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Addiction

Jun 10
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How Therapy Has Helped Me on My Journey of Recovery

By Addiction

Recovery from substance abuse and mental health issues is a difficult and intensely personal path. Therapy has been a crucial part of my personal recovery process, leading me to self-discovery, growth, and transformation. In this blog, I’ll discuss my own experiences and thoughts on how therapy has helped me on my road to recovery while also shedding light on the effective resources and encouragement it can offer those dealing with similar difficulties.

The Courage to Seek Help

It took a lot of bravery and openness to start along the road to recovery. A critical first step was acknowledging that I needed assistance. I was able to talk openly about my challenges, anxieties, and past traumas in therapy without feeling judged or ashamed. I was able to feel heard, understood, and validated there, and that feeling alone gave me the courage to carry on with my path.

Understanding the Root Causes

I learned in therapy how closely my drug usage and difficulties with mental health are related. My therapist assisted me in identifying the underlying emotional wounds and unsolved issues that motivated my self-destructive habits through guided dialogues and contemplation. Together, we looked into my past, trauma, and destructive thought patterns to discover the underlying causes of my difficulties.

Developing Coping Strategies

One of the biggest advantages of treatment was discovering good coping mechanisms to get over the difficulties I encountered. I was given a toolkit of useful tools by my therapist, including journaling, mindfulness meditation, and deep breathing exercises, which helped me better control my stress, anxiety, and cravings. These coping strategies developed into priceless tools that enabled me to take back control of my life and make better decisions.

Rebuilding Self-Esteem and Identity

Broken self-esteem and a warped sense of self are common side effects of substance misuse and mental health issues. I had the chance to completely restore my sense of self-worth during treatment. I was able to question my negative self-perceptions, practice self-compassion, and accept my abilities and ideals with the help and encouragement of my therapist. I regained my genuine self during this process, and I also built a stronger, more resilient identity.

Establishing a Support System

Therapy helped me connect with a larger support network while also giving me a personalized plan for moving forward in my life. Meeting others who experienced comparable difficulties during group therapy sessions gave me a sense of solidarity and understanding. My therapist also advised me to cultivate connections and ask for help from loved ones. This support system was crucial to my healing process because it gave me motivation, structure, and a feeling of community.

Therapy has served as my compass in my journey to recovery from mental illness and substance abuse, pointing me in the direction of a happier, more satisfying life. It has aided me in identifying the underlying causes of my problems, coming up with practical coping mechanisms, regaining my self-esteem, and setting up a strong support network. I am grateful for the therapeutic process’ ability to change my life, and I urge anyone else dealing with similar difficulties to make the brave decision to get help. Keep in mind that you are not alone and that recovery is possible.

Asking for and seeking help for recovery from mental health and substance abuse is not easy. If you or anyone you know is struggling, the team at Redpoint Center offers a variety of therapeutic modalities that can help. The trained and caring staff are able to create a personalized treatment plan that fits the needs of each unique individual. For more information, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

May 26
Love0
Identifying Opioid Addiction in a Loved One

Identifying Opioid Addiction in a Loved One

By Addiction

Addiction of any kind is difficult to overcome. Despite the continued negative ramifications of the use of addictive substances on a person’s body and mind, ceasing the use of addictive substances is exceptionally complicated. Opioids can present an intense and uniquely difficult recovery journey, and identifying the signs and symptoms of opioid addiction in a loved one is crucial to finding effective treatment.

Recognizing these signs as early as possible is just the first step, with professional treatment for overcoming the use of opioids being paramount for an informed and effective approach to a future of sobriety. Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location can help individuals and families begin their journey of overcoming the effects of opioid use.

Exposure to Opioids

While there may be certain stigmas or images that come to mind when words like “opioid addiction” are mentioned, it is important to remember that addiction can affect anybody. There is no single person, sex, gender, age group, race, or other denomination that is somehow “immune” to developing the disease. However, opioids can be even more uniquely ubiquitous, with some three million Americans who either currently are overcoming opioid addiction or have overcome opioid addiction in the past.

For some, mental health disorders can inform their use, with an individual seeking them out illicitly to challenge intense emotions like anxiety, panic, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD,) or other mental health disorders. However, others may be exposed to opioid use as a result of personal injury or through prescription painkillers, leading to addiction through the healing process. Regardless of how an individual was exposed to opioids, being vigilant of potential signs and symptoms of addiction is necessary to help those using these drugs challenge and overcome addiction before further consequences manifest.

The Signs and Symptoms of Opioid Addiction

Opioids affect a person’s mind and body in tandem and can impact every facet of a person’s life, from professional performance and attendance to daily routines and emotional health. However, there are some behavioral signs that can indicate the dangerous use of opioids or addiction. Some of these potential signs include:

  • Sudden changes in daily routine
  • Adopting a more secretive or isolated lifestyle, such as no longer spending time with friends or family or locking doors
  • Disinterest in previous hobbies
  • Inability or reluctance to tend to daily responsibilities
  • Compromised hygiene
  • Changes in sleep routines, insomnia, or going to bed at inconsistent times
  • Decreased libido
  • Sudden changes in finances or financial difficulty
  • Increase in stealing or lying
  • Sudden or drastic weight loss
  • Changes in appetite or skipping meals
  • Inconsistent professional attendance, suddenly being late to work, or decreased professional performance

However, opioid addiction can also drastically impact a person’s mental health, which can further inform the need for professional care through the opportunities at Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs programs. Some of the emotional impacts of opioid use include:

  • Increase in feelings of anxiety or depression
  • Mood swings
  • Increase in irritation, frustration, or angry outbursts
  • Difficulty managing and regulating emotions

An individual may also express unique symptoms if they have not engaged with opioids after a certain amount of time, called “withdrawal symptoms.” These can include feelings of nausea, vomiting, further emotional distress, aches, pains, and insomnia, with an individual feeling compelled to engage with opioids in order to get the symptoms to stop.

