Exercise and Addiction Recovery / Theocharis Recovery House

Can Regular Exercise Cure Addiction?

Addiction occurs when a person becomes dependent on drugs, or when he or she continues to use drugs, despite negative health and social consequences.

Once addicted to a substance, it is very difficult for an individual to stop using it. Thus, substance abuse continues in cycles of recovery and relapse. It’s a challenging journey, and 40 to 60 percent of the time, a person who truly wants to recover still find themselves in relapse.

How Stress Feeds Addiction

Identifying methods to diminish the rate of substance abuse and relapse often requires scientists and clinicians to look beyond the substances and explore other relevant areas, such as stress and exercise.

Stress is a risk factor in the development of addiction to drugs and alcohol abuse. It also makes an addict vulnerable to relapse.Stress is an inevitable part of life. It cannot be entirely avoided, so what steps can one take to reduce its negative impact on addiction recovery? How might we cope with stress?

Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. When a person uses drugs, dopamine kicks in and creates a feeling of extreme pleasure. Such a feeling is a welcome break from stress, so perhaps the key to reducing drug use and relapse is to find a feel-good substitute, something that produces dopamine without the harmful effects of drugs. Something that can rewire us to seek out healthy activities rather than destructive chemicals.

And thus, we turn to exercise, which can alter the brain's dopamine pathway. This pathway is linked to the rewarding and reinforcing properties of drugs.

The Role of Exercise in Addiction Recovery

Exercise provides a natural way to increase dopamine, similar to the chemical effect that occurs in the brain during drug or alcohol abuse. For recovering individuals, physical activity can not only help reduce stress, it may create the euphoric feelings previously associated with substance abuse, only in a natural and healthy way.

Exercise-based interventions have long been shown to reduce stress and decrease the likelihood of drug dependence, while also diminishing cravings and inhibiting relapse. In other words, aerobic exercise is inversely related to substance use and abuse.

Emerging research using animal models shows that regular aerobic exercise decreases stress-induced cocaine-seeking behavior. The workout in this research was one hour on a treadmill, five times a week. In this latest study, exercise reduced stress hormones and elevated mood. The investigators concluded that working out may help reduce the anxiety and negative emotions associated with withdrawal and substance abuse.

So in addition to preventing physical health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, along with certain mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, exercise may also prevent relapse.

A Holistic Approach for Addiction Recovery

Using exercise to reduce the level of stress may be a promising avenue of hope. Since stress and negative emotions are among the major causes of relapse, exercise appears to play a major role in helping to lessen the potential of falling off the wagon.

However, lowering stress is not enough on its own to beat addiction and create a life of sobriety. While exercising can help curb a huge relapse trigger, the authors of this recent study emphasize that exercise for stress reduction is only part of a successful total recovery program. At the end of the day, a sober journey with the support of a community comprised of like-minded people and addiction specialists remains a primary factor in helping sustain recovery.

There is no doubt that learning effective methods of managing stress is essential to long-term recovery. However, living a life of sobriety sees higher chances of success with a comprehensive treatment program. Exercise alone is not a replacement for inpatient treatment and medical monitoring (when necessary), group counseling, individual therapy, peer support groups, outpatient support, and a complete aftercare plan. In fact, most experts believe that ongoing counseling and lifelong treatment is essential in maintaining a sober lifestyle. 

If you or anyone you know needs and wants help with an addiction problem please get intouch with us www.facebook.com/12steprehab

Enabling a Loved One with an Addiction / Theocharis Recovery House

Enabling a Loved One with an Addiction Only Makes Matters Worse

Helping another, especially a loved one, is human nature. However, understanding how to support someone with an addiction without enabling them is key.

Helping another, especially a loved one, is human nature and the intention to support someone with an addiction often becomes greater when witnessing their struggles. However, understanding the right ways in which to help is essential and good intentions often become misconstrued by unknowingly becoming an enabler to the person you are trying to assist through recovery.

So, what exactly does it mean to enable addiction and what can you do to avoid becoming an enabler? There are several ways in which an enabler feeds the habit of the one they are trying to help. But how do you know when you’re enabling someone with their addiction and what should you do to help rather than hinder?

Learn About Their Habit and the Struggles Involved

First and foremost, educate yourself about your loved one’s dependence. Understanding the habit, behaviourisms and triggers that feed a craving will not only allow you to see their struggle more clearly but also teach you the tools necessary in order to assist in their rehabilitation.

Do Not Make Excuses on Their Behalf

Do not assist in covering up an addict’s behaviour. Whether it is making an excuse to get out of a work commitment or lying on their behalf in order to protect them; the longer you participate in assisting with their avoidance issues, the longer you will both take to gain the necessary help required to manage the addiction.

Allow Lawmakers to do Their Job

Many habits undertaken by an addicted individual are illegal, so getting into trouble by the law is often likely. Let lawmakers do their job in the professional manner they were trained to do. Offer support based upon their advice. Oftentimes, such drastic circumstances can result in an addict realising just how much help they actually need.

Do Not Provide Money to Feed or Encourage a Habit

Whether it is paying bills, rent or providing cash to an addict, such gestures only encourage continuation along a downward path. Addicts can be very convincing in order to feed their habit or cover up their financial strife. Learn to say no.

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

If you have had a serious discussion with your loved one about their addiction and stated that certain consequences will be laid into place, such as having to leave the family home or not providing access to a car, stand by your statements. If you retract on what are intended to be lessons for the learning, you are enabling an addict to continue their behaviour.

Discuss the Situation Openly and Honestly

Don’t be afraid to talk. Avoidance is a key cause of continued issues. Addiction is still considered a blasé subject that is difficult to discuss. However, being open encourages someone with an addiction to share their difficulties and provides them with an outlet to voice their worries and concerns.

Don’t Be Afraid to Apply Tough Love

Tough love is never easy but sometimes it is the only way to truly help someone struggling with an addiction. Allowing an individual to understand the consequences of their actions, no matter how difficult it may be, is crucial.

Remember to remain patient when dealing with an addicted individual. When you suddenly stop enabling an addict, their reaction is most likely not going to be very positive. You may find it easier to give in to their demands and bad behaviour to avoid unsavoury situations. However, remember that enabling will never work, even if an addict tries to convince you otherwise.

Family members and friends of an addict can often be as greatly impacted by the negativity of an addiction as the addict themselves. It isn’t an easy path for anyone involved but there is help for addicts to make a full recovery and for families to rebuild the trust lost and repair the damage done. Remember to be patient, not only with the person you’re concerned for but also with yourself. And don’t forget to be kind to yourself too. In order to help them, you need to maintain your own mental and physical health.

Getting Help from Theocharis Recovery House

There are many forms of addiction, whether related to alcohol, drugs, gambling or food; addiction is a chronic illness that requires professional help. Theocharis recovery house  provides intensive inpatiant/ outpatient programmes with counselling by professionals who have a wide and varied experience in the treatment of addiction. Everyone who enters Theocharis recovery house is assessed and receives a tailor-made programme for their individual needs. In addition, there are a variety of groups that can be frequented post-treatment that encourage ongoing success in rehabilitation and an avenue to continue discussion, gain further understanding and new knowledge.

If you’re worried about a loved one with an addiction or suspect that they may have one, help is a lot closer than what is often thought. The Cabin Melbourne not only provides a safe-haven for an addicted individual but also has a family programme that allows you to become involved in their treatment for your better understanding of their habit.

Our team of professionals are trained to deal with both the psychological and physical effects of addiction, preventing relapse and continued recovery. Don’t wait for addiction to disappear on its own; it won’t. Get the help needed for your loved one now. Contact us today to find out about our programmes.

As Alcohol progresses, so does the denial / Theocharis Recovery House

Denial as a Symptom of Alcoholism

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• One of the most frustrating factors in dealing with alcoholism is it is almost always accompanied by a phenomenon known as denial—a refusal to admit the truth or reality of the condition. With denial, a person with alcohol use disorder has impaired insight into their condition. Denial is a common symptom of alcohol use disorder and it can keep the person from seeking treatment. Friends and family members can also become involved in denial.

