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Self-talk, also known as your internal dialogue, is influenced by your subconscious and can reveal your thoughts, beliefs, questions and ideas. When your self-talk is negative, it can affect your mental health entirely. Self-talk begins at a young age and can be influenced by our social environment. Friends, family and teachers can all influence the way you think abut yourself— both good and bad.
Become Self-Aware
Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when you’re talking down on yourself, but the first step to getting rid of any negative self-talk is to become aware of when you’re doing it. For example, you try on an article of clothing, look at yourself in the mirror and think “Wow, I look awful. I’m so fat that I can no longer look right in my clothing.” That’s negative self-talk. When you find yourself doing this, try saying something like, “I’ve gained a little weight. But that’s O.K., my body is always changing. I am healthy.” Rephrasing your negative thoughts has a huge impact on eliminating negative self-talk. You’ll feel uncomfortable when you first try rephrasing yourself, and that’s because you’re so accustomed to talking poorly to yourself and about yourself. Give it time, and eventually you’ll feel comfortable enough in your skin to rephrase and improve positive self-talk.
Journal in 3rd Person
Journaling is a practice that many counselors suggest to their clients to keep a clear head space and reflect on their moods. Journaling can also be a way to practice positive self-talk. Instead of journaling in a first-person point of view, you can try writing in third-person— meaning you will write from the perspective of an outsider. “Caroline had a bad day today. But, she had the right to. She’s allowed to have bad days when things upset her.” Weird, right? That’s O.K.! Just like we discussed previously, you’re going to feel uncomfortable doing all of these things. If you feel too strange writing about yourself, try starting out with shorter sentences or bullet points rather than full pages.
Identify
The Mayo Clinic identifies four common types of negative self-talk: filtering, personalizing, catastrophizing and polarizing. Let’s break it down.
Filtering: magnifying the negative aspects of a situation and filtering out all of the positive ones
Example: You paint a picture for your friend, who loves it and raves about how good of an artist you are. You then realize a small detail you missed and can’t stop thinking about how awful it looks, rather than accepting the compliments.
Personalizing: automatically blaming yourself when something bad happens
Example: Your friends cancel their weekend plans with you because they’re busy, but you take it upon yourself to assume they don’t want to spend time with you.
Catastrophizing: Automatically anticipating the worst
Example: You’re on your way to work and you slip and fall causing you to rip a hole in the knee of your pants. This is the worst! Your whole day is now ruined!
Polarizing: Only seeing things as good or bad
Example: There’s only two things you can be: perfect or a failure.
All four of these types are damaging to your mental health, and cause extra stress on your every day life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, give us a call at 330-270-8610 or visit us at ondemandcounseling.com.
The Enneagram of Personality is backed by research as a model of personalities broken down into nine types. The Enneagram links each of the nine personality types to one another within a circular diagram. Originally created in 1915 by philosopher George Gurdjieff, it wasn’t until the late 1960s when the nine specific personality types were placed within the Enneagram diagram. Since its creation and development, the overall goal of the Enneagram is to use it as a human development system and incorporate it into modern psychology studies.
What are the 9 Enneagram types?
The nine Enneagram types include:
The Reformer
The Helper
The Achiever
The Individualist
The Investigator
The Loyalist
The Enthusiast
The Challenger
The Peacemaker
Enneagram theory states that people are born with dominant personality types and then those types can be molded by the environment and experiences in someone’s life. If you take the Enneagram test and receive your dominant type, but resonate with other types as well, it is natural. However, Enneagram theory also suggests that your dominant type is the most important to your personality.
For instance, you may test as a 7, or the Enthusiast, but also have a high score in a 6, the Loyalist. This is called a “wing.” Your wing is an adjacent number on the diagram that influences your dominant type. Although you have majority characteristics of an Enthusiast, your traits that tie into the Loyalist don’t change your personality.
Although the Enneagram model can be confusing to understand, here are three things to make your understanding a little easier:
The numbers on the Enneagram model are neutral
These numbers may seem like they are ranked from highest to lowest with one being the most strong and nine being the weakest, or vice versa. But, that’s not the case. Numbers were chosen to represent the model because they are neutral and do not specify feminine or masculine types, as all types are gender-neutral and universal. The number you are simply specifies which type you are, and nothing else.
2. There are 3 “centers” within the Enneagram model
The three Enneagram centers are Instinctive, Feeling and Thinking. Each center hosts three personality types. For instance, the Thinking Center hosts 5, 6 and 7; Feeling hosts 2, 3 and 4 and Instinctive hosts 8, 9 and 1. The Enneagram centers are also tied with a main emotion when dealing with hardship. Anger and rage are associated with the Instinctive Center while shame is associated with Feeling and fear with the Thinking Center.
3. Just like the number of Enneagram types, there are 9 Levels of Development
Humans are always changing due to internal and external experiences, so it is natural to not always be in one stage of your personality. For this reason, the nine Levels of Development were created to allow people to reflect on where they are in their lives correlating with their Enneagram type. According to the Enneagram Institute, “One of the most profound ways of understanding the Levels is as a measure of our capacity to be present.” Meaning, the further down we go on the Level scale, the more ego-centric we are (and not in a good way!) The goal is to move up the ladder of Levels and eventually reach Level1 “The Level of Liberation.”
