Addressing Myths About Alcohol and Drug Addiction

Alcohol and drug addiction, or substance use disorders, are mental health diagnoses that can impact both individuals living with addiction and their loved ones. While getting help through treatment is effective for many, a lot of people may never get the help they need due to the stigmas that surround substance use disorders and treatment for these issues. In this blog, we identify and address a number of the myths that surround addiction and treatment, providing truth and knowledge to people who are living with addiction and their families. This way, help can be sought and individuals living with substance abuse can find hope in overcoming addiction.

Some myths that surround alcohol and drug addiction that may be keeping people from getting the help they need include:

Using Alcohol and Drugs Every Now and Then Doesn’t Lead to Addiction

There are many people who have used drugs and alcohol on an occasional basis but never developed addiction – that is true. However, for people who are predisposed to addiction either by genetics, history of addiction, concurring mental health issues, etc., using drugs and alcohol, even on a regular basis, can and does lead to substance use disorders. Some people have addictive personalities or use addictive substances to cope with unwanted emotions which can also lead to substance use disorder. Not everyone can use addictive substances every once in a while and expect to never become addicted – addiction forms over time and with every use, a person is more likely to develop a physical dependence on addictive substances which leads to a cycle of addiction.

Opioid Addiction Only Develops in People Who Already Struggle With Addiction

While it is true that people who have struggled with addiction previously are at a higher risk of becoming addicted to opioids, this isn’t the case for every person who becomes addicted to opioids. In many cases, people are prescribed opioids by prescription and end up becoming dependent on these substances legally. Once their prescription runs out, they find other ways to use opioids as their bodies start to withdraw. Thus, leading to a cycle of addiction. Therefore, opioid addicts aren’t simply people who have already been using drugs or alcohol on the streets – they are people from all walks of life, every race, every profession, and every religion. Addiction, even opioid addiction, does not discriminate.

Only Weak People Need Help for Addiction

One of the biggest, most hurtful stigmas that surround addiction is that people who need help for addiction are considered weak. Many people assume that people who are struggling with addiction can just choose to stop using – but it’s not that simple or easy. When a person is living with addiction, they experience withdrawal when they stop using, which can be excruciatingly painful. Furthermore, quitting “cold turkey”, or without treatment, can even be deadly to some people. Getting treatment can help to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal and also provide individuals with coping strategies, education, and support as they begin their recovery journey. Therefore, getting help for addiction is never “weak”, in fact, it is the opposite. Choosing to get help is a very strong and brave thing to do and unfortunately, due to the horrible stigmas surrounding getting help, many people never do.

How to Help Someone in Recovery from Addiction

Your loved one has been through a lot. They have been struggling with the impacts of addiction in their lives for a long time. And you’re so proud of them for choosing to get the help they need and begin their journey to recovery. Undoubtedly, you want to be there for your loved one who’s in recovery from addiction – they’ve made so much progress in just simply deciding to get help and clean.

But, how can you do that? There are many things you can do to help a loved one in recovery including:

Learn More About Addiction and Recovery from Addiction

Your loved one in recovery will need as much support as they can get. Support systems are crucial to recovery success as your loved one will need loved ones around them for encouragement, support, and accountability. But, before you can offer your loved one this kind of support, it can help you to understand more about addiction so that you can give them the specific help they need. Knowing more about how addiction develops and how it affects a person can help guide you in knowing what your loved one may need. For example, it can help you to understand what behaviors may be considered enabling and what behaviors are actually conducive to recovery. Furthermore, understanding addiction can help you better relate to what your loved one is experiencing so that you can build more trust and they are more likely to lean on you for support.

Help Them Develop Routines and a Schedule

Staying active and engaged can help your loved one focus during recovery steer clear of triggers and stay on the right track. You can offer your loved one help in developing routines and activities that can help them stay more focused. Consider asking your loved one about things they’d like to do to fill up their schedule and offer to do these things with them. And, help them develop a daily routine and schedule around their work or schooling activities, such as going to the gym, getting out in nature, meditating, etc. When your loved one feels that they are encouraged to keep a schedule, they may be more open to sticking to it.

Set and Communicate Your Boundaries

Healthy boundaries are important, especially when it comes to helping a loved one in recovery. Your loved one needs to know what is and isn’t acceptable in your relationship so that there are clear expectations. However, your loved one can’t know your boundaries unless you clearly communicate them, so don’t avoid letting them know what your boundaries are. Some boundaries can include drinking around them, not giving them housing if they are relapsing, etc. While you can love them throughout it all, there needs to be some lines set into place so that your loved one understands that your help and support are conditional to their recovery.

Attend Family or Relationship Therapy

Family therapy is a great asset to help you and your loved one talk about stressors and emotions that can come up throughout the recovery journey. While addiction has undoubtedly affected your loved one, it affects you too, and it’s important to get help yourself. This is where family therapy comes in to give you a safe and supportive atmosphere to share how you’re feeling. And, get helpful input on how to move forward.

Getting Help From The Delray Center for Recovery

Is your loved one ready to get help? The Delray Center for Recovery offers outpatient addiction treatment programs for individuals who are ready to move on from the impacts of addiction. And, we provide help for their loved ones and family members too! Learn more about our outpatient addiction treatment programs right on our website today.

Identifying Some of the Most Common Causes of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is one of the most commonly diagnosed substance use disorders in the country. In fact, according to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism, over 29 million people over the age of 12 have experienced alcohol use disorder in the past year alone. Understanding the causes of alcoholism and why it’s so prevalent can help to break the stigmas associated with alcohol abuse. This way, more people who are struggling with alcoholism can get the help they need through treatment and recovery, leading to a more fulfilling and healthy life.

Understanding the Causes of Alcoholism

There is no one thing that causes a person to be at a higher risk for developing alcoholism. Every person is different, and each person who develops alcohol use disorder may decide to pick up their first drink for any number of reasons. And, addiction, including alcoholism, can impact anyone’s life, regardless of age, culture, race, religion, or any other descriptor. However, there are some commonly identified things that factor into whether or not a person is at a higher risk for alcoholism, commonly referred to as causes of alcoholism.

Some of the more commonly cited causes of alcoholism can include:

Physical Causes of Alcoholism

Something happens in the body for a person to develop alcoholism. People who have family members who also struggle with alcoholism are at a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder themselves as a result of these biological factors. These genetic factors are believed to play a part in how some people can stop drinking after a couple of beers and others (people who develop alcoholism) can drink all night without feeling like they need to stop. This is because people who have a genetic predisposition for alcoholism may experience more of a pleasurable feeling, which can cause the brain to tell the body to repeat the behavior of drinking. Thus, leading to dependence and eventual addiction to alcohol.

Social Causes of Alcoholism

Along with physical, and biological causes of alcoholism, there are also social things that can put people at risk for developing alcoholism. For example, things like friends, family, culture, and even religious beliefs can be risks for people to develop alcoholism. When you are surrounded by a society that accepts and normalizes drinking, people find more reasons to drink and even drink heavily, which can increase the risk of developing an addiction to alcohol. Furthermore, being exposed to alcohol as a young person when social circles, like family, are involved in drinking can increase a person’s risk of developing substance use issues.

Psychological Causes of Alcohol Use Disorder

Another thing that can contribute to the risk of alcohol use disorder is psychological influences. Many people who struggle with mental health issues don’t get the help they need to manage the symptoms of mental health conditions. This is often due to not wanting to face judgment from others or other social stigmas to get mental health help. Instead of getting help, people living with the effects of mental health issues may try to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. This can lead to the development of alcoholism and other substance use issues. So, psychological issues also play a role in causing alcoholism.

Benefits of Using Substance Abuse Group Therapy

Group therapy is often available as a service for people who are getting help for substance use disorders throughout addiction treatment. There are many benefits of substance abuse group therapy, which is why it’s such a prevalent part of addiction treatment planning. Here at Delray Center for Recovery, we offer an outpatient approach to treating addiction and alcoholism which includes services such as group therapy. Understandably, if you are struggling with addiction and are considering getting professional help for the first time, you may have questions or even concerns about how group therapy works. Knowing more about the benefits of this type of therapy can help you overcome the fears associated with group therapy and have more confidence in beginning a journey of utilizing group therapy for the advantage of your recovery.

