Addiction Treatment Archives

A woman suffering from alcohol addiction in Lexington, Kentucky.

Can Alcohol Abuse Lead to Depression?

Written by Jacob on April 14, 2023. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Recovery, Rehab.

Just about anyone who struggles with depression can tell you how difficult it is. But can alcohol abuse lead to depression? Is there a link? Alcohol is a depressant. It can affect many facets of the body, including the mind and mental health of anyone who struggles with it. Being aware of what alcohol abuse is, how it affects the body, and how it affects depression can only help someone to have a clear understanding of why their depression symptoms seem to be worse when drinking.

What is Alcohol Abuse?

When asking if alcohol abuse can lead to depression, it is crucial to understand exactly what constitutes alcohol abuse. If someone is having trouble moderating alcohol consumption, this may be an indication that it is a problem stemming from abusing the substance. Moderate drinking, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is up to one drink a day for women, and up to two drinks a day for men when it is a day that alcohol is consumed.

This does not mean that if a woman drinks one drink per day, every day for a year straight that they are safe from the long-term effects. Even drinking in moderation can cause harm. Alcohol abuse is when excessive drinking occurs. This can be daily or binge drinking occasionally. Drinking above the recommended limit can lead to alcohol abuse.

Impacts of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse can impact the body in different ways. In the heart, it can cause cardiomyopathy, which is the stretching and drooping of the muscles in the heart. It can also lead to irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and stroke. In the liver, it can lead to steatosis (fatty liver), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and alcoholic hepatitis. Alcohol abuse can also lead to the pancreas producing toxins that can lead to swelling of the blood vessels, and inflammation in the pancreas, disrupting the proper digestion of food. This is known as pancreatitis. It can also inhibit the immune system. This can make someone more susceptible to disease and illness.

Outside of the health impacts of alcohol abuse, it also affects the brain. The impacts on the brain can be lifelong, and life-altering. This can include depression.

Link Between Alcohol and Depression

In the short term, someone could feel elated, or happier when drinking. However, when moderate drinking turns into alcohol abuse, it can lead to depression in those who are struggling with the substance. Being that alcohol is a depressant, it affects and decreases the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, both of which help to regulate mood. With the levels of these two mood regulators being decreased, the mood can be lowered, or depressed. When the chemicals in the brain that are essential to regulating mood are altered long-term, this can become a “normal” state for the brain to be in.

So, when serotonin and norepinephrine levels are constantly at a lowered level, and someone begins to feel depressed, this can turn into a daily normal state for them. Those who suffer from alcohol-related depression can have severe impacts on everyday life, including work, school, and family relationships. Depression is a difficult mental health condition to live with, and seeking professional help is highly suggested.

Effects of Alcohol on Depression

The effects of alcohol on the brain are the reason why alcohol can actually cause depression symptoms to worsen. In a person who is already struggling with regulating mood, when the essential brain chemicals are altered, these symptoms can worsen. Alcohol abuse can lead to depression worsening over time.

When alcohol is mixed with depression symptoms, it can cause the seemingly normal problems endured during the depression to become overwhelming and lead to some worse feelings of depression and associated symptoms like anxiety. Someone suffering from depression should avoid alcohol so as not to aggravate the already present depression symptoms.

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol abuse can not only lead to depression but can also cause dependence. The chemical properties of alcohol, when consumed long-term, can cause a state of normalcy in the body. When this happens, the body becomes dependent on those chemicals to function properly. When the chemicals are abruptly removed, it can lead to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can range from headache and nausea to tremors and seizures. These symptoms can be dangerous, and this is why it is extremely important to seek proper care when deciding to end alcohol abuse and begin a life free from the substance.

Recovering Near Lexington, KY

Alcohol abuse leads to addiction. When someone is addicted to alcohol it can be a hard habit to break, and it can lead to some pretty devastating consequences. However, there is hope. At Lexington Addiction Center we offer a personalized plan to help those struggling with alcohol overcome the addiction and find hope again. If you or a loved one are struggling, reach out to us today. Contact us now to take your first steps to lasting recovery!

Practicing Mindfulness in Addiction Recovery

Written by Jacob on March 10, 2023. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Life Skills, Mental Health.

Everyone who struggles with drug and alcohol addiction has different reasons for using substances, however a common denominator in a lot of people’s stories is: they drink and drug to avoid thoughts and feelings. Practicing mindfulness in addiction recovery can change the outcome and rate of success in a person’s life. Mindfulness can help shape a person into a new way of thinking and processing negative thoughts and emotions. This helps give them a powerful tool when it comes to staying clean and sober. It helps them to combat the negativity in a positive way that allows them to maintain recovery and get through the thoughts and feelings that once led to using drugs and alcohol as a means of coping.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a keen awareness about thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Being able to, purposefully, look at thoughts and feelings as they are occurring so that you can identify anything triggering to learn to cope with them. Identifying these thoughts and feelings, and not reacting to them emotionally or without intention can help to change your thought processes and patterns surrounding the use of drugs and alcohol. Practicing mindfulness is part of a holistic therapy that helps alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and can help to improve focus. The early stages of recovery for anyone can be super stressful as you learn a completely new way of life, there can be racing thoughts and a desire to constantly be on the move. Being aware of this (mindful) you can find a healthy balance.

Mindfulness and Addiction Recovery

Some of the biggest deterrents to successfully recovery from drug and alcohol addiction include stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness in addiction recovery helps to combat these feelings by identifying and processing the feelings and emotions in a positive, non judgmental or emotional way. For example, in early recovery, cravings are high. The drugs and alcohol have just recently been removed from your life and when faced with uncomfortable situations, you may want to use. Rather than suppressing these feelings of using, acknowledge it. Feel its presence, and feel it as it begins to dissipate. Then you can feel yourself making through the very thing that made you continue drinking and drugging. You’ve then successfully overcome an obstacle to your recovery.

Approaching your thoughts and feelings in this way over a period of time will form it into a habitual way of processing them so you can better manage thoughts and feelings, positively, rather than turning to drugs and alcohol to cope. Positively identifying and processing triggering thoughts and emotions, practicing mindfulness in addiction recovery, is one of the best tools you can have under your belt when trying to maintain recovery.

What Mindfulness Practices are Used in Addiction Recovery?

Mindfulness in addiction recovery should always be tailored to a person’s specific needs. However there are some common practices that are taught to and used by people in recovery. Some techniques are used to help frame thought patterns in a way that is more positivity focused rather than the negative, self deprecating thoughts that many addicts and alcoholics think on a daily basis. Other mindfulness practices are used to help manage and alleviate symptoms of pain, or stress. All of the different practices of mindfulness in addiction recovery follow a basic guideline including these specific elements:

Observation: Identifying the thoughts and experiences.
Description: Describing the experiences
Participation: Healthy engagement with the thoughts/experience.
No Judgment: Accepting the experience or feeling (ie a craving) without judging it
Focus: Focusing on individual things, without distraction
Effectiveness: Actively making better choices for recovery

Learning to positively manage thoughts and emotions is what mindfulness in addiction recovery is all about. By implementing these practices into your daily life, you are forming a new routine surrounding thought processes.

Importance of Mindfulness

The positive connection between addiction and mindfulness in addiction recovery is uncanny. By practicing mindfulness, and learning a new way of thinking when it comes to drugs and alcohol, you are essentially retraining your brain to be able to self soothe the thoughts and feelings that once led you to drugs and alcohol. By staying aware, you can stay in control.

Help for Addiction in Lexington, KY

Mindfulness in addiction recovery can benefit those who struggle in insurmountable ways. Learning to be aware and change the way you think can help you to grow and change in recovery. Addiction is a monster and changes the most loving and understanding person into someone completely different. If you or a loved one struggle with addiction, there is help. You don’t have to go through it alone and you don’t have to continue to suffer.

At Lexington Addiction Center, we offer a comprehensive program to help you learn new skills to live addiction-free. Help if just a phone call away. Contact us today and begin living a healthy, mindful life of recovery.

Can You Convince Someone to Go to Rehab?

Written by Jacob on February 3, 2023. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Recovery, Rehab.

Drug and alcohol addiction impacts the lives of not only the person with addiction but their loved ones as well. Family members, co-workers, employers, and friends might wonder how to convince someone to go to rehab.

Getting a loved one to rehab isn’t easy. And, ultimately the decision is up to the person in need of recovery. At Lexington Addiction Center in Kentucky, we’re here to help those who struggle with addiction get the best treatment possible. We also provide support to their loved ones throughout the treatment process.

How to Convince Someone to Go to Rehab

Discussing rehab with a person who is addicted can be an emotional process. Therefore, you need to consider a few things before approaching your loved one. Instead of bringing up the subject of rehab out of blue, it is best to take a proactive approach. That way, you are prepared and less likely to allow emotions to overwhelm you.

The following tips can help you convince someone to go to rehab:

Learn About Addiction and Treatment

It is crucial to learn about your loved one’s addiction and treatment options. First, by learning about addiction, you gain an understanding of the problem. Oftentimes, family members and friends might come across as judgmental or perplexed. They might say things like “why can’t you just stop?” or “you’re choosing to be addicted.”

The truth about addiction is much more complex. Your loved one never intended to become an addict. No one does. The following can help you learn more about addiction:

Watch videos or read stories that recovering addicts and their loved ones have posted online to share
Research addiction online, especially the specific substance your loved one uses
Attend an open AA or NA meeting, which is open to observers or others who aren’t in recovery themselves

Next, learn about treatment options. By learning more about how addiction is treated, you can come up with options that your loved one might be more receptive towards. Many treatment centers offer specialized treatment services that might suit your loved one’s needs better than others.

In addition, ask yourself the following to better understand what level of treatment is appropriate for your loved one:

Have they been in treatment before or is this the first time?
If they were in treatment before, did they complete the program? If not, why?
Have they been sober for a time and are currently relapsing?
Do they have a co-occurring mental health disorder?
What substance are they addicted to? Do they use multiple drugs?

Learning more can also help you to gain control over your “knee-jerk” emotional responses to your loved one’s behavior.

Keep Your Emotions in Check

Addiction and rehab can be emotionally charged topics. You want to be sure that your own emotions are in-check before approaching a loved one. Of course, when the intervention occurs, emotions will come out. Therefore, you also want to plan how you will deal with these emotions in the moment.

First and foremost, you need to come from a place of concern. Talking to someone about rehab is not about shaming or blaming them. Rather, it is about recognizing a problem and helping your loved one get the help they deserve. The following can help you get your emotions in check:

Talk to a trusted person about your concerns. You might want to consider someone outside of the situation so that they can be neutral and let you talk openly or vent.
Discuss your feelings and emotions with a professional. Therapy can also help the loved ones of those addicted. Family members are especially prone to struggle when they live with an addict.
Attend a support group for friends and family of addicts. There are many support groups for the loved ones of addicts. Al-Anon is one of the most well-known, however, there are several other groups as well. Many groups now meet up via online chat platforms.
Plan what you will do if your emotions do become overwhelming. Preparation is not just about preventing emotional outbursts. It is also about what you will do if emotions start getting out of control. For instance, you might need to take a break to calm down while another loved one jumps in.

Connect With Professionals and Plan an Intervention

Contact an addiction treatment center to learn more about how to convince someone to go to rehab. Many treatment centers will offer valuable information for you, even if you aren’t a client or your loved one chooses another facility. It’s best to make connections and pick a few treatment centers that you think your loved one would attend. That way, when you do have an intervention, you can present options for them or point them in the right direction

Some centers even offer professional interventionists to assist you in an intervention. Planning an intervention with professional guidance is always best. However, if you can’t find a professional interventionist, most prospective rehab centers you are recommending to your loved one will often offer advice and tips over the phone.

Remember You Might Not Succeed

While you might have learned all you can about how to convince someone to go to rehab, the choice will not be up to you. If your loved one doesn’t want help, you can’t force them into it.

However, it is important to remain positive and remember that getting someone into rehab is also a process. And, you might need to have several conversations over the course of months or years to succeed. Just remember, the next time you talk to them about rehab might be the time they finally choose to go.

Help a Loved One Find Rehab Today

Talking to a loved one about going to rehab isn’t easy. However, you don’t need to do it alone. Lexington Addiction Center in Kentucky is here to help you and your loved one through the treatment process. We’re available to answer your questions about your loved one’s addiction and treatment needs. Contact us today to speak to our team.

Is Addiction Hereditary?

Written by Jacob on January 6, 2023. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Mental Health, Trauma.

Whether addiction is hereditary has been a commonly asked question over the years. There’s been studies on the subject, there’s been statistics released, and still the question remains. Is addiction hereditary? The short answer is yes, addiction has been linked to genetics. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that addiction was even recognized as a disease. Now, the thought process surrounding addiction is still ever changing. Understanding the link between genetics and addiction is vital for those who have suffered with substance abuse and for those who have loved ones who have.

Understanding Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Addiction is a monster that can be difficult to beat. In many cases, people turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with situational feelings, and end up not being able to stop drinking and drugging. This is because the brain and body become dependent on the substances. When this happens, it can be hard to break that cycle. Oftentimes people need to seek professional help in order to end drug addiction and alcohol addiction. Other times, they continue to use drugs and alcohol and end up with some severe physical and emotional consequences. No matter the situation, drug and alcohol addiction is a disease and the question can be asked, is addiction hereditary?

Is Addiction Hereditary?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a link between genes and DNA and your susceptibility to drug and alcohol addiction. They say that about half of it can be hereditary. While there is a link to genetics, addiction is more complicated than that. Just because there is a genetic predisposition to developing a substance abuse problem, does not mean it is a definite thing that’s going to happen in your life. It just means that you are more prone to developing a substance abuse problem. On the flip side, just because you do not have a predisposition does not mean you won’t. Addiction does not discriminate, and anyone can be affected.

To see how addiction can be viewed as hereditary, there are studies that show differences in dopamine in the brain. Higher levels of dopamine can cause poor impulse control, and lower inhibitions toward substance use. Dopamine is viewed as the reward center in the brain, responsible for feeling pleasure. So, when it gets affected by drug and alcohol use, it can make it easier to continue to turn to drugs and alcohol for a sense of pleasure.

Other Factors Contributing to Addiction

Even though it is said that addiction is hereditary, there are other factors that can be attributed to addiction. As previously stated, anyone can be affected by addiction. It is a disease of the mind and the body. There is a physical dependence, and a mental craving associated with drug and alcohol addiction. Knowing other factors, other than addiction being hereditary can help to avoid or identify substance abuse problems.

Trauma

Trauma can be a main factor for substance abuse problems. Traumatic events happening in life, whether in early childhood, adolescence or adulthood, can harm a person psychologically. It can cause flashbacks and anxiety so severe that, seemingly, the only way to feel any relief is to self medicate with drugs and alcohol. This can lead to dangerous consequences. Being that studies show addiction is hereditary, those with a predisposition to substance abuse have a higher risk of turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with traumas.

Environment

The link between drug and alcohol abuse and environment can easily be seen. Oftentimes, children who grow up in homes where there is substance abuse, physical or emotional abuse, or neglect are often seen to begin using drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with their feelings surrounding their upbringing. Whether addiction is hereditary or not can also play a role in the environment affecting someone’s use of drugs and alcohol to cope.

How You Can Help

Regardless of the situation, there is help. Drugs and alcohol can drastically change a person’s behavior and personality. If you have suffered from addiction, the best thing you can do is be open with your family about it. It can help them to be more aware of their possible predisposition to drug and alcohol abuse. If cancer or diabetes ran in your family, you would do everything you can to warn the others in your family of the risks of developing these diseases, right? Think of it that way. Warning them could help to keep them healthy.

Finding Help for Addiction in Lexington, KY

Drug and alcohol addiction is a beast and affects all aspects of the addict or alcoholic’s life. It can take the most functional person and turn them into a monster. If you or a loved one are struggling with drugs or alcohol, there is help for you out there. We at Lexington Addiction Center can help guide you through the early stages of getting clean and sober, and help you to learn to live a life free from drug and alcohol addiction. Contact us today and let our team help you begin this process.

Childhood Trauma and Adult Addiction

Written by Jacob on December 16, 2022. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Mental Health, Trauma.

There is continuing research being done on addiction. Research topics like genetics are often heard of. But what about the correlation between childhood trauma and addiction? Is there a link there? Childhood is the formative years for your sense of right and wrong, what your perception of love is, and your general reaction to situations. Having trauma occur during these years can alter the way the brain forms and functions, and this can lead to detrimental repercussions in later years, long after the trauma has occurred.

What is Childhood Trauma?

Childhood trauma is when an event occurs in childhood that can be emotionally painful to the child. The events that occur often have long lasting effects on the physical and mental well-being of the child in the long run. Having traumatic events occur during the formative years, whether a single event or repeated, can cause a child to feel they have lost all sense of control and safety. These feelings can interrupt the development of the child.

How Childhood Trauma Affects the Brain

While biology and genetics are a vital part of brain development, the brain has what is known as neuroplasticity and this means that it can change and adapt to any given situation. So when any sort of traumatic event occurs, it can lead to the brain’s make-up changing. Trauma during the early years of life, while the brain is beginning its formation, can alter the formation of the brain. This can lead to difficulty in behavioral and emotional reactions. These changes can carry on into adulthood.

Does Childhood Trauma Affect Addiction in Adulthood?

Many people who struggle with an alcohol addiction or drug addiction have experienced some kind of trauma. A lot of those traumas were experienced in childhood. Having tragic and harmful things happen during childhood and feeling that sense of losing control can cause someone to turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to feel like they have gained some semblance of control. This is a false narrative, as drinking and drugging can lead to addiction and once addiction has been reached, the sense of control has been lost.

Using drugs and alcohol to cope with the feelings associated with childhood traumas is unhealthy. The link between childhood trauma and addiction can be seen by the number of addicts seeking recovery who say that the things that happened during childhood, like molestation, abuse, and neglect, led them to feeling a sense of unworthiness and not feelings wanted or loved. These feelings trigger a need for individuals to, somehow, gain those feelings. Whether it be codependence or substance dependence as a way to feel like they don’t feel that way.

The number of addicts looking to get clean and sober who cite childhood trauma as the reason for them using drugs and alcohol is staggering. It is vital to sort out and learn ways of coping with these unresolved traumas in order to curb addiction and prevent relapse once the drugs and alcohol have been removed.

Can Addiction Be Treated?

The short answer is yes. Childhood trauma and addiction are both treatable conditions. When it comes to ending the addiction, it is highly recommended to have medical supervision for various reasons. One being that there can be side effects, medically, of the drug being stopped. These are known as withdrawal symptoms. Everyone experiences withdrawals differently, and no one symptom is associated with any specific drug. There are some pretty generalized symptoms of withdrawal that can be seen across those experiencing withdrawal. Not all are necessarily seen in everyone, however most of these symptoms are associated with those ending drug and alcohol abuse:

Increased blood pressure
Muscle cramps and aches
Restlessness
Headache
Confusion
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Insomnia
Seizures
Dehydration
Increase or decrease in appetite

Having medical supervision during this time can be beneficial to preventing medical events that have long lasting repercussions. Being medically monitored by professionals can allow for these blood pressure spikes to be handled. It can also help to maintain someone’s comfort during detox, medications can be dispensed to help counteract some of these extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and allow for someone to get through the detox process, and begin their journey of recovery.

Additionally, having the addiction professionals available in an inpatient setting for therapeutic purposes can help to begin the process of healing from childhood traumas and addiction traumas. Being able to turn to someone trained to help process feelings and emotions, as well as traumas can help keep someone from acting on impulse and giving up on finding recovery. There is help for both childhood trauma and addiction that may have stemmed from it.

Help for Childhood Trauma and Addiction in Lexington, KY

Trauma that stems from childhood can be extremely detrimental in the later, adulthood years. Resolving them can lead you to a healthy lifestyle. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, or have experienced childhood trauma, there is help out there. Here at Lexington Addiction Center there is hope. Contact us today and our team of professionals can help to guide you to a place of peace and serenity.

What Are Co-Occurring Disorders?

Written by Jacob on December 9, 2022. Posted in Addiction Treatment, Co-Occurring Disorders, Mental Health.

What are co-occurring disorders? We know there are substance use disorders, and there are mental health disorders. But what about when someone suffers with both mental health and substance abuse? That is what co-occurring disorders are. These disorders affect countless people across the world, and affect both men and women. But what exactly does it mean to suffer from co-occurring disorders? What is the treatment? How does one “fix” it? Here we will give answers to some of the more prevalent questions surrounding this type of disorder.

What are Co-Occurring Disorders?

As previously stated, when there are substance use and mental health disorders coexisting within one person, that is what co-occurring disorders refer to. This can mean one disorder and one substance being abused, or it can mean any variation of multiple mental health and substance abuse issues existing at once.

Those who struggle with mental health tend to turn to drugs and alcohol more often than others in order to manage the symptoms of their mental health conditions. Conditions associated with co-occurring disorders often include:

Anxiety
Depression
PTSD
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Bipolar
Schizophrenia

These are just a few of the mental health conditions often seen in conjunction with substance use disorders, and they can lead to the use of any combination of drugs and alcohol. Oftentimes, those who struggle with mental health turn to drugs and alcohol to help them to manage the symptoms they may be experiencing from the mental health concerns. This is not the best solution, however, to the addict or alcoholic, it may seem like the fastest way to find relief.

Some Common Co-Occurring Disorders

What are co-occurring disorders that are commonly seen in addicts and alcoholics? Well, there is no definitive substance that is associated with specific mental health concerns. However, there are some more commonly seen substance and disorder combinations.

Depression

Those who suffer from depression are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of self-medicating. Those who turn to alcohol are oftentimes attempting to “drown their sorrows” and trying to heighten their mood. Others use drugs to feel the “high” that they produce, rather than the lows of depression. This helps to relieve the negative thoughts and feelings they may be experiencing due to the depression. Using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate is what leads to addiction.

Anxiety Disorders

When it comes to using drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with anxiety, the feelings produced by drugs like benzodiazepines or opiates can help to ease the mind almost into a state of sedation. This leads the person to believe that they are “feeling better” when in reality, they are just masking the symptoms and creating an addiction. The same rings true with alcohol, the calming effects can seem as though they are a cure to what the person is feeling when it only causes more harm.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

It is common among those who struggle with PTSD that drugs and alcohol are used to cope with the symptoms. It can make the person feel like they are OK, without the stress often seen with PTSD.

Dual Diagnosis

What is a co-occurring disorder compared to a dual diagnosis? Well, they are very similar. However, co-occurring disorders tend to refer to mental health conditions coexisting with substance use disorders while dual diagnosis refers to two or more completely separate diagnoses. As an example, a person can have different ailments caused by drug and alcohol addiction, this would be a dual diagnosis. For what a co-occuring disorder is, the drugs and alcohol would be used to self medicate the symptoms of whatever mental health concerns exist.

In simpler terms, what co-occurring disorders are is when the mental health treatment and addiction treatment happen together, in order to manage them.

How to Treat Co-Occurring Disorders

In recent years, it has become common practice to treat mental illness and substance use disorders together. This is due to the fact that they are intertwined and impact one another. When only the substance use or only the mental health is treated, it does not “cure” the other portion of these co-occurring disorders. The best way to address these coexisting conditions is for medical professionals to guide you through the process.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Lexington

If you or a loved one struggle with co-occurring disorders, there is help. Here at Lexington Addiction Center, we provide care that addresses all facets of addiction and mental health. Reach out to us today and let us help guide you to a healthier lifestyle.