February 5, 2012

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Group Therapy for Addiction

Substance abuse is a rampant problem, and the principal psychological weakness that leads to addiction is a lack of self control. Often in western societies, this lack is brought about by minimum amount of social contact, lack of opportunities to engage with peer groups, and general disability to socialize. When a person develops a “load” of memories and impressions that she can never get around to sharing with anyone, her mental barriers shatter, and the result is a lose of self control. With the constant availability of harmful substances in our society, substance abuse is just a step away.

One of the methods of curing a person from an addiction is group therapy. Group therapy is the process of engaging in moderated conversation with a substance addicted peer group, where each addicted person shares her problems with like minded people, discusses solutions to others’ and their own problems, and is able to socialize at a sympathetic level.

Group therapy works in two ways; in the substance of the discussion, and in the socialization itself.

The substance of the discussion is what you learn from others who have gone through what you are going through now. You learn from the voice of experience; and there is no better kind of learning. You may learn useful tips on how to stay away from drugs, how to avoid drug recidivism, how not to spiral into a bad habit etc. This, from people who have suffered through it, and conquered it enough to be able to consider rehabilitation.

Besides what is actually discussed, almost everyone finds the process of engagement and socialization itself a very helpful cure to their basic problem – loneliness. Here is a group of people just like you, who have had similar problems like you. The ability to share your thoughts and feelings with them, developing relationships and social engagements itself is a very healthy way to make your mind stronger. This is probably even more important in group therapy than the substance of the discussion itself, because, after all, most people already know what to avoid.

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Filed Under: Substance Abuse Treatment Tagged With: , , ,

Substance Addiction and Mental Illness

BEKASI, INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 10: Patients lie...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The high rate of co-morbid occurrences and conditions of Substance Addiction with Mental Illnesses has been an intriguing field of study by research scientists and practicing mental health professionals worldwide and findings have been alarming. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicates in a 2007 research update that six in ten people abusing Substance also suffer from a form of mental illness. While people with anxiety or mood disorders are twice as prone to be drug addicts, another perspective saw drug addicts to be twice as prone to have anxiety or mood disorders.

The cause of co-morbidity of Substance Addiction with Mental Illness does not lie in either one or both of the conditions alone. Research indicates that genetic, biological and environmental factors play an important role in giving rise to both conditions, in most cases eventually. The variant of the gene responsible in the individual to cause schizophrenia proper, is also activated by some powerful drugs to create the same hallucinogenic and psychotic effects that can rarely be reversible. This prolonged abnormal state of mind and symptoms can intermittently give rise to other clinical conditions like severe paranoia, mood disorder, depression and anxiety. The brain in turn functions in a similar manner, where certain common areas are affected by both drugs and mental illness. This means that Substance Abuse can seriously alter the brain which may eventually risk a mental illness. Environmental factors like stress and trauma are also known to have played a great role in leading to this co-morbid condition. Co-morbid conditions of Substance Addiction with Mental Illness are generally prevalent among teenagers, but this condition may be carried on into the further years of life.

Complications arising due to the interacting symptoms between Drug Addiction with Psychiatric Illnesses have required dedicated research, complicated mechanisms of evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for the addict/patient. Not all treatment centers today yet, is equipped or able to treat both conditions together effectively, but there are some hospitals and rehabs that have the expertise and competent medical staff, and are able to treat this co-morbid condition effectively and with good results.

Filed Under: Substance Abuse & The Body Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Adult Daughters of Female Alcoholics More Likely to Struggle With Mental Illness

According to a recent study, children who have one or more alcoholic parents have more to worry about than being predisposed to also having substance abuse problems as adults. Depending on which parent struggles with alcohol abuse, and on the gender of the child, new research reveals that they more often deal with mental illnesses in their adult years.

It has long been known that children of alcoholic parents are likely to suffer from mental health issues, but a couple of distinctions have only recently been made that break that conclusion down even further. It turns out that a daughter of an alcohol dependent mother runs the highest risk of depression, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

An impressive sample group of nearly 41,000 men and women from varying social and economic backgrounds, and who had alcoholic parents or not, were surveyed for the study. Findings were consistent with past studies, showing that children with alcoholic parents run a higher risk of alcoholism and are more likely to battle mental illness as adults, but discovering that there is a link between gender of both parent and child was groundbreaking.

Daughters of female alcoholics in the study proved to be at a higher risk for alcohol abuse, nicotine and other dependencies, mania, and other personality disorders than any of the other parent-child combinations. Being able to make the gender distinction can help experts target those children with the highest risk of developing problems later in life, and start treatment at a younger age.

Studies such as this are helping to reinforce just how much damage alcohol and drug dependencies do to the entire familial unit. This study in particular will help researchers and treatment experts understand at-risk children, and aid them in identifying and diagnosing mental illness in higher risk groups. Programs and Alcohol treatment center can be better tailored, and further research with regard to gender and parental relationship will only improve the existing framework.

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Alternative Therapies For Treating Substance Abuse

Treating substance abuse requires treating both the addiction, and healing the whole person. In addition to conventional treatment programs and therapies, many who struggle with addiction are approaching the healing process from a holistic perspective. Alternative therapies including yoga, meditation, massage and naturopathy and nutrition can contribute to the overall well-being of those in recovery for drug and alcohol abuse, and can help ensure long-term success.

Because yoga is good for mind, body, and spirit, it can complement treatment programs early in the recovery process. In addition to the physical benefits of stretching and strengthening muscles, it can aid in relaxation and finding inner peace. The practice of yoga also balances and strengthens the nervous and endocrine systems, and increases self-awareness and self-control.

The physical practice of yoga was developed to help prepare the body and mind for meditation, which is used almost all cultures across the globe in the quest for finding peace and as a spiritual practice. Conventional health practitioners have begun implementing meditation into addiction recovery programs with very good success. Meditation cultivates self-love and can improve self-esteem, critical to the success of any recovery program.

Massage therapies can do more than help a person physically relax. Massage can help the detoxification process, and can ease mental stress and worry as well. The healing power of physical touch is only just beginning to be understood by Western medicine, but has been utilized by other medical systems for centuries.

Addressing nutrition is a critical part of healing both body and mind. People who struggle with substance abuse tend to be undernourished, and lacking in vitamins and minerals which can affect mental health. Proper nutrition helps restore balance in the body and supports healthy brain function, including our ability to make good decisions. Recovering addicts who improve their diet are found to be less likely to have a relapse. Vitamin and mineral supplements can also help the body detoxify and support the immune system.

Recovery includes nurturing all aspects of a person’s being, and is a lifelong process that involves taking care of body and mind.

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PTSD Patients Are High Risk For Substance Abuse Problems

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be developed following any number of traumatic experiences that cause emotional distress or extreme terror. Although war combat and rape are the most common stimuli for PTSD, seeing accidents and bodily injury, surviving assault, kidnapping, torture, plane crashes, terrorist attacks or natural disasters, learning of a serious medical condition, and even a marriage ending and losing a job. About 8% of Americans will be diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives, with 10-30% of veterans and victims of rape developing symptoms of PTSD. Women are more susceptible to PTSD than are men, and are two times more likely to suffer from the syndrome.

Substance abuse is common among those who suffer from PTSD. Studies show that nearly 35% of men and almost 27% of women who have PTSD also battle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. This compares with substance abuse rates of. 24.75% of the male population and about 10.55% of females who don’t have PTSD.

So why do those suffering from PTSD turn to drugs and alcohol? There are a number of possible explanations, all of which are supported by scientific data and may be correct depending on the circumstances. Some scientists and doctors agree that many who develop PTSD have problems with addiction before experiencing trauma. They propose that heavy use of drugs and alcohol may make people more likely to be involved in a traumatic experience, making them more susceptible to PTSD. Another theory suggests that substance abuse increases the likelihood of developing PTSD following emotionally distressing events.

It is also widely accepted that those suffering from PTSD turn to drugs and alcohol to ease symptoms of PTSD, as a way of self-medicating. Still others in the medical community theorize that some may be genetically predisposed to both PTSD and dependency on drug and alcohol.

While it’s long been accepted that substance abuse and PTSD often occur simultaneously, it is not fully understood exactly why. Ongoing research is helping experts understand the two diseases, and providing insight into to how to best treat patients who suffer from both.

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Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , ,