How Driftwood Recovery Helps You Find Your Identity Outside of Recovery

It is a normal part of growing up to discover who you are and find your identity. Finding a healthy identity can be difficult, as peer pressure and other factors work to make you second-guess yourself. These difficulties can be compounded by addiction and other conditions, which can bury your true self under pain. For many, they may have their addiction and recovery become a core part of their identity. However, there is more to a person than their struggle.

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, a holistic treatment philosophy is utilized to heal all aspects of a person. This includes a person’s spirit or inner self, alongside the mind and body. The inner self is essential for achieving and remaining in recovery. It’s one thing to learn and practice the skills needed for recovery. To find your identity, however, gives you reasons to want to stay in recovery.

Why It’s Important to Find Your Identity

Identity is defined as the sense of self that encompasses one’s experiences, relationships, memories, and values. An authentic identity means to accept who we are and the values that are important to us. As we grow, we are influenced by our parents, guardians, and peers during childhood. Adolescence is a vital time in identity development, as we experiment and try out new things that shape the adult that we hopefully want to become. Three tasks help a person form their identity. These three tasks are:

• Discovering and developing your potential
• Choosing your purpose in life
• Finding opportunities to exercise this purpose and further develop your potential 

It’s vital to find your identity because lacking a purpose or feeling as though you have no potential can be psychologically damaging. It happens a lot with young teenagers and adults, who worry that they have no identity or purpose. They may begin to experiment with drugs or alcohol to feel something positive or numb negative feelings. Having no dreams or goals leaves little reason for someone to want to seek help for addiction. To find your identity means that you find yourself worthy of help and compassion. 

Recognizing That Addiction Is Not an Identity

Even while in treatment and recovery, it’s still important to find your identity. It’s tempting for some to make their addiction an essential part of their personality. However, a common fact shared by those who struggle with addiction is the lack of a drive or purpose. Sometimes, this occurs after a great loss, such as losing a job or the death of a loved one. Though identities are flexible and forever changing, making addiction a part of your identity is unhealthy. Addiction is a painful condition and, if left unchecked, can lead to dire consequences.

To find your identity requires trial and error to find the things that give you joy. Addiction robs a person of this choice by consuming their thoughts. It’s hard to find joy in life when it’s a constant cycle of obtaining your next hit, getting high, and recovering from the high. There’s been a movement of people, usually adolescents, making recreational drugs and alcohol a part of their identity. In these instances, they are stifling their potential, which will lead to needing more drugs or alcohol to feel “right,” often leading to addiction.

People who overcome addiction deserve to be celebrated. However, they also deserve to live. Finding peace, healing, and happiness are all goals every mental health care professional has for their clients. Many alumni may choose to involve recovery as part of their purpose, going on to help others achieve and stay in recovery. This is perfectly fine, as it is not the same as viewing addiction as a personality trait. When you find your identity outside of addiction, you truly begin to live.

How Driftwood Recovery Helps You Find Your Identity

Driftwood Recovery helps you find your identity by making identity an essential part of its addiction treatment programs. Clients find themselves exposed to diverse groups of people from all walks of life. There, clients may encounter ideas and values they may have never seen before. Speaking to staff also helps clients connect with different people, widening their worldview and showing them a life beyond addiction and pain. 

Therapeutic activities such as therapeutic recreation, art therapy, and yoga allow clients to participate in fun activities. Along with a large campus, mostly covered in nature, clients are exposed to the outdoors and all its splendor. It has been scientifically proven that nature has a positive impact on mental health, and so too can it be on a developing identity. Clients who may have been nervous and withdrawn may find themselves drawn to exciting activities, such as rope work and obstacle courses. The wider the range of activities, the more a client can try.

Driftwood Recovery knows how important peers are to shaping our identities. That’s why clients are encouraged to participate in activities that grow and nurture positive personality traits. Compassion, empathy, understanding, and more are learned through team-building exercises and group meetings. With a robust alumni and peer network program, clients can see proof that they, too, can succeed. Sometimes, to find your identity, you need to know that it’s an achievable goal. 

Clients who feel lost can find guidance in a compassionate staff member or treatment provider. There is never shame in needing help. A person is never too old to wonder about their identity or seek to discover it. Having times when we wonder if we have an identity of all is a normal part of life. Access to quality mental health treatment, however, makes this process a little easier on ourselves.

It can be difficult for one to figure out who they are at the best of times. When a person struggles with addiction and other conditions, it’s difficult to separate them from their true self. At Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients take the time to discover who they truly are. Through specialized therapies, clients build confidence and positive self-worth. Though struggle and recovery may be a chapter of your life, it’s not the whole story. Finding your inner strength and what brings you joy is equally as important as recovery. To learn how you can discover your true self, don’t wait. Call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330. 

