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Apr 14
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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.

Apr 13
Love0

Sobriety & Substitution: How I’ve Learned to Spot and Adapt to My Addiction Triggers

By Addiction

Getting sober was one of the best decisions I ever made, but it wasn’t easy—and it’s not something that you ever “finish.” As I’ve learned in my journey, addiction doesn’t just go away overnight; it tends to manifest itself in other ways. The key is to recognize when this happens so that you can manage your triggers and remain on the path toward sobriety.

Identifying Your Triggers

The first step in remaining sober is recognizing when your addiction manifests itself in other ways. For me, this means being aware of activities or situations that might cause me to slip back into addictive behavior. This could be anything from hanging out with certain people who trigger my old habits, visiting places where I used to use, or even just engaging in a particular activity that has been linked with my addiction (like going out for drinks). In order to stay sober, I need to be conscious of these triggers and avoid them as much as possible.

Substituting Healthy Habits for Unhealthy Ones

Once I’ve identified my triggers, I need to replace those activities with healthier habits. This can mean replacing an unhealthy habit like drinking with a healthy one like yoga or running. It can also mean finding new friends who are supportive of my sobriety goals or avoiding certain places that may tempt me into relapsing. Whatever it may be, substituting healthy habits for unhealthy ones is key in maintaining sobriety long-term.

Asking for Help When You Need It

Finally, asking for help is an important part of staying sober when your addiction manifests itself in other ways. This could be talking to a friend who understands your situation or seeking professional help if needed. Having an accountability partner can also be incredibly helpful; having someone you trust who will remind you why you got sober in the first place can make all the difference when temptation strikes.

Everyone’s path towards sobriety looks different; what works for one person may not work for another—and that’s okay! The key is finding the strategies and tools that work best for you so that you can stay on track and achieve your goals. Recognizing when addiction manifests itself in other ways has been instrumental in helping me remain sober since getting clean; hopefully these tips will be useful for others on their own road towards recovery!

Redpoint has the capability to assist you in discovering your own ideal way towards a healthy future. By cultivating personalized connections with you and your unique needs, guiding you in setting suitable goals for sobriety, and acknowledging the obstacles that are specific to your journey, we are completely dedicated to helping you create the ideal path for success. We blend tried-and-true therapeutic techniques with a setting that promotes personal growth and change, all at multiple locations throughout Colorado, giving you the chance to explore your personal path toward a sober future. For enquiries and additional information, contact us today at (303) 710-8496.

Apr 11
Love0
Staying Sober in Professional Life

Staying Sober in Professional Life

By Addiction, Alcohol Rehab

Pursuing sobriety takes constant effort, and those overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) while continuing to engage in outpatient care will continue to be tasked with navigating stresses, urges, cravings, and other challenges to their hard-earned sobriety. One of the most potent and difficult sources of stress can come from the workplace. Staying sober and being able to manage sobriety while continuing to pursue professional development and tend to workplace responsibilities can be exceptionally difficult.

Utilizing a combination of practiced strategies while continuing to engage in effective outpatient treatment at Redpoint can create the best approach to each person’s continued sobriety throughout the stresses of professional life.

Stresses of Professional Life

The workplace can birth many challenges for those overcoming SUD. Being prepared for the myriad of ways in which a person’s professional life may impact their sobriety is paramount for maintaining a healthy, sober focus. For some, the workplace can be riddled with stresses resulting from unfair workplace expectations, such as being tasked with an overly heavy workload or long days that can be emotionally and physically exhausting.

Others may feel the stresses of looming deadlines or goals that may greatly impact their perceived performance on duty. However, it is also possible personal stresses can come from the people in the workplace rather than the professional expectations themselves. An individual may not be able to choose their coworkers, and an individual may have to work alongside those who may not understand or support the idea of sobriety.

There are many ways in which a person’s professional life can impact their sobriety and sober ideals. Having a plan to address these challenges while continuing toward their next sober milestone in recovery is paramount, and there are practices that each person can use to facilitate this continued success.

Staying Sober: Keep to a Consistent Schedule

Consistency can add a needed degree of normalcy and predictability to daily life, helping those in recovery effectively process stress and prepare for the day ahead. Keeping work schedules as consistent as possible can help those in recovery continue to establish and refine their best routines and practices while focusing on their sobriety. Setting a regular morning alarm and working with employers and managers to keep these schedules as consistent as possible can help those in recovery use this predictability to their advantage, further balancing professional obligations with personal needs.

Likewise, working with employers to avoid sudden or unexpected overtime can help each person manage their energy to best accomplish their professional responsibilities without succumbing to unforeseen stresses or challenges. Along with taking appropriate and earned lunch breaks, those in recovery can manage their energy, focus, and more while balancing their needs in sobriety.

Avoid After-Work Gatherings

Meeting with coworkers after a shift to unwind can be a great way to build a rapport with these people and establish healthy relationships. However, it can also be dangerous for those in recovery, especially if such a gathering would expose an individual to unnecessary high-risk situations. Whether such gatherings take place in a bar or would be taking place at less risky establishments, constant after-work gatherings with coworkers can also blend the lines between a person’s personal life and professional life, making it difficult to leave the stresses of work behind after clocking out.

