What is Treatment?

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Treatment for an addiction is possible.

Dealing with addiction isn’t for the faint of heart. For someone to understand how to help a loved one or even themselves, it’s important to have a solid understanding of what addiction treatment really is and what to expect. Our admissions team receives many calls and emails inquiring about treatment, but many people are still unaware of what treatment actually is.

The following scenario will be used to help us explain. In order to comply with HIPAA regulations, the names have been changed and we are using a fictional scenario, but it’s based on very real situations. Below is an example of a person calling in for help for the first time. But, what is help in a situation like this?

Real Life. Real Talk.

Arthur: Ummm hello, my name is Arthur and I’m calling because I need treatment.

Tony: Hello Arthur, my name is Tony and I’d be happy to help. Okay Arthur, tell me a little bit about what’s going on. How can we help you?

Arthur: I’m addicted and need treatment.

Tony: Okay Arthur, what is your drug of choice? When was your last use? How long have you been using? Have you had any recent breaks in the usage cycle? Have you ever received treatment before?

Arthur: I use heroin everyday. I’ve never had treatment, but I need it. I know you guys can help me. I’m looking for outpatient. Do you do that?

Tony: Arthur, I’m definitely going to help you as as best as I can. I just want to make sure you get the right help. Do you mind if I ask you what you know about treatment?

Arthur: Nothing, but I need help.

Treatment Isn’t Magic

It seems that some people think that treatment will miraculously solve all of their day to day issues. Although many of us that work in the field of addiction wish we could just wave a wand and cure people indefinitely, it’s just not realistic.

There’s also a misconception treatment is all about medicine. While some stages of addiction treatment and stabilization of individuals rely on medicine, only the detoxification and stabilization period relies on medicinal remedies. The brunt of treatment is takes place in a group or individual therapy setting conducted by psychologists, social workers, therapists, and behavioral health technicians. Above in the example, Arthur knows he needs treatment, but he doesn’t know what treatment is. How does he know he should be at the outpatient level of care? In fact, outpatient treatment should only take place after an individual has achieved educational and motivational milestones over a period of inpatient or residential treatment.

Addiction treatment uses Evidence Based Practices (EBPs) to help diagnose and address possible behavioral issues, trauma, environmental issues and character defects that might cause the patients to behave in a particularly negative manner. EBPs are tested methods of treatment used by professionals to help modify and avoid certain behavioral patterns and thought processes that cause issues such as substance abuse or chronic relapsing. You can read more about EBPs here on the SAMHSA website.

Work Work Work

Treatment isn’t about what the staff at the treatment facility can do for an individual. Rather, it’s mainly about how to take what is learned in treatment and apply that to reality after treatment. Treatment itself requires a lot of hard work and self assessment. In order to solve any problem, one has to be educated on the subject matter. That is why there is such a large emphasis on the education of the disease of addiction in treatment. Without the proper knowledge and coping tools, it’s almost impossible to achieve lasting results.

During the phone conversation, Arthur says, “I know you guys can help me.” While most treatment centers will be able to help educate and provide coping mechanisms, it’s important for the patient to be motivated to help themselves. An effective treatment facility will try to identify an individual’s motivating factors so that they can help a patient build on those things. Whether it’s family, health, or a combination of both, a part of treatment is to help a patient identify what motivates them to want to break their addiction cycle.

Program Manager, Charlie Truslow, has worked with countless individuals here at 10 Acre Ranch spanning over ten years. Charlie knows first-hand that “what you get out of the program depends on what you put into the program. If you don’t change then nothing else will, and if you’re the same person when you’re done with the program then it’s likely that you’ll use again.”

If you’ve ever had to deal with the heartbreak that is addiction, then you’ve probably heard that the person struggling has to be “ready” before they can receive any meaningful help. But what does it mean to be ready? Being ready means that the individual has come to terms with the fact that they have a problem, they can no longer control it and they can not fix the problem alone. Until an individual is able to recognize this, they will not be ready to truly change.

Recognizing “Ready”

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if someone is actually ready to do the work. Some may say all the right things and show all the appropriate signs but in fact, they still might not be ready to do the work. The following examples tend to show an individual’s readiness to change for all the right reasons:

1. They’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. (It’s just not fun anymore…)

2. They genuinely express that their life has become unmanageable and want to change it.

3. They’re concerned with what they’ll lose if the continue their habit. (A job, marriage, etc…)

4. They’ve genuinely begun to ask for help to correct the mistakes they’ve made.

5. They’re willing to accept professional help immediately. Not tomorrow, not next week, NOW.

10 Acre Ranch is a non-profit treatment facility that has been serving Southern California families for over 25 years and we’re ready to help you. Do you have questions about being ready?

If so, or if you or a loved one are ready to get help, please don’t wait, give us a call at (877) 228-4679. Our treatment specialists will get you on the right path to a clean and sober lifestyle.

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Addiction recovery is possible with the right help.

Addiction: Disease or Decision?

If you drive down the streets of Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, or almost any other major city around the country, you are more than likely to notice masses of homeless people who look like they’ve been through hell and back. Unfortunately, a majority of these people are not only homeless, but many of them also tend to be addicts. As professionals in the addiction field, one of the most controversial questions that we come by almost daily is, whether we believe that addiction is a disease or if the addict made a choice to “be this way.” According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) addiction is in fact a disease.

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Getting help for addiction can improve other aspects of your life.

What Makes It A Disease?

Dr. Kevin McCauley, who is also a recovering addict, offers this definition of addiction: “Addiction is a genetic and stress-induced defect in the midbrain and prefrontal cortex dopamine/glutamine reward-learning system resulting in symptoms of decreased functioning, namely:

  • Loss of control.
  • Craving.
  • Persistent use of drug/behavior despite negative consequences.”

Generally, the first time a person uses a substance or alcohol it might have been a choice, but depending on the substance, there are effects on the circuitry of the brain and internal organs of the body which might have a lasting effect.

While some substances might not immediately cause an addictive reaction, others can immediately hook the unsuspecting soul who thought they would “just try it once”. Even legally prescribed medications can lead to addiction. For example, you most likely already know, there is a terrifying opiate epidemic that is going on today. In fact, due to this epidemic, many health providers have been asked to take the pledge not to prescribe addictive medications unless absolutely necessary.

A person’s genetic inheritance can also have a great deal to do with their likelihood of becoming an addict. Other factors include metabolism, weight, amount of a substance used, components in the substance being used and several other things that can attribute to whether someone might become addicted or not.

Addiction Revealed.

Having the unfortunate task of hearing several heartbreaking yet necessary stories everyday is just part of what needs to be done in order to figure out how to help a suffering addict. Some people are addicted to porn from websites such as tubev. It can come from a variety of sources. One part of almost all of the stories we hear is the need to maintain. What does that mean?

10 Acre Ranch’s very own Jeffery Burke, Certified Addiction Counselor, explains that neurotransmitter receptors in our brain are developed by different sensations within different environments. Depending on how these neurotransmitter receptors are developed, there can be an increased or decreased likelihood of someone becoming an addict. In other words, when someone is using, their genetics may render their usage involuntary. Some addicts feel the necessity to continue their normal regimen of usage or else they feel they would not be able to function. Bodily functions could literally shut down, they feel it. This is not a myth, but a reality.

For example, if someone was an avid alcoholic and then they decided to quit cold turkey, there is a 50 percent chance that they could experience severe withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) could lead to seizures, dehydration, delirium tremens, and even death.

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If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don’t wait to get help! Call us today.

Our System.

The sad reality is that an addict today has more of a chance winding up in jail than getting into treatment. A majority of the time, our legal system seems to choose punishment over treatment. Would you condone throwing someone in jail because they have diabetes?

Without changing the public perception on addiction, this epidemic will not get better any time soon. We need good doctors to stop prescribing bad medication. We need good officers to stop seeing addicts as criminals. We need good substance abuse rehabilitation facilities to take in addicts and give them the care they deserve. And, we need the politicians to step up and make it easier for people to get help.

We are playing our part and doing everything we can to help as many people as possible. It’s your turn, if you know a struggling addict, don’t wait, call us at (877) 228-4679 and our treatment specialists will assist you on your road to recovery.

Recovery: Setting Goals for 2018

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With the New Year upon us, many people in recovery are undoubtedly considering what they’d like to accomplish in the upcoming 365 days. While “future tripping” is frowned upon in recovery, that doesn’t mean you can’t set goals. In fact, writing down a few things that you hope to alter, amend, or add to your life is healthy as long as one is realistic about what you wish to bring to fruition.

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Those who work a program of recovery learn right away that they can no longer have illusions of control. They realize that trying to play God did not have the intended outcome. We must keep in mind that letting go, and allowing one’s “higher power” to preside over the course of your life is a vital component of achieving lasting recovery. We only have the power to make choices and hopefully our decisions today are conducive to addiction recovery.

Your life today consists of doing the next right thing, which you accomplish by being open and honest with not only ourselves but with others too. It’s often said that most anything is possible in recovery, and individuals find that things are made possible through living by the principles of recovery. With that in mind, if there are things you would like to see changed or bring into your life, just keep attending meetings and following directions. Good things happen in the lives of people who stay the course.

Realistic Resolutions In Recovery

Just to be clear, working a program doesn’t mean that your higher power will grant everything you want. However, if you set goals for yourself and go about achieving them by honest means, there is an excellent chance you will see your dreams realized. While people who have been around for a while might set more ambitious goals than someone in early recovery, the vehicle used for progress in one’s life is the same.

If you are in early recovery, maybe you’d like to have cravings disappear. Even though everyone’s desire to use drugs or alcohol dissipates at different times, those who continue to do the work eventually find that their sporadic insatiable urges to use wane. Every time you resist the yearning to get high or drunk, it gets easier. At first, it’s a mental battle; down the road, however, you just brush the yen to use off your shoulder. People in their first year of recovery may have had to resist scores of times in 2017; if you keep doing what you’re doing, you might find it occurs less or not at all in the coming year. Please keep in mind that cravings are normal, not acting on them is progress, and that is a remarkable achievement. A realistic resolution in early recovery is endeavoring to not act on cravings and praying that they one day will be nonexistent.

Resolve to Help Newcomers

Individuals who’ve been around a bit longer might consider talking to more newcomers a goal for 2018. In the hustle of everyday life, we can lose sight of the importance of newcomers, and how vital it is to support their recovery. When we reach out to people who are fresh in recovery, we strengthen our recovery.

Everyone in the program was a newcomer at one point. People introduced themselves to you and made you feel less alone. They invited you to be a part of something life-changing and lent their support to you. Now that you have been around a bit, perhaps you might consider asking a newcomer if they need a ride home or to the meeting. In 2018, consider making it a point to introduce yourself to a newcomer at every meeting you attend. Such a selfless resolution will have a positive effect on your program; you never know what will come from relationships you foster in the program.

Whatever you decide via resolutions, please be realistic about them and emphasize the importance of having one’s motives in the right place. If you do, it will have a positive effect on your life. All of us at 10 Acre Ranch would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe and sober New Year’s Eve and a productive 2018 in recovery.

Smart Resolutions for the New Year

If you’re planning to make a New Year’s resolution this year, it’s important to be smart about it. This means staying away from any big and broad resolutions that will just set you up for failure. Instead, to reach your goal and enhance your recovery, you’ll need to pick a resolution that’s specific and realistic. Here are some examples of some common resolutions – and what works and what doesn’t, according to the experts at Men’s Health:

Don’t: Resolve to “take control of your health.”
Do: Resolve to “make an appointment for a yearly physical.”
Why it works: Did you know that nearly one in four men haven’t seen a physician in over a year, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. By vowing to scheduling a visit to your doctor, you’re take a doable and actionable step toward taking control of your health.

Don’t: Resolve to “eat healthier.”
Do: Resolve to “eat two pieces of fruit per day and a salad before dinner.”
Why it works: This works in two ways: For one, it’s easier to focus on one or two things than to overhaul your diet completely. And it eliminates the idea of restricting food, which can lead to binge eating.

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Can food help cure addictions? In the field of drug rehabilitation and recovery from addiction, nutrition is an important part of treatment.

Don’t: Resolve to “exercise every day.”
Do: Resolve to “get moving two or three days a week.”
Why it works: “Going from zero to 100 just isn’t realistic,” obesity specialist Spencer Nadolsky, DO, told Men’s Health. What’s more, if fitness isn’t part of your daily routine, you can easily burn yourself out after a month.

Don’t: Resolve to “save money.”
Do: Resolve to “create and stick to a budget.”
Why it works: Again, saving money is too broad and you need to take small steps to reach this goal. Creating and sticking to a budget gives you the tools to save more, Ted Braun, a certified financial planner, told Men’s Health.

Don’t: Resolve to “stress less.”
Do: Resolve to “incorporate relaxation techniques into your daily routine.”
Why it works: Whether you meditate daily or practice breathing techniques, these actionable steps will bring results that will motivate you to stick with your resolution.

Helping You Achieve Your Goal
Are you a man 18 or older who has resolved to get sober this year? At 10 Acre Ranch, we have the treatment and support to help you make it happen. Call 877-228-4679 to verify insurance coverage and start the enrollment process, or to speak with a member of our team about your sobriety goals.

Recovery Support This Christmas

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It’s Christmastime, and for those working a program of addiction recovery, it’s a time for extra vigilance. People who are working a Program must double their recovery efforts to ensure relapse isn’t a part of one’s holiday. This weekend may be the first sober Christmas for some of our readers; as a treatment provider, we’d be remiss for failing to share some helpful advice for making it through the holiday dry.