How Counseling Ties in with Enneagrams:
Although Enneagrams may not be discussed in your counseling appointments, On Demand Counseling is dedicated to helping you find peace and clarity within yourself. Our mental health professionals are trained in many aspects of mental health including trauma and substance use.
Niles, OH (January 11, 2021) – On Demand Counseling hosted a free, community dinner at Rust City Church in Niles, Ohio on Jan. 7, 2021.
On Demand Counseling’s Peer Recovery Support team led the spaghetti dinner with the initiative to create unity in the community and educate the public about recovery and the benefits of peer support.
“We’re always trying to find ways to get out into the community, but we had difficulties doing so the past year due to COVID,” says Shaun Meier. “We knew that hosting a COVID-friendly event would still allow us to be safe and get the word out about our services at On Demand Counseling and all of Rust City’s community-focused initiatives.”
In coordination with Wes Washington, Men’s Pastor at Rust City Church, On Demand Counseling was able to serve about 100 warm, spaghetti meals during the two-hour drive-up dinner.
“Getting the word out about On Demand and the amazing work we do here is always important to us,” says Sydney Metzel, Director of Marketing at On Demand. “We’re always grateful to partner with other local organizations and give back to our communities in any way we can.”
On Demand Counseling offers mental health services as well as outpatient addiction treatment and substance use counseling.
About On Demand
On Demand Counseling is an affiliate of On Demand Occupational Medicine and New Day Recovery located across Northeast Ohio, respectively. On Demand Counseling began as an MAT program for substance users in recovery and has since expanded to an array of mental health services. There are three On Demand Counseling facilities located in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
New years can mean a lot of things to different people, but a common theme in America is that a new year brings a new self. However, just because the calendar has flipped, doesn’t mean we automatically change. We must make the change.
Setting goals to “lose 50 pounds” or “stop being stressed all the time” are not realistic new year’s resolutions and can have a negative effect on your mental health when you don’t meet your expectations. Keep reading to find out 3 ways to set healthy new year’s resolutions while maintaining a positive state of mind.
Be prepared for obstacles
Feeling beaten down or discouraged is most likely to happen when you can’t reach your goals. It’s important to be prepared for any obstacles that may come your way in your journey to fulfilling your new year’s resolutions.
Try setting smaller goals inside your new year’s resolutions to make sure you are achieving things one step at a time without overwhelming yourself. There are bound to be hardships that will stand in your way, no matter what the goal. When these hardships arise, try to think of why you set the goal in the first place. For example, if you set a goal to eat healthy and end up spending a weekend eating junk food, don’t give up. One blip in your journey doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
Those who struggle with mental health know how easy it is for our conditions to consume us, especially when we’re feeling low. Self-loathing and self-hate can take a toll on the success of your new year’s resolutions. When these depressive thoughts occur, try to distinguish feelings from facts.
2. Take your own advice
Think of it as you were talking to a friend. If your friend says “I want to lose 50 pounds in 6 months,” you wouldn’t encourage them to do it, you’d probably tell them that is unrealistic and to set a more reasonable goal.
Instead of setting a specific weightloss goal, try creating a new year’s resolution that centers around a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a full serving of vegetables each day. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests aiming for a diet low in refined sugar. According to NAMI, a diet high in refined sugar results in worsening symptoms in those struggling with mental health conditions.
Whenever a new idea for a resolution comes across you, try to take a step back and analyze it first. Is it realistic? Would you allow a friend to pursue this goal? If not, alter it to be more attainable. If you set your expectations too high, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment and even harsher self-image.
3. Compare and contrast your mental health habits
When you take time to reflect on your old habits, it makes it easier to develop new ones. Every new goal should come from a habit you wish to change, or else it will be difficult to measure improvement or success. For instance, to say “I want to stress less this year” won’t be specific enough. Instead, try reflecting on how you showed your stress. Did you lash out at loved ones? Did you shut down when others tried to help you? Change your new year’s resolution to “let people in more” or “practice 20 minutes of meditation when I’m feeling like lashing out.”
Reflective practice is a great way to start developing your new year’s resolutions to benefit your mental health. Reflective practice can help increase self awareness and empathy for others. So, what exactly is reflective practice? It’s simple: reflective practice is a tool for improving your learning both as a student and in relation to your work and life experiences.
There’s been a long-standing debate over whether drug use causes or is a symptom of mental health issues. In recent years, technology and the broad availability of data have helped scientists advance their understanding of the brain, and the conclusion is still unclear. The causality of mental illness and substance use disorders is undeniably linked, but it’s a lot more complicated than one causing the other.
There’s no doubt that addiction and mental health disorders share risk factors, and people with mental health diagnoses are more likely to misuse substances. Read on to find out more about the complicated relationship between mental health and substance abuse.
Does Mental Illness Cause Addiction?