Some of the benefits of using substance abuse group therapy can include:

It Gives You Support On Your Journey to Recovery

While the choice to recover is solely your own, having support from others on your journey to healing and sobriety is invaluable. Group therapy allows individuals to become vulnerable about their struggles which can help to develop connections with peers who are dealing with similar things. Thus, helping to stimulate valuable relationships with people with interests and experiences. These relationships can help to form a community of support which can be assistive during the recovery process. With this support, you can have people to count on when the going gets tough, people who cheer you on when you reach recovery goals, and people to celebrate your accomplishments.

Provides an Opportunity to Broaden the Mind

During group therapy sessions, everyone is encouraged to share their own experiences, emotions, coping strategies, etc. This can help to broaden the mind of a person in recovery who may not know much else other than their own experiences. Hearing about the thoughts and practices that others in recovery have and use can help you to understand that there are alternative ways to approach difficult situations in recovery. And, allow you to better understand the full impact of addiction on not only yourself but others as well.

It Fights Isolation

Isolating oneself is something that’s easy for many people to do during recovery. Going through treatment is an isolating experience in itself because you’re changing up your entire lifestyle and even no longer engaging with relationships that rely on using drugs or alcohol. Furthermore, you may feel that no one understands the emotions that you may be struggling with on your journey to sobriety. However, group therapy allows you to engage with others who are experiencing the same issues and changes, allowing you to overcome isolation and even gain connections that can help improve your recovery experience.

Outpatient Group Therapy at Delray Center for Recovery

Group therapy offers a number of advantages for people who are motivated to stay sober and live a life of recovery. Delray Center for Recovery offers group therapy sessions on an outpatient basis for people who can benefit from it. Find out more about our group therapy services and our other outpatient services available at our substance use treatment center located in Delray Beach, South Florida.

What is an Addiction Dual Diagnosis Program?

Many people who are struggling with addiction are living with other mental health issues. For many, living with an undiagnosed or even diagnosed mental health issue can lead to the use of drugs and alcohol as a means to escape or numb the symptoms of mental health conditions. For others, mental health issues can develop as a result of drug or alcohol use. In any case, for people living with concurring mental health issues and substance use disorder, it’s important to seek help from a dual diagnosis program.

Understanding More About What Dual Diagnosis Is

So, what exactly is a dual diagnosis? Dual diagnosis is the term used to describe the instance that a person is living with concurring mental health issues, specifically substance use disorder and another mental illness. According to research, over 8 million adults living in the United States are living with dual diagnosis. For these individuals, it’s important that the help they receive is specifically geared toward identifying and addressing not only substance use disorders but concurring mental health issues as well. Without a dual diagnosis program, individuals who are living with a dual diagnosis have an increased risk of relapsing once treatment concludes.

Most Common Mental Health Issues That Occur With Substance Use Disorder

There are certain mental health diagnoses that are more commonly paired with substance use disorder than others. Some of the most common mental health issues that occur alongside substance use disorder include:

Depression: People who haven’t been diagnosed with depression yet or haven’t received treatment for a depression diagnosis may attempt to use drugs or alcohol as a way to numb symptoms of depressive disorders. This can lead to a dependence on drugs or alcohol and even increase the severity of symptoms associated with depressive disorders.

ADHD: People living with ADHD can be at a higher risk of developing addiction as they may use drugs or alcohol to deal with symptoms. Furthermore, dependence and addiction can develop as a result of misusing ADHD prescription medications.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: People living with the anxiety disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder that isn’t diagnosed or don’t get the treatment they need may develop substance use disorder as the result of attempting to deal with symptoms of anxiety. For example, after a stressful day with lots of anxiety, people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder may drink alcohol to calm their nerves. But, this can become habit-forming and lead to addiction.

Getting Help for Dual Diagnosis With an Addiction Dual Diagnosis Program

If you think that you may be living with concurring mental health issues and substance use disorder, it’s best to consider a dual diagnosis program. In traditional addiction rehabilitation centers, programs only identify and address substance use disorder. This may leave out the addressing of underlying issues like concurring mental health disorders. However, with an addiction dual diagnosis program, individuals who are living with dual diagnosis have the opportunity to learn about and address both mental health issues they may be living with.

Delray Center for Recovery offers an outpatient approach to dual diagnosis treatment. Learn more about our addiction dual diagnosis program and our other services today on our website.