What To Do When An Addicted Loved One Refuses Help


Helping a loved one suffering from addiction is not an easy path. From substance abuse to gambling and lack of self-worth, one typically loses control of their actions and mindset as to what is healthy and what is destructive. This often leads to loved ones feeling frustrated and without hope. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs.†Because of this, those suffering may refuse help when offered. However, facilities like drug rehabs or an addiction treatment center can provide the necessary tools and assistance to get your loved one the help they need.

But what can you do if your loved one is refusing addiction treatment? For many, the future seems bleak and options are limited. This isn’t, however, the case. Hope still exists and there are concerned professionals who want to help. Not just your loved one, but you as well through the process of recovery.

Don’t Do It Alone

Denial is a powerful weapon for someone suffering from addiction. It fuels a fire within them which states nothing is wrong and they don’t need help. Gathering other family members and friends towards the goal of helping them, however, is a powerful tool.

In addition, according to the NIDA, “There are over 14,500 specialized substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States providing a variety of care options, including counseling, behavioral therapy, medication, case management, and other forms of care.†Seeking advice and help from professionals is also healthy, for you and your loved one. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it be from other family members or even co-workers. Many have faced similar struggles and are willing to stand by your side.

Research Addiction Treatment

Understanding an addiction leads to compassion and the ability to communicate while helping prevent things like enabling. It’s common for those who have never faced an addiction to perceive overcoming addiction as a mind over matter issue. Studies over the years, however, have shown how brain waves and pathways from substance abuse are changed over time. Sometimes recovery involves medicine, while other times it can be treated with experiential therapy. Learning about these various options available and the root causes of addiction will help guide you in the right direction towards getting your loved one in a drug rehab facility which is right for them.

Establish an Open-Line of Communication

Establishing a proper line of communication is imperative. A common reaction to dealing with an addict is to shut down or show tough love through silence. While someone suffering from addiction may not listen to what you have to say, knowing they can talk to someone is extremely important. This will also help with their recovery while in addiction treatment, and once out too.

Relapsing is a very real concept. According to NIDA, “The relapse rate for substance use disorders is estimated to be between 40% and 60%. This rate is similar to rates of relapse for other chronic diseases such as hypertension or asthma.†Being able to communicate, and be comfortable doing so, will help towards preventing a relapse from occurring.

Maintain Your Health

Much like the health of your loved one suffering from addiction is a top priority, so is your health as well. Living with or trying to help an addict can affect your own health through lack of sleep, poor eating habits, stress, and much more. Boundaries are essential.

Don’t be afraid to talk to a professional regarding where to draw the line regarding your own mental and physical health. As the line can often become blurry when dealing with someone who’s suffering from substance abuse.

Seek Help from Addiction Treatment and Drug Rehab Professionals

Modern medicine has come a long way in the last few decades. This is especially true regarding substance abuse recovery. Long gone are the days of forced labor and demeaning a person towards recovery. The 12-step program, along with treatment from a psychologist and psychiatrists has become proven methods.

But it’s also been shown that treatments like music therapy, Muay Thai training, salt water, and group therapies, in addition to these proven methods, create an environment conclusive towards a healthy recovery. Discover what addiction treatment options are available, and which ones will fit the needs of your loved one suffering from addiction. In working together, your loved one suffering from addiction can get the help they need and deserve. Contact us today!

Link Between Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse


Eating disorders and substance abuse are a common phenomenon that co-exists and fuel each other.  The occurrence of these two issues is significant among young women in particular.  Several risk factors may predispose certain people to develop these two disorders and some of those risk factors are genetic. However, several variables must be considered that may cover everything from social issues, self-esteem and family history.

Risk Factors

Both substance abuse and eating disorders have shared risk factors that should be looked at.  Wide and varied factors play a role in the prevalence of this disorder. Research has linked both of these disorders to brain chemistry and family history. Other shared characteristics or risk factors include low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and social pressures. These are all common experiences for young people and teens. These are also factors that may coincide with suicidal thoughts, compulsive behavior, and social isolation. The predisposition for these disorders is more prevalent among young women and girls.

The Mechanics and Co-occurrence of Both Disorders

As females enter puberty body image issues often emerge. These issues often cause young girls to do things to alter their body image in unhealthy ways. This often shows up in the form of either anorexia or bulimia. These are the two most common eating disorders that often coincide with substance abuse. The predisposition to developing these disorders is greatly increased based on family history and other issues like low-self-esteem. These disorders are often further compounded by a family history of struggle with these two disorders and social pressures that are part of growing up. In fact, most p[eople that struggle with eating disorders are fifty percent more likely to engage in substance abuse. Conversely, thirty-five percent of individuals that have substance abuse problems either struggle or have struggled with eating disorders.  Both of these statistics reveal that people who suffer from substance abuse issues and eating disorders have a much higher tendency towards these disorders than the general population.

The Symbiosis Between Anorexia and Bulimia and Substance Abuse

Anorexia and Bulimia are the two most common eating disorders linked to female substance abuse. An even more revealing look uncovers a link between these two disorders and the abuse of specific substances. it is not uncommon for an eating disorder to develop followed by a substance abuse problem. This is easily explained by noticing the prevalence of eating disorder followed by the abuse of substances like emetics, laxatives, and diuretics. The desire to control body image often leads a person to abuse these types of substances as a way of gaining greater control. However, there are circumstances where substance abuse and eating disorders may begin at the same time and the substance may have little to do with the eating disorder. Instead, the substance may be a coping mechanism used to drown out unpleasant feelings. In situations like these, people who struggle with both of these disorders often choose alcohol, amphetamines, heroin, and cocaine.

A Move Toward Treatment and Healing

As with any issue, early intervention is always preferred. Even though this doesn’t always happen, it’s still possible to overcome both of these disorders.  However, dealing with both of these issues does require treatment that will effectively address both at the same time. This is why Women Addiction treatment must include a plan that focuses on both disorders and the way these two disorders co-exist. This can be tricky because most treatment centers that deal with eating disorders have programs to help with OTC drug abuse but few adequately handle or address medical detoxification. Often this is a need for many patients as well. Fortunately, the link between these two disorders has gained a lot more awareness and many treatment centers are moving towards programs designed to adequately treat these two disorders.

Although many people of all ages struggle with both eating disorders and substance abuse issues, these two disorders are more prevalent among young women and girls. Addressing these issues in an effective way requires an in-depth understanding or all the risk factors and how they come together when both of these disorders are present. Effective treatment is dependent on a focus that doesn’t rest on one disorder but explores both independently and collectively. Contact us today for further help!

The Benefits of Exercise in Recovery


As your body is adjusting and realigning itself to a life without drugs and/or alcohol, it is undergoing a wide array of changes. These changes, while they are positive in the long run, may seem overwhelming and unbearable in the meantime. Following addiction treatment and entering into recovery, it is normal to experience increased feelings of stress, have difficulty sleeping, have reduced energy and experience an array of anxious moods and depression.

Addiction completely changes your body chemistry and once your body is free from these substances, you may be extra sensitive to life and its stressors. The good news is you can bring on the positivity with exercise. It has been shown that exercise in recovery has numerous benefits, including increased energy and improved mood. Whether you have recently completed addiction treatment or you have been in recovery for years, here are just a few of the benefits you can reap with exercise.

Stress Reduction

Unfortunately, stress, which is often one of the reasons for crossing the line into substance abuse, is also one of the effects of recovery. However, the relief from stress from using becomes more allusive and never really goes away, the good news is that during recovery it will fade and eventually go away. Stress is something many people deal with and fortunately, exercise in recovery is a great way to relieve stress. During exercise, there are chemicals that are released from the brain that work to combat stress, so developing a healthy routine of exercise in recovery will go a long way in helping recovering individuals return to a place of balance and calmness.

Sleep Better

Issues with getting a good night’s sleep are common, especially in early recovery. Regardless of the substance of choice, a stimulant or a depressant, stopping these substances can affect sleep. Difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep or wanting to nap in the middle of the day may result, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish. While non-habit forming products may help slightly; an even more natural and better remedy is exercise. Regular exercise is extremely beneficial in improving sleep, both the number of hours you sleep and the quality of sleep you get. Therefore, as your sleep improves, so will your wakefulness. Those who sleep more sound generally report feeling more alert and able to tackle the demands of everyday life.

Increased Energy

A common saying in many recover circles is “You have to give it away to keep itâ€-expending energy in the form of exercise isn’t any different. In other words, to get energy, you must give it. During exercise, the blood is pushed more aggressively to and through the heart, and your oxygen levels increase within your body. With regular exercise, the boost in your oxygen levels will significantly improve your overall energy. As your body becomes fitter, both physically and cardiovascular, the activities of daily living will become much easier to perform. You will notice that tasks are more efficiently completely and will require less energy. Incorporating an early routine of exercise in recovery can go a long way in helping those new to being clean and sober. It helps manage the demands of daily life.

 Improved Mood

Mood changes may frequently occur during the addiction treatment process. Even following detoxification, mood changes may fluctuate, especially during early recovery. It isn’t uncommon to feel on top of the world one minute and disheartened and lost the next minute. Your body is adjusting to life with the substance of choice and these changes in feels are absolutely normal. So, how can exercise help to improve the mood of those in recovery? Your mood is improved with the release of endorphins, which are a chemical that is released by your body during exercise. One commonality between substance abuse and exercise is that your body is seeking a way to produce certain feelings, such as euphoria. The good news is exercise produces endorphins that produce positive feelings, such as happiness and euphoria, but they are being released in a safe, beneficial way.

Reduces Cravings

Cravings are a mental and physical urge and compulsion to use drugs or alcohol. Cravings are a known hallmark of addiction, and they are typically the strongest during the first few months of being abstinent. Fortunately, cravings do decrease in intensity over time and the longer you are in recovery, the less you will experience cravings. Research has shown that exercise is a great way to reduce cravings as well as the substance abuse associated with the cravings. One of the theories as to why exercise is beneficial at reducing cravings is that routine exercise decreases the protein levels in the brain that are associated with drug cravings. Another theory is that the “feel good†endorphins that are released during exercise produce a similar effect to drinking or using drugs. Regardless of the reasons, exercise has been proven to be extremely beneficial in reducing cravings and the drug-induced behaviors they generally precede.

One of the best benefits of exercise during recovery is that it helps to boost your confidence. While exercising, you are doing something good for you…it doesn’t matter how fast you run, how many miles you walked or how many pounds you are able to bench. Instead, exercise provides you with a sense of self-confidence through the mere fact that you have overcome addiction treatment and now in recovery and that you have the desire to exercise regularly. So, basically, it’s not the quality of your performance, it’s what you are doing to improve your self-image.

When paving the pathway to your success for recovery, there are many beneficial activities that you can do. Exercise happens to be one. At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we can help you discover activities to help you succeed in recovery. Contact us today to speak to a professional about getting help.