Some Signs You’re Reaching Your Mental Health Goals

Have you been diagnosed with mental health disorders, going through treatment, taking medication, taking care to practice what you’ve learned, and/or immersing yourself in therapy sessions? You may be wondering if what you’re doing is working to meet your mental health goals. Fortunately, there are some ways you can track your progress. In this article, we’ll discuss signs that you can see in your daily life that prove that you’re making progress with your mental health treatment plan.

You’re Feeling More Confident in Yourself and What You Can Do

Living with mental health issues means dealing with a number of negative symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of living with mental health disorders is low self-esteem. This is due to a number of reasons including past troubles with relationships, mood swings, and having to deal with the symptoms of mental health diagnoses. However, when an individual is in treatment and learning how to manage symptoms of mental health issues by using treatments and coping skills, they can learn how to better manage relationships and symptoms of mental health issues. Thus, making them more confident in their ability to conduct daily tasks, maintain meaningful relationships, and have a normal and valuable life.

You’re Getting Enough Sleep and Have to Motivation to do What you Need To

A lack of energy can have many causes. For people living with mental health issues, not getting enough sleep can be the result of dealing with symptoms of mental health issues. Without enough sleep, a person can experience a number of negative consequences including feeling tired and not wanting to get up and conquer daily tasks. But, when you start getting enough sleep as the result of treating mental health issues, you may begin to realize that you’ll have more energy. This can be a sign that your mental health treatment plan is working.

Your Relationships Have Gotten Stronger

People dealing with negative symptoms of mental health issues often struggle making and maintaining healthy, meaningful relationships. Avoiding others is a typical sign that someone is dealing with internal struggles as they don’t want their issues to affect those around them. But, those who are healing, learning how to set healthy boundaries, and using effective relationship coping skills learned through mental health treatment see that their relationships are not only healing but thriving.

You’re Starting to Take Better Care of Yourself

When dealing with the negative effects of mental health conditions, it can be challenging to take good care of yourself. People living with mental health issues may have trouble eating right, having a set routine, sleeping enough, exercising, and conducting self-care activities. This can be due to mood swings, depression, and low self-confidence. But, if you’re starting to take better care of yourself not only because you should, but because you want to, this can indicate strides in mental healing.

Setting Mental Health Goals and Meeting Them Through Treatment

One of the most important things that people who are striving to achieve their mental health goals do is continue with mental health treatment. This means going to therapy and keeping up with supportive relationships in their mental health community. If you find yourself slipping away from mental health goals or don’t recognize these signs of reaching your mental health goals in your life, it may be time to get back on track with treatment. Delray Center for Recovery offers an outpatient approach to mental health treatment and a number of both supportive and evidence-based therapies to help people reach their mental health goals. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help today.

Answering Frequent Questions About Alcohol Abuse Disorder

Alcohol use disorder is a disease that affects mental, physical, and emotional health. But, many may have questions before they get the help they need to overcome the cycle of alcoholism in their lives. If you have questions about alcohol abuse disorder, how to get help, and what help looks like, keep reading. In this article, we answer many of the questions people struggling with this type of addiction have. This way, they’re given the information they need to make the decision to get help.

Does Alcohol Abuse Disorder Run in Families?

Yes, alcoholism can be passed down hereditarily. There are a number of genes that can be responsible for a person’s predisposition for developing alcohol dependence. So, it is something that people that may have family members who have struggled with alcohol dependence issues should be aware of so they can understand their genetic risk. Studies show that the majority of people who have alcohol use disorder do have family members who also have experienced issues with alcohol dependence and abuse.

How Does Drinking Excessively or Heavily Impact Health?

Drinking heavily and excessively can lead to dependence, which is the body’s need to consume alcohol to hold off withdrawal symptoms. Drinking in excessive amounts and developing dependence on alcohol can lead to a number of negative health symptoms. Some of the issues that drinking heavily can lead to can include:

  • heart issues and disease
  • cirrhosis of the liver
  • high blood pressure
  • cancer
  • concurring mental health issues (mood disorders, anxiety, etc.)
  • pregnancy complications and infant issues after birth (SIDS)

Finally, along with all these health issues that drinking in excessive amounts can lead to, it can also lead to the development of alcohol use disorder. This is the addiction term for people who are struggling with alcohol dependence and require the use of alcohol in order to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay.

How Do I Know If I’m Living With Alcohol Use Disorder?

Just because a person drinks in excessive amounts or heavily, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re living with alcohol use disorder. Some of the characteristics of this disease include:

  • the inability to moderate or stop drinking alcohol
  • understanding and recognizing the consequences of drinking but continuing to do so regardless of these consequences
  • having to drink more than others to experience desired effects
  • experiencing alcohol cravings that interfere with daily life and responsibilities
  • trouble with work, school, relationships, finances, and/or the law as the result of drinking
What do I do if I Think a Loved One is Struggling With Alcohol Abuse Disorder?

It can certainly be concerning when you think a loved one is struggling with excessive drinking that has led to the development of alcohol use disorder. The effects of this disease don’t just impact the person who has developed the condition, but their loved ones as well. But, fortunately, there are some things you can do to help. If you think that a loved one is dealing with this condition, you can:

  • stop enabling behavior (giving rides to the liquor store, giving them money, keeping them from experiencing the consequences of their drinking, etc.)
  • learn more about alcohol abuse disorder and the disease of addiction in general
  • reach out for help for yourself and your family through group therapy resources
  • reach out to mental health specialists about your situation and the next steps to take
  • consider an intervention strategy in order to convince your loved one to get professional help

What Does Professional Help Look Like for Someone Living With Alcohol Addiction?

Treatment for alcoholism can be successful for people who are motivated to continue their recovery and get help through professional treatment services. Treatment can involve a number of services including behavioral and traditional talk therapy, psychiatric medications, detox programs, and family counseling. With a combined approach to treatment that works to address not only drinking, but underlying conditions that may have led to the development of the dependence on alcohol, people are more likely to be successful when it comes to treatment and recovery.

Delray Center for Recovery is an outpatient treatment resource for people living with alcohol abuse disorder and their families so that professional treatment services can be utilized in times of need. Find out how we can help today by researching more about our services and treatment on our website.

Loving an Addict: How to Stop Using Enabling Behavior

If you love an addict or alcoholic, of course, you want to help them to reach sobriety. Undoubtedly, you’ve seen first-hand how addiction can negatively impact your loved one’s life. And, certainly, you want them to be a healthier and happier version of themselves. But, what many loved ones of addicts don’t know is that sometimes enabling can feel like helping. However, in reality, enabling behavior does more harm than good. That’s why it’s crucial for the loved ones of people in recovery for addiction to be aware of enabling and also things they can do to avoid enabling and assist their loved one with the recovery process in healthy and supportive ways.

What is Enabling Behavior?

It’s completely understandable that you can identify that a loved one going through addiction is struggling and you want to help as a person who’s supportive and loving. However, sometimes, helping is confused with enabling in these situations. So, what is the difference between helping and enabling?

Enabling is when a person provides care, monetary support, or other help to an addict when they could and should otherwise provide for themselves. Essentially, enabling is when a person provides ‘help’ to an addicted loved one that prevents them from experiencing the consequences of their own actions. For example, enabling can look like:

  • giving money
  • providing transportation
  • offering a place to live/stay
  • bailing a loved one out of jail
  • paying for legal fees
  • making excuses for an addicted loved one’s actions
  • assisting with an addicted loved one’s personal responsibilities (calling out of work for them, taking care of their household chores, paying bills, etc.)

Basically, while it may seem like you’re helping a loved one that’s struggling with addiction through enabling behaviors, all you’re really doing is delaying the consequences of their behavior. And, as a result, delaying them from getting the help they really need through treatment.

What is Helping?

It can be difficult for a loved one of someone struggling with addiction to not only identify their own enabling behaviors but stop doing them in general. In contrast to enabling, helping is much more difficult. Stopping enabling behavior is one way you can truly help your loved one that’s living in a cycle of addiction. It forces them to not lean on you in order to delay the consequences of their drug abuse. You can also help in a number of other ways including encouraging treatment, providing a listening ear, setting healthy boundaries, and being a supportive friend/loved one for recovery. Help is when someone provides the support they could otherwise not provide for themselves. It is not protecting a loved one from negative consequences.

Getting Help as a Unit for Substance Use Disorder

One of the most effective and helpful things you can do to help a loved one who is in recovery from substance use disorder is to be an active part of their recovery. This means providing support by learning about their disorder, how to set healthy boundaries within your relationship, and how to steer clear of enabling. All of these things are touched upon in family therapy sessions, which are typically available from substance abuse treatment facilities like Delray Center for Recovery.

Here, we provide support for both individuals struggling with addiction, their families, and their loved ones on an outpatient basis. Learn more about how we can help you and your family to learn more about enabling and assistive ways of helping a loved one who’s dealing with active addiction.

The Benefits of Choosing an Outpatient Treatment Program for Addiction

Many people will never overcome substance abuse disorder without the help of clinical treatment. But, there are many different types of treatment options when it comes to helping people living with addiction. So, it’s challenging for families and people dealing with this issue to decide what type of help is right for them. Here at Delray Center for Recovery, we offer an outpatient treatment program for people and families living with addiction. But, what are the benefits of choosing an outpatient approach to substance use disorder treatment?

What is an Outpatient Treatment Program for Addiction?

When most people think about ‘addiction rehab’, they picture facilities that hold individuals on a daily basis for many weeks at a time. Individuals who take part in these treatment programs must live at these facilities full-time, keeping them away from their loved ones, daily responsibilities, and more. But, that’s not how every treatment program works.

Outpatient treatment programs provide the same therapeutic opportunities, medical care, and psychiatric treatments that are available at residential facilities. However, people who choose this type of treatment are not forced to live at the facility. This allows for a number of advantages that may work to benefit a person who’s committed and willing to get help for addiction.

What are the Benefits of Choosing an Outpatient Treatment Program for Addiction?

Treatment should be individualized to address individual needs. There is no one-cure-all for addiction, and everyone’s experience with addiction differs. That’s why there are many different options when it comes to treatment, and it’s best to research the option that best suits you, your lifestyle, and your needs. There are many reasons why people may consider outpatient treatment for help with their addiction. Some of the benefits of outpatient treatment programs for addiction include:

Being Able to Continue Working

One of the biggest drawbacks of residential addiction treatment programs is that they require individuals to miss and take off work. This can eliminate any privacy individuals may want to keep about their personal situations concerning addiction from their workplace. Furthermore, this can be damaging to financial stability for anyone who may not have the money saved up to take off work and get the mental health care they need at a residential facility. On the other hand, outpatient treatment allows people to get the care they need to overcome addiction on their own schedule. This means not having to take off work or even tell employers about their mental health care if it’s not necessary.

Outpatient Treatment is Often Less Expensive Than Residential Programs

Residential treatment comes with the need to house, feed, and transport individuals in their stay. This makes treatment costs more expensive. But, outpatient treatment services don’t provide these services. Therefore, making them typically less expensive than residential treatment facilities for addiction.

Family Involvement During Treatment

Residential programs commonly keep people from their family and loved ones as they may be located away from home locations. Or, have strict rules about visitation as they want the patients in their care to remain focused on therapy and treatment. However, most outpatient treatment programs for addiction allow for more family involvement. They may offer family therapy sessions and include family in group therapy or other types of activity in order to promote family support, which is crucial in the earliest days of recovery and sobriety. So, if you’re looking for a treatment approach with more of a focus on family, outpatient care may be better for your needs.

Ways to Expand Interests During Your Time in Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a brain disease that can affect a person’s daily life in a number of ways. The effects can affect almost every aspect of life including relationships, careers, and typical routines. However, one thing that most people don’t think about addiction affecting is a person’s hobbies and interests. During active addiction, individuals will often lose interest in things they once enjoyed. So, during addiction treatment, it’s important for individuals to learn how to take an interest back in things they once enjoyed. And, moreover, to find new hobbies and interests that can help them stay motivated for long-term sobriety. But, how does one go about finding new interests during and after their time in treatment?

The Importance of Finding New Hobbies and Interests

Once drugs and alcohol can no longer fill your time and energy, you’ll need something to take up that time and energy during recovery. This is why it’s important to find things you enjoy during and after addiction treatment. When you learn about new things and engage with novel experiences, you give yourself the opportunity to utilize coping skills you’ve learned about and practiced in treatment in real-life settings. Plus, you’ll learn how to lean on these things during times of struggle so that you can gain the encouragement you need to obtain lasting recovery.

But, finding new hobbies and interests can be a struggle for some during the process of treatment. So, it’s important to understand what can help with obtaining some new hobbies and interests during newfound recovery. Some things you can do to help obtain new hobbies and interests may include:

Being Willing to Try New Things and Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

If you’re not willing to try new things and maybe even feel a bit awkward at first, you’re not going to get far when it comes to gaining new hobbies, skills, and passions. No one is good at anything when they first start, so even hobbies that require a bit of skill aren’t something to shy away from. Furthermore, you may not have an interest in finding new activities to enjoy. And, that’s normal for people in the early stages of recovery. You’re still learning about who you are as a sober person. But, it’s important to look past where you are at the moment and work towards who you want to be. So, don’t keep yourself from doing something new, even if it’s something you may not think you’ll like. Who knows – you may just find a new passion in something you never saw yourself doing!

Remember that Nothing Good Happens Overnight

It’s easy to give up on something new if you’re not good at it initially. So, don’t forget that you may not be good at something right away. And, to give yourself time to develop the skills needed to enjoy certain hobbies. Every interest takes some time to get used to, not to mention to get good at. But, if you give yourself time to learn and get better, you may find that you’ll enjoy certain things even more as time goes on. Therefore, if you’re thinking about starting a new hobby, don’t expect to be an expert! And, give yourself the time it takes to not only get accustomed to what you’re doing but time to determine if you really do or don’t like spending time with that certain hobby.

Try New Things with Peers in Your Addiction Treatment Environment

It’s sometimes easier to try new things with the encouragement and support of a friend. And, who better than a peer in treatment with the same goal as you – sustaining recovery? When you find a friend to try new things with, you can hold each other accountable to continue searching for a shared interest until you actually find one. And, then, you’ll have someone to encourage you once you do find that shared interest. So, don’t hesitate to ask your sober friends what they like to do for fun and if you can join. Or, if they’re also looking for a new interest so that you can search together!