How to Do an Intervention for an Alcoholic

Alcoholism is a personal battle that should be approached with care—learn about interventions. When someone has their first drink, chances are they won’t think about the potential for alcoholism. In many instances, they are probably just focused on having a new experience or enjoying time with friends and family. Unfortunately, alcohol can influence people more than they realize. If a loved one in your life is suffering from alcoholism, you might be considering an intervention. In this article, we will discuss what you should and shouldn’t do when approaching this discussion with the people you care about. How to Approach an Intervention About Alcoholism An intervention is a conversation with a loved one with the hope of getting them help for substance abuse. Alcoholism is a condition that influences every aspect of a person’s life—how they think, feel, and even their health. Since this is the case, it can be a very sensitive subject. The steps you take during an intervention can have a direct effect on how the person responds. Consider these best practices. Do: Show Plenty of Love and Support Above all else, it is important to approach an intervention from a point of love. You are having this talk to support the person you care about and get them the help that they need. Since this is the case, it is important to make sure that the person knows they are loved and supported. Do: Be Honest About the Situation It is not easy to talk about alcoholism, especially when it has impacted your family. However, being honest is important. Express your concerns, and let them know...

Is Depression Genetic?

Depression is a condition that can have a huge impact on how we live—find out what genetic factors might be at play. When it comes to mental illness, there are several potential contributing factors that can impact us. Depression is one mental health problem that can negatively influence each of us in many different ways. Not just as individuals–we also know that depression can also be found in families. Is depression genetic, or does it all come down to the environment? In this post, we will look into depression as a possible genetic condition and what you need to know. Depression and Genetics: What We Know More adults will experience depression in their lives than most people realize because not everyone talks about it. Depression can hit entire groups of people, including families. Since families can experience depression among individuals and across generations, many people wonder if there is a possible genetic link. The truth is a little more complicated than you might have guessed. Is Depression Genetic? There is some evidence that depression may have a genetic component, but that isn’t a guarantee. While research has shown that depression can be present in families, with people being more likely to develop depression if a relative does, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is genetic. However, certain genetic conditions may also come with a risk of depression. Some experts have found evidence of possible genes that could be linked to depression and anxiety. If these genes are present, it doesn’t necessarily mean someone will develop depression. However, it could increase their chance of developing it in combination with other factors....

What Are the 5 Levels of Care for Substance Abuse?

Treating substance abuse and receiving help includes these 5 levels. Substance abuse is a problem that impacts people of all ages all around the world. We know that it is difficult to manage substance abuse, which is why finding the right approach to care is so important for your healing journey. With substance abuse care, there are 5 prominent types of care available. Let’s look at these in more detail. 5 Levels of Substance Abuse Care Your path to treatment will be completely your own. Some people require different levels of care to help them recover from substance abuse with the support that they need. Not everyone explores all 5 levels of care. In fact, some people end up only working through certain levels or steps along the way. The best way to find your path is with the help of a dedicated professional–but let’s explore what kinds of care are available. Intervention The first step to rehabilitation is often intervention. For many people, this is a form of treatment that occurs when they are starting to show signs of substance abuse or when their loved ones or medical professionals believe they are at risk. This is a time for some of those more difficult talks and a commitment to getting help. Outpatient Treatment Outpatient treatment is a treatment approach that means that you will spend your time in your space, then visit a treatment facility to receive care. You will work with dedicated professionals and support systems on a schedule in order to receive the support and care you need. This might include therapy, forming new habits, or even...

Should I Consider a Treatment Center?

Addiction happens when, despite the adverse effects, you continue to habitually use a substance to the point that it disrupts your daily life and your body cannot go without it. The most common addiction is alcohol, though several other substances are addictive. Regardless of your drug of choice, this can lead to ruined lives. If you’ve had a wake-up call about your relationship with substance but are on the fence, there are important reasons to consider checking yourself into a treatment center. While quitting suddenly works for things like cigarettes, substance abuse is an entirely different animal and requires both medical care and supervision. There are many reasons to finally make the move to check yourself into a rehab center, but some of the most important ones are outlined below. Safe Detox One of the most important steps in alcohol recovery is detox. When you first enter a rehab center for an extended stay, you’ll likely be entering with a fair amount of substance in your system already. When you start denying your body that substance, it can react violently. That’s why you need to be somewhere safe and well cared for during your detox period and, depending on the severity of your addiction, may need to be medically monitored. Quitting cold turkey is dangerous when it comes to substance addiction. Your best bet is to check into a rehab center where you can be safely monitored and get medical and emotional support during one of the most difficult times of recovery. Insight on Your Condition Addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum. While many people are predisposed to addictive tendencies...