Being able to emotionally distance oneself from thoughts or stresses of the workplace can be instrumental for establishing a healthy mentality and allowing the mind and body time to rest, promoting a healthier approach to continued sobriety and work-life balance.

Identifying Toxic Professional Environments

While unfortunate, some professional employment positions may not necessarily be accommodating or supportive of a person’s developing sober life, and toxic workplaces can be exceptionally difficult to overcome. Identifying a toxic work environment can empower those in recovery to make important decisions for their own continued sobriety, either by setting new boundaries or looking for alternative employment that better aligns with their goals for their sobriety and sober identity.

Some elements of a toxic work environment may include:

  • Lack of trust between coworkers or managers
  • Intense micromanaging
  • Mistakes are seen as opportunities to punish rather than opportunities to teach
  • Lack of employee support or professional advancement
  • Hostile, confrontational, or overly competitive workplace atmosphere
  • Lack of boundaries at work – or even after a shift has been completed

Being mindful of these elements, as well as exploring how they can affect a person’s continued sobriety, is necessary. While difficult, a person’s professional life should never come at the expense of their hard-earned sobriety. Additionally, toxic work environments can also introduce intense feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, and more that can affect a person’s recovery efforts. Looking for new employment opportunities that can better foster a healthy work-life balance in sobriety may be necessary, and professionals can help those in recovery determine the effect of the professional sphere to make the most informed decision for their success.

Staying Sober: Continued Engagement in Outpatient Care

Engagement in outpatient programs is essential while navigating the stress prevalence across the workplace. Committing to attending and participating in Redpoint’s effective programs can provide those in recovery with a regular outlet to address specific stresses while continuing to engage in an effective and supportive community of healing. With programs designed to fit with each person’s work schedule, including both morning and evening programs, continued outpatient care to establish a healthy work-life balance in sobriety is always possible.

Your professional life and recovery efforts can be intimately intertwined, and we at Redpoint understand the need to address both your needs in recovery and how they are impacted by workplace stresses. We create a holistic approach to recovery that empowers your to address your needs in recovery alongside the stresses of the workplace, all while helping you find your own work-life balance through our varied outpatient schedule. Morning programs, evening programs, and the ability to pick the schedule that works for you is just our first step toward creating a healthy and sustainable sober life even amidst your professional responsibilities. For more information on how we can personalize your time with us, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

Apr 08
Love0
Identifying Positive Influences in Recovery

Identifying Positive Influences in Recovery

By Addiction

Recovery and sobriety are ongoing journeys. Surrounding oneself with positive influences is crucial while overcoming substance use disorder (SUD). There can be any number of unforeseen stresses, challenges, and obstacles throughout each person’s continued journey, each of which can impact one’s mentality, coping skills, and motivation to continue seeing their recovery through. Unfortunately, not all people will necessarily understand or support an individual’s dedication to sobriety in the same way. Being able to identify the friends, family, and loved ones that positively influence a person’s recovery can ensure that those navigating sobriety are able to continue focusing on their change, betterment, and success throughout their newfound sober lives.

Choosing Your Influences

While unfortunate, it may be necessary for an individual to distance themselves from particular social groups or environments to reflect their dedication to sober change. Some people may not understand the need for sobriety or may even be actively detrimental to a person’s sober goals by continuing to normalize the use of addictive substances, romanticizing a time when a person was engaging with these substances, or introducing an individual to unnecessary high-risk situations such as making such substances available.

Identifying the dangers of these relationships and distancing oneself from those who do not actively support or understand a person’s sober efforts is paramount. While some people may not understand the importance but are willing to learn about the sober journey, others may be reluctant to engage in such conversation or transformation. However, while distancing oneself from these relationships is necessary, it is equally as important to identify those who have a positive influence on continued sobriety to create the best social network for continued sober success.

Identifying positive influences is extraordinarily important throughout outpatient recovery, as an individual may not be living in a curated environment surrounded by peers in recovery themselves and dedicated professionals at all hours of the day. Rather, life in outpatient treatment can introduce many different challenges, with positive influences being necessary to process and overcome these challenges to maintain each person’s hard-earned sobriety.

Elements of Positive Influences

Positive influences in recovery are crucial to maintaining motivation and focus on a person’s continued sobriety. Identifying those who best understand and positively influence a person’s recovery is important, not only for being able to surround oneself with the most effective supports but also for being able to give back and express gratitude throughout recovery.

Availability

Being available is necessary to have a positive impact on another, and those in recovery can benefit from identifying those that are consistently available along their journey. Not only does this mean being physically available to talk, pick up the phone, or meet in person for lunch or outings, but it also means being emotionally available enough to confide in, discuss vulnerable topics, and more. While an individual may have a good and sober time with a close friend, if they are unwilling to discuss emotional trials or challenges or delve into deeper conversations, their availability can be compromised. Having emotionally available relationships throughout recovery is necessary to effectively address challenges and facilitate genuine change.

Willingness to Explore Change

Positive influences also not only accept a person’s changes throughout recovery but often actively encourage them. A willingness to explore change can mean not only adjusting home atmospheres, as with family members looking to support loved ones, but also an openness to amending established traditions that may no longer be applicable in a person’s new life.

Those who are open to such change and actively facilitate it themselves, such as by starting new holiday traditions, exploring new hobbies alongside an individual, or encouraging new outlets altogether, can all be invaluable relationships in recovery, carrying wholly positive influences on the development of each person’s new sober identity.

Accountability and Support

Positive influences have a role in being able to help those in recovery continue to focus on their recovery while providing amazing emotional support to challenge feelings of anxiety, depression, and more that are commonplace throughout recovery. However, positive influences aren’t always necessarily tasked with cheering a person up. Rather, they can hold them accountable throughout their journey. While this can mean making those in recovery face mistakes and the consequences of their use, it also means holding those in recovery equally accountable for their triumphs and successes in recovery. Establishing a relationship with those willing to help those confront their past for a healthier future can be an important, positive influence for a transformed future.

Finding Positive Influences at Redpoint

Dedicated treatment facilities are crucial for introducing an individual to others who share in a person’s sober goals and ambitions. The community of peers and professionals at Redpoint is a great place to meet others who can greatly and positively impact each person’s sober journey. With an atmosphere of community and fellowship that permeates Redpoint, finding and accepting new and positive influences in each recovery journey is always possible. While each individual will have their own personal journey with recovery, having a space to come together and interact with others with similar goals and a positive and supportive atmosphere is paramount to creating and maintaining the most effective approach to a sober future.

Surrounding yourself with the most effective and positive people can greatly impact the success of your continued sobriety. At Redpoint, we are committed to creating this atmosphere and community of support throughout your recovery journey. We understand the need for like-minded peers and caring professionals to best support your sober journey, and our dedication to the local communities of Colorado is a core part of our approach to sustainable, effective recovery. By creating an atmosphere of healing and dedication, we can help you surround yourself with the support and positivity necessary to pursue and maintain your truly transformative recovery efforts. For more information on how we can help you, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.

Mar 22
Love0
Overcoming the Stresses of Springtime in Recovery

Overcoming the Stresses of Springtime in Recovery

By Addiction

The changing seasons can present many challenges for those navigating their sobriety. Especially for those still beginning their sober journey, the turn of seasons can upend established routines and present additional stresses and dangers to their continued sobriety. Overcoming the stresses of springtime is necessary for maintaining each person’s hard-earned sobriety at all stages of recovery. However, while spring can present its stresses, being prepared for them and finding ways to use the season to a person’s advantage can change a person’s perception and attitudes surrounding the season and their continued sobriety.

Adapting to the Changing Seasons

Each time of year will come with its own feel in recovery, and those who have not yet navigated their sober needs throughout all seasons can be met with unique challenges whenever the seasons change. While moving out of the winter months and into warmer weather often presents a number of advantages and excitement, those in recovery will still have to amend their recovery strategies and daily routines accordingly.

Working with peers and professionals to create a collection of strategies is necessary to adapt to the changing season. However, while some opportunities may change, it is important to focus on the things that each individual can control to maintain consistency in daily life. Mealtimes, morning routines, regular bedtime or nighttime rituals, and more are all most effective when kept as consistent as possible. Adapting certain strategies or outlets depending on the season may be necessary, and opening up and exploring seasonal activities can be instrumental in keeping a person’s recovery well-rounded and effective. However, it is best when supported by a consistent structure of regular routines and the schedule of continued outpatient care.

Preparing for the Stresses of Spring

Springtime, while often a time of excitement and new opportunities, can also carry some dangerous connotations for those exploring their newfound sober lives. For some, the season can instead come tied to spring break cultures, which can be intimately linked to the use of drugs or alcohol. Others may have dangerous associations with social gatherings like cookouts or parties that commonly begin during this time. Being prepared to cope with these expectations and pressures is necessary for maintaining a person’s sobriety while continuing to engage in outpatient care.

Others may have additional stresses associated with the spring season, such as social anxieties or concerns about body image, as these social events become more common. Navigating these challenges while managing sobriety and exploring new, sober outlets is incredibly difficult. Developing a comprehensive set of strategies to overcome these unique stresses is necessary for continued success in sobriety.

Creating Your Plan for Spring

While the spring season can come packaged with unique stresses for those overcoming substance use disorder (SUD), it can also create new sober opportunities and benefits. Addressing the stresses of the season and utilizing its advantages can create a comprehensive, transformative approach to sobriety throughout the spring season, all while setting new expectations and creating new mentalities about the season.

Using the Warmer Weather

The most notable change while moving out of the winter months is the increase in outdoor temperature, and with this change comes a myriad of new opportunities. For some, this can facilitate getting out in nature and the many physical and spiritual advantages therein. Going on walks or hikes can be a great way to process urges and cravings that may manifest throughout the season that may not have been available during colder temperatures.

Simply getting out for a walk can help challenge feelings of isolation or stagnation that are common throughout the winter months when the chill and waning daylight keep people inside. Incorporating nature into daily life is necessary for not just overcoming the emotional challenges of ongoing sobriety, but also for creating new traditions and outlets. Family trips to outdoor activities such as zoos, parks, and more can open up a plethora of new options that can challenge personal challenges.

Situating these activities around challenging times, such as spring break, can add new attitudes and traditions to these once-challenging and stressful times.

Gardening With Therapeutic Value

Starting a garden can also be a great way to focus a person’s recovery efforts. Not only can tending to these gardens provide a regular, consistent outlet on which to build a routine, but a person can also reap the benefits of their efforts in real time. Being able to see the result of dedicated effort, and even use these gardens as a sense of pride for a person’s continued effort and accomplishments as they grow, can be a major source of motivation available in the springtime.

Keeping Your Days Full

Spring can also provide a wealth of newfound daylight, and those in recovery will be tasked with filling this time with new and sober activities. Boredom, downtime, and more can all be incredibly dangerous, and it is common for those in recovery to fall into previous routines and reengage with addictive substances. Keeping each day filled with activities, consistently engaging with self-care outlets, and keeping to such a schedule are paramount for safely navigating this newfound time. Structuring a person’s day around their continued outpatient program commitments and developing new activities, family traditions, and more can all be instrumental in maintaining a person’s hard-earned sobriety throughout the changing season.

Spring can be an incredible time of change. At Redpoint, we are here to help you embrace the spirit of change prevalent across the season for a healthy and successful future. We are prepared to not only challenge the difficulties that may be inherent in the season throughout your recovery but also help you embrace new, transformed strategies to allow you to rebuild new practices and traditions in your recovery journey. Each program is personalized to address your unique needs and goals in overcoming addiction. Addressing the stresses of the season while balancing your personal life throughout our effective outpatient care programs is just the first step in a truly transformed life. For more information, call (303) 710-8496 today. 

Mar 19
Love0
Coping with Anxiety in Outpatient Recovery

Coping with Anxiety in Outpatient Recovery

By Addiction

Overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) is incredibly difficult, and such a tumultuous time is riddled with personal challenges. From urges and cravings to the continued effects of mental health disorders, each individual will be tasked with processing many different stresses. However, anxiety can be one of the most prevalent and difficult aspects of recovery to overcome, and being able to process and cope with feelings of anxiety is paramount for each person’s continued sobriety. Outpatient treatment is instrumental in helping those in recovery address feelings of anxiety while incorporating effective strategies for coping with anxiety in daily life.

The Prevalence of Anxiety in Daily Life

Anxiety disorders and substance use are often connected. For some, the use of addictive substances can birth new feelings of anxiety, while others already experiencing elevated levels of anxiety may look to addictive substances to placate their minds, despite its negative consequences. Anxiety can affect every aspect of daily life, with pervasive feelings of worry or fear that impact everyday situations. Even as an individual navigates their sober lives, these emotional challenges can still persist throughout each person’s entire recovery journey.

Whether experiencing resting anxiety or worrying about the myriad of changes and uncertainties throughout the recovery process, being prepared for anxiety in outpatient recovery is necessary. Work, education, social anxiety, overcoming stigmas, navigating social situations, and much more can all be incredibly anxiety-inducing situations throughout recovery, and those in recovery experiencing elevated levels of anxiety may also have their other coping strategies compromised, increasing the chances of relapse.

Anxiety is also common among those overcoming SUD as their typical method for addressing anxiety, the use of addictive substances, becomes compromised. It can be difficult to know how to cope with these intense emotions in the face of such change. Those in recovery may not have prepared strategies to replace addictive substances with something else, further intensifying the feelings of anxiety. Effectively coping with anxiety throughout outpatient care involves not just eschewing the use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism, but also replacing their use with new, effective, and personalized strategies.

Overcoming Anxiety in Outpatient Recovery

Consistent dedication to continued outpatient recovery is essential for coping with anxiety throughout daily life. Not only can outpatient programs provide those in recovery with access to professionals to discuss the complexities of anxiety, but outpatient treatment also offers a community of peers to explore new strategies. Learning to incorporate effective practices at home to process anxiety and stave off its destructive effects is instrumental for maintaining each person’s hard-earned sobriety.

Identifying the Signs

Anxiety will affect each individual differently, and understanding the various signs of anxiety in each individual is paramount. There is no one, single, uniform way in which anxiety may manifest. Employing mindfulness strategies and techniques to better identify the signs of anxiety can inform an individual of when it may be necessary to employ dedicated anxiety-processing skills.

Paying attention to a person’s own heart rate, checking for consistent or inconsistent breathing patterns, tracking a person’s thought patterns, and identifying overly worrying language or persistent feelings of fear are all amazing skills to develop in outpatient treatment. An individual may not always be able to recognize all of these signs themselves, especially while influenced by feelings of anxiety. Working with supports, family, and friends, and using other strategies like journaling to help identify these signs can help each individual better cope with anxiety in daily life while managing their sobriety.

Create a Self-Care Routine

Self-care is a core part of recovery. Anxiety can often build beneath the surface until it manifests with compounded fears, stresses, and worries that can all affect a person’s emotional state. Regular use of self-care as a daily outlet, rather than reactively to cope with a particular stressor, is necessary to prevent feelings of anxiety from building beneath the surface and manifesting in sudden and dangerous ways.

Yoga, meditation, watching a show, listening to calming music, and more can all be great self-care outlets for those in recovery to process and expel pent-up anxiety. Others may turn more to artistic outlets. Regardless of the form self-care takes, making such practices consistent and accessible is necessary for coping with anxiety while outside the walls of a treatment facility.

Stay Physically Active

Physical activity is paramount throughout addiction recovery. Keeping physically active can be instrumental in providing anxiety with a regular outlet. Exercising and moving the body can challenge feelings of stagnation that may be prevalent while creating new opportunities for replacement hobbies and activities. Walking, hiking, or engaging in personal or team sports activities can all be great ways to keep the body active while also expelling pent-up feelings of anxiety and stress that may otherwise influence a person’s sobriety.

Coping With Anxiety at Redpoint

Overcoming SUD demands a comprehensive healing process, and effective outpatient care is necessary to challenge urges and cravings and the prevalent feelings of anxiety that are commonplace throughout recovery. Redpoint’s commitment to this comprehensive form of healing to address each person’s needs in sobriety, mental health, and more is necessary to create a truly transformed life in sobriety. Between the professionals, peers, and an inviting and sympathetic atmosphere of healing, Redpoint’s outpatient programs are designed to help you address the challenges of anxiety in recovery while replacing destructive coping strategies with new outlets, mentalities, and practices for a sustainable sober life.

Anxiety can be a dangerous and common experience for those overcoming the use of drugs or alcohol. Redpoint is ready to help you identify and overcome the effects of anxiety on your recovery for a healthy and sober future. We believe in the need for a comprehensive approach to recovery, addressing not just the immediate symptoms of substance use, but its effects on mental health as well. Incorporating proven therapeutic strategies, spiritual practices, mindfulness exercises, and much more makes our programs equipped to help you pursue the wholly transformational experience needed for sustainable sobriety. For more information on how we can help you, or to speak to a staff member with any questions, call us at (303) 710-8496.

Mar 12
Love0
The Role of a Dedicated Recovery Community

The Role of a Dedicated Recovery Community

By Addiction, Community

Overcoming the effects of addiction is never something a person must face alone. A dedicated recovery community plays an integral role in helping those in recovery explore their best recovery practices while making lasting connections. Engagement in dedicated treatment programs and communities is instrumental in helping each person further their own goals in sobriety. Making the most of each person’s time in these communities is necessary to reap their transformative benefits throughout the journey to a healthy, sober future.

The Importance of a Dedicated Recovery Community

Addiction is an isolating experience. Relationships can deteriorate as a result of substance use as emotional states are tested, risk-taking behaviors and isolation become prevalent, and new stresses manifest. For some, pervasive stigmas can make it difficult to reach out to others for help in overcoming addiction. In contrast, others may find it difficult to address the inherent challenges of addiction recovery if they do not feel supported or understood along their complicated journey.

Connecting with others who are understanding and sympathetic to the challenges of the disease is necessary to create a comprehensive approach to each person’s recovery and overcome the devastating effects of isolation that may still be common.

Isolation can bring intense feelings of anxiety, depression, and more, compounding these already prevalent dangers throughout recovery. Additionally, isolation can even compromise an individual’s motivation to continue pursuing their recovery and sobriety if they feel alone in their journey, either feeling like such transformations are impossible or not worth the effort, birthing greater urges and cravings and informing the risk of relapse in recovery. Getting connected to a community of peers and professionals alike in outpatient treatment is instrumental in overcoming the challenges of addiction recovery and creating a healthy mindset for continued success.

Using the Benefits of a Dedicated Recovery Community

Recovery communities are instrumental in transforming each individual throughout their recovery journey. There is no way to perfectly predict all of the ways in which an individual may encounter stress throughout their journey. Understanding how recovery communities can aid at every stage of recovery is necessary for making the most of their benefits for overcoming both new and known challenges throughout the journey to sobriety.

Creating Relationships

Building new and supportive relationships is a core part of the recovery process, and dedicated recovery communities are instrumental in facilitating these connections. It can be difficult to connect with peers, old friends, or even family throughout the recovery process, especially as an individual is working hard to change their lifestyle and hobbies. A dedicated recovery community is necessary to introduce an individual to others navigating their own changes, all with a sober focus and mindset.

While unfortunate, it may be necessary to distance oneself from previous social groups if they do not understand the need for sobriety or are actively enabling or unsupportive of such a decision. Replacing these social circles with new communities is necessary for maintaining a person’s sobriety in daily life.

The lifelong relationships found in recovery can be wholly transformative, celebrating each and every sober milestone with the utmost support, understanding, and care. Being able to establish these relationships, communicate effectively, and more is one of the major benefits of these communities. Using these communities to meet peers and form a new identity, social circle, and more is necessary for sustained sobriety.

Maintaining Accountability

Recovery is difficult, and there is no simple way to navigate its challenges. Accountability is crucial throughout the recovery process to ensure that an individual is acting in their best interests and to empower those in recovery to be accountable for their successes and triumphs as much as mistakes and challenges. Recovery communities can provide a constant source of perspective and accountability, ensuring that recovery and sobriety are approached with the right mindset and focus.

Developing New Skills

The personalization of each and every recovery journey is instrumental to its success, and a dedicated recovery community can be a constant source of new information, strategies, and perspectives that can continue to influence a person’s sobriety from their first step into the world of sobriety throughout ongoing outpatient care. Relying on peers for new therapeutic ideas, uplifting each other through challenges, and exploring new hobbies are all powerful influences that communities can provide to those in recovery.

Embracing Redpoint’s Community

Redpoint is committed to not just personal healing, but healing for the entire community, fostering transformative environments for those continuing to manage their sobriety in outpatient care. By creating a comprehensive and effective community across multiple locations in Colorado, Redpoint is designed to be a place of camaraderie and change. Each individual journey is personalized and backed by a community of peers and professionals alike to further explore the possibilities available in sobriety.

Exploring outside community groups, and using Redpoint to find your best community in recovery, from 12-Step programs to non-12-Step options and more, is part of the personal journey of recovery. Overcoming addiction is always difficult, but it is never a journey that should be taken alone. Dedicated recovery groups and continued engagement in understanding communities can make for the best mentality and comprehensive approach to a transformed, sober future.

Effective recovery and sobriety are most effective when supported by a community of peers and supports. Redpoint is here to introduce you to a community of like-minded peers and professionals today. We believe in the communal power of healing, incorporating not just a collection of sympathetic and understanding people to help you navigate the complexities of addiction recovery but also the local communities across Colorado to create a sense of belonging and comfort. We champion the opportunity to help you find your most effective recovery community for sustained sobriety and effective support both inside and outside our walls. For more information on how our communities can support your sober transformation, call us today at (303) 710-8496.

Mar 08
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The Effects of Addiction on Children

The Effects of Addiction on Children

By Addiction, Treatment

Addiction is a devastating disease that never truly affects a person in a vacuum. Rather, it affects entire families, from spouses to children, with children being uniquely susceptible to its devastating effects. About one in eight children across the country live in a household with at least one parent with a substance use disorder (SUD,) and addressing its consequences is critical.

In addition to the physical and emotional ramifications of drug and alcohol use for those engaging with these substances, children also experience many of their own traumas and prolonged effects of addiction as a result of growing up in a space affected by addiction. Understanding the effects of addiction on children is necessary to begin healing from the effects of addiction and repairing these important relationships for a healthy, sober future.

Addiction and Parenting

The use of drugs and alcohol has an intense effect on a person’s physical and mental well-being, bringing feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and much more. However, these effects also affect a person’s ability to parent.

Children in households with at least one parent who engages in the dangerous use of drugs or alcohol experience a unique upbringing. Parental figures may begin to eschew these important relationships and attention and adopt a more isolated lifestyle as a result of addiction, compromising a child’s need for parental bonds. Addiction also makes consistency in parenting incredibly difficult.

Parents unable to manage their emotional state can lead to inconsistent parenting, even developing disproportionate consequences or reactions while parenting due to a compromised emotional state. Pervasive feelings of anger or anxiety can lead to unfair parenting styles; experiencing outbursts can further deteriorate these relationships. Children may not only be more reserved in their development but also be less willing to reach out to parents for guidance, questions, or other needs due to the consequences of substance use, leading to gaps in their development.

Stunted Development

Children with at least one parent with SUD can also experience their own varied stunted development. This can commonly refer to emotional development, as children may not be readily able to understand and process their own emotional states.

A pervasive, volatile home atmosphere can affect a child’s ability to process their own emotions, from their personal feelings of anxiety and anger and more. Others may experience the compromised development of personal and social skills, with children having less access to social outlets or being unable to navigate social environments in a safe and comfortable manner.

Children never have to be actively engaged with addictive substances to experience their effects, and the use of drugs or alcohol has direct consequences on entire families and households.

The Continued Emotional Impact of Addiction on Children

Children living in environments with at least one parent with SUD may continue to feel the adverse effects of such a situation for a prolonged period of time. Traumatic experiences and influences during their developmental years can greatly impact a child’s mental health, perspectives, worldview, and attitudes, even moving into their teenage years and adulthood.

Increased feelings of their own anxiety, depression, isolation, guilt, and much more are common among children. Some children may also blame themselves for a parent’s use of addictive substances, furthering these emotional challenges during a child’s developmental years and beyond.

Others may express an increase in risk-taking behavior in an attempt to garner the attention that may have been denied or insufficient as a result of a parent’s use of drugs or alcohol. However, a parent’s use of these substances can also leave a lasting impression on their use, with drugs or alcohol being normalized from a young age. Children may either not recognize the truly destructive effects of substances or be exposed to their use very early in life and impacting their own development of addiction.

These impacts can also continue to affect children even if a parent’s use of drugs or alcohol changes. Ceasing the use of these addictive substances is crucial, but making an active effort to equally address its effects on children is necessary for a truly effective and transformative recovery.

Pursuing Treatment

Professional treatment for overcoming addiction is essential. Recovery is not just learning to avoid the use of drugs or alcohol but also processing and addressing the consequences of a person’s use, with the effects of addiction on children being a particularly poignant part of the journey. Not only must parents cease their use of addictive substances, but they also must address the lingering effects of their use and how it has affected the development of their child.

Redpoint’s outpatient programs are designed to take a personalized approach to recovery, instilling the necessary skills to stave off urges and cravings while developing the skills to reconnect with children, address their experiences, and rebuild these relationships. It is common for children to continue to harbor resentments or lingering traumas, and healing in these relationships takes time, effort, and honesty.

From developing communication strategies, embracing new lifestyle changes in accordance with sober ambitions, and tackling the attitudes and use of substances commonplace in children through professional teen programs and more, Redpoint’s approach to recovery as a familial endeavor is necessary to tackle the effects of addiction on children to create a healthy and sober future.

Addiction has lasting and profound impacts both on those engaging with addictive substances and those closest to them. Understanding the effects of addiction on your children is necessary to understand both the necessary steps through the healing process and the need for professional support during this time. At Redpoint, we champion familial healing, addressing not just the direct use of drugs or alcohol but their lasting impacts on each person’s mental and physical health to create a comprehensive and unified approach to a sober future. For more Infomation on how we can help you, your family, and your children overcome the effects of addiction, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.

Feb 27
Love0
Finding Your Path in Glenwood Springs

Finding Your Path in Glenwood Springs

By Addiction, Alcohol Rehab

Addiction is a devastating disease that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Overcoming the use of drugs or alcohol is a complex journey. Finding the right place to begin healing greatly influences the development of a healthy, sober life. Deciding to pursue treatment is a profound decision filled with change and uncertainty. Determining the right place in which to pursue this treatment can be intimidating. However, the opportunities available at Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location can help you personalize your approach to a healthy, sober future.

The Need for Professional Treatment

Committing to professional outpatient treatment is the first step toward a transformed future. However, many people overcoming the disease of addiction still harbor intense feelings of guilt, shame, depression, and more. Professional treatment is necessary to address the myriad of ways in which an addiction to drugs or alcohol affects a person’s physical health and relationships. However, they must also address its profound effects on their mental health.

It can be impossible to predict exactly how an individual will react to changes in lifestyle throughout their pursuit of sobriety. Both professionals and an intimate community of peers can be necessary to process these changes. Dedicated outpatient treatment is necessary to provide practical and proven therapies to balance an individual’s needs in overcoming addiction while tending to personal and professional responsibilities at home.

Embracing Community at Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs Location

Redpoint’s community at Glenwood Springs can provide the necessary support for overcoming addiction. Whether an individual is overcoming the use of drugs or addressing their use of alcohol and the emotional effects of their use, Glenwood Springs can create a genuine, caring atmosphere to begin healing.

Each person will have their own best practices and needs in recovery. A tight-knit, supportive, and family-run environment to address the vulnerabilities and uncertainties pertinent throughout the recovery process is necessary to create the most effective and personalized practices in outpatient treatment.

Our community at Glenwood Springs is dedicated to developing intimate, personal relationships throughout addiction recovery. Building close connections between peers and professionals and approaching recovery with this kind of familial support and community can empower individuals to be honest with themselves, their own needs, and their progress throughout recovery.

Redpoint is also committed to communal healing. We help not just an individual find the treatment they need for overcoming addiction but also help the community as a whole overcome addiction for a culture of healing and sobriety. The opportunities at our Glenwood Springs location allow each individual to stay engaged with local nonprofits and create community relationships for an approach to healing that involves an individual, their family, and the local community at large.

Communities work together to create the best approach to healing and building connections. Additionally, the resources available can help each individual find the most affordable and effective care possible for overcoming addiction.

Addiction is a personal journey. However, involving the family and community can lead to the most effective healing practices. Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location is at the center of a healing culture while continuing to individualize each person’s treatment in intensive outpatient programs.

Finding Your Best Treatment Practices

Small, intimate approaches to addiction recovery can also allow the opportunities with Redpoint at Glenwood Springs to be personalized based on each individual’s unique needs and goals. No two people will have the same journey with addictive substances. Each person will have challenges to overcome, needs in recovery, and best practices for tending to these needs.

We offer programs from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to somatic experiencing, psychodrama, experiential therapies, and more. The approaches used depend on an individual’s personal needs and responses to practiced therapy. Moreover, personalizing treatment is essential for an effective and transformative recovery program.

Redpoint’s presence in Glenwood Springs prides itself on being a locally infused, owned, and operated place to begin healing. Our unique approach to recovery also allows us to pivot to new strategies that best resonate with each individual. Combining individual therapy, group sessions, and familial education and support, the care available at Glenwood Springs extends far beyond the facility’s walls.

Various treatment programs can further individualize each person’s treatment. There are options such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA), and SMART Recovery, among others, available for those that may benefit from them.

Starting Your Recovery Journey with Redpoint at Glenwood Springs

Taking the first step toward change will always be intimidating, and taking this plunge into sobriety can be difficult. However, it is also necessary to address the use of addictive substances and the relationships affected along the way. It is also necessary to address any mental health disorders that may continue to inform the use of drugs or alcohol.

Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location is a proud, in-network option for many to begin their journey that utilizes all available resources to make this first step affordable and effective. Choosing the right place to begin each unique journey with addiction recovery is paramount. The options available with us, backed by a strong sense of community, caring, and understanding, can help you begin your transformative journey to a healthy, sober future.

