Tag: addiction treatment for women

What are the Different Types of Addiction?

What we often don’t think about is the fact that along with substance use disorders, there are other types of addiction as well. Addiction is a dysfunction of your brain’s reward system. When you have an addiction, it also affects your memory and motivation.

These adverse effects on your brain function that occur with an addiction can lead your body to crave a behavior or substance. You may obsessively try and pursue whatever it is you’re addicted to. Even when negative consequences stem from the addiction, you continue anyway. Your addiction is your ultimate priority, above anything else.

Broadly, we can divide the different types of addiction into two categories—chemical and behavioral.

Chemical addiction is the misuse of substances like illicit drugs. Behavioral addictions are those compulsive behaviors that you carry out even when they aren’t beneficial and are harmful. Sometimes you’ll hear references to a shopping addiction or internet addiction, for example.

Addictive behavior often co-occurs with other mental disorders.

Understanding Addiction

Addiction interferes with your brain’s reward system and other elements of its function. When you’re doing enjoyable things, your reward system releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine doesn’t necessarily cause feelings of pleasure. Instead, it reinforces the association your brain makes between certain activities and feelings of pleasure you experience.

That reinforcement leads you to want to continue to seek those things out.

If you use drugs or engage in a certain behavior, you may want to experience the feelings of euphoria they create again. This can lead to cravings for behavior or substance like prescription medications, illegal drugs, or alcohol. Cravings can be one of the first symptoms of addiction.

When you continue to use the substance or do the behavior, your brain keeps triggering a high release of dopamine. Then, eventually, your brain starts to produce lower amounts of dopamine naturally in response to triggers that would ordinarily bring you pleasure.

As this goes on, you need more stimulus to make up for the dopamine your brain isn’t producing anymore, which is tolerance or physical dependence.

When an addiction develops, you might lose interest in things you previously enjoyed since you aren’t making dopamine in response to these activities.

Loss of control is a defining feature of addiction, which can lead to problems in relationships, health, and your career. Many people also experience other adverse consequences of compulsive behavior patterns or substance use, like financial issues.

When you’re in active addiction, you no longer get the pleasurable feeling from the drug or behavior, but you can’t stop doing it without therapy, addiction treatment, or behavior modification.

What is Chemical Addiction?

Chemical addiction is a catch-all term used to refer to substance abuse, addiction, and physical and psychological dependence.

Because of that, it’s often known as a substance use disorder. A substance use disorder or actual addiction is diagnosable and can fall into one of three categories—mild, moderate, and severe.

Symptoms of substance use disorder are:

Intense cravings that make it hard to think about anything else daily
Needing to use larger doses of the substance to get the same effects
Feeling uncomfortable if you can’t get the substance
Risky use, like driving under the influence
Problems managing your daily responsibilities
Relationship issues stemming from substance use
Not spending as much time doing the activities you once enjoyed
Unsuccessful efforts to stop using the substance
Withdrawal symptoms if you cut down your usage or stop cold turkey

Some of the most common substance addictions and addictive substances include:

Alcohol use disorder
Nicotine
Opioids, including prescription drug addictions and heroin
Cannabis
Amphetamine drug addiction
Methamphetamine addiction disorder
Cocaine

Behavioral Addictions

Behavioral addictions can be a little harder to spot and diagnose. There are fewer evidence-based criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral addictions compared to something like alcohol addiction.

Currently, the DSM-5 does have two behavioral addictions it recognizes.

The first is gambling addiction (compulsive gambling), and the second is internet gaming disorder which is similar to video game addiction.

There’s disagreement among medical experts about when behaviors can potentially become addictions and the particular behaviors that have a predisposition to lead to addiction.
Currently, the American Psychological Association doesn’t include behavior patterns linked to things like exercise, shopping, and sexual behavior in the DSM, because it says there isn’t enough peer-reviewed evidence available to develop diagnostic criteria.
That doesn’t mean that behaviors can’t lead to symptoms of addiction. It just means that as it stands right now, more research is needed to standardize how we diagnose and understand these addictions compared to other types of addiction.

