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What to Do When a Loved One Doesn’t Want to Seek Treatment

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It can be very painful to watch someone you care about battle with a substance use disorder. It’s even harder when they won’t admit they have a problem and don’t want to get treatment. If you have already confronted someone you care about and expressed your concerns regarding their substance use only to be told that they aren’t interested in getting the help they need, you may be feeling very helpless and discouraged. However, it is important not to give up on your loved one, but continue to show them how much you care about them and how much you want to see them begin living a healthier and happier life. There are some steps that you can take that may provide them with the push they need to finally seek treatment.

Take the Time to Listen to Them

Your loved one may be battling with an issue you are unaware of. They may be struggling with an undiagnosed mental health problem or using drugs or alcohol to cope with pain from some sort of trauma that they have experienced. By having a better idea of why your loved one feels that they need to engage in substance use, you’ll have a better idea of how to help them. If they do open up to you, be sure to validate how they are feeling without dismissing their substance misuse or acting as if what they’re doing is ok.

Make it Clear That You’re Not Coming From a Place of Judgement

If you use harsh tones, try to make the individual feel guilty, or blame them for the problems that they are experiencing, your loved one is not only going to likely become angry and defensive, but they will be less likely to seek out the treatment they desperately need. When speaking with them regarding their substance misuse, use a calm voice and be sure to keep your emotions in check. Continuously assure them that you’re only bringing this issue up because you love and care for them and want them to continue to be in your life. Affirm that you know that they are in pain and that you don’t look at them any differently but simply want the best for them.

Ask Questions

Without being overly pushy or nosey, you can try to ask simple questions to have a better understanding of why your loved one is engaging in substance misuse. Some helpful questions could be:

  • Do you know what caused you to want to turn to substance use in the first place?
  • Have you ever considered or tried cutting back on your substance use?
  • Are there certain people or situations in your life that cause you to feel triggered to engage in substance use?
  • Do you know how long you’ve been engaging in substance use?

Even if the individual isn’t yet at the point where they are willing to get help, they may still allow you to support them in other ways. To better determine if they will accept this support and how you can best them, consider asking the following questions. 

  • I’m here for you, do you want to talk about what you’re going through?
  • If you’re not willing to talk to me, is there anyone else that I could contact that you would like to talk to?
  • I want to help you. How can I best support you as you’re going through this difficult time?

Offer to Go With the Individual to Seek Treatment

It is possible that your loved one is on the fence about getting treatment but just needs a little extra push. One of the reasons they may be hesitant to go is that they don’t know what to expect and don’t want to go alone. It could be worth a shot to offer to go with them to take the first step towards getting treatment. This could mean attending a doctor’s or counselor’s appointment with them or going to a support group meeting with them. Your companionship can provide them with the confidence boost they need to take this step.

Share How the Individual’s Substance Misuse Makes You Feel

In many cases, people who are struggling with substance misuse don’t realize that what they are doing and that the choices they are making affect more than just themselves. Without becoming overly emotional, express to your loved one the pain that they are causing you by continuing to engage in this behavior. Be as honest as possible without trying to guilt-trip them. Remember not to raise your voice or become angry.

It is heartbreaking to watch someone you love struggle with substance misuse. It is even more heartbreaking when they deny that they have a problem and don’t want to get help. If you’ve tried to encourage one of your loved ones to seek treatment and they’ve refused, it is easy to feel helpless and discouraged. However, it’s important to not give up. Instead, encourage the individual to open up about how they are feeling and ask questions to better understand what they are going through. Make it clear that you are coming from a place of love and not of judgment. At Achieve Concierge we know that trying to help a loved one with a substance use disorder can take a toll on your mental health. We offer a variety of different counseling services that could be the right fit for you. Call (858) 221-0344 today to learn more about how we can help you. 

Facing the Fear of Admitting You Need Help

Facing the Fear of Admitting You Need Help

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Struggling with mental health can be crippling. When you struggle alone, though, you are worsening the severity of your symptoms and of your distress. The stigma that surrounds mental health may be the culprit of your fear, or perhaps you fear that you will seem weak to your friends or family by admitting you need help.

It indeed takes a lot of courage to admit that you need help, regardless of the situation. Although it can be hard, there are greater downsides when trying to figure out your mental health alone. The clarity and peace of mind that you seek is not far away, but it will require you to face your fear of admitting that you need help.

Addressing the Mental Health Stigma

The stigmatization and discrimination shown toward people with mental illness began hundreds of years ago, when psychology and social sciences were significantly underdeveloped. Today, we can see that there has been remarkable progress made in the study of these fields, especially in regard to mental health treatment.

Nearly one in five U.S. adults are living with a mental illness at any given time. The term “mental illness” classifies any and all conditions, which range in severity from mild, to moderate, to severe. Consider this statistic to only acknowledge the people that have received a diagnosis or begun to get the treatment that they need to heal. The statistic of people that are suffering from mental health distress on a daily basis, and do not receive a diagnosis or treatment, is much greater. Knowing the prevalence of mental illness in society today may help shed light on how common mental distress truly is.

Accepting When You Need Help

There are various situations that can occur to help you realize when or why you need to reach out and ask for help. If you struggle with low self-esteem, which seems to be a common characteristic of many mental illness conditions, it may be especially difficult to ask or accept help from others.

In order to be able to ask or accept help, you will need to do some internal reflection work. Consider asking yourself these questions:

  • What am I struggling with?
  • How long have I been struggling?
  • Does anyone know I am struggling?
  • Am I engaging in self-harm or suicidal ideation?

In any type of recovery journey, the first step to healing is to admit a loss of self-control and powerlessness. This means you are admitting that your mental distress, or the symptoms associated with it, are taking power over you and your life. In this, you are already realizing that you have lost control.

Asking and accepting help requires you to be vulnerable, and to especially give up control. If you believe that doing so is a sign of weakness, or that you are relying too much on others to help you, you are falling into the pit of mental health stigma. None of us are meant to know all of the answers — there are too many answers to possibly know!

Vulnerability is the opposite of weakness. Being vulnerable requires strength and courage, just like admitting you need help. When we learn to be vulnerable with ourselves, we no longer judge others for being vulnerable as well. Vulnerability connects us deeper with the present moment and allows us to be the most authentic version of ourselves.

Facing Your Fear

You might already know the power in vulnerability, but you are still struggling with facing your fear. In order to face your fear, you must identify your fear.

The first fear we mentioned is the fear of accepting that you have lost control. Another fear you may experience is the fear of being perceived as needy. The thing is, we all have needs. Needs keep us motivated and engaged with our life experience. Our needs change and develop over time. At this phase of your life, if you have greater mental health needs, you must address them before they become severe.

Another fear you may consider is the fear of not getting adequate help after admitting that you need it. Luckily, the field of mental health treatment is vast. Treatment centers are available all over, with many different therapy programs and treatment options available to help you work through your mental health distress.

Facing the fear of admitting you need help will not only help you to get the help that you need, but it also gives an opportunity for someone to help you that genuinely wants to help. If your close friend or family member was honest with you about their struggles, wouldn’t you want to help and support them? Believe that you deserve mental clarity. Start by talking with a close relative or friend about your struggles and see what guidance they are able to offer you.

Facing your fear of admitting you need help can be an overwhelming thought. With the high prevalence of mental health illnesses, it is essential to highlight how common mental distress truly is in society today. Accept that you need help by realizing that you will not be able to heal on your own. Instead of staying in the same place on your healing journey, reach out for help so that you are able to face your fear and grow beyond it. Achieve Concierge is a mental health treatment center that prides itself on holistic and well-informed care. We provide comprehensive and compassionate care for individuals of all ages who are struggling with emotional and behavioral health issues. We believe that it is crucial to address all aspects of an individual — biological, psychological, and social — to achieve long-lasting recovery from mental health distress. For more information, call us at (858) 221-0344.

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How to Cope With Recovery Burnout

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The road to recovery can be time-consuming, long, and winding at times. If you ask someone who is currently on their recovery journey about their experience, you may notice that it requires a lot of concentration, dedication, and endurance. 

In recovery, you must face obstacles from time to time, and it is natural to become exhausted or burned out after a while. Recovery burnout is common, and you should not feel guilty if you are struggling with it. However, knowing more about it and how to deal with it can help you keep your recovery going in the long run.

What Exactly Is Recovery Burnout?

Burnout is a condition of exhaustion that affects both the body and the mind. It can happen if you are under a lot of stress or have done a lot of physically or emotionally demanding healing work. 

You may be struggling with recovery burnout if:

  • You feel as if every day you work on your recovery goals is a bad day
  • You do not enjoy or care about your recovery, and you may even be unhappy about your progress
  • You feel dissatisfied with your life
  • You feel fatigued most of the time
  • You do not have as much patience with others as you used to
  • Your recovery obligations are making you feel overwhelmed
  • You have physical symptoms such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, insomnia, or heart palpitations

Learning to Overcome Recovery Burnout

Burnout does not go away on its own; instead, it worsens until the underlying issues that are causing it are addressed. Ignoring burnout will only inflict you more harm in the long run. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to get to the other side of burnout.

Recovery can be a long process, with no definitive finish line. You will need time and space to recover, and it is crucial to give yourself these things and not rush through the process. Doing so will help you avoid burnout in the first place. 

The techniques described below are all applicable in a variety of scenarios to help you overcome recovery burnout. Some of these techniques may be effective for you, whereas others may not be the ideal combination of strategies for you. If something does not seem to be working, do not be afraid to try something different.

To help yourself overcome burnout, try:

#1. Examining the “Why” of Burnout

The first step to overcoming burnout is determining why you feel burned out in the first place. First, examine any feelings of anger or resentment you have towards your recovery. Consider any negative sentiments you have towards recovery. Keeping a stress journal is also an excellent tool to help you discover the root of your burnout. 

Once you have discovered the root of your burnout, list at least one strategy to control or remove that source of stress or dissatisfaction. Doing so may require help from a mental health professional, sponsor, or someone else who has experienced recovery burnout. 

#2. Reframing Your Point of View About Recovery

When you feel recovery burnout, it may be a result of a skewed point of view regarding recovery. You may see recovery as a laundry list of things you need to do in order to heal and be okay. 

However, recovery does not have to be seen in this light. Instead, you can reframe your point of view surrounding recovery. Recovery is a long process that takes time, and not everything needs to be done at once. Whatever you are capable of at the moment will help you get to your end goal. 

#3. Rethinking Your Priorities

Take some time to consider your aspirations, objectives, and desires. Is there something you are missing out on that is essential to you and your wellbeing? Are you working on recovery tasks that are not propelling you towards your goals? If so, it may be time to rethink your recovery priorities. 

In recovery, it is also crucial to define your limits and learn not to put too much pressure on yourself. If work is getting in the way of your recovery and causing burnout, learn to say “no” to time-consuming demands. If family obligations are making recovery seem like a daunting task, seek help from your partner, friends, or family. 

Overcoming burnout also requires you to take care of yourself and prioritize your mental and physical well-being. Ensure that you are getting enough rest, taking a break from electronics and social media, and engaging in the activities that bring you joy. 

#4. Making an Effort to Think Positively

Burnout can create a downward spiral of negative thoughts. However, this can be avoided by learning to think positively. 

It might be challenging to cultivate the habit of optimistic thinking while you are recovering from burnout. One easy way you can add happiness to your life is by performing random acts of kindness in recovery and your outside life. Kindness can help you foster optimism in your everyday life.

Recovery can be a long and time-consuming process at times. As a result, you may experience recovery burnout at some point in your journey. Recovery burnout is normal but can feel overwhelming. Luckily, you are capable of overcoming recovery burnout through various techniques. To help yourself get out of burnout, you can try examining the “why” of burnout, reframing your point of view about recovery, rethinking your priorities, and making an effort to think positively. At Achieve Concierge, we are experienced professionals working to bring peace to people dealing with various mental health disorders. We create individualized treatment plans for each patient as everyone deals with different issues. Our doctors and professionals make sure to treat our patients with extra care and affection, according to their needs. If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health disorder, Achieve Concierge is here to help. Call us today at (858) 221-0344. 

Good Communication Helps Mental Well-Being

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Communication is important in managing many aspects of mental health. It can make or break our recovery, personal relationships, and interactions with professionals who are charged with helping us heal. 

 

It is difficult to talk about mental illness and the deep despair that it causes. Holding our thoughts and feelings inside makes us sicker. Doing so can lead to further negative feelings and unease, putting us on destructive paths. As hard as it is to talk about our pain, it is much harder to live with it in silence. 

 

Finding Someone to Talk With

 

People available to talk to about mental illness and its symptoms include friends, family members, professional mental health care clinicians, and anyone you trust. If you believe someone is trustworthy, open-minded, and accepting of you no matter what, they are likely a good person to confide in. First, ask them how they feel about mental illness and what they know about it. If the person shows that they are open-minded, supportive, and willing to listen, share what you need to.

 

Although someone you know can be a great support, some situations call for professional help. There are public and private options available for getting help. If you do not have insurance or are on public assistance, check with your local community’s mental health organization. If you have private insurance, find out which private practitioners are available in the area.  

 

Opening up and Sharing

 

Although it may seem awkward, be open and honest with your clinician. This is critical if a crisis brings you to seek professional help. Therapists or other professionals need a good picture of what is going on in your life and your thoughts to treat you properly.

 

Potential treatment includes talk therapy, various kinds of group therapy, psychiatry, medication, hospitalization, crisis home placement, or other places you can be treated and monitored. As your treatment continues, be sure to tell your clinician how it is or is not working for you. Keep a journal to track your feelings, emotions, and thoughts. You don’t have to share everything, but it’s good to keep track of it. It’s also good to have a record of how medication and other therapy methods affect your mental health. 

 

Communicating With Loved Ones

 

With loved ones, sometimes it’s hard to know how they will respond to your plight. Judgment, stigma, and misunderstanding are legitimate fears. You have a choice of how much you share and with whom. Regardless of how much the people around you know about your situation, there are steps you can take to improve interactions with friends and family members to help your mental health and successfully deal with conflict.

 

I-You Statements

 

I-you statements are a good way to be assertive while not sounding accusatory. “I” statements are used while talking about yourself and your experience. “You” statements are used to reference the feelings or actions of others. 

 

For example, when you need help keeping the house clean, you might state: “You have to do chores.” Compare that with: “When the house is a mess and no one helps clean, it aggravates my symptoms. I would appreciate it if you would help with the housework.”  Both statements refer to getting someone to increase their activity in keeping the house clean. The first sentence is aggressive and insensitive. The second is assertive and better communicates feelings and expectations. 

 

Setting Boundaries 

 

In relationships, personal boundaries indicate what kind of treatment people expect and tolerate from others. Boundaries can be useful in all relationships, whether they’re with romantic partners, family members, friends, or coworkers.

 

Consider the following scenario: Linda is upset with her friend, Susan, because Susan frequently drops her two small kids off for Linda to babysit while she goes to the bar. Susan usually does not pick the kids up until the next morning. Linda feels used and taken advantage of. However, every time Susan asks Linda if she will babysit, Linda agrees to do it. Linda does not want to say no because she is afraid that Susan will be upset or that saying no will lead to conflict between the two of them. She doesn’t want to fight with Susan or lose her as a friend. 

 

Linda and her therapist worked on some ways to set boundaries with Susan to improve the situation. After talking with her therapist, Linda learned that it’s OK to tell Susan no. The next time Susan asks to babysit, Linda is successful in telling Susan “no,” but she makes up an excuse, saying that she has a family emergency preventing her from babysitting. Linda feels good because Susan seems to understand, and it does not harm their friendship. Upon further exploration of the issue in therapy, Linda learns that she does not have to make up excuses when telling someone no. She continues to strive for healthy boundaries in her relationships.

 

Communication is important throughout the entire recovery process. Often, our recovery path begins with sharing our pain with someone we know and trust. You can also share your concerns surrounding mental illness with a loved one or a clinician. Those who are in a crisis should seek professional help. There are a variety of care options available in the professional realm, including therapy and psychiatry. Be open and honest with your support person to ensure proper care. While dealing with interpersonal relationships, communication is equally important. I-you statements are an example of how to be assertive yet fair and respectful in communicating your needs. It’s also important to build and maintain healthy boundaries with anyone you have a relationship with. You are always a priority for us at Achieve Concierge. We offer expert mental healthcare services for a variety of conditions. Call us today at (858) 221-0344 to begin your recovery journey.

Making a Relapse Prevention Plan

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The pain of a mental health crisis is difficult to escape. When it feels like everything has come crashing down, it’s hard to find a way out of the rubble. One way to successfully come back from or prevent a crisis or relapse is to create a plan of action that serves as a guide to wellness. 

 

A Balanced Support System

 

Choose the people you would like to assist with finding your path back to recovery, making sure they are dependable and available. Such people can be relatives, friends, or clinicians such as therapists, peer support specialists, social workers, and psychiatrists. Depending on the severity and results of the crisis, there are various tasks they may be responsible for.

 

Sometimes all you need is emotional support. Think of people who will:

  • Ground or redirect you
  • Support you
  • Listen to you
  • Make you laugh
  • Help you

 

If you go into a hospital or crisis home or need time off work, you might need someone to:

  • Take care of pets
  • Pay bills
  • Contact your workplace

 

While choosing people to support you during a mental health crisis, bear in mind what you can and cannot expect from them. For example, your brother might be a great candidate to take care of your home or feed your dog. This would make him an asset to your team. However, he might not be equipped to provide the best emotional support. Diversify your team according to those who can provide well-balanced care and support; don’t expect one person to do everything for you. Include a list in your wellness plan of three to five people to be a part of your support team. 

 

Have a safe place to go when you are in crisis and include contract information in your plan. If you can’t find peace or be safe at home, your safe place could be the home of a friend or family member, an institution or hospital, a partial hospitalization program, or a crisis home. 

 

Taking Action

 

Daily activities such as taking medication as directed, reaching out to others, eating well, and maintaining good sleep hygiene are essential to continue while in crisis. Keep a list of these in your plan, also listing activities you do on a regular basis to stay healthy such as exercise, writing, art, and hobbies. 

Other actions include those that are helpful when you are triggered or while in crisis. Mindfulness activities such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation are helpful, as are listening to music, praying, and following other spiritual practices. 

 

Managing Triggers and Warning Signs

 

Keep a list and be aware of potential triggers and consider how you will react to them. This can prevent a lot of distress. You might have to avoid situations. Examples include:

 

  • Arguments or conflict
  • Interacting with certain people
  • Events, such as those with large crowds.

 

Positively responding to triggers can also help you to avoid a crisis. 

 

Other courses of action after being triggered include:

 

  • Making an appointment with a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist. 
  • Taking the day off work
  • Engaging in self-care activities, such as taking a warm bath or preparing and eating a good meal. 

 

Interests and activities can be a part of your wellness toolbox as another list to include in your plan. It’s important to keep track of early warning signs of your symptoms. If you notice signs of depression, anxiety, or other conditions you experience during a crisis, note this and take action to alleviate symptoms early on. Take good care of yourself at times like this and find someone on your support team to talk to. Consult your list of activities that alleviate symptoms for ideas of how to cope. 

 

Hopes and Dreams

 

Working toward goals can be a healthy distraction from triggers and symptoms that lead to a mental health crisis. List some hopes, dreams, and goals that would improve your life. Such goals could be based on work, relationships, spirituality, education, or any area you wish to make better. Next to each goal, describe how you can make it a reality. You can also make a plan to use in reaching each goal.

 

Making a Plan

 

The best time to compose a wellness plan is when you feel positive and are open to entertaining the idea of getting help during hard times. Work with members of your support team to make a worksheet that includes the following subjects, and fill in the blanks:

 

  • Support team: duties, responsibilities, areas of expertise, and contact information
  • Safe places to go
  • Activities that help maintain your mental health
  • Symptoms and early warning signs you experience while heading into a crisis
  • Positive actions you can take while experiencing early warning signs of a crisis
  • Ways to avoid triggers and avert symptoms
  • Hopes, dreams, goals, and how to bring them to reality

Share your plan with your support team and other interested parties.

 

When symptoms associated with a mental health crisis begin, it is difficult to motivate yourself to counteract them. We might feel frozen and unable to escape our feelings. But it’s harder in the long run if we allow symptoms or feelings to snowball into a crisis or relapse. Call before you fall by reaching out to a member of your support team and letting them know what is going on. Talk to a therapist or counselor. Engage in healthy activities. Know your triggers and avoid situations in which symptoms might arise. Be optimistic about your future. Create goals to work toward. By recording all of this in your wellness plan and referring to it when symptoms arise, you will have several lines of defense against a crisis. Achieve Concierge specializes in a holistic, collaborative approach to treating a variety of mental health conditions. Please call (858) 221-0344 today to learn more.

Benefits of a Mental Health Peer Support Specialist

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Mental health peer support specialists share their lived experiences with those who have mental illness. They provide clients with a relatable and empathetic healing perspective. Peers are in recovery from mental illness and often substance use disorder. They work in mental health facilities, for private and public mental health providers and in peer-run organizations. 

 

How Peers Help

 

By sharing their stories, peer support specialists serve as mentors and guide others along the recovery path. Duties range from advocating for clients to simply being someone to talk to. Peers also:

  • Help clients get involved in the community
  • Assist in establishing social supports
  • Educate peers on what to expect when entering mental health services
  • Follow a strict code of ethics
  • Refer clients to mental health and community resources
  • Practice trauma-informed care
  • Facilitate groups
  • Assist with conflict resolution
  • Promote self-care strategies
  • Instill hope

 

Fighting Stigma, Promoting Understanding

 

Only someone who has faced the stigma of mental illness and worked to overcome it can understand how damaging it is and how hard it can be to deal with. Peers serve a vital role in decreasing the stigma associated with mental illness. Members of the public often fear and misunderstand those with mental illness. Peers not only understand it, but they’ve also experienced it. Peers know that getting to know a person is the first step in learning about how mental illness truly affects people. They know that fearing, judging, and turning their back on the mentally ill is not the answer, nor is it in anyone’s best interest. 

This helps to reduce a client’s internalized stigma. Getting clients into the community also helps address public stigma. Workplace stigma is also reduced due to clinicians working side by side with peers. Peer support specialists benefit their workplaces and colleagues as agents of change for negative attitudes toward clients. They provide a personal perspective on what it’s like to overcome a mental illness and help to create an environment focused on promoting recovery. 

 

A Holistic Approach to Health

 

Peer support specialists contribute to a holistic approach to mental health care. Peers in recovery have learned that they must protect and foster both physical and mental health. Treating the mind, body, and spirit is equally important. If one area is out of balance, it can throw the others off as well. One of the most important lessons of recovery is maintaining balance, both in our health and in other areas such as work, family, socialization, and leisure time. Peer supports model this balance.

Based on their experience and client needs, peers employ and endorse self-care and wellness techniques. These can include, but are not limited to, sleep hygiene, proper diet, spirituality, socialization, and hygiene. Physical health is also part of a well-rounded recovery path. Peers can support clients at doctors’ appointments by attending them with the client and/or providing transportation. 

 

A Movement That’s Coming of Age

 

The peer support movement has gained momentum in recent decades. More states are establishing training, certification, and funding for mental health peers. Certified peers and their services are billable under some state-sponsored insurance, and many states are working on the guidelines and requirements to make this possible. 

Peer support is an evidence-based practice. Research has found it to be beneficial because it:

  • Reduces hospital readmissions by 42%  
  • Reduces days in hospital by 48%  
  • Improves relationship with providers  
  • Increases engagement with care  
  • Decreases substance use  
  • Decreases depression  
  • Increases hopefulness  
  • Increases activation and self‐care  
  • Increases sense of well‐being

 

Peer Support Complements the System

 

There are many things that peers are not and should not try to be. They are not therapists, psychiatrists, doctors, or social workers. They do not give medical advice or perform psychotherapy. 

The benefit of peers is in their shared understanding with clients. They relate on a level that cannot be reached with therapists, psychiatrists, or social workers. These practitioners remain an integral part of mental health care. Peer support responsibilities might overlap with those of other clinicians at mental health facilities, but they are meant to complement other services, not replace them.

 

Ethical Criteria

 

Certified peer support is required to follow a stringent code of ethics. Peer support ethical guidelines include:

  • Personal conduct standards
  • Sharing their stories in a healthy and appropriate manner
  • Respecting privacy and confidentiality
  • Respecting the rights and dignity of clients
  • Nondiscrimination policies
  • Refraining from physical, verbal, and sexual abuse or contact
  • Prohibition of substance abuse

 

Who’s Helping Who?

 

The beauty of peer-client relationships is that it’s a two-way street. It can help a peer as much as it helps a client. Benefits that the peers may experience includes:

  • The rewards of helping others
  • Connecting with others and forming rewarding professional relationships
  • Watching others grow in their recovery
  • Enhancing their own recovery

 

Certified peer support specialists bring a unique perspective to those they serve. They have overcome many obstacles related to mental illness. When they share their lived experience with others who struggle with such obstacles, peers become empathetic mentors who help clients find and maintain their own recovery. Peer support is a realistic, holistic approach to mental health care that also reduces stigma. Peers undergo specialized training and certification. They are required to adhere to strict ethical standards. Peer support, an evidenced-based practice, is becoming a respected means of care within the American mental health system. Achieve Concierge offers expert mental health services that are specialized for your personal mental wellness, work, and lifestyle needs. In these fast-paced times, what a gift it is to know that we are here to streamline your care and simplify your life. Call  (858) 221-0344 today for information about starting your personal path to recovery.

The‌ ‌Effects‌ ‌of‌ ‌Long-Term‌ ‌Meth‌ ‌Use‌

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Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that is consuming our communities. Illegal meth can be created in meth labs by combining various harsh and dangerous chemicals that can easily be obtained. With accessibility and low costs to manufacture, homemade meth has become a massive problem throughout the United States, spiking widespread addiction, an increase in overdose cases, and ruining families. 

 

According to a 2017 survey, approximately 1.6 million people reported that they had used methamphetamine within the previous year and that 774,000 reported that they had used it in the past month. In 2016, the average age of a methamphetamine user was 23.3 years old. Additionally, in 2017, it was estimated that 964,000 people aged 12 or older had a methamphetamine disorder. 

 

Short-term Impact on Individuals

 

When taken, meth gives users a false sense of well-being and energy, causing individuals to push their bodies faster and further than it is meant to be pushed. Afterward, meth users can experience a severe “crash” or physical and mental breakdown once the effects of the drugs wear off. The effects of long-term meth use can be detrimental to a person’s overall health and livelihood. 

 

With continued use of the drug, individuals may experience a decrease in the desire to eat, resulting in extreme weight loss. Other negative effects can also include:

 

  • Disturbed sleep patterns, including insomnia
  • Hyperactivity
  • Nausea
  • Delusions of power
  • Increased aggressiveness
  • Severe irritability
  • Confusion
  • Auditory and visual hallucinations
  • Anxiety
  • Panic and psychosis
  • Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature
  • Dilation of pupils
  • Convulsions, seizures

 

Long-term Impact on Individuals

 

For those who use meth long term, they can experience irreversible harm to their body and mind that may include:

 

  • Addiction
  • Liver, kidney, and lung damage
  • Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death
  • Respiratory (breathing) problems if smoked
  • Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
  • Malnutrition
  • Severe dental problems (also known as meth mouth)
  • Intense itching, leading to skin sores from constant scratching
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Changes in brain structure and brain function
  • Severe memory loss and confusion
  • Violent and unstable behavior
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations

 

How Do People Use Meth? 

 

Crystal meth can be snorted, smoked, eaten, or injected. It can be a powder that can be made into a pill or a crystallized rock. The powder can be eaten or snorted. When mixed with a liquid, meth can be injected intravenously. Crystal meth can also be smoked using a small glass pipe. 

 

Due to the “high” of the drug fading quickly, people often take repeated doses in what is known as a “binge and crash” pattern. In some cases, individuals who use meth have been known to give up necessary things like food and sleep, as they continuously attempt to take the drug every few hours for several days.

 

The Dangerous Effects

 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that continued methamphetamine use can cause changes in the brain’s dopamine system that have been associated with reduced coordination and impaired verbal learning. Studies have shown that long-term use causes severe changes affecting areas of the brain that directly affect emotion and memory. This would explain why individuals who use meth struggle with emotional and cognitive behaviors. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that those who once used meth have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease which is a disorder of the nerves that affects a person’s movement. 

 

What Treatment is Available?

 

The most effective treatment for methamphetamine addiction is behavioral therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as contingency management intervention. Individuals struggling with a meth addiction can benefit from a 16-week comprehensive behavioral treatment approach that strives to combine behavioral therapy, family education, 1:1 counseling, 12-step meetings, drug testing, and a strong support system that encourages a healthy lifestyle. Contingency management interventions help to provide tangible incentives in exchange for participating in treatment while living a clean, sober lifestyle. Motivational Incentives for Enhancing Drug Abuse Recovery (MIEDAR) is an incentive-based method that promotes abstinence from cocaine and methamphetamine. It has been shown to have positive outcomes for methamphetamine users through NIDA’s National Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. 

 

Although individuals in treatment have received medications to help treat their substance use disorder, there are currently no medications that counteract the specific effects of methamphetamine or that help to eliminate the desire to misuse the substance. 

 

Methamphetamine use continues to ravage our communities, taking control of individuals and ruining their families and lives. Individuals who become addicted to meth showed both short-term and long-term effects. Some short-term effects can include increased heart rate, delusions, and irregular sleep patterns while the long-term effects of continued meth use can include addiction, destruction of an individual’s overall health, as well as serious mental health issues such as depression and schizophrenia. The longer someone takes meth, the higher dosage they will need, and the more severe their dependency will be. Withdrawal symptoms can be managed through a medical detox regime that can be provided in a comprehensive treatment program. Although there are no medications designed specifically to treat meth addiction, there are certain medications that can help ease a person’s symptoms of withdrawal. Don’t wait any longer. Reach out to Achieve Concierge today to start your recovery journey. Call us today at (858) 221-0344.

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5 Things You Should Know About Depression

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Depression is an extremely serious but treatable illness. It has no specific gender, age, or ethnicity that it chooses to overtake – it truly can happen to anyone at any point in their life. Unfortunately, there is a plethora of misinformation, myths, and stigmas that continue to be barriers to those who desperately need help. These negative outlooks act as a barrier to those needing treatment, leaving many that need help alienated and untreated. For some, untreated depression can lead to severe outcomes such as self-harm or suicide. It is important to understand the facts about depression to help those living with it, as it can help to save their life. Here are multiple things everyone should know about depression and depressive disorders. 

There’s Not Always an Exact Reason

 

Sometimes people can become depressed because of a particular reason such as the death of a loved one or maybe they lost their job-but with clinical depression, there is not necessarily a pinpointed reason why someone may feel the way they do. Chemicals in our brain are responsible for how we feel and how we can control our moods. At times, those chemicals become off-balance which causes us to feel completely awful even if everything in our life is going magnificent. 

There Can Be More Than One Contributing Factor

 

You know the old saying “one size fits all”? Well, the opposite stands true for those with depression. There are so many factors that can contribute to a person’s depression including underlying genetic tendencies towards the condition, as well as environmental factors that can act as a trigger. If your family has a history of depression, this can increase a person’s risk of depression which suggests that genetics play a huge role. If you are someone who struggles with a substance use disorder, you will have a higher chance of depression. Additional factors linked to depression include brain chemistry imbalances, hormones, seasonal changes, stress, and trauma. 

 

  • Brain Chemistry Imbalance. Depression has been linked to an imbalance in the neurotransmitters that directly impact mood regulation. This can include dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric (GABA). The theory is that having too much or too little of these can cause or at least contribute to depression. 
  • Hormones. When a person experiences any flux in the production of hormones such as pregnancy (during or after), menstrual cycle, menopause, or those with thyroid issues, they could experience symptoms of depression.
  • Seasonal Changes. Many people feel waves of sadness and develop depression with the change of season. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and affects about 1-2% of the population. 
  • Stress and Trauma. The loss of a loved one, trauma, abuse or chronic stress – even big life changes can trigger depression. Studies have shown that women who were physically or sexually abused as children, experienced extreme stress responses possibly due to the higher levels of stress hormones adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol.

It’s More Than Being Sad

 

We have all experienced being sad in our life, but depression is an illness that goes deeper than the base feeling of sadness, which is why those struggling, can’t just get over it. Here are some telltale signs that your sadness has turned into depression:

 

  • Dramatic changes in appetite, weight gain, or weight loss
  • Irregular sleep patterns
  • Extreme feelings of anxiety or helplessness
  • Feeling irritable and restless
  • A constant feeling of sadness that can make you feel empty and alone
  • Physical symptoms that can include body aches, stomach cramps, or headaches
  • Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Feelings of fatigue
  • Trouble concentrating, experiences with memory loss, and an inability to make decisions

Children Can Be Depressed

 

A common misconception that exists is that all childhoods are filled with joy and happiness. The reality is that some children experience trauma and are consumed with ongoing stress. The stresses that children face are not always those that adults may face, but they can cause serious harm to a child’s overall mood and behavior. Childhood can bring on its own set of stresses that can include bullying, pressures for academic success, and peer acceptance. Examples of behaviors often seen in children with depression can include:

 

  • Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or irritability
  • Refusing to engage in activities they once loved
  • Changes in their sleep and eating patterns
  • Loss of energy
  • Having a hard time paying attention
  • Feeling worthless, or useless
  • Engaging in self-injury and self-destructive behavior

Depression Is an Illness

Depression is a real illness that can affect the strongest person you know. When someone suffers from depression they are not weak nor should they be criticized in any way. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and ranks among the top 3 workplace issues. Current research shows that depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults in any given year. 

 

Feeling sad is a normal emotion that everyone has experienced throughout their lifetime. When someone is depressed it goes beyond being sad. The ability to “snap out of it” is not possible, nor can they just get over it. Depression affects over 18 million adults in any given year and is the primary reason individuals commit suicide. Eliminating misinformation and stigmas surrounding depression is necessary to help those struggling and for them to seek the professional treatment they need. Educating yourself and those around you regarding depression is a great way to help you support your loved ones struggling with any mental health disorder. If you are looking to gain additional knowledge regarding depression, reach out to Achieve Concierge today. We want to help break stigmas and provide for those battling mental health disorders. Reach out to us today to help yourself and others. Call us at (858) 221-0344.

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What is Ketamine Treatment?

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For anyone battling a mental health disorder, it can be challenging to find an effective treatment plan that not only provides you long-lasting relief but doesn’t also come with unwanted side effects. Effective treatment isn’t always traditional antidepressants and therapy. Sometimes these methods don’t work well for all patients. That is why it is crucial for healthcare providers to continue seeking innovative, evidence-based treatment options that are proven to help individuals. 

Ketamine Infusion Therapy 101

 

For several decades, continued research has shown that ketamine included antidepressive properties. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of ketamine for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia as it is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, antagonist.  It induces dissociative anesthesia, providing patients with pain relief, sedation, and amnesia. 

It’s also a medication with fast-acting antidepressant properties that mental health experts have been studying with deep interest for over 20 years.

Ketamine infusion therapy has been incorporated into some treatment plans to help with psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as acute suicidal ideation. It is also being used for post-operative and chronic pain management. It can involve the administration of a single infusion or a series of infusions and is usually administered by IV, which can have effects lasting for anywhere from days to weeks. Although ketamine is not considered a first-line therapy to treat chronic pain or mental health disorders, studies have shown that it can be used off-label to treat patients with severe cases of depression, bipolar, and PTSD who have not responded to more conventional medications or therapies. Because of its fast-acting, lasting relief, ketamine has been labeled the most important breakthrough in the treatment of depression. 

Fast-Acting Relief

 

As mentioned above, ketamine infusions have the advantage of providing patients with quick relief, oftentimes within hours. For those struggling with depression, or those who have not been able to find relief using other therapy methods, ketamine infusions have been able to bring them the relief they have been desperately seeking.

How Does it Work?

 

Researchers are still trying to pinpoint the mechanisms that provide the powerful effects, but they do know that ketamine helps to stimulate a rapid increase in glutamate. Glutamate is the main neurotransmitter that helps to encourage growth in a person’s brain. It strengthens and restores vital neural connections and pathways in regions in the brain that are impaired by depression. These new connections help to promote beneficial changes in brain circuit function. 

Relief for Veterans

 

In addition to helping those with debilitating depression, ketamine has also been shown to help ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that many veterans experience. 

According to a recent article published in 2019, 30 US military veterans with PTSD participated in an observational study and underwent six one-hour ketamine infusions. The reason for this study was to discover whether ketamine could be treated to assist those with PTSD. Each participant was given a starting dose of 1mg of body weight that was adjusted afterward based on their experiences. Researchers aimed to create a psychotherapeutic response that would help the patient to experience the optimum transpersonal and transformative experience. Infusions continued to be administered over a two to three-week period of time.

Although not all participants benefited from the study, those who did showed a significant decrease of symptoms at a 50% reduction. Researchers concluded that because ketamine infusion therapy induced a transpersonal dissociative experience, this is a valuable tool to help treat combat-related PTSD. Patients reported that the ability to change their belief system or “reset” their thought patterns allowed them to transform their perspective regarding their traumatic experience. 

High Rate of Success

 

Although ketamine infusion therapy is still being studied, research does show that it has a high rate of success when it comes to treating patients with persistent depression. With an excellent efficacy rate, ketamine infusion therapy has shown to benefit so many people who have not been able to achieve lasting relief through traditional medical solutions. 

How Safe is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?

 

Although recent studies have shown ketamine infusion therapy to be a success for some individuals, mental health experts advise caution when using ketamine as a means of effective therapy. This is due in part because there is not enough information regarding the potentially negative consequences. 

 

If you lined up 10 people with the same mental health disorder, chances are each one of them will disclose to you their own unique and individualized symptoms. Mental health is not a one-size-fits-all, and therefore effective treatment can’t be either. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that in 2019, 51.5 million adults in the United States experienced some form of mental illness. Approximately two in three people who suffer from major depression reported achieving lasting symptom remission through traditional forms of medications and therapy; one in three reported finding no relief. It doesn’t matter how small of a stat that may appear, no one should have to live in pain, whether it be psychological or physical. The mental health field continues to seek innovative, and evidence-based treatment for anyone struggling. Reach out to Achieve Concierge to learn more about ketamine infusion therapy. Call us today at  (858) 221-0344.

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Setting Boundaries in Recovery

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Healthy boundaries are essential to keeping your mental health in check. If you’re in recovery, it is especially important for you to learn to set healthy boundaries to help you understand your inherent value and the value of your healing process. This can present a challenge for people in recovery, as healthy boundaries tend to take a backseat to other priorities throughout your struggle with addiction. Learning to set healthy boundaries is a fundamental part of a balanced recovery. What does a healthy boundary look like?

What Are Healthy Boundaries?

Boundaries are physical, mental, and emotional limits that people set for themselves to protect their overall well-being. These limits can help you define who you are while also letting others know how you expect to be treated. Healthy boundaries keep us safe from being manipulated or exploited. They help us populate our lives with people who are supportive and respectful. Setting healthy boundaries can give your recovery the chance to progress and flourish.

Boundaries apply to more than just your romantic relationships. It’s important to have healthy boundaries with every person in your life: your children, friends, parents, colleagues, and most of all, yourself. In recovery, having healthy boundaries with yourself can help you regulate your relationship with the person you wish to become. For example, healthy boundaries can cultivate self-discipline, which allows you to practice appropriate behavior, mental and emotional regulation, and impulse control. Setting healthy boundaries for yourself can enable you to follow through on commitments that you make to your highest priorities.

What Makes for a Healthy Boundary?

The purpose of healthy boundaries is to create respect, both from yourself and others. Self-respect is key to a successful recovery. Setting boundaries that generate that respect can help you internalize your worth. You can learn to love and appreciate yourself and invest in your well-being. Some examples of healthy boundaries include:

  • Thoughtfully evaluating how your interpersonal relationships affect your recovery
  • Maintaining your own identity in a relationship
  • Clearly and respectfully expressing your needs
  • Maintaining personal beliefs and values despite what others may think
  • Treating yourself with respect
  • Building relationships that are built on trust and kindness
  • Loving and accepting yourself

Why Do We Create Unhealthy Boundaries?

Many people in recovery have had an especially hard time setting boundaries with themselves and others. This issue can go as far back as childhood. Children raised by neglectful parents who fail to model healthy emotional relationships are more likely to lack understanding of the value of healthy boundaries as an adult. On the other end of the spectrum, kids who grow up with strict parents are at risk of becoming overly dependent on others, leading to codependency issues. Examples of unhealthy boundaries can include:

  • Impulsive behavior, especially within relationships
  • Beginning relationships that are toxic for your recovery
  • Self-doubting or belittling yourself
  • Ignoring personal values to please or gain acceptance from other people
  • Belittling others
  • Lack of trust in others
  • Forcing personal beliefs on others
  • Allowing others to tell you who you should and shouldn’t be
  • Making excuses for others who treat you poorly.

Enforcing Healthy Boundaries

Many people set healthy boundaries for themselves and then fail to enforce them. It is equally important to enforce your boundaries as it is to set them; otherwise, they’ll amount to nothing more than a well-intentioned piece of paper. Follow these steps to begin establishing and enforcing healthy boundaries for yourself:

  1. Know Your Worth. You have the right to your own thoughts, emotions, values, and beliefs. You have the right to express yourself and to let others know how you would like to be treated.
  2. Identify Sobriety Risk Factors. Write down everything that can jeopardize your sobriety. This can include anything from people, places, and sensations to abstract memories. Be honest and thorough.
  3. Set Your Boundaries. Once you identify your risk factors, write down your boundaries. Use specific language, such as “I need to cut all ties with …” or “I will not go to this store because it triggers me to buy alcohol.”
  4. Enforce Your Boundaries. Enforcing your boundaries takes honesty, commitment, and patience. If you feel yourself slipping, take action.
  5. Remain Accountable. Reach out to your sponsor, family members, or support groups to hold yourself accountable. Your support groups are there for this purpose, so don’t ever think that you are bothering them or that they don’t have time for you. If your support groups start to make you feel this way, it’s time to find a new, healthier group of peers.
  6. Respect the Boundaries of Others. Just as your boundaries should be respected, make sure to respect other people’s boundaries.

Remember that setting healthy boundaries in recovery is not selfish. Healthy boundaries are vital to your emotional and mental health, your sense of self-worth, and your long-term recovery.

Setting healthy boundaries for yourself is vital to the success of your recovery. Although at times it may feel like you are being selfish for setting boundaries, it’s never your duty to sacrifice your self-worth or self-respect for the priorities of others. Setting healthy boundaries can let others know that your beliefs and needs are important to you. Investing in your self-esteem this way can help keep you on track to practice positive behaviors, combat impulsivity, and follow through on your commitments, all of which are beneficial to a balanced recovery. If you or a loved one are struggling with establishing healthy boundaries and overcoming addiction, reach out to Achieve Concierge today. Our dynamic team is dedicated to helping individuals with their recovery journey. Gain the irreplaceable value of self-respect and move forward in sobriety. Your success is our mission. Call Achieve Concierge today at (858) 221-0344 to make a real change.