Individuals in minority groups may find it more difficult to access necessary treatment. Healthcare workers play an important role in connecting clients with the services they need to thrive in recovery. According to Health Services Research, “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are populations at elevated risk for mental health disorders, substance abuse, and psychiatric comorbidity relative to their heterosexual and cisgender peers.” Driftwood Recovery offers an affirming therapeutic space for LGBTQIA+ clients to heal from the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) and dual diagnosis. 

Addressing the Challenges LGBTQIA+ Clients Face in Treatment

LGBTQIA+ clients may face additional challenges during treatment and ongoing recovery. Healthcare providers must consider these factors during treatment planning and throughout rehabilitation. Individuals in minority groups often face greater stigma and social discrimination during treatment. In addition, many LGBTQIA+ individuals do not have a stable support system to help them navigate treatment and ongoing recovery. Staff members may need to step up and take on more of a support role, providing clients with additional resources and services to fill gaps in their support system. 

How Clinicians Support LGBTQIA+ Clients

LGBTQIA+ clients may need more one-on-one and community assistance compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers. Some of the practical ways staff support LGBTQIA+ clients during treatment for SUD include: 

• Offering access to gender-specific and LGBTQIA+ support groups 
• Providing access to LGBTQIA+ relevant aftercare resources 
• Using inclusive and gender-affirming language
• Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment 
• Ensuring privacy and confidentiality regarding sexual orientation and gender identity 
• Providing trauma-specific care for clients who may have experienced discrimination 

Driftwood Recovery educates the community on how to combat stigmas and discrimination, creating a more inclusive space for client healing. Healthcare workers provide guidance and motivation for minority clients struggling with the effects of SUD or dual diagnosis. Personalizing support services to address the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals ensures a better treatment experience for clients and clinicians. 

Healthcare Professionals Create a Safe Space

LGBTQIA+ clients may find it more challenging to open up about their experiences. Healthcare professionals can break down that barrier by building trust and creating a safe space where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves. The relationship of trust starts during the initial intake interview.

Some of the ways healthcare workers create a safe space for LGBTQIA+ clients include: 

• Displaying inclusive symbols of support, including pride flags or ally signs 
• Using intake and assessment forms that include diverse forms of gender identity and sexual orientation 
• Including LGBTQIA+ cultural competency training for all staff members 
• Building partnerships with LGBTQIA+ organizations that offer support services for clients 
• Using inclusive language in all reading materials and treatment sessions 

Healthcare professionals play a significant role in normalizing positive and affirming conversations about gender identity and sexual orientation. 

Building Trust and Developing Personalized Care Plans

Personalized care plans allow clinicians to address unique issues impacting clients and their recovery from substance use or mental health disorders. Tailoring treatment also builds trust by showing clients that clinicians care about their comfort, safety, and personal goals. Culturally competent care is essential to ensure positive treatment outcomes. 

Studies have shown that “[t]he healthcare needs of the LGBTQ community should be considered to provide the best care and avoid inequalities of care.” Healthcare professionals use comprehensive assessments and other tools to create effective care plans addressing the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients. 

How Driftwood Recovery Supports LGBTQIA+ Clients

Driftwood Recovery welcomes individuals of all cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. Staff members receive sensitivity training and other instructions to help them best serve each individual in their care. The thorough intake assessments and client-focused programs at Driftwood Recovery provide clinicians with the necessary tools to ensure clients receive the care they need to heal. 

Addiction and mental health professionals address the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients by doing the following: 

• Using inclusive language and respecting client pronouns, names, and gender identities 
• Addressing risk factors that disproportionately affect LGBTQIA+ individuals 
• Identifying and addressing any heteronormative or cisnormative assumptions in treatment planning 

Every client deserves to feel respected and valued during treatment. Healthcare professionals can consult with community-based support programs and services focused on providing care to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Access to An Affirming and Empowering Community

Driftwood Recovery offers clients access to an affirming and empowering community of peers. Healthcare professionals collaborate with clients to ensure that peers engage with one another and actively participate in the treatment process. LGBTQIA+ individuals may struggle with low self-esteem and self-confidence. Empowerment through evidence-based and alternative holistic therapies promotes more positive thoughts and healthier behaviors. Recovering from substance abuse and mental health disorders is more manageable when people feel comfortable speaking up about their needs. The inclusive community at Driftwood Recovery encourages clinicians and clients to support and uplift one another. 

Individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ often face additional challenges during and after treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. LGBTQIA+ clients also have a higher risk of experiencing co-occurring conditions and severe symptoms. Healthcare professionals can take steps to create a nurturing space for LGBTQIA+ individuals, reducing their risk of relapse and improving treatment outcomes. Driftwood Recovery offers a safe and welcoming space for anyone seeking treatment. Staff members receive culturally sensitive training and offer trauma-specific care to help clients heal and build a healthy foundation for sobriety and positive mental health. To learn more about our inclusive programs and how our experts support LGBTQIA+ clients, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), seven in ten  (72.2% or 20.9 million) adults with substance use disorder (SUD) consider themselves to be recovering or in recovery. Yet, addiction relapse is an all too common occurrence in addiction recovery. The presence of relapse has led people to view addiction as a chronic relapsing condition, which can create a skewed narrative of recovery. Therefore, fear in recovery is not a surprising challenge that many face post-treatment. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we know that preventing relapse and dismantling fear in recovery starts with a strong foundation. You can build a strong foundation for sustained recovery with support found in connection and community. We are committed to providing an attachment approach that allows you to foster connections with peers and other resources to heal. Our alumni community learns from each other as everyone imparts compassion, understanding, accountability, and guidance to each other. The connections you find in alumni can give you the courage to overcome fear in recovery and thrive in your life.

Yet, you may question how connection can help you prevent relapse and squash fear in recovery. How can an alumni program support your recovery? First, understanding addiction relapse and fear in recovery can provide insight into the value of an active alumni program for lasting recovery.

What Is Addiction Relapse?

For many people, relapse is a part of the recovery process. As noted in Addiction Relapse Prevention by Nicholas Guenzel and Dennis McChargue, approximately 50% of people with SUD relapse in the first 12 weeks after an inpatient program. The thought that your treatment program can end in relapse is a clear fear in recovery. Yet, what is an addiction relapse? What does it mean to relapse when you are in recovery? 

In general, many think of relapse as a return to the consumption of the substance that caused dependence. However, relapse is much more complex than consumption. In reality, relapse is a process that unfolds across three major stages: emotional, mental, and physical relapse. As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notes, recovery is a lifelong process in which changes across multiple life domains must occur to maintain recovery. Yet, why does relapse happen? 

Several different risk factors can contribute to relapse, like exposure to triggers and poor social support. Moreover, difficulty coping with the challenges recovery and life throws at you is rooted in fear. Learning about fear in recovery is an important step toward dismantling its hold on you and supporting relapse prevention.

Understanding the Roots of Fear in Recovery

For centuries, fear has been a basic primal and adaptive emotion that impacts how you think, feel, and behave. In many cases, fear can alert you to both real and perceived physical or psychological harm. Fear can also be a source of harm to your well-being. You are harmed when fear impedes your health, relationships, and opportunities for personal growth. In the case of addiction, numerous fears can impair your recovery when left unaddressed.

Addressing Types of Fears in Recovery

Fear in recovery can be the thing that can lead to the relapse you have feared. Thus, understanding how fears like failure, success, and relapse in recovery happen can provide insight into overcoming fears to thrive. The fear of failure in recovery is rooted in the unknown. You may fear that you do not have the strength to meet the challenges recovery and life will throw at you. Will I be able to say no to a drink at the family holiday party? 

Much like fear of failure, fear of success is also rooted in the unknown of change. When you have experienced so much harm in addiction, it can make it difficult to believe in yourself. You may believe you do not deserve to be successful, making it easier to engage in self-sabotaging behaviors. A fear of relapse is a reflection of your fear that you are destined to relapse and that relapse equals failure. However, relapse and recovery are more complex than the black-and-white of success and failure. 

Yet, how do you demystify all these fears in recovery?

Learning How to Demystify Fear in Recovery

According to the “Demystifying Relapse” series from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, recovery is rarely brief or straightforward. Throughout your recovery, you will experience improvements and setbacks in the process of healing. Thus, your mindset is an important component in demystifying fear in recovery. Listed below are some of the things you can do to support dismantling fear:

• Journaling
  • Identify and reflect on your fears
• Change the way you think about recovery
  • Look for and anticipate the positive changes
  • Celebrate big and small milestones
• Focus on gradual changes and growth
  • A fulfilling life in recovery does not happen overnight
• Lean on your social support network
  • Talking with those you trust about your fears
  • Spend time with loved ones
• Make space for a well-rounded self and life
  • Life in recovery is not only about recovery
    • Foster passion for hobbies and interests 

With support, recovery does not have to be a source of fear. 

Overcoming Fear in Recovery With Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe access to a peer-driven network gives you the tools to thrive post-treatment. With a strong, active, sober community, you are reminded that you are not alone on your journey to recovery. Although everyone’s experiences are unique to them, you and your alumni peers are united by a common challenge in addiction. Together, you can find the compassion, service, accountability, and 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 active alumni support to help you reintegrate and lead a courageous life in sustained recovery. 

Fear in recovery can be a major obstacle to sustained recovery. Although fear is a primal and often necessary emotion for survival, it can be detrimental to well-being when it rules over you. Many of the fears associated with recovery, like success, failure, and relapse, are rooted in the uncertainty of change and negative thinking patterns. Your challenges with addiction can make it difficult for you to believe you are worthy of recovery. However, it is fear and negative thinking that can lead you to relapse. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing an active alumni program built on compassion, connection, community, understanding, and accountability to support lasting recovery. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more today.

Some people may scoff at the idea of phobia treatment. After all, phobias are consistently played for laughs in media as something to mock. The fact is that the fear a person feels from a phobia is real and valid. Phobias are more common than one may think, with an estimated 12.5% of U.S. adults experiencing a specific phobia at least once in their lives. Most people know what common phobias are but not why they occur or how they are treated. 

The fear phobias cause can be crippling and require specialized phobia treatment to help them recover enough to live a normal life. Driftwood Recovery offers phobia treatment as a way to ease mental health conditions such as anxiety, panic disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Those recovering from addiction may also benefit from phobia treatment, as sometimes they may develop a phobia as a response to their experiences. 

It’s vital to understand that phobias, though serious, can be treated with great amounts of success. Countless people are struggling with a phobia but assume that it’s a normal part of life or are ashamed to seek help. Understanding the nature of phobias not only de-stigmatizes the condition but encourages those struggling to seek the phobia treatment they need.

What Are Phobias?

Simply put, a phobia is a persistent, unrealistic, and excessive fear of a person, animal, object, activity, or situation. Phobias force the person with the phobia to constantly worry about encountering the source of their fear. A person with a phobia will take great pains to avoid the source of their fear, often to the detriment of their lives and mental health. Encountering the source is enough to cause great distress and anguish. 

It’s a serious enough condition to be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). As a result, phobias are considered a sub-type of anxiety disorder and classified into three distinct categories. These categories are:

• Specific phobias: These are fears of particular objects, living beings, or situations that cause distress and avoidance behaviors. Phobias in this category can be further broken down into animals, natural environment, medical treatment or issues, specific situations, and others. Some common examples include disease (pathophobia), spiders (arachnophobia), burglary (scelerophobia), and the ocean (thalassophobia).
• Agoraphobia: Defined as the fear of leaving your home or familiar “safe” area, which panic attacks may follow. This phobia is often associated with or caused by other conditions, such as OCD due to phobia of germs/contamination or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to traumatic events. 
• Social anxiety disorder: Also known as social phobia, this is the fear and avoidance of social situations. Those struggling with this phobia excessively worry about being judged or mocked when participating in social activities. 

Phobias are often caused by negative experiences, trauma, genetics, or through informational transmission. It’s normal for a person to fear potentially dangerous things. However, when someone completely rearranges their life or stops engaging in life to avoid said fear, it becomes a serious problem. 

What Happens in Phobia Treatment?

A client begins phobia treatment by speaking with a treatment provider. Then, a treatment provider can create a treatment plan to most effectively treat their client. Usually, this is a mix of various therapies and sometimes medications to treat the extreme symptoms of anxiety. Clients may receive specialized therapies in their treatment plan to treat underlying mental health conditions, such as OCD. If the source of the phobia stems from trauma, clients will receive trauma treatment as well.

Exposure therapy is one part of phobia treatment, but it’s a slow and gradual process. This is when a client is exposed to the source of their fear in a safe environment. For example, a person with a phobia of spiders may start by listening to facts about spiders. They then progress to looking at drawings of spiders, photographs, and video footage. The goal is for the client to be able to exist in the same space as a spider without panicking or experiencing symptoms of distress. 

Psychotherapy is also useful in phobia treatment. It guides clients into discovering the source of their phobia, be it trauma or a taught fear. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially helpful in teaching clients how to change harmful thoughts and behavioral patterns. Group therapy may also be used, especially for more common fears. This therapy allows clients to interact with others experiencing struggles similar to their own. Sometimes, it’s humbling and encouraging to know that someone understands what you are going through.