General signs of a possible behavioral addiction include:

Spending an excessive period of time engaging in the behavior
Having urges to keep engaging in the behavior despite its negative effects on your life, responsibilities like school or work, or your relationships
Using behaviors to manage uncomfortable emotions
Hiding what you’re doing or how much time you spend on a behavior
Trouble avoiding the behavior
Experience symptoms of withdrawal if you don’t engage in the behavior like anxiety, depression, restlessness, or irritability
Continuing to engage in the behavior even when it creates distress
Unsuccessful efforts to stop doing whatever the behavior is

Common types of behavioral addiction that often lead people to get professional treatment include:

Exercise
Compulsive shopping
Food addiction
Sex addiction
Social media
TV

Treatment for Substance Addiction

With a substance use disorder, most people need professional treatment. There are complex physical and mental factors and potentially co-occurring disorders that play a role in addiction. If you’re dependent on a substance, you may need a supervised detox first.

During detox, you can receive medical treatment for the physical symptoms of chemical dependence.
Then, you could go to residential or outpatient treatment.
During residential treatment, you stay at a treatment facility, receiving specialized care and support.
Residential rehab can last for a few weeks to several months on average.
An outpatient program is more flexible, and you continue to live at home.

Regardless of the specific type of addiction treatment program you participate in, psychotherapy and counseling will likely be part of it.

Working with a therapist or counselor can help you understand why you started using substances and develop new coping mechanisms.
An FDA-approved medication can also be used for substance addiction.
There are medication-assisted treatments for alcohol, opioid and nicotine addictions in particular.
Medications reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Support groups like a 12-step program can help people get sober or stay in addiction recovery. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two of the more well-known 12-step programs.

Treatment for Behavioral Addiction

The most common approach to treating different types of addiction involving a behavior is therapy, as with other mental health disorders. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based way to treat behavioral addictions.

When you participate in CBT, you’re focused on paying attention to your distressing thoughts and emotions. You work with a therapist to learn how to reframe those thoughts. You can work on the goal of developing better-coping skills.

Depending on your symptoms, an SSRI antidepressant might be part of the treatment. Participation in self-help groups can be valuable for behavioral addictions.

Often, as is the case with treating chemical addictions, behavioral addiction treatment requires a combination of approaches.

Get Help to Avoid Complications

Different types of addiction can vary, but the one underlying concept is that they are treatable. Without treatment, both substance addictions and behavioral addictions can worsen and complications can develop.

Over time without treatment, the effects on your life become more damaging. Reach out to us to learn more about getting the treatment you need for mental health issues or substance abuse disorder.

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What is a Spiritual Awakening in Recovery?

What is a spiritual awakening in recovery? Spirituality is one of the more misunderstood elements of addiction treatment and recovery, yet it is often one of the most important. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we encourage everyone to explore spirituality in a way that works for them, both during treatment and throughout their life.

Your spiritual journey and practice are likely to become something you rely on throughout your life, well after addiction treatment. Active addiction affects your spirit in profound ways, many of which you might not recognize immediately. Addiction keeps you from being truly present or in the moment because the influence of drugs or alcohol is always there. You might feel worthless due to your addiction, believing your only purpose is to use drugs or alcohol.

Addiction can make you lose touch with your emotions, preventing you from experiencing life fully. Recovery often goes hand-in-hand with the spiritual awakening process. This journey can be challenging because it looks different for everyone, but it is incredibly rewarding.

A spiritual awakening in recovery involves an increased sense of awareness and presence in the moment, noticing things you might have previously overlooked. We’ll explore below what we mean when we talk about a spiritual awakening in recovery and how it can happen for different people, regardless of their belief systems.

What is a Spiritual Awakening?

A spiritual awakening isn’t something you experience exclusive to addiction recovery. Awakening can happen at any time in your life, regardless of your circumstances.

You often experience something profound or on a deeper level that leads to a breakdown of your ego. You may feel a tug or call toward deeper mental awareness. The result tends to be a personal transformation along with a shift in how you see yourself and the world around you. For many of us, a spiritual awakening comes after a catalyst in our life.

If you’re going to addiction treatment or struggling with a substance use disorder, the realization that you’ve hit rock bottom or are not in control of your drug use can be that triggering event. It’s usually that initial realization about the true depths of your substance abuse that many people say is the hardest part of recovery. You have to see for yourself the impacts of your addiction on every area of your life before you reach any kind of deeper spiritual awareness. Awakening doesn’t always stem from addiction.

For some people, it’s a traumatic experience such as surviving an assault or abuse, or maybe the loss of a loved one. When you go through something traumatic, it affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally. You may go through an extended period of healing but emerge on the other side of that in a more vital place spiritually. If you have depression or a mental health disorder, it can lead you to what we call an existential crisis. You start to look more at the purpose of your life, and you may want a shift due to that assessment.

