Mental Health Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

When to Seek Individual Therapy for Addiction

Posted on September 25, 2021 by cmarnew

One of the main reasons people do not seek out addiction treatment is because they think they have everything under control. It is only after an accident or significant loss that they realize they have a problem. Individual therapy for addiction can help you better understand your addiction and how you can avoid future triggers and cravings.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our individual therapy programs can help with addiction recovery through our flexible outpatient and telehealth services and behavioral therapy that will give you your best chances at recovery. If you or a loved one is ready to get control of their addiction, call 833.448.0127 today to learn more about our addiction therapy programs.

Why Individual Therapy Is Beneficial for Addiction Recovery

The main goal of individual therapy for addiction is to better understand how your addiction has changed your thought processes and chemical makeup to where you need the substance to function. Through multiple therapy sessions, you will begin to see where your addiction stems from and create healthy coping skills that will keep your cravings at bay.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a form of therapy where the therapist walks you through understanding your addiction and recognizing the whys and hows behind it. Instead of being told what’s happening, you discover the reasons through support and encouragement from the therapist, creating a stronger belief in your ability to recover.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can help individuals recognize their negative thoughts and behaviors and how they are driving their addiction in a never-ending loop. This bad habit started a long time ago, and with the help of your therapist, you can learn how to break your bad habit and create new ones that don’t have you reaching for your substance of choice.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT focuses on changing the individual’s behavior and their home life to make sobriety easier for them. It teaches them several new skills to help manage emotions, create a sense of mindfulness, and help improve broken relationships due to their addiction.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our addiction treatment therapies include motivational interviewing, CBT, DBT, and many more options, including:

Group therapy
Family counseling
Neurofeedback therapy
Case management
Peer support

We want to help you in the best way possible. As you progress through your therapy, your therapists will continuously update your treatment to ensure positive results.

When It’s Time for an Individual Therapy Program

If you think you are using addictive substances without causing harm to yourself or others, that can be a sign of addiction and dependency. There are several signs to help you recognize that you are not as functional as you might think:

You are using more to reach the same high
Work and school performance suffers
Withdrawing from your friends and family
Poor sleep
Intense cravings that you cannot ignore

If you are struggling with any of these signs, it is time to call Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery to help with your addiction treatment.

Addiction Treatment Therapies for Your Recovery at CMAR

Understanding that you need help is just the first step toward recovery. Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery can help you with the second, third, and continuing steps with our addiction treatment therapies and medication-assisted therapy if necessary.

When you come in for your evaluation, one of our therapists will sit down with you, go over your motivation behind your recovery, and determine the best course of action for your addiction treatment. We have flexible treatment options available, including outpatient and telehealth services for those who cannot take time off of work.

When you are serious about your addiction recovery or know someone who can benefit from our programs, call 833.448.0127 today to learn more about our addiction therapy programs and how they can help you toward a sober life.

What Kinds of Therapy Are Good for Addiction?

Posted on September 19, 2021 by cmarnew

Addiction affects each person differently as it is both a mental health issue and a social one. Peer pressure pushes many of us to smoke or drink well before the legal age, and our society seems to find this acceptable. Addiction therapy programs are available to help you regain control of your life when addiction has taken over. But which program is right for you?

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our addiction therapy programs will help you break free from addiction through individual and group therapy programs that will teach you how to recognize your triggers and develop positive coping skills to help you stay on your sober path. Call 833.448.0127 today to speak with our caring team members and learn more about our beneficial addiction therapy programs.

Finding the Right Addiction Therapy Programs for You

Addiction is a mental and physical health issue that affects the mind by changing the brain chemistry so that it requires the substance of choice to maintain functionality. When you try to quit, your body starts going into withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can be as minor as a headache and a slight craving to as severe as uncontrollable shivering, muscle pain, vomiting, and much more that will not cease until you satisfy that craving.

Effective addiction treatment therapies will focus on the physical and mental aspects of addiction to help you get a better understanding of your addiction.

Behavior Therapy

The best way to understand addiction is by better understanding your actions and what led to the start of your addiction, and how your thinking patterns and thought processes are affected.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – CBT helps you recognize your negative thoughts and develop new thinking patterns and positive coping skills to maintain your sobriety.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – DBT focuses more on the harmful effects of addiction like suicide and self-harm. DBT can help you accept your negative feelings and begin to change the way you perceive these feelings, and develop positive coping skills.
Neurofeedback therapy – This therapy directly affects the brainwaves and tries to normalize them through positive stimulation. Addiction changes your brain chemistry and thought processes, and neurofeedback therapy is very effective in treating addiction.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our certified therapists use these and other forms of behavioral therapy in our addiction treatment therapies to give you a better chance at maintaining your sobriety.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Drugs and alcohol have a physical effect on your brain. The substance you are taking changes your brain chemistry so that it stops producing naturally occurring endorphins that are responsible for your happiness, motor functions, and much more. When you stop, even for a few hours, your body can start craving the substance and will go into withdrawal until satiated.

These withdrawal symptoms can be very debilitating and may include:

Nausea and vomiting
Shivering
Mood swings
Painful muscle cramps
Poor sleep
Hot flashes
Suicidal thoughts

When withdrawal symptoms get in the way of your recovery, medication-assisted therapy can help. These are FDA-approved drugs that can limit painful symptoms, stop your cravings, and reduce the pleasurable effects of your substance of choice.

Benefits of an Addiction Therapy Program

When you begin an addiction therapy program at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, you will soon feel all of the amazing benefits of your addiction recovery, such as:

A growing sober network that you can rely on
A better understanding of yourself and your addiction
Fewer emotional outbursts
A better outlook on life
A growing number of healthy coping skills
Better control of your triggers and craving
A new sober life

Learn More About Addiction Treatment Therapies at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

When you are ready to get serious about your addiction recovery, or if you know someone who can benefit from our addiction therapy programs, call Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery. Don’t waste any more time suffering needlessly. Call 833.448.0127 today.

How to Help a Loved One Seek Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Posted on August 16, 2021 by cmarnew

Treating substance use disorder does not involve a one-size-fits-all approach. The same kind of treatment will not work for everyone. The underlying issues that can lead to substance abuse are hidden deep within us. Simply treating the addiction is not enough. However, a dual diagnosis treatment program can succeed where other single-focused programs fail. Finding the right dual diagnosis treatment center is the first step in finding the help you need for an effective recovery that lasts.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we focus on treating the addiction and the underlying reason behind it simultaneously. If you or a loved one is struggling with their recovery, give us a call at 833.448.0127 and schedule an appointment to see how we can help.

What Is a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program?

A dual diagnosis treatment program has shown more success with treating opioid and other substance use disorders by treating the mental and physical side effects at the same time.

Those suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety attacks will have a harder time staying away from their drug of choice. This can be due to the short-term relief that drugs or alcohol can provide.

In a dual diagnosis treatment program, there are several types of treatments available to treat the physical and mental symptoms of addiction:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy
Medication-assisted therapy
Individual and group therapy
Family therapy
Telehealth (virtual) therapy

Our dual diagnosis treatment center in Colorado can help with a complete recovery experience. We understand the difficulties of treating substance use disorder when combined with mental illness. That’s why we build treatment plans specific to our clients to teach them lifelong coping skills to reduce the risks of a relapse.

Helping a Loved One Enroll in a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center

Convincing someone that they need treatment is the first hurdle to get over. Mental illness hides behind many things, and they may think they are under control or “functional.” They may not even be aware of their condition and therefore not even consider seeking help.

How can you tell if you or a loved one needs help from a dual diagnosis treatment program? Some of the signs to look for include:

Drinking or drug use begins to affect their work and personal lives
Withdrawing away from friends and family
Increased mood swings

Family history can play a role in addiction and mental illness, as children of parents who suffer from this disease are more susceptible to struggling with the same issues. Even if you feel like you have everything under control and don’t overuse drugs or alcohol, you can still benefit from a dual diagnosis treatment program. Remember, that OK feeling you get while under the influence is not reality.

Learn how to accept how you feel and begin to change it
Forming new relationships that will help you with your recovery
Increased energy and vitality
Gaining strong coping skills for life

The best way to help a friend or loved one understand the benefits of a dual diagnosis treatment program is to show how their actions hurt others. They might not be aware of the effects that their substance abuse has on others. However, by opening their eyes to how they affect others and themselves, they can accept help and begin the road to recovery.

Learn More About Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we are committed to your recovery with our dual diagnosis treatment programs. If you or a loved one can benefit from dual diagnosis treatment, contact us today. Our caring therapists will show you how our programs can help you lead a sober and happy life. Contact us 833.448.0127 today and schedule an appointment to learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment programs.

Peer Support Can Hold You Accountable to Your Recovery

Posted on July 23, 2021 by cmarnew

Peer support for addiction recovery can be successful in helping those suffering from addiction when individual therapy is not enough. Participants will feel more comfortable around others who have gone through similar struggles and feel more inclined to share their stories. Your deeper connection with others in your peer support group will keep you accountable as they will be encouraging you toward success and help you on bad days.

If you are interested in learning more about peer support for addiction recovery at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, call 833.448.0127 to speak with a therapist and learn how peer support can help you or your loved ones.

Why Does Peer Support for Recovery Work so Well?

We tend to stay close to those who we feel are similar to us. Positive people attract other positive people, just like those who view the world negatively will attract others who share their pessimistic views. Peer support is successful because everyone involved has lived with addiction, including the moderator.

It allows for a more encouraging atmosphere and builds on the participant’s strengths and overall well-being, helping them stay motivated in their recovery.

Peer support can help with a variety of other mental health and social issues, including:

Opioid addiction recovery
Depression
Anxiety
Death of a loved one
Relationship issues

When you begin your addiction recovery at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, your program will include a combination of individual therapy, peer support therapy, and case management to make sure you are getting the most out of your recovery.

Peer Support Can Keep You Accountable During Your Recovery

When working with your peers in addiction recovery, you will feel more compelled to stay on track. The other participants can give you advice on your recovery and encourage you to stick with the program. You will have more faith in their words as they are living proof that recovery is possible.

Your addiction will only be successful if you are willing to do what’s needed to recover. When first starting peer support therapy, you may feel uncomfortable sharing with others. But as you listen to them tell their stories, you will begin to relate with them and feel comfortable sharing. The more you are around them, the easier it will be to open up and get to the bottom of your addiction.

Benefits of Peer Support

When you are involved with peer support groups to help with your recovery, you will begin to feel the positive effects of working with someone that understands your addiction, including:

A better sense of well being
Learning how to trust others
A better circle of friends
Improved self-esteem
Learning important coping skills

Although there is no cure for addiction, with a supportive group of peers who understand, recovery and long-term sobriety is possible.

Get Involved to Help Others With Their Addiction Recovery

As the need for peer support for addiction recovery grows, the best leaders will be those who have survived their addiction through peer support and now want to help others in their recovery.

By getting involved with helping others, you are helping yourself build your self-esteem, confidence, and other coping skills. The joy you will feel knowing you are making a difference in someone’s life is a powerful motivator.

Learn How Peer Support Can Help You at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

Peer support can be very beneficial to those who are struggling with their addiction recovery. Better case management may be required. Adding peer support therapy can be a suitable form of treatment that you or a loved one needs to recover from their addiction successfully.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we understand the value of peer support for addiction recovery and will assist you in your addiction recovery to ensure life-long health and wellness. Call 833.448.0127 today to speak with one of our therapists about starting your road to recovery.

CBT Program in Colorado

Posted on June 30, 2021 by cmarnew

Many people who struggle with addiction and co-occurring mental health issues like depression or anxiety can benefit from a cognitive-behavioral therapy program (CBT). This type of therapy has helped many get back to living healthy and productive lives. The stigma of needing therapy is long gone as millions in the US suffer from stress and anxiety, leading to more severe problems like depression and suicide.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we offer CBT programs to help you get back on your feet and build healthy coping skills for sustainable recovery. Our certified therapists will work with you to get to the root cause of your addiction and help you stop turning to drugs and alcohol. When you are ready to help yourself or a loved one with their addiction, call 833.448.0127 today to learn more.

What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of psychological treatment with proven results in helping patients deal with a wide range of behavioral issues. These include:

Depression
Anxiety
Substance abuse
Eating disorders
Marital troubles
Social anxiety

If someone is suffering from addiction, it is from an underlying issue and not simply because they want to drink or smoke. The temporary high is a big draw for those looking for an escape. Therapy programs that treat physical addiction often fail because they only treat one side of the addiction.

Benefits of CBT

Through a combination of individual therapy and group sessions, your therapist will work you through finding that first moment that started your addiction by looking at what drove you to this coping device. You might have experienced trauma in the past or might have turned to drugs and alcohol to feel relief from mental health conditions.

When you begin a cognitive-behavioral therapy program and begin dealing with what is driving your addiction, you will start feeling many positive benefits. These include:

New coping mechanisms
A calmer self
Improved communications skills
Improved mental clarity
New supportive friends that you can count on

The goal of any CBT program is to help you find ways to deal with triggers in a healthy way. These coping skills are helpful tools that you will use throughout your life.

Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Right for You?

Finding the right therapy program can be difficult if you don’t know the underlying issue. You try to quit on your own, only to fail a few days or even months later, sometimes with challenging results as a relapse tends to try and make up for lost time. Your tolerance levels have dropped, but you still think you can handle as much as you once did.

Other treatment centers only focus on the addiction itself and isolate you from your regular life, but don’t do anything to find the root cause of the issue. Their method is to treat the addiction, then send you off to treat the underlying reason for the addiction. This type of single-sided treatment often leads to a half-baked approach to your therapy.

A cognitive-behavioral therapy program will treat both the physical side of addiction and the mental side.

Finding the Right Therapy Program at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

When you are ready to help yourself, a friend, spouse, or family member with their addiction, Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery is available to assist in your recovery. With specialized programs that deal with addiction and mental illness, we can get you healthy and back to a productive life with a cognitive toolkit that will be a powerful shield against the outside world.

We offer telehealth options for those who are unable or uncomfortable leaving their homes, as well as in-person and outpatient programs. If you or someone you care about is suffering from addiction and mental illness, please call 833.448.0127 today and speak with a supportive therapist.

Pandemic Blues: How to Deal With Lingering Depression Amid COVID-19

Posted on June 20, 2021 by cmarnew

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in some form or another. Many people began working at home instead of spending time in an office. Birthday parties and other celebrations went virtual. No matter how your life was disrupted as a result of COVID-19, if you struggle with depression, you might have found it difficult to maintain your mental health during this time. However, a depression treatment program can help. As the world begins to heal from the effects of the pandemic, you can also find hope through therapy, counseling, and medication.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we offer depression treatment programs to help you get through the pandemic and come out of it healthier and happier. Reach out to one of our therapists today at 833.448.0127 if you are struggling with depression amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does COVID-19 Make You Depressed?

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and families have had to adapt to changing guidelines to keep themselves and others safe. These changes may have led to feelings of isolation, confusion, or even hopelessness. For those who struggle with mental health issues like anxiety or depression, the pandemic may have exacerbated these conditions. While COVID-19 does not cause depression as one of its symptoms, the dramatic changes in the way society lives can contribute to feelings of depression.

Symptoms of Depression

While the symptoms of depression can vary, some of the most common include:

Trouble sleeping
Sudden mood changes
Lack of concentration
Substance abuse
Lack of energy
Sleeping all day

If you are experiencing any of these problems or think you may be feeling depressed, reach out to a depression treatment program today. For those who also struggle with substance use issues, a dual diagnosis treatment program can help.

What to Do if You Are Feeling Depressed

The best thing to do if you are feeling depressed is to reach out to a medical professional. Talk to your doctor or reach out to a depression treatment program. Certain medications can effectively treat depression, and therapy sessions with an experienced healthcare provider can help you develop healthy coping skills.

It can also be helpful to talk to the people in your life about what you’re experiencing. Your loved ones will want to support you as you begin to heal from the effects of depression. You might also find that you have friends and family members who struggle in similar ways. Group therapy and support groups can also provide support for your journey to recovery.

Staying active can help you feel relief from depression. Find a form of movement that you enjoy. This might include yoga, walking, biking, or participating in exercise classes. If you don’t feel comfortable in a group exercise class just yet, try a virtual class or exercise program instead.

One thing to not do while you’re struggling with depression is turn to drugs and alcohol to help you cope. While these substances might provide short-term relief, they can also exacerbate the symptoms of depression.

Depression Treatment at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we are available to help you manage the symptoms of depression effectively with depression treatment programs geared toward helping you through these unusual times. The tools you learn today can help you throughout your life. And if you are also struggling with co-occurring substance use issues, our center can help you on the journey to recovery through therapy and medication-assisted treatment.

If you or someone you know is having trouble getting through the current pandemic, they may be suffering from COVID-19 depression and not even know it. Talk to one of our trained therapists at 833.448.0127 today and start your recovery to a better life.

What to Expect in Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Posted on June 5, 2021 by cmarnew

When you are depressed, you want to feel better. And a number of people turn to opioids or alcohol for relief. These substances make them feel better temporarily, and they may begin to associate them as a cure for their depression. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse alongside mental health issues, there are programs specifically designed to help. A dual diagnosis treatment program is the best option for you to get over your addiction by getting to the cause of the original problem.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we specialize in dual diagnosis treatment programs that will get to the reason behind your substance addiction and help you regain your life from your addiction. To learn more about this approach to addiction treatment, call 833.448.0127 today to speak with a member of our team.

How Dual Diagnosis Treatment Programs Work

When you first speak with a therapist, they will determine if you need a dual diagnosis treatment program. This type of treatment program is not for everyone and is custom-tailored to the needs of the patient. A dual diagnosis treatment involves treating both mental health issues and dependence on drugs and alcohol.

Many rehab therapy programs fail because they only deal with one aspect of the problem. However, dual diagnosis programs give patients the best chance at long-term recovery.

Treating the Underlying Issue

You can’t stop your trigger for your coping mechanism until you find out what prompts you to reach for it. Many problems start in childhood and involve deep-rooted habits that will make quitting on your own extremely difficult.

Many underlying issues can lead to substance abuse, and you may not even realize it without an outside perspective. Some of the mental health issues that co-occur with addiction include:

Depression
Generalized anxiety disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Bipolar disorder
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Those who struggle with these mental health conditions have a higher rate of substance abuse, and the addiction hides the underlying issue. Most singularly focused therapy or rehab programs fail because of this. A dual diagnosis program will include treatment programs to help you get to the bottom of your illness.

Treating the Physical Side of Addiction

Addiction is not a weakness. Instead, it is a mental health issue and a physical issue all on its own. When you begin to view your addiction as a disease, you understand that you can treat it just like any other disease.

As you go through detox, you might experience withdrawal symptoms. These can include:

Sweating
Shaking
Vomiting
Severe mood swings
Muscle pain
Tremors

Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone help reduce the negative side effects of withdrawal from opioids along with other medications that help with alcohol and nicotine.

Treating individual issues can be difficult on its own. That is why a dual diagnosis treatment program is crucial if you are serious about recovering from your addiction.

Benefits of a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program

When you begin a dual diagnosis treatment program, you will receive a mix of one-on-one and group therapy to help you get back on your feet. Some of the benefits of these therapies include:

A better understanding of the underlying issue and how to treat it
A healthier mind and body
New coping mechanisms that you will use for life
Renewed energy and motivation
New friends to help you stay sober

Recovering from mental illness and addiction will bring about many changes in your life, and the right treatment center can give you the tools you need to maintain your new life.

What to Expect at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

When you begin your treatment at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, you will be treated with the utmost care and respect from our certified therapists and staff. We understand the difficulties of recovering from addiction and treating your mental illness. That is why we specialize in dual diagnosis treatment.

When you are ready to begin your recovery, call our team at 833.448.0127 or connect with us online.

How Neurofeedback Therapy Helps with Mental Health Disorders

Posted on April 1, 2021 by cmarnew

When you have a mental health disorder, it can feel like you don’t fit into your own skin. While talk therapy can be critical in helping individuals get to the core of their issues, some people may benefit from alternative forms of treatment like neurofeedback therapy. Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery provides clients with the opportunity to try neurofeedback therapy in the hopes that it provides relief from the symptoms of various mental health disorders.

What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

The use of neurofeedback therapy goes all the way back to the early 20^th century. It’s a non-invasive procedure that monitors brainwaves using equipment like an electroencephalograph (EEG) to record the brain’s electrical activity. Therapists rely on this data to find irregularities in different areas of the brain and find ways to encourage more positive activity in the organ.

Neurofeedback therapy helps clients by teaching them techniques that help them regulate and boost brain functions. The treatment has proven helpful in providing relief from the symptoms that accompany mental health disorders like ADHD, anxiety, and insomnia.

How Is Neurofeedback Therapy Applied?

Your therapist may recommend that you try neurofeedback therapy if you are dealing with conditions like:

Attention deficit disorders
Birth trauma
Depression
Anxiety
Insomnia
PTSD
Brain injuries

It’s considered safe to use neurofeedback therapy on children, adolescents, and adults. Clients dealing with issues tied to cognitive loss because of aging can also benefit from the treatment. Neurofeedback therapy can be used in combination with more traditional forms of therapy as part of a client’s treatment plan.

How Does Neurofeedback Therapy Work?

Most people attend neurofeedback therapy once per week, and sessions typically last between 30 and 60 minutes. The number of sessions you attend depends on the severity of your condition. While the average length of treatment tends to be 20 weeks, your therapist may recommend that you attend more sessions per week if they think you might benefit.

Sessions typically start with you having electrodes attached to your scalp that let the EEG machine read and measure your current brain activities in real-time. There are four brain wave types measured during a biofeedback therapy session:

Beta waves — These brain waves move quickly at low amplitude. They measure alertness, arousal, and how much you are cognitively engaged.
Alpha waves — Alpha waves move slower than beta waves at a higher amplitude. They help therapists read your brain’s level of mental coordination, learning, non-arousal, and the mind-body connection.
Theta waves — Theta waves move slower than alpha waves at a higher amplitude. They show your brain’s memory levels, recognizing vivid imagery, subconscious information processing, and awareness of internal signals.
Delta waves — Delta waves move the slowest of all brain waves at the highest amplitude. They produce information around your deep sleep, healing, and regeneration.

What Are the Benefits of Neurofeedback Therapy?

While neurofeedback therapy can’t cure mental health disorders, it can help regulate how your brain works to help it function more healthily. Neurofeedback therapy helps your central nervous system reorganize and control different brainwave frequencies. The sessions also help your therapist pinpoint specific places in your brain producing the symptoms of your neurological issues. That information helps them come up with more targeted treatment.

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery believes in providing clients with every tool necessary to help them overcome their issues. Neurofeedback therapy can help clients find relief from the symptoms of a mental health disorder that may be holding them back in life.

Other treatments and programs offered at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery include:

You don’t have to continue living life the way you have. Contact Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery today at 833.448.0127 to get started on a new path.

3 Benefits of Trauma-Informed Treatment for Drug Addiction

Posted on March 25, 2021 by cmarnew

When a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder, it’s easy to think that willpower alone should be enough for them to overcome it. However, addiction is not a choice; it has been proven to be a chemical change in the brain. For many, past trauma has impacted the way they use drugs or alcohol. Trauma-informed care can help those who are struggling with addiction work through traumatic experiences and develop healthy coping skills for lifelong recovery.

How Addiction Relates to Trauma

Some individuals turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with something deeper. To get through life or trauma they’ve experienced, they numb and self-soothe to overcome feelings and thoughts that have become too burdensome. This helps them disconnect and cope, but all the while, substance abuse causes even more problems. Understanding how addiction relates to survival can help more people recover from addiction. For example, an overwhelming number of adolescents receiving treatment for substance use disorders end up having a history of trauma exposure. This alone points to trauma being a consideration factor when developing treatment plans for those dealing with addiction. It also explains why trauma-informed treatment is so necessary.

How Trauma-Informed Treatment Can Help

Trauma-informed therapy is based on the belief that a person’s substance use can be their way of coping with negative, overwhelming, or intrusive thoughts and feelings. These can be from memories, current situations, or past traumas. With these clients, safety is a high priority for therapists. Clients often experience triggering moments when learning how trauma has played a role in their lives. Through therapy that takes a trauma-informed approach, the therapist helps the client make positive connections, handle situations that have triggered drug use, and create a toolbox of strategies for overcoming trauma and avoiding substance use in the future.

Trauma-informed therapy used for substance abuse disorders involves:

A respectful, safe place to do the work
An understanding of how mental health-related issues and trauma co-exist with addiction
Leading the client to have self-compassion and self-respect instead of shame and guilt surrounding trauma and addiction
Creating healthy solutions to the identified problems
Finding ways to provide ongoing support

Three Benefits of Trauma-Informed Treatment

There are many benefits of taking this approach, but three stand out as the most helpful:

It provides holistic care
It offers a lower risk of re-traumatization
It uses well-known approaches to therapy

Trauma-informed treatment takes a holistic approach, recognizing that addiction has roots in both chemical and emotional causes. It connects recovery and resilience, trauma and addiction, so that the whole person can be treated. It can be provided in any setting and uses evidence-based information, family engagement, empowerment, and collaboration as its touchpoints for success.

Many people are exposed to trauma on some level or another in their lifetime, but taking a trauma-informed approach allows a therapist who understands how trauma affects a person to have a hand in helping a person through recovery. If someone not as informed on trauma is assisting a person, there can be accidental incidences of re-traumatization. A deeper depth of compassion and sense of safety in trauma-informed therapy helps the client feel more compelled to heal. The extra gentleness provided in these sessions is beneficial for success in recovery.

Trauma-informed treatment uses some of the primary and most evidence-backed methods of treatment available today. Not only is cognitive-behavioral therapy especially effective for co-occurring disorders involving addition and mental health, but EMDR is as well. EMDR uses rapid eye movements to desensitize clients from the negative emotions, detrimental behaviors, and possible stigmas associated with trauma and addiction. It allows clients to process the emotions surrounding their trauma so that they can create healthier behavior patterns.

Trauma-Informed Treatment at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, clients can benefit from therapists who take a trauma-informed treatment approach. Understanding the symptoms of trauma, PTSD, and other related issues can help those suffering from a substance use disorder. Options such as telehealth and outpatient meet various needs, and our approaches offer a complete recovery to clients. Contact us at 833.448.0127 for more information.

Which Type of Counseling Is Best for Recovery?

Posted on January 10, 2021 by cmarnew

Drug and alcohol addiction takes a toll on your mind and body. Mental health disorders complicate matters, as well. For those who are ready to embrace treatment, it may be helpful to know a range of counseling types are available. That includes things like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). You may also embrace telehealth at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery.

What Are the Types of Counseling We Offer?

There are a range of counseling types available because not everyone responds to therapy in the same manner. What is most critical is providing an individual with the type and level of care they need, so they obtain the best level of healing possible. Let’s explore the range of counseling types most commonly used and how they can help you.

CBT

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to teach you how to notice negative thought patterns you are having and to recognize if they are accurate or not. It then applies a strategy that helps you to change those negative thoughts to help you avoid negative behaviors. CBT is very effective and tends to be a foundation in recovery.

DBT

Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of CBT. The goal here is to help a person to focus on living in the moment and learning to control thoughts and actions. It is designed to help a person to embrace better decision making.

MAT

Medication-assisted treatment is not a true counseling type. Rather, in a MAT program, medications are used to help you to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings. The direct result of this is to help a person to gain more control over their thoughts by controlling dependence. MAT is often a big part of a successful recovery program.

Telehealth

Telehealth is also not a true type of counseling. Rather, it is a method of communicating. It allows people to work with their therapist online instead of coming into an office. For those who are looking for a way to improve their addiction, but are unable to make it to a treatment center for care, telehealth opens the door for opportunities.

Which of These Counseling Types Is Right for You?

The good news is you do not have to choose counseling types or even try to understand the details of each one. That’s what your therapists and doctors are for once you request care. Our team at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery works closely with you to better understand your needs based on your addiction severity and the type and then makes recommendations for counseling types that may work for you. Many factors go into this decision, such as:

The type of drugs you’re using
Underlying mental health conditions
The severity of your withdrawal symptoms
Length of time you’ve used drugs
Access to in-person or online therapy

You can find treatment that’s right for your situation. These are just some of the counseling types that may be right for your situation. It’s our goal to empower you through comprehensive therapy and support.

Getting Help for Addiction Starts with Reaching Out

If you are serious about changing your life and accomplishing your goals, our team at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery can help you. We encourage you to start the process by learning more about some of our programs and how they can work for you:

Embrace Treatment – Call Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery Now

If you are learning about the counseling types – CBT, DBT, MAT, and even telehealth, you’re ready for addiction treatment. There’s no benefit to putting it off. Reach out to Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery today to learn more about how we can help you start on the path of healing. Call 833.448.0127 or connect with us online now.