Understanding Relapse Dreams in Recovery

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For those recovering from addiction, dreaming about relapsing is a common occurrence. While it may seem like a warning sign of possible relapse in the future, research done on the matter actually indicates that this may not be true. Here’s what you need to know about having relapse dreams when you are in recovery. 

What prompts relapse dreams?

There are different factors that can make a person more susceptible to having dreams about relapsing. Studies like those conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital Recovery Research Institute have shown that those who are in treatment for substance use or have attended meetings for Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous are more likely to have a relapse dream. Those who have relapse dreams are most commonly those in recovery. Another determinant factor in having dreams about relapse is the length of time that you’ve been in recovery. The longer a person has been in recovery, the less likely they are to have relapse dreams. 

Correlation between relapse dreams and relapsing

It’s also important to note that the study from MGH Recovery Research Institute states that there wasn’t any correlation between having relapse dreams and relapsing. It did find that those who more frequently have relapse dreams were individuals who were newer to recovery and had had a serious and long history of substance abuse. 

If you do have a relapse dream, it does not indicate that you are about to relapse. In fact, it might not even be a bad sign. Those who wake from a relapse dream and are grateful to know that it wasn’t real, are showing that they have progressed positively because there is a desire to overcome and live a healthier life.

Recovering from something as difficult as addiction requires support and guidance. Twin Town Treatment Centers operates six facilities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County that offer a safe and welcoming environment for those on the path of recovery from addiction. Our outpatient treatment is immediately practiced in daily life by our patients and is effective and affordable. Reach out to us today by calling us at (866) 594-8844 or fill out our online form to get started. Our team of professionals will provide you with a no-cost interview and assessment for alcohol and drug issues

Group Therapy vs. Family Therapy: What’s the Difference?

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When it comes to recovery programs, there are different forms of therapy that occur with groups of people participating at the same time. Some examples of these are group therapy and family therapy. While the two forms of therapy share some similarities, they also have their own distinct characteristics and approaches.

Family Therapy

Family therapy involves the person struggling with addiction and their family. This type of therapy is usually used to treat addiction. This is because addiction is something that affects both the addicted individual and their family. Family therapy is seen as an effective addiction treatment because it addresses the issue as a whole. With family being there, there’s a personal nature that can help unearth truths that give a better understanding of the addicted individual and all involved. The process can result in healing and development for all of the parties that participate. 

Group Therapy 

Group therapy involves numerous strangers with no familial connection to one another. They are usually individuals receiving treatment from the same facility. This treatment is effective because there is no familiarity amongst the involved parties and everybody is driven to develop listening and communication skills in this setting. There’s a bond that is also formed from this new support system by sharing experiences of addiction and time together. 

Conclusion

Both group and family therapy can be beneficial for a person in recovery by helping them realize things about themselves and others around them. Both forms of therapy encourage speaking out and can help a person develop new bonds or strengthen existing ones. Twin Town Treatment Centers offers similar programs such as these that are meant to guide a person through their path of recovery. Our day treatment and intensive outpatient programs are effective, practical, and affordable, which are scheduled to fit your unique circumstances.

Twin Town Treatment Centers is a safe and friendly space for those on the path of recovery from addiction. We operate six facilities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County where our team is committed to providing support and serving as a bridge so that those in recovery may begin the process of personal healing and development. Contact us today by calling us at (866) 594-8844 to get started with a no-cost assessment.

How to Overcome the Pink Cloud Experience

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Those who have ever gone through the pink cloud experience know how difficult it can be. What makes it a particularly troublesome experience is because it occurs during an encouraging period after one has entered sobriety. While it is difficult, you can overcome this experience with the right help and resources. 

Pink Cloud Experience

Many people who have just become sober tend to experience the pink cloud. It’s only natural to feel a sense of happiness and confidence after no longer feeling dependent on drugs or alcohol. It’s a feeling of freedom and freeness that previously was not available because of dependencies on substances. While it isn’t wrong to be happy about being sober, overconfidence and complacency can lead to a setback and relapse. The pink cloud phase is a reminder to a person who is recovering from addiction about the difficulty of the journey to full recovery. It’s an everyday challenge and battle that requires a high level of commitment to receiving help.

Overcoming the Pink Cloud

The period in which you experience the pink cloud is a crucial time in your recovery. It’s the period where your faith and commitment to your journey is tested. It’s also the time where getting help and going to treatment programs is more important than ever. Twin Town Treatment Centers has various programs that can help you throughout your entire journey of recovery. Our outpatient drug addiction treatment program is effective, practical, and affordable. Our team of professionals is here for you and is committed to helping you fight and overcome your addiction. 

You shouldn’t have to face the pink cloud experience by yourself. Twin Town Treatment Centers has the resources to help guide you to the path to recovery and get your life back on track. Our expert team will provide you with a structured support system along with well-rounded care that will help you heal and develop. To learn more about our programs, please call us at (866) 594-8844 to schedule an appointment for a no-cost assessment.

Disordered Use of Substances for a Pandemic

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Addiction and recovery are aggravated by coronavirus.

• Finding and maintaining recovery is possible for the motivated and willing.

• Quarantine and the avoidance of social gatherings has moved addiction treatment and mutual support to remote, digital venues.

• The more effective in-person strategies to develop interpersonal identification and recovery engagement have been suspended.

• Building a sober support network digitally is a very difficult hurdle for those new to recovery.

• Complying with social distancing, face covering and hand hygiene is less likely for people under the influence of intoxicating substances

• People with moderate to severe addiction are more vulnerable to transmission.

• Coronavirus attacks the lungs, threatening people who smoke or vape tobacco, marijuana or stimulants.

• Opioids and methamphetamine impact respiratory and pulmonary health, rendering users more vulnerable to the impact of COVID 19.

Addiction (substance use disorder) is about isolation and disconnection… being wholly alone, empty and disoriented.

Chemicals have replaced people. In the absence of companionship, drug hunger remains. Drugs and/or alcohol are the worn path to relief and pleasure.

Recovery is about being whole alone, with others and with the planet. It’s about self-preservation and compassion for others.

Call (866) 594-8844– Twin Town can assist find the right resources toward sustainable and sustained recovery. https://twintowntreatmentcenters.com

David Lisonbee, Twin Town (310) 629-9669

How to Support a Loved One With Addiction Recovery During COVID-19

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With so much going on at this current moment, it is a particularly challenging time for those who are close with someone suffering from addiction or substance abuse. With COVID-19 and all of the isolation that is occurring, it can be difficult to know how to help. But because of the instability, now more than ever your loved one, who is going through addiction recovery, needs your support if they hope to succeed. 

Warning Signs & Concerning Behavior

With more time spent at home, now is a chance for you to observe your loved one to see if they may be using drugs or consuming alcohol. Some symptoms of misuse and possible relapse include the following below.

  • Bad hygienic practices like not showering or brushing teeth
  • Regular bad mood and mood swings 
  • No longer interested in favorite activities 
  • Different food habits
  • Avoiding family and friends and having issues with relationships
  • Problems in school or work environment

How To Provide Support

Reach Out To Them: It’s a lonely time with COVID-19 and self-isolation occurring. That’s why reaching out to your loved one in person, over the phone, or through online platforms during this time can be significantly beneficial. The act of showing your loved one that you care for their well-being can go a long way. 

Non-Judgemental Support: Having to talk about your addiction and recovery can be difficult and embarrassing. That’s why when you talk to a loved one, who is recovering from addiction, you must provide a full non-judgemental environment and support them with loving-kindness. 

Get Professional Help: Getting your loved one professional help can be one of the most significant means of providing support. There are several different options that you can opt for that include addiction treatment programs like those provided by Twin Town Treatment Centers.

For those struggling with addiction or substance abuse, Twin Town Treatment Centers has the resources to help guide you to the path to recovery and get your life back on track. Our team of professionals will provide you with a structured support system along with well-rounded care that will help you heal and develop. For more information about our programs, please call us at (866) 594-8844 to schedule an appointment for a no-cost assessment.