Mental illness puts an individual at an increased risk for chronic substance use disorders, but not everyone who struggles with mental illness will turn to drugs and alcohol. As such, it’s not correct to say that mental health conditions cause addiction — instead, they’re risk factors.
On the other hand, it’s still very hard to tell if excessive drug or alcohol abuse directly causes mental health issues. Psychoactive drugs affect neurotransmitters in your brain that are responsible for regulating mood, motivation, pleasure, reward, sleep and much more. In many cases, they cause surges in these chemicals that deplete your natural supply. Over time, you can end up with such disordered levels of these vital chemicals that you experience the symptoms of mental illness.
In extreme cases, you could alter your brain’s mechanisms to the point where decision-making, motivation and joy are changed beyond repair.
Symptoms of a Mental Health Problem
If you or a loved one is concerned about signs of mental illness as a result of alcohol or drug use, look out for the following symptoms after the effects have worn off:
Paranoia
Hypervigilance
Hyperactivity
Anhedonia
Psychosis
Delusional thinking
Suicidal ideation
Common Co-Occurring Disorders
The National Institute on Drug Abuse provides data that shows approximately one in four people with a serious mental illness also has a substance use disorder. SMIs include schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.
The following conditions are the most commonly diagnosed alongside addiction. Some of them are internalizing disorders, like anxiety and depression — these are thought to have a strong causal link to substance abuse disorders. However, there are links with other types of mental illness.
Depression: Depression is characterized by an extreme lack of motivation and enjoyment in life. When the effects of substances wear off, it can create a similar feeling, and long-term substance abuse is thought to contribute to imbalances that cause depression. Plus, individuals who use depressant substances are likely to experience depression-like symptoms while inebriated.
Anxiety: According to NIDA, anxiety disorders have a high rate of comorbidity. Substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, cannabis and ketamine depress the central nervous system. For people with anxiety, this can feel like the perfect remedy to a fight-or-flight response that simply won’t turn off. On the other hand, stimulants like methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy and crack boost confidence and diminish inhibitions, which can ease symptoms related to anxiety. To further complicate matters, some substances can lead to chemical imbalances that make anxiety worse in the long run.
ADHD: ADHD, particularly if undiagnosed in youth, is a major risk factor for addiction. People with this mental health condition struggle to focus and regulate themselves, and alcohol or drug abuse can feel like an effective method of overcoming this struggle. However, in the long term, using substances to try to rebalance your problems will only make them worse.
Bipolar disorder: Bipolar is an SMI characterized by periods of depression and extreme mania. These cycles are outside the control of the sufferer if they haven’t received health care for the condition, making life scary and unpredictable. Substance abuse is one way someone can feel more in control of themselves and numb emotional pain.
Schizophrenia: There’s a causal link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it relies on the presence of a particular gene. Additionally, people with this diagnosis are more likely to abuse drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
Post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD is an anxiety disorder, but it’s the one with the highest risk for addiction. People with this condition experience emotional and real-time flashbacks to traumatic experiences. If trauma isn’t addressed by a professional in a treatment facility, it won’t just heal by itself. Just like physical injuries, emotional wounds need to heal.
Personality disorders: Cluster B disorders like borderline and antisocial personality disorders are strongly linked with substance abuse. With borderline PD, the individual struggles to regulate their emotions and relationships with other people, while those with antisocial PD have difficulty living in line with society’s rules and boundaries. In both cases, isolation, legal and financial problems are likely — all of which are risk factors for addiction.
Self-Medicating and Comorbidity
Substance use disorders were seen as disorders of judgment or a lack of self-control. However, there are usually clear reasons why someone lacks self-discipline to the extent that they’re prepared to put themselves in danger. For many, drug and alcohol abuse provides relief from challenging emotions and situations that the person with addiction hasn’t been able to get elsewhere.
Many people with mental health problems have unwanted feelings and thoughts that make daily life unbearable. Inebriation offers a temporary release from these triggers that send the individual spiraling into a cycle of self-destruction. Because it feels like the substances are helping that person, it’s very hard for them to reconcile that they make the situation worse in the long term.
The only way to stop this endless cycle is by finding new ways to cope with triggers and starting to focus on long-term fixes instead of temporary numbness. Addiction and mental health services can help you find the best ways to do this for your unique circumstances.
Anyone Can Overcome a Substance Use Disorder
If you’re worried that you might be struggling with addiction alongside a mental health disorder, On Demand Counseling can help. Our highly qualified team of experts can provide mental health treatment and give you the tools to gain control over a substance use disorder. The support you get while attending a treatment program will change your life and help you meet your goals for the future. Call us today at 330-270-8610 for more information.
Depression can affect anyone and everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, social and economic status or gender. But a form of depression that is not talked about enough is seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD.
What is SAD?
SAD is a form of depression where people are affected negatively by shorter, darker days due to seasonal changes. For example, summer days in Ohio are longer and warmer, while winter days end with the sun setting around 5 p.m. and the weather turning colder.
Who does SAD affect?