You can engage in practices through your daily life that might also activate an awareness or awakening. For example, mindfulness and meditation can be a way to transform yourself on a spiritual level, even without a major life event happening. According to Deepak Chopra, when you experience an awakening, you’re not in a dream world anymore.

Instead, based on Chopra’s framework, you are aware of yourself but only in a way that puts you within the context and connection of everything else. This period is also sometimes called enlightenment or nirvana.

How to Start Your Spiritual Awakening

The process of how to start your spiritual awakening is deeply personal, so below are only suggestions, but you may find a path that’s entirely your own.

Start to observe and notice. Many of us go through our lives on autopilot. We don’t think about what we truly want, who we are at our core, or why we’re at a particular point in our lives. When you become aware and observant, you’re better able to make changes then. For example, this might be when you question your drinking or drug use and start to delve more into why you’re doing it.
Develop a sense of connection. Specifically, as it relates to addiction and recovery, that sense of connection can come from participation in a support group, like a 12-step program.
Let go of attachments. We all have extensions that aren’t relevant to our true selves. You can begin to eliminate whatever those are through your awakening.
Find inner peace. When you cultivate inner peace, things still go wrong in your life, but it doesn’t lead you down dark paths. Instead, you learn how to cope with things as they go wrong effectively. When you’re experiencing things that aren’t pleasant, you recognize them as a fleeting moment in time.
Feel more compassion and empathy. When you’re participating in an addiction treatment program, you’ll start to learn more about how your substance abuse affected the people around you. This is an excellent starting point as you begin to become more empathetic and compassionate in all areas of your life.
More authenticity. You’ll start to grow into someone who feels your self-worth on a deep level. That will allow you to be more authentic in who you are.

The final step in an awakening of your spirit is that you’ll be happier and healthier. You’ll be able to thrive in your life rather than just survive in your recovery process.

Spirituality in Recovery

In many ways, having a successful long-term recovery from addiction relies on spiritual growth taking place. You have to change your perspective to be in recovery. As part of treatment for substance abuse, you can begin to identify and reconnect with the aspects of your life that are most important to you.

Spiritual power can become your most incredible tool for healing, personal growth, and having a thriving life. You can develop a sense of purpose, and at the same time, learn that you’re not alone.

Spirituality Is Not Religion

We often hear from people who worry spirituality is about God or religion. However, it’s important to note that you do not need religion or a belief in God to have a spiritual experience, although you certainly can get your spiritual power from God. A true awakening in the spiritual sense is about having your own beliefs and developing your sense of self that connects you to everything else in the world in your everyday life. You can give credit to whatever force or power you choose.

Are you ready to begin learning how to start your spiritual journey? We encourage you to reach out and learn more about our addiction treatment programs. We prioritize spirituality in whatever terms work for you. Your spiritual life is very personal, which is how Anchored Tides Recovery develops our addiction treatment programs as well, call 866-329-6639 to learn more.

Support starts here.

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The Relationship Between ADHD and Substance Abuse

There is commonly a relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with substance abuse disorder. According to the National Institutes of Mental Illness, when someone has a mental health disorder along with a substance use disorder, it’s called a co-occurring disorder. Co-occurring disorders can begin simultaneously, but more commonly, one might appear before the other.

In the case of ADD/ADHD, it’s usually present before someone develops a substance use disorder.

What Are ADD and ADHD?

ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder, and ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; both disorders are considered subtypes of one condition.

The term ADD is somewhat outdated, and you’ll most often hear these conditions referred to generally as ADHD.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are around 6.4 million children with ADHD diagnosed with it in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making this condition one of the most common childhood mental disorders.

Types of ADHD

Some variations of the disorder are:

Inattentive
Hyperactive
Impulsive
Combined
Adult

Inattentive

With the inattentive type, a child may specifically have problems focusing; symptoms for this particular subtype include:

Distracted easily
Forgetful
Not able to pay attention to details
Trouble staying on-task
Doesn’t follow instructions
Disorganized

Hyperactive/Impulsive

Symptoms of this type of ADHD can include:

Excessive talking
Squirms or fidgets
Moves around in inappropriate situations
Has a hard time staying quiet
Interrupts others
Experiences difficulties waiting their turn

Combined

The combined subtype of ADHD symptoms includes both inattention as well as hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Adult

Most adults who have ADHD had it since childhood, but it might not have been diagnosed until they were older. Symptoms of ADHD in adults can include:

Being easily distracted
Not paying attention to details
Some may have hyperfocus, meaning they delve so much into a project that they lose awareness of what’s happening around them
Disorganization
Problems with time management, such as often showing up late
Forgetfulness
Impulsivity
Shifts in mood
Negative self-image
Lack of motivation
Anxiety
Restlessness
Fatigue
Problems in relationships

Along with the symptoms above, adults with attention deficit disorder are also more likely to experience substance abuse, including alcohol and tobacco, and other illegal drugs.

