All posts by : Clayton

Treating Addiction with DBT

DBT is a form of therapy that helps individuals struggling with addiction and substance abuse develop skills that help them recover and move forward.

Short for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT is a modality used to treat various mental illnesses and disorders. This form of therapy has been particularly useful when treating addiction and substance abuse.

Although it was originally intended to treat personality disorders and severe suicidal thoughts, DBT has expanded and can help just about anyone under intense stress.

Treatment centers and addiction mental health professionals are increasingly using DBT more because its core tenets possess the necessary skills to recover from addiction and substance abuse.

So how does it work?

The goal of DBT is ultimately to improve an individual’s quality of life by changing maladaptive behaviors, negative thoughts and beliefs. Often times those with poor emotional regulation struggle to change these things about themselves and are confronted with conflicting feelings about changing. DBT therapists work to help clients synthesize these conflicting feelings and identify their own strengths, the things that they do have control over and accept the world around them.

DBT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy as it tries to change thoughts and distorted cognitions. Although these two modalities are similar, DBT has its own components and skills that set it apart. DBT professionals rely on helping clients through individual therapy, phone sessions, group therapy, skills training, and team consultation. Often times, clients will be given homework to work on in between sessions. There are five objectives that guide the therapist and client.

These include:

There are also skills developed within each objective. For example in objective one, mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation are emphasized. These skills are especially helpful and necessary when treating someone with addiction or substance abuse.

Some examples of Treating Addiction with DBT include:
Fostering relationships with individuals and groups that do not encourage drug or substance use.
Removing triggers such as, unhealthy relationships and actual drugs and substances or paraphernalia.
Building self esteem so that clients feel confident to remain sober after treatment.

DBT can be modified to specifically treat those struggling with addiction and substance abuse. Furthermore, individuals with addiction are often times diagnosed with personality disorders in which DBT was originally intended to treat. DBT is a strong therapy modality to use in many mental health settings and can be especially useful when treating addiction and substance.

Strange addictions are more common than you think. When people think of addiction, they usually imagine drugs, alcohol, gambling, food, or even sex. However, addictions can occur to the most unexpected things like the ingestion of nail polish or air freshener. People can become addicted to behaviors or people or even objects.

Addiction to these strange things works similarly as addiction to drugs and alcohol. When individuals engage in their addictive behavior, such as eating cat food, they get a similar high from such acts like smoking cigarettes.

In reality anyone can become addicted to anything for many reasons. Some of the more common strange addictions include:

Tanning

Plastic surgery

Chewing ice

Hair pulling

Exercise

Social networking

Work

TV

Pica (eating non edible substances)

Wearing costumes all the time

A lot of these addictions sound strange because they are not typically heard of, however these strange addictions are more common than you think.

Causes for these strange addictions are similar to most causes of drug and alcohol addiction. For example, trauma, biology, genes, abuse, etc.  However, some people become addicted to things because of poor nutrition. For instance, some people become addicted to non-edible substances like chalk because they may have a severe mineral or vitamin deficiency.

There are many negative effects that can occur from these strange addictions. For example, eating non-edible things can have profound negative health consequences like gastrointestinal failure. An addiction to tanning could lead to cancer. Addictions to things like costumes or watching tv can be very detrimental to relationships. Furthermore, addictions in general interfere with all aspects of life.

If you know someone that is showing addictive behavior with anything. whether it seems strange or not, please encourage them to seek mental health support right away.  The Last House Sober Living can help with strange addictions!  Contact Us Today!

The Fun And Adventure Of Spontaneity In Sobriety

To be spontaneous or not to be spontaneous? That is often a perplexing question for men in the early stages of sobriety because spontaneity can be a bit of an enigma. On the one hand, we are learning how to have fun again, fun which doesn’t include the self-destructive abuse of drugs and alcohol. For most men in recovery, the end of their addiction and/or alcoholism wasn’t fun anymore. Physically sick, mentally sick, and spiritually sick, their chemical dependency on mind-altering substances had wiped all the fun from our lives. Yet, our addicted minds tell us another story. Still hopeful for another stimulating dose of dopamine, the brain chemical messenger, called a neurotransmitter, which sends out all messages of pleasure, the addicted mind would have us believe that drugs and alcohol could still be fun. Moreover, our addicted mind would have us convinced that not only could drugs and alcohol be fun again, that drugs and alcohol are still the only kind of fun we’re capable of having. Thankfully, sobriety teaches us that just isn’t true. Thus, on the other hand, spontaneity is a necessary tool for recovery for unlearning addiction and relearning healthy fun.

Learning how to have fun again in a healthy way means having to have fun again in a healthy way. To anyone on the outside, having fun doesn’t sound like a forced activity. With a brain which has depleted its ability to produce fun-having chemicals, fun takes a little work. Overcoming the programming caused by addiction and reprogramming the brain is both a job and a journey. When healthy, holistic, spontaneous fun is involved, the job becomes much easier and the journey more enjoyable.

Spontaneity can be seen as a threat to sobriety because of its very nature in the definition. Words and phrases like “sudden inner impulse”, “inclination”, “without premeditation” fill various definitions of spontaneity. Impulsivity and inclinations without premeditation are symptoms of addiction and driving problems which perpetuate the cycle of addiction. Addiction quite literally shuts down the parts of the brain responsible for regulating impulsivity, calculating consequences, and weighing options. Confused on what is right or wrong, the addicted brain almost always chooses the wrong kind of impulsivity in favor of feeding addiction rather than the right kind of impulsivity which might rob an opportunity for intoxication. For precisely this reason, rewiring impulsivity is a critical necessity for a thriving life in recovery.

Spontaneity In Park City, The Last House Staff Adventures

Spontaneity is part of the natural flow of life and allows us to flourish in the possibilities of living in the present moment, free from the bondage of the past. Osho, the Indian mystic and philosophical leader said of spontaneity, “To be spontaneous means not to act out of the past, because out of the past is all cunningness, cleverness, calculation, arithmetic.” Living in fear of spontaneity in sobriety means giving all control to fear of an addicted past and all of the ways addiction was cunning, baffled us and rendered us powerless. In sobriety, as Osho describes, to be spontaneous is to live in a way which directly opposes these forces of the past. Matt Fidlow, The Last House Alumni and currently serving as the Admissions and Outreach Coordinator, couldn’t agree more. “Don’t let the past determine who you are,” Matt has developed as part of his sobriety philosophy, “Let the past determine who you become.”

While on a recent trip to the Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Park City Utah, Matt and The Last House Director of Admissions Chris Kirby found themselves in the middle of a rather spontaneous Saturday as the symposium slowed down. Bubbling fun ideas over with industry peers, our staff settled on fun activities at the Park City Mountain Resort including an Alpine Coaster and the Alpine Sled, two gravity-fed adventures.

Surrounded by the lush green beauty that is the ski-slope carved mountains of Park City in the summer, our team had a blast experiencing child-like wonder at the hands of sheer physics. On the Alpine Coaster, they were taken up a steep incline surrounded by Alpine Forest and peeking mountain views. Once at the top, the track curved, swerved, and cut downwards through throttling turns, stomach-lurching dips, and endless encompassing by greenery. Though Chris’s injury couldn’t allow him on the Alpine Sled, Matt took advantage of the opportunity. A chairlift up the mountainside offered stunning panoramic views of Park City Mountain Resort and the entirety of Park City, Deer Valley, and beyond. After dragging a “bobsled” down a beautiful winding forest path, Matt settled on the “Dynamite Express” track and went bolting down the twists and turns of the track. Along with their industry peers, Chris and Matt shared good laughs, took in the splendors of nature, listened to some killer live rock music, and engaged in good old spontaneous fun.

“Spending time in nature and having fun with people in the community of recovery is good for the soul,” Chris Kirby reflected. “So much of sobriety is about connection and there’s no better way to get connected than to have fun in the outdoors.”

Having fun within a community of like-minded, like-recovering, peers is part of what recovery is all about. Recovery should never be a punishment for addiction. Sobriety should never be lived like a sentencing because addiction is not a guilty conviction. In recovery, we have a second chance at life, an opportunity to discover what living is really all about, and a nothing less than miraculous gift of being able to live well and thrive well.

Offering men’s sober living in the Los Angeles area, The Last House strives to provide a safe, fun, program-oriented setting. Men in our program find their purpose and passion by progressing through their recovery in one of the world’s largest recovery communities supported by their peers and an experienced staff. For information on availability and our program, call us today: 1-866-677-0090.

Substance Abuse during Divorce

Substance abuse during divorce is unfortunately a common and unhealthy way of coping with the devastation and stress that divorce can cause. Often times, substance abuse or addiction will push marriages to end. Some substance abuse and addiction is triggered just by the divorce alone.

Divorce is identified as one of the most stressful life events that someone can go through. If one of the spouses doesn’t have many coping skills to begin with, divorce can push them into a downward spiral of abusing drugs and alcohol. In fact, studies show that divorced individuals are more likely to drink alcohol than married couples. Many times individuals will turn to alcohol, porn or excessive partying to cope with the distress of divorce. Addiction and substance abuse is not just limited to drugs and alcohol. Individuals can also turn to things like food, nicotine, and sex.

Substance abuse and addiction doesn’t help or benefit anyone and can have immense negative consequences on the divorce process. In truth, substance abuse and addiction will most often worsen the impact of divorce, such as a loss in custody over children. Addiction and substance abuse can lead to more fights and will inhibit healthy communication. This can lead to additional legal consequences.

If you are in the process of getting in a divorce, it is important get support from your loved ones and from professionals. Lawyers can help individuals decide what is best for themselves and their family and can assist in making really difficult decisions surrounding custody, finances or communication.

It can be very intimidating and stressful to work through a divorce with someone who is addicted or abusing substances to cope. Being aware of when a spouse is under the influence is important so that an individual can set healthy boundaries. For example, if a spouse has been drinking it is best not to speak with them until they are in a clearer head space and sober.

Divorce and addiction can go hand in hand. Either one can come before the other and lead to the latter. Although it may mask the devastation, addiction and substance worsens the divorce process in the long run.  

Volunteer Work During Addiction Recovery

Helping and serving others through volunteer work is often times some of the most humbling and rewarding experiences in addiction recovery, let alone in life.

History shows that serving and caring for others is not only essential to living a fulfilled life but also what makes us human.

Some of the most influential figures made history by serving others.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi

During addiction, individuals lose themselves in their substance use. When someone is suffering from addiction, care and consideration for others is put on the back burner and finding the next high becomes the main focus.

Addiction is a selfish disease by nature. Not only that, but often times, individuals struggling with addiction do the sheer opposite of serving others and do horrible things such as stealing and hurting others for the sake of their next high.

Incorporating volunteer work and serving others is an essential element in many addiction recovery settings. Volunteering during recovery helps addicts to step outside of themselves and reconnect with the world.

Volunteer work during addiction recovery has many benefits, not only to those being served but to those actually providing the care! When recovering addicts volunteer during recovery they are simultaneously improving their mental and physical health.

Health benefits include:

Improved lifespan- Addiction and substance abuse decreases longevity in life however volunteering and serving others can repair and improve some of the physical damage from addiction and substance abuse. Some research has shown that volunteering is just as effective, if not more, than exercising consistently.

Mental health- Finding a spiritual connection and a purpose in life is a critical part of addiction and substance abuse recovery. Serving others can give individuals a sense of purpose and a deeper connection. Additionally, happy hormones are released and stress is reduced when individuals feel they are contributing good to the world.

Enhanced social connections- Connection is the essence of volunteer work. Volunteering provides individuals an opportunity to meet many people, create and foster relationships, practice social skills and boost self confidence in social settings.

Volunteering during addiction recovery also sets an expectation for those recovering to be a positive example for others. This is especially important if recovering addicts are volunteering with other individuals recovering from addiction and substance abuse.

Individuals that volunteer during addiction recovery are also building resume and job skills in addition to spending time in a more constructive and productive way.

At Thrive, individuals in recovery are given opportunities to volunteer and serve others to reap all of these benefits.

What is Smoked Out of a Glass Pipe?

People have been smoking out of pipes for many years, however, throughout the years pipes have changed into other materials like glass. Furthermore, what is being smoked in pipes has also evolved.

Pipe smoking goes back to at least the 16th century and was used in many different cultures. Many native cultures would smoke pipes during rituals or in tribal gatherings. After the discovery of tobacco, smoking out of pipes became even more popular. In fact, tobacco became the most popular substance to smoke out of pipes.

In the 19th century, other substances like opium, became prevalent to smoke. Following that, psychoactive drugs began to be consumed as well, via pipe. Since then other drugs have become popular to smoke through a pipe. Drugs like crack cocaine, methamphetamines, DBT, PCP and cannabis are often times smoked in a glass pipes.

Smoking out of a glass pipe is often times the preferred way to consume illegal drugs since it is more intense and more comfortable than snorting a substance through nasal passage ways.  

Glass pipes can vary in design, however here are the most typical ones used for various substances.

Marijuana pipe:

Crack-cocaine pipe:

Methamphetamine pipe:

PCP pipe:

If you have seen a loved one with one of these pipes please ask a professional for support. Glass Pipes like the ones listed above can be an indication of a serious drug problem and substance abuse.

Spirituality in Addiction and Substance Abuse Recovery

We often hear that connecting to some form of spirituality is imperative in addiction and substance abuse recovery.

But what does that even mean and why is it so important?

People often mix up spirituality and religion, however, both of these terms differ in meaning. Spirituality is not the same thing as religion. Religion is a belief in a super controlling power like God and is derived from a specific system of faith and worship. Spirituality is different and is instead described as the quality of being connected to  something intangible like the human spirit or soul.

When someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol, that individual loses real connection and instead their drug or substance of choice becomes their only form of connection. Regaining or developing a sense of spirituality during recovery can help someone feel connected again to themselves and life. Feeling connected to something beyond oneself can provide a sense of purpose and self worth while providing support. But what does this even mean and how do you find spirituality?

Spirituality is not a one size fits all concept and can mean various things to different people. Some people find spirituality through other spiritual leaders and ideas like Buddhism. Others practice mindfulness to stay present and connected to the moment or work the steps in the 12 step program.

The concept of spirituality is often times a source of frustration, especially for those in addiction recovery. Often times, individuals in recovery expect a spiritual awakening when in reality it is a more gradual process.

Addiction leads to disconnection which is the sheer opposite of spirituality. In essence, spirituality is connection. This means serving others, developing and fostering deep relationships with others and healing the mind, body and soul. Spirituality means that individuals let love guide them, not their addiction.

So what does spirituality in addiction look like for you?  

It is important that individuals in recovery figure out what spirituality looks like for themselves. This could mean that you spend lots of time reading and learning about various religions and spiritual figures for guidance. Perhaps you already have a connection to a religion in which it was impaired during your addiction. Whether it is reconnecting or discovering spirituality for the first time, it is important that individuals take the time and effort to define their own spiritual connection.  At The Last House we have a program that encourages a spiritual solution to addiction.

Self Harm and Addiction

Self harm and addiction have a cyclical relationship. Often times those who struggle with self harm can become solely addicted to the release that hurting oneself provides. Other times those struggling with self harm can also become addicted to drugs and alcohol. A study discovered that close to 10% of individuals struggling with self harm also abuse drugs and substances.

What is self harm?

Self harm is when someone purposely inflicts self injury or harm to their bodies through mutilation without the intent to kill oneself. Someone who inflicts self injury is usually secretive about this and will hide their injuries underneath clothing. Individuals that harm themselves usually do this with sharp objects like knives and razors. Other ways that self harm is inflicted is through burning oneself, ripping hair out, piercing the skin, picking at wounds to avoid healing, scratching, poisoning, punching, slapping or even breaking bones.

Why would someone hurt themselves intentionally?

You might be thinking, why would someone do that to themselves?! Typically, hurting oneself sounds like the last thing someone would want to do. However, someone who is in severe emotional distress and with limited coping skills may turn to self harm as a release from the emotional pain. Often times, self harm is associated with other mental illness or disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder. Self harm can lead to the body’s release of pain killing hormones and endorphins which can feel like a form of release to the individual inflicting self injury. Sometimes the physical pain caused by self harm acts as a distraction from the emotional pain. Furthermore, self harm can feel like a form a self control when other things in life are out of control, or a form of punishment for perceived faults, and a way to express internal pain.

Who struggles with self harm?

Teenagers and young adults are usually the individuals that struggle with self harm. Both of these developmental periods are tough with a lot of peer and societal pressure. If these individuals never learned healthy coping skills, self harm may feel like the only relief. Furthermore, females are also more at risk for self harm however it is not entirely clear as to why.

What causes self harm?

Just like most maladaptive behaviors or mental disorders, there is not simple cause that leads someone to inflict self injury. However, a combination of unstable and abusive environments, genetics and biological dispositions to certain mental illness/disorders can explain how self harm develops as a coping skill. It is important to note that self harm is not itself a mental illness and instead an indicator of very poor coping skills. There are various risk factors that leave someone vulnerable to self harm. Someone who has experienced sexual abuse, childhood abuse, abandonment, neglect, dissociation, psychiatric disorders, and substance abuse/addiction. Strong emotions such as worthlessness, guilt, shame, loneliness, panic, anger, self hatred of confusion can also put someone at risk for self harm. Furthermore, someone who is struggling with addiction or substance abuse, are a lot more likely to hurt themselves since they have less control over themselves when under the influence.

Signs/symptoms:

• Noticeable wounds that cannot be explained
• Clothing that is very covering
• Isolation
• Depression
• Locking oneself in a bathroom or bedroom
• Scars or fresh cuts, bruises and marks
• Excessive rubbing of an area
• Hiding objects such as razor blades
• Impulsivity and instability
• Identity issues

Treatment:

Because self harm is usually hidden, it can be difficult to diagnose and identify. Once self harm has been identified there are numerous treatment options that can give someone a sense of control over and relieve some of their intense emotions. If you suspect a loved one is hurting themselves it is important to seek professional attention immediately. Often times, those struggling with self harm will go to rehabilitation centers or hospitals to ensure that the individual doesn’t severely injure themselves.  Medication can minimize intense emotions and provide more emotional balance. Psychotherapies like psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy are the most common modalities used to treat someone that self harms.

Recovering from self harm and addiction:  

Individuals struggling with self harm and addiction can complicate treatment. It is imperative that both of these co-occurring issues are simultaneously treated and are given proper attention. It is also important to differentiate between the addiction hurting oneself and addiction to actual substances and drugs. At the end of the day, self harm and substance abuse need to be replaced with healthier coping skills which can be achieved in therapy and at treatment centers.