SAD can affect nearly anyone, but especially those who live in parts of the world where seasonal changes are more extreme. According to HelpGuide, women and younger people are affected the most out of any other group of people.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
Fatigue and mild depression are very common in people experiencing SAD. Other symptoms can include:
Sleeping too little or too much
Change in appetite
Weight gain
Feeling hopeless or guilty
Depression
Stress and irritability
Decreased interest in usual activities
How does SAD affect me?
SAD can affect your body due to many factors, with circadian rhythm being one of them. So, what is a circadian rhythm? A circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. Once established, your body will know when it’s time for bed versus time to wake up, and it will know when it’s time to eat. For instance, if you are someone who wakes up at 8 a.m. every day, eats lunch at noon and goes to sleep by 10 p.m., your body will get into the habit of adjusting to those patterns. Because of the established routine, extreme changes in weather or daylight will interrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and throw your body out of sorts thus causing changes in temperament and other bodily functions.
Other causes of SAD can include the production of melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin is the hormone that triggers sleep and serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates your mood. When the balance of melatonin or serotonin is off, your body can begin to feel drowsy or lacking energy. Reduced sunlight causes lower levels of serotonin making it more likely to become depressed and lose interest in normal activities while an increase in melatonin will cause you to become sleepier.
How can I avoid SAD?
It’s not easy to avoid SAD as it is your body’s go-to state when it is thrown off by seasonal changes. It’s also difficult for a doctor to diagnose patients with SAD, which is why it is important to ensure you are taking care of yourself year-round to help ease the symptoms of SAD. Read the below tips to help lessen the symptoms of SAD and improve self-care.
Get some exercise
Exercising has many benefits on your body and mind. If you have any built-up stress or tension, exercising can help release negative thoughts or feelings. If you do not have exercise equipment or belong to a gym, try taking a walk outside. The fresh air and natural light from the sun can also help to improve your mood, regardless of temperature.
Read a book
If you haven’t picked up reading, now is the time! SAD can make you feel disconnected from the world, and diving into a good book can help make you feel a part of something and pique your interest again. You may feel motivated by a storyline or connect with the characters in the book.
Journal
At times when it feels like no one is listening, journaling can be beneficial. Journaling helps you put your feelings together and write down whatever is bothering you. There are many forms of journaling such as guided journaling, bullet journaling, etc. Guided journals can be bought online through companies like Amazon and bullet journaling is as easy as writing short sentences of fragments in a notebook.
Pick up a hobby
Colder weather can affect your usual outdoor activities or daily routine, so picking up a new hobby can help ease your boredom or anxiety levels. There are plenty of fun and engaging hobbies to dive into while staying indoors. If you’re crafty, try knitting or scrap-booking. If you’re not-so crafty, try learning a new language or cooking.
How can On Demand Counseling benefit me?
On Demand Counseling offers mental health services in Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties. Counseling can be beneficial when you are wondering how to avoid SAD. Counseling and mental health services can help in the prevention and treatment of mental illnesses. Call us today at 330-270-8610 or visit our website for more information.
Often, individuals who require treatment for drug and alcohol addiction are diagnosed with common co-occurring disorders. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 50% of individuals with a serious mental illness reported engaging in drug or alcohol abuse.
Living with mental illness or a mental health condition can put individuals at a higher risk of drug and alcohol addiction.
At On Demand Counseling, we strive to uncover co-occurring disorders throughout our treatment process. We work with patients to treat these underlying causes of addiction and comorbidities while helping them safely recover from drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.
Below, we discuss some of the most common co-occurring disorders and risk factors we see in our clients.
The 7 Most Common Co-Occurring Disorders That Are Seen With Substance Abuse
While there are many emotional issues that can have a strong impact on a person’s addiction issues, including low self-esteem, guilt, grief and anger management problems, these issues are generally considered symptoms as opposed to disorders. When we mention disorders, we’re referring to the actual diagnosis that leads to the symptoms mentioned above.
1. Generalized anxiety disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed in individuals who experience recurring, frequent anxiety or panic attacks, along with symptoms such as sleep disturbances, restlessness and functional impairment. Living with frequent anxiety can lead individuals to rely on drugs or alcohol for a number of reasons. While some may abuse prescription anxiety medications such as Xanax, others tend to rely on alcohol or illicit drugs to enhance social skills or cope with other anxiety symptoms.
2. Eating disorders
Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are commonly seen in individuals who require addiction treatment. Often individuals will use drugs, such as stimulants or diet pills, as well as alcohol to suppress appetite and increase confidence. Often these problems present along with body dysmorphic disorder, in which an individual is excessively critical of their own appearance and obsesses over imagined flaws with their own body.
While eating disorders are often seen in young adults, they can occur at any age.
3. Bipolar disorder
Individuals with bipolar disorder are particularly susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. This mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes the sufferer to experience uncontrollable, severe episodes of depression and mania. Many individuals who live with bipolar disorder self-medicate to reduce the intensity of these episodes, which ultimately leads to an increase in episodes and severe addiction.
4. Post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a person experiences events that cause extreme stress and in some cases are life-threatening. Some examples include violent crimes, war and car accidents. Typically, individuals with PTSD experience flashbacks and night terrors. Some of these people choose to relieve their symptoms with alcohol or drugs, which can lead to further disruption in sleep and emotional balance.