Truthfully, it really doesn’t matter how much sobriety time you have, important holidays can wreak havoc on anyone’s program. Being around friends and family for extended periods of time can be too much for some. Not having family in one’s life can be extremely difficult for others. Emotions run high this time of year, but that doesn’t mean we have to react to such feelings in unhealthy ways.

The program teaches us to live one day at a time, staying present is vital to the goal of lasting recovery. If we are having a rough day, we know that “this too shall pass;” we know that drinking alcohol or doing drugs will not help us feel better about our current situation. If malaise comes over you this Christmas, you know what you need to do—get to a meeting, share with the group, and call your sponsor.

Staying Close to Recovery Support

Programs of recovery are jeopardized during the high holidays, more times than not, because individuals do not have their finger on their recovery pulse. Some convince them self that their program is stronger than it is, and as a result, they decide to go to a holiday gathering. Once there, such people are usually OK for a little while, and then other party goers start offering them beverages. If one’s program is healthy, a simple “no thank you” should suffice. If a person’s Program is fragile, the temptation may prove too much.

Keep in mind, those in their first year can take part in holiday festivities, but preparations are in order. While the safest course is to stay close to your recovery support network this weekend, we know that some people will attend parties due to a sense of obligation. Please note, you don’t have to attend Christmas parties, rather than risk relapse just don’t go. If you feel you must go to a party, then maybe you can bring a friend who’s in the program. Have your phone charged so you can call someone in the program if you get shaky, such as your sponsor. Go to a meeting before the gathering, and one afterward; even if you don’t feel it’s necessary—go anyway. Better to be safe and sober, than drunk and sorry. If you are planning to go to a party, and you’ve discussed it with your sponsor and home group, here are a few tips:

  • Get a nonalcoholic beverage immediately upon arriving and keep it by your side at all times. People are less likely to pressure you to drink if they think you are already drinking.
  • If someone notices you are not drinking alcohol and inquires, simply inform them that you have to drive; everyone agrees DUIs are not worth the risk.
  • Have a way home from the party, either in your car or have somebody to pick you up. You never want to be beholden to another partygoer in these kinds of situations.
  • Again, if not going to the party better protects your sobriety, strongly reconsider not going to the party at all. If you don’t hang around the pool, you won’t get wet.

A Sober Christmas to All

Everyone working a program of recovery has a lot to be proud of, and you can use such feelings to empower your resolve. Our future depends on continued spiritual maintenance and practicing the principles of recovery in all our affairs. Take stock of the progress you have made, doing so may help you ward off the temptation to drink or drug this Christmas. A relapse-free holiday is the best Christmas present of all.

All of us at 10 Acre Ranch hope you have a sober and safe holiday and if a problem arises, remember, you are not alone.

5 Self-Care Strategies for the Holidays

photo of a woman holding a christmas ball

Are you on your holiday list this year? If not, you should be. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s an act of love and a crucial part of staying sober. Here’s how to maintain your personal health and wellness while managing the holiday season.

1. Just breathe. It’s easy to get swept up in the season and to forget to slow down and breath. Deep breathing is a great relaxation strategy that you can do anytime, anywhere.

2. Set boundaries. Take a minute to slow down and ask yourself: What do I want to gain this holiday season? What traditions are most important to me? What do I value most?

3. Tap into your senses. Our senses are an important yet oft-overlooked part of self-care Think of ways to include sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing in order to rejuvenate your body and mind. Some ideas:

  • Take a bubble bath and light some scented candles.
  • Wrap yourself in a snuggly blanket and watch a holiday movie.
  • Play your favorite music while sipping a cup of soothing tea.

4. Strive for moderation. It’s easy to overindulge this time of year – over scheduling, eating too much, staying up too late and spending too much, for instance – but excessive behaviors can be risky for your recovery. Do enjoy yourself, but don’t overdo it. Remember: Your recovery and overall health comes first.

5. Let go of expectations. One of the best ways to take care of yourself during this emotionally trying time is to give up your expectations of the perfect family with the perfect tree with the perfect gifts. This type of thinking is extremely damaging to your recovery. Letting go of these unrealistic ideals will help you to experience greater joy in the reality of the moment.

May health and happiness be yours this holiday season and throughout the year!

Begin Recovery at 10 Acre
Just because it’s the holidays, it doesn’t mean you need to hold off on beginning your recovery journey. If you are a male ready to discover the miracles of addiction recovery, please contact 10 Acre Ranch today. Call: 877-228-4679.