Category: Addiction Treatment

Sober Living for Women in Huntington Beach

Alcohol is a powerful and addictive drug. Unfortunately, most people think of alcohol as a social tool, but like anything else, if abused it can turn into a serious issue. According to the NIAAA, women are more likely to encounter problems due to their substance abuse, but are less likely to seek professional help. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we’re dedicated to helping any and all women overcome their addiction, whether it’s with alcohol or a different substance.

When considering sobriety, it’s helpful to think of the journey as a marathon, not a sprint. For most people, the recovery process includes multiple steps. Some women start their journey at inpatient treatment, and others start an intensive outpatient treatment center. It’s important during your recovery journey to have a safe, stable environment to live in, such as a sober living home.

What Are Sober Living Homes for Women?

Sober living homes for women are a safe living environment where everyone who lives there is sober. A sober living home is a great transitional tool for anyone looking to maintain long term sobriety. While sober living homes do not provide addiction treatment therapy, most people living in one attend outpatient addiction treatment programs.

Aside from a safe environment, sober living homes also provide structure, a crucial component to sobriety. Most sober living homes have a set of rules and guidelines people have to follow. For example, certain sober living homes make attending some type of 12-step support group mandatory. Other homes require its residents to complete a certain set of chores. While it can be extremely beneficial for someone’s sobriety to live in a sober living home, it’s benefits are most effective when coupled with outpatient addiction treatment. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we offer three types of outpatient options for women: partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient.

Benefits of Sober Living for Women

Overcoming Communication Barriers

According to NIH, the National Institute of Health, verbal communication is vital to making progress in any substance abuse recovery program. When you reside in a sober living home, you’re surrounded by other sober people. You’ll have a chance to speak freely about your addiction to like minded individuals. Engaging in dialogue about sobriety is crucial during recovery.

Focus on Gender-Specific Issues

Addiction impacts women differently than their male counterparts. Women also have different life experiences than men, such as pregnancy and motherhood in recovery. By living in a sober living home for women, you’ll be surrounded by people who at one time have, or will, experience similar life events as you.

Stability and Accountability

Stability and accountability are often two things that are lacking in an addicts life. It can be difficult to establish a routine while in the throws of an addiction. Because of rules and guidelines, sober living homes for women help all of their residents establish routine. Early sobriety can be a particularly vulnerable time for women, especially when they feel like they’re starting their life over. Having a group of people hold you accountable for your actions (i.e. make sure all the dishes are cleaned after dinner) will not only give you a sense of purpose, but help you create a new sober routine.

Get Help With Addiction at Anchored Tides Recovery!

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we’re focused on helping all of our clients find sobriety, but more importantly, maintaining sobriety. Our comprehensive addiction treatment programs and aftercare services can set you up for long-term recovery. We currently offer partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment programs, as well as aftercare services such as sober living. Contact us today to see how we can help you or someone you love with addiction!

How to Confide in Your Partner About Your Addiction

Addiction and relationships are often intertwined in one way or another. If you are battling addiction, your personal and romantic relationships will most likely feel the effects. It’s not uncommon for various relationships to crumble underneath the strain of addiction, especially if dishonesty is involved.

Being in a romantic relationship with an addict is hard, and people who have been there in the past and are reading this now would probably agree. One of the reasons it’s particularly difficult is because it can be hard to see how your actions affect someone else while you’re under the influence.

If you’re currently in a romantic relationship and are struggling with addiction, it doesn’t have to ruin your relationship. Confiding in your partner and expressing the desire to get help with your addiction will show your commitment to the relationship by wanting to help yourself, and can ultimately strengthen your bond!

Does Addiction Affect Relationships?

When drugs and other addictive substances take center stage in your life, it’s common for you to experience a domino affect. Below are a few ways an addiction can negatively impact a romantic (or platonic) relationship:

Physical and Verbal Abuse

One of the major side effects of substance abuse is heightened, aggression, rage, and mood swings. When coupled with the resentment and anger from your partner, all it takes is a tiny spark for things to get out of control.

Addiction and relationships make for an unstable environment, especially when kids are involved. In milder cases, the abuse is limited to verbal slurs designed to degrade the other partner.

However, it is possible for verbal slurs to escalate quickly to domestic violence, which can even be fatal at times. Not to mention extremely traumatic.