5. Personality disorders and mood disorders
Personality and mood disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder (BPD), can be characterized by a variety of symptoms. BPD is among the most common of these disorders and can involve symptoms such as impulsive behavior, severe mood swings and intense emotional imbalance. These people often have difficulty maintaining relationships with others, and some turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism.
6. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental health condition that causes individuals to experience hallucinations, psychosis, delusions and disorganized thinking. Many schizophrenics become unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy, and it’s not uncommon for those living with this disorder to turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with these experiences.
7. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often diagnosed in children and young adults. It’s characterized by an inability to focus, impulsiveness and hyperactive behavior. Typically, those with this condition are offered prescription medications, including stimulants. We often see young adults who have begun abusing their prescriptions, as well as those who are relying on alcohol or other drugs to self-medicate and suppress their symptoms.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
When treating individuals with a dual diagnosis — that is, those who experience co-occurring mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders — we look to provide a safe recovery plan for ceasing alcohol or drug abuse while ultimately treating the underlying cause.
Our counselors are experienced in treating the most common co-occurring disorders, including those listed above.
While each treatment plan is individualized to meet the needs of the individual, most drug addictions, alcohol addictions, mental illnesses and depressive disorders can be treated using some combination of the following techniques, which are provided at our outpatient treatment centers.
One-on-one counseling
In one-on-one substance use counseling, clients work directly with our counselors to address the root causes of their addictions. This can include uncovering and learning new mental health treatment techniques for underlying medical conditions and mental health conditions, as well as learning coping mechanisms for symptoms and related stresses.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that teaches individuals to to change their behaviors and reactions by focusing on the way their thoughts, beliefs and attitudes directly affect their behaviors. By changing the way they think, a person can change their behavior and effectively recover from addictions and substance abuse disorders. In our outpatient drug and alcohol recovery programs, clients work with behavioral health therapists and counselors who carefully guide them through these processes.
Support groups
Peer support groups can be the key to addictions and co-occurring disorder recovery for many individuals. By working as a team, those receiving treatment can discuss their challenges and techniques for coping with other individuals who are facing or have faced the same experiences.
Medication-assisted treatment
In some cases, clients may require medication-assisted treatment (MAT). By using certain medications to manage symptoms that are associated with mental health disorders, individuals can begin to manage these problems without the use of alcohol or illicit drugs. MAT may also be used to help individuals manage withdrawal symptoms in some cases. It’s important to note that MAT is only used when necessary and may not be useful in all cases.
Aftercare
Aftercare is provided as part of a long-term addiction treatment program. Upon completion of an intensive or general outpatient program, individuals can participate in aftercare, which typically involves a combination of weekly or bi-weekly group therapy and regular one-on-one counseling.
Determining If Outpatient Addiction Treatment Is the Right Choice for Your Co-Occurring Disorder
Substance use disorders require professional treatment, regardless of common co-occurring disorders that may accompany them. However, for some, outpatient addiction rehab isn’t the right choice. If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction or requires dual-diagnosis treatment, it’s best to first speak to a mental health care provider who can guide you towards the right treatment options.
Something that still is not fully understood by the general population is that addiction is not a moral issue or a simple matter of choice. The propensity towards harmful alcohol or drug use is often precluded by a history of trauma, mental illness and genetic and social influences. For some people, resisting temptation is a huge challenge already, and this is further perpetuated by a seemingly irresistible desire to numb or dull the emotions.
Even someone with a chronic, longstanding substance use disorder has the tools within them to resist their impulses, but it takes a lot of hard work and professional guidance. Adult trauma, adverse childhood experiences, mental health issues and certain genetic and environmental traits make resisting the impulse to abuse drugs and alcohol much harder.
Is There a Connection Between Trauma and Substance Abuse?
There is a connection between trauma and a whole host of health problems, including a strong correlation with substance use disorders. Drug and alcohol abuse might feel like fun for a little while, but mostly it is just devastating for the sufferer and the people around them.
Addiction tricks the brain’s reward system into looking for short-term fixes to find any way possible to numb difficult emotions. People who have been through experiences they feel unable to cope with are at a greater risk of falling victim to this mechanism.
Traumatic Events Vary Between Individuals
Another myth that exists in public opinion is the idea that only the most extreme experiences, such as sexual assault, lead to trauma. The effects of trauma from childhood abuse are thought to have the biggest role, because they occur while the brain is developing. However, abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences do not all look the same.
Some people are genetically predisposed to being more impulsive, sensitive and neurotic than others. A person with traits like these might be traumatized by an experience that someone without these traits would not be. Therefore, it is important to understand that even seemingly ordinary events can be traumatic for some people.
Examples of Traumatic Experiences
Some of the examples of traumatic experiences we commonly see in clinical practice include:
Sexual abuse
Community violence
War
Domestic violence or witnessing domestic abuse
Exposure to criminal behavior
Childhood neglect
Natural disasters
Physical abuse
Loss or death of an intimate partner or close family member
A car accident
Illness
Moving to a new location
Parental abandonment
Witnessing a death
Hearing about a loved one’s traumatic experience
Childhood Trauma Changes in the Brain
Your childhood experiences shape your brain directly, with connections between neurons developing, growing stronger or breaking depending on what happens around you. Child abuse fundamentally changes the way the brain forms. As such, people who have trauma-related stress crave dissociation and will go to great lengths to try to numb or dull the stress.
