Do I Need a Social Worker?

A social worker can be a mental health professional with a wide-ranging set of skills and abilities, helping people from all walks of life in difficult situations.

These professionals will often work with people in rehab or recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. They can play an essential role in helping connect you to community resources as you work to navigate a new life in recovery.

Social workers can help individuals, families, and even entire communities. Some of their general duties include counseling, advocacy, and reporting.

These professionals might provide direct counseling to individuals and families.
They can also serve as an advocate on your behalf to community organizations or health professionals.
Social work can involve helping clients navigate the legal system, and the most significant goal they have is to help people change their lives in positive ways.
Generally, social work programs focus on public health, family services, providing mental health services, working with victims of child abuse, and connecting people with government agencies and social services.
These professionals might work in various settings, including health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, school districts, or private practice.

There are a lot of specialized roles within this field of work. For example, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker can diagnose and treat mental and behavioral health conditions and emotional issues.

Addiction is itself a specialty within the social work profession.

Broadly, a social worker helps you improve your life as you manage stress and navigate different situations that may be going on at any given time.
They can meet with you, listen to your concerns, and then develop a specific plan to manage problems.
Active listening is a big part of what people in social work do, as is observation.

When someone has addictive disorders, whether to drugs or alcohol, and decides to receive treatment, they will often work with a wide range of care providers, including a substance abuse social worker.

Addiction itself is very complex. With a substance use disorder diagnosis, many factors are part of the addiction. For example, it’s common to have co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. These conditions need to be well-managed for the treatment program to be effective.

There may be issues at home that contributed to addiction or occurred because of it. For example, people dealing with substance abuse issues may have broken relationships with their spouse or partner, as well as their children.
Someone with an ongoing addiction may be dealing with career problems due to substance use.
Legal problems can occur as well.
In many cases, physical health conditions also have to be treated as part of a rehab program, from dealing with withdrawal symptoms to getting chronic conditions under control.

A social worker can be part of a larger, multi-disciplinary treatment team.

They often work with people in rehab or who have completed a treatment program as they begin to re-enter society and experience their everyday lives without drugs or alcohol.
These professionals have connections to the community that can be invaluable as someone rebuilds their life.
For example, if you were to complete a stay in an inpatient rehab program, you might return to your life to find that it’s challenging to manage. You might have lost your job or be dealing with criminal charges. A social worker is someone who can help you in a wide variety of areas in your everyday life.

When you have someone on your side who serves as your advocate, it can help you stay on track in your recovery.

Many people might not have a home to return to after treatment, and this is another place where a professional can help you. You might only have a home that involves domestic violence, so a social worker could help you find a safe place to live and other assistance programs.

They can tap into their vast network and make sure that your transition from treatment to real life is as easy for you as possible. Of course, they can’t alleviate all challenges, but they can connect you with the things you need most during a difficult time.

Depending on how you receive treatment, someone in social work may be there from the beginning and be part of the creation of your treatment plan.

To get into the social work field, there are different degree programs. The path someone follows into social work practice can depend on their goals and what they want to specialize in.

At a minimum, most professionals have a bachelor’s-level social work degree.

When someone has a master’s, they can perform clinical assessments of behavioral disorders and provide counseling in different settings, including mental health clinics. To follow the clinician career path, a person also has to have a certain number of supervised hours in a clinical setting along with advanced education.

Substance Abuse and Trauma

Based on decades of research, we know that trauma and substance abuse are closely related to one another.

Around 70% of adults in the United States have gone through a traumatic experience at least once in their lifetime.
Trauma is a risk factor for all substance use disorders.
Additionally, people with substance use disorders are more likely to experience traumatic events. This puts people in a cycle of trauma and potential substance abuse that’s difficult to break out of without professional help.
Around 5% of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) meet the substance use disorder diagnosis criteria.
Additionally, up to ¾ of people who survive abuse or traumatic violence report problematic alcohol use.
Women with traumatic exposures are at especially high risk for alcohol use disorder.

There are different reasons for these connections. One theory is that people with trauma may try to self-medicate to cope or deal with their symptoms. That self-medication can spiral into an addiction.

There’s another theory that people who abuse substances may have a higher trauma rate due to their use. For example, lifestyle choices may increase the risk of trauma exposure stemming from drug or alcohol use.

It’s also possible that people who use substances are more susceptible to developing PTSD after trauma exposure than people who don’t use drugs or alcohol. The same may be true with other mental disorders and emotional disorders.

In the past, people with a co-occurring addiction or substance use disorder and a trauma disorder had worse outcomes. Often, the treatment approach would separate the addiction from the trauma and treat them individually.

Now, there’s an increasing emphasis on dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders.
Treatment tends to be most effective when both issues are addressed and treated simultaneously because they relate to one another.
Trauma-informed substance use treatment tends to have good outcomes for many people. There is a recovery mindset in this approach, emphasizing building resiliency.

Social workers can bring a unique perspective to trauma-informed care. They’re highly trained in dealing with trauma, both acutely and in chronic conditions like PTSD. That’s one reason the input from social workers can be so critical to an addiction treatment plan.

Trauma-informed social work means a professional recognizes the signs of trauma and the impact. They can then identify various paths to address the effects and help prevent people from further experiencing traumatic situations. The goal of a social worker in a trauma-informed setting is to stop focusing only on problematic behaviors, like substance use.

Instead, a trauma-informed social worker will understand what happened to someone to cause the behaviors in the first place, such as exposure to a crisis situation.

If you’d like to learn more about trauma-informed substance abuse treatment, please reach out to us at Silicon Valley Recovery today by calling 408-547-4089.

Achieving Long-Term Sobriety with Mindfulness

The goal of treatment for substance use disorders is to help you achieve long-term sobriety. Of course, we know that recovery isn’t always linear. There are many situations where you can complete treatment successfully and still relapse in your sober life.

That’s okay, and that can be part of your recovery process.

However, we always want to equip you with the tools you need to achieve long-term sobriety optimally.

One such tool that can take many different forms to help maintain long-term sobriety is mindfulness. We’ll get more into that, but first, we’ll talk a little more about sobriety in general and what it can look like to learn how to incorporate it into your life on a longer-term basis.

What is Recovery?

When you finish rehab or a treatment program and you’re no longer in active addiction, you have to re-enter the world. In many ways, you might feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time. Without the cloud of substances, you may have to re-learn what it’s like to be part of the world around you.

Undoubtedly, there will be challenges that come with navigating the real world, particularly in the initial stage of recovery. The risk of relapse is highest in these early days.

These challenges and difficult times will require reaching into the toolbox you created during treatment to face them.

In technical terms, your recovery or sobriety is when you aren’t under the influence of a substance. Your recovery can look individual to you, but overall, the goal is to learn how to be a fulfilled, healthy person mentally, physically, and spiritually.

If you have experienced setbacks previously on the road to long-lasting recovery, you can use these as learning experiences. These are opportunities to explore your triggers and weaknesses so that you can deal with them in different ways.

What is Mindfulness?

A concept you can apply to all areas of your life in recovery is mindfulness. Mindfulness is our ability as humans to be present and aware of what we’re doing in a broad sense. When we practice mindfulness throughout the stages of recovery, we’re less likely to become overly reactive or stressed out by things around us.

We all have the inherent ability to be mindful, but we must train our brains to engage in it. Mindfulness is very active, even though it might not seem like it at first.

How to Maintain Long Term Sobriety

To maintain long-term sobriety, while everyone’s recovery plan can be different, general things to keep in mind include:

Identify your personal triggers. You can work on this in a treatment program, but it may also be something you explore outside of treatment as you’re navigating life. For some people, triggers include emotional distress, being around people who still drink or use drugs, relationships, or financial problems.
Recognize the warning signs of relapse that are personal to you. A relapse isn’t a sudden event. Relapse tends to happen in phases. You are likely to begin the stages of a relapse well before you drink or use drugs. The three main phases of relapse are emotional, mental, and physical. Learn the earliest warning signs so you can start to do the work to avoid a full-blown relapse.
Actively avoid your old habits and routines. If you don’t make changes to your lifestyle and routines, it’s going to likely derail your ability to maintain long-term sobriety.
Work toward building healthy relationships. While you were actively using, your past relationships may have been toxic or harmful. You may have damaged the healthy relationships you would have had otherwise. Begin to build a social support network of people who positively influence your life or take steps to rebuild existing relationships.
Make sure you have support. It’s almost impossible to sustain long-term recovery if you don’t have support. Support comes in many forms. For example, you might work with a therapist or counselor. You could attend a 12-step meeting like Alcoholics Anonymous, or you might make sure that you’re regularly planning activities with family and loved ones. If you don’t prefer 12-step programs, other local recovery programs like SMART Recovery help you navigate your daily life in sobriety.
Have a set schedule. Routine is one of the ways you’re going to help yourself stay on track in all areas of your life.
Emphasize healthy living. Prioritize making time for self-care, exercise, nutrition, and hobbies and activities. You should also make sure you’re getting enough sleep, and you’re taking care of yourself in all ways. Your mental health should always be part of your healthy lifestyle when you’re in recovery from addiction. Having an untreated or uncontrolled mental health issue will make your recovery process a lot more challenging.
Celebrate your milestones and successes. They can be small, and you should still celebrate them. Whenever you make progress, it’s important to recognize how far you’ve come as part of your long-term recovery and personal growth.

How Mindfulness Helps with Maintaining Long-Term Sobriety

Practicing mindfulness can help us get into the moment where we are at any given time and focus on what we’re thinking and feeling.

Learning how to access mindfulness can help people in recovery stay on track with a life of sobriety.

There’s nothing special you need to buy or change about yourself to become mindful. Anyone can practice it, and it’s a way of life that brings a sense of awareness and improvement into all areas of our lives.

It’s not as new-age as it might sound either. A growing body of evidence shows mindfulness has tangible, positive, physical benefits.

So how does practicing mindfulness help in maintaining sobriety?

Quiet your mind. When you’re more mindful, and that becomes part of your life, it can quiet the talk in your head that might create self-doubt or negativity. Rather than letting your mind ruminate on things that aren’t positive, which can lead to relapse, you can regain a sense of calm and focus. Being calm and focused is going to help you make good decisions.
When you stop using drugs or alcohol, you may have difficulty relaxing without substances for a while. Mindfulness allows you to recognize what you’re feeling, and then from there, you can label your thoughts and move away from them.
The more you can calm down the noise in your mind, the more you can cope with stress effectively and positively throughout your daily routine and your everyday life.
When you pull yourself into the present, you can think before you do anything that you might end up regretting. You can pull yourself out of thoughts like glamorizing a time when you were using substances and get back to where you are at the moment.
A lot of what you learn as you practice mindfulness is nonjudgmental. This isn’t just a reference to other people. You can learn to be nonjudgmental of yourself. Too often, addiction and relapse are rooted in a sense of shame. You can begin to evaluate yourself through that nonjudgmental lens to shift those feelings of shame you might otherwise experience.

Interestingly, mindfulness may even help you with things you go through physically in the early days of recovery, such as pain or physical tension.

Rather than turning to drugs or alcohol, mindfulness and everything that goes with it can become your coping mechanism, regardless of the situation you may find yourself in.

If you would like to learn more about addiction treatment and begin your journey of recovery, please reach out to Silicon Valley Recovery by calling 408-547-4089.

4 Life Skills Rehab for Teens Teach

You may not be surprised to learn that many of the patients entering rehab for teens have fallen behind in their studies, but it’s often their life skills that make the most significant hit. Inpatient rehab for teens makes sure that these teens don’t fall through the cracks by teaching crucial skills they need to become successful adults.

New York Center For Living notes that one of the main fears for parents is the impact addiction has on adolescent milestones, such as learning to drive, managing money, applying to colleges, and spending time with friends. Rehabs for teens are mindful of this and prioritize teaching patients the necessary life skills to get them back on track.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an adolescent’s brain is like a car with a fully functioning gas pedal (the reward system) but weak brakes (the prefrontal cortex). Teens are biologically wired for thrill-seeking and experimenting with new things. Unfortunately, because their brains are not yet fully formed, this puts them at greater risk of sliding into addiction.

Inpatient Rehab for Teens

With teen substance abuse and addiction on the rise, inpatient treatment facilities are coming up with new ways to help patients develop better-coping strategies and bridge the gaps in their life experiences.

The good news is that with the right support and strong foundations, patients can look forward to a brighter, healthier future. Rehab for teens provides a safe, managed environment to encourage them back onto their feet, free from outside influences and triggers.

Stepping back into day-to-day life after treatment is a positive move forward, but it can also come with challenges. Inpatient rehab aims to reduce the risk of relapse by setting teens up with all of the tools they need to lead happy, fulfilling lives, creating a smoother transition between treatment and the demands of daily life outside of the facility.

Below are the four key life skills that teens will learn throughout the process.

Planning for the Future

It’s not uncommon for teens dealing with addiction to struggle in school. Substance abuse can lead to poor attendance and neglected schoolwork, causing a decline in grades and a lack of interest in academic success. Many lose sight of their long-term goals and aspirations, giving in to distractions and feelings of hopelessness.

During treatment, patients are encouraged to look ahead, set goals and work to achieve them. These don’t have to be groundbreaking feats. Even small-scale accomplishments, such as developing new skills or hitting personal targets, help rebuild confidence and establish positive learning practices.

Extracurricular activities can also support recovery. Groups that promote team building enable teens to build connections with like-minded people and enrich their social interactions, giving them the chance to broaden their horizons and forge valuable relationships with others.

