Category: Addiction Treatment

Are you currently struggling with an addiction? Are you thinking about pursuing addiction treatment but are unsure if you can commit to inpatient treatment. Or perhaps you’ve completed inpatient treatment and are looking to continue treatment. 

Do you live in Orange County, CA or would like the opportunity to live there for a bit? If you answered yes to the questions above, you would likely benefit from an IOP in Orange County, CA. 

Congratulations! Deciding to seek treatment for addiction is a big step to take in life. The next big step to take after you’ve decided you’d like to get (or continue) help is finding an addiction treatment program that works for you.This depends on a lot of factors, including affordability, location, and availability. 

One of the biggest barriers addicts face when getting treatment is being available, and it is more apparent when it comes to women. A study showed that more women are less likely to complete a treatment program because of familial responsibilities. 

This hindrance prevents women from wanting to complete residential inpatient treatment. However, with IOP’s, more women can strike a balance between their daily responsibilities and treating their addiction. 

What Does IOP Stand for in Addiction Treatment?

IOP stands for intensive outpatient program. An intensive outpatient program is an addiction treatment program that allows clients to carry out their daily activities and still receive intensive addiction treatment.

An IOP is different from an outpatient program, although both don’t require the client to stay onsite at the facility 24/7. Regular outpatient treatment is usually considered one of the last steps of addiction treatment. 

In most situations, an IOP (intensive outpatient program) is used as a step down from inpatient treatment. It can also be used to treat milder addictions for people who cannot commit to an extended stay inpatient rehab. For those who are the sole caretaker of a child or have professional commitments that can’t be put on pause, an IOP is a great treatment option.

There are certain requirements a client must meet before they are allowed to be in an intensive outpatient program. 

These requirements include: 

• A safe home life without the presence of drugs
• A strong support network of friends and family 

If the client does not have a supportive and safe environment at home, residing in a sober living home is a great option. If a client is exposed to substances when they return home from treatment or a volatile home, they have the potential to relapse and not stay sober.

When someone attends an IOP, they receive similar treatment as they would in an inpatient rehab. Some examples of programs and therapies offered an an IOP are: 

• Group therapy sessions 
• Individual therapy sessions 
• 12-step programs 
• Support groups 
• Alternative therapy sessions involving yoga, music, art, or equine therapy

Why You Should Go to an IOP Orange County, Ca

Why choose an IOP in Orange County, CA?  Orange County is a great place to relax and more importantly, heal. Home to several picturesque beaches and treatment centers, Orange County is a top spot for intensive outpatient programs. You can enjoy the delights that Orange County offers while also getting intensive addiction treatment. 

Anchored Tides Recovery: The Best Intensive Outpatient Treatment Center for Women

Anchored Tides Recovery is one of the top outpatient addiction treatment centers for women in Orange County, CA. We offer many treatment programs, including women’s partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient, outpatient, and an aftercare planning.

Our treatment approach incorporates evidence-based addiction treatment and dual diagnosis modalities while incorporating a program geared toward the issues women face. In addition to our numerous treatment programs, we provide a highly serene and conducive environment for healing. 

Reach out to us today for help with your addiction! 

Helping a loved one overcome addiction is unfortunately not as easy as reaching out to them and saying “hey, I think you’d benefit from going to rehab!”. It is a delicate subject that can sometimes even do more harm than good.

When we do what we feel is appropriate, like approaching an addict about going to rehab – it can end up creating a rift, arguments, and make the addict feel like you are attacking them. This, in turn, can cause your loved one or friend to isolate and continue using. It may also make them feel compelled to lie to you about their addiction and behavior. However, with the right information and practice, you can learn how to talk to an addict about going to rehab rehab and encourage them to get the help they deserve and need. 

Understanding the Signs of Addiction

While addiction is multifaceted and symptoms may vary, these are some common signs associated with addiction: 

Physical

• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Unkempt look, poor hygiene
• High tolerance of alcohol/drugs 
• Skin problems like rashes, redness of eyes, self-inflicted injuries
• Decline in sexual function
• Dilated pupils

Psychological and Emotional

• Loss of interest in things they normally enjoy
• Mood swings
• Sleep pattern changes
• Overly talkative or withdrawn
• Being secretive or evasive about their addiction
• Depression and or anxiety
• Suicidal thoughts
• Physical or verbal abuse

Relational

Addiction affects not only the person but also their relationships with the people around them: 

• Marital problems
• Skipping work or school
• Violent arguments or fights
• Failing to perform obligations and responsibilities
• Difficulty in holding conversions
• Lying about using alcohol or drugs
• Financial trouble related to drug use
• Isolation

How to Talk to an Addict About Rehab

Trying to help someone you love with their addiction can be a long, heart-breaking, and a challenging process. Please know you are not alone in this process and this is something that a lot of people have to do. Trust us when we say the process of talking about rehab will be easier than watching someone slip further and further into an addiction.  

Be Kind

If you want to convince an addict to go to rehab, show empathy and compassion. Don’t judge, criticize, insult or shame them when approaching them about their addiction. 

Try One on One Conversation

You probably won’t want to start staging an intervention with several people. Depending on the person and their situation, they may be more receptive to help if you talk to them one on one. 

Stage an Intervention

If your loved one doesn’t listen to you during the one on one, another option is to organize an intervention. The intervention may include people they love or respect, like friends, family, professional health care providers, social workers, or religious leaders.   

Listen More Than You Talk

Whether it’s a one-on-one communication or intervention, you probably have a lot to say. However, don’t make it about you; let the person affected speak too. Listen to them without interrupting and let them confide in you.

Try More Than Once

If your loved one doesn’t listen the first time, don’t give up. Continue to reach out, continue to convince them about getting help.

Set Boundaries

Don’t make threats but let your loved ones know the consequences of their behavior. Let them know how their behavior affects you. Also, let them know what you won’t put up with and set a limit. 

For example, if your loved one gets money from you to fund their addiction, don’t put up with it if they continue to use drugs. Show support, but don’t encourage their addictive behaviors.

Learn More About Addiction

Research and educate yourself on addiction before addressing addiction. Learning more about addiction, the triggers, and symptoms will let you understand and communicate better with your loved one.

Reach Out to Anchored Tides Recovery Today 

Helping your loved ones also involves partnering with them to find the right rehab. If your loved one accepts to get help, you should have a rehab in mind for them to go to. 

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we understand addiction and how to help women recover from addiction. We can help you explore treatment options and design a plan that meets your loved ones needs. 

Contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment options. 

About 40% of people who take benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax) are likely to develop an addiction to the drug. Xanax is a brand of alprazolam used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It is also one of the most popular medications for anxiety disorders in the United States. Xanax incites feelings of calmness, and many use it to relieve stress, aid sleep, or get an easy high and, as such, can become dependent on it. 

Signs You Might Have a Problem With Xanax

Xanax Addiction is characterized by: 

Withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms, also known as rebound symptoms, occur when anxiety symptoms reemerge severely when you stop taking the drugs. 

Physical withdrawal symptoms include (but are not limited to): 

•  Headache
•  Muscle Aches
•  Diarrhea
•  Insomnia
•  Loss of Appetite
•  Seizure
•  Slurred Speech
•  Sweating 
•  Hypertension 

Psychological symptoms include (but are not limited to): 

•  Increase in anxiety and panic, and paranoia 
•  Memory problems
•  Confusion 
•  Mood Swings
•  Unable to control emotions and moods
•  Depression and Thoughts of Suicide

Tolerance

Tolerance/ dependence is a common addiction feature where the user needs increasing doses to reach the desired effect.

 

Getting Help With a Xanax Addiction 

Xanax abuse can come on unexpectedly, especially because Xanax can be prescribed by a doctor. If you or someone you know is struggling with a Xanax addiction, please don’t wait to see help. 

There are addiction treatment centers around the country that offer Xanax addiction treatment. With the help from addiction treatment professionals, you can overcome a Xanax addiction safely. When Looking for a Xanax addiction treatment near you, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

•  The facility has qualified staff and licensed mental health and medical practitioners.
•  The facility is certified and have accreditations
•  They offer evidence-based treatment that has been proven to work in the past

According to NAADAC, you should read the addiction treatment facilities mission statement to understand their goals and how they can help you recover.

What Happens During Xanax Addiction Treatment

Treatment for a Xanax addiction can either be in 2 forms depending on the intensity of the addiction. This can include inpatient treatment, where you’re required to live within the facilities during treatment. 

Another form of treatment is outpatient treatment. You are not required to live onsite at an outpatient facility and are able to live at home / maintain employment while undergoing treatment. Outpatient treatment is a great tool to use after inpatient treatment or if you have a milder addiction.

The first step of Xanax addiction treatment in many facilities is detoxification, which involves getting Xanax out of your system safely. Along with detoxing, you can expect the following: 

• Initial Intake

This will likely happen before detoxification. The staff members at the treatment facility will get your full medical / addiction history. This will help the facility put together an individualized treatment plan for your recovery. 

•   Medications

Xanax addiction treatment may involve using drugs to treat the side effects of Xanax abuse like hypertension, cravings, and seizures.

•     Individual Therapy:

Therapy is an essential part of the recovery process, especially if Xanax addiction is linked to a mental illness or psychological history. Therapy also helps change the user’s compulsive thinking, which will help them with recovery. 

•     Support Groups: 

Group therapy and attending support groups are a common part of addiction treatment. It’s important for recovering addicts to know they’re not alone in their recovery, and others have experienced similar things as them. 

•     Family Therapy 

Addiction is considered to be a family disease. Chances are while you are using, your actions at one point or another will affect your family. During Xanax addiction treatment, it’s important to address your addiction with the whole family so everyone can heal. 

•     Aftercare Planning

Unfortunately once you complete Xanax addiction treatment, your addiction doesn’t just go away. Addiction is a lifelong disease. Before you leave any addiction treatment program, the rehab will work with you to put together a long term aftercare plan to help you stay sober.

Get Help With Addiction at Anchored Tides Recovery

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, reach out to use today at Anchored Tides Recovery. We are a substance abuse and behavioral treatment facility just for women. 

We aim to improve the quality of life for women living with mental illnesses or struggling with substance abuse. 

Anchored Tides Recovery offers evidence-based treatment approaches, professional staff always on the ground, and a breathtaking structured facility.To start treatment or for more details on how we can help you, please visit our contact page! 

Every man, woman, or person responds to the effects of alcohol and drugs differently. While men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illicit drugs, women also suffer from addiction. To increase their chances of recovering fully, some individuals need to approach the treatment of their addiction from a gender-specific viewpoint at a gender specific rehab.

But before you are able to make an informed decision about which type of rehab to go to, you need to know what gender-based rehab centers are, why they exist, and how Anchored Tides Recovery can help struggling women with their addiction.

What Is Gender Specific Rehab?

Just like it sounds, gender-specific rehabs are addiction treatment centers that cater only to one gender. There are men-only and women-only rehab centers, just as they have mixed-gender rehab centers. These rehab centers are becoming increasingly popular as more research is done on how addiction affects genders differently. 

Despite the general effects of addiction on both genders, there are core effects specific to each gender. In addition to this, several types of research have shown that men and women struggle with treatment issues specific to their gender. 

The idea behind gender specific rehab is to have a safe space where each gender receives treatment tailored to suit their struggles with addiction and mental health. Also, gender specific rehabs understand everything from co-occurring disorders and factors that affect addiction in all genders to the best treatment programs. 

How Does Addiction Impact Women?

Addiction has general effects on all types of people, but when it comes to a specific gender, there are specific effects. These effects stem from the biological and gender differences between men and women. 

In women, addiction affects the hormones and body functions related to hormonal changes. This can include mensuration, pregnancy, fertility, menopause, and breastfeeding. 

Other impacts of addiction in women include:

• Women are more likely to have a relapse 
• Women experience more effects on the heart and blood vessels 
• Addiction alters the brain of women in slightly different ways than it does men
• Women addicts are more likely to suffer from depression and panic attacks
• Addiction affects the size of babies in successful pregnancies and leads to stillbirths in unsuccessful ones
• Escalation of addiction happens quicker in women

How Does Addiction Impact Men?

Just how addiction affects women in specific ways, the same holds true for men:

• Men are less likely to relapse 
• Men use more illicit drugs than women 
• Men smoke more marijuana than women
• Men have milder withdrawal symptoms than women
• The escalation of addiction in men is slower than in women

Now, when trying to determine the type of rehab you want to go to, you’ll probably ask yourself at some point if you want to go to a gender-specific rehab. The truth is, there is no right or wrong answer to this question and ultimately it is your decision to make. 

If you are a woman and you feel in general you have a difficult time opening up around the opposite gender, then you may want to consider women only treatment. The point of rehab is to get the most out of it, therefore you will want to feel as comfortable as possible there. 

Addiction Treatment at Anchored Tides Recovery

Anchored Tides Recovery is a women-only rehab in Huntington Beach that offers gender-specific programs to help women deal with addiction. Some of the programs we offer include women’s programs, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient programs, and more.

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we believe in tailored treatment programs for our clients. In addition to the excellence our programs offer, our staff’s dedication to helping women find healing and purpose after addiction is unmeasurable. If you need a gender specific rehab, don’t wait; reach out to us today for help with your addiction! 

Granted, it is difficult to watch your loved ones harm herself or himself by using alcohol or drugs. Even so, the addicted individual may unknowingly or accidentally take advantage of you. Those being taken advantage of are called codependents. And unless you find how to fix codependent relationships, you might be headed for a destructive and inherently dysfunctional relationship.

In your desire to please your partner, friend, family member, or loved one, you (the codependent) may facilitate the addiction rather than helping your loved one overcome it. In this case, both the codependency and addiction must be addressed. But before we delve into how to fix codependency, let’s define codependent relationships.

What Are Codependent Relationships?

Scientists say codependent relationships are a behavioral pattern where one person is a caregiver, and the other person takes advantage. One major sign is when your sense of purpose in life involves making big sacrifices to meet your partner’s or loved ones needs. Usually, one person will cater to the needs of the other to the extent of enabling their addictive habits.

Anyone can become codependent. Studies indicate that neglected or emotionally abused individuals are more likely to enter codependent relationships.

Signs of a Codependent Relationship

Knowing the warning signs is the first step towards determining how to fix codependent relationships. Look out for these signs that signify you might be in a codependent relationship: 

• You find it hard to find satisfaction in your life outside of your partner or loved one
• You always need the approval of your partner or loved one to have a sense of purpose
• You stay with your partner or loved one irrespective of the unhealthy habits they exhibit
• You support your partner or loved one at the expense of your physical, emotional, and mental health
• You find yourself reacting to things rather than acting out of your own choice
• You are unaware of your needs or always reluctant to express your desires even though you’re aware of them
• A tendency to feel hurt when people don’t acknowledge your efforts
• A feeling of guilt when asserting yourself
• The need to control others
• You don’t trust yourself or others
• Fear of being rejected or alone
• Lying, deceit, and anger

Are Codependency and Addiction Related?

Codependency and addiction are closely related, as codependency often appears in relationships where one partner is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Drug addicts or alcoholics often have different problems stemming from their addiction, which include:

• Problems with money, work, and relationships
• High-risk habits
• The continuous need for emotional support.

As a result, the codependent partner goes out of his or her way to support the addict through all the ordeals. While a codependent partner may help the addict recover, the addictive behavior is unresolved, and the challenging life situations continue.

Codependency is not always connected with addiction, but for addicted individuals, there is usually a codependent. And, in most cases, the codependent exhibits addictive habits too. More frequently, though, one individual will be more addicted to a substance while the other will support them.

How to Fix Codependency in a Relationship

If you’re in a codependent relationship and looking for how to fix codependency, keep reading.

Codependency treatment is complicated since the codependent partner feels they are not causing any harm. In actuality, they see their actions as helping their spouse and do so to show their love. Hence it is essential to diagnose and manage codependency and addiction concurrently.

Treatment is given as a combination of couples therapy or family therapy and individual therapy, depending on the client’s needs. 

Treatment goals include knowing how codependent actions affect the relationship, improving communication, making relational changes, and behavioral changes via planning and accountability.

How to Seek Help for an Addiction

Codependent treatments work great if it is left to the experts. Addiction therapists understand codependency and can help you dig down to know the depth of addiction. In a recovery center, an addicted individual can receive the care they need. 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, peer support, group therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy are just a few of the treatment programs we offer.

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we help women find how to fix codependent relationships and addiction. Our goal is for women to live healthily and access long-term recovery treatments by offering a unique treatment center with professional staff and enhanced treatment options designed by women for women.

Reach out to us today to begin your journey to recovery.

What comes to your mind when you think of Japan? Good food? Rich culture? Traditional medicine? If you are thinking along those lines, then it is safe to say you have an idea of what Japan represents.

Amongst all those mentioned above, let’s look at one of Japan’s traditional medicine approaches that have, over time, become an international export – Reiki therapy.

After years of contradicted validity, Reiki’s therapy, a holistic energy treatment, is obtaining new respect within the medical community. Highly renowned medical facilities in the U.S. are not just giving patients alternative healing treatments like Reiki. 

Those facilities are examining the benefits of the therapy and presenting them for evaluation and compilation. And the outcomes of these Reiki studies are absolutely remarkable.

What Is Reiki Therapy?

Reiki therapy is a Japanese form of alternative medicine that helps promote healing by channelling energy. The therapy also works holistically; on the entire body, spirit, and mind. Japanese culture are firm believers of how the spiritual affects the physical, and this approach models that belief.

Reiki therapy practitioners believe that there are energy blocks in some parts of the body, especially injured areas. Reiki aims to target those blocks and release the energy from those parts to other parts.

In essence, Reiki is pretty much a relaxing therapy where natural healing vibrations are conveyed through the Reiki practitioner’s hand (acting as a conduit) to the recipient’s body.

A quiet environment during a Reiki session lets both the practitioner and patient to access their energies. Some practitioners may play a soothing ambient tune or keep the session peaceful to set the mood.

The Benefits of Reiki Therapy for Mental Health

Reiki is believed to help speed up healing, reduce pain, and aid relaxation. According to research, it was found that Reiki was more effective than the other treatments for reducing pain, depression, and anxiety in chronically ill patients.

Reiki therapy has many benefits, and practitioners boast an individual will have a more peaceful mind, show improved personal awareness, increased creativity, and experience relief from anxiety and depression.

To understand what Reiki is for, as it relates to mental health, keep reading!

Now, it will be very untrue to claim Reiki, on its own, could help improve one’s mental health. If you’ve read our blogs on mental illnesses, you’d know an interplay of approaches is required to help the patient get better.

Reiki, as you may already know, is a complementary technique that works best when applied with other medical techniques.

For people suffering from mental illness, the course of treatment usually involves counseling and medication. Alternative treatment approaches like Reiki are applied as extras to boost the efficacy of other treatment options.

Reiki may also help immensely in keeping stressors at bay. When a person is less stressed, the symptoms of mental illness are reduced.

So, invariably, we can say that Reiki therapy can help improve your mental health. However, Reiki therapy for mental health may be successful if applied with other recovery treatments, like treatment at an inpatient treatment center.

Heal From Your Addiction at Anchored Tides Recovery

Anchored Tides Recovery offers holistic approaches to healing and recovery from addiction. While offering holistic healing options, we also offer more traditional approaches that include support groups, medications, and behavioral therapies. 

Now you know what Reiki therapy is and what Reiki is used for. Contact us now, and we will help you or your loved one live a healthy life through our holistic approaches for mental health.

Anchored Tides Recovery is a premiere outpatient rehab program located in Huntington Beach, CA. We help women recover from different forms of substance abuse and mental health issues, with the common goal of attaining full, lifelong, recovery.

Is heroin addiction a disease? Or could it be a choice? Too many people have asked themselves these questions as they struggle to come to terms with a loved one’s addiction to heroin. This is the type of drug that is extremely consuming and will take over someone’s life. Heroin can be injected or snorted, and is purchased illegally. It’s an opioid made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia.

Outsiders often see heroin addiction as a bad choice, one that the addict keeps making over and over again. Even heroin addicts themselves struggle with the shame of seeing themselves as incapable of making “the right choices”. 

But addiction isn’t a choice; it is a disease, which is why addicts can’t “seem to help themselves”. There are many facts about addiction being a disease, and in this article, we’ll be discussing a few. 

But first, what is addiction? 

Addiction Defined

According to the new definition adopted by the Addiction Society of Addiction Medicine, ASAM board of directors in September 2019, “addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People suffering from addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.”

And like any other chronic disease, addiction can progressively worsen without treatment. Early detection and treatment also have a higher chance of being effective in the long run. 

A Heroin Addiction Isn’t a Choice

So, back to the question… Is heroin addiction a disease? 

Although it is clear that heroin addiction or any other form of addiction is a disease, many still feel that it should be classified under the effects of “bad choices.” 

It’s difficult for people who don’t understand addiction to classify heroin addiction with other chronic diseases like cancer because of addictions’ self-destructive nature. 

Individuals who suffer from any form of addiction, including heroin addiction, always search for reward or comfort in repeated substance use. This repeated dependency on a harmful substance is what others perceive to be a choice. 

This idea stems from the assumption that an individual with strong morals can choose to stop. But addictions don’t work like this. Many addicts would have stopped using a long time ago if it worked that way. 

Addictions are classified as diseases because they affect the brain and leave an individual unable to stop. Just as cancerous cells take over the body, heroin alters the brain’s receptors in ways that make the individual unable to function without it. 

When a person becomes addicted to a substance, it ceases to become a “conscious choice” to continue. The individual cannot stop on their own. They might have good days, weeks, or even months where they might be in remission, but ultimately, they get sick again. 

When you consider these facts about addiction being a disease, you’ll realize that addicts are struggling as any other sick individual. Now is heroin addiction a disease? Of course it is. 

How to Get Help With a Heroin Addiction

What can be done for individuals who want to get better? 

Thankfully, there are many addiction treatment centers spread across the United States. You can find one close to home or very far away. Look for one that suits you best and reach out to them.

Our facility Anchored Tides Recovery located in Huntington Beach is an excellent addiction treatment facility for women, run by women. 

We offer a ton of treatment options, including partial hospitalization, as well as a comfortable environment to help you focus on your healing process. Reach out to us today for help with your addiction. 

Substance abuse treatment programs are increasingly adopting more individual-centered approaches to treating substance abuse. This comes on the heels of a deeper understanding of how substance abuse affects people differently, especially as it concerns women. 

You might be surprised to know that women have a different experience with substance abuse. 

Research has shown that substance abuse affects women in a significantly different way than it does men. Therefore, if women are to be fully treated for substance abuse, they need a treatment program designed to tackle the peculiar differences they face. 

This is why one of Anchored Tides Recovery founding principles is treatment for women by women.

What Is a Substance Abuse Program?

A substance abuse program is a treatment process designed to help people with substance abuse problems. Substance abuse programs have two major components:

• A medical component 
• Therapeutic component

Both components, when combined, make for an effective treatment for substance dependence or addiction. In the medical aspect of substance abuse treatment, drugs are used to manage detoxification symptoms, especially in cases of certain substances like opioids. 

The therapeutic aspect of the treatment process aims to teach recovering addicts how to understand themselves and understand their triggers to prevent a drug or alcohol relapse. 

Different Types of Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

There are various substance abuse treatment programs, but there is no one-size-fits-all program. This is because the effects of substance abuse differ amongst individuals differ, and so treatment programs must be as individualistic as possible to cater to peculiarities. 

As a result of that, there are various treatment programs designed to cater to everyone’s needs. 

• Inpatient Treatment Program 

Just like its name implies, people in an inpatient treatment program have to stay within the facilities to receive treatment, and it typically lasts between a few weeks to a few months. 

• Outpatient Treatment 

In an outpatient treatment program, the patient commutes to the treatment center from his home. Also, an outpatient treatment program lasts a few weeks and costs less than inpatient treatment.

• Individual Counseling 

Individual counseling provides an opportunity for the patient and the therapist to discuss strategies that help them reintegrate into society and maintain sobriety. It is during individual counseling that the patient learns techniques that help them manage their triggers. Individual counseling occurs at both inpatient and outpatient treatment. 

• Group Counseling 

As important as individualized counseling is to a patient’s continued sobriety, group counseling is equally important. Group counseling reinforces the techniques learned in individualized counseling. Group counseling also provides a community of sober individuals the patients can fall back to. 

Why Seek Addiction Treatment at Anchored Tides Recovery?

Choosing an addiction treatment program can seem quite daunting. There are so many programs available, and they all may seem like they’re right for you. 

The biggest thing that sets us apart at Anchored Tides Recovery from other treatment centers is we provide addiction treatment for women, by women. Our staff truly understands how substance abuse affects women specifically and how to treat it properly. We also know the importance of harnessing the power of women recovering together. 

Aside from getting help from people who understand your addiction as much (or maybe even better than you do), we’re located in beautiful Huntington Beach, CA. There is plenty to do in the surrounding area during and after treatment. 

Reach Out to Us Today

Anchored Tides Recovery is a substance abuse treatment program located in Huntington Beach, that focuses on treating only women. We offer various types of outpatient treatment programs to ensure our clients are set up for long term sobriety. Reach out to us today for help with your addiction!  

Have you ever had a rough night and wondered why you feel so down? You wake up feeling a little sad or uncomfortable. Someone may even say to you “sounds like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today”. Generally speaking, there can be several reasons that explain why you feel the way you do. One option to explore is the food you’re eating; food indeed can affect your mood! 

If you’ve never heard this before, then you may not suspect your diet when you feel ‘off’ or a little blue. In today’s health-conscious world, it’s common to see or read about foods that help keep you physically and mentally healthy. Just like how healthy foods affect the body positively, they can also affect your mood and emotional well being. 

Can what you eat affect your mood? We’ve got answers for you. Keep reading to know! 

How Food Affects Your Mood

Do you remember when you were in a bad mood, but felt better after eating something? 

While that is a great example, there is more to this than feeling better because you’ve satisfied a craving. The brain is the powerhouse for all activities in the body. And like all powerhouses, it needs to be fueled. The type of fuel you give your brain determines how efficient it will be. 

Certain foods are harmful to your mood because of how they affect your body’s daily activities. For instance, foods that contain a high concentration of refined sugars can mess up insulin regulation. When everything isn’t working as it should, your brain struggles to function well, which can affect your mood. 

But how exactly does this happen? Is there scientific proof that shows how food affects your mood? Yes, there is.

Remember that your mood at any given time is dependent on what chemicals are produced in your body. The chemical/ hormone that controls mood, pain, appetite, and sleep is known as serotonin, and it is produced in the gut. 

Furthermore, serotonin functions better with higher numbers of good bacteria. What does good bacteria do? Good bacteria helps the body digest food and absorbs nutrients from the intestinal walls. 

Guess what helps control the number of good bacteria in the body? Food that contains large quantities of high fructose corn syrup reduces the number of good bacteria. Conversely, foods that contain tryptophan have the opposite effect. 

How Being in a Good Mood Affects Your Overall Wellness

Can you remember your most painful breakup? Not just any breakup but the one that made you watch The Notebook (or any movie similar) while consuming scary amounts of ice cream and rubbing your chest because you could feel your heart breaking. That’s proof enough that how you feel can affect you physically. 

Knowing how food affects your mood is the first step in determining how it affects your overall wellness. Your mood manifests itself physically – not just in your health but also in your decisions.

Good moods beget good feelings and ethical decisions. When you are happy, you’ll be more energetic, more productive, and make better decisions. 

The same goes for a negative mood. It begets tiredness, less productivity, feelings of illness, and bad decisions.

Mood-Boosting Foods

You already know that you should avoid processed foods and foods that contain refined sugars, these foods can negatively affect your mood and health. But, are there foods that you can eat to improve your mood? 

Of course! When you feel bad, resist the urge to eat high-calorie snacks. Go for any of the foods listed below. 

• Dark Chocolate 
• Nuts and Seeds 
• Fatty Fish or Foods containing Omega-3 Acids. 
• Whole Grains 
• Green Vegetables 
• Coffee

If your triggers as an addict are linked to your moods, you may want to take what you eat seriously. Eating the right foods for you will not only preempt your triggers; it’ll make you feel healthy again.

Seek Overall Wellness at Anchored Tides Recovery

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we encourage our clients to understand their triggers. Knowing how food affects your mood and the things you can do to boost your mood is essential to the healing process. 

Anchored Tides Recovery is a female-only addiction treatment center located in Huntington Beach, CA. We believe that healing from addictions requires a holistic approach tailored to suit women specifically. We also offer a variety of treatment options like our outpatient treatment. Contact us today; let us help you fight your addiction.