If children have not learned healthy ways of coping with stress, such as exercise, healthy eating and good sleeping patterns, the chances of them turning to substance abuse are higher.
The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Addicted Adults
The prevalence of substance abuse problems in people who have experienced trauma makes it unlikely to be a coincidence. In addition to the brain development theory, there is a simple explanation for the link between childhood trauma and adult addiction: When children don’t feel supported sufficiently by their families as young people, they learn to self-soothe.
If self-soothing behaviors are not guided toward healthy methods, there is a strong chance the victim of abuse will self-medicate through drug or alcohol use as an adult.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction
In health care settings, there is another type of trauma that is often seen as a major contributor to substance use disorders. Comorbidity of alcohol and drug addiction among people with PTSD is high. This means that even trauma we sustain as adults can have a debilitating impact on the way we regulate stress and our emotions. Some PTSD symptoms include:
Intrusive memories
Avoidance
Negative changes in mood and thinking
Changes in emotional and physical reactions
Intensity of symptoms
Suicidal thoughts
What Is Trauma-Informed Addiction Treatment?
The best addiction treatment programs offer trauma-informed therapy because cutting-edge science suggests trauma is at the heart of the problem. A mixture of psychiatry, psychotherapy and counseling are the treatment approaches clinicians use to help someone develop the coping mechanisms necessary to overcome addiction.
There is no one-size-fits-all substance abuse treatment, so for most people, a mix-and-match approach works. Inpatient or outpatient rehab is the ideal place to try out various treatments and find out what is best suited to your needs.
Mental Health and Addiction
Not all SUDs are caused by trauma. In some cases, other co-occurring mental health disorders are indicated as a leading factor. For other people, witnessing close family members abuse substances or peer pressure combine with certain genetic risk factors to lead to addiction.
While a dual diagnosis of an SUD with a co-occurring disorder such as PTSD or bipolar might feel daunting, it is a huge benefit for treatment. By addressing the trauma and addiction separately, we have helped thousands of people overcome their struggle with substance use disorders.
Learn More About Trauma and Addiction Recovery
On Demand Counseling provides outpatient addiction treatment services with a full understanding that addiction is not a moral issue. It is a medical condition that can be the result of trauma, mental illness and a variety of other genetic and environmental factors. The good news is we can help you overcome it. Call us today at 330-270-8610 to find out how to start the recovery journey with us.
Addiction is a disease that affects the body, mind and spirit. More than that, the effects of substance use disorders leak out into every aspect of life. Close relationships are particularly vulnerable to problems caused by excessive drug and alcohol use. That said, it’s possible to overcome these hurdles and heal the wounds caused by the condition. Read on to find out about how addiction affects families — and the most constructive ways to move forward.
How Does Addiction Affect Families?
Of course, addiction impacts everyone in a unique way, and no two people’s experiences are the same. This is true of family members as well. There’s no right or wrong way to respond to addiction. It takes over someone’s body and mind in a way that’s profound and hard to understand unless you’ve experienced the effects.
Negative traits are exaggerated and positive traits abandoned in an addicted person’s quest to fulfill the seemingly inescapable urge to abuse substances. It can turn loving relationships fraught and difficult and render someone who was once honest and kind deceitful and selfish. Addiction tends to affect different family members in distinct ways.
Spouses
Spouses tend to bear the most obvious brunt of addiction when the issue occurs within the context of a marriage. Dishonesty and selfishness tend to drive a wedge between partners, with the person struggling with addiction unable to see the full impact of their behavior. As a spouse, you might react with anger, sadness, guilt or shame — but it’s important to take a step back and focus on seeking professional help.
Children
Children arguably bear the most damage when addiction is introduced into their family life. In most cases, they appear to get on with life as normal — although behavior such as sadness, trouble sleeping or acting out at school might occur. Children are highly adaptable, so the repercussions might not be expressed until they get older. The majority of damage happens beneath the surface because addiction is normalized and a dangerous example is set.
Parents
Parents can be badly affected if their young daughter or son falls prey to a substance use disorder. It’s difficult to not blame yourself, but blame and fault are unhelpful in this scenario. The best things you can do in this situation is get fully educated about addiction, seek professional help and work with a family therapist.
Siblings, Friends and Extended Family
Your friends, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents will be worried about you and keen to help you get better. Often when people try to suggest to an addicted person that change is in order, they’re met with resistance or even defensiveness. The best thing you can do is make your position about them needing to go to rehab clear but focus on listening to their problems, offering support and not enabling unhelpful behavior.