Lack of Trust

Trust is the essence of every relationship. Even friendships. And when addiction and substance abuse comes in between, lies and deception could creep in. Addicts often hide their addiction from family, friends, and loved ones due to fear of judgment, amongst other things.

Lying, pulling away, and deception are some of the ways an addict hides their addiction. These actions will directly affect your partner.

Heartbreak

Doing things you normally wouldn’t is another side effect of addiction. While under the influence, there is potential for an addict to do hurtful things, such as steal, cheat, ignore their partner, and put themselves / their partner at risk of injury. Ultimately these actions can lead to serious heartbreak for both people.

Why You Should Tell Your Partner About Your Addiction

Telling your partner about your addiction is important, especially if you want to stop using drugs or alcohol. It takes a lot of courage to seek help, and talking about your struggles with addiction is a good place to start. It will also provide some insight to your recent behavior.

Tips on How to Confide in Your Partner

If you make the brave decision to let your partner know you are battling an addiction, below are a few tips on how to get the conversation started:

Be honest

You probably don’t want to downplay or exaggerate how bad your addiction is, this is the time to be honest. You can also mention what some of your triggers are (if you know what they are already).

Educate them

Being in a relationship with an addict doesn’t mean your partner knows a lot about addiction. During this time, you can educate your partner when telling them about your addiction and experiences using drugs or alcohol. A lot of people have preconceived notions on what addiction looks like, and it isn’t always accurate.

Remember that you can’t control their reaction after confiding in them. They might feel sad at first, or not know how to react, but always know that it will get better. In time, they’ll show you their love and support.

Getting Help With Your Addiction

After confiding in your partner about your addiction, a next great step to take is to seek help. There is a lot to consider when choosing a treatment center. Some things to keep in mind when doing this are:

The treatment facility itself
The programs they offer
Location
Cost
Gender preference, if any

Get Help at Anchored Tides Recovery

Anchored Tides Recovery is a premium women-only addiction treatment facility located in Huntington Beach, California. We offer holistic and individualist treatment programs to all our patients to ensure guaranteed success. Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction.

How to Find the Right Rehab Center for You

Substance abuse and addiction is indeed a terrible disorder that affects the lives of addicts and their loved ones. When you are ready to get help, finding a rehab center is a life-changing decision, and the first step in your recovery journey. Luckily, many treatment centers are committed to helping addicts recover from addiction and give them coping skills to take home with them.

But not all treatment facilities are created equally, plus the sheer number of treatment facilities available makes choosing one difficult. And the fact is that some treatment centers are more reliable than others. So how do you find a treatment center that suits you?

With many rehab facilities in the United States, the right fit for your treatment needs does exist. Anchored Tides Recovery feels if you take the steps below, they will help you pick the right facility!

How to Find a Rehab Center

Define Your Goals

The ideal treatment center offers various treatment programs that target specific behaviors that you would like to change. So take some time to define your goals and determine what behaviors you’ll like to change in your life. Once you’ve figured that out, you will want to know the timeline to attain those goals during your recovery.

Also, understand that the treatment facility you choose will measure your success in achieving their goals.

Can you accept the rehab’s goals? Does it align with yours? You should consider your needs with respect to the recovery centers’, and then will you find a treatment center that can help you reach your goal.

Is It Accredited?

When looking for an addiction treatment center, another thing to consider is what accreditations do they have?

Licensed and accredited rehab centers show that they are committed to providing the best care to addicts. Before enrolling in a program, determine if the rehab center is licensed to treat addiction.

Treatment Programs

There are many treatment programs and therapy options available to help addicts get the help they seek. Some of these treatment facilities specialize in treating mental addiction, while others focus on treating co-occurring disorders.

You probably won’t want to end up in a rehab center that doesn’t offer programs that are best suited for you. Make sure you research the available treatment before signing up for a program.

Location

Depending on your situation, you may fancy a rehab center close to your home, especially if you want to stay close to your loved ones.

However, choosing a rehab center that’s far away might be highly beneficial, since it breaks the link between you (the addict) and your previous life.

Cost

Before you find a rehab center, you will want to consider the cost. The truth is that prices vary greatly depending on the facility, the length of stay, the program’s intensity, and so on. A good program for you should feel financially feasible.

