How Healthcare Workers Balance Work and Home Responsibilities During the Holidays

Work and home responsibilities often feel more overwhelming during the holidays, when many people feel constantly on the go. Healthcare workers are at a higher risk of experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion and burnout during the holidays unless they prioritize self-care. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create a healthy balance between personal and professional responsibilities during busy times of the year, including the holidays. 

The Need for a Balance Between Work and Home Responsibilities

Healthcare professionals must find a healthy balance between work and home responsibilities to reduce their risk of burnout or mental health issues. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “The primary concern for burnout is not being able to emotionally take care of each patient individually or uniquely.” During the holidays, when staff often feel the most emotionally drained, clients frequently experience more challenges. Addressing the risk of healthcare worker burnout ensures clients receive appropriate care. 

Creating a work-life balance involves doing the following: 

• Setting specific times for work hours and personal time 
• Focusing on time-intensive and high-priority tasks first 
• Openly communicating needs and concerns with supervisors and family members 
• Using time management tools, including apps and calendars, to track responsibilities 
• Taking regular breaks 
• Setting realistic personal and professional goals

The more steps a person takes to separate work from their home life, the easier it is to create a sense of balance. Healthcare workers frequently face workplace stress, and the holidays cause additional stress in their home lives. If left unaddressed, the combination of pressures may interfere with a person’s ability to function. 

Maintaining Healthy Boundaries With Supervisors and Coworkers

Boundaries at work allow people to say “no” if they are asked to work additional hours or perform tasks that might negatively impact their mental and physical health. The holidays involve shopping for gifts, preparing meals, connecting with distant relatives, and other time-intensive activities. Healthcare workers must allow themselves to take the time they need to do these tasks without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Setting clear boundaries reduces stress and will enable professionals to enjoy their holiday plans while remaining productive at work. 

How Work and Home Responsibilities Can Affect Mental Health

Some of the ways work and home responsibilities impact mental health during the holidays include: 

• Higher caseloads, holiday staff shortages, and increased hours increase workplace demands
• Long and irregular hours reduce time spent with family 
• Holidays often intensify emotional reactions to client discomfort and pain
• Missing family traditions or events may lead to guilt, stress, and resentment 
• Reduced access to support networks due to traveling or other holiday plans

Healthcare workers can take steps to protect their emotional wellness by preparing for these potential challenges before the holidays arrive. Informing loved ones of possible shifts in work hours, completing holiday shopping in advance, and doing other things to lower stress around the holidays can help healthcare workers maintain emotional stability. 

Avoiding Unnecessary Tasks

The holiday season is full of personal and professional tasks people must complete to meet their goals. Avoiding unnecessary tasks can give people additional time to complete other things they must do at home or work. 

Some examples of unnecessary tasks people can delegate to others or avoid entirely include: 

• Household deep cleaning to impress family or neighbors
• Last-minute shopping trips 
• Overly complex or extensive holiday decorations 
• Personally preparing every dish for a holiday meal
• Sending personalized holiday cards to friends and family 
• Attending all social events 
• Responding to nonemergency work calls during time off.

Professionals significantly minimize holiday stress and anxiety by reducing home and work responsibilities. 

Spending Time With Loved Ones During the Holidays

Social engagement is essential to positive mental health. Professionals are less likely to feel burnt out if they spend time with loved ones during the holidays, making new memories and enjoying the company of the people they care about most. According to Plos One, “[S]ocial connectedness protects and promotes mental and physical health.” Driftwood Recovery ensures staff members have the time to disconnect from work and spend time with their loved ones. 

Practical Ways to Avoid Burnout From Work and Home Stress

Staff with mental health disorders have an increased risk of developing more severe symptoms during periods of heightened stress. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “64 percent of individuals living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays.” Prioritizing self-care and taking the time to reenergize each week helps healthcare professionals avoid burnout from the combination of work and home stressors. Using self-care to address symptoms and lower stress levels can help healthcare workers with mental health disorders experience fewer side effects during the holidays. Driftwood Recovery supports staff experiencing additional stress during the holidays, ensuring they have the resources to create effective work-life boundaries. 

Balancing work and home responsibilities is difficult for healthcare workers during the holiday season. Some individuals may have large family get-togethers or mandatory work events interfering with their ability to remain productive while connecting with loved ones over the holidays. Workplace stress may also interfere with personal relationships unless people establish firm boundaries between their work and home life. Driftwood Recovery supports employees’ mental health by encouraging staff members to create strict limits that set apart their personal and professional responsibilities during the holidays. Management has an open-door policy and is always available to help staff cope with stressors. To learn more about our workplace culture or treatment programs, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

It’s clear to see how supportive housing and other community integration programs have made a real difference in the lives of clients recovering from addiction and substance abuse. In the past, finishing treatment was considered the end of the recovery journey. However, this often left vulnerable alumni without support. Without this support, many were prone to depression, anxiety, and relapse. 

To prevent this outcome for their alumni, many mental health care and addiction treatment facilities began to utilize what is known as supportive housing. With this safety net in place, clients and alumni can practice their coping skills in a supportive environment with the help of professionals. Driftwood Recovery is no different with its supportive housing program. With a secure place to live and continued peer support, it gives alumni the training they need to succeed. 

Most people are unsure of what happens in supportive housing. For many, it might seem like a vacation from an outsider’s perspective. But in reality, it’s an essential treatment tool that makes a clear difference in the lives of those in recovery.

What Happens in Supportive Housing?

For most, supportive housing is just like being in a home. How big this housing is or how many people are there varies. For Driftwood Recovery, clients utilize an actual house with shared bedrooms. Clients share common spaces with other clients in a situation akin to having roommates in a dorm or an apartment. They are expected to perform normal household chores to keep their spaces neat and healthy. Overall, it’s just like being in a home.

However, clients are still in treatment and will participate in therapeutic activities throughout the day. Though not as intense as residential treatment, those in supportive housing will still meet with mental health and medical professionals. Individual therapy, group therapy, craving management, and relapse prevention are all important activities in supportive housing. 

Clients in supportive housing are not prisoners. Though some may be recommended to stay close to professionals based on their current health, all residents are free to leave the premises. It’s not uncommon for residents in supportive housing to go on day trips or accomplish simple tasks such as shopping. All of these are considered training for life outside of treatment. 

Why Is Supportive Housing So Successful?

As a program, supportive housing is a vital tool in preventing relapses and preparing clients for normal life. Simply telling an alumnus that they are done with treatment doesn’t prepare them for the immediate turmoil of normal life. Alumni have to resist a large amount of pressure to use once more and may not have a loving familial support network to take them in post-treatment. For many, they worry that they aren’t strong enough to deal with normal life without the safety net of treatment. 

Supportive housing solves these issues by giving clients training wheels for normal life. Clients in supportive housing still perform home chores and duties, but they can also go to work or school. Learning how to balance these duties on top of preserving your sobriety cannot simply be taught. It must be experienced, and the client must have opportunities to practice what they have learned in real-world situations. It’s much safer for a client to have supportive housing to return to after a particularly hard day than to be alone and risk a relapse. Having access to peer support who can keep each other accountable is also a perk of supportive housing, allowing clients to keep each other on track.

Some addictions carry lasting scars and require medical intervention for a successful recovery. Drugs such as alcohol and opioids will cause strong cravings for months to even years after detox. Knowing how to handle these cravings or any medical issues resulting from an addiction takes time and oversight. Having medical personnel available as part of supportive housing trains clients on how to care for themselves on their own. Eventually, clients leave supportive housing as strong and capable people.

The Driftwood Recovery Approach

Supportive housing is just one of many essential treatment programs featured at Driftwood Recovery. We believe that our clients are capable of great things if allowed to thrive. As a result, clients using our supportive housing program do so knowing that they will be cared for. With a focus on safety and security, clients can utilize supportive housing while maintaining their privacy. Our supportive housing buildings are simply normal houses with professionals at the ready. An average person looking at a supportive housing building would never be able to tell that it’s anything other than a simple house that people live in. Clients come and go easily with little fuss, perfect for clients who wish to recover without scrutiny.

Those utilizing Driftwood Recovery’s supportive housing program also enjoy access to continued compassionate and high-quality mental health care and addiction treatment. Clients recovering from addiction and any co-occurring disorders do so under the guidance of top professionals utilizing the latest in holistic, evidence-based treatments. Though not as intensive as a residential treatment program, supportive housing is designed to provide enough support to help you stay stable but allows you to practice what you know. With other supportive programs that help with work and school, clients get everything they need for a successful recovery.

Supportive housing, in the end, is a stepping stone. It allows clients to get a feeling for life in recovery and prepares them for common pitfalls they may encounter. With supportive housing, however, clients don’t just gain support. They gain a community that will be there for them every step of the way for the rest of their lives. 

Those who have completed or are currently in addiction treatment have learned the skills needed to remain in recovery. However, jumping right back into previous obligations can make a client feel apprehensive or even frightened. To ease this transition back into normal life, Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, offers a supportive housing program. This program involves clients living in housing created by Driftwood Recovery while they finish treatment. Supportive housing allows clients to practice the skills learned in treatment in a real environment while being safely monitored and helped by medical and mental health care professionals. To learn more about supportive housing at Driftwood Recovery, call (512) 759-8330 today.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 60% of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) will enter sustained recovery. Yet, many are expected to relapse before entering sustained recovery. Relapse has been a common feature of the recovery process. While many risk factors can contribute to relapse, unaddressed addiction triggers are often a significant root cause. Understanding addiction triggers is vital to fostering the tools needed for maintaining recovery.

When left unchecked, addiction triggers can disrupt your well-being. At Driftwood Recovery, we know that fostering healthy attachments through connection is vital to maintaining recovery. Through your alumni program, you can find a community that offers compassion, understanding, and guidance to overcome the challenges of addiction triggers. Moreover, with alumni, you are not left alone to figure out how to live in recovery.

Yet, what does it mean to have addiction triggers? Understanding what addiction triggers are can provide insight into how to manage your triggers for sustained recovery.

What are Addiction Triggers?

According to the VA, triggers are typically defined as external events or circumstances that can lead to uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms. These emotional or psychiatric symptoms can manifest as anxiety, panic, discouragement, depression, or even negative self-talk. While experiencing or reacting to triggers is not unusual, they can be detrimental when left to fester. Often, triggers are associated with disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, in PTSD, triggers can be images of violence, a sound, or even a smell that triggers a previous traumatic experience. 

Further, triggers are thought of as external stimuli that induce a reaction, but they can also be enacted internally. Beyond PTSD, triggers are also common in other mental health disorders and conditions like anxiety disorders and SUD. Although everyone experiences different triggers, understanding different types of trauma, like mental health triggers and addiction triggers, can provide insight into their impact on your well-being.

Understanding Mental Health Triggers

Mental health triggers and addiction triggers are often deeply intertwined with each other. Within mental health disorders alone, triggers can range from anxiety triggers to trauma or PTSD triggers. Mental health triggers can come from external or internal stimuli. Listed below are some of the ways mental health symptoms can be triggered externally or internally:

• External triggers
  • Senses: sounds, sights, smells, and textures
    • Arguing with a loved one or hearing people argue
    • Seeing news coverage of an accident
    • Smelling a loved one’s perfume after they have passed away
• Internal triggers
  • A memory, emotion, or sensation
    • Loneliness
    • Anxiety
    • Feeling overwhelmed
    • Anger
    • Pain

Whether external or internal, mental health triggers can impede your psychological and physical well-being. Some of the ways mental health triggers can impact you include:

• Anxiety triggers
  • Can bring up fear and worry that does not dissipate 
• Negative memories
  • You feel emotions like embarrassment, disappointment, or fear in similar situations
• Trauma
  • You are reminded of a traumatic experience that brings up difficult-to-manage emotions
• Interpersonal conflict
  • Interactions with people who remind you of past conflicts can trigger intense emotions
• Physical symptom triggers
  • Lack of sleep or difficulty sleeping can trigger mental health symptoms like bipolar disorder (BP) symptoms

When left unaddressed, triggers can exasperate mental health symptoms and make it difficult to manage those symptoms. Thus, maintaining recovery can be further complicated by addiction triggers.

Impact of Addiction Triggers on Relapse

Addiction triggers, in particular, are associated with an emotional, environmental, or social situation that reminds you of your past substance use. Similar to mental health triggers, addiction triggers can be broken into external and internal triggers:

• External triggers
  • Locations you associate with your past substance use
    • Bars
    • Clubs
    • Certain neighborhoods
    • Places or events where substances are readily available
  • Specific dates
    • Holidays
    • Birthdays
    • Anniversaries
    • Loss of a loved one
  • High-stress situations
    • Work stress
    • Unemployment
    • Financial insecurity
    • Housing instability
    • Relationship conflicts
• Internal triggers
  • Boredom and complacency
  • Difficult emotions and mental health challenges
    • Sadness
    • Depression 
    • Anxiety
    • Anger
  • Physical discomfort or pain

When triggers are ignored or unknown, it can increase cravings and your risk for addiction and mental health relapse. Being aware of your addiction triggers is an important step toward building long-term tools to process and manage triggers rather than succumbing to relapse.

Learning to Manage Addiction Triggers

Addiction triggers are a common feature in recovery, but they do not have to equal relapse. With support, you can learn how to identify and manage your addiction triggers to thrive in recovery. Listed below are some of the ways you can identify and manage your addiction triggers:

• Physical symptoms
  • Muscle tension 
  • Nervous feelings like butterflies in the stomach or a pounding heart
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
• Psychological symptoms
  • Remembering your past substance use, especially remembering it with fondness
  • Planning to get substances or use substances
  • Feeling a desire or need to use substances
• Engage in journaling to recognize triggers through self-reflection
• Keep track of your triggers
  • Note what or who caused the trigger and when and where the trigger occurred
• Learn to identify high-risk situations that can be triggering
• Practice mindfulness and other self-care tools
  • Meditation
  • Grounding techniques
  • Deep breathing
  • Physical activity
• Lean on your support network of peers and loved ones to talk through and process triggers

Remembering healthy coping tools in a moment of distress can feel daunting. However, the support of a strong alumni program can provide access to resources and guidance to confront and overcome triggers in your daily life.

Healing With Social Support at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know sustained recovery is made possible with the support of a strong and vibrant alumni program. With an active recovery community, you can find whole-person healing in the guidance, compassion, accountability, and encouragement those with shared experiences can offer. In our alumni program, you are reminded that recovery is not done alone but in tandem with a community that loves and uplifts you. Here at Driftwood Recovery, we provide a wealth of opportunities to connect with and heal with peers and your loved ones.

Unaddressed addiction triggers can contribute to mental health triggers and cravings that put you at risk for relapse. However, mental health and addiction-related triggers do not have to equal relapse. Greater awareness of triggers and how they impact your well-being can support lasting recovery. With support, you can deepen your understanding of yourself, properly identify your triggers, and build adaptive coping skills to manage triggers in your daily life. At Driftwood Recovery, we are committed to an attachment approach to healing and recovery with a vibrant alumni family to support a courageous life in recovery. Call us today at (512) 759-8330 to learn how your alumni community can support you. 

Many healthcare facilities treating substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health issues see a spike in clients during the holidays. The increased caseload has the potential to cause burnout and additional stress for healthcare workers unless they take steps to prioritize their mental and physical health. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create a healthy work-life balance and work as a team to address any increased client load during the holidays. 

What Causes an Increased Client Load During the Holidays?

Holiday social gatherings may lead some people to realize their need for help. In addition, families that may not connect throughout the year often meet for holidays. Sometimes, families take the opportunity to prompt loved ones to get help. The holidays also create a sense of fellowship in many communities, causing people to reach out to individuals struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues. 

Holiday plans may significantly reduce the number of healthcare workers available to take new cases. Time off for family vacations and traveling causes some departments to have fewer people available to keep up with increased client loads. Flexible scheduling and other solutions support staff without sacrificing the quality of client care. 

Interventions Are More Popular During the Holidays

Many people seek treatment during the holidays. Families often use the holidays as an opportunity to host interventions or urge loved ones to get the help they need to manage substance abuse and mental health disorders. Frequently, people go directly from the intervention location to a treatment center, causing a spike in potential clients for some healthcare facilities during the holidays. Intervention specialists may contact rehabilitation programs and facilitate the transfer of intervention clients on behalf of families. 

How Can Healthcare Workers Manage an Increased Client Load During the Holidays?

Clients may come all at once or as a steady stream of intakes. Healthcare professionals must find ways to manage the increased client load. Additional personal responsibilities during the holidays may make it more difficult for some professionals to focus at work. Combining additional responsibilities and more clients can stretch some people’s skills to breaking. Healthcare professionals need to plan for these moments and develop strategies to avoid emotional burnout during busy seasons. 

Some of the ways staff at rehabilitation programs manage a large influx of clients during the holidays include:

• Temporarily increasing staff or cross-training to fill empty spaces in schedules
• Implementing a more streamlined intake process to more quickly assess and treat new clients 
• Offering additional group therapy options to accommodate more individuals in treatment programs 
• Providing flexible scheduling 
• Offering telehealth services for individuals who do not require in-person care
• Partnering with private and community-based services 
• Consistently communicating with families to facilitate family engagement during the holidays 

Healthcare workers and supervisors can take many steps to improve the experience for clinicians and clients, reducing stress and increasing the effectiveness of treatment. 

Setting Realistic Expectations and Strict Work-Life Boundaries

Professionals must set realistic expectations with clients, coworkers, family members, and friends to avoid feeling pulled in multiple directions. The best way to do this is by being specific and considering all factors affecting their ability to achieve the goal. 

Clinicians treating SUD and mental health disorders often talk to clients about creating S.M.A.R.T. goals. Professionals can use the same principles to develop realistic expectations for work and home. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives is a good way to plan the steps to meet” short and long-term goals.

Making S.M.A.R.T. goals involves doing the following: 

• Clearly defining what you want to achieve by setting specific goals
• Identifying criteria for tracking progress 
• Setting attainable goals 
• Ensuring smaller goals align with larger objectives 

Structured and realistic goals set healthy expectations and increase the likelihood of success. 

Effectively Navigating an Increased Client Load Without Compromising Treatment Quality

Driftwood Recovery is a leading rehabilitation center with luxury accommodations and high-quality services. The clinical team maintains high standards and provides world-class treatment programs. Staff members learn to effectively navigate increases in client loads without compromising treatment quality or client engagement. Professionals use their support network to develop healthy strategies for remaining productive with a large workload. 

Practicing Self-Compassion and Self-Care

Healthcare professionals must treat themselves with grace and compassion to avoid feeling overworked and underappreciated. The holiday season is a difficult time for many people. Some professionals feel guilty for working longer hours and spending less time with family during the holiday rush. Practicing self-care and self-compassion can help healthcare professionals develop a more positive mindset. 

Clients and coworkers benefit when clinicians give themselves the time and space to reenergize each week. A few examples of self-care people use to manage higher stress levels at work include: 

• Spending time alone meditating or practicing mindfulness 
• Participating in hobbies or other enjoyable activities 
• Spending time with pets, loved ones, or social circles
• Setting clear boundaries 
• Getting quality sleep each night 
• Eating balanced, nutritious meals

Healthcare workers can provide exceptional care while maintaining positive mental health during the holidays. 

During the winter months, many treatment facilities get inundated with new clients, contact from potential clients and their families, and alumni needing additional support navigating their first holiday sober. The increase in workload significantly impacts the emotional and physical health of clinicians and support staff. Management at Driftwood Recovery encourages employees to develop a work-life balance and set boundaries to support their mental health during the holidays. Staff need to prioritize their own well-being to provide high-quality care to clients recovering from addiction or mental health disorders. To learn more about our facility and how we support staff members during the holidays, contact our office today by calling (512) 759-8330.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 46.3 million people meet the criteria for substance use disorder (SUD). However, of those 46.3 million, 20.9 million are recovering or in recovery. Therefore, understanding and supporting life in recovery is invaluable to helping people reintegrate into their lives and communities. Through continuing care found in an alumni program, resources and services like the value of therapy become apparent. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that ideas about recovery come with a complex set of predispositions and assumptions. Those predispositions and assumptions about recovery can impede your ability to reintegrate and build the courageous life in recovery you deserve. We are dedicated to providing education and guidance through connection and service to meet your physical, psychological, and sober needs to maintain recovery.

Yet, you may question how therapy can continue to support you in recovery. You already went through therapy in treatment, so what could therapy offer you now? Understanding how therapy functions can provide greater insight into the value of therapy for recovery.

Types of Therapy Offered During and Post-Treatment

Challenges with addiction are complex, and treatment needs to be tailored to meet the individual needs and experiences of each person. Thus, there are various therapy options utilized to support and treat a variety of challenges with addiction. As stated in Addiction Psychotherapeutic Care by Han Yue and Eduardo Pena, psychosocial interventions like therapy are crucial to addiction treatment. Through psychosocial interventions, a greater understanding of the social, environmental, and psychological factors that contribute to SUD is found. 

Listed below are some of the psychosocial interventions that can be utilized during and post-treatment:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectal behavior therapy (DBT)
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Family therapy

While everyone’s needs are different, the value of therapy can provide a foundation for healing and managing daily life. Despite the benefits of therapy experienced in treatment, many people avoid or see no value in therapy beyond treatment. 

The Why Behind Therapy Avoidance in Recovery

Awareness of the prevalence of mental health disorders among the general public has grown substantially. Greater awareness of mental health disorders is made clear in the growing number of people living with one or more mental health disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among adults in the U.S., 58.7 million are living with a mental health condition. Further, the CDC notes that another 14.6 million people are living with serious mental health conditions like major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. 

For those in recovery, post-treatment therapy is often recommended as a part of continuing care. Yet, many, including those in recovery, continue to have unmet mental health needs. Unmet mental health needs in recovery can stem from several factors, but avoidance is a common barrier to the value of therapy in recovery. Some of the reasons why you may avoid therapy in recovery include:

• Feeling certain that you have overcome all mental health challenges
• Believing the tools you learned in treatment alone can resolve any challenges you encounter
• You are convinced that you have too many responsibilities and obligations to go to therapy
• Feeling certain that additional treatment would not be helpful
• Post-treatment life can amplify reminders of mental health stigma

Avoiding therapy post-treatment can be detrimental to your well-being. Thus, expanding your awareness of the value of therapy can highlight the importance of continuing care in recovery.

Value of Therapy for Sustained Recovery

Many recognize the value of therapy in treatment due to the prevalence of co-occurring SUD and other mental health conditions. Yet, the value of therapy is often overlooked as an invaluable continuing care tool for sustained recovery. As noted in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, continuing care is an important component of a dynamic recovery process. Some of the ways continuing care tools support recovery include:

• Maintain abstinence 
• Relapse prevention
• Access to other support resources
• Linking community support 
• Address interrelated recovery challenges
  • Employment
  • Housing
  • Support network
  • Sober recreation
  • Meaningful and fun hobbies and activities
• Skill building
• Self-management
• Goal setting
• Identifying barriers to goals
• Methods for overcoming goal barriers
• Mental well-being

Therapy can be another continuing care component to support your life goals and long-term wellness. Listed below are some of the benefits therapy can offer in recovery:

• Provide education about addiction, relapse, and recovery
• Develop healthy coping and communication skills
• Build a support network
• Greater self-awareness and self-understanding
• Increase self-esteem, self-confidence, and motivation
• Improve sense of purpose and belonging
• Manage mental health symptoms
• Provide accountability

Looking at the value of therapy alone highlights continuing care as vital to recovery. Despite the value of therapy, individual avoidance or overconfidence are not the only barriers to therapy in recovery.

Addressing Barriers to the Value of Therapy

There are external barriers to therapy that attempt to impede your access to resources for sustained recovery. Some of the other barriers to resources like therapy you may encounter include:

• Stigma
  • Shame
  • Fear of judgment
• Concerns about confidentiality and trust
• Poor access to resources
  • Transportation
  • Geographical isolation
  • Financial insecurity
  • Structural inequalities
    • Sex and gender identity
    • Race and ethnicity
• Lack of inclusive support services
  • Trauma-informed
  • Gender-responsive

Despite the presence of structural barriers, access to a strong alumni program can help overcome barriers to thrive in recovery.

Finding the Value of Therapy in Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

With a vibrant alumni program, you not only have access to therapy. You can access a range of continuing care services and resources that more effectively integrate community for enjoyment and a sense of meaning and purpose in recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a peer-driven network where you can find compassionate support, accountability, and guidance to maintain recovery. We provide a wide range of services and resources like recovery education and weekly meetings and events no matter where you are on your recovery journey. With support, you can build a courageous life in recovery.

Overconfidence, avoidance, and structural barriers often impede investing in the value of therapy for sustained recovery. However, more awareness of continuing care can showcase the value of therapy in recovery. Access to continuing care supports relapse prevention, skill building, goal setting, and addressing other recovery challenges like unemployment and unstable housing, among other support tools. Further, continuing therapy post-treatment can specifically support recovery education, healthy coping skills, self-esteem, and building a support network. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a peer-driven network where you can find compassion, service, accountability, and guidance to meet you where you are on your recovery journey. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn how therapy can continue to support your recovery.

Many people are currently struggling with sleep disorders. In 2022, it was estimated that 13.5% of adults aged 18 and older felt exhausted on most days. The blame for this lack of essential sleep comes from varied sources, such as people working long hours in demanding fields such as medical care. However, most of what is causing these low rates of sleep are sleep disorders. These sleep disorders don’t just cause poor sleep; they can also greatly impact a person’s physical and mental health.

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, we treat sleep disorders as seriously as any other mental health condition. With a focus on quality holistic treatment, clients don’t just get care for their conditions. They can also get a full night’s sleep. 

To understand the role sleep plays in our health, we must first examine what sleep disorders are.

A Brief Overview of Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are defined as a condition that affects the quality, amount, and time of sleep you can get at night. Having too little or too much sleep can cause a cascade effect on a person’s ability to function. Some common examples of sleep disorders are:

• Insomnia
• Restless legs syndrome
• Narcolepsy
• Sleep apnea
• Parasomnias

Sleep disorders are caused by a myriad of reasons, many of which are beyond a person’s control. Some of these common causes are:

• A symptom from a medical or mental health condition such as asthma, depression, chronic pain, or anxiety
• Genetics
• Working night shifts
• A side effect of certain medications
• Using substances before bed, such as caffeine or alcohol
• Poor nutrition which can cause a decrease in essential chemicals or minerals in the brain

It’s important to be aware of how much sleep you get in a night. Adults need between seven and nine hours of quality sleep each night to function properly. If you notice that you are tired no matter how much sleep you get, cannot fall asleep, or experience cognitive and physical decline, it’s time to seek help.

The Role of Sleep on Health

Sleep is essential for everyone, not just those in recovery. However, having sleep disorders such as insomnia can play a significant role in the quality of your life during and after treatment. Treatment and recovery are hard work, and clients need sleep to heal properly and rejuvenate for the next day. Without sleep, a person’s cognitive abilities begin to decline. It makes it difficult to think and concentrate. People with poor sleep may also struggle with distress tolerance, making them feel irritated or depressed.

Part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery is ensuring that the client will have the healthiest life possible post-treatment, as sleep disorders can cause problems for physical health as well. Those with consistently poor sleep are more at risk for conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even dementia. Poor sleep results in poor reaction times, leaving those with poor sleep more prone to accidents and harm. In rare cases, conditions like insomnia can even be life-threatening. 

A person struggling with a sleep disorder can’t concentrate on treatment. They also are more likely to experience a relapse, as being tired lowers mental resilience. Sleep disorders lower mood and generally make someone feel awful. It’s no way to begin or remain in recovery. Luckily, there are ways to treat sleep disorders that give those who struggle with them a new lease on life.

Treating Sleep Disorders at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how important sleep is for a healthy mind and body. Clients with sleep disorders have access to quality and comprehensive treatment designed to help them sleep well. Exactly what treatments or therapies are used depends on the particular sleep disorder and its severity. For general sleep care, clients are taught about nutrition, exercise, and sleep hygiene. Engaging your body in exercise, eating a healthy diet, and training your body to have a healthy nighttime routine can often be enough to help with mild sleep disorders.

For more severe disorders, such as insomnia, clients utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as a way to manage their condition. CBT uses techniques such as sleep journals to help clients track their sleep quality and identify potential triggers that affect it. Medications may also be used to help a client’s body establish a new sleep schedule or treat underlying disorders causing the sleeping problems. For example, anxiety often causes symptoms such as a racing mind and heart, making it difficult to sleep. Anti-anxiety medications can quiet the mind and body, allowing the client to fall and stay asleep.

Driftwood Recovery has access to several experts in the mental and medical healthcare field, one of which is sleep experts who can perform sleep studies. These studies take place overnight and observe how a client sleeps. In many cases, these diagnose a client with sleep apnea. This disorder is treated through the use of a CPAP machine, allowing the client to have uninterrupted breathing during the night. Driftwood Recovery doesn’t just treat sleep disorders; we help clients get a diagnosis. For many, they struggle for years without knowing why they feel so tired. Having access to a valuable diagnostic tool such as a sleep study solves this mystery and paves the way for specialized care.

Overall, Driftwood Recovery doesn’t only provide treatment. We also help clients learn the skills needed for a healthy life. Establishing healthy habits now ensures not just an easier time in treatment but also allows clients to have a successful and continuous recovery. 

Having a sleep disorder can have a profound effect on a person’s mental health. A lack of or too much sleep can also take a physical toll on a person’s physical health. In serious cases, sleep disorders like insomnia can result in hospitalization if treatment is not sought. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, sleep disorders are treated as seriously as any other mental health condition. With an emphasis on holistic and comprehensive treatment, clients can learn ways to obtain restful and healthy sleep. If you or a loved one is struggling to get healthy sleep, don’t wait to get help. Learn more about our treatment plans at Driftwood Recovery by calling (512) 759-8330 today.

Shame and guilt are common self-conscious emotions that most people will experience throughout their lives. Both emotions are deeply intertwined, and when left unchecked, one often leads to the other. Together, guilt and shame can be detrimental to your well-being. Understanding their entangled relationship is important for overcoming shame and guilt in addiction recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know true healing starts with fostering a healthy connection to self and others. Through connection, you can find healthy attachments to alleviate the distressing emotions that can accompany recovery. We are dedicated to taking an attachment approach to recovery because connection is the foundation for understanding yourself and others. 

In recovery, feelings of guilt and shame can bubble up and manifest as social withdrawal. Yet, at Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery cannot be done in isolation but within the embrace of a strong support network. A network of peers and loved ones can offer mutual support and community to help people overcome shame and guilt and thrive. However, you may question how finding connections in alumni can help you in overcoming shame and guilt. Dismantling the harm of addiction in your life starts with understanding the roots of your distress. 

What Is Shame and Guilt?

In general, shame is an intense feeling of embarrassment or humiliation that arises from the perception that you have done something wrong. Further, shame leaves you feeling like you are a bad, unworthy, or inadequate person. Some additional symptoms of shame include:

• Worrying what others think of you
• Desire to withdraw from others 
• You always feel like an outsider

On the other hand, guilt leaves you feeling remorse or a sense of responsibility for doing something wrong or the perception that you have done something wrong. Guilt is unlike shame, which does not have to stem from a specific situation or behavior. Rather, guilt often stems from a specific intentional or unintentional action. Overcoming shame and guilt means understanding their similarities and differences. 

Understanding Differences Between Shame and Guilt

According to Europe’s Journal of Psychology, shame and guilt are self-critical emotions associated with self-reflection and self-evaluation. At the core of shame and guilt are negative self-evaluations and distress born from your perceived failures or transgressions. Listed below are some of the major differences between guilt and shame:

• Guilt focuses on negative moral self-evaluation
  • Considers your behavior, goals, beliefs, or traits
  • You evaluate yourself positively or negatively based on whether the behavior, goal, belief, or trait is seen as beneficial or harmful
  • Can drive you to amend your mistakes
• Shame focuses on nonmoral, negative self-evaluation
  • Is concerned with a perceived discrepancy between your actual and ideal self
  • You evaluate your self-worth based on your place in society
  • Can drive you to hide from others

Guilt and shame can have adaptive properties that contribute to differentiation in emotional responses to different forms of self-criticism. Yet, it is often the maladaptive aspects that make overcoming shame and guilt difficult.

Impact of Shame and Guilt on Addiction and Recovery

Shame and guilt can play overlapping roles in addiction and recovery. In addiction, shame and guilt made it difficult for you to believe you were worthy of healing and powerless to change. You overcame countless barriers to seek treatment, and now, in recovery, overcoming the shame and guilt that remain is vital to sustained recovery. When left to fester unaddressed, shame and trauma can impair your well-being. Listed below are some of the ways shame and guilt impede recovery:

• Risk for relapse
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Perfectionism
• Low self-worth
• Social withdrawal
• Impede healthy relationships

Further, shame and guilt can be detrimental to the connections you share with loved ones and recovery. As noted by BMC Psychiatry, most families are not equipped with the knowledge to adapt and appropriately respond to addiction, which disrupts the family’s normal system and functioning. Addiction exposes the family to a range of challenges, including socioeconomic, mental illness, abuse, conflicts, and dysfunction, among other issues. The family challenges born out of addiction can persist in recovery as shame and guilt. Some of the ways shame and guilt hinder healthy families and recovery include:

• Poor communication
• Low help-seeking behavior
• Dysfunctional family dynamics

Overcoming shame and guilt is not only valuable to you but for healing the whole family.

Overcoming Shame and Guilt in Recovery

Your ability to heal by overcoming shame and guilt is rooted in the power of connection, self-awareness, and self-understanding. Listed below are some of the ways you can work on overcoming shame and guilt to thrive:

• Practice mindfulness
  • Deepness awareness of the self and emotions
  • Understand the source of your guilt and shame
• Journal about the specific things you feel guilty or ashamed about
  • Helps acknowledge your guilt and shame rather than avoid it
  • Cultivates self-compassion, self-forgiveness, and acceptance to support moving forward
• Foster positive relationships by surrounding yourself with mutually supportive people
  • Talk to trusted loved ones about how you have been feeling
  • Surround yourself with people who value you
• Reach out for support
  • Attend self-help groups
  • Engage in therapy

Engaging in practices that promote dignity, respect, empathy, and trust in yourself and others is an important step toward overcoming shame and guilt. With positive connections in an alumni program, you are reminded that you are not alone in recovery.

Family Cohesion: Overcoming Shame Together to Heal at Driftwood Recovery

Overcoming shame and guilt in recovery supports family cohesion for sustained recovery. Positive family cohesion and connection with peers can support leading a courageous life in recovery for the whole family. At Driftwood Recovery, we believe in breaking the cycle of suffering through a peer-driven alumni program. Through alumni, you can find the encouragement, accountability, and service needed to overcome shame and guilt. With a commitment to connection, you and your loved ones can use long-term resources and services like weekly meetings, family dinners, and our family support group for sustained recovery.

Shame and or guilt are common emotions. Guilt can encourage you to make positive changes and amend mistakes. However, in recovery, shame and guilt can create a cycle of harm to your well-being. Feeling ashamed and guilty about your addiction or the choices you made before treatment can convince you that you are not worthy of healing or connection with others. A poor sense of self can contribute to relapse and greater family dysfunction. Overcoming shame and guilt through connection with others is invaluable to sustained recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing resources that support connection with loved ones and peers in alumni to cultivate self-compassion and forgiveness to heal. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

The holidays can be triggering and often leave people feeling uncertain about the future. Healthcare providers often fill a critical gap for clients who lack a support system at home. Clients with less support from friends or family may experience additional stress, loneliness, or anxiety during the holiday season. Addressing these issues immediately reduces their impact on a client’s rehabilitation. Staff members at Driftwood Recovery support clients by providing additional emotional and practical support during the holidays. 

Providing Emotional Support to Clients During the Holidays

Healthcare professionals play an essential role in empowering and uplifting clients during their recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) or dual diagnosis. Professionals in healthcare do this by providing emotional support to clients during the holidays. Many clients in treatment do not have family members able or willing to spend the holidays with them during the treatment process. The lack of family support may cause some clients to backslide and rely on maladaptive coping mechanisms to make it through the holiday season. Healthcare workers reduce the risk of relapse and keep clients moving forward in their recovery by providing additional support and encouragement during the holidays. 

Managing Triggers and Reducing Stress

The holidays are when many people get together with friends and loved ones to celebrate the year. Past events may have involved alcohol or other addictive substances, causing clients to experience intense cravings during the holiday season. People also experience additional stress related to holiday get-togethers.

Some of the most common stress triggers clients experience during the holidays include: 

• Questions from loved ones about the future 
• Loneliness 
• Being separated from friends or family
• Mourning the loss of a loved one 
• Cravings caused by holiday imagery involving alcohol 

Triggers may cause significant emotional distress and potential complications for clients in recovery. Healthcare professionals decrease the adverse side effects of cravings and other symptoms of SUD by helping clients manage triggers. Emotional support and therapeutic guidance help clients navigate holiday triggers without feeling overwhelmed or falling back into unhealthy patterns. 

How Do the Holidays Impact the Mental Health of Clients in Residential or Outpatient Care?

Mental health directly affects physical wellness and a person’s outlook on life. Individuals in outpatient and residential care may face different challenges during the holidays. For example, clients in residential programs may miss being able to travel to visit loved ones for the holiday, increasing feelings of isolation or shame. However, clients in outpatient programs may struggle to meet family expectations or feel overwhelmed by stigmas and triggers they encounter during holiday events. Healthcare professionals help mitigate these issues by preparing clients in advance and ensuring they have the skills to effectively cope with holiday-related stressors. Addressing mental health needs helps clients remain safe and move forward in their recovery journey. 