Effects of Drug Addiction on Family and Friends
Addiction can feel catastrophic because of the seismic waves of destruction it can lead to. Some of the most common ways we see addiction affect friends and family include:
Partners, parents, children or close friends can turn into caretakers, which puts a huge strain on that person
People who struggle with drug addiction or alcoholism can lose touch with their friends and family entirely
Loved ones of an addicted person might blame themselves, causing their self-esteem to erode
Trust usually breaks down when one person in a relationship uses substances to excess
Heated arguments are much more likely to occur when one person is defensive and belligerent as a result of inebriation or withdrawal
Can I Help a Family Member Overcome Addiction?
You can help a loved one overcome addiction, but not by trying to be a therapist or police officer of their behavior. Lots of people try to take full responsibility when their loved ones are going through addiction, and it simply isn’t sustainable. You have your own life to lead and your own wellness to take care of — and attempting to save someone else is a major barrier for you personally.
You can help someone overcome a substance use disorder by calmly and gently pointing them in the direction of rehab. If they ask for advice, provide them with resources that offer information about how addiction works and gently encourage them to go to outpatient addiction treatment. For someone who continues to resist treatment, you might need to stage an intervention.
Helping a Loved One Through the Trans-theoretical Model of Change
The TTM says that people who struggle with and overcome substance use disorders go through five stages — although it’s sometimes listed as six. It’s not always a linear process, and people can jump back and forth between stages for a considerable amount of time. Although it doesn’t perfectly capture everyone’s experience, it does accurately represent significant turning points in the recovery process.
How your loved one responds to you — and to treatment — depends on the stage they’re at. Understanding where they are and explaining the TTM to them can be a good starting point for change.
Precontemplation
Precontemplation is the phase when the person doesn’t see any problem with their behavior and doesn’t desire change at all. Addiction can trick the brain into believing that substance abuse serves the greater good for that individual, and breaking free from that is a huge challenge.
The best way you can help them move forward is by gently trying to get them to see some value in the idea of understanding more about what addiction is. Don’t accuse or label them; instead, make suggestions about researching or seeing a doctor and discussing substance use to see if they think there might be a problem. Always remember to take a step back and look after yourself before taking care of someone with an addiction.
Contemplation
During the contemplation phase, they aren’t taking any steps to change — but they start to notice that the problems in their life might be directly related to drug use. It’s tempting to be pushy at this stage, but a gentle approach is usually better. If someone has a severe, life-threatening addiction, you might need to take drastic action, such as acquiring a court order. Otherwise, gentle persuasion to seek help from a professional and education are the most effective tools for recovery.
During contemplation, you might make a plan for rehab and the future together. They might drift in and out of feeling motivated towards change.
Action
Action is the point where they put the plan into action, go to a doctor or rehab facility and start taking serious steps towards healing. You can support them along this stage by encouraging positive behavior and being kind and caring.
Relapse
Not everyone will relapse along their journey to recovery, but many do. It’s not included as part of the stages of change to give people an excuse to slip back into old habits. Rather, it’s vital that someone overcoming a substance use disorder understands that relapse doesn’t mean they’re incapable of change. It might be a sign of an underlying mental health condition or just suggest that further work is needed in making the physical, social and mental changes necessary to get healthy.
The best way to help someone avoid relapse is to encourage their efforts to live a healthy lifestyle, talk about their feelings and seek help when they feel overwhelmed.
Maintenance
The final stage is maintenance, where the individual is in control of their symptoms and their focus has shifted onto a variety of constructive behaviors. You can support someone through the maintenance stage by continuing to offer support and kindness and doing healthy things together. We’d recommend that anyone who has been touched by addiction seeks therapy as a family and on an individual basis so they can work through the difficult feelings and situations that arise.
What Do You Learn During Family Therapy?
During family therapy, everyone gets an opportunity to express their feelings in a safe space. Under guidance from a counselor, you can work through difficult feelings and confrontation in a constructive way. During the throes of addiction, families can lose sight of the fact that working through problems and resolving them is possible. Some of the topics you focus on in therapy include:
Boundaries
Boundaries are rules you set that define what you will and won’t tolerate from other people. They also dictate how you respond when someone violates your boundaries. People with unhealthy boundaries tend to either take responsibility for actions that aren’t theirs or demand that someone else take responsibility for their feelings — for example, telling your spouse they can’t go out without you because you get jealous. You are placing control of your jealousy in their hands, which is unfair.
People with healthy boundaries take responsibility for their own feelings and actions. A therapist can help you untangle the damage done by addiction and form healthy boundaries.
Healthy Communication
The key to moving forward into a happier and healthier future is communication. People who struggle with addiction or mental health issues tend to lose the ability to communicate honestly and effectively. This has a serious domino effect on relationships, and family therapy can help you get back on track.
The Balance Between Positivity and Accountability
While it’s important to be positive and focus on improving self-talk and conscientiousness, accountability is just as crucial. Toxic positivity can take over when someone is excessively proud or complacent. It’s important to recognize faults, and where there’s still work to do while feeling a sense of achievement.
As the loved one of someone recovering from a substance use disorder, you can help them remain accountable by displaying this behavior yourself. A substance abuse counselor can help you both to remain accountable while striving for a better life together.