Commonly used options to help pay for rehab include:

Reduced cash pay rate
Medicare and Medicaid
Private health insurance
Personal loans

Gender Preference

Some addiction treatment centers are gender-specific, and deciding to go to one is completely dependent on your preference. Success rates of mixed gender & gender specific treatment centers can be the same, it’s really up to you whether or not you’d like to be surrounded by the same gender. There is a sense of safety and security that women feel when attending a women’s only treatment center, especially if they’ve experienced past trauma.

Outpatient, Inpatient, and Specialty Programs

If you are in an inpatient program, you will live at the facility for a particular period, and this allows you to focus solely on your recovery for the duration of your stay.

Outpatient programs are available after the inpatient program and also act as stand alone treatment. You don’t need to live at the rehab center during this program. Outpatient programs allow for more flexibility in your schedule while seeking recovery.

Begin Your Recovery Journey With Anchored Tides Recovery

Anchored Tides Recovery center is a female-only addiction treatment center dedicated to helping women find recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, mental health issues, and past trauma. We incorporate mental, physical, academic, emotional, and vocational needs into each client’s treatment plan.

If you need help with drug or alcohol addiction, contact us today and let’s get started on your journey towards recovery.

Partial Hospitalization Programs: Who Are They For?

If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol and seeking treatment, you’re going to be faced with numerous options. Some you may have heard about before, and others can seem totally foreign. Addiction treatment is an investment (one you’re making in yourself), so it’s important to choose the right treatment for you. At Anchored Tides Recovery in Huntington Beach, California, we provide women with a safe environment to recover from addiction. One type of treatment we offer is called partial hospitalization.

What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program?

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a type of intermediate addiction treatment option between inpatient and outpatient treatment. When attending PHP, you will come to our treatment facility daily and spend the day undergoing different addiction treatment therapies. At the end of the day, you return home and are free to do whatever you please in the evening.

This type of addiction treatment can be completed after you complete inpatient treatment or as a stand-alone treatment. It’s a great option if you want to participate in intensive addiction therapy but can’t remove yourself from society for 30 or more days.

Our partial hospitalization program at Anchored Tides Recovery includes a variety of therapies:

Individual therapy
Group therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy
Adventure based therapy
Mindfulness & meditation
Trauma resiliency
Relapse prevention

Benefits of Partial Hospitalization Programs

There are many benefits to completing a partial hospitalization program for addiction treatment, one of the biggest being you don’t have to remove yourself from ‘normal life’ to receive treatment. A lot of recovering addicts find it helpful to completely go off the grid for a period of time in the beginning of their sobriety so they can focus solely on recovery. The downside is that it can sometimes be challenging to remerge into society. A partial hospitalization program offers the best of both worlds; our clients can spend their days focusing on sobriety 100%, and return to their life when the day ends. If you have pets, you’ll be able to tend to them in the evening, or even take night classes at a college and continue your education. While you’re getting sober, you will learn how to integrate sobriety into your everyday life.

Partial hospitalization can also be used as a transitional tool for recovering addicts leaving inpatient treatment. Like we mentioned before, it can be difficult to go back to ‘everyday life’ after leaving inpatient treatment. By attending a PHP, you can slowly start to rebuild your life , like securing a safe place to live, or returning home to the place you lived before treatment. You’ll be able to spend your days working on your recovery and spend the evenings tending to personal needs, like cooking for yourself or going to the gym.

Another benefit to partial hospitalization is it’s less costly than inpatient treatment. Because you live and receive treatment at an inpatient treatment facility, and eat all of your meals there, it tends to be the most expensive addiction treatment option. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we work with a number of insurance providers and also offer financing options to our clients. We want addiction treatment to be as accessible as possible for all women, and don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t get the help they deserve because they can’t afford it.

Call Us Today

If you’re in the process of seeking addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, congratulations for taking the necessary first step to a better life. A partial hospitalization program is for you if you’re looking to start your recovery journey, or completed inpatient treatment and are looking to continue treatment. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we provide addiction treatment for women and are a women ran facility. We offer partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment programs. Reach out to us for more information regarding our programs!

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Outpatient Treatment: How It Leads To Long Term Success

Outpatient Addiction is a multifaceted problem that affects all kinds of people from all walks of life. It stands to reason that addiction treatment should not be a “one size fits all” solution, yet the sad truth is that many rehabilitation programs remain generalized and outdated. In fact, many follow treatments designed for men, despite modern research that shows women face unique sets of challenges when it comes to addiction.

That’s why we are a women-specific treatment center at Anchored Tides Recovery, with a focus on individual needs and long-term recovery. We also realize that many women feel the need to delay treatment because of busy everyday lives and feelings of obligation towards others.

Sound familiar? It’s time to get the treatment you deserve and give yourself a new lease on life. And because we offer outpatient addiction treatment at Anchored Tides, you can retain some schedule flexibility and return home each night. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Outpatient Addiction Treatment?

Whereas inpatient treatment is more traditional and involves actually being admitted to a facility under 24/7 medical supervision, outpatient is a more modern style of treatment that allows for some flexibility and goes far beyond just the detox process.

While the exact experience varies for everyone, the outpatient program generally involves highly focused treatment during the day, after which you are allowed to return home each day with guidance on how to continue working towards sobriety.

There are a naturally a lot of benefits to this arrangement, specifically:

Recovering addicts can maintain their basic everyday routines and keep up with responsibilities
In many cases, the ability to go to work and not have to forfeit a job
Medical care only as needed, not necessarily required 24/7
Ability to build a support network with friends and family much earlier on
Family and friends are actively able to witness the patient making progress
Ability to engage in community activities and hobbies — keep living life!
Greater personal responsibility helps keeps patients dedicated to becoming sober and actively learning coping skills
No grand re-entry into the “real world”, meaning no shock or dramatic adjustment period following treatment
More affordable costs than most inpatient programs, thanks to fewer hours of onsite treatment and medical care

At Anchored Tides, we firmly believe in outpatient care and how allowing patients to spend time at home contributes to their successful treatment. And because different people require different levels of care, we offer three types of outpatient programs of varying degrees: Outpatient Program (OP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). Those with more severe addiction problems may require PHP for closer medical monitoring during detox, while others may do well under the programs with lower medical intensity aspects.

How Outpatient Treatment Paves the Way for a Lifetime of Sobriety

With outpatient treatment, one of the greatest benefits of all is the ability to actively make changes in everyday life. With inpatient care, the “real world” comes later, after detox and early counseling have been achieved. But because outpatient participants have their treatment worked into their everyday schedules, they are allowed to continue living their lives in the real world and make more steady, gradual changes each day. Though this means treatment is usually spread over a much longer period of time, it also means that long-term recovery is more feasible.

And rest assured; when you’re a patient at Anchored Tides, we do not just cut off ties once your treatment program reaches its planned completion. In addition to running outpatient treatment, our team at Anchored Tides practices long-term recovery monitoring for our patients. This means regular follow-ups and wellness check-ins, as well as encouragement for you to stay involved with counseling groups. We help you stay accountable to yourself now and well into the future.

The Benefits of a Female Only Treatment Facility for Addiction

Finding the right addiction treatment for you can be overwhelming. A simple google search can present you with what feels like an endless amount of treatment options. Treatment should be a safe place where you can get honest with yourself and others, be vulnerable, and develop relationships with other sober people.

Addiction manifests in many forms and affects people differently. Addiction can also impact men and women differently. If you’re a woman and looking to get sober, a female-only treatment facility could be a great option for you. At Anchored Tides Recovery, located in Orange County, CA, we’re a female ran and female-only treatment center. It’s safe to say we totally understand women and recovery.

What is a Women-Only Addiction Treatment Facility?

A women’s only addiction treatment facility is exactly what it sounds like. This is a facility that has been designed specifically to help women who suffer from addiction. During the 1970s and 80s, it came to light that addiction research was historically done on men, therefore the foundation of treatment was ill-equipped for women. As a response to this, research began on the differences between men and women when it comes to addiction. Studies show that:

Addiction progresses faster and can be more severe in women
Problems related to addiction interfere with functioning in more areas of life than men’s do
Are more likely to encounter health-related issues from addiction

After information on how addiction affects genders differently became available, women-only treatment started to form and flourish.

Benefits of a Women-Only Facility

There are numerous benefits to attending a women-only treatment center for addiction.

It’s Easier to Open Up

One of the most important aspects of addiction treatment is opening up to others. People need to be able to share their experiences regarding how addiction has impacted them while also learning from the experiences of others. Women might feel hesitant to open up regarding how addiction has impacted them with other men in the room. In many cases, drug abuse and addiction are going to impact other aspects of someone’s life, including their sexual health. It’s not uncommon for women to have negative sexual experiences during their addiction. It’s important for women to share these experiences in order to cope.

Find Common Ground

When women enter a treatment facility that is designed for both genders, they might feel like they don’t have a lot in common with the other people in the facility. This can make it hard for someone to come to terms with addiction and rehab. If the treatment center focuses on women, the clients are going to be able to learn from the similarities of others. They are going to feel like they aren’t alone during treatment. Women’s only treatment also sets the foundation for creating a strong sober network. As a woman, it’s important to have support from other women, during and after treatment.

All Women Staff

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we have an all-female staff. We feel the best way to run a female treatment center is to have females running it. We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, safe space for women to start their recovery journey. Our female staff understands what you’ve been through while battling addiction and is dedicated to giving you all the tools you need to overcome this horrible disease. We will help you with your addiction and any comorbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, trauma caused by negative sexual experiences or domestic violence, PTSD, and more.

We Support Women

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we are a comprehensive, dual-diagnosis enhanced program designed specifically for women, by women. Our program offers numerous levels of outpatient services including a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a traditional Outpatient Program (OP), and long-term recovery monitoring. We are here to help women overcome addiction and mental health disorders. If you would like to learn more about how our program can help you and your family members recover from addiction, please contact us today!

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Why You Should Travel to Huntington Beach for Addiction Treatment

When someone is suffering from addiction, it’s important to seek help as quickly as possible. The sooner people ask for help from trained professionals, the faster they can get on the road to addiction recovery. Because there is a sense of urgency associated with seeking treatment, it’s common for people to look for treatment programs close to home. At first, this may seem to make sense because home is familiar and comfortable, but upon further evaluation, it actually makes more sense to travel for treatment. It’s important to leave the toxic environment that led to your addiction in the first place.

What Are the Benefits of Traveling for Addiction Treatment?

There are a lot of benefits to traveling for addiction treatment. Traveling to Orange County is a chance for someone to start a new life. It’s critical to break the normal routine that allowed addiction to take hold in order to seek recovery. In a new environment, people will be able to look inward and learn more about themselves. They’ll have the chance to close the book on a destructive period in their life.

We feel by escaping the old, destructive environment, someone can leave behind bad routines, bad relationships, and the other consequences caused by substance abuse. It’s important to be able to reflect on the habits that were built that led to addiction. The best way to do this is by separating yourself from your old environment. Go on a journey of self-discovery by seeking treatment in a new place.

Reasons to Seek Addiction Treatment in Huntington Beach

There are going to be more opportunities for people to seek help from specialists in Orange County. Everyone’s addiction is different. Not only are people addicted to different substances but their reasons and circumstances for using are different as well. Therefore, people need to have the ability to seek help from specialists who have seen similar cases in the past. When people travel to Huntington Beach, they will have access to experienced professionals who can help them break free.

Huntington Beach is home to gorgeous weather. Unlike other parts of the country, Southern California is pleasant all year round. The sun is always shining and there’s zero humidity. This can help people cope with some of the challenges that are going to come up with addiction treatment such as withdrawal and depression. Do not underestimate the power of fresh air and sunshine.

There’s also access to the beach here in Huntington Beach. It’s fantastic and recommended to incorporate physical activity into the process of addiction treatment. Hiking, swimming, running, etc, are all great activities to clear someone’s head. There is something very therapeutic about spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. Nature also has a way of focusing on one’s priorities. People who come to this area love taking advantage of the beach and it’s healing components.

The biggest benefit of traveling to Southern California by far is that people can prioritize themselves instead of their addictions. There is so much room for exploring in a new area. Once you are in a sober state of mind you’ll probably realize there are a lot of things you’d like to start doing. Huntington Beach is the perfect place to rediscover yourself, new hobbies, and what makes you truly happy.

Let Us Help You with Your Recovery!

At Anchored Tides Recovery, we are a comprehensive dual-diagnosis enhanced program that has been created specifically for women, by women. We provide a wide variety of outpatient services including a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a traditional Outpatient Program (OP), as well as long-term recovery monitoring. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you find recovery in Orange County, then please contact us today!

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Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Awareness and Prevention

Coronavirus-Disease-Awareness-and-Prevention

Policy Update

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Awareness and Prevention

Policies & Procedures

Policy: It is the Policy of Anchored Tides Recovery to identify risks as the CDC and WHO has identified COVID-19 as a pandemic, and expectations of the Coronavirus spreading throughout the United States. As a preemptive measure, Anchored Tides Recovery follows guidelines of the CDC and develops measures to properly look at risks associated with any pandemic situation.

Procedure: As of March 12th, 2020, All Prescreening will include questions regarding travel to China, Asia, and Europe, flu-like symptoms and if the individual has come in contact with anyone who has COVID-19. These individuals will be monitored and referred out if flu-like symptoms occur. Anchored Tides Recovery will train staff on proper handwashing and prevention methods to prepare for potential issues if the virus is to spread. This will go into effect until the CDC declares COVID-19 as no longer a threat to the American public.

The Following Questions have been added to the pre-screening assessment

Have you traveled to Asia or Europe since the winter of 2019?
1. If yes, what countries or parts of countries have you visited?
Have you or any family members been exposed to Coronavirus?
Are you at risk for exposure to coronavirus?
Are you experiencing shortness of breath, coughing, fever, or other symptoms of Coronavirus and/or the flu?
1. If Yes, have you been tested for the Coronavirus or are you willing to be tested?

If anyone is experiencing these symptoms and/or has traveled the staff will have the client reviewed by a healthcare provider to check for COVID-19 prior to admission. These results will be documented in the client file and will be accessible to staff to review.

At this time, all visitors to the facility will be canceled until further notice unless deemed absolutely necessary. Visitors if necessary, will be asked about recent exposure to COVID-19 and any health risks they may have.

Patient safety is highly important of which the following posters will be placed at the front of the office:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/CoronaTravelEnglish.pdf
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/COVID19-ProtectYourselfandOthers.pdf

Anchored Tides Recovery has identified another risk area in our direct and indirect care staff, at this time the executive team has enabled an emergency preparedness plan to ensure those who are sick will have paid sick leave and an email will go to all staff regarding changes to company policy on sick leave to further help the containment of COVID-19.

all staff will receive information and training on COVID-19 as well as preventative and containment measures, they can consider.
Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.
Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor

All executive-level employees should be reviewing the CDC website frequently at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

References:

Corona Virus Covid-19 Policy Policy Update

Women’s Addiction Treatment: Why It’s Necessary

Dealing with treatment and recovery from substance abuse is a hardship for all involved, and that can be compounded by generic programs that don’t take into account the needs of different clients. The fact is, women have a very different path more often than not when trying to pick up again after addiction. Unlike men, women are more frequently in the role of needing to be a direct care provider for children or elders at the same time that they need to address their own mental, physical, emotional and personal needs. As a result, a women-only rehabilitation program is oftentimes a far better approach than a mixed audience option.

Why Women’s Specific Treatment Is Important

Finding addiction treatment specifically geared for women, however, can be challenging. Many programs are geared for all-gender therapeutic treatment and don’t cater to a women-only environment request. And that can leave a patient uneasy or exposed and vulnerable to male clients in the same residential setting. Granted, many programs provide a very high level of security and treatment care for clients and don’t intend to create an unsafe environment. That said, the mixing of vulnerable clients has sometimes been a negative factor in treatment conditions versus an improvement.

The other factor that a mixed audience treatment program can’t directly provide is that women going through similar scenarios may often build bonds in their commonality and strong friends who reinforce each other far better through treatment than any external person could provide them, including medically-trained staff. Those kinds of personal synergies can help a client stay on track, even well after the addiction treatment has ended because the close friendship connection has not.

Is A Women’s Only Rehabilitation Right For You?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to substance abuse treatment. Regardless of the fact that people are frequently categorized by the type of addiction, demographics and even economic background, people’s situations are fundamentally different from each other when one gets into the details. One situation may very well be a cascading problem of job loss, divorce and family strife contributing to addiction for distraction and trying to get away from the problems. Another situation may be rooted in one’s family history from decades before. Another may be triggered by abusive relationships that act as a catalyst for substance abuse. If a treatment program applied a generic approach to every case coming in the door, a good portion of clients would fail, which is a big problem with many generic treatment providers.

With a women-only rehabilitation center, a patient could very well be a good fit for the gender-specific treatment approach if there is a history of relationship problems with men that act as a catalyst for addictive behavior. In other cases, female patients may be very apprehensive in mixed crowds but in a women-only environment, it becomes easier to open up, which contributes to adjustment and learning versus being defensive. Still, other female clients may want to stay close to their children during treatment and can’t do so in a mixed-gender addiction treatment program. Female clients who find strength in common experience will frequently find benefits in recovering with other women who’ve lived similar lives too.

Women Need Enhanced Rehab Treatment

Many generic programs again only provide the same approach for all patients that come through the door. However, because of the physical toll substance abuse can take, withdrawal effects can be far stronger on women than men. As a result, a second particular aspect female clients or their families need to consider is that the program can address the additional help a female client will likely want or need in the recovery process. These issues often include mental and psychological conflicts of personal worth, sensitivity to groups and societal norms, or fear of the legal system being aggressive towards women in general. Childcare, as mentioned before, is also a big concern for many female patients afraid they might lose their children committing to an addiction treatment program. So, treatment approaches that accommodate mothers are essential to alleviate this fear and reason for not seeking help.

Getting Help That Works

Anchored Tides Recovery is a comprehensive dual-diagnosis enhanced program designed specifically for women, by women. We offer various levels of outpatient services including a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), an outpatient program (OP), and long-term recovery monitoring with aftercare. If you’re a woman finding treatment for yourself, another female friend, or a loved one, it can be challenging. Call us today. We can help you get the support your need.

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The Silence Of A Client’s Death

By, Heather Black-Coyne

I have worked in addiction treatment for 10 years now. My journey working in the treatment industry began early in sobriety and like many, I wanted to help others find recovery just as I had. A topic much talked about but not really talked about is the death of our clients. The news coverage speaks to the number of opioid overdoses and the stark increase of deaths over the years. The opioid epidemic is well underway, and tens of thousands die each year because of opioid use. Today’s reality is that someone is now more likely to die of an opioid overdose than a motor vehicle accident. The unfortunate news is methamphetamine use and alcohol use also take thousands of lives, but their toll is overshadowed by the opioid crisis; that’s a topic for another day.

Despite the staggering statistics, in all of my classes, clinical team meetings, and new employee orientations, the fact that one of my clients might die was never discussed. Sure, we covered self-care, hear of and grieve the third-party news that a former client has passed. Sure, I have learned that certain standards, regulations, risk management and compliance measures need to be in place to safeguard organizational liability in case of sentinel events. I have participated in the silence, and I am sad to say that over time, my cognitive sensitivity to death by overdose has decreased.

Today, I’m very aware of the cumulative effect these losses have had on my soul. I am sad. I am confused. I am preoccupied with images of my late client. My thoughts vacillate between my recent client’s death and the loss of past clients. I see past clients sitting in my office talking about their dreams. I hear their longing to be a part of. I imagine them at my doorway, smiling, telling me about their latest achievements. I replay moments where I had this keen sense of them flirting with the afterlife and their weighted connection with death. My process then flips to my recent loss. I feel guilt when I hear others express they thought ‘this one would make it.’ The guilt is rooted in retrospect. I knew a barrier existed between her and true joy. I knew she was just existing, despite the smile she flashed the world. The guilt is rooted in knowing, at times, I operated from a place of defense, “I am here for you AND I am protecting myself.” A sense of protecting myself from the overwhelming feeling of grief, even before you passed away. Though at the time, I truly didn’t know that would be the outcome.

I am grounded and rooted in emotional health. I don’t beat myself up, I don’t ruminate on what I did or did not do. I do not assign myself unnecessary blame. I have and my guess is, others have too. My guess is, that especially for newer counselors, there is some unshakable sense of responsibility. I want to validate that normal human process for anyone who has experienced the death of clients. I want to validate the enormous pull to help save someone’s live and the disappointment of that endeavor not being realized. I want to validate the disparity between seeing someone thrive and then learning of their passing. I want to talk about the fact that if you work in addiction treatment, for any length of time, losing a client is not only a possibility but a probability. When this happens, the loss is staggering. The world silences while your heart sinks. Our thoughts attempt to reconcile the feelings that can’t be explained.

We do this work because we are called to help others, and the need is clear. We do this work, because we believe in the gift of life. We keep doing this work despite the heartache for these reasons. The number of individuals I have seen achieve successful recovery far outweighs the number of individuals I have seen die from this disease. Every story holds a special place in my heart. Every story teaches me something I didn’t know I needed to know. If you are like me, if this subject wasn’t talked about with you, know you are not alone. I am with you, we are with you, let’s talk about it.