Month: March 2016

Staying in recovery is challenging for everyone who makes the journey from addiction to a sober lifestyle. After all, it requires a complete change of focus, activities, and companions. The recovery journey leads to a life full of possibilities, but what about the life it leaves behind? For men who are trying to stay in recovery, the ghosts of that past life are challenges that must be overcome.

Top 5 Relapse Challenges for Men

1. Co-occurring disorders. Undiagnosed mental health issues like depression and bipolar disorder may be at the root of a man’s addiction. Unless such a condition is diagnosed and effectively treated, it will continue to act as a draw to self-medication and relapse.
2. Poor emotional intelligence. Boys are not encouraged to show emotion as they grow up, so many become men who cannot correctly recognize their emotions or those of others. They often also lack skills to appropriately channel emotions. This poor emotional intelligence interferes with relationships and self-image, and leads to relapse situations.
3. Old friends, old life. Successful recovery is a new start, but it requires leaving old buddies and activities behind. Men who are unwilling to break off contact with their old friends and pastimes soon find themselves drawn back into the addictive lifestyle they once shared.
4. Life transitions. The unexpected zigzags of life can throw a man off-balance and lead to relapse. Recovery programs devote many hours to skills for handling stress, anxiety, anger, and relationships, but until these skills become second-nature, a man is vulnerable to life changes like job loss, divorce, or the death of someone close.
5. Addiction transference. Anything that takes a recovering man’s focus off of his recovery is a relapse danger. New relationships, especially romantic or sexual ones, can quickly turn into passions that are unhealthy and even addictive in nature.

Social Model of Recovery for Men

If you are a man 18 or over who is struggling with the challenges of relapse, 10 Acre Ranch has the social support and relapse prevention skills you need. Call 877-228-4679 to speak with our dedicated admissions team and start on your way to a lasting recovery.

A recent article in MiLLENNiAL Magazine reports that the U.S. War on Drugs has taken a turn from street drugs to pharmaceuticals, particularly among students. “According to The Office of National Drug Control Policy and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, aside from marijuana, prescription medications have become the most common drug choice for young adults,” reported MiLLENNiAL’s Kelly Tatera.

Why Prescription Drugs?

Millennials choose prescription drugs for a number of reasons, opting for stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin) to stay up all night and study or work, enhance sports performance, or lose weight. Meds like Xanax and Klonopin (depressants) are used by young people to ease social anxiety, reduce life stress, or treat high-strung personalities.

Believing that prescription medications don’t hold the same danger as street drugs like cocaine or ecstasy, millennials and other groups are more inclined to self-treat with these heavily prescribed meds. In addition, it is relatively easy to access these pharmaceuticals and remain “under the radar.”

“Research has also shown that students who take prescription drugs for non-medical reasons are at least five times more likely to develop a problem with drug addiction than those who don’t. Many of these prescription drug users are also binge drinkers, which exacerbates the issue. If certain combinations of the two are abused, the results can be lethal,” reported Tatera.

Southern CA Addiction Treatment for Men

If you or someone you love is addicted to prescription medications, 10 Acre Ranch can help. Treating men 18 and over for alcoholism, drug addiction, and co-occurring disorders, we provide millennials with the education and support they need to transform their lifestyles and find strength in sobriety.

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

Back pain and prescription drug addiction is on the rise, and opioids are among the top three drugs of choice (alongside antidepressants and stimulants). While the majority of people who must use opioids for severe back pain do use them responsibly, the Office of National Drug Policy reports that ER visits from painkiller abuse have increased over 160% since the mid 1990s.

Risk factors for opioid addiction include family history of substance abuse, mental health conditions, emotional trauma, or heavy stress. According to Karen Miotto, MD, addiction psychiatrist at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, “Addiction is a disease of denial.” Miotto warns that addiction sneaks up on people, and many people who are addicted do not even realize it. And, when they do—they may be too ashamed to get help.

When You Need Help for Back Pain

Unfortunately, many men are dealing with very real back pain from spinal degeneration, injury, or failed surgeries. If addiction has been part of your life, it stands to reason that you should do everything possible to avoid opioid use for pain relief.

Talk with your addiction counselor and pain specialist about complementary therapies like yoga, Pilates, biofeedback, myofascial release, hypnosis, acupuncture, and meditation. Men of all ages receive relief from these therapies, and even if they do not take the pain away, they often improve state of mind so pain patients are more emotionally equipped to deal with their condition. In severe, non-operative back pain cases, your physician may also consider a neurostimulator implant, which disrupts pain signals to the brain through electronic stimulation.

Get Addiction Help at 10 Acre

If back pain is driving your addiction, we can help. Offering complementary therapies that address pain from a mind-body perspective, we will help you detox and get sober—whether you’ve relied on opioids for months or decades.

To begin a safe from opioids or discuss your back pain journey with our team, call 877-228-4679 or submit a confidential contact form. We are available 24/7 to listen and help.