  Signs of Denial in Alcoholism

  Honesty is often the first thing to go in the course of alcohol use disorder. The drinker simply lies about his drinking—to himself and others. These lies take several forms of denial behavior.
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• Rationalization: The alcoholic explains his excessive drinking in a way that makes it more acceptable. "I only had two." " I haven't had a drink in a week."
• Dismissing: The alcoholic refuses to talk about his drinking or dismisses it as not a real problem. "Let's not talk about this now, okay?" "Stop nagging me about drinking."​
• Blame: The alcoholic blames his drinking on other people, situations, or bad luck. "She makes me so mad I have to have a drink." "If my job wasn't so frustrating, I wouldn't need a drink." "It's just bad luck that the cop stopped me after I left the bar."
• Concealing: The alcoholic begins to hide his drinking from others and deny that he is drinking when they ask him about it. "No, that's just breath freshener you smell." "Yes, I stopped at the bar, but just to say hi to the guys."
• Making comparisons: The alcoholic may excuse his drinking to himself or others as being a normal pattern or not as excessive as another person's. "I don't drink as much as Charlie, and he's not having any problems." "At least I'm not drunk all day like my dad was.":

• False agreement: The alcoholic agrees that he has a problem and take action, but never does. "Yeah, I need to cut back." "This is my last drink."
• Defensiveness: The alcoholic defends his drinking as a choice. "It's my body and my life, it's nobody else's business."

Development of Denial

The alcoholic covers up and denies his drinking out of his own feelings that there is something different or "wrong" about it. Somewhere inside he realizes that his drinking means more to him that he is willing to admit. Because alcohol use disorders lead to damage to the brain and its functions, denial and illness insight can continue to worsen.

A Defense Mechanism

As the disease progresses and his drinking begins to cause real problems in his life, remarkably the denial likewise increases. Drinking sprees can create problems at work, relationship losses, or even arrest for driving impaired, but the alcoholic denies these problems have anything to do with drinking. Some say this is purely a defense mechanism.

How is this possible? Usually, by the time the disease has gotten to the crisis point, a person with alcoholism has developed a support system of family and friends who unwittingly enable him to continue in his denial. They can display secondary denial, making similar excuses for the drinking and its consequences.

Protecting the Alcoholic

Family and friends often protect their loved one by covering for him, doing the work that he doesn't get done, paying the bills that he doesn't pay, rescuing him from his scrapes with the law, and generally taking up the responsibilities he has abandoned.

• He can't come to work today, he's got a virus.
• We've got to get him out of jail; he'll lose his job—then what will we do?
• It was my fault, officer; I said some things I should not have said.

Rescued From the Consequences

By doing these things, family and friends are protecting the alcoholic from the consequences of his actions. The alcoholic never experience the pain caused by his drinking. It's as if they are putting pillows under him and he is never hurt by his fall.

Although drinking has placed him in a helpless and dependent position, the alcoholic can continue to believe he is still independent because he has been rescued from his troubles by his well meaning family, friends, co-workers, employers, and sometimes clergymen and counselors.

Secondary Denial Keeps the Alcoholic From Hitting Bottom

The roles these enablers play to "help" the alcoholic can be just as obsessive and harmful as the alcoholic's drinking, which many times is a subject of denial for the alcoholic's loved ones.

With these enabling devices in place, an alcoholic is free to continue in the progression of his disease, with his denial intact, until he hits bottom, at which point even the most dedicated drinker must finally admit there is a problem. But there is no way for him to ever hit bottom when it's always covered with pillows. There are self-assessments that can help you determine if you have been enabling an alcoholic.

The Problem of Dual Diagnosis With Substance Abuse / Theocharis Recovery House

The Problem of Dual Diagnosis With Substance Abuse

"Dual Diagnosis" refers to those who have been diagnosed with major mental health disorders and alcohol or substance addictions at the same time.

At least 50 percent of the 2 million Americans with severe mental illness abuse illicit drugs or alcohol, compared to 15 percent of the general population, according to the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration.

The problem for professional counselors and mental health care providers in trying to help these patients is making an accurate diagnosis. According to Patrick Smith, M.A., of PacifiCare Behavioral Health, "A substance abuse problem can mimic, mask, or aggravate various mental health disorders.

Drug and alcohol problems and mental illnesses often go hand-in-hand. Among alcoholics, nearly half have an overlapping mental illness or other substance dependence problem. Substance dependence can cover up a serious psychiatric illness, while depression can disguise a substance-use disorder.

Compound Factors

The "double troubled" patient can be extremely difficult to recognize. Often only one of the two problems is identified. The patient diagnosed with a mental disorder may be in denial about the drinking or substance abuse, while the obvious substance abuse of others can disguise the mental disorder.

With teens, the diagnosis can be extremely difficult. As one counselor says, "How can (we) separate the normal mood variations of a 15-year-old teenager from certain bipolar disorders? When substance use or abuse is present, with resulting mood fluctuation, the variables become staggering."

Using One Disorder to Hide the Other

"It is not uncommon," according to Harold E. Doweiko's Concepts of Chemical Dependency, "for dual diagnosed clients to use one disorder to shield for another disorder." One client may admit to mental health issues in order to avoid his substance abuse and, once the psychiatric issues are resolved, drop out of treatment.

This can be particularly true for those who are self-medicating their mental issues.

Another client may deny her disorder because "it is less threatening to be a junkie" than to accept a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, Doweiko says. Frustration and depression may hinder one client's ability to recognize and ask for help, while another client may become confused by a lack of knowledge of the processes and goals of treatment services.

Creates Crises for Families

Families who have mentally ill relatives whose problems are compounded by substance abuse face problems of enormous proportions. Mental health services are not well prepared to deal with patients having both afflictions or supporting their families.

Violence is more prevalent among the dually diagnosed. Domestic violence and suicide attempts are more common, and of the mentally ill who wind up in jails and prisons, there is a high percentage of drug abusers.​

Sexual Abuse Is Prevalent

It is also known that sexual abuse has been a problem for many who are dually diagnosed. One report says that an estimated 40 percent of those attending Dual Diagnosis meetings have had experiences with sexual abuse also.

When the patient is correctly diagnosed there are serious gaps in services available for the dually diagnosed, and for their families.

Tradition 1 CA / Theocharis Recovery House

Tradition One of a 12-Step 

Programe

Foundational principle aims to ensure CA group unity

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• Coping and Recovery
  •  Methods and Support
  • Overcoming Addiction
  • Personal Stories
• Drug Use
• Alcohol Use
• Nicotine Use
• Addictive Behaviors

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As the Twelve Steps lay the spiritual path of recovery for individual members, the Twelve Traditions provide the principles that keep the group healthy and grounded. This is best exemplified by Tradition One which states:

"Our common welfare should come first; personal progress depends upon AA,CA unity."

The underlying principle is simple: if the group is drawn into controversy or becomes dominated by individuals, the unity of the group will be jeopardized. This is especially true of members who feel sidelined or minimized; these are the ones who are most likely to drift away or leave the program altogether.

Dissention and Agreement

The aim of Tradition One is to ensure cohesion while honoring all voices in an open dialogue. Both AA and Al-Anon are structured to provide a platform for everyone, even those with minority views. As a group prepares to make a decision, all sides must be given an opportunity to speak without judgment or derision.

With that being said, all members of the group must be willing to accept the majority opinion and work together to put any decision into action. This helps prevent the divisiveness that can undermine not only the group but each member of the group.

A free exchange of ideas is considered healthy so long as all members are committed to protecting the tenets of Tradition One.

Applying Tradition One to Your Life

Newcomers to a 12-step group will often place their entire focus on the Twelve Steps and pay less mind to the Twelve Traditions. In some ways, it’s entirely understandable. As an individual, you want to reach your goal of sobriety. But unless you embrace the Twelve Traditions, your journey can become rudderless as you place “self” over others.

In the end, the Twelve Traditions provide the foundation by which individuals can navigate the Twelve Steps. Both are meant to provide you the framework by which to live your life, not just stop drinking.

As such, Tradition One can be applied to your family as much as to your group. By placing your family's common interests first, you can accomplish more and benefit from the unified support. This requires that each member of the family is heard, that their opinions be respected, and that consensus is reached whether you or anyone else in the family doesn’t fully concur.

Living up to these principles takes work and dedication, but so does becoming a part of AA. Like every part of a 12-step program, the journey begins with the first step.