Addiction and Substance Use Recovery During COVID-19

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For those suffering from alcohol or substance abuse, this is an especially challenging and vulnerable time. Various stressful factors like COVID-19 and isolation from others have caused issues like substance use or alcohol addiction to worsen amongst some. This is particularly alarming because persistent use of alcohol or drugs can pose serious health risks due to a weakened immune system and stress on other important areas of your body. 

Alcohol

Consuming alcohol can make it more likely that you contract infectious diseases because you are weakening your immune system. However, it’s important to proceed with caution when it comes to treating alcohol addiction. Restricting access can cause alcohol withdrawal and possibly lead to serious symptoms and death.

Mental Health and Stress

With the mental toll that COVID-19 has brought upon so many, feelings of stress and anxiety have increased correspondingly. While some have turned to harmful activities like drug use or alcohol consumption to deal with these feelings, there are many healthier alternatives. Finding ways to relax, taking your mind away from negativity and toxicity, while also having fun are some of the things you can do to alleviate stress.

Vaping and Smoking

It’s recognized that smoking or vaping can lead to damage to your lungs and cancer. However, during this period of time with COVID-19, vaping and smoking are especially dangerous and risky activities. Those who smoke or vape and fall ill to COVID-19 are at risk of long-term health complications.

Substances

In particularly stressful times such as this, some turn to substance and drug use as a means of escape. However, whatever short-term benefits that drugs and substances like cocaine, opioids, and methamphetamines may seem to provide, their severe consequences outweigh it all. Cocaine usage is dangerous because it can cause damage to your lungs and respiratory system. Moreover, Opioids when taken at high doses can lead to overdoses and even death. Finally, Meth use can cause high blood pressure and pulmonary damage due to constriction of blood vessels.

If you or someone you know is dealing with strong harmful cravings or relapses, it’s important to seek immediate help. Your path to recovery from substance abuse or alcohol addiction can begin at Twin Town Treatment Centers. We offer comprehensive evidence-based treatment programs that are welcoming and safe. Twin Town Treatment Centers operates six stellar facilities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Our team of experts will provide you with a structured support system along with well-rounded care that will help you heal and develop. Call us today at (866) 594-8844 to get started with an initial assessment.

4 Healthy Habits to Strengthen Your Emotional Well-Being for the New Year

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Whether setting up goals to lose weight, increasing savings, or creating meaningful connections, New Year’s resolutions usually revolve around creating direct goals to accomplish. Though they don’t last long on most people, there is one goal that anyone can succeed in no matter the ambition: emotional well-being. 

Emotional well-being is important for people trying to recover from addiction. However, painful emotions and memories can significantly relapse the process if the person is unable to cope with them. With these helpful habits, they can greatly benefit anyone’s mental health going into the new year while also benefiting the chances of a lasting recovery.

Practicing Mindfulness

How does someone going through the road to recovery keep track of their emotional welfare? Integrating the practice of mindfulness into one’s daily routine, in increments, while conducting occasional self checks for potential triggers, can be a very powerful healing step toward the overall recovery journey. The idea of being present and aware of oneself, others, and one’s surroundings are some of the most common traits associated with the concept of mindfulness. Anyone going through recovery can improve themselves by:

  • Eating without watching or reading anything
  • Giving others their full attention as they interact
  • Focus on their emotions rather than avoiding or numbing them.

Develop Self-Compassion

Being mindful can be uncomfortable, especially in coping with difficult feelings. Rather than putting the blame on themselves, people recovering from addiction should give their mindset a boost with compassion. Start off by talking to someone close; it could be a family member, a close friend, or a professional at Twin Town Treatment Centers. The next step is to follow that person’s example next time someone is being self-critical of themselves. Follow that up by having them tell themselves that overall, someone cares about them. Doing these steps can help increase their self-esteem along with responding to difficult challenges in a healthy manner.

Finding Meaning

Much of what’s happening in life can’t be controlled. But no one can take away from anyone their experiences in recovering from addiction. They can turn that type of negative energy into something more meaningful by looking through its values. Questions that come up with this topic include:

  • Did they learn something new?
  • Did something positive come out of it?
  • How can they apply what they learned going forward?

Strengthen Connection

Human connection is an essential part of our daily life. For those who are recovering from addictions, strengthening connections is a crucial step of the journey. Opening up to others, being genuine, and attempting to fix broken relationships can help those who are recovering to learn and grow in the process. While it can be difficult for people to stay connected in-person amid the coronavirus pandemic, various forms of communication exist as forms to keep in touch with loved ones. 

With Twin Town Treatment Centers, we have the necessary tools to help those struggling with all forms of addiction or substance abuse and to help them get their life back on track. Through these unprecedented times where we must all practice social distancing, we encourage patients to develop helpful and trusting relationships through the virtual landscape so they can strengthen their emotional well-being for the new year coming up. For more information on our programs, please call us at (866) 594-8844 to schedule an appointment for a no-cost assessment.

Ways to Get Through the Holidays While Recovering from Addiction

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Holidays are viewed as a time of joy and celebration. However, for those who are recovering from alcohol and substance abuse, the holidays can be quite overwhelming especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are in your addiction recovery, here are some tips to get through this holiday season.

Don’t Isolate

The holidays can be the loneliest time of the year for recovering addicts. It can also be a time of reminiscing about their damaged relationships caused by alcohol and substance abuse. Those who are recovering from addictions can take this time as an opportunity to connect with their loved ones to get to know them better.

While there will be fewer holiday events due to the pandemic, virtual holiday events or small gatherings with people who are part of your household are great ways to connect with family, friends, or other people recovering from their problems with addiction. Be selective when choosing sources to trust and open up to discussing personal issues regarding recovery, relapse, or the struggles with addiction.

Be Kind to Yourself

There is no such thing as a perfect recovery; especially for anyone going through different addiction recovery methods. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Years, it’s important to acknowledge all the victories and accomplishments. Reward yourself by planning some self-care after you have achieved your goal.

Plan on Manageable Holiday Goals

Rather than dwell on the number of gifts to get or reminiscing about the struggles with addiction, the holidays are a great way to focus on creating new experiences. This can range from Christmas movie nights, building a gingerbread house, baking cookies, and more. More importantly, the holidays are a great way to come up with New Year’s resolutions to go along with the road to sobriety.

Have Realistic Expectations

With the year coming to a close, it’s important to recognize the post-holiday disappointments based on certain expectations set up. People will find this year’s holiday season to be uneventful considering what others might make of it. There could be people who won’t reach out to those struggling with the road to sobriety. Maybe people who are struggling with recovering can’t handle the pressures of the holiday season as they want to. Either way, making it through the holidays without using any form of substance or alcohol could be the most successful thing anyone could accomplish.

Twin Town Treatment Centers is a welcoming place for anyone looking for help on their recovery from all types of addiction. We have six facilities located around Orange County and Los Angeles County where our team is committed to accommodate all forms of support and serve as bridges to those recovering and can begin their road to personal healing and development. For more information, give us a call at (866) 594-8844 to get started with an initial assessment.

Signs You Are Ready to Overcome Substance Abuse

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Coming to terms with one’s addictive struggles and acknowledging the need for change can be a difficult process. Some struggle to make this acknowledgment and are unable to change their behavior. But there are other individuals who have these moments of realization and seek to forge a different path. If you suspect that you are ready to overcome substance abuse, here are some signs that signal you’re prepared to make significant changes in your life.

Self-Awareness and the Willingness to Change 

For a person to be successful in their endeavor to overcome addiction, they themselves have to show a desire to change. The act of undergoing addiction rehabilitation cannot come at the behest of others, albeit they can offer an intervention of sorts. However, it must be the individual who is struggling with substance abuse who commits to this change. The process of recovery can be difficult and draining at times, which can lead some to feel discouraged and potentially relapse. A person who is fully emotionally and mentally committed to the process, increases their chances of success in their addiction recovery journey. 

Financial Worries

Unfortunately, to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay, a person afflicted with addiction will attempt to pay for their preferred substance by any means necessary. Addiction can be a financial burden to folks suffering from alcoholism and substance abuse, as well as those in their circles who they depend on. However once a person acknowledges that addressing their addiction can be financially beneficial, then perhaps they’re ready to begin a new phase of their life. Taking steps toward recovery, and beginning the process of healing and abstaining from the consumption of substances can go a long way in helping a person financially recover.

Health Worries

Addiction can be emotionally and physically debilitating. Physical ailments like cancer and heart disease can occur because of frequent alcohol consumption or drug usage. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are also common among addicts. Addiction can take its toll on a person exhausting their mind and body, as well as causing other physical ailments as previously mentioned. It is important to remember that professional help is available, and addiction treatment centers, such as Twin Town Treatment Centers, are here to inform you of your addiction recovery options. 

Envisioning a Better Future

Perhaps the clearest sign that a person is ready or willing to change their life and attempt to overcome substance abuse is if they begin envisioning a better future for themselves. If a person’s thoughts are no longer solely about fueling their addiction and are instead about a life without addiction, it could signal that better days are ahead.

The road to addiction recovery can be an intimidating and confusing one, but it can also be a period of hope and accomplishment. If you feel that you are ready to overcome substance abuse, Twin Town Treatment Centers offer comprehensive evidence-based treatment programs that are welcoming and safe. We operate six exceptional facilities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Our team of experts will provide you with a structured support system along with well-rounded care that will help you heal and develop. Call us today at (866) 594-8844 to get started with an initial assessment.

Addiction Recovery: 7 Things to Know

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The beginning of the road to recovering from addiction can be a hopeful yet anxious time. Even the most prepared will still encounter things during addiction recovery that they are not quite ready for. If you’re just starting your addiction recovery, here are seven things to keep in mind during your journey. 

No One Path to Addiction Recovery

It’s important to remember that there is no one universal path to recovery. While it is wise to take advice from those who have recovered from addiction, everybody’s journey is unique and their path depends on what works for them.

Substance Abuse is a Brain Disease

Addiction is a brain disease. Becoming addicted is not a moral failure and doesn’t speak to a person’s character. An addicted individual can be a good person who is just going through something difficult. They need support instead of derision of their character. 

No Set Cure

Addiction recovery programs are meant to help people manage their addiction and receive the necessary support to succeed in breaking these addictive patterns. Ultimately, it is the addicted person’s responsibility to remain in recovery and on the road to a sober way of life. 

Gaining Other Addictions 

Those familiar with the addiction recovery process are aware of the very real possibility of substitute addictions. A person recovering from alcohol abuse can become addicted to another drug or vice-like gambling. A recovering individual is encouraged to abstain from any of these activities while in the process of healing in order to prevent possible addiction to these substitutes, thus prolonging the recovery process.

Relapsing 

Although it isn’t ideal, some who are recovering will relapse. Those who relapse aren’t failures doomed to never recover. From then on, it’s about picking yourself up and beginning the road to recovery again.

Life Changes Are Needed for Recovery

For a person to put themselves in the best position to make the most out of their addiction treatment, they must undergo lifestyle changes for the better. This could mean living a healthier lifestyle, further examining personal decisions, or hanging around people who help bring out the best in your recovery instead of encouraging you to maintain substance abuse.

An Emotional Process

The process of substance recovery can be filled with a range of emotions. Making progress during addiction recovery can bring much joy. However, a person will likely also experience periods of sadness and emptiness because they are shedding a significant part of their life. People whose lives have revolved around addictions like drug use or alcohol consumption are going through sudden changes to their lifestyle while also working on healing what may have triggered their addiction, to begin with. It is important to remember that it is a process, and it takes time. 

Twin Town Treatment Centers is a welcoming space for those recovering from addiction. We operate six facilities throughout Los Angeles and Orange County where our team is committed to providing support and serving as a bridge so that those recovering may begin the process of personal healing and development. Give us a call at (866) 594-8844 to get started with an initial assessment.