Education About Addiction
One of the most effective and transformative aspects of therapy is the educational aspect of it. For lots of people, learning about addiction helps them truly understand the implications of their actions. This is often an ongoing process, with the most profound impact occurring after a year or two of researching and learning about the condition.
Spouses, parents and close friends of someone with an addiction can help them by learning about addiction, too. When you have open channels of communication and approach them in a nonjudgmental way, you can discuss triggers or warning signs when they arise. Therapy can help you gain a full understanding of what they’re going through.
Support Groups or Ongoing Therapy for Families
Support groups such as Al-Anon are exclusively for the family members of people whose lives have been touched by addiction. It’s a good idea to attend group or individual therapy on an ongoing basis so you don’t experience long-term mental health consequences, such as depression or anxiety, caused by low self-esteem.
Find Out More About Addiction and Family
If you’d like to speak to an expert about how to help a family member seek treatment for addiction, call On Demand Counseling today at 330-270-8610.
One of the hidden dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the globe in early 2020 relates to addiction treatment services. Facilities, offices and even public transportation shut down, at least temporarily, in many areas, leaving at-risk people in various stages of recovery without critical support networks.
But this isn’t a danger that’s limited to a pandemic or other emergency event. Many people who need rehab services or recovery support don’t get them — and didn’t get them long before COVID-19 — because of a lack of transportation.
Lack of Transportation Keeps Many From Addiction Treatment
Transportation is a barrier for many people who would otherwise seek substance use counseling, intensive outpatient rehab or other addiction-related services. Here are just a few reasons something seemingly simple, like transportation, can be an obstacle.
In general, not everyone has transportation or can drive. Regardless of the reason someone doesn’t drive, it can leave them at the mercy of rides from friends and family or public transportation to get to medical appointments, including addiction treatment.
Someone who is struggling with addiction has a higher likelihood of not having the ability to drive. They may have lost their license or had it suspended due to driving while intoxicated, for example.
Substance abuse can lead to personal financial problems, which may result in someone losing their car even if they do still have a license.
But no matter why someone can’t drive themselves to rehab or recovery services, this lack of transportation shouldn’t stop them from getting the help they need.
The Benefits of Drug Rehab Transportation Services
Rehab, particularly in the early weeks and months, leans heavily on structure to create an environment of security. This is vital to supporting someone who is trying to make major changes in their life while also learning about addiction and working through the mental, emotional and physical aspects of recovery.
Not having a way to get to rehab, counseling or group support sessions breaks that routine and can leave someone vulnerable to their addiction. They may:
Face a struggle they can’t overcome alone and return to addiction
Be hesitant to ask others for help with transportation because they already feel they’re burdening those they love
Deal with a longer road to recovery than they might otherwise because transportation issues keep them from achieving momentum
On Demand Counseling Offers Drug Rehab Transportation Options
On Demand Counseling’s answer to this issue is to offer transportation services to its patients. Services include picking the patient up from their home and dropping them off at the intensive outpatient program — and a return trip at the end of the program time for that day. On Demand Counseling also provides patients using this service with lunch, so they don’t need to worry about any of the basics and can concentrate on recovery.
Self-talk, also known as your internal dialogue, is influenced by your subconscious and can reveal your thoughts, beliefs, questions and ideas. When your self-talk is negative, it can affect your mental health entirely. Self-talk begins at a young age and can be influenced by our social environment. Friends, family and teachers can all influence the way you think abut yourself— both good and bad.
Journaling is a practice that many counselors suggest to their clients to keep a clear head space and reflect on their moods. Journaling can also be a way to practice positive self-talk. Instead of journaling in a first-person point of view, you can try writing in third-person— meaning you will write from the perspective of an outsider. “Caroline had a bad day today. But, she had the right to. She’s allowed to have bad days when things upset her.” Weird, right? That’s O.K.! Just like we discussed previously, you’re going to feel uncomfortable doing all of these things. If you feel too strange writing about yourself, try starting out with shorter sentences or bullet points rather than full pages.
Often, individuals who require treatment for drug and alcohol addiction are diagnosed with common co-occurring disorders. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 
When treating individuals with a dual diagnosis — that is, those who experience co-occurring mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders — we look to provide a safe recovery plan for ceasing alcohol or drug abuse while ultimately treating the underlying cause.
Something that still is not fully understood by the general population is that addiction is not a moral issue or a simple matter of choice. The propensity towards harmful alcohol or drug use is often precluded by a history of trauma, mental illness and genetic and social influences. For some people, resisting temptation is a huge challenge already, and this is further perpetuated by a seemingly irresistible desire to numb or dull the emotions.
Addiction is a disease that affects the body, mind and spirit. More than that, the effects of substance use disorders leak out into every aspect of life. Close relationships are particularly vulnerable to problems caused by excessive drug and alcohol use. That said, it’s possible to overcome these hurdles and heal the wounds caused by the condition. Read on to find out about how addiction affects families — and the most constructive ways to move forward.
One of the hidden dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the globe in early 2020 relates to addiction treatment services. Facilities, offices and even public transportation shut down, at least temporarily, in many areas, leaving at-risk people in various stages of recovery without critical support networks.