Growing Communication

Addiction can be an isolating experience. Many people with substance abuse issues find they need to mend relationships with friends and family that have been broken by negative behaviors, e.g., stealing, anger, aggression. A lack of secure friendships and stable connections can often lead to relapse, so building a positive support network and establishing a circle of sober friends is crucial to recovery.

Secrecy can also be a big problem for teens dealing with these issues. It can be hard to reach out and let others know when you’re struggling at the best of times, and the nature of addiction only increases the impulse to withdraw or lash out.

Through inpatient treatment, teens learn how to express their feelings in more constructive ways. They are encouraged to let others know when they need extra support and resist the urge to bottle things up. Support groups and meetings are available outside of the facility, and these are great places to grow strong connections in a safe space.

Improving self-confidence and assertiveness is also vital for those in recovery. Saying no to peer pressure and high-risk social situations is much easier when teens aren’t seeking outside approval and acceptance from the wrong sources. Treatment teaches teens to develop a strong sense of self-worth, making them more likely to stay on the right path.

Changing Habits and Controlling Impulses

The structure is important when trying to form any new habits. A good routine, sleep pattern, and personal hygiene regime (which may have previously taken a backseat) are the building blocks for continuing to progress outside of treatment.

The temptation to fall back into old habits is heightened when teens leave rehab. Inpatient treatment educates them on how to make informed decisions and exert control over their impulses.

Instead of repeating past behaviors in times of stress, such as hanging out with bad influences, they are guided toward alternative coping mechanisms.

Establishing a constant baseline helps teens feel more secure and stable when unexpected obstacles or challenges pop up. Things like sticking to a consistent bedtime, writing out to-do lists, and attending support groups keep them grounded in their recovery.

Exercising can also be a great addition to their schedule. Through exercise, teens can boost their mood and fitness, clear their minds of negative thoughts, and release endorphins. Addiction has a mental and physical impact on the body, so learning about nutrition and how to eat a balanced diet is also advocated.

Self-Care

Rehab teaches teens to maintain the right mindset even as the stresses and pressures of daily life creep in. They are guided toward recognizing their own needs and replacing negative patterns with positive choices.

Teens are encouraged to listen to their minds and bodies and take a step back before things bubble up, and old habits resurface. Self-care practices such as meditation, taking a relaxing bath, or even something as simple as keeping their room clean and tidy make a huge difference.

When we value ourselves and learn to identify which areas of our experience need some extra care and attention, we are more likely to be proactive and employ better, healthier coping methods.

Getting Treatment for Teen Addiction

The journey away from addiction can be a long process with many bumps in the road, but recovery is possible with support, encouragement, and persistence. Rehab for teens will equip them with the life skills they need to become well-rounded, fulfilled adults with promising futures, free from addiction and substance abuse.

If you’re interested in learning more about drug addiction treatment, call 408-547-4089 and talk to a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery team today!

Is an Emotional Support Animal the Same as a Service Animal?

Animals, like the human race, have evolved; they are now more commonly used for purposes other than being pets. As a result, American Addiction Centers grouped pets into emotional support animals (ESA) and service animals (SA), and they have also implemented a pet-friendly rehab policy to treat various behavioral disorders.

This article will discuss the differences between emotional support animals and service animals.

Emotional Support Animals (ESA) vs. Service Animals (SA)

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an Emotional Support Animal is any animal that provides emotional support to its owners to alleviate one or more symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. They are the preferred pets for those suffering from depression, loneliness, panic attacks, and specific phobias. Furthermore, they offer their owners a sense of security.

On the other hand, service animals have been carefully trained to do certain activities or chores to assist persons with disabilities, including physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory. Until recently, service animals were only dogs. For example, some are trained as hearing dogs, guide dogs, PTSD support dogs, or seizure detection dogs. However, miniature horses are now being trained as guides for the blind.

Emotional support animals do not have specialized training to provide certain services to people with disabilities. All they get are toilets and obedience training. This ensures the animal is not hostile and determines if it is safe to travel on a plane. Their owners must also have obtained a medical letter from their health care practitioner or mental health specialist. This letter must confirm the need for such animals to treat mental or emotional disorders. However, the plane is virtually the only place an emotional support animal is permitted to enter. They cannot accompany their owners into other public areas like shopping malls, movie theaters, or restaurants. This is in stark contrast to service dogs, who are permitted to enter any location at any time.

However, dogs aren’t the only emotional support animals. Cats, peacocks, fish, and hamsters are some other common examples.

The Addiction Epidemy

Addiction is a long-standing issue. In the past, people primarily used addiction to describe those who couldn’t control their urge to drink alcohol or abuse prescription medicines. However, the meaning of addiction has evolved to include disorderly behaviors such as compulsive urges for gambling, food, sex, work, coffee, workouts, and substance abuse. Addiction is caused mainly by genetics and environmental factors such as social pressure, early exposure to drugs/alcohol at home or school, family problems, work/educational issues, and many more. Trauma from different types of abuse– sexual, physical, verbal, emotional, and mental– has also been a factor in addiction cases.

Addiction causes a plethora of problems. It can cause physical damage like sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), psychological damage like depression, social damage like incarceration or broken relationships, and economic damage like bankruptcy and debt.

Finding a quality rehab center, particularly a pet-friendly one, to tackle this issue before it deteriorates is a must. It is essential! It is critical! It is non-negotiable! The sooner this is accomplished, the better the chances of recovery and the lower the danger of relapse.

The Need For Pet-friendly Rehab Centers

Rehabilitation centers with a pet-friendly policy aid in treating those suffering from various types of addiction and disabilities. This therapeutic approach is referred to as Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).

As the name suggests, its purpose is to aid in recovering from addiction. However, it is not a cure for addiction! Instead, it is combined with evidence-based therapy to address many mental or emotional illnesses.

Being responsible for your pet’s needs mirrors the effects of drugs and alcohol on your brain. Drugs momentarily flood the brain’s pleasure centers with the “feel-good hormone,” dopamine. The brain becomes acclimated to these drugs over time, and the patient becomes depressed without them. AAT is utilized to reconfigure the brain to produce more sustained pleasure naturally. This is possible when a patient concentrates on keeping his pet happy, which indirectly brings him joy and speeds up his rehabilitation. Furthermore, the more time you spend with your pet – whether playing with it or caring for it – the less time you have to think about your addictions.

People who own emotional support dogs routinely take their pets for walks, which keeps them physically active and increases their social relationships. It’s a universal truth that most people are drawn to pet dogs. They always long to touch the dog, stroke it on the back, and comment on how adorable it is. Through this, you get to meet new people and make new friends. This makes loneliness disappear and keeps depression in check.

Animal Assisted Therapy Is Not For Everyone

No two men are entirely alike. Support animals are not recommended for people who do not like animals, are known to hurt animals, or are afraid of interacting with certain support animals. People who have allergies to fur, hair, or dander of certain animals are also advised against getting support animals.