Overall, a client can expect phobia treatment to be a judgment-free and encouraging process, especially at Driftwood Recovery. All staff members and treatment providers take phobias seriously, as they know how debilitating they can be. Phobia treatment is set to a challenging pace but will not overwhelm or rush the client. Driftwood Recovery takes comfort and safety seriously, allowing clients to recover in a private and secure environment. 

Why Phobia Treatment Is Effective

Phobia treatments are effective because they don’t just treat the cause of the phobia. It also relieves and reduces the physical and mental symptoms of a phobia. Many times, a person struggles with their phobia because all attempts to address it result in increased stress and fear. Phobia treatment is specifically designed to prevent a client from being re-traumatized or triggering a panic attack. By addressing all aspects of a client’s needs, phobia treatment provides comprehensive care. This can include utilizing medication, engaging in wellness activities, and providing caring support. 

Anyone can recover from a phobia, but it requires one being willing to admit that they have a problem and seek help for it. Reaching out for help is one fear that can be conquered. Once you can do that, you may find that your other fears are conquerable too. 

Fear is an instinct that keeps us safe and tells us to avoid things and situations that can harm us. Phobias, however, occur when this fear is so strong and constant that it causes someone to avoid living life. This is no way to live, and nobody deserves to be in a consistent state of fear. At Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients struggling with phobias receive compassionate and non-judgemental treatment. No matter how “silly” the phobia may be, the fear a person experiences from them is real and valid. If you or a loved one is struggling with a phobia, don’t wait. Take back your life from fear today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Trust is vital to the client-clinician relationship during treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. People in treatment may have a history of negative experiences with medical personnel or authority figures. Establishing trust with the care team is a part of the initial intake process. According to BMC Psychology, “Trust and respect may be an important component of client-provider relationships.” The experts at Driftwood Recovery have created a safe and welcoming space for clients and their loved ones to receive treatment. 

Why Is Establishing Trust Important?

Trust keeps clients engaged and willing to open up with their care team. Developing that relationship early in treatment promotes faster healing and better outcomes. Healthcare professionals are responsible for providing clients with a safe and comfortable environment for healing. Creating a bond of trust facilitates a deeper connection between clients and staff members, ensuring clients feel confident following their care provider’s advice. People are more likely to engage with healthcare workers and actively participate in their recovery if they trust their care team. 

Trust is vital in developing a healthy therapeutic relationship with clients. Professionals in treatment programs foster trust by doing the following: 

• Creating a safe and supportive environment
• Actively listening to clients and responding to their concerns
• Maintaining confidentiality and protecting client records
• Respecting cultural, religious, and personal boundaries 
• Encouraging open and honest communication 
• Modeling healthy behaviors and interactions 

Healthcare workers guide clients through recovery, preparing them to transition out of structured care and into aftercare. Reintegrating back into the community is more manageable for clients who trust the interactions and advice of their care team. Clients are often more willing to develop new behaviors and routines if they feel supported by professionals who have their best interests in mind. 

Building a Healthy Client-Clinician Relationship

Treatment programs only work if staff find ways to engage clients. Collaboration between clients and staff requires trust and a willingness to make necessary lifestyle changes. Some people participating in treatment find it difficult to stop maladaptive behaviors or negative thought patterns. Clinicians who develop a deeper connection with clients help them overcome these barriers to recovery. 

A healthy client-clinician relationship involves the following: 

• Effective communication 
• Compassion and empathy
• Mutual respect 
• Collaborative goal setting 
• Consistent support and follow-up
• Regular progress monitoring
• Flexibility and adaptability 
• Offering constructive feedback 
• Cultural sensitivity and awareness 
• A non-judgmental approach to client care

Staff at Driftwood Recovery prioritize individualized care and offer clients one-on-one therapy sessions to help people heal from the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) or dual diagnosis. Clinicians benefit from encouraging client autonomy and empowering clients to make informed decisions about their care.

Challenges Clinicians Face When Establishing Trust

Some of the most common challenges addiction recovery and mental health experts face when establishing trust with new clients include: 

• Helping clients overcome hesitancy due to past trauma or negative experiences with treatment programs
• Resistance from clients who may be in denial about their condition and need for treatment 
• Stigmas surrounding treatment may make clients feel ashamed or have difficulty opening up about their experiences 
• Navigating cultural or language barriers during treatment sessions 
• Managing unrealistic client expectations and treatment goals 
• Creating professional boundaries to reduce the risk of miscommunication 
• Ensuring clients feel secure and safe sharing their experiences in treatment 

Clinicians use evidence-based and complementary modalities to address factors impacