Boulder County Mental Health & Drug Rehab |

Mar 19

Coping with Anxiety in Outpatient Recovery

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.

Jul 09

Love2

Is Addiction a Family Disease?

By redpointcenter Addiction, Alcohol Rehab, Community, Longmont Drug Rehab, Mental Health, Therapy, Treatment

Is addiction a family disease? What does this mean? Those experiencing addictive behaviors are suffering on their own. And their loved ones suffer immensely, too. It goes without saying that living with alcohol addiction or substance use disorder is incredibly difficult.

When someone using alcohol or drugs begins to hurt their family, they may have various behavioral symptoms. They may show disrespect to their friends, siblings, or parents. In addition, they might lash out, challenge boundaries, or project their emotional struggles. Furthermore, other family members may modify their behaviors to manage the stress of it all. Some may try and help the individual using drugs or alcohol to protect them from getting into trouble. Thus, becoming the enabler. Others may take on the role of caretaker and attempt to compensate, providing care that may be lacking. These are only a few examples of the dysfunctional roles that family members might play.

Addiction: A Family Disease

In a recent study at Texas Tech University, the saying, “addiction is a family disease” took on new meaning. Not only is the addicted brain affected by the substances. In addition, the family members’ brains actually change as well. The study found that family members suffer as a result of the addict’s behavior. The prefrontal cortex of one using substances shuts down when faced with temptation or triggered to use drugs. Research shows the family members’ prefrontal cortex malfunctions as well. Hence, studies validate that addiction is a family disease. Parents and siblings can actually crave patterns. They seek to rescue and care-take their addicted family member. Therefore, this is similar to the substance abuser who craves their substance of choice.

The conclusion of the Texas Tech study, states the following:

“The present study provides preliminary evidence that family members’ symptomatic behaviors associated with a loved one with a substance use disorder (such as fear-based behaviors), as hypothesized, may be related to altered brain functioning. Given these findings, problematic symptoms and behaviors may likely not decrease simply because the loved one struggling with a substance use disorder finds abstinence or engages in a process of recovery. Should altered pathways be present in the brains of affected family members as has been found in individuals struggling with substance use disorders, it becomes of great importance to help family members recognize their own personal need for support, therapeutic treatment, and/or recovery. Part of the recovery process should include family-based therapeutic support, and it is therefore important to make sure that the appropriate systemic and relationship training is available to helping professionals.”

Family Therapy Changes Outcomes

This study proves the concept of addiction as a family disease. The entire family needs to participate in treatment. Family members who turn to support groups such as Al-Anon or partake in family therapy find great success. Consequently, they are able to change their behavior. Also, families learn “the three C’s”: You didn’t cause it, you can’t cure it, and you can’t control it. If the alcohol or substance user is the only one getting treatment, it’s a vacuum. And then they go back into an environment where the rest of the family is still unwell. Hence, the individual’s likelihood of success goes down. The disease of addiction is viciously contagious. Therefore, it is important for everyone to seek help.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, drug addiction, mental health problems, The Redpoint Center is here to help. You are not alone. The Redpoint Center treats both adults and youth struggling with addiction and alcohol. To learn more, call us 888-509-3153.

Jun 05

Love2

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EMDR in the Treatment of Addiction

By redpointcenter Addiction, Community, Mental Health, Therapy, Treatment

EMDR to Address Trauma During Addiction Treatment

EMDR is a powerful tool for healing trauma. Studies show that trauma is a risk factor for addiction and substance use disorder. In addition, treatment of trauma is key for individuals to recover from addiction. At the Redpoint Center, we use several different types of treatments for trauma. These modalities differ from talk therapy. One reason talk therapy doesn’t always effectively address trauma is that the memories are stored in the hippocampus, part of the midbrain. Talk therapy doesn’t effectively access these memories stored in the midbrain—it tends to involve the utilization of our frontal lobes. Furthermore, trauma is often stored in the body, requiring somatic attention. Hence, EMDR is a powerful intervention.

Using EMDR to Cope With Trauma and Stress

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy is a positive tool. It helps us access and process memories stored in the midbrain. Our use of EMDR is expanding and helping more people with issues that cause distress. People with substance abuse issues commonly have a history of trauma. In addition, they struggle to cope with stress and often benefit from EMDR.

Research shows that EMDR causes changes in brain chemistry that reverse the damage caused by trauma or acute stress. Bessel van der Kolk, an expert, and researcher, in brain chemistry and trauma, shares several brain studies to support this approach. His PET scan photographs of the brain before and after EMDR sessions show the benefit.

EMDR and the Brain

The PET scans of one who is remembering trauma light the amygdala in the brain. This is part of the limbic system that is responsible for emotions, survival instincts, and memory. The amygdala is activated when one experiences trauma and acute stress. It is the “smoke detector” that scans the environment and lets us know of a threat or event that is relevant to survival.

When people experience a threat the amygdala becomes activated. The frontal lobe, where cognition and understanding take place, is quite dim because the amygdala is more heightened. Hence, when people are experiencing “normal” day-to-day happenings, the frontal lobe is bright and outshines the amygdala.

Studies Show the Benefits of EMDR

In one study, van der Kolk had several individuals go through EMDR sessions. Before the sessions, the PET scans showed a brain in a trauma state. After the EMDR sessions, the brain appeared normal when the client was bringing to mind the same stressful event. The memory was no longer held as a traumatic memory but as a normal, processed memory.

We found another study where van der Kolk showed that subjects with a complicated traumatic history, after six EMDR sessions, had greatly reduced PTSD symptoms that continued to decrease even more for up to six months after the study.

We do not know exactly how psychotherapy affects the brain’s neurobiology. However, we do know that when people are upset, their brains cannot process information normally. EMDR is similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

During REM sleep, the information from the day is being processed. When people experience trauma, the amygdala becomes hyperactive and stores traumatic information and memory. This makes it difficult to process this information. EMDR creates the same stimulation that occurs during REM sleep. This assists the brain in processing the trauma or issues related to stress. The end result is that people see disturbing information in a new and less distressing way. Consequently, they are better able to process information.

Getting Started with EMDR in Treatment

We know addiction is connected to acute stress and often trauma. Once a client has dealt with trauma and acute stress through EMDR, he or she is better able to cope. Therefore, they experience healthy relationships, cope with stress, and live a happier life. In addition, people can recover from addiction since they are no longer, or less affected, by their distress.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, drug addiction, Mental Health problems, The Redpoint Center is here to help. The Redpoint Center treats both adults and youth struggling with addiction and alcohol. Learn more about our Longmont Drug Rehab, by calling 888-509-3153.

Anxiety