Inpatient treatment is a fundamental part of most journeys to recovery. It brings the individual into a secure clinical environment post-detox, where they can begin to heal. Whether for yourself or a loved one, you’ll no doubt want the best – but how can you know beforehand? Whether you’re looking for excellent inpatient substance abuse treatment near Parkersburg, WV or elsewhere, what should you look out for? Continue reading
There are many reasons why the thought of going into rehab for your cocaine addiction might fill you with anxiety. You will, of course, have to give up substances, which is not easy. There’re also the fear of what people will think of you when they find out, the self-doubt that you can complete the program, being away from your family and friends if you opt for inpatient drug rehab in WV, and talking through your experiences in therapy. All of this can make addiction treatment quite stressful and anxiety-inducing. If you know what you’re getting yourself into, you can learn how to control anxiety during cocaine rehab in WV before you start the process. This will make your road to sobriety easier and may even give you some useful skills to employ after treatment too.
Prolonged use of substances takes a toll on the body as well as the mind. When you decide to seek treatment for your addiction you’ll also want to start working on your physical wellness. This is why the best rehabs in WV include physical activities in their treatment programs. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with the benefits of physical activity in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction – improved physical health, lower stress levels, better immunity, easier time focusing, and more. Whether you are joining an organized fitness training or doing your own thing, make sure to get some exercise in regularly during your recovery.
While ultimately fruitful, rehabilitation can be a very challenging process. It isn’t just demanding, physically and psychologically, but it hinges heavily on your ability to heal emotionally. This requires a process of self-forgiveness, which not everyone is equally prepared for or open to. Still, it is crucial to practice self-forgiveness during rehab and even after to ensure a thorough recovery and prevent relapse. Continue reading
The first step to sobriety is admitting that you have a problem and seeking help for it. This can sometimes feel impossibly difficult. But the truth is that the difficult part actually only starts there. Rehab is a journey that takes a lot of time and effort. So you are likely to experience a lot of stress while in rehab. This is perfectly normal and the therapy you receive as a part of your treatment will help you deal with it. However, it is a good idea to also rely on stress relievers that can help during alcohol and drug rehab in West Virginia. This can make your stay at the addiction treatment center easier and more pleasant!
Choosing the right addiction center in West Virginia for yourself or your family member is one of the few life-changing decisions you will ever have to make. Fortunately, rehabs in WV offer a range of substance abuse treatments and services that meet the highest standards of medical and psychological support. Here we talk about criteria to take into consideration to help you choose between recovery centers in West Virginia Continue reading
Addiction is a serious medical condition that requires professional treatment. So if you are struggling with substance abuse of any type, there is no shame in asking for help. You are not alone in this fight. At Harmony Ridge Recovery West Virginia, you will find a community of compassionate and caring specialists who will support you on your journey to recovery. Our evidence-based addiction program can be covered by insurance, both private and public. In fact, we are one of the only drug rehab centers in WV that accept Medicaid. This makes us a viable treatment option for anyone who’s struggling, no matter what their income is. If you are still unsure about what your insurance plan covers, feel free to contact us. Our insurance and admission specialists will be more than happy to help you work out a payment plan that fits your specific needs and capabilities. Continue reading
Recovering from addiction isn’t just a matter of remaining abstinent from drugs and alcohol. In fact, just focusing on abstinence is doing it the hard way and it will probably fail sooner rather than later. A strong recovery requires treating physical mental and health recovery issues, creating a supportive social network, and making healthy lifestyle changes. After treatment, it’s crucial to make a daily effort to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. Failure to pay attention to your basic physical and emotional needs can quickly lead to relapse. Here are some of the most important ways to practice self-care when recovering from addiction.
In cases of dual diagnosis, neither substance use or mental illness necessarily comes first. In some cases, people experiencing mental health issues may start using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate in an attempt to alleviate their mental health symptoms. In other cases, certain substances can cause people with an addiction to start experiencing mental health symptoms.
We do know that mental disorders and substance use disorders do share some overlapping underlying causes, including genetic susceptibility, changes in brain composition, and early exposure to trauma or stress. Lets take a look at some things you can do to maintain your mental health in recovery.
People tend to be very aware of the importance of caring for their physical health. We all know for example that eating nutritious food fuels our bodies and minds with energy. We also know that exercise is important, as it helps to strengthen muscles and also the cardiovascular system. Regular exercise also helps you to be able to engage in physical activities that are inherently beneficial for overall well-being. What people are sometimes less aware of is the fact that good mental health needs to be cultivated as well.
Our minds are like muscles that also need exercise and practice to keep them strong, flexible, and clear. The mind and train of thought play a considerable role in the success of a patient’s recovery. Adopting a more positive mindset can help mitigate your chances of spiraling into negative patterns. Being mindful and taking moments to reflect daily can help put your recovery journey into perspective and help you realize how far you have come.
The idea of self-care doesn’t have to be overwhelming or scary, though it definitely can be at first. In today’s culture, self-care is often thought to be taking a long bath or treating yourself to a new clothing item, but it’s so much more than that. Self-care is different for everyone and can look like a variety of different things. For some, self-care will be doing the dishes after coming out of a depressive episode, for others, it will be buying a ticket to see a movie after a stressful week. Self-care looks different for everyone, and that’s okay.
Your physical health directly influences your mental health in addiction recovery. Whatever you eat or drink affects your mind and body equally. For example, when a person becomes an alcoholic or smokes persistently, he/she loses the ability to remain focused on work or studies and which ultimately leads to failure. Similarly, excess salt in your diet can abnormally increase the blood flow which in turn causes feelings of anxiousness and anger. Likewise, having a well-balanced diet, as prescribed by your doctor or a nutritionist keeps you happy and healthy.
Work on managing your time and energy. Try to decrease your workload and take some time for meditation or journaling daily. Go to the gym or work out at home to stay active. Exercise is undoubtedly the best and simplest way to overcome mental illnesses. It also helps you overcome physical changes like weight gain or weight loss as a result of hormonal changes caused by depression or stress. Keep a close check on your routine and make the best effort to let go of the distress and be regular in taking your prescribed medicine.
When recovering from addiction, stress is not your friend, especially early on. While we all need a little stress to motivate us and keep us focused, too much stress can make you feel overwhelmed and lead to cravings and negative emotions. Every method of self-care will reduce stress to some degree by increasing your energy and resilience. However, there are some specific things you can do to keep stressors from multiplying. For example, it’s important to know how much you can handle and learn to say no to additional responsibilities. Have a clear understanding of your priorities and do those things first. Also, much of our stress comes from interpersonal conflict. Learning to communicate better and resolve conflict can drastically reduce the amount of stress in your life.
As a society, we tend to place a lot of value on the things that we do. We equate busyness with how good, productive, and valuable we are. However, this is a destructive and dangerous mindset for those who are in the early stages of recovery
When you first begin to journey to sobriety, it can be extremely easy to spend all your time doing one activity, in an attempt to keep yourself distracted and avoid the temptation to use drugs or alcohol. Finding a healthy balance between work, school, social life, and recovery activities like 12-step meetings can be tricky, but is possible. All of these things can be fulfilling, but if you’re focusing too much on one aspect of your life, you’ll quickly find yourself feeling overwhelmed, which could quickly lead to a relapse.
Everyone needs the support of others in their lives, and your friends and family can make up your support network. Having people you can lean on is empowering in itself.
Do not worry about the thing that you can’t control, nor try to take control of everything around you. Complete recovery needs time and depending upon your conditions it will either be treated through medication or therapy. Trust your doctor and follow the prescribed lifestyle and diet. Do not blame yourself or any other person for your mental illness. Mental health issues might be a result of stress you get from some job-related issue or some family dispute, but no one can be solely blamed for it. Relieve yourself from envy and guilt and focus on your treatment only. Do not let any negative emotions control your life.
If you can, try to be aware of how you’re feeling, and watch out for any signs you might be becoming unwell. These will be individual to you, but it can be useful to reflect on what these may be so you can get support as soon as possible. No one in substance use recovery is shielded from the possibility of experiencing a relapse. However, relapse doesn’t just happen; it typically evolves over a period of weeks. Keep an eye out for these early warning signs.
Our staff at Harmony Ridge is dedicated to maintaining the highest quality of care by evolving our programs to exceed our members’ expectations. We will always provide support for them at every step of their recovery journey. We believe that giving patients a clear-cut understanding of their substance abuse disorder will help us give them the skills they need to give up drugs for good. The first step towards achieving recovery is giving us a call. Our team of admissions professionals is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Give us a call today! (855) 942-3922
People are often wary of group therapy at first. The thought of talking about your problems with a bunch of strangers can be intimidating. However, many people are pleasantly surprised by how much they end up liking group therapy and how much they get out of it. Group therapy has become a staple in most quality addiction treatment programs. This is partly because it’s an effective way of treating more clients at less cost. Many studies have found group therapy is just as effective as individual therapy for many conditions including substance use disorders and most co-occurring mental health issues. Group Therapy for Addiction Recovery allows clients to benefit from more hours of treatment at less cost but there are also ways clients can benefit from group therapy more than individual therapy.
Addiction group therapy is a particular form of counseling that is practiced in treating behavioral disorders, including substance use disorder. It typically requires regular sessions where one or more therapists will work with numerous patients who are being treated for substance abuse. Many individuals can benefit from peer support throughout addiction group therapy.
Members in addiction group therapy will take turns discussing their feelings, struggles, and goals. Addiction group therapy can be tailored to a particular recovery topic, like how to identify and avoid triggers, or how to handle other complicated interpersonal relationships.
Forms of addiction group therapy are usually offered in a variety of settings which include:
You more than likely have a lot of questions before entering a group therapy session. What should I share? How much should I open up about? Will anyone have addiction stories like mine?
It’s completely normal to have these feelings before any addiction therapy services, and it’s essential to feel comfortable during any counseling session. Always remember that you’re not the only one who is opening up and asking these same questions. By sharing your story, you’ll start to understand the roots of your addiction and the causes behind it.
At first, the other group members will be strangers to you, but after multiple sessions, you’ll begin to see them as friends and some of the best support you have. As you can see, the impact of group therapy can make a huge difference in your recovery.
Group therapy sessions may be open or closed – meaning new members may join at any time (open) or the group membership remains the same from beginning to end (closed). Open groups may be ongoing, with no specific start or end date, while closed groups are often designed for a predetermined number of weeks or months. Therapy groups in the outpatient setting are often closed groups, while inpatient and residential groups are more likely to be open groups.
Therapy groups may be led by a single therapist (or counselor) or co-led by two therapists. Therapists should be licensed and have training in and experience doing group therapy. The role of the therapist is to set and reinforce group rules and guidelines, lead the group process, and ensure the atmosphere is cohesive, healthy, safe, and productive for all participants. The therapist will ask questions, encourage participation, give feedback when appropriate, and observe how participants interact in the group. The primary goal is to help all participants benefit in a way that moves them closer to reaching their individual treatment goals.
A model of 5-group therapy is both a useful and common form of substance abuse treatment. This type of group is led by a group of licensed therapists and includes the following five kinds of groups:
In general, the type and length of group therapy that is recommended to a client depends on the member’s motivation to participate in the treatment and their stage of recovery.
Furthermore, when a client reaches a particular stage of the recovery process, they may also be encouraged to join a particular group. The length of treatment may vary depending on how long a client takes to progress from one stage to the next.
While there are arguably numerous benefits of group therapy for substance abuse, it’s important to note that it’s not always the right approach for every individual. Some who are battling with substance dependency, especially in the throes of it, may not feel ready yet to share their story or participate in group therapy. It’s always best to discuss the best approach regarding a specific situation with a licensed therapist or addiction specialist.
Groups, especially when aligned with a common goal, can act as a support network and a sounding board. As a team, other members can help provide feedback and ideas for improving a difficult situation or life challenge, while holding you accountable along the way.
Group therapy has a number of advantageous elements that equal or surpass individual therapy, such as the ability to:
It’s common for people with substance use disorders to feel isolated, depressed, and ashamed. Many addictions stem from a history of physical or sexual abuse, which victims may have hidden for years or even decades. Others may have done things they were ashamed of as a result of their addiction. Whatever the case, shame is isolating. It can make you feel alone and worthless. People participating in group therapy are often relieved to discover they aren’t alone. Others have had similar experiences and they can finally talk about it.
Group therapy is a very effective addiction treatment. Humans are social animals: We live in groups, we work in groups, we play in groups. Groups diminish feelings of aloneness and allow participants to observe the successful recovery of others, and these outcomes are important to the patient’s recovery. An experienced therapist ensures that the group offers comfort and guidance to each member, allows uncritical self-expression while members offer feedback and coaching, supports healthy relationships, provides positive peer reinforcement and teaches new social skills.
Group therapy has long played an essential role in the treatment of substance use disorders. While it might seem frightening, challenging, and even painful to participate at first, most members realize that group therapy is beneficial. If you or a loved one suffers from substance abuse, now is the time to get them back to a healthy lifestyle. Our treatment specialists here at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center have the tools and experience to help end addiction for good. Whether it’s your first time in treatment or you just need some questions answered, contact us today for a free consultation.
If you grew up in a home with a parent who misuse alcohol, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of never knowing what to expect from one day to the next. When one or both parents struggle with addiction, the home environment is predictably unpredictable. For many people in recovery, the struggles caused by growing up with a parent living with an active addiction continue to plague their abilities to live balanced and emotionally healthy lives. A child who grows up with a parent or caregiver who drinks heavily and/or uses drugs is never a priority. They also don’t have the positive example and guidance they need to learn how to take care of themselves, build healthy relationships, and get a strong emotional start in life. As a result, adult children of alcoholics, or ACOAs, often face a number of characteristic difficulties in adulthood. Each of these issues can make it harder to find peace and balance, and many ultimately turn to the use and abuse of substances as a means of handling those challenges.
If you’re a child of an alcoholic, that doesn’t mean that everything on this list will apply to you. Though because the experiences have common features, it’s likely you will recognize at least a few items from this list.
Impulsive behavior: Adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) will often impulsively make a choice or respond to a situation without thinking through the consequences or considering other options. Ultimately, this means that they will spend a lot of time trying to fix the problems that result and/or covering up the consequences.
Inconsistency: ACOAs have a difficult time with follow-through and often overcommit in their work and home lives as well as in personal relationships. Though they often feel the need to take care of everyone and everything around them, they will find it difficult to follow through and make good on their commitments.
Perceived victimhood: ACOAs have a hard time identifying the role that their choices play in the evolution of their lives and relationships. Instead, they often blame the people around them for the consequences of their choices, often defending themselves by saying, “Well, you did X, so I was FORCED to do Z.” Because they have a difficult time acknowledging their mistakes, they often repeat them since they are unable to learn from them and make better choices next time.
Self-Isolating: This trait is a common effect of other traits and maladaptive behaviors. ACOAs tend to both push other people away and isolate themselves. In many cases, it is part of a coping strategy they use to self-soothe. Although it is an unhealthy response to emotional turmoil, it is one the adult child of an alcoholic may learn. Unfortunately, self-isolation persists into adulthood even long after the individual is out of the environment that created the original stress.
Approval Seeking: ACOA traits also include seeking approval from the people around them and becoming people pleasers. They may not realize that their other behaviors that deter people and hurt their relationships are problematic. However, since they have trouble maintaining relationships, they often seek approval as self-assurance.
Other common characteristics of adult children of alcoholics include:
Growing up in an alcoholic home can be unpredictable. A parent’s problematic drinking behavior can have a gradual or cumulative impact on a child’s development. While each family touched by alcohol abuse is unique, one clinician asserts that there are certain ‘rules’ of behavior and beliefs that members in alcoholic homes may adhere to.
The limits and restrictions that were placed on you may have caused you to adapt in ways that felt necessary to ensure your survival and safety. As a child, you didn’t have an option to make a different choice because you weren’t developmentally able to do so. You were not given the chance to learn healthier behavior patterns as you were growing up, and this can ultimately harm your mental health. Here’s how you can cope as an adult child of alcoholics.
Many adult children find that seeking professional treatment or counseling for insight into their feelings, behaviors, and struggles helps them achieve greater awareness of how their childhood shaped who they are today. The process is often overwhelming in the beginning, but it can help you learn how to express your needs and cope with conflict in new and constructive ways.
Experts recommend therapy and 12-step meetings for help coping with the effects of growing up with an alcoholic parent. Psychotherapy may help you understand the impact your parents’ alcoholism has had on you and the choices you are making. Look for a licensed mental health professional with experience working with adult children of alcoholics or with addressing trauma.
Al-Anon is a free support group for family members and friends of people with alcoholism. It uses a 12-step program. Meetings are held in communities across the U.S.
As an adult, you can’t go back in time and force your caregivers to make the right choices. However, you can seek treatment and advocate recovery no matter your age. Fortunately, many ACOAs don’t follow in their parents’ footsteps. They learn to heal through a combination of methods. Then, they thrive. If you’re a child of an alcoholic, experts recommended you follow four steps:
Psychotherapy can help you explore your past and connect it to the present. Understand the impact your parent’s alcoholism has on you and the decisions you make, even to this day. This exploration is not meant to assign blame — it’s designed to acknowledge and accept reality.
Support groups, such as Al-Anon or ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics), provide a space to talk about alcoholism and its effect on your life. You can meet people experiencing the same pain you are and challenge subconscious beliefs. ACOAs often internalize fears like, “No one wants to hear what I have to say,” or, “People will always walk all over me.” Support groups are also an excellent resource for step four, which is learning new skills to cope. If you feel isolated or embarrassed, support groups are a space where you can let go of that shame and feel free.
Without the right treatment for emotional issues, or addiction treatment for those who develop an addiction, life can feel like a series of disappointments for ACOAs. Being an adult child of an alcoholic can be a confusing and stressful situation. ACOA traits and behavioral tendencies can leave them feeling down, exhausted, and confused. Since relationship troubles are common, many people also feel alone but have trouble knowing how to ask for help.
Has your addiction left you feeling helpless with no way out? Has your loved one’s addiction made them unrecognizable? We understand what you are experiencing and are here to help! Addiction not only negatively impacts the life of the user, but it also wreaks havoc upon the lives of their family and friends. Things may feel hopeless at the moment, but there is a way out. Recovering from alcohol or drug addiction is feasible.
With dedication, the right support system and choosing an accredited drug and alcohol treatment program, countless individuals have achieved and maintained sobriety. Researching the right drug and alcohol treatment facility is the first step towards recovery.
If you grew up in a home with...
If you grew up in a home with...
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