Seeking Pet-Friendly Rehabs

Going through loneliness, depression, anxiety, restlessness, mood swings, and other undesirable events associated with rehabilitation for a month or longer is no mean feat. Thankfully, emotional support animals’ emergence has reduced these concerns considerably. Hence, why all addiction rehab centers in the United States of America are now pet-friendly; they now allow support dogs to accompany their owners through treatment on a case-by-case basis.

Now that you can differentiate between emotional support animals vs. service animals and also understand the importance of pet-friendly rehab centers, like Silicon Valley Recovery (408-547-4089), go ahead and choose what’s best for you!

A Closer Look at the Medical Alcohol Detox Timeline

Alcohol addiction is a serious concern. And as with any other addiction, when you stop drinking alcohol, you will have to go through a detox process, which varies depending on the individual’s level of dependence on alcohol. Learning more about the medical alcohol detox timeline will give you a better idea of what to expect. Once you realize how quickly the withdrawal symptoms will likely pass, that may be the motivation you need to go through the medical detox process.

3 Stages of Alcohol Withdrawal
There are three main stages in the medical alcohol detox timeline. Not everyone experiences all of them, but it is best to be prepared.

Stage 1 – Mild
This stage of the withdrawal process can include the following mild withdrawal symptoms:
· Insomnia
· Headaches
· Anxiety
· Gastrointestinal disturbances
· Heart palpitations
· Tremors

Stage 2 – Moderate
In addition to the previous mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms, this stage can also include:
· Increased heart rate (Rapid heart rate)
· Increased blood pressure
· Mild hyperthermia
· Confusion
· Rapid abnormal breathing (Rapid breathing)

Stage 3 – Severe
If you experience stage 3 symptoms, you may experience any of the above as well as:
· Seizures (alcohol withdrawal seizures)
· Impaired attention
· Auditory or visual hallucinations (auditory hallucinations, tactile hallucinations)
· Disorientation

How the Stages Fit Into the Timeline

Once familiar with each stage, you’ll ask, “How do they fit into the alcohol withdrawal timeline?”
Stage one typically starts within just eight hours. Stage two will begin within one to three days. Stage three starts within a week.

The Importance of Treatment

Importantly, this timeline is for a medical detox process with treatment and the supervision of a health care professional. If you do not get treatment, the symptoms of stage three can last for weeks. Additionally, it may take less time than outlined above to move from stage two to stage three without proper treatment. Seeking professional treatment at rehab facilities or treatment centers can significantly reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and help manage complications of alcohol withdrawal.

More Detailed Timeline By the Hour

While the above stages can give you a general idea of the timeline for alcohol withdrawal, each stage covers a time range and various symptoms. The following is an example of a “typical” timeline. Keep in mind that the hours refer to the time since the last drink at each point.

6 to 12 Hours
At just six to 12 hours after the last drink, patients may start to notice the mild symptoms associated with early withdrawal. These include headaches, agitation, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach upset, small tremors, insomnia, and mild anxiety.

12 to 24 Hours
At this point, the initial symptoms may expand to include disorientation and hand tremors, as well as possible alcohol withdrawal seizures.

At 24 Hours
At about 24 hours from the last drink, some people experience hallucinations. These can be tactile, auditory, or visual. Severe withdrawal symptoms, like these, must be monitored closely by a healthcare provider to avoid further complications.

Within 24 to 72 Hours
The symptoms will have peaked for most patients and started to resolve themselves within 24 to 72 hours after the last drink. For the best chance of this quick recovery, it’s important to undergo a medical detox process with supervision. That being said, the period of 24 to 48 hours after the last drink requires extra medical monitoring. This is when the risk of seizures is the highest.
Right after that phase, from 48 to 72 hours, there is a risk of withdrawal delirium (DTs) appearing. Delirium tremens is rare but severe. It can include delirium, extreme agitation, changes to the mental status, and occasional hallucinations. It only affects about 2% of those with alcohol use disorder.

About 48 hours after the last drink, other possible symptoms include insomnia, excessive sweating, and high fever. Most people will start to notice their withdrawal symptoms improve within five days.

Some People Experience Persistent Symptoms

Everyone is different, but some people will continue to notice alcohol withdrawal symptoms after the above medical alcohol detox timeline. This is post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), which we will discuss in more detail. Most people will fully recover with the proper medical care and withdrawal assistance.

But some people may notice some symptoms for months after their last drink. These potential longer-term symptoms may include sleep disturbances, mood changes, and fatigue. This prolonged period can impact your overall recovery journey.

Acute Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Another important part of the medical detox process is the possibility of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Not everyone experiences this, but it can occur in the days and weeks following quitting alcohol. This syndrome includes the potential for seizures, delirium tremens, and loss of consciousness. The important thing to remember here is that there is a risk of life-threatening health complications when you quit alcohol. Because of that, it is best to have some type of medical intervention during this period.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) refers to the potential prolonged symptoms that some people notice after they stop drinking. Not everyone experiences these, but they can last for just a few weeks or up to a year.
Some potential symptoms of PAWS include:
· Anxiety
· Low energy
· Emotional outburst
· Irritability
· Trouble sleeping
· Dizziness
· Memory problems
· Delayed reflexes
· Chronic nausea
· Intense cravings
· Increased accident proneness

These symptoms typically come and go. You may feel fine one day and have several symptoms the next. The good news is that most episodes of PAWS are only several days at most. It is crucial to be aware of PAWS as it is among the most common causes of relapse.

What Affects Your Detox Experience

It’s important to note that all of the information here about a medical alcohol detox timeline varies from person to person. Factors such as mental health conditions, physical symptoms, and your overall health condition play significant roles in how your body reacts to detoxification. Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms are more likely in those with cardiovascular disease or a history of seizures.

Conclusion

Most people detoxing from alcohol will experience mild withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, shaking, or anxiety in the hours after they stop drinking. Within 24 hours after they stop drinking, symptoms can include disorientation and alcohol withdrawal seizures. Symptoms can worsen within the first 72 hours after the last drink, but they tend to get better after, especially with medical supervision.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with alcohol abuse, call the caring team of Silicon Valley Recovery at 408-547-4089.

How to Get Off Heroin Without Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

One of the big reasons people can struggle when dependent on opioids is the opiate withdrawal symptoms. Opiate withdrawal symptoms can be severe and uncomfortable. Managing these symptoms can help you be in a better place to get addiction treatment and begin a life in recovery.

You may wonder how to get off opiates without withdrawal symptoms. The answers can include medical supervision, tapering off your dosage, and medications. Below we detail more about opiate withdrawal symptoms and what you can expect regarding the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

We’ll also talk about management options for this process of withdrawal.

What Are Opioids and Opiates?

Opioids and opiates are a class of drugs that affect the brain and central nervous system by slowing them down.