How Long is the Stay at a Denver Treatment Center?

Seeking treatment for substance abuse and addiction can be incredibly frightening and nerve wracking. But, taking that first step towards treatment by seeking information and doing your research is one of the best first moves you can make for yourself. You have questions. We don’t have all the answers, but we can provide some information, some comfort, and the way forward on your path towards wellness and recovery. Stout Street Rehab in Denver, Colorado was founded with the mission of providing premiere service and total support for our patients and their loved ones. Our goal is to create a framework of self sufficiency and support to help those suffering from substance abuse recover under their own power and be able to sustain recovery through changes in habits, lifestyle, and cognition around what is the underlying causes of substance abuse and addiction. How Do I Know I Need Treatment? Addiction has telltale signs, but it’s not a monolithic condition. You may find your personal habits changing in response to addiction, find yourself feeling guilt or shame, find yourself over anxiety or nervous. You may also start to engage in risky or uncharacteristic behavior. Obvious physical signs include withdrawal symptoms and being physically unable to not use a substance. How Long Can I Expect to Stay For Long Term Treatment? A long-term inpatient treatment is the most intensive option available to those suffering from serious substance abuse and addiction issues. Generally speaking, they will last anywhere from 6 months to a full year and are designed with the long game in mind. You won’t be back on your feet and into the...

Who Is Long-Term Drug Treatment Good For?

There is a common phrase among the rooms of twelve step meetings used to describe people who just can’t seem to stay sober, despite their best efforts. Chronic Relapser” is what you will hear people call themselves, when, time after time, they are baffled by how they fall victim to relapse despite experiencing horrible consequences and repercussions of their drinking and using. If there was one finite group of people in which long-term drug treatment would MOST benefit, it would be the chronic relapsers. That is not to say that long-term drug treatment is ONLY good for chronic relapsers. On the contrary, it can widely benefit people from all sorts of backgrounds and situations. For example, folks who struggle with dual diagnosis disorders and people who have experienced extreme trauma will also find solace in a long-term drug treatment program. Here is why. What Is The Difference Between Long and Short Term Treatment? Apart from the difference in the number of days, there has been a lot of research into the benefits of a long-term drug treatment program in comparison to the typical 30-day stay. Yeah, it can be a real bummer being separated from life for that long, however, when you really think about it, can you admit that the life you are putting on pause was probably filled with a lot more bad than good? Now that we are thinking about the positives of long-term drug treatment, let’s keep the ball rolling! Here are some more examples as to how a long term stay can benefit you: You have more time to get comfortable and adjusted. You get...

3 Benefits of Gender Specific Drug Treatment

It is pretty amazing to think about the developments that have been made for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics over the last 100 years. Even throughout the first few decades of the 1900s, many alcoholics were simply locked away in a straight jacket, deemed hopeless. Today, we have the opportunity to experience a massive, ever-evolving, and genuinely effective world of drug treatment, and we have even have the ability to take advantage of gender-specific drug treatment centers! What is the benefit of gender-specific drug treatment centers you may ask? Well, coming from someone who has both attended co-ed treatment and worked in gender-specific treatment, I’m here to tell you, if there is one thing that will always interfere with the stability and level-headedness that is already lacking from early sobriety, it is sex. After that, gender-specific treatment is beneficial for two other main reasons, the way people process trauma, and the vulnerability that can take place without the ego. Sexual Relations Everyone who is new to recovery or who has, at any point in time been new to recovery will be able to attest to the fact that sex, romance, lust, relationships, etc., will always be a struggle in early sobriety. Just about every person thinks they will be the exception to the rule that early sobriety relationships usually end in a sh*t storm or a relapse. Sadly, most people eventually find that it happens to them too. Here is why. Folks in early sobriety (my previous self included, no judgment) are still extremely wrapped up in ego, selfishness, and the need for validation. Call it...

