process requires commitment growth in developing coping skills, building self-esteem and self-efficacy, goal setting and creating healthy habits. When treatment for addiction takes such a well-rounded approach, those recovering can create and sustain quality sobriety that will propel them into a happier and healthier future.

There are so many different factors that contribute to who we are as human beings. Each one of us has a unique background, family and medical history, interests and skill set, thought process, and much more. Unfortunately, many treatment programs don’t address all of these other factors that are vital in a person’s recovery. While it can be helpful to hone in on detoxification, for example, there are some pieces that often aren’t recognized as important. These overlooked areas of emphasis could make a huge difference in someone’s recovery. Integrative care is more a personal approach that takes into consideration the many aspects of a person’s health that would need to receive attention in order for them to thrive in recovery.

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 relapse can be a terrifying concept to grasp. When someone relapses, it disrupts their recovery process by involving a temporary lapse in addictive behaviors. Many people who are afraid of relapsing or who have already relapsed are afraid that they’ve failed themselves, their loved ones, and their recovery – but it’s important to note that relapse is an opportunity for those in recovery to learn more about what they need to heal.  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 be a tell sign that they might relapse soon. Strong emotions, like jealousy, hatred, anger, sadness and more can all lead a person to begin thinking and feeling emotions that could eventually lead ot physical relapse. Mental relapses occur when a person is at war between using the drug/substance and staying sober. At this stage of relapse, a person has fleeting thoughts of using and it’s hard to keep these thoughts at bay. 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, and hanging out with people whom they’ve abused substances within the past. Physical relapse is the actual act of relapsing – the person uses substances for a period of time, and this is when they must go back into recovery mode and find out what they can do to strengthen their recovery.

Many people with mental illness are limited in their ability to find and create a rich, meaningful life either due to the heavy stigma that's placed on them by society, not many opportunities for growth, or because the symptoms of their mental illness prevent them from carrying out certain aspects of their daily life. When it comes to recovery, it’s crucial for a person to be able to make sense of their experiences. If you’re ready to get involved in a program that will support your mental, physical and spiritual health, speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today. Research studies have previously explored leisure activities and how they’ve aided in a person’s success in addiction recovery. There are so many examples of activities that can be relaxing for a person who is working on their sobriety, such as hiking and other recreational activities, running, quilting, volunteering, storytelling, and more. If a person becomes involved in more leisurely activities, they’re likely to experience an enhanced way of life in a multitude of ways: