Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Doing Your Homework

10-Acre's-Ranch-About-Us-Photo-of-a-group-during-a-therapy-session

The only thing that is certain in life – is the uncertainty of life. That’s why you need to be prepared to handle the good surprises (seeing an old friend out of the blue) – with the bad (getting passed over for that big promotion).

While everyone experiences challenging circumstances from time to time, painful experiences like the loss of a loved one, can make it hard to bounce back and increase your risk of depression.

If you are diagnosed with depression, you should know that it is highly treatable – even as part of a co-occurring disorder such as addiction. While there are many therapeutic options available, many addiction recovery specialists recommend that clients participate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients challenge the patterns of negative thinking and destructive behaviors.

For those on a path to recovery, you can use some of the basic techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy to help shift your mindset and react more positively to life.

3 CBT Techniques That You Can Use

(1) Get practical about solutions. When you’re faced with a difficult situation, don’t just dwell on the problem at hand. Focusing on the negative will most likely just make you feel hopeless and powerless. Instead, think about the situation from a more rational perspective and write down five practical solutions you might consider to confront the issue.

(2) Set realistic goals. The next time you start to experience negative self-talk, consider if you are simply setting unrealistic goals for your personal and professional life and replace those with more attainable objectives.

(3) Challenge negative thoughts. One of the most powerful skills you can use to counteract negative thought patterns is to become more aware of negative thoughts and how you are framing up the situation. Are you thinking about the situation objectively “The traffic today was a little slower than most days” or in a distorted manner “No one in the town can drive!”

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy at 10 Acre Ranch

CBT is a very popular treatment approach for both substance abuse disorder and mental illness. Let us help you or someone you love change those negative and unproductive thoughts and behaviors that can lead to addictive tendencies. To learn more, contact us at (877) 228-4679 to speak with a treatment specialist today.

4 Good Reasons Why Dogs Are Great for Your Holistic Health

They call them man’s best friend for good reason. Dogs can offer unconditional love, great companionship and are always up for having a good time. But, you might be surprised to know that adopting a dog can actually be good for your addiction recovery too by supporting your physical and mental health.

If you are trying to quit drugs and alcohol and finally start a life of sobriety, here are four reasons why a canine might be a good addition to your new, sober lifestyle.

(1) You can meet new friends. It’s a common misconception that the only way to meet new people is by going to the bar or attending social events where drugs or alcohol are the main event. If you are a pet owner, you’ll find new opportunities to meet neighbors while on walks or at the dog park.

(2) Walking your dog can help support your weight loss goals. Thinking about getting back into shape and losing a few unwanted pounds? The simple act of dog walking for a few minutes each day can help you burn extra calories and get closer to your fitness goals. In one study, researchers followed individuals over the course of a year who walked “loaner” dogs five times a week. In just twelve months, research participants lost an average of 14 pounds without changing their diet or eating habits.

(3) Dogs are good for your heart health. In a study conducted by the American Heart Association, researchers found that dog owners are more likely to exercise, have lower blood pressure and be more likely to survive a heart attack.

(4) Dogs are a natural mood booster. In addition to helping to support your physical health, owning a dog can actually improve your emotional health too. And, scientists have backed up that claim. Studies have shown that after a few minutes of play time, pet owners report feeling substantially more relaxed and less stressed.

Expanding your family to offer a dog a forever home can bring more joy into your life while also providing a wealth of health benefits along the way. Though, adopting a dog isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. If you’re thinking about adopting a pet, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter first before taking that next step.

Hope, Healing and Recovery
Calming your mind and recharging your body is an essential part of addiction recovery. At 10 Acre Ranch, we use a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment to treat the whole person. To learn more about our CA men’s rehab program and how we can help, call 10 Acre Ranch at (877) 228-4679 today.

Battling Addiction…with Gratitude?

man writing in a gratitude journal

If you’re grappling with addiction and searching for the path to recovery, you’ve likely researched the advanced treatments available today – things like cognitive behavioral therapy, disease education classes and comprehensive life skills training. Though, you might be surprised to learn that one of the most effective ways of overcoming substance abuse is actually very simple. It’s all about acknowledging and expressing gratitude for the gifts you have been given in life.

Being thankful for the simple things can actually help you on your journey to addiction recovery in a lot of ways. It can help you see that you are worth fighting for while also helping you rebuild your self-esteem and boost your outlook on life.

And, active gratitude can take many forms – it can be as simple as watching a vibrant sunset, feeling the crisp morning breeze and enjoying a cup of coffee with your next door neighbor.

If you are taking the first step towards a life of lasting sobriety, try incorporating more gratitude into your everyday life and start a gratitude journal. Here are a few tips to help you get started.Focus on people, not material things. If you are starting a new habit of expressing gratitude, you shouldn’t limit your gratitude to material possessions or lavish vacations. Think about the people in your life who have helped you navigate the rough times and never gave up on you.

  • Don’t edit yourself. If you are working on expressing your gratitude each day, it might seem overwhelming at first. But, you need to remember that you’re not writing a novel or a newspaper article for other people to read. Your gratitude journal is meant for your eyes only. Pull out your pen and open your journal and just start writing.
  • Schedule your time of gratitude. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day activities and overlook some things on your to-do list – especially when you are starting a new routine. To make gratitude more of a priority in your life, add it to your regular routine. Consider setting your alarm an extra five minutes earlier in the morning to make time for gratitude.
  • Be honest. Being grateful means different things to different people. If you are keeping a journal of gratitude, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about expressing your personal thoughts.
  • Don’t give up. Starting any new habit may seem difficult at first but eventually adding gratitude to each day will become part of your normal routine.

Addiction Center for Men

Welcome to 10 Acre Ranch, a comprehensive drug and alcohol rehab for men 18 and older. We are fully licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services and have been serving men struggling with addiction since 1992. We accept most insurance policies and our private pay fees are economical and affordable. To tour our facility or discuss alcohol rehab for yourself or a loved one, dial 877-228-4679 or submit a confidential online inquiry today.

Addiction Recovery: 3 Strategies for Improving Communication Skills

photo of two men talking in the cafeteria Improving Communication Skills

Drug and alcohol rehab programs are designed to heal the addict – mentally, physically and spiritually – freeing them from a life controlled by the vice grip of addiction. Though, effective addiction recovery doesn’t end there. To help treat the whole person, it also needs to extend beyond the addict to help them mend the broken relationships within their entire social network of family and friends. By repairing old relationships and learning how to create new, healthier ones, addicts can fuel their sobriety with a strong support system and a more fulfilling life.

And, developing better communication skills can help addicts do just that. By learning how to communicate more effectively (and positively), individuals with alcohol and substance abuse issues can build and maintain stronger relationships with others – one of the cornerstones to lasting sobriety.

Here are a few strategies you can use to boost your communication skills:

  • Start with yourself. If you’ve battled substance abuse issues in the past, you may get into a negative cycle of beating yourself up for the mistakes you’ve made. Though, you can’t build healthy relationships with others if you don’t have a healthy relationship with yourself. Try to be more mindful of your own “self-talk” and challenge those thoughts that don’t serve you.
  • Ask questions. One of the easiest ways to start a conversation and keep it going is to have a genuine interest in what the other person has to say. More often than not, your friends and family will thoroughly appreciate your interest in their life.
  • Put away your phone. These days, it fairly common to see people checking in on social media, texting and reading emails on their phone – virtually 24/7. Though, if you find yourself getting distracted by your phone during conversations, make a point to put it away or turn it upside down so you can’t see the screen. You can’t fully engage in the conversation if you’re preoccupied by something else.

Achieving and maintaining a life of sobriety can be challenging. Though, it also represents an opportunity to strengthen your personal relationships with others once you are free from the cloud of addiction. By ending negative communication patterns that were holding your relationships back and replacing them with healthier alternatives, you can enjoy more meaningful and honest relationships with others.

Comprehensive Life Skills Training

10 Acre Ranch drug rehab is a social treatment model that emphasizes therapeutic group activities like anger management, cognitive therapy, and 12-step programming. Living in a supportive community prevents clients from becoming alienated during recovery, and teaches them interpersonal skills that are helpful during and after rehabilitation. While group therapy is a powerful tool in the recovering addict’s arsenal, individual therapy may also be recommended for addiction treatment.

To tour our facility or discuss alcohol rehab for yourself or a loved one, dial (877) 228-4679 or submit a confidential online inquiry today.

Taking Control of Your Financial Health During Addiction Recovery

photo of a man writing on a paper creating financial plan

Addiction takes a toll on virtually every part of the addict’s life – often contributing to behavioral health issues like depression and anxiety, physical problems including insomnia and fatigue – and it can wreak havoc on personal relationships too.

A life of addiction can also cause financial difficulties. If you have been completely absorbed in using and abusing drugs and alcohol, you may have let important financial issues like paying bills on time go by the wayside. Embracing a life of sobriety is an opportunity to heal every aspect of your life – including your financial health too.

Though, you don’t have be a professional financial planner to make substantial changes today that can help you build a solid financial future.

3 Tips for Repairing Your Financial Health

  1. Start small. It may seem overwhelming at first if you are dealing with financial hardships, but the key is to start tackling the simple tasks first. Make a list of your recurring bills and their due dates so you can start paying your bills on time to protect your credit score. If you’ve had trouble remembering what bills are due and when, consider adding a reminder on your phone that alerts you two or three days in advance of the due date.
  2. Rein in credit card spending. It’s common for those dealing with addiction to make impulsive purchasing decisions to fund their lifestyle. If you do have credit cards, make an inventory of your current balances and make a plan for paying off your debts. You may even be able to lower your interest rates by simply contacting your creditors to see if you can quality for more attractive terms.
  3. Make a budget and track your spending. The simple act of creating a budget and monitoring your progress towards your financial goals can be incredibly empowering. And, there are wide range of planning tools available to you online. With sites like mint.com (which provide basic services for free), you can easily create a monthly budget to allocate how you want to spend your money and many also even offer free credit reporting monitoring so you can track your progress.

Addiction recovery isn’t easy. But, it can offer an opportunity for you to spend more time and energy focusing on rebuilding your life – physically and mentally – while creating a brighter economic future.

Looking for Help Overcoming a Life of Addiction?

10 Acre Ranch is licensed by California’s Department of Health Care Services and offers residential, and partial residential programs for drug and alcohol addiction. To tour our facility or discuss alcohol rehab for yourself or a loved one, dial (877) 228-4679 or submit a confidential online inquiry today.

Gambling Addictions: Is Your College Student at Risk?

photo of a young man's hand holding some playing cards at the casino

Sometimes the warning signs of addiction are obvious. If a heroin user overdoses or an alcoholic gets arrested for drunk driving, you know that they need help – and quick. Though, there are other forms of addiction, like gambling, that are just as dangerous but harder to spot.

Did you know that over six million adults currently meet the criteria for problem gambling? And, what is even more alarming is that college students represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the population who gamble online on a regular basis.

In a recent study published by the University of Connecticut, researchers found that 23 percent of college students reporting gambling online and 6.3 percent did so each week.

While placing the occasional “friendly wager” may seem innocuous at first, it can escalate into compulsive behaviors that can cause many profoundly negative psychological, physical and social repercussions.

It’s important to note that there are warning signs of a gambling addiction. If your college student is exhibiting some of all of the symptoms below of a gambling addiction, it’s important to consult an experienced addiction recovery specialist for help.

5 Telltale Signs of a Gambling Addiction:

1. Escalating financial losses and excessive credit card or personal debt. Gambling addicts often feel that the need to place bets even when they run out of money and often start to borrow money from others or fund their habit with credit cards or short-term loans. Some even resort to selling their personal property to support their gambling when their financial reserves are depleted.

2. Exhibit extreme feelings of sadness and remorse after losing. While gambling is often referred to as a “hidden illness” because there are no physical symptoms, they may talk about feeling depressed after losing money and express regret, shame and guilt over their behavior.

3. Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop gambling. Without the help of addiction recovery professionals, gambling addicts may try, unsuccessfully, to stop on their own – creating a negative cycle of addiction and relapse.

4. Being secretive about how often and how much the person is betting. Many compulsive gamblers often lie about how much or how often they bet. Addicts may start to spend more time alone, avoiding friends and family members.

5. Stealing money from friends and family. When the gambling addiction becomes more severe, some resort to actually stealing money from their roommates, parents and co-workers in a desperate attempt to continue funding their addiction.

Left untreated, a gambling addiction can disrupt the addict’s ability to form healthy personal relationships and interfere with work and social activities. If your son is dealing with a problem gambling addiction, help him find the support he needs and consult an experienced addiction rehabilitation facility.

Getting the Help Your Child Needs
If you believe your child is struggling with addiction, getting treatment is essential. Although most college campuses have a mental health center for students, these facilities are often overburdened and understaffed. 10 Acre Ranch specializes in treating men ages 18 and older who are struggling with addiction issues and drug and alcohol abuse, offering residential rehab. Call (877) 228-4679 to get help for your college student or learn more about our men’s-only CA rehab program.