What Are the Symptoms of Substance Abuse?

Some of the symptoms of substance abuse can overlap with ADHD symptoms. That can make a diagnosis of one or both conditions more challenging. Symptoms of addiction can include:

Urges or cravings to use a substance
A single-minded focus on getting and using the substance
Developing a tolerance and needing higher doses to get the same effects
Regularly taking more of a substance than intended
Financial difficulties that arise because of spending on drugs or alcohol
Continual use of the substance despite adverse side effects and outcomes
Engaging in risky behaviors while on the drug, or to get more of it
Not being able to stop using the substance
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if cutting back or trying to quit

If someone is dealing with addiction, the people around them may see more outward manifestations. These can include:

Problems at work or school
Failing to meet obligations in daily life
Physical health issues such as weight loss
Not caring about grooming or physical appearance
Changes in behavior
Being secretive
Problems with money

Why Are People with ADHD At Higher Risk of Substance Abuse and Addiction?

It’s estimated that more than 25% of adolescents with substance use disorders also fit the criteria for ADHD. Around the same percentage of adults who seek treatment for drug or alcohol abuse also have ADHD.

There are so many factors that can play a role in the links between ADHD and substance abuse, some of which are explored below.

Underlying Vulnerability

One theory as to why people with ADHD are more likely to develop substance use disorders is because both conditions are considered disinhibition disorders; when someone doesn’t have inhibitions, they are more likely to be impulsive in their behaviors. Impulsivity leads to risky behaviors, and that can include using substances.

Children, throughout their lifetime, are significantly more likely to try different substances than people without ADHD.

The brain of someone with ADHD can be wired to seek out new experiences because of their impulsivity. That means that not only could they be more likely to use substances, but their brain could move toward full-blown addiction more quickly.

Dealing with the Effects of ADHD

When a child or adult struggles with ADHD, it can have profound effects on their life, including overall quality of life. Someone with ADHD may struggle with relationships and in situations like school or work. It may be overwhelming for them to keep up with the demands of their daily responsibilities.

They may feel like they’re different from other people, or they may feel like they aren’t achieving what they’d like to because of ADHD. These negative feelings can impact self-esteem and can make someone more likely to use substances.

Self-Medication

In some ways, self-medication was touched on above, but it can also be talked about on its own. When someone is dealing with ADHD symptoms, they may find that it’s hard for them to calm down or relax, which can lead to self-medication with substances.

For example, if someone with ADHD often feels restless or as if their mind is racing, they might use a depressant like marijuana or alcohol to deal with the symptoms. Someone with ADHD could also self-medicate to improve anxiety, sleep, focus, or depression.

Do ADHD Medicines Contribute to Substance Abuse Problems?

There are some theories that the use of ADHD medicines like Adderall and Ritalin could themselves create an addiction risk. While amphetamine and methylphenidate are potentially addictive, most people with ADHD who take these drugs as prescribed are less likely to abuse them than people without ADHD.

When someone has ADHD symptoms and takes their medicine as prescribed, it doesn’t create that same high as it does in someone who’s recreationally abusing the drug. Research is increasingly showing that it may lower their risk of substance abuse when someone takes their ADHD medicine as prescribed.

Substance Abuse Treatment with Co-Occurring Disorders

For someone who has both ADHD and a substance abuse disorder, they may require long term treatment for both co-occurring disorders. When someone has a co-occurring disorder, dual diagnosis treatment is critical. If a person isn’t treated for both conditions, then there’s a higher likelihood of relapse. Once a dual diagnosis has been established, co-occurring disorders require specialized treatment that tends to be more in-depth.

Dual diagnosis treatment addresses the mental, physical and social factors of addiction and the mental health disorder. Dual diagnosis treatment may include a combination of behavioral therapies in both individual and group settings. The therapist might use medication as well.

The big takeaway is that while people with ADHD are more likely to have substance use disorders, treatment can work when it deals with both issues separately and their relationship to one another.

Anchored Tides Recovery is a safe place for women with co-occurring mental health issues, along with addiction issues, can heal. Call us today, find comfort and start to build your support group, one woman at a time.

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