The opioid drug class includes prescription pain medicines like morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Heroin is also an opioid.
Increasingly, synthetic opioids that are highly potent like fentanyl are making their way to the streets.
Using an opioid, by prescription or otherwise, changes how pain signals transmitted from your body to your brain. There’s also a slow down of your entire central nervous system. For example, if you use an opioid, you may feel sleepy. Your breathing and heart rate can slow as well, leading to a high risk of overdose.
Opioids and opiates are all chemically related to one another. These substances interact with opioid receptors in your brain and body.

Even when you use an opioid by prescription, regular use can lead to abuse, addiction, and dependence. Overdose and death are also consequences of opioid use.

Opioid Dependence

Opioids are highly addictive. When you take an opioid, it interacts with your brain in a way that can create euphoria or feelings of being high.

Those feelings and effects create a cascade effect in the brain.
Neurotransmitters that make you feel good flood your brain.
Then, your brain’s reward cycle experiences stimulation.
All of these effects can lead to addiction.
With opioid addiction, you experience out-of-control cravings and use because of the impact of the substance on your brain and your reward centers.
Addiction is a psychological disease of the brain.

Dependence is different.

Dependence usually occurs with addiction but sometimes happens on its own.
For example, if you take opioids with a prescription, dependence can form even if you aren’t addicted.
Dependence refers to physically depending on a substance to feel “normal.”
Symptoms of dependence include tolerance.
When you’re tolerant to an opioid, you need larger doses to feel the same effects, whether that’s pain relief or something else.
Another symptom of dependence is withdrawal.

Symptoms of Opiate Withdrawal

The longer you take any opioid, whether by prescription or an illegal drug like heroin, the more likely dependence is to occur. Then, if you try to stop using the opioid suddenly, you may have withdrawal symptoms.

Opiate withdrawal symptoms occur as your brain and body try to readjust without the effects of the drug.
Even if you just cut back on your dosage, you might experience withdrawal symptoms.
The severity can vary, but opioid withdrawal can be challenging to deal with in some cases.

Early symptoms of opioid withdrawal, which can occur within hours after you take the last dose, include:

Anxiety
Agitation
Muscle aches
Teary eyes
Runny nose
Yawning
Sweating
Insomnia and sleep problems

Later physical symptoms of withdrawal from opioids include:

Abdominal cramps
Joint pain
Dilated pupils
Goosebumps
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Drug cravings

You may be wondering how long is opiate withdrawal symptoms expected to last.

The simple answer depends on individual factors like your health, organ function, and weight, and body size.
Other factors that play a role in how long opiate withdrawal lasts include the type of drug you typically use and how long you’ve been using it.
Early stages of withdrawal symptoms begin anywhere from six hours to 30 hours after the last time you take an opioid for most people.
Later stages usually begin around 72 hours after your last dose of the drug. These latter symptoms are generally when there’s a peak in the severity of what you experience.

With opiate and opioid withdrawal, the first week is usually the worst, but some symptoms can linger for weeks or even months. Depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems are the most common symptoms to stick around for more extended periods.

How to Get Off Heroin Without Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

How To Get Off Opiates Without Withdrawal

Many people want to stop using opiates and opioids, but they can’t make it through withdrawal without taking the first step to recovery.

If you can get help during withdrawal and manage your symptoms, then you’re more likely to be then able to receive addiction treatment and stop using the drugs altogether.
There are options available that can help you as you go through opiate withdrawal symptoms.
For severe or long-term dependence, going to an inpatient medical detox may be the best option for you. In an inpatient detox, you receive medical care and monitoring.
A team of experts can provide you with medications and other treatments to minimize your symptoms and help you stay comfortable.
Many addiction treatment programs include medical detox, so you can seamlessly transition into rehab after completing withdrawal to receive opioid use disorder treatment.

If your main goal is to figure out how to get off opiates without withdrawal symptoms, professional care and guidance are the only truly safe way.

You should speak to a health care provider before you attempt to stop using opiates, no matter what. Opiate withdrawal typically isn’t life-threatening, but it’s still something to talk about with your doctor. They may be able to help you with a safe tapering schedule at a minimum.

Treatments for Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

Certain medicines have FDA approval to treat opioid withdrawal as well as addiction. These drug categories include:

Opioid receptor agonists, which attach to opioid receptors in the brain. Due to their ability to attach to these receptors, opioid receptor agonists block withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Opioid receptor partial agonists partially activate opioid receptors, helping with cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Opioid receptor antagonists block the activity of opioid receptors in the brain, preventing the high you might experience with opioids. This blocking effect helps reduce cravings.
Adrenergic receptor agonists are medicines that activate adrenergic receptors in the brain to reduce or alleviate symptoms of withdrawal.

Specific medications for opioid withdrawal symptoms are:

Clonidine is a treatment that doesn’t fall into the above categories, but it can be used as part of an opiate detox to help with high blood pressure and other symptoms.
Methadone is specifically for opioid dependence, although it’s more common for doctors to prescribe buprenorphine now. Methadone is a long-acting, mild opioid.
Buprenorphine is available under brand names like Subutex and Suboxone, and it’s for the treatment of alcohol addiction and opiate withdrawal. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that reduces cravings, among other symptoms.
Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Naloxone is an opioid blocker. Taking suboxone can help shorten the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.

The above are medication-assisted treatment options specific to opioid detox. Pain relief medications such as over-the-counter acetaminophen are helpful in some cases. Your health care team can use their discretion to treat individual symptoms as they occur during the withdrawal period.

The big thing to remember is that many effective treatments are available as you go through withdrawal from opioid addiction and dependence.

Contact the Silicon Valley Recovery team today by calling 408-547-4089 if you want to learn more about supervised detox and the treatments available to help you manage opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Inpatient Rehab: The First Step to Recovery

Alcohol and drug misuse is the third leading cause of illness, disability, and death in the United States? It accounts for more than 78,000 deaths each year. Each day, 20 Americans die from prescription drug overdoses. Still, even with these sobering statistics, only approximately 10% are treated in an inpatient rehab setting.

Recovery is a long process, and inpatient rehabilitation is where you focus on your addiction for a set period. Inpatient treatment is a residential program offered at some addiction treatment facilities. Inpatient programs may also include recreational therapy to help keep residents busy and active while in treatment and sometimes even after they get back home. The ability to live at the facility allows patients to receive care around the clock, increasing the effectiveness of their treatment.

This type of treatment includes:

Medically supervised detox
Regular counseling
Group and family therapy sessions
Support groups.

What Is Inpatient Rehab?

Inpatient rehab can be an intensive, focused way to break a drug or alcohol addiction cycle. It involves a process of long-term medical management and treatment for the disease of addiction. Inpatient rehab is necessary for people suffering from severe consequences of their addiction, who have lost control over their drug use, and need medical attention to recover.

Offering patients the opportunity to leave behind the life that has led them to substance abuse and focus on recovery, inpatient therapy provides a fully immersive experience where patients can explore the realities of their addiction through multiple perspectives.

Inpatient rehab programs tend to be more expensive than other drug rehabs, but some believe that this investment is worth the cost for those who need the more rigorous structure and environment 24 hours a day. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities require that you stay at their rehabilitation center for a defined period. These periods may vary from 30 days to 90 days or more. The length of treatment is likely dependent upon the severity of your addiction.

Benefits of Inpatient Treatment

The benefits of inpatient treatment are wide-ranging. Inpatient treatment is often the last resort for self-destructive disorders and addictions. It’s possible that the patient has tried other options and simply needs a more intense solution to deal with the substance abuse or self-destructive behaviors.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, the number of Americans who went to inpatient rehab in 2013 was 782,029.

Some of these benefits include an increased chance of maintaining recovery after the outpatient programs, reduced risk of relapse, and a reduced risk of entering back into an alcohol or other drug abuse program. Below are the main benefits of inpatient addictions treatment that help addicts kick their drug and alcohol use:

Inpatient Detoxification

Inpatient Detoxification is a program for people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, need medical supervision as they detox from these substances. It provides a safe environment where medical staff closely monitor clients during the detoxification process. Inpatient facilities usually provide medical detoxification, including medications to relieve alcohol withdrawal symptoms and medications to reduce cravings while undergoing behavioral treatment.

Success Rate

Inpatient rehab programs are a great option for individuals who have faced a particularly challenging type of abuse. These programs are most often recommended to people who have relied on drugs or alcohol for a very long time and may have engaged in criminal behaviors to procure supplies.

These programs will provide patients with the tools they need to live without drugs or alcohol. It is essential to realize that treatment is much more beneficial for an inpatient rehabilitation program than therapy as an outpatient or home-based recovery situation.

Reduced Risk of Relapse

The inpatient care offered at drug rehab centers can reduce the risk of relapse. Particular aspects of addiction treatment provided by rehab facilities include the ability of staff to stabilize patients, implement alcohol and drug tests, practice counseling and therapy, and provide education to patients regarding the physiological aspects of addiction.

Compared to other countries, a relatively high percentage of Americans drink alcohol. Attendance at inpatient rehab treatment centers for alcohol-related issues is also pretty high, with up to 6,000 people per day attending various addiction and substance abuse facilities around the country. In 2014, 423,000 individuals underwent treatment for substance abuse issues, and an additional 57,000 attended inpatient rehab.

Knowing how many people attend rehab can help you follow your own or family members’ progress through the treatment process.

Inpatient Rehab for a Pregnant Woman

Inpatient rehab for women is specifically tailored to the needs of individuals struggling with addiction during pregnancy. Using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy exposes a woman and her developing fetus to potentially serious long-term effects.

Both health care and mental health considerations have to be kept in mind when treating addiction during pregnancy.

Treatment centers that work with pregnant patients are often structured as women-only rehab to promote a more effective and comfortable recovery process.

When a woman is pregnant and seeking addiction treatment, there are unique considerations to look for in a program. Treating addiction during pregnancy is more complex, and most need care at specialized inpatient rehab centers.

When someone is pregnant and addicted to drugs, particularly opioids, they can’t stop cold turkey in most cases. Stopping suddenly can be harmful to a mother and her unborn baby. The same can be true with alcohol.

Since detoxing while pregnant can be dangerous, a woman needs a treatment team that understands the unique risks as part of the treatment plans overall.

For example, there are medication-assisted treatment options that can often be safe for pregnant women in addiction treatment programs.

Is Residential Treatment Most Effective?

Inpatient rehab for pregnant women does tend to be the best and most effective long-term approach to addiction.

The Journal of Substance Abuse published a study with more than 300 women. The women were enrolled in a residential treatment program specifically for pregnant and parenting women. The level of functioning was looked at before and after treatment at a drug rehab center.

Women showed improvement in many areas, along with reductions in substance use.

They also had improvements in employment, fewer legal issues, fewer mental health symptoms, and a more positive attitude toward parenting.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient Treatment

Both inpatient and outpatient care can be very beneficial for individuals struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction. While each program has its benefits, the type of program individuals are most likely to succeed in depends on their unique needs, professional opinion, and current life situation.

Inpatient treatment is comprehensive and generally provides the most structured, intensive level of treatment. This type of care immerses the patient in a healing environment for a specified period and includes medical and psychiatric support 24 hours a day. Outpatient services involve far more limited periods in a facility with fewer resources; however, the same basic therapy methods are used.

Outpatient treatment is not always available and can be limited by state. Outpatient treatment programs allow patients to travel home whenever necessary when they are offered. Inpatient care is often more convenient for individuals who cannot take time off work or need around-the-clock supervision. This should not be overlooked when evaluating your loved one’s needs.

Depending on your treatment option and insurance coverage, your recovery plan could be either an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Both offer advantages to recovering from drug or alcohol dependency; the key is to choose the plan that suits you best.

Find the best Inpatient mental health facility in The Bay Area, CA.

At Silicon Valley Recovery, each inpatient mental health facility is designed to focus on safety, comfort, and therapeutic needs. We focus on the well-being of patients at all levels of care, from children to their families and staff members. From emergency services to long-term care, we’re always striving to improve the care experience for everyone.

Our unique inpatient mental health services combine holistic and evidence-based practices with a core focus on the interdisciplinary treatment of the whole person. We offer various effective therapies to help every individual we treat to heal from addiction, trauma, or an array of other mental health concerns.

Contact Silicon Valley Recovery today to learn more about how we can help improve access to inpatient medical treatment. Speak to a care coordinator now at 408-547-4089.

Does Insurance Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

One of the most common questions we get is whether or not drug and alcohol rehab insurance coverage is part of your health care plan. In many cases, insurance covers substance use disorder treatment, but there’s a bit more to it than that. Have you also been thinking does insurance cover rehab?

Below, we’ll explain what you should know about paying for rehab for drug or alcohol addiction and your treatment options.

How Much Does Rehab Cost?

We cannot give you one figure to tell you how much rehab will cost. Nonprofits and the government sponsor free drug addiction treatment and alcohol addiction treatment options. Then, there are programs costing upwards of thousands of dollars a day. The thing to remember is that regardless of what your budget is, effective substance abuse treatment programs are available.

Unfortunately, the fear of how you’ll pay for treatment is one of the most significant barriers to getting help when it shouldn’t be. Even at a high-end treatment center, there are payment options, and insurance is one of those.

The cost of treatment depends on where you go, the type of facility, and how long your stay is. Whether you do onsite medical detox is also part of the cost. For example, outpatient substance abuse treatment tends to be less expensive than inpatient addiction treatment in a rehab program.

You have to recognize that the cost of not treating your addiction will end up being significantly more expensive than the cost of addiction treatment programs.

For example, if you’re an alcoholic and drink a 12-pack a day over a year, you’re spending thousands of dollars. You might also face legal problems, issues in your career, and medical expenses that can all add up to tens of thousands of dollars annually and potentially the loss of your job.

Other factors that are relevant when determining the cost of going to rehab are:

The center type—if you participate in outpatient programs or have a shorter stay, it will be less expensive than intensive inpatient treatment.
Types of treatment—the level of medical and mental health care you receive is an essential factor in the cost of addiction treatment.
Amenities—you can opt for a higher-end addiction treatment center with amenities similar to a resort, the most expensive programs.

Will Health Insurance Plans Cover Rehab?

Back to our original question regarding insurance providers and paying for treatment at a rehab center, “Will insurance cover rehab for drug or alcohol addiction?” Yes, it will often happen because a substance use disorder is a medical disease. There are caveats to that, though.

If you have a private health insurance provider, a good starting point is to check your policy to determine what type of treatment you have coverage for. The higher your insurance premiums, the more likely you’re going to have comprehensive coverage for rehab. If you have a group insurance plan from your employer, the same is true.

There are exclusions with many private insurance plans, so you’ll need to figure out what those are.

Insurance coverage for addiction treatment was expanded significantly in 2008 with the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Under the ACA, insurance plans must offer alcohol and drug addiction coverage with benefits equal to the medical care and surgical benefits the program provides. Insurance, depending on your goal and exclusions, may cover:

Inpatient care
Outpatient rehab
Detox and medications during that time
Treatment for a co-occurring mental health disorder
Maintenance medications
Follow-up counseling

Your insurance may not cover any services that aren’t medically necessary, such as non-medical amenities. There are also limitations on insurance policies if you relapse and return to treatment after your initial program.

Public insurance works similarly to private insurance regarding mental health treatment and drug rehab programs. There is likely some level of coverage for the cost of drug rehab or an alcohol rehab center, but with limitations.

The Affordable Care Act and Coverage for Substance Abuse

We touched briefly on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on addiction treatment. Ten essential health benefits exist under this law. According to the ACA, a vital health benefit must be available with no dollar limit on all health plans.

Substance abuse services and mental health services coverage falls under these benefits.

Also relevant are the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Under this federal law, health insurance companies and group health plans that provide substance abuse or mental health benefits can’t impose less favorable limitations on benefits than what they offer for surgical and medical benefits.

To sum it up, limits on treatment for substance abuse and behavioral health conditions can’t be more restrictive than limits on medical conditions that are part of the plan.

Does Insurance Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

How Can You Find Out If Your Insurance Covers Rehab?

While the general answer is yes, insurance treatment facilities, how do you know for sure if you have drug rehab insurance coverage?

The best thing to do is call the provider of your health insurance coverage. When you talk to your insurance company, they can tell you what’s in your plan and figure out what you can afford.

When you contact your insurance company, ask them about your copay and deductible. These are what you’re going to have to pay out of pocket for the drug or alcohol treatment cost.
Ask how many days of treatment you have health coverage for in a drug rehab center.
Determine whether any medications you receive while in treatment are included in the coverage. Medication-assisted treatment is often helpful in a treatment plan.
Talk to your insurance company about detox program coverage for treatment.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, we can help you. We can contact your insurer on your behalf to figure out if our center is in your provider network. We can also get more details like the services and days covered by your plan for substance abuse treatment.

United Healthcare is one of the nation’s largest insurers, and their plans tend to cover at least part of treatment for addiction, including detox and inpatient rehab. United Healthcare operates the United Behavioral Health division, which helps provide policyholders information about substance abuse and mental health services to policyholders.
Cigna is another major insurer in the U.S. Cigna covers many rehab expenses, including inpatient and outpatient rehab. They also have a Behavioral Health division.
Aetna individualizes its policy limits based on the needs of the individual. You may have coverage for inpatient treatment, detox, and even partial hospitalization and continuing care.
Blue Cross Blue Shield provides coverage for almost one in three people in America. They offer rehab coverage with some plans, and they have a comprehensive mobile platform where you can find tools and support.

Other Options Are Available

If you need substance abuse treatment and don’t have insurance or don’t fully cover rehab, other payment options are available, such as a payment plan and financing options.

We encourage you to contact the Silicon Valley Recovery team by calling 408-547-4089. As one of the leading rehab facilities in California, our behavioral health services team can not only work with your insurance company, if applicable, but we can also help you explore alternative payment options. Financial assistance may be available too.

If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, there is no greater priority than getting the help you deserve at a qualified rehab center.

The Professional’s Guide to Addiction Recovery

There are unfortunate misconceptions we have about addiction. For example, when it comes to who we envision as an “addict,” it may not be the high-performing professional. In reality, people in high-pressure, high-stress jobs who may appear to have it all together are sometimes most affected by addictive substances.

When you’re in a high-profile or demanding position, you can feel a sense of shame about your addiction. In other instances, it might feel like an accepted part of your industry or corporate culture. One of our biggest priorities is helping you realize it’s not shameful. Addiction is a chronic disease requiring proper treatment.

The good news is that when you seek help from an addiction recovery center like ours that understands your particular needs, you can live a fulfilling and productive life. You can find clarity, make your family members proud, and rebuild relationships in addition to having a great career.

Receiving comprehensive treatment for any other mental health issue and your substance use disorder is integral to a healthy life.

What Industries Have the Highest Addiction Rates?

Below is a brief overview of some industries and professions with the highest addiction rates, and they’re likely to surprise you.

Health care professionals and doctors: We’ll delve into this a little more below, but doctors and medical professionals have an estimated rate of around 10% for substance abuse. Medical professionals are more likely to abuse prescription drugs than their patients.
Lawyers and legal professionals: When you’re a young lawyer, in particular, you face long hours, job stress, and potentially high debt payments from your education — around 29% of lawyers in their first ten years of practice reporting problematic drinking or alcohol abuse.
Executives: High-level employees are plagued by substance abuse problems, whether in tech companies or other industries. Prescription drug abuse is prevalent among these professionals.

We’ll explore these professions and addiction among high performers a little more in-depth below.

People in recovery enjoy better career performance and overfall fulfillment. Participation in a 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous can help you maintain your recovery after treatment once you return to your career.

Health Care Professionals

Health care professionals, including doctors and nurses, have some of the highest addiction rates in the entire workforce. The pandemic has probably worsened those trends, but it may be years before we can see the full impact.

People who work in health care are most likely to abuse narcotics, which are prescription opioids, including Fentanyl and Oxycodone.

Reasons people in health care are prone to developing substance use disorders include:

They work in a very demand, high-stress environment where their decisions quite literally are life-or-death in their daily life
Medical professionals have to stay awake for long hours and often work all day or overnight
There are emotional, painful decisions and outcomes to deal with regularly
People working in health care have access to powerful prescription drugs

Unfortunately, the effects of addiction when you work in the medical field can be especially devastating.

While being a healthcare professional can sometimes be thankless and heartbreaking, long-term recovery rates after treatment are high for people in this field who develop an addiction to prescription medications, other drugs, or alcohol.

Lawyers and Legal Professionals

Lawyers work long hours and deal with tremendous stress. In younger lawyers, the pressure may be particularly high since they’re also probably trying to pay off student loan debt and juggle financial responsibilities while working their way up the ladder in their careers.

Along with drug and alcohol addiction, many lawyers have a co-occurring mental health condition. For example, more than 45% of attorneys have co-occurring disorders like depression at some point in their careers. Around 12% of those lawyers reporting depression or a similar mental illness experience suicidal thoughts at least once.

Around 21% of lawyers may be problem drinkers or have an alcohol use disorder, and some estimates put the number as high as 36%. Approximately 9% of attorneys may struggle with prescription drugs. Stimulants are also an issue, helping attorneys stay awake for long hours, maintain high energy levels and potentially work more daily.

Executives

Executives in all industries, including the tech industries, have higher rates of substance abuse than you might expect. For example, one study found nearly 20% of tech professionals abuse or have an opioid addiction.

There’s also an alcohol culture in the tech industry, where it can be seen as acceptable to drink in work environments. For example, 53% of tech employees said they’d participated in a team bonding event with alcohol in one survey, and 35% said their employers sponsor happy hours.

Why Are High-Performing Professionals Likely To Abuse Substances?

Whether you’re working at a hospital, a start-up, or a high-profile established company, why are you, as someone who’s seen as a significant achiever, more likely to need a special level of care for substance abuse treatment?

There are a few factors that likely play a significant role.

When you’re a high-level employee or in any position of stress at your job, it’s demanding. Your schedule is packed, and you may start early in the morning and work late into the night. Everything you do has the potential to affect many other people. Executives and professionals may turn to drugs or alcohol to relax after challenging days, help them sleep, or as a coping mechanism.
When you work in a stressful job, you may dedicate so much of your time and attention to it that your relationships suffer. You could find yourself struggling to connect with people on a personal level. Social support is critical to mental health, and without it, you could be more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol.
Many executives and professionals with substance abuse problems are high-functioning. They appear “normal,” and no one would assume they have a substance use disorder.
These are people who may simultaneously make a lot of money and have disposable income, which in some cases can also fuel addiction more.
When someone struggles with drugs or alcohol and has a high-profile or stressful job, they may be apprehensive about the stigma of not just their substance use but the potential of going to an addiction recovery center and taking time from work.

Finding a Recovery Program

If anything above sounds like you, the most important thing to do, once you realize that you have a problem, is find addiction treatment that will address your needs to help you start the recovery process through effective treatment options and behavioral therapy.

The needs of someone who has the weight of other employees and a company on their shoulders will differ from someone in another profession on their path to recovery.

Executive addiction treatment centers in California, like Silicon Valley Recovery, will create an individualized dual diagnosis treatment plan, with your career in mind. You have to work on identifying underlying causes for your addiction. You may also need treatment for a co-occurring mental health disorder like anxiety or depression, essential for your quality of life and relapse prevention.

Realize you aren’t alone, and drug addiction recovery is possible and can work in your life. So many people in America are striving to drive their careers forward and maximize their productivity. You can’t do that to the detriment of your mental and physical well-being.

We encourage you to call 408-547-4089 and contact the team at Silicon Valley Recovery to learn how we can help you change your trajectory and get evidence-based treatment for the disease that keeps on taking. We’ll share details about our admissions process, medically assisted detoxification, exclusive support groups, executive treatment programs, and how our holistic approach can meet your unique needs as a professional.

Getting Off An Addictive Substance

A drug detox is an excellent way to get off an addictive substance and start anew. Whether someone is looking for best marijuana detox or any other treatment, these types of programs are especially helpful for women who have struggled with addiction and are considering a pregnancy. Withdrawal symptoms can be extreme, but they often fade after a few days or a week. A medical professional can advise you of what your symptoms may be and help you decide which treatment is right for you.

A medically supervised xanax detox can be a viable option for people who have not developed dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Although a person who is only addicted to a small amount of a stimulant will not experience immediate medical risks, a home detox can be mentally and physically demanding. There are some unexpected dangers of Addictive Substance that may arise during home or office drug detox. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a drug addict may experience nausea or vomiting.

Getting off an Addictive Substance

If a person has not abused a drug or alcohol for a long period of time, they can opt for a natural detox, such as heroin detox. Natural detox involves drinking lots of water. While water does not provide many nutrients, it is extremely healthy for the body and will not harm it. A person who is in detox should drink lots of water. The oxygen in water will help the body heal itself and give it tons of energy. Other foods rich in vitamins and minerals will also provide extra energy.

Drugs are extremely addictive, so getting a medical detox is the best way to ensure that you get off the drugs you are addicted to. Just like cocaine detox is not an easy process, so one shouldn’t take it for granted. A medically supervised drug detox can prevent the Addictive Substance from spreading to other people. This process is crucial for your health and the recovery process. If you are thinking about going for a drug detox, consider contacting a medical professional.

In a drug rehab, medical professionals can offer a range of methods and approaches to help the patient recover. A physician can help you choose the best approach to get off the drugs you have been using for a long time. Even if it is opioid detox, the right treatment is essential for your mental and physical well-being. You should always seek medical advice before starting a drug detox program. A good treatment program will give you the tools to heal.

Detox from alcohol is also very important, if you are abusing it.

Before you start a drug detox, it is important to make sure you are physically able to stop using the substances you are addicted to. It is important to know that your body will go through withdrawal symptoms, and you will probably experience some unpleasant symptoms along the way. For this reason, it is essential to have a medically supervised drug detox during pregnancy. A person’s ability to drive is dependent on many factors, including the drug they’ve been abusing.

A drug test can be a daunting task. It involves cleansing the body of the substance and adjusting to life without it. In a drug detox, medical experts will give you medications and help you get through the withdrawal phase. During the detox, you’ll be able to pass the drug test, as well as continue with the recovery process. And you’ll need a medical professional to monitor your condition during the detox process.

A drug-detox is a very serious procedure. The goal of a drug detox is to help your body get rid of toxins and adjust to life without the substance. During a drug detox, the body will be cleansed of toxins and adjusting to life without the drug. Some people experience mild symptoms, while others experience more severe complications. In a typical marijuana detox, the withdrawal symptoms are intense.

A medically supervised drug detox is a very safe and effective way to treat substance dependence. It is a vital part of any rehabilitation program, so it is important to find one that will work best for you. In a hospital or clinic, medically supervised detox is a good option for pregnant women. For some substances, drug detox is a good option if you’ve had a long-term dependence.

Aside from this, EMDR trauma therapy and other services like those listed below can also be obtained from a center. These are:

What is a Social Worker?

Benefits of a Social Worker in Substance Abuse Treatment