The Benefits of Aftercare

photo of rehab group listening to man standing up introducing himself at therapy session

Did you know that more than half of people will consume alcohol or drugs in the year following discharge from rehab? Or, that between 25 percent to 35 percent of people who complete addiction treatment will be readmitted to treatment within one year — and that 50 percent will be readmitted within five years?

Recovery from a substance use disorder doesn’t stop when rehab ends, which is why many addiction experts recommend considering aftercare as a form of continued treatment. Just like rehab, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach and you can choose from a variety of options, including:

  • Outpatient and partial hospitalization programs
  • Group counseling
  • Individual therapy
  • 12-step programs
  • Support groups
  • Sober living homes

3 Reasons to Choose Aftercare
Aside from relapse prevention, there are many reasons to take advantage of an individualized aftercare strategy. Here are a few of the benefits:

1. You’ll ease the transition from rehab to “real-life.” Aftercare helps smooth the transition from life in treatment to life with family, work or school, and other responsibilities.

2. You’ll build a support system. Surrounding yourself with others who have been in the same position and are serious about making a change for the better can help keep you accountable and re-energized as you continue to move forward.

3. You’ll learn life skills. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of aftercare support is the guidance and coping skills you’ll learn to address, including:

  • Dealing with triggers and cravings
  • Managing stress, anxiety and/or anger
  • Preventing relapse
  • Rebuilding relationships
  • Starting a career

An Entire Continuum of Care & Support
10 Acre Ranch offers a multitude of addiction treatment programs in order to provide the appropriate level of care to each individual. The program best suited for you or someone you love will depend on the length and nature of your addiction prior to entering treatment. To find out more about the various stages of treatment, call today: 877-228-4679.

MDMA, Trauma and Addiction Recovery

MDMA Ecstasy

There is a common theme among addicts and alcoholics, most of us have experienced some type of trauma in our lives. That is not to say that trauma caused the addiction, but rather that addressing trauma could help treat the disease. However, there is a wide variety of opinions on how to treat such trauma to ensure the best outcomes.

It is no secret that some people living with addiction have a hard time working a program of recovery. There could be a number of reasons for this, but one of the more common factors involves an untreated co-occurring disorder. Conditions which can include: anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Research supports the belief that people attempting to recover from addiction fare best when co-occurring disorders are treated simultaneously. Addiction treatment centers that focus on the whole patient typically have the best track-records. But, there are cases when clients do not respond well to practices that work well for others. In turn, researchers are constantly on the lookout for novel approaches.

Alcohol and MDMA

Around the world, people abuse alcohol more than any other mind-altering substance. It makes sense. Think about it, alcohol is legal for adult consumption in the western world. The substance is pervasive and can be found with little effort and be purchased on the cheap. More people die from alcohol-related illnesses than any other drug. The longer one imbibes in unhealthy ways, the greater the risk of health complications. Increasing the effectiveness of accepted treatment methods can go a long way. And addressing trauma may be the answer.

A new clinical study is about to kick off in the United Kingdom involving heavy alcohol users and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, The Guardian reports. The latter of which you may know as MDMA, the main ingredient in the club drug ecstasy. All the study participants have not responded well to the more common form of addiction treatment, being chronic relapsers. The patients will be given nearly pure MDMA in conjunction with psychotherapy.

“We know that MDMA works really well in helping people who have suffered trauma and it helps to build empathy, said Ben Sessa, a clinical psychiatrist on the trial and senior research fellow at Imperial College London. “Many of my patients who are alcoholics have suffered some sort of trauma in their past and this plays a role in their addiction.” Sessa adds: “After 100 years of modern psychiatry our treatments are really poor. The chances of relapse for these patients are really high—90% at three years. No one has ever given MDMA to treat alcoholism before.”

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

We will continue to follow this important story and the outcomes of the clinical study. There is much that is not understood about drugs with hallucinogenic properties. It’s possible that this study will shed some light on the subject.

At this juncture, however, the best opportunity of achieving long-term addiction recovery is go to a treatment facility that focuses on dual-diagnosis. Treating co-occurring disorders is possible. At 10 Acre Ranch, we are fully equipped to address your addiction and other mental health disorders. Please contact us today.

Your Body on Painkillers

photo of a person taking pain killers

Prescription painkillers are potent and dangerous and can impact nearly every part of your body. In addition to the likelihood of overdosing, the abuse of opiates can lead to short- and long-term damage of many of your vital organs.

Here’s what you need to know about how abusing opioids can impact your body.

Your brain: Chronic opiate use has been linked with an increase risk of depression. In fact, those who used painkillers in excess of six months had more than a 50 percent greater chance of developing a depressive episode, according to one study.

Your lungs: Opiates suppress the body’s ability to breathe, interfering with normal lung function and causing shortness of breath. Opiate abuse has also been found to increase a person’s risk of pneumonia.

Your stomach and intestines: At normal doses opiates cause constipation, so it’s perhaps not too surprising that long-term abuse can lead users to rely on laxatives to move their bowels. Narcotic bowel syndrome, which causes nausea, bloating, vomiting, abdominal distention and constipation, is also linked to opiate abuse, according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Your liver and kidneys: The high levels of acetaminophen found in common painkillers like Vicodin, Lortab and Percocet can cause liver failure and damage the kidneys, leading to the need for dialysis or transplant.

Your nervous system: Chronic opiate use can lead to hyperalgesia, a syndrome which can create a greater sensitivity to pain.

Your immune system: Prolonged use of opioids can weaken the immune system, increasing your risk of infection. For those who inject the drug, this also means an increased risk of HIV.

Opiate Addiction Treatment for Men

Getting help is the best defense when it comes to stopping the short- and long-term health effects of opiates abuse. At 10 Acre Ranch, we have over two decades of experience helping men who are struggling with a substance abuse disorder, including those addicted to painkillers. To learn more about our prescription drug program for men, call today: 877-228-4679.