An individual does not necessarily need to express all of these symptoms to be diagnosed with opioid addiction, and recognizing a few of these symptoms in tandem can facilitate the need to contact professional help for further information and to explore healing options. Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs programs can help each individual and loved one better identify and understand these symptoms, as well as the healing options available to begin effective, informed, professional treatment.

Overcoming Opioid Addiction at Glenwood Springs

Addiction can continue to affect individuals and their families until professionally addressed, with ramifications not just on those engaged with the drugs but also on entire atmospheres that can breed further emotional turmoil and resentment and have a destructive impact on entire families. Professional treatment is necessary to not only instill the necessary skills to challenge opioid addiction but also explore addiction’s effect on daily life while developing new skills to transform daily practices and create a fulfilling life of sobriety.

Combining proven therapeutic approaches throughout our dedicated outpatient program in Glenwood Springs, we explore the effects of opioid addiction on each person’s life and develop practices for a healthy future. From cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to various experiential opportunities and a community of peers, we challenge the effects of addiction and create a community of healing that can help each individual overcome isolation for a sustainable sober life.

Effective outpatient treatment empowers those in recovery to continue living their daily lives while challenging opioid addiction and its continued ramifications. There is no substitute for professional opioid addiction treatment, but the programs available at Glenwood Springs can help those ready to overcome the use of opioids explore all of their options and routes to sobriety while continuing to tend to daily life and responsibilities inside and outside of a treatment facility.

Opioid addiction can be devastating to entire families. If you or a loved one recognizes the signs and symptoms of opioid addiction and are ready to take the first step toward a healthier, sober life, we at Redpoint can help. Our Glenwood Springs location specializes in effective outpatient drug treatment programs to help you understand and overcome the use of opioids while continuing to manage daily life and responsibilities outside of our facility. By curating a community of healing and an atmosphere of change, we can create the best approach to sustained healing from opioid use while providing a network of peers and professionals to navigate the continued challenges of recovery. For more information, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

May 24
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Andy’s Journey of Recovery with Redpoint

By Addiction, Featured

Before I spoke with Donnie on the phone during my last week of inpatient treatment, I had no idea where I was going or where I was headed. Before admitting to that facility, I had relapsed only two weeks after leaving a different rehab center. I knew that I had to surrender and ask for the support I needed if I was ever going to achieve long-term sobriety, I just didn’t know what that looked like or how to get there. With the last week of my 90-day stay coming to an end, my case manager suggested The Redpoint Center in Longmont for intensive outpatient therapy and optional sober living.

I spoke with Donnie on the phone, and he could relate to me on my new journey of recovery. He knew exactly the steps to take not only to get admitted to Redpoint but what I needed to do after I had moved into sober living and started therapy. If I ever had any questions regarding what to do, I knew I could ask Redpoint staff since most of them have personal experience in recovery and have found success in long-term sobriety. They paired me with another sober living housemate who took me to AA meetings, and who even helped me get a job. I started working a new job serving tables at a restaurant 3 days after admitting, at 23 years old. It was suggested I go to recovery meetings as often as I could, and to start exercising. I filled most of my time working, attending AA meetings, going to therapy, and exercising.

Then faster than I could have ever imagined, my life started drastically improving. Not only was I making friends, connecting with a recovery community, becoming financially independent, and working through past trauma, but all that work slowly started accumulating into a life I could enjoy and feel fulfilled in. I was soaking in advice and suggestions like a sponge, and I was taking action. This was the change I needed because, in previous treatment environments, my inflated ego and sense of entitlement were like the great wall of China that blocked any useful advice or suggestions. Unlike other treatment centers that I went to, Redpoint felt like home. They held me accountable, treated me like family, and showed they truly cared about me, and eventually became like family.

After obtaining a sponsor in AA and working through the 12 steps, I started sponsoring other young men in recovery. I attended group and individual therapy at Redpoint for 9 months. After obtaining a year of sobriety, I became the house manager of Redpoint’s sober living house. I get the opportunity to support people who are just like myself, as they start their recovery journeys. While in my role as house manager, I obtained a job as a pharmacy technician in a mental health hospital. I worked in the pharmacy for about a year, until I was offered a full-time position at The Redpoint Center.

I have worked at Redpoint for over three years, and currently have over four years of sobriety. I have obtained my recovery coach certification, and I love being able to work with people in recovery and to be working at a facility that was instrumental in saving my life. Even though life throws curveballs, my life is manageable without using mind-altering substances, and that is such an amazing gift.

Boulder and Larimer County Mental Health and Drug Rehab Andy's Journey of Recovery with Redpoint Photo

Our dedicated outpatient programs can instill the skills and strategies needed to manage your life with your family while continuing to focus on your sober efforts. With multiple locations across Colorado, we can help you find the place to begin your journey to healing with your family today. For more information on how we can personalize your time with us, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.

May 19
Love0
The Impact of Environment on Addiction and Recovery

The Impact of Environment on Addiction and Recovery

By Addiction

There are many factors involved with addiction and substance use disorder (SUD). However, a person’s engagement with addictive substances like drugs or alcohol is not somehow the product of any kind of moral failing. Rather, one of the most profound factors that can influence the development of SUD is a person’s environment, both while growing up and in their current living state. While the environment can be a major influence in the development of SUD, it is also possible to form a new environment in sobriety to reflect a person’s sober transformation. Understanding the impact of environment on SUD can empower those in recovery to utilize the environment as a recovery resource for their continued success in overcoming SUD.

The Impact of Environment on the Development of SUD

Each person’s environment is a potent and influential part of daily life that encapsulates much more than a person’s psychical setting. While the physical elements of the environment certainly have an influence, with exposures to seeing alcohol or drugs used or in the house from a young age directly affecting an individual’s perception of their use or causing an individual to normalize unhealthy levels of use, a person’s environment also incorporates the people and cultures that affect a person in daily life.

The people of a particular environment can have profound effects on the acceptance, perception, and even use of drugs or alcohol, and can facilitate the development of addiction. Regular use of these substances in a particular environment can cause an individual to adopt a more lenient or less moderated approach to their own use, or cause an individual to perceive their negative effects as less serious.

However, others may indirectly impact a person’s use of drugs or alcohol by introducing toxic atmospheres. Either home or workplace environments can introduce stress or anxiety, or expose an individual to other difficult social interactions, each of which can facilitate the use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Some of these stresses that may impact the development of addiction may include:

  • Toxic relationships
  • Overly competitive mindsets or atmospheres
  • Abusive individuals, either psychically, verbally, or emotionally
  • Neglect, especially during younger developmental years

Lastly, a person’s environment is also comprised of a unique culture specific to a subset of people, and these cultures can also have wildly varying effects on a person’s sobriety. Some cultures may normalize or accept the use of drugs or alcohol as not just a normal way to celebrate accomplishments or cope with stress, or may even encourage such self-destructive behaviors or mentalities. Recognizing when a certain culture around drugs or alcohol permeates a particular environment or individual is paramount to distancing oneself from these ideas and creating a healthier, sober life.

Using the Impact of Environment as a Recovery Tool

However, the impact of environment does not always have to be negative, and Redpoint is committed to creating an environment that not only challenges the perceptions, ideas, and cultures instilled by less supportive environments but replaces them with people and cultures unified around healing and sobriety.

Supporting a Shift in Mindset

Redpoint’s focus on community healing empowers those engaged in effective outpatient programs to overcome some of the most difficult hurdles commonplace throughout the journey to sobriety – expressing vulnerability. By personalizing each treatment program and supporting change by facilitating an environment where emotional expression is not just accepted but encouraged, it is possible to challenge the use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism while challenging stresses, mental health needs, and past traumas in tandem.

This shift in mentality can empower those pursuing recovery to embrace not just potential vulnerabilities, but also a mindset that can better adapt to change and create the scaffolding for a sustainable sober future.

Challenging Stigmas

By normalizing sobriety and healing, The Redpoint Center is also committed to creating a culture shift that focuses on healing. There can be many misconceptions about words like “recovery” or “sobriety,” and curating an environment that destigmatizes these words to facilitate a healthy approach to healing can be a great impact of environment on a person’s motivation to pursue sobriety and ability to maintain sobriety outside of our walls.

Getting Connected

The people that surround an individual throughout their journey can greatly impact the use or abstinence from drugs or alcohol. At Redpoint, each individual has access to not just their own personalized program, but also a community of peers and professionals that all understand the challenges of addiction recovery. The perspectives, experiences, stories, and social connections that can be built on mutual respect and solidarity in sobriety can be a truly transformational experience, with such an accepting environment continuing to impact a person’s mental health and even the development of their own sober practices and routines.

Start Your Journey at Redpoint

The impact of environment on the use of addictive substances cannot be ignored. However, it is always possible to choose what kind of environment a person strives to be a part of, and committing to being engaged in a supportive environment can have truly transformational effects. The Redpoint Center’s commitment to curating a healthy and sober environment based on acceptance, change, and healing can facilitate the best, most personalized treatment and therapy options for overcoming SUD and its continued effects on a person’s physical and mental health.

Being a part of the right culture and having access to supportive peers, professionals, and influences are all paramount for an effective and sustainable sobriety. At The Redpoint Center, we are committed to not just developing a personalized treatment program to address your needs but to fostering a community of healing and an environment that champions each person’s sober journey and dedication. With locations across Colorado, we are prepared to create an environment and social circle that can best support your sober change. We utilize a combination of proven therapeutic modalities, including CBT, EMDR, and experiential therapies, and a cultural focus on healing and community to birth an entirely new lifestyle. For more information, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

May 13
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Celebrating Accomplishments in Sobriety

Celebrating Accomplishments in Sobriety

By Addiction

Each and every step in the journey to sobriety is difficult, and it is paramount to take time to recognize just how far each person has come in their journey. While stresses can be present throughout each person’s continued battles with stress and sobriety, finding things to celebrate is crucial. However, celebrating accomplishments in sobriety can be difficult. Some may not recognize things to celebrate, while others may minimize their own accomplishments or may not have embraced new ways to celebrate without the use of drugs or alcohol yet. However, The Redpoint Center is committed to developing the skills to celebrate accomplishments and highlighting their role in continued success for a healthy and sustainable sober future.

The Importance of Celebrating Accomplishments

For many continuing their sober journey in outpatient treatment, the idea of celebrating accomplishments can be a difficult new perspective to adopt. Feelings of shame, guilt, or continuing to address the ramifications of past use can all inform a person’s mentality and even lead to continued self-doubt. It can be hard to find reasons to celebrate or to feel worthy of celebrating such accomplishments. Finding ways to draw attention to each hard-earned milestone in sobriety is crucial for both maintaining motivation and seeing oneself as an actively transforming person in sobriety.

Celebrating by oneself or alongside friends, family, and supports is a necessary part of an effective recovery journey. Not only does drawing attention to even small accomplishments empower those in recovery to embrace newfound feelings of pride and accomplishment, but they can also be used to highlight these milestones for supports and loved ones. This can further help facilitate the reparation of key relationships and bring newfound self-confidence and drive to continue the difficult journey ahead. Celebrating accomplishments can not only keep those in recovery focused on their positive successes and strides but also increase their resilience to bounce back from stress and further their sober goals.

Being ready and willing to celebrate alongside loved ones and supports in outpatient care can have many therapeutic benefits, including:

  • Increasing motivation
  • Relieving stress
  • Challenging feelings of self-doubt or other self-destructive thoughts
  • Facilitating the development of new hobbies or traditions in sobriety
  • Overcoming feelings of depression
  • Providing perspective throughout recovery

Without celebrating milestones, complacency, doubt, and more can all impact an individual, increasing the chances of relapse.

Recognizing Accomplishments

With the constant feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression that can be commonplace throughout the addiction recovery process, recognizing when specific goals have been reached can be difficult. However, much of a person’s daily life may have already once seemed incredibly difficult in their recovery journey. Realizing when an individual has reached each goal is paramount to creating a better understanding of how far they have come on their healing journey.

For many, the idea of going 24 hours without a drink may have once seemed close to impossible. Despite any prevalent stress, anxiety, urges, or cravings, realizing that an individual has gone a full week without the use of alcohol can be a profound realization. Employing various strategies can help those in outpatient treatment recognize accomplishments worth celebrating.

Journaling

Using journals can help those in recovery look back on past stresses, challenges, triumphs, and more, adding needed perspective on their progress, even amid the manifestation of new stresses and challenges. This perspective can also be used to help those in recovery realize how many obstacles they have already overcome and reinforce their motivation for continued success.

Using Your Calendar

Utilizing a calendar to mark milestones or anniversaries on calendars can help an individual not only recognize when they have reached a particular goal in their sobriety but also keep an individual focused as they watch such accomplishments come closer each passing day. Marking sober anniversaries or personal goals can help an individual focus on sobriety while providing something to look forward to throughout treatment and recovery.

Using Supports

Friends, family, and others met in ongoing outpatient treatment can also help an individual recognize their accomplishments. Talking with others can add perspective, all while working in solidarity to find new ways to celebrate such goals in sobriety through developing new traditions, hobbies, and more.

Celebrating Accomplishments in Sobriety

There are many ways that those in recovery can continue celebrating accomplishments while maintaining their hard-earned sobriety. Ensuring that each celebration fits with the gravity of each milestone is crucial, and exploring a varied approach to celebrating can ensure that such accomplishments always feel fresh and earned throughout any stage of recovery. Some effective ways to celebrate milestones may include:

  • Treating oneself to a shopping trip or personal purchase based on their interests
  • Choosing the restaurant for a family dinner night out
  • Engaging in a personal activity with friends or family, such as bowling, mini-golf, or other activities a person is interested in to relax
  • Hosting a gathering to celebrate a milestone, such as a cookout or other sober party where an individual can control the guest list
  • Using self-care practices and hobbies as rewards for celebrating daily accomplishments

Communities of peers are instrumental in embracing a culture of celebration throughout each sober journey. The outpatient programs at The Redpoint Center curate a culture of this healing, embracing the opportunity to explore the profound milestones reached by each individual alongside peers who understand the trials and challenges that led to such profound accomplishment. These cultures not only can reinforce motivation and a focus on sobriety but also are instrumental in helping each person recognize the nature of each milestone reached and its transformative potential for a sustained sober future.

Celebrating accomplishments is a necessary part of maintaining motivation and a healthy attitude in the continued journey of addiction recovery, and we at Redpoint are prepared to help you embrace a culture of celebration to help you along each step of your sober journey. Overcoming stress, anxiety, depression, and placating urges and cravings are all difficult, especially while continuing to take dedicated efforts for a transformed lifestyle. Redpoint, with multiple locations across Colorado, including Fort Collins and Glenwood Springs, champions the opportunity to help you recognize the profound meaning of your accomplishments for a healthy approach to continued sober success by developing personalized plans to tend to your unique needs and goals in outpatient care. Call us at (303) 710-8496.