Family Pressure to Meet Recovery Goals

Intense family pressure to meet recovery goals is one of the most significant stressors for many clients during the holidays. Often, families are unaware of the realities of addiction, and they may believe a few weeks of treatment will “cure” their loved one. However, the disease of addiction takes time and effort to manage. Clients may struggle to communicate their experiences with loved ones or worry about letting their family down. People often experience shame, regret, anger, and other strong emotions about their choices and current circumstances during the holidays. Healthcare professionals provide an outside perspective and encourage clients to continue healing. 

Making The Holidays a Positive Experience for Clients

Everyone deserves to feel heard, understood, and encouraged during the holidays. Healthcare professionals help clients by making the holidays a positive experience. Putting in the extra effort to make every interaction uplifting and compassionate may inspire clients and make day-to-day tasks more enjoyable for healthcare workers. Mindfulness-based exercises and techniques improve positivity and reduce stress management. According to Cureus, “Mindfulness-based interventions have [. . .] demonstrated benefits.” For example, “Healthcare workers in qualitative studies have described benefits for themselves, their colleagues, and their patients, such as nurses who reported improvements in coping with workplace stress and developing feelings of inner calm.” Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use mindfulness-based techniques to improve productivity and provide higher-quality service to clients in rehabilitation. 

Celebrating Milestones in Recovery and Building Deeper Connections

Healthcare workers play an important part in motivating clients to make essential lifestyle changes that support lasting recovery. Celebrating milestones with clients during the holidays can uplift their spirits and give them additional motivation. The staff at Driftwood Recovery treats every client like a family member and takes steps to celebrate every single success in treatment, no matter how large or small. Focusing on the positives helps clients and clinicians remain healthy and purposeful in their actions. The holiday season is an excellent time to check in on treatment progress and make new goals for the future. Staff at Driftwood Recovery use the opportunity to help clients focus on the future.

Treating clients during the holidays requires healthcare workers to dedicate more time to clients who may not have others to support them. Clients may feel more lonely and separated from others if they are forced to attend residential treatment during the holiday season. Healthcare workers encourage those individuals by practicing empathy and compassion. The holiday season often significantly increases client cases, putting stress on treatment facilities and individual staff members. Driftwood Recovery provides additional services to help clients and staff navigate holiday-related stressors successfully. By addressing staffing concerns, management ensures clients receive the highest level of care. To learn more about our facility and thriving sober community, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Oppositional defiance disorder is a poorly understood mental health condition. Though usually seen in children, this condition can affect adults as well. Many of these adults struggle with patterns of anger and vindictiveness without knowing its source. It can be severe enough that adults struggling with oppositional defiance disorder turn to self-medicating to ease their symptoms. In the end, self-medicating often leads to substance abuse and addiction. Oppositional defiance disorder is not just an isolating condition. It also can be life-threatening. 

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients living with oppositional defiance disorder can find comprehensive and compassionate treatment. The staff at Driftwood Recovery understands that the drive behind these behaviors is not the client’s fault. However, with treatment, adults with oppositional defiance disorder can learn how to control their behavior and cope with their condition. In time, these adults can live healthy, fulfilling lives. All it takes is the willingness to reach out for help.

To see how oppositional defiance disorder is treated, we must first gain an understanding of the condition. This education serves two purposes. First, it educates the average person about this condition and encourages empathy and understanding. Secondly, it provides hope to those struggling with oppositional defiance disorder that treatment and recovery are possible for themselves and their loved ones. 

A Brief Overview of Oppositional Defiance Disorder

Oppositional defiance disorder (or oppositional defiant disorder) is a condition identified by the DSM-5 as “a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness.” This disorder is typically diagnosed in children, but adults may also be diagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder as well. Children often outgrow this condition, but about half of them will continue to experience symptoms through adulthood. Oppositional defiance disorder is genetic and will often affect several members of a family line. 

The angry, defiant, and vindictive behavior is usually targeted toward positions of authority, perceived or real. Examples include parents, teachers, coworkers, bosses, and law enforcement officials. This makes it difficult for adults with oppositional defiance disorder to function at work, home, or school. Common symptoms of oppositional defiance disorder are:

• Commonly feeling oppressed or “kept down” by an authority figure or rules
• Loses temper often, which can sometimes result in violent behaviors
• Is easily annoyed by others 
• Argues constantly with family and coworkers with a distinct need to “win” the argument 
• Intense feelings of anger and resentment
• Is highly defensive when criticized and blames others for their mistakes or misbehavior
• Actively refuses to comply with rules or laws, even when detrimental to personal safety 
• Deliberately annoys people or pick fights 
• Engages in spiteful or vindictive behaviors 

Note that oppositional defiance disorder is not a person with a bad temper. This is a serious condition that prevents a person from living a normal life – as seen by its effect on a person’s mental health. 

The Effects of Oppositional Defiance Disorder on Mental Health

Adults who live with oppositional defiance disorder are not just angry or irritable from time to time. They struggle with feelings of intense anger at the world every day. Losing your temper is a regular occurrence. This may manifest in dangerous activities, such as road rage or picking fights with law enforcement. Those struggling with this condition may also become verbally or physically abusive – abuse which is often levied at the people they love and care about. There are times when those with this condition put themselves in deadly danger by disobeying those they feel are in authority, which often leads to accidents and other preventable harm. 

It’s not just issues like getting into trouble with the law, losing a job, or putting oneself in danger. Oppositional defiance disorder is an incredibly isolating condition. Those who know they are constantly angry may withdraw from others to protect their loved ones. They often struggle with feelings of being disliked or misunderstood, which can feed into the cycle of anger. Oppositional defiance disorder often leads to other mental health conditions, such as depression, addiction, and antisocial personality disorder. 

That’s why it’s vital for those struggling with this condition to get help; the sooner, the better. Treatment doesn’t just improve relationships and help you feel better – it can also save your life. 

Compassionate Treatment at Driftwood Recovery

Treatment at Driftwood Recovery for oppositional defiance disorder consists of a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and coping skills training. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is perhaps the most used form of psychotherapy in the treatment of this condition. It helps clients identify what triggers their condition and grasp the consequences of their actions. Therapists also use CBT to help clients learn relaxation techniques to keep them calm during angering situations.

Emotional regulation is also important for oppositional defiance disorder treatment. It teaches clients how to react to anger-provoking situations with socially appropriate responses. Emotional regulation also teaches clients how to be more aware of their emotions. Doing so can mitigate outbursts and help clients think through their actions before they commit to them. Peer group therapy is commonly part of treatment plans for oppositional defiance disorder as it offers training for clients on how to appropriately interact with their peers. The goal is to focus on having positive interactions, not combative ones. 

Finally, medication is sometimes used to address coexisting conditions. For example, a person with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may feel frustrated, which can feed into outbursts and worsen the symptoms of oppositional defiance disorder. Providing medication can reduce the frustrating effect of ADHD, which in turn reduces the symptoms of oppositional defiance disorder.

It’s important to remember that even though it looks daunting, oppositional defiance disorder is a treatable condition. Reaching out for help at Driftwood Recovery doesn’t just help treat this misunderstood condition – it can also give you a new lease on life. 

Those living with oppositional defiance disorder can experience many hardships. Keeping a job, having a healthy relationship with parents, and even staying out of legal trouble are made much more difficult with this disorder. For those struggling, it can feel hopeless. Oppositional defiance disorder, however, is a treatable condition. Those who seek treatment have a high likelihood of success and long-lasting recovery. That’s why Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, offers extensive and comprehensive treatment for oppositional defiance disorder. There is no judgment here, only the sincere desire to help. If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t wait. Learn more about our oppositional defiance disorder treatment plan today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Sustained recovery is not about just getting by or getting through the day. True whole-person recovery is about giving you the tools and support you need to thrive in every part of your life. As the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (ODMHAS) states, recovery requires a community for individual sustained recovery. Community engagement is an important and necessary process for healing and reintegration into society. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that an important part of sustained recovery is community integration. Through community engagement, you can reintegrate into your community and society to build a meaningful life without substances. When you continue to invest in yourself and community building in recovery, you continue to learn and grow. Yet, what is community engagement? 

Understanding Community Engagement

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), community engagement is the process of developing relationships that enable communities to work together to address health-related issues and promote well-being. Although community engagement can take many forms, the core principles that can be supported in a recovery community include:

• Transparency 
• Trust
• Diversity 
• Inclusion
• Collaboration 
• Shared purpose
• Openness 
• Learning
• Making a difference in the community

Through community engagement, you work together with other community members to address health issues and stigma to promote well-being. The work is done in collaboration with the community’s health in mind, which puts the value of whole-person healing at the forefront of recovery. When you utilize your alumni program to help others, you deepen your sense of purpose and connection with the wider community. Understanding what community-based treatment is can be invaluable to fostering sustained connection and recovery. 

What Is Community-Based Treatment?

In traditional outreach and treatment programs, the focus is placed on abstinence and reducing the risk of relapse. Abstinence and relapse prevention are important cornerstones of treatment and recovery. However, true recovery is about more than maintaining your sobriety. As noted in Frontiers in Psychiatry, treatment and recovery must also work to heal other domains of life like social rehabilitation and inclusion. By taking a community engagement approach to recovery, you can support healing the whole of your parts rather than one piece of the pie. 

Yet, what is community-based treatment? What does community engagement look like for lasting recovery? As further noted in the Frontiers in Psychiatry article, community-based treatment takes a recovery-oriented perspective to recovery. A recovery-oriented approach to community engagement understands that treatment and recovery services need to adapt to people’s needs instead of people adapting to service requirements. Many of the practices and services found in recovery-oriented models of community engagement include:

• Supporting special subgroups
  • Culturally responsive
  • Gender-specific
  • Comorbid disorders
• Housing security
• Supported employment
• Develop skills to manage symptoms
• Active involvement in local organizations

Whole-person care and community engagement can be invaluable to lasting recovery. Yet, much like treatment itself, some barriers attempt to impede your ability to reintegrate into society after treatment.

Addressing the Challenges of Reintegration in Recovery

In treatment, you learn and develop tools for self-efficacy, symptom management, hope, and empowerment. Despite the tools you developed in treatment, learning how to reintegrate into your life and society can be challenging. Many systems are not designed with the needs of different communities in mind. For many individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), there are stigma-based barriers that impede maintaining recovery. 

People in recovery often experience public, structural, and self-stigma that contribute to psychological and tangible resource barriers. As stated in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, stigma exposure to societal prejudice and discrimination can harm recovery. Listed below are some of the ways SUD stigma impedes community engagement for reintegration:

• Increases stress
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Decreases motivation
• Erodes self-esteem
• Decreases self-efficacy
• Internalizing stigma
• Feeling culturally disconnected 
• Identity crisis
• Employment and housing instability
• Poor access to healthcare
• Small or nonexistent support network

Barriers to sustained recovery can feel daunting. However, you can overcome obstacles to reintegration with alumni support. With support, you can lean on your sober community to help you access resources for community engagement and recovery.

The Value of Community Engagement in Recovery

Community engagement is important for helping you discover the sense of purpose and meaning needed for motivation to sustain recovery. You foster a sense of belonging by actively participating in services and resources like support groups, volunteer work, sober events, workshops, and community activities. Further, through community engagement, you can find support, understanding, encouragement, guidance, and accountability to thrive in recovery. Often, feelings of guilt and shame around addiction can convince you that you are not wanted or deserving of connection and community. 

However, community engagement, at its core, is built on the idea that social connectedness helps you feel supported, valued, and cared for in your relationships. The sense of belonging that connection and community offer is a fountain of positivity and courage that empowers you to grow and flourish. Community engagement reminds you that you are not alone in your recovery journey. You are deserving of healing and recovery.

Learning How to Reintegrate Into Your Community at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery is a journey that continues long after addiction treatment. A strong, active alumni community reminds you that you are not alone on your journey to recovery. With support, reintegration does not have to be a frightening thing. Rather, alumni offer compassion, service, accountability, and the encouragement needed to thrive in every domain of life.

You are worthy of self-love, you are worthy of recovery, and you deserve space for learning and growth to lead a fulfilling life. We are dedicated to providing an active alumni program to support community engagement and reintegration to lead a courageous life in sustained recovery.  

Community engagement fosters a sense of belonging that allows for whole-person healing and reintegration. Yet, it can be difficult to engage in the connection offered in community engagement due to barriers like public and structural stigma. Stigma can limit access to resources while contributing to guilt and shame, which leads to social withdrawal rather than engagement. Through a strong alumni program, you can access community-based treatment and other resources to address multiple domains in need of healing, like housing, employment, and interpersonal relationships. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a peer-driven network where you can build lifelong connections in a community that celebrates you at every stage of recovery. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more.