Men and Anxiety Disorder

Depressed cheerless boy sitting in the chair with professional psychologist working in the background with people during psychological recovery group therapy session

Addiction and anxiety disorders often go hand in hand – and this goes for men, too. Although many men suffer from anxiety, they often suffer in silence. In fact, studies show that men have trouble disclosing mental illness symptoms, even thoughts of suicide. Stigma is obviously to blame, as is the mistaken ‘male code’ that says you can’t show weakness, sadness or vulnerability.

But ignoring anxiety or self-medicating – about 20 percent of Americans with an anxiety disorder also have an alcohol or other substance use disorder (SUD and roughly 20 percent of those with an SUD also have an anxiety disorder – is certainly not the answer. Men don’t have to (nor should they) tough out feelings of anxiety alone.

Becoming better educated about anxiety can be a great first step toward seeking support for you or a man in your life. For one, it’s important to understand that there are several types of anxiety disorders (both minor and major), including:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Phobias
  • Social anxiety disorder

While symptoms may vary depending on the type and severity of your anxiety disorder, some common physical signs to watch out for include:

  • Pounding or racing heart
  • Excessive sweating
  • Muscle tension
  • Restlessness or agitation
  • Dizziness and vertigo
  • Shortness of breath or choking sensations
  • Insomnia
  • Panic attacks

We all feel anxious from time to time, whether from a high-pressure work situation or family conflict, but for men with anxiety disorder, these feelings will become excessive and interfere with daily life. Luckily, you don’t have to live with the symptoms if you admit your anxiety and start on a proper treatment plan.

Anxiety Treatment at 10 Acre Ranch
Having anxiety and a substance use disorder can turn into a vicious cycle, as the symptoms of one disorder can exacerbate the symptoms of the other. While many men mistakenly turn to alcohol or drugs to temporarily dull anxiety, this type of self-medicating actually worsens symptoms of anxiety. Let our trained professionals help you find a personalized path of recovery. To learn more, call today: 877-228-4679.

Recovery Fellowship During Thanksgiving

Cheerful group of people with sparkles together celebrating New Year eve

All of us at 10 Acre Ranch would like to wish everyone in recovery a safe and sober Thanksgiving. With less than 24 hours to go, it’s vital you have or are creating a plan for getting through the day. If this isn’t your first significant holiday in the Program, you know that this can be a difficult time for a substantial number of people. There is a list of reasons why holidays are more trying on one’s recovery, compared to standard days of the year.

One of the byproducts of many people’s addiction is your dear ones may have cut ties with you. Years and decades of abuse can wear one’s loved one’s thin; while it is possible to rekindle relationships in recovery, it doesn’t occur overnight. You can’t blame family for being skeptical about your recovery, at first, they must protect themselves from upset. In early recovery, the risk of relapse is unfortunately high, because of this families are cautious not to get their hopes up. If your story is anything like most people in recovery, then you have a history of breaking commitments and falling short of expectations.

Please do not get discouraged if your family chooses to stay on the periphery of your life for now. In time, your actions will prove to your family just how earnest you are, they will see that your choice to seek recovery is not another manipulation. If there is one thing addicts and alcoholics understand well, it’s that one’s word doesn’t carry much weight. Without visible action, people are unlikely to believe one’s seriousness regarding recovery. Those who honestly work the program will not receive any guarantees in life, but family is likely to come around to trusting you again, if one stays the course.

A Family in Recovery

You may not have family back in your life, yet, but rest assured they are in fact rooting for your recovery. It’s crucial that you keep doing the next right thing in the program, regardless of how you feel about what you don’t have in your life today. Instead, be grateful for what you do have, like a fellowship of men who will do just about anything to help your recovery.

In early recovery, individuals have a fellowship to rely on when times get rough. It’s wise to lean on such people during the holidays, for these are days of the year that are likely to stir up one’s emotions. People relatively new to the program are often inclined to isolate during major holidays. It’s only natural, many people’s go-to-setting is to recoil into their shell when they are unhappy with the situation. For some, being unable to spend time with family this Thanksgiving is a severe blow. It can make one question why they are bothering with this “recovery stuff” anyway?

Naturally, that’s a selfish and self-centered response to an undesirable situation. When we can’t get what we want when we want it, it’s common to bemoan one’s position. If you find yourself questioning your mission for change this Thanksgiving, please call your sponsor or another person in recovery immediately. Get to a meeting, or go to several; you have a support network, please utilize it whenever necessary. You may not have biological family back in your life yet, but you do have recovery family now. You are not alone, others are feeling the same way you are, and meetings are a perfect opportunity to hear how others manage these situations. Who knows, you might share something that helps another who’s having a hard time, as well.

Sober Holidays

Everything that happens in our recovery takes place on our “higher power’s” schedule. Exercising patience is difficult early on, but it gets simpler in time. Traversing the holidays is exponentially more comfortable if you take time throughout your day to recognize everything you have today is worth your gratefulness. If you didn’t drink or drug today, that’s as good a starting point as any. You may find that you have more to be grateful for then you realized, draw strength from such a realization. And remember, wherever you are, the helping-hand of recovery is close.

Methamphetamine Use Linked to Heart Failure

Methamphetamine also known as crystal meth

Methamphetamine is nasty stuff that can cause serious harm to one’s mind and body. Despite being heavily abused and highly addictive, we don’t hear much about the drug these days. With everyone’s focus fixed firmly on opioid use disorder, it’s easy to forget that others drugs are impacting people’s lives.

Veterans Day was last weekend, a time to honor the brave men and women who’ve served their country overseas. It’s no secret that many of those same Veterans come back from armed conflict changed; experiencing trauma can wreak havoc on an individual’s psyche. Some veterans receive therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, but not all; those whose PTSD is left untreated turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their symptoms. This is a choice which regularly leads to addiction and makes the symptoms of any form of mental illness more severe.

Being in the field of addiction medicine, we have treated numerous cases of co-occurring disorder involving clients who served in the armed forces, developed PTSD, and self-medicated their way to alcohol or substance use disorder. In some cases, such individual’s drug of choice is/was meth.

Methamphetamine Impacts The Heart

A new study looked at the medical records of heart failure patients at San Diego VA Medical Center between 2005 and 2015, CNN reports. The researchers found a link between heart failure and methamphetamine use. What’s more, instances of heart failure involving meth are on the rise. In 2005, 1.7 percent of the VA hospital’s heart failure cases involved meth; compared to 8 percent in 2015. The researchers presented their findings at the annual scientific meeting of the American Heart Association.

The researchers found that heart failure was occurring at a younger age (average 61) when methamphetamines were involved, whereas 72 was the median-age for non-meth users. Not surprisingly, the data revealed that Veterans who used methamphetamine were more likely to struggle with PTSD and depression.

“Methamphetamine is an addictive drug, which could have a wide range of effects on patients’ physical and mental well-being,” said Dr. Marin Nishimura, the study author and internal medicine resident at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Nishimura adds, “Heart failure patients with methamphetamine abuse were younger, more likely to be homeless, unemployed and diagnosed with other substance-abuse and psychiatric conditions.”

Stimulant Use Disorder

Meth is an exceptionally toxic substance, made in a crude manner that often involves caustic chemicals. Scientists are still making discoveries about the drug’s actual impact on the human body. Fortunately, stimulant use disorder (i.e., amphetamine and methamphetamine addiction) is a treatable condition, and recovery is possible. However, it’s vital that both the addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders like PTSD and depression be treated with the use disorder simultaneously. At 10 Acre Ranch, we specialize in the treatment of clients with dual diagnosis. Please contact us today.

3 Ways Gratitude Can Help Your Recovery

photo of a grateful and thoughtful woman holding coffee mug while looking through window in cafe

For those of us on the path to sobriety, there are millions of reasons to have gratitude. And acknowledging them all – no matter how big or small — on Thanksgiving day and every day can help you be healthier, happier and more resilient in your recovery.

To reap the benefits, say experts, you’ll need to do more than just say thanks or send a perfunctory text message. You need to count your blessings every day – whether via a morning or nighttime meditation routine or gratitude journal – and make a real effort to appreciate the good things, including that Thanksgiving turkey next week.

Once you make gratitude a daily ritual, you’ll likely notice the following benefits:

  • You’ll feel happier. In one study, researchers asked participants to write down one thing that they were grateful for every day for three weeks. The result: They reported being 25 percent happier for a full six months after the practice.
  • You’ll be healthier. People who are grateful tend to take better care of themselves and their overall health. In fact, studies have found that grateful folks exercise about 33 percent more and sleep an extra half hour per night. And gratitude experts say this self-care helps boost energy levels, too.
  • You’ll be more resilient. Having an attitude of gratitude helps you seek out the good and positive side of situations and reminds you why you’re working so hard for a sober life. And, in turn, this helps you bounce back easier from any emotional wallops or triggers along the way. 

Cultivating Gratitude With Recovery Activities
At 10 Acre Ranch, we provide a range of recovery activities to help teach you or someone you love to become empowered, self-sufficient, self-aware and grateful for a chance at a sober life. To learn more, call today: 877-228-4679.

Alcohol Use Linked to Cancer

At 10 Acre Ranch, we treat alcohol and substance use disorder 365-days a year. We see the havoc that substance use and abuse wreaks on people’s lives and do everything in our power to give clients the tools to work a program of lasting recovery. Our team of addiction professionals must consider the unique needs of each client to ensure successful outcomes. We know that while opioids remain in the limelight, alcohol use continues to affect more people negatively.

Alcohol misuse, such as binge drinking and long-term heavy consumption, often leads to use disorders. Mental health conditions of this type have no known cure, but we can treat use disorders, and individuals can maintain a program of recovery. Our mission is to show people who have already been touched by the disease that recovery is possible. However, we would be remiss if we failed to do our part in steering young people away from behaviors that lead to lifelong health problems or cause premature death.

Addiction is not the only byproduct of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Research continues to reveal how alcohol can negatively impact one’s health, short of alcohol poisoning and fatal car crashes. In fact, alcohol use (even when consumed moderately) can cause a host of health problems that can easily result in premature death. Young people must be made aware of the scope and scale of dangers associated with even casual alcohol use.

2 glass of champagne

Alcohol Use Linked Cancer

The Journal of Clinical Oncology recently published a statement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) warning that even light alcohol use can result in cancer, The New York Times reports. The group says that women are at an increased risk of breast cancer and heavy drinkers are more likely to develop mouth, throat, voice box, liver, and colorectal cancers. This is the first time the group of cancer doctors has cited the risks of cancer associated with drinking alcohol.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines moderate drinking as having one daily drink for women and two for men, according to the article. That may not seem like much, but such people are at twice the risk of developing certain types of cancer, compared to individuals who abstain.

“The more you drink, the higher the risk,” said Dr. Clifford A. Hudis, the chief executive of ASCO. “It’s a pretty linear dose-response.”

The findings above are essential for several reasons, especially when you consider that young people don’t associate much risk with drinking from time to time. Alcohol is legal; which means teenagers and young adults believe the substance to be relatively safe. The ASCO statement could have a hand in leading to policy change one day in the future.

Alcohol Use Disorder Recovery

It’s crucial that everyone who drinks or will drink one day know the risks associated with drinking. Alcohol is a caustic substance that results in more health problems than any other drug. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use disorder, the sooner a person receives treatment, the better for all concerned. The more prolonged unchecked addiction, the higher the risks to one’s health. Please contact 10 Acre Ranch, today.

Benefits of Strength Training During Recovery

Full length of young beautiful woman in sportswear doing plank for strength training during recovery

It’s not news that exercise is great for your health and recovery – but if cardio is all you’re doing, you might want to add some pushups, sit-ups, planks and squats to your workout routine. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, strength training can add years to your life.

Researchers from the University of Sydney surveyed more than 8,300 adults to find the association between strength training (using both bodyweight and gym equipment) and death rates (from cancer, heart disease, etc.). They discovered a 23 percent reduced risk of all deaths and a 31 percent decrease in the risk of cancer-related deaths.

“The study shows exercise that promotes muscular strength may be just as important for health as aerobic activities like jogging or cycling,” said Emmanuel Stamatakis, lead author and associate professor at the university’s School of Public Health and the Charles Perkins Center, in a press release.

Adults ages 18 to 64 should aim for 150 minutes of aerobic activity and two days of strength training every week, according to the World Health Organization.

More Benefits of Strength Training
As if this study isn’t enough to convince you, adding strength training to your recovery activities can also help you to:

  • Improve sleep. Lifting weights has been study-proven to help you fall asleep faster and keep you asleep throughout the night.
  • Lift your mood. Strength training gives you an edge over stress and anger. People who strength trained three times a week for six weeks had less anger and better overall mood, according to researchers. This is partly because the more muscle you have, the lower your levels of stress hormones.
  • Increase your confidence. Meeting fitness goals and feeling fit and trim can improve your self-perception, giving you more confidence to meet the many challenges ahead in recovery.

Exercise to Support Your Sobriety
Imagine taking care of your physical, mental and spiritual health all before noon. That’s what you’ll experience at the ranch. We offer our male clients a variety of recovery activities that support lasting sobriety. To learn more about our men’s drug rehab or request recreation and activity information, call us today: 877-228-4679.