May 11
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Daily Strategies for Overcoming Isolation in Recovery

Daily Strategies for Overcoming Isolation in Recovery

By Addiction

The use of drugs or alcohol has a myriad of consequences on each person’s life, with ramifications on a person’s physical and mental health, personal relationships, and social life. Feelings of isolation are common as a result of addiction and can be incredibly difficult to navigate, even informing further use of drugs or alcohol. Overcoming isolation is paramount for creating a healthy approach to sobriety in recovery. Engaging in effective daily practices to address prevalent feelings of isolation throughout recovery and outpatient care can help each person challenge the dangers of isolation and facilitate the development of a healthy, sober daily life.

What Is Isolation?

Feelings of isolation are ubiquitous for those navigating their sober journey. However, isolation is different than simply not feeling like engaging in social events. Rather, it is the perception that an individual would not be understood or accepted or feels otherwise ostracized by others for a variety of reasons, whether or not an individual desires to develop these social connections. Isolation is not just feeling alone physically or emotionally, but also when this loneliness makes an individual actively unhappy with their situation.

Loneliness on a physical or emotional level can facilitate feelings of helplessness and doubt that can form a difficult journey with isolation in recovery. Those engaging in addictive substances or beginning their recovery journey can often still feel alone while actively interacting with others if they do not feel understood or accepted or feel they have to “hide” parts of themselves.

Prevalent stigmas about words like “addiction” and “recovery,” perceived criticisms or judgments, or feeling disconnected from loved ones can all birth challenges with isolation. Feeling alone in overcoming the challenges of recovery can be emotionally devastating. Meeting peers and communities that understand these challenges is paramount to developing a sense of camaraderie. Coupled with effective daily practices, it is always possible to overcome the dangerous effects of isolation in recovery.

The Effects of Isolation on Those Navigating Addiction

Addiction is an all-encompassing disease that impacts every aspect of each person’s life. Intense feelings of isolation can bring many challenges throughout recovery, including:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Compromised sense of self-worth
  • Self-doubt
  • Compromised sleep schedules or routines
  • Use of addictive substances

For some, feeling socially or emotionally isolated can beget the use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Others already engaging with drugs or alcohol may adopt a more isolated lifestyle as addiction affects more aspects of daily life and relationships. These feelings can continue to inform the use of addictive substances until professionally addressed.

Taking dedicated action to overcome isolation in recovery is paramount for a truly transformative recovery plan. Left unaddressed, even those successfully navigating their sober journey in outpatient care can experience unnecessary stresses and challenges and an increased risk of relapse throughout recovery.

Effective Daily Strategies for Overcoming Isolation

Each individual will have their own best practices for overcoming isolation. Using personalized strategies to address isolation in recovery is necessary while continuing to engage in effective outpatient treatment. Peers, professionals, and support can all help each person find their own collection of effective practices.

Get Connected

While it may be difficult to truly connect with everybody a person may meet, having regular access to one or two people who understand the challenges of recovery is paramount. Setting times for phone calls with sober supports, sending daily texts or emails, meeting for lunch, or any other consistent way to communicate with trusted persons can help those in recovery challenge self-destructive ideas or the impact of isolation and prompt a healthier approach to their social life and even how to best employ other strategies.

Overcoming Isolation by Committing to a Hobby

Developing new hobbies in sobriety is a necessary part of an effective recovery journey. Not only can new hobbies replace time and focus previously given to addictive substances, but they can also be used as a catalyst for those in outpatient treatment to overcome isolation.

Exploring personal interests first, whether it is rekindling a passion for an old childhood hobby, exploring new social opportunities, taking a class to learn a new skill, or engaging in an online community around a certain interest, these hobbies can provide those in recovery with a tangible outlet in which to connect with others over a particular interest.

While some can use this opportunity to connect with people, others may use these hobbies to find trusted new friends and social groups to explore their developing sober identity.

Wake Up With a Morning Routine

Feelings of isolation can affect a person’s day before it has even begun, with compromised motivation, lethargy, and more impacting an individual before they even get out of bed. Adhering to consistent morning alarms, getting dressed to go out even if there are no plans yet, and engaging in a comprehensive hygiene routine can all be incredibly beneficial. Even small errands throughout the day can help those in recovery distance themselves from the physical and mental confinement of indoors to effectively challenge feelings of isolation.

The Role of Outpatient Treatment in Overcoming Isolation

Recovery is a lifelong journey, and continued outpatient care is paramount for continued success in sobriety. Redpoint’s dedicated outpatient programs available at multiple locations throughout Colorado are available to help each person overcoming isolation create effective and personalized treatment plans by curating a culture of healing, acceptance, and sobriety. The community of understanding peers and personalized approach to recovery can empower each individual to challenge isolation through exploring their own best practices.

Isolation can present many challenges for those either beginning their journey to sobriety or continuing to develop their own best sober practices. At Redpoint, we are committed to reaching you where you are in your recovery journey, with multiple locations throughout Colorado all prepared to help you today. Between a personalized approach to each individual journey and an atmosphere of healing that facilitates the development of a healthy culture and lifestyle in sobriety, we can provide not just guidance on daily strategies in dedicated outpatient programs but also introduce you to peers and professionals alike who share in your goals, challenges, and sober ambitions. For more information about how we can help you, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

May 05
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Supporting Others Means Healing Yourself

Supporting Others Means Healing Yourself

By Addiction

Addiction is a devastating disease that affects entire families. The profound impact of drugs and alcohol affects not just those directly engaged in their use, but all of those who are invested in their well-being. Supports are often just as committed to healing as those overcoming addiction. However, supporting others can be extraordinarily difficult if it comes at the expense of their own mental and emotional health. While it is common to want to jump in and always be available, tending to personal needs throughout any healing journey is crucial for the best approach to transforming family life after addiction. 

