Actualizing Your Power Over Addiction

by addictionRecovery

power over addiction

For years, there have been many schools of thought on how to make the addiction treatment and recovery process the most effective. One thing that everyone agrees on though, is the fact that it is the job of recovery centers and sober living houses to restore power to clients. When addicted, we are essentially powerless to control even the most basic of feelings, desires, and impulses. In fact, attempting to control our impulses without professional help can often lead to terrible withdrawals or serious medical issues. Actualizing your power over addiction actually begins as soon as you take the first step in seeking treatment. Making the decision to get treatment for addiction is making a conscious effort to put addiction in its place, which is it out of your life. Many of us do not consider going to treatment to be a meaningful assertion of our power due to the shame and stigma of addiction and addiction treatment. Even the slightest attempt at a fight proves one thing: you have what it takes to beat addiction for good.

Addiction is an illness, and like anything else, it continues to grow stronger and stronger as long as you give it what it wants- more episodes of using. In most cases, all addiction wants is to keep running your life. Not taking action allows addiction to grow and flourish. Taking a stand against addiction by seeking treatment stops addiction in its tracks. Once your mind is set on getting help, there is little that addiction can do. The hardest part is deciding that you need that help.

At The Last House sober living facility, we focus on making men the best they can be by fostering a structured, collaborative environment that encourages accountability, honesty, and emotional vulnerability. Here, we don’t just emphasize the addiction recovery process. We teach life skills that help give men the confidence and self esteem they need to go out and make a difference in the world. When you leave our facility, you really are able to actualize your power over addiction, and your story and journey serves as a beacon of light for other young men that may be struggling to find their way.

The Last House is a leading men’s sober living facility that offers long term care after primary treatment. We focus on making men the leaders of today we know they can be, while teaching them the life skills they need in order to be successful anywhere they go. After leaving The Last House, our men aren’t just successful members of society. They are true gentlemen of recovery. Call us today at (855)998-5278!

Avoiding Triggers and Saying No to Temptations

by addictionRecovery

recovery temptations

No one asks to become addicted. It is not a desirable state to be in, nor does it present any long-term benefits that could potentially make its pain worthwhile. It is not cool, nor is it hip, and it certainly does not absolve you of your responsibilities. Addiction is agonizing, excruciating, and incredibly debilitating. Unfortunately, no one gets to choose whether they become addicted or not. Addiction knows no race, gender or ethnicity. If you use substances, you are at risk of becoming addicted to them. Point blank.

Addiction recovery by way of a certified treatment center is very effective in reversing the effects of addiction, but not in the way you might think. At an addiction recovery center, you are not scared out of using, pumped with other medications to make you forget about using, or tricked into not using. Instead, addiction recovery teaches you to feel and think, by doing things like teaching you how to avoid your triggers and showing you how to say “no” to the temptations that will inevitably come your way after you leave the facility.

The great thing about the addiction recovery process (and one of the reasons it is so effective) is the fact that the skills that you learn throughout the recovery process are specifically designed to help you excel outside of the facility. And at The Last House in particular, we emphasize a skill set that helps you not only excel, but thrive as a gentleman and contributing member of your community when you leave.

To truly avoid temptation, it would be ideal to be able to physically avoid the people and environments that used to trigger you at all costs. Unfortunately, that is not realistic. You cannot necessarily refrain from visiting bars, places where you may have used, or streets that you may traveled while using substances all the time, but with the help of a sober living home, you can learn to mitigate the effects of these places or anywhere, anytime, anyone you encounter which might be a “trigger” to you. At The Last House, we teach the importance of self-reliance, self-motivation, and self-sufficiency, so that when these temptations come up, you have no need or desire to indulge. “Out of sight, out of mind” isn’t a bad motto for avoiding temptations. Being a strong, independent man with the confidence to say “no” is a powerful, powerful way to live life as well.

After building your confidence and charisma through our programs, you will find that triggers and temptations can be much more effectively kept at bay. Sober living is a simple and practical solution that will help you push forward with your recovery and your life as a whole.

While avoiding triggers and temptations in recovery can become second nature, it is almost impossible to do if you are still struggling with addiction. Here at the Last House, we’d like to help you take the first step to the best days of your life. Call us at (855)998-5278 today!

The First Step is the Hardest: Transitioning from Treatment to Living in Recovery

by Recoverytreatment

The First Step is the Hardest: Transitioning from Treatment to Living in Recovery

Addiction treatment is one of the most empowering experiences anyone can go through. You enter as a man on a mission, determined to make the most out of your opportunity and to truly rid yourself of addiction, once and for all. You work your program, participate, engage, and learn more about yourself in three months than you may have ever learned in years prior.  You make friends, and these people become the ones that help you get through some of the process that’s a little harder for you to digest. Then, in the span of just a few months, you’re done. You feel enlightened, energized, and ready to tackle anything world throws at you. Sometimes, however, in between tackling treatment and tackling the big wide world on your own, you need a little extra push. Concepts that might have sounded awesome in theory at the treatment facility might seem  a little more difficult outside of that environment.

That’s where our team at The Last House comes in. We’re a sober living house that specializes in making that transition stage not just important, but valuable.

It’s hard enough to take the first step in anything, but recovery can be an even trickier process than most. The world is a big place, and there’s so much out there that we could never prepare ourselves for everything, no matter how hard we tried. Frankly, if you leap right from addiction treatment to life on your own, it can be hard to tell if you’re going to be alright. Things shouldn’t be this way, though. There shouldn’t be that degree of uncertainty that makes us wonder whether treatment was worth it, if we are going to be able to resist temptation, or if we have what it takes to apply the principles we learned in treatment to the great unknown. Our job at The Last House is to take that fear, and to turn it into excellence. We are here to make you the very best version of yourself, by putting you in an environment where you can learn from potential mistakes, get to know other men that are also transitioning out of treatment, and form lasting bonds with peers that will be there for you for years to come. We help build you up, so you can help build communities. With us, transitioning from treatment to recovery is not a chore, nor is it nerve-wracking or fear-inducing. It is, quite literally, an experience of a lifetime.

How do we change your transition process?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that “generally, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.” Basically, it takes some time to do recovery the right way, no matter if you stay at a facility for the duration of your program, or if you recover at home. Many times, addiction is an illness that has been with us for years before we get treatment, and while intensive treatment can definitely help us get rid of the illness, it takes trained professionals from a sober living house to pick up where treatment ends and help guide us to where life begins. At The Last House, we are focused on doing just that, specifically by building men into  independent, collaborative, confident gentlemen that are both intuitive and discerning. We don’t spend a lot of time sugarcoating things, because that isn’t what the world is like. We encourage transparency, honesty, integrity, and, most importantly, brotherhood. These are the pillars of who we are, and they become the pillars of every single man that walks through our doors. We change the transition process by allowing our men the freedom to make mistakes, correct them, and learn how to do it better than the next time. The strong men in our programs don’t have to worry about falling, because even if they stumble a little bit, they have their brothers right beside to pick them up.

We’re here to make a community– a tribe, really– of men that are so well-prepared to get back out into the world that when they do, they truly don’t end up as just normal, contributing citizens. They are extraordinary. They are confident, bold, and courageous. They are self–aware, empathetic, and a joy to be around. We turn the transition process into a training ground. Men enter, perhaps unsure, maybe a little timid, and leave true warriors, having overcome addiction and ready to take on any challenges life may throw at them.

Everything that we do here at The Last House is tailored for our clients to find renewed purpose in life, even more than they had before they were addicted. We focus on aligning mind, body, and soul, and on the importance of self worth, self-reliance, and self-awareness. The brotherhood that we foster in our men is organic, and leads to incredible results. Men need other men to help them make such a big life change. It empowers them, stirs them up, and lets them know that things are ok, because the ones around them aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

It’s hard to put into words the enormous impact that we have on our clients, but, suffice to say, there’s a reason we are Los Angeles’ premium men’s sober living facility. If you’re looking for direction, guidance, and brotherhood in your life, look no further. Call The Last House sober living today at (855)998-5278!

Changing the Stigma of Addiction

by addictiontreatment

One of the most haunting aspects of living life as an individual recovering from an addiction is the fact that millions of people live in ignorance as to what addiction actually is. It is quite unfortunate that the minds of many Americans have been twisted into believing that addiction is something that only happens to the dregs of society, instead of the truth: addiction can happen to anyone.

The stigma of addiction is an issue that has plagued America for years, and while there have been substantial efforts to reverse it, it is up those of us that have suffered through it, triumphed over it, and moved on from it to increase awareness about the horrors of addiction, and the devastating effects misunderstanding it can bring on individuals and communities.

Addiction is not an individual, nor does it define an individual. Much like any other disease, addiction is a sickness that an individual develops over time, and treatment plans must be followed in order to recover from it. Individuals that suffer from addiction do exhibit symptoms that are both psychological and physical, but these symptoms can be reversed with the proper care and recovery lifestyle. Noting that addiction is a disease removes the power of inflammatory words used to describe those afflicted with it.

For instance, saying someone is “dirty” or “clean” in reference to whether or not an individual has used a substance, for instance, suggests that their disease somehow defines them and affects their cleanliness when addiction has nothing to do with cleanliness at all. Furthermore, referring to an individual as an “addict” or “druggie” dehumanizes them and suggests that their affliction somehow defines their value as a person, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Addressing addiction as the disease it is is the first step to defining power over it and eliminating these wrong assumptions.

Addiction can affect anyone. The vast majority of the American populace has consumed an illegal substance or alcoholic beverage, more than likely without the slightest idea of the propensity it had to wreak havoc on their lives for years to come. Their not getting addicted was as much of their doing as another’s getting addicted was of his own. The fact of the matter is that addiction can claim anyone, and it pays to understand that in order to fight the damaging stigmas of addiction.

At The Last House, we focus on turning men into gentlemen by championing collaboration, brotherhood, and respect. We offer long-term care after primary treatment, and our men go on to become pillars of their respective communities when they leave us. All men can become gentlemen. After treatment, we’re here to help you with that. Call (855)998-5278 for help today.

Building a Tribe in Recovery

by addictionRecovery

Building a Tribe in Recovery

Recovery is as much of an individual effort as it is a collective one. As you will learn throughout recovery, having others to share your thoughts, dreams, and goals with is fundamental to an efficient recovery process.

There are a few ways to ensure that the people you surround yourself with after treatment are individuals who will champion your recovery and support you when you need it most. That’s why at The Last House, we ensure that you are surrounded with other strong, independent men that are going through very similar life experiences. In our eyes, brotherhood is one of the most important bonds you can make in recovery, and we strive to incorporate the spirit of collaboration in everything we do at the facility.

The first thing to be sure of when choosing friends, colleagues, or individuals to hang out with is that there is a consensus on the types of activities you all will engage in. Of course, at The Last House, our structured and focused paths ensure that you don’t have to worry about deciding activities, but you will inevitably make friends outside of our program as well. Be sure to choose activities with these friends that, like here at our sober living facility, support and promote your recovery process. If you suffered from alcoholism, for instance, bars, pubs, parties with liquor, and even events as seemingly innocuous as wine tastings aren’t the best idea. If you recovered from substance addiction, it is wise to avoid the places you used to frequent, and swap them out for activities like soccer, or pickup basketball.

Additionally, you must understand that the world goes on in sobriety, meaning, you will not be able to change the activities of others around you. That’s why here at The Last House, we teach our men to be strong enough and confident enough in themselves to live in accpetance, and still live life to the fullest without being tempted to compromise their sobriety. There’s nothing quite like the tribes of hardworking, intelligent, confident men that we work so hard to build here at The Last House. By learning to collaborate, learn, and love with them, you’ll be well-equipped to handle whatever life throws at you.

Good friends are hard to find, but they can make your journey to sobriety that much more worth it. If you’re struggling with finding your way after treatment, you are not alone. Find your tribe here at The Last House, and learn to make recovery work for you. Just dial (855)998-5278 any time of day or night. We can’t wait to meet you!

Am I Suffering From Insomnia?

by Uncategorized

suffering from insomnia

Am I Suffering From Insomnia?

Most people experience periods of time when they have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, however for those with insomnia this is an ongoing struggle. Insomnia affects 30-40% of Americans a year and can have detrimental affects.

 

What is insomnia?

 

Insomnia is on going and includes a range of sleep disorders. The three most common types, Transient Insomnia, Acute Insomnia and Chronic Insomnia, affect millions of people around the world. Transient Insomnia occurs when symptoms last up to three nights. Acute Insomnia, also called short-term insomnia, is when symptoms persist for several weeks. Chronic Insomnia lasts for months and at time years, and are usually a side effect of another primary problem.

 

How long does an episode last?

 

Those with Insomnia have trouble falling or staying asleep and can be affected for a a few nights, weeks, or in chronic cases, months and years.

 

What causes Insomnia?

 

Medications and other medical conditions are commonly correlated with insomnia. Medical conditions like allergies/asthma, gastrointestinal issues, endocrine problems, arthritis, neurological conditions, chronic pain especially back pain. Insomnia can also be an indication of another sleep disorder like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.

 

Certain lifestyles can lead to insomnia. For example, taking naps, working at home in the evening, irregular sleep patterns and graveyard hours at work. Other factors that contribute to Insomnia are hormone imbalances and issues within the brain and its neurotransmitters.

 

In addition to medical conditions or lifestyle, Insomnia is often paired with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. Substance abuse can also lead to Insomnia because of the stimulants or sedatives. It is not uncommon for those with Substance Abuse Disorder to experience episodes of Insomnia, especially during a binge.

 

Who get’s insomnia?

 

Anyone can experience Insomnia however there are certain people that are more prone to it. Travelers, shift workers, elderly, drug users, adolescents and young adults, pregnant women, menopausal women, and those with mental illness.

 

What are the symptoms?

 

  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Irritability
  • Memory problems
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Exhaustion
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking up during the night
  • Waking up much earlier than desired
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Uncoordinated
  • Headaches
  • Anxiety around sleeping

 

Treatments?

 

There are many different types of treatment for Insomnia and everyone’s “sleep hygiene” will vary from person to person. The more common treatments include using relaxation techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, stimulus control therapy, sleep restriction, medication, sleep journals, sticking to a regular sleep schedule, creating a conducive sleep environment, avoiding caffeine and other substances, putting away technology/screens before bedtime, hypnosis, and mindfulness.

 

The Last House and Thrive Treatment Centers provide facilities that support a healthy sleep schedule. At these facilities, sleep is an important part of the healing and recovery process professionals understand how much sleep influences recovery.

Failure To Launch Recovery

by Uncategorized

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“Failure to Launch” is characterized in my own experience as a lack of connection to other humans, professional failure which gave rise to social inadequacies. The pain of this experience in my case gave rise to increased drug use and dependence on illicit narcotics in order to feel some form of connection. The dependency on drugs furthered my stagnation due to the impairment they caused and the energy needed to acquire illegal substances. At age 25, I was broke, homeless and unemployable, I had little contact with family and no friends. This cycle had continued to perpetuate itself until it could be arrested by physical detoxification and treated with healing in a community setting.

The first stage of recovery was to break the physical dependence from the drug. In my case, Opiates, which create physical dependence needed to be cleared from my system with the aid of medications that treat the symptoms of detox. It is important to note that this phase alone cannot treat the addiction, I have detoxed medically and non-medically several times. In my case, while still in detox, I was immersed into a community of other addicts who had recovered from addiction and begun meaningful lives as part of a community, they had crossed from Stagnation to Generativity. These other young men are still some of my closest friends.

I was lucky enough to find myself at The Last House Sober Living for Men in Los Angeles, a program where Integrity, honesty, accountability and friendship were the basic tenants of the community. Most other Rehabs I had been to were short term and had the reverse effect where I learned behavior that furthered my stagnation.

In my own experience, the desire to be socially accepted or “one of the guys” encouraged me to follow in the path of what these new friends of mine had done. They had jobs, friends and could buy their own cigarettes, all things I sincerely desired. Feeling socially connected was the basis for me to launch myself into a life of purpose. After gaining traction and finding my first steady job I began to show new guys in the community how I was able to find purpose. The act of “giving back” truly launched my personal growth and self esteem into a realm I had not known was possible. I was on fire, useful, employed and truly connected to my peers.

written by Chris Kirby
Director of Admissions for The Last House Sober Living for Men in Los Angeles and Thrive Treatment