Your Addiction Recovery On Memorial Day

photo of psychologist and soldier during recovery PTSD treatment.jpg

This is Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember all the brave American men and women who gave their lives for our great nation. And like most American holidays, it also a time when friends and family gather to celebrate during the three-day weekend. If you are working a program of recovery and plan on attending such gatherings, it is important that you talk about it with your sponsor beforehand and have plan in place if things get shaky.

You do not have to be in early recovery to experience cravings when you are around alcohol. Individuals with significant lengths of time, people who thought their program was strong, have convinced themselves that having just one or two beers at a barbeque was OK. And while such a slip may not lead to a full blown relapse that goes on for an extended period of time, such is often the case. Relapsing is easy, plugging oneself back into the program, having to identify as a newcomer once again is no small feat. But your life depends upon it.

With that in mind, let’s discuss a few things you can do to protect your recovery over the weekend.

Holidays Can Be Hard In Recovery

Whether it is Christmas, New Year’s Eve or Memorial Day—navigating any major holiday can be a real challenge and test in recovery. Even though we all want to believe that our program is secure enough to go anywhere and not pick up a drink or drug, such a belief can be a slippery slope. There is a reason why we talk about the various obstacles in our life on weekly basis with our peers in recovery. In many ways, it serves as a barometer, showing you if you are doing enough for your program. If you are not, your sponsors or others in your homegroup will enlighten you about what else you could be doing. They may ask you if you are volunteering? Are you extending your hand to newcomers? Are you spending enough time around people who have common goals? If not, some changes are likely in order.

If you answered “no” to any of those questions, it is a safe bet that you may not want to be in place or events typified by alcohol use. If you have committed yourself to attending a Memorial Day barbeque, you would be wise to ask another person in the program to go along with you. What’s more, your addiction does not take holidays. Make sure you get to at least one meeting, either before or after attending an event that involves alcohol. There is never any harm in going to two meetings in one day.

Have your phone charged and always by your side. Finding yourself on uncertain ground without a lifeline is precarious to say the least.

Relapse Back to Recovery

Sadly, there will be people in the program who do not take certain steps to protect their recovery this weekend. If that ends up being your story, please do not make the problem worse due to guilt or shame. That is the beauty of the program, your peers will welcome you back with open arms. Your seat at the table will always be there.

On another note, you may need to consider checking back into to treatment. Some relapses go on for a long time. If that is the case, please contact 10 Acre Ranch to for help.

Treating Soldiers With PTSD and Addiction

photo of psychologist and a soldier with PTSD

It is a well known fact that experiencing trauma can have a serious impact on the course of one’s life. A severe accident, or the loss of a loved one can scar people in seemingly ineluctable ways. If you have ever experienced such trauma, then you know firsthand the scars the event can leave with you, possibly even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An insidious mental illness that if left untreated can lead people to engage in self-destructive behavior. The paradox is such behaviors often take the form of self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, which initially can alleviate some of the symptoms of the disorder, but actually make the symptoms worse in the long run. What’s more, self-medicating can also lead to addiction, and what one finds themselves with is a co-occurring disorder—otherwise known as a dual diagnosis.

Symptoms of PTSD can include:

  • Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms).
  • Avoiding situations that remind you of the event.
  • Having more negative beliefs and feelings.
  • Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal).

PTSD In The Military

While the condition can develop in anyone who experiences trauma, most people you probably associate post-traumatic stress with is the military. Young men and women who go off to fight in armed conflict witness and experience first-hand the horrors of war. In the field of battle even the survivors are victims. After nearly two decades of continuous involvement in the Middle East there are thousands of military personnel who have come home from Afghanistan and Iraq changed.

Ideally, such people would have access to the best treatment money could buy. That is, effective methods of therapy and medication that can counter the symptoms and even repair some of the damage. Unfortunately, the Veterans Administration (VA) isn’t always on top of treating affected personnel, which means many service men and women take to calming their symptoms with substances. In many cases, it is a choice that leads to a dishonorable discharge, which can actually cut individuals off from receiving VA benefits. Therefore, upsetting one’s prospects for obtaining a good job after the military

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that during a four-year period, almost two-thirds of the 91,764 U.S. troops kicked out of the military for misconduct had received a diagnosis for post-traumatic stress, The Washington Post reports. The GAO is urging the Defense Department to do a better job at ensuring commanders consider medical conditions like PTSD when determining how to handle misconduct cases.

Treating Mental Illness – PTSD and Addiction

It is quite common for people with any form of mental illness to suffer from addiction as well. Which condition comes first is not as important as treating both disorders at the same time. Failure to do so usually results in an inability to recovery. At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand that drugs and alcohol can prolong a cycle of avoidance and delay treatment. For more than 25 years, we have treated many clients who courageously served overseas, who self-medicated their PTSD with drugs and alcohol. By addressing both the addiction and the co-occurring disorder they could get back on their feet and lead a fulfilling life.

If you or a loved one is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, and self-medicates, please contact us today. Recovery is possible.

Social Model of Addiction Recovery

addiction-treatment-LA-CA-drug-alcohol-abuse

If you are in recovery from addiction or if you are still actively using drugs or alcohol, you are acutely aware of the fact that the disease is typified by solitude. While active users may be accompanied by others spiraling towards a similar bottom, the reality is that you are in fact alone. Nobody is going to support you in any fashion, short of maybe some friends and family members who could be enabling your destructive behavior. Perhaps you are still using and happen to be in a romantic relationship, if so there is good chance that it is unhealthy due to its codependent nature.

The point is that meaningful relationships in active addiction are virtually nonexistent. Even when you are around others, you are in every way alone. Conversely, in active recovery meaningful relationships are in abundance. The social model of addiction recovery centers around relying upon one another for support. It is such relationships that in many ways give you reasons to stay the course, you are there for others and they are there for you.

The road to addiction and beyond is a lonely road, the path to recovery involves walking side by side with others, as equals. It is often said recovery cannot be achieved on one’s own, only with the help of others. And there is plenty of evidence to support such claims.

The Social Model of Addiction Recovery

Isolation for addicts and alcoholics is a destructive behavior. In recovery, much emphasis is placed on getting out of one’s comfort zone and working hard to embrace the power of the group and its lifesaving qualities. At 10 Acre Ranch, we instill in our clients the power of the group. We know if you are feeling down others can assist you in getting back up, and vice versa.

In treatment, you and the other clients take part in groups that become the model for how you will sustain recovery upon discharge via 12 Step recovery. On multiple nights a week, clients are taken to various meetings to see and participate in a program of recovery that has helped countless individuals find a new way of living since the 1930’s.

One learns that a sponsor is not a boss or a parent, but rather a friend who can guide you through the Steps and can give you suggestions for overcoming situations that, left to one’s own devices, could lead to relapse. It isn’t a secret that people with substance use disorders don’t respond well to orders and commands, which is why the social model is so effective. In recovery we are all equals, there is no hierarchy. Through such a format, people can learn what a healthy relationship looks like, they can learn the value of open and honest lines of interpersonal communication.

Recovering Without Distraction

At our Southern California treatment facility, we understand that in early recovery distractions can be counterproductive. The greatest distraction for men is without a doubt the fairer sex. Once the drugs and alcohol are out of your system, people often remember what a sex drive is. How appealing being in the company of women is after years, decades even, of being in a fog. One of the most common routes to relapse in early recovery is without a doubt romantic attachments.

Being in a home surrounded by other males, gives you time to form lasting bonds with other men. It is not uncommon for men who go through treatment together to be friends for the rest of their lives, even if they reside in opposite ends of the country.

If you are still in the grips of addiction, we hope that you will contact us as soon as possible. We can help you break the cycle of addiction and give you the tools necessary for living a life in recovery. Please take a moment to watch a short video below:

If you are having trouble watching, please click here.

Curbing Social Anxiety to Avoid Addiction or Relapse

photo of people gathered together in the hill during an event

Have you ever walked into a room with a large group of people and felt anxious? Do you decline invitations to parties and work conferences or avoid talking to people you don’t know just because it makes you uncomfortable?

While it is normal to feel uneasy in certain situations, it’s important to recognize when you start to experience symptoms of social anxiety more frequently and especially if they disrupt your personal and professional relationships.

Why? By taking inventory of your emotions and learning healthy coping strategies, you can reduce your risk of abusing drugs, prescription medications or alcohol as a crutch. This is especially important if you are just starting to live a sober lifestyle since individuals with anxiety disorders have a higher risk of substance abuse.

But, the good news is that there are proven, healthy coping strategies you can use to take control of your life and avoid the dangerous path towards addiction or relapse.

If you do experience social anxiety, you can empower yourself in healthy ways by:

1. Using conscious breathing techniques. It’s common to experience a faster heart rate and start to breathe faster when you start to feel symptoms of anxiety and discomfort. Though, your breath is actually a powerful tool you can use to fight and calm your anxiety – and you can use anywhere!

If you are starting to feel anxious, focus on the rhythm of your inhale and exhale and start to take deeper breaths in and out. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for a second or two, then exhale slowly. After a few minutes, you’ll notice that your symptoms will start to recede.

2. Applying realistic thinking. If your mind starts to race with fears and doubts about how others will perceive you, take a moment to check yourself. Are these thoughts really based on facts?

3. Knowing that these feelings will pass. If you are experiencing social anxiety, it’s important to recognize that the moment will pass and that you will soon start to feel better. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the moment!

Southern CA Addiction Treatment for Men
If you or someone you love is dealing with a substance abuse issue that is compounded by a behavioral health issue like social anxiety, 10 Acre Ranch can help. Treating men 18 and over for alcoholism, drug addiction, and co-occurring disorders, we provide millennials with the education and support they need to transform their lifestyles and find strength in sobriety.

Dial (877) 228-4679 to enroll in our residential rehab or verify insurance coverage today!

Disease Education: The Science Behind Withdrawal

photo of male and female college students inside the campus

Have you ever wondered why you do, what you do?

At 10 Acre Ranch, we extend the healing process to also offer disease education workshops to empower individuals with information about the biological underpinnings of chemical dependency.

The foundation of our treatment philosophy is built on a firm belief that while the use of drugs and alcohol begins as a choice, eventually the brain is altered neurologically, triggering cravings and physical withdrawal symptoms.

By understanding the biological complexities of addiction, clients can become more aware of the fundamental behavioral and physical response patterns at work to prevent relapse.

3 Ways Drugs and Alcohol Trigger Withdrawal Symptoms


1. Alcohol – Alcohol inhibits the excitatory neurotransmitter (Glutamate), slowing down the nervous system. An abrupt cessation of using alcohol causes the neurotransmitter to resume activity and excites the brain – resulting in anxiety, irritability, agitation and tremors.

2. Cocaine – The use of cocaine primarily impacts norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin – which play important roles in the neurochemistry of the brain. These neurotransmitters control vital biological functions including mood, appetite, sexual functions and blood pressure. When individuals stop using cocaine, the brain chemistry is profoundly altered, triggering symptoms such as paranoia, fatigue, irritability and more.

3. Opioids – Opioid addiction has become one of the most prevalent forms of chemical dependency in recent years. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, of the 21.5 million Americans with a substance use disorder, 1.9 million are addicted to prescription pain relievers. The extended use of opioids dramatically depletes the “feel good” chemicals naturally produced by the brain like dopamine. When the brain is no longer stimulated by opioids, individuals often experience painful withdrawal symptoms including depression, anxiety and insomnia.

By learning to recognize and manage the symptoms commonly associated with detox, you can learn proactive coping strategies and reduce your risk of relapse.

Drug & Alcohol Treatment in California
10 Acre Ranch’s drug and alcohol treatment center educates men 18 and over by providing addiction discussion groups, lectures, workshops, literature, and other resources. The more clients know about the science behind addiction, the more equipped they are to confront their behaviors and retrain their brains. Addiction is a disease that requires a variety of interventional and behavioral modifications. To learn more about our affordable addiction recovery programs and beautiful California facility, get in touch with the 10 Acre Ranch team today.