Redpoint’s Commitment to Healing the Healers

Effective supports are invaluable resources throughout any stage of addiction. Those continuing to further their own sober goals through effective outpatient programs can benefit greatly from a robust, educated, and supportive home life. Redpoint’s commitment to a healthy life goes beyond just finding the best strategies for those overcoming addiction within its walls but rather creates communities across Colorado to normalize healing and a culture of sobriety for individuals and supports alike.

With many of Redpoint’s staff continuing to navigate their own sober journey, the perspective of being on both sides of addiction – those looking for support and those providing it – is ingrained into each recovery program, creating the necessary strategies for transformative familial healing. 

Supporting Others Means Caring for Yourself

It is paramount for families and supports to take a step back and tend to their own needs. Constantly supporting others without equal time spent addressing their own needs can have ramifications that negatively impact their personal health or even their ability to support others.

Exhaustion, burnout, compassion fatigue, compromised personal hobbies, and more are all common among supports unwilling or unprepared to tend to their own needs first. This can not only compromise their ability to be empathetic and effective supports, but also may even comprise their own mental health, birthing anxiety, depression, and even developing feelings of resentment toward those a person is trying to support.

Healing Yourself While Supporting Others

There are always strategies that each support can use to develop their own balance between supporting others and personal healing. Exploring a variety of options can help those in recovery and supports alike create a healthy and sustainable sober transformation. 

Keep Your Own Schedule

Supports of loved ones still have to live their own lives and should never compromise their own goals, ambitions, or hobbies for the sake of another. It is wholly possible for an individual to be an effective support while still tending to their own daily schedule. Having clear work hours and continuing to engage in weekly meetings, hobby or social groups, and more can all be necessary to help support to tend to their own social and emotional needs. 

While contact in case of emergencies can absolutely be discussed with loved ones, normalizing maintaining these schedules and setting effective boundaries around these personal needs can empower supports to tend to their own needs for both their benefit and the benefit of those relying on them. 

Explore a New Hobby

Recovery is a transformative time for all, and it is common for supports and those in recovery to begin exploring new traditions, hobbies, and practices together in a developing sober lifestyle. However, it may also be important to have a personal outlet for oneself devoid of this context to step away from such connotations. Finding a personal hobby wholly for oneself can be a great stress reliever for supports, allowing them to process their own challenges in a healthy manner. 

Supporting Others by Slowing Down

Addiction recovery is a tumultuous journey, with a seemingly endless deluge of new challenges, obstacles, and stresses. It can be easy to feel as if supports must always be taking action to best support those in recovery. However, taking time to slow down can be just as powerful and can reintroduce needed feelings of agency and control into daily routines and compulsions where an individual may otherwise feel pulled around by stress. 

Supports cannot directly control the actions, thoughts, and behaviors of loved ones overcoming addiction – only empower, encourage, and guide. Watching a show, employing breathing exercises, reading, or making other efforts to slow down the day and take time to create manageable and realistic plans and expectations for tasks ahead can be instrumental in pacing each person’s ability to continue effectively supporting others.

Keep the Body Healthy

Supports need to be physically and emotionally healthy while supporting others. Cooking and eating healthy meals, going for a morning jog, having a light exercise routine, and avoiding unhealthy diets like those laden with caffeine can all promote this healthier lifestyle. Not only can this provide the energy necessary to maintain a healthy physical and emotional state, but it can also scaffold these effective behaviors for those in recovery to develop their own healthy dieting habits.

Overcoming addiction is a familial affair, but learning to best support those transitioning to a healthier, sober life means first tending to your own needs. At Redpoint, we understand the need to heal the healers just as much as we support those in recovery. Each of our dedicated outpatient programs focuses on this spirit of holistic recovery. From developing personalized strategies to address urges and cravings to developing new skills to employ with family outside our walls in outpatient treatment, we are committed to providing a truly transformative approach to sobriety for entire families. For more information on how we can support you and your loved ones alike, call to speak to a caring, trained staff member at (303) 710-8496.

Apr 22
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Overcoming the Barrier of Commitment to IOPs

Overcoming the Barrier of Commitment to IOPs

By Addiction

Each individual will have their own unique experiences and journey in overcoming substance use disorder (SUD). However, regardless of how an individual is exposed to drugs or alcohol, or in what capacity they are engaging with the substance, there can still be barriers present that can hinder their recovery journey before it has even begun. One of the most prevalent and difficult barriers to overcome can be the commitment necessary to address addiction and all of its complexities. However, finding the right intensive outpatient program (IOP) can help those ready to challenge their use of drugs or alcohol best approach recovery and sobriety for a transformed future.

The Benefits of IOPs

IOPs are a powerful and effective approach to recovery and sobriety. These programs help those overcoming the use of drugs or alcohol address their needs for sobriety in a curated, professional setting alongside peers while still empowering each person to tend to their own daily life and responsibilities.

IOPs also empower each of those in recovery to have more agency over their continued success in recovery. While a community of peers and supports is still constantly available, each individual will have more freedom of how they want to spend their time outside of a treatment facility. This allows those in recovery to use the skills learned in a dedicated professional setting to explore new self-care outlets and interests, and manage their lives outside of a treatment facility without having to completely compromise current life structures.

Introducing those in recovery to sober communities, exploring therapeutic practices, and embracing new skills in sobriety is crucial, and IOPs can empower those in recovery to pursue these goals while still tending to their own daily life outside of a treatment facility.

The Barrier of Commitment

Commitment can be a palpable barrier for many, despite the emotional and health ramifications of substance use or prevalent urges and cravings. For some, the time necessary to effectively address the ranging effects of addiction can be intimidating. An individual may feel as if they will have to compromise their professional life, hobbies, or overall lifestyle to make time for the commitment necessary to address their use of drugs or alcohol. However, the right IOP can help alleviate this initial barrier.

IOPs are designed to provide support while those in recovery continue to manage the stresses of daily life. Those in recovery will attend a facility at predetermined times, but also continue to live at home and with supports. While IOPs do involve a time commitment, meeting three times a week for a few hours each session, they are designed to be effective while allowing freedom to work toward personal goals.

Choosing Between Professional Life and Recovery

A person’s recovery should never come at the expense of their professional career. However, the two can be intimately connected, with workplace stresses or cultures informing the use of drugs or alcohol. While some may benefit from taking time off of work to pursue treatment, others can work with employers and treatment facilities to create a balanced schedule. Establishing a consistent work schedule can open up new opportunities to address personal needs in the pursuit of each person’s recovery goals. This may involve creating a dedicated schedule and discussing new ways of approaching overtime or changing schedules so a person is never taken by surprise.

Combining effective work schedules with a malleable outpatient treatment program can help those pursuing recovery balance both of these aspects of their lives. At Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location, outpatient programs can be scheduled in either mornings or evenings, depending on each individual’s personal schedule. Each person is also able to shift between morning or evening programs to adapt to changing schedules without compromising their recovery efforts, making it easier to commit to recovery while still tending to personal responsibilities.

Professional treatment can also help those overcoming the use of drugs or alcohol determine how their professional lives may affect their continued sobriety. While unfortunate, some workplace environments may be wholly detrimental to a person’s sobriety, either through the pervasive use of addictive substances in the workplace or informing their use through a toxic workplace environment. Professional treatment may be necessary to explore this relationship and help those committing to sobriety continue to make the best decisions for their sobriety.

The Challenges of Involuntary Commitment

In some situations, an individual may be committed to recovery at another’s behest. For some, this can be a result of legal ramifications, while others may be attending a recovery facility after discussions with friends or family. This can cause an individual to be more reluctant or resistant to treatment and recovery practices.

However, that doesn’t mean that an individual may not have a personal stake in their own recovery. Working with professionals to find a personal reason, whether it be to repair a particular relationship or pursue personal goals, even if they do not yet see the need for recovery or its connection to their use of addictive substances, can help overcome this barrier and help those in recovery commit to their own goals in the process.

The Importance of Commitment

Professional recovery and sobriety are not something that can be done halfway, and truly transformative change requires that an individual is dedicated to their continued success and development. While commitment can be intimidating at first, it is also necessary to experience the most sustained change. New stresses will manifest, and it can be easy to fall back into previous routines and habits if an individual is not constantly adjusting and adapting to stresses and challenges.

Recovery and sobriety are ongoing journeys, and continuing to attend the dedicated outpatient treatment programs in Glenwood Springs can help those maintaining their hard-earned sobriety adapt to new changes, challenges, and more, all with the support of a community of peers and professionals each step of the way.

Commitment can be a barrier for many, but our personalized outpatient programs at Redpoint are ready to help you find a way to balance your continued daily life with proven recovery efforts. We utilize a blend of healing practices, from experiential therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy and much more, each of which can be personalized to fit your needs and goals and help you commit to your own best recovery practices. By blending individualized care with a community of healing, we are committed to building a genuine atmosphere of healing across Glenwood Springs and through multiple locations across Colorado. For more information on IOPs or how we can help you commit to your sober future, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

Apr 20
Love0

How Honesty, Willingness and Open-Mindedness Helped Me Get Sober

By Addiction

When I first decided to get sober, I was scared. I had no idea what the process would look like or if it would even work. But here I am two years later and I’m proud to say that my sobriety has been a success so far. It hasn’t been easy by any means, but with the help of honesty, willingness and open mindedness, I’ve been able to build a foundation for a solid recovery from alcohol.

Honesty With Myself

The first step of my journey was being honest with myself—admitting that alcohol had become a problem and that something needed to change for me to be happy and healthy. This was hard! There were days where I felt like giving up because it seemed easier than facing the truth about how alcohol controlled my life. But in the end, honesty won out because it allowed me to take ownership of my mistakes and start making positive changes.

Willingness To Learn New Habits

Once I had accepted that alcohol was a problem in my life, the next step was learning new habits to replace the old ones that were causing so much harm. This meant being willing to try things that weren’t necessarily comfortable at first – like attending support groups or going on walks instead of drinking when cravings hit. Over time these activities have become much less intimidating and more enjoyable as they have helped me find joy in sobriety.

Open Mindedness To New Ideas

The last part of this journey has been staying open minded to new ideas about recovery from alcohol addiction. Although traditional 12 Step programs have worked for many people in the past, there are now lots of different ways for people to get sober – including alternative therapies such as yoga or meditation – which can be just as effective as AA meetings if used consistently over time. Having an open mind allowed me to explore these options without judgment or fear so that I could find the path that worked best for me and my recovery.