Meth Addiction On The Rise In Colorado

Although Colorado is primarily known as a “marijuana” state, recent records show that alarming rates of Meth use have been occurring over the state, bumping the overdose death toll past 1,000 lives between 2016 and 2017. According to the Denver Post, the number of overdose deaths surpassed the traffic death toll by the hundreds and is quickly becoming the fastest growing drug for fatalities in the state, right after heroin and opioids prescriptions. Why Meth? Since the mid-nineties, the media and the DEA have been very adamant about the dangers of meth use, and most of us have seen the horrifying before and after pictures that show the physical damage of methamphetamines. But if it is so dangerous, why is it that people continue to flock towards it? According to NPR, “Meth is particularly insidious because it’s cheap, readily available, and “very common. Everyone does it.” Most people who abuse or become addicted to methamphetamine are primarily not trying out that drug first. It is usually a gradual slip starting from recreationally using other drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, or prescription medications. After a while, when the person becomes addicted and starts to lose money, they look for cheaper alternatives that can still provide that intense high they are looking for. The Meth Death Toll According to Denver Recovery Group counselor, Melissa McConnell, who performed an assessment of the drug overdose numbers released by Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment, “Meth was found in the systems of 280 Coloradans who died of overdoses in 2017… more than five times that recorded in 2012.” One of the most dangerous aspects...

5 Tools to Deal with Stress in Sobriety

Stress has served as the root cause of a number of different issues within people’s lives, ranging from poor physical health caused by bad diets and lack of exercise to troublesome mental health caused by lack of self-care. Stress is powerful enough to cause even the most put-together individuals to begin doing things such as abusing alcohol and/or drugs to cope. Regardless of  an individual experiences one stressful event or many stressful events back-to-back, it can be difficult and potentially even impossible for him or her to properly cope with that stress if he or she does not have any healthy coping skills to rely on. Thankfully, when someone who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol reaches out for treatment, they are often provided with a number of different coping mechanisms designed to manage stress. Today, relapse rates in the United States range between 40 percent and 60 percent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). And while it takes a significant amount of work to help prevent relapse, it is important to place focus on managing stress by applying proper coping skills to help maintain sobriety so relapse does not occur. 5 Tools to Deal with Stress Stress will occur in your life, no matter how long you have been sober for. Ultimately, there is no way to avoid experiencing stress, even if you are in recovery. It is no secret that stress is often viewed as the enemy of sobriety, as many people in recovery have a detailed history of abusing drugs and/or alcohol in order to cope with stress. In fact, most people have abused substances...

5 Ways Long-Term Treatment Can Help if you are a Chronic Relapser

The disease of addiction is extremely complex and cyclical. This means that there are often a number of different layers of one’s addiction and the patterns associated with this disease often repeat themselves over and over. In many cases, individuals cannot find their way out of addiction and continuously struggle with using and stopping and using again. When this is occurring, an individual is at significant risk for causing irreversible damage to his or her physical or psychological well-being, as well as potentially suffering a fatal overdose. And, when futile attempts at stopping use are constantly backfiring, it is likely that professional treatment is needed to achieve that goal and then some. Thankfully, professional treatment does exist for a number of different addictions, ranging from addictions to substances to behavioral addictions. What is Relapse? Relapse occurs when an individual has stopped his or her substance abuse with the intent of staying sober but goes back to using instead. Relapse is very common amongst individuals who grapple with the ups and downs of addiction, and even the most successful people in recovery can experience a relapse at any point. According to American Addiction Centers, relapse rates range between 40%-60%. That means that roughly half of those who establish sobriety and who live in recovery will relapse at some point. There are three different stages of relapse: emotional relapse, mental relapse, and physical relapse. They are described below: Emotional Relapse When emotional relapse is occurring, an individual is likely not actively thinking about using again but is starting to experience emotions that could serve as a trigger to use in the future....