The opportunities at Redpoint’s Glenwood Springs location are ready to help you or your loved one take their first step toward a healthier, sober life. We offer an array of individualized strategies to address your unique needs and goals throughout our dedicated outpatient treatment program. From a thriving and evolving supportive community to a comprehensive and personal approach to the daily challenges of recovery, we offer a unique experience and approach to your recovery needs. For more information on how we can help you begin your journey at Glenwood Springs, or to learn about our other locations and services available, call to speak to a caring, trained staff member today at (303) 710-8496.

Feb 17
Love0
Choosing Your Path: What 12-Step Programs Are Not

Choosing Your Path: What 12-Step Programs Are Not

By Addiction

Addiction recovery is a personal journey. There is never just one path to a successful sober transformation. For many, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and 12-Step programs can be their first introduction to the recovery process. Others may be less inclined to pursue such an option based on their understanding or misconceptions regarding the program. However, understanding the options available, and dispelling any myths about the 12-Step process, can empower each individual to pursue their best approach to recovery from addiction.

12-Step Programs

There are many preconceived associations that a person may have about 12-Step programs. Understanding the benefits of the Twelve Steps and dismissing the myths surrounding these programs is necessary to make an informed choice about how to continue pursuing treatment.

Some preconceived notions can prevent those who may benefit from committing to a dedicated recovery program. They may feel more resistant to taking that step. However, it is always possible to personalize each recovery program. Whether an individual is interested in engaging in the 12-Step model for recovery, each journey with addiction, anxiety, depression, and more can be addressed.

An individual is never required to engage in a 12-Step program, nor is it necessary to achieve a person’s sober goals. Discussions around engagement in the program are typically discussed in individual sessions. There are always options available for each person to pursue outside of a 12-Step structure.

Overcoming Religious Preconceptions

Religion and God can seem intimately linked to 12-Step programs. People either of non-Christian faiths or not religious in the first place may feel ostracized by this approach. Others may simply not want to incorporate religious elements into their recovery in the first place. However, engagement in 12-Step programs does not necessitate a commitment to any particular religious denomination or for an individual to ascribe to any religion.

Much of this misconception regards the difference between religion and spirituality. Spirituality can take many forms that can be intimately tied to religion. However, it is possible to embrace spiritual practices without ascribing to religious practices.

For some, their spiritual and religious beliefs may overlap. However, this is always up to the individual to determine. While some people engaging in 12-Step programs may choose to utilize religion in their recovery, others can still benefit from the program without connecting it to any religion. Those of any religious denomination and those agnostic or atheistic can still work together in these communities and focus on their strides toward a healthy, sober future.

12-Step Programs as a Structure and Community

Rather than a religious approach to recovery, it can be more accurate to view 12-Step programs as a recovery support and education group. Making connections with professionals and peers is instrumental throughout recovery, regardless of the path an individual chooses.

Meeting with others in similar situations, learning from peers, embracing practical and proven therapeutic strategies, and more can all be essential in structuring an individual’s recovery journey and ideas. Access to a dedicated and nurturing recovery environment can be helpful in challenging and overcoming the difficulties prevalent throughout recovery.

Other Myths Surrounding 12-Step Programs.

Several other myths may still come to mind regarding 12-Step programs. Some of these misconceptions include the following:

  • 12-Step programs are cult-like
  • The programs are aimed at older demographics
  • It doesn’t work or doesn’t prevent relapse
  • They are designed to make an individual feel guilty about addiction

Not only do 12-Step programs operate devoid of any particular religious connotation, but they are also inviting groups for anyone and are not specifically designed for any particular demographic. People of all ages, cultures, genders, and more attend 12-Step programs. While individual groups may have their own cultures, demographics, or atmosphere, this does not necessarily mean that another group will have the same atmosphere.

Second, education and relapse prevention are core parts of the recovery process. Learning to process stresses, urges, cravings, and more is crucial for a successful sober transformation. Whether an individual is committed to a 12-Step program, practicing relapse-prevention strategies alongside peers and professionals is necessary to prevent relapse. 12-Step meetings are one way to connect with these peers and share ideas.

Lastly, some may resist the program based on the language used throughout the Twelve Steps. This language can make an individual feel as if they are powerless against addiction and require external influence to overcome addiction. However, this is not necessarily the case. Exploring personal agency and overcoming challenges are part of an effective recovery program.

Choosing Your Path

While many have attributed their sobriety to the efficacy of 12-Step programs, it does not mean that it will be the best choice for any given individual. Redpoint takes a personalized approach to each unique recovery journey, discussing the 12-Step option individually before committing to the process. Empowering each person to choose their path, whether they engage in a 12-Step program or otherwise, is crucial for an effective recovery. Support to help each find their best path to sobriety is part of Redpoint’s unique approach to recovery and sobriety.

12-Step programs are just one of many different recovery programs and structures available at Redpoint to help you take control of your own best recovery path. We are committed to creating a community of healing based on individualized treatment, addressing the effects of addiction alongside personal challenges and accomplishments for an effective and transformative recovery experience. Whether you are considering the Twelve Steps as a part of your treatment or are looking to explore the other options available in your outpatient program, Redpoint has the resources to help you today. From individualized treatment plans to multiple locations across Colorado, we are committed to meeting you where you are on your recovery journey. For more information, call (303) 710-8496.

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