Getting sober was never going to be easy – but it has certainly been worth it! Through stepping into honesty with myself, willingness to learn new habits, and an open-mindedness towards different methods of getting sober, I was able build a strong foundation upon which this entire process could rest upon– one filled with hope and determination rather than guilt or shame. If you’re thinking about getting sober yourself then take heart knowing that there is light at the end of this tunnel if you are brave enough seek it out! Good luck on your own journey towards sobriety – you’ve got this!

 

It takes a shift in perspective and mindset to find your way through sobriety. At Redpoint, we will take to the time to work with you to find what isn’t working in your life, and help you replace old behaviors with healthy patterns. With locations in Larimer, Boulder, and Garfield Counties, we are here to help you find your best approach to a healthy future. For more information on how we can help you, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.

Apr 14
Love0
The Crucial Difference Between Supporting and Enabling

The Crucial Difference Between Supporting and Enabling

By Addiction

It is completely normal for families and friends to want to help loved ones overcome the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) to create a healthier, sober life. However, there is a very fine line between effectively helping loved ones and inadvertently enabling self-destructive practices. Even the most well-meaning supportive action can potentially have more negative effects than positive ones. Knowing the difference between supporting and enabling is necessary to embrace the best, more effective strategies to support a loved one’s goals for a healthy and sustainable sober life.

The Role of Supports

Supports play an integral role in healing and overcoming addiction. SUD affects not just individuals, it affects entire families. From changes in the home atmosphere to damage to important relationships, entire families have to be invested and dedicated to change to create the needed profound and sustainable sober transformation. However, this also means that families are always involved in some way throughout the recovery process, both in the actions they take to support as well as the actions that they do not take. Ensuring that each person’s behaviors reflect the needed sober change to create the best opportunity for sustained healing is necessary for genuine and sustainable sober change.

Identifying the Difference Between Supporting and Enabling

The difference between supporting and enabling can be difficult to grasp. However, it is also paramount throughout the recovery process. While both actions can come from a desire to help those in recovery address their stresses and continue toward their sober goals, the mentalities and behaviors associated can have very different connotations for a loved one’s continued sobriety.

Understanding Enabling Practices

Enabling is taking any kind of action for an individual that they can otherwise do for themselves. For example, these include covering financial expenses, tending to chores or responsibilities, or other things that are important throughout daily life. While looking to cover various tasks or expenses for another can be something birthed from a genuine desire to support, it fundamentally takes away from those in recovery looking to develop their own life skills and tend to their responsibilities in daily life in sobriety.

Likewise, enabling can also be inaction in the face of certain behaviors. Failing to hold another accountable for their actions or behaviors, making excuses for an individual, or even putting a person’s own needs on hold to tend to the perceived or assumed needs of another can all be enabling practices that can lead to unhealthy relationships and the stunted development of a healthy sober life.

Enabling can also be taking action for a loved one without them knowing, or assuming certain tasks need to be filled for another without first consulting their needs. Hiding behaviors or favors from loved ones in recovery can compromise their own progress and create an unrealistic understanding of daily sober life that can unnecessarily open an individual up to high-risk situations or relapse.

Embracing Effective Supporting Behaviors

Effective support, however, is any action that is taken to encourage a friend, family member, or loved one to help them overcome a particular stress or challenge. This includes providing the motivation, perspective, or other resources to help those in recovery accomplish the task themselves rather than simply doing it for them. For example, rather than financially covering certain expenses for those in recovery when not necessary, such as with groceries or other necessities, sitting down and helping to develop a strict and clear budget and providing assistance in balancing finances can instead promote the necessary skills while effectively accomplishing the same goal.

The Role of Accountability in Recovery

Effectively supporting another also means being able to hold them accountable for their actions and behaviors in recovery, as well as help them reconcile their behaviors and the ramification of their past use of drugs or alcohol. Dismissing behaviors or consequences of use can be wholly detrimental. While wanting to uplift and support a loved one all throughout recovery is admirable, holding others accountable for their actions is a core part of embracing a new life while creating a plan for the future.

However, holding friends, family, or loved ones accountable can also have positive consequences. Just as those in recovery are responsible for their own behaviors and mistakes, they are equally as accountable for each of their accomplishments. Supporting means helping those in recovery accomplish their own sober goals and providing the resources for them to reach their next sober milestone.

Engaging in Recovery Together

Recovery is a familial affair, and finding the right program dedicated to familial healing is necessary for the wholly transformative journey ahead for all. Dedicated outpatient programs that embrace a community of healing and support are instrumental in helping individuals and families reach a level of understanding about addiction and establishing the most effective and personalized support techniques while avoiding potentially destructive enabling practices. Outpatient programs can also help those in recovery best interact with supports throughout their journey while still providing a support network of professionals and peers to overcome the challenges of recovery that lie ahead.

Knowing the difference between supporting and enabling is necessary for effectively supporting a loved one through their recovery. At Redpoint, we take a familial and communal approach to healing, providing education and guidance not only to those overcoming substance use disorder but also to their families to create a comprehensive approach to change. Addiction affects entire families. However, with effective familial healing and education through our outpatient programs, it is always possible for families to heal together at any of our Colorado locations. For more information on how we can personalize your time with us, or to speak to a caring, trained staff member about your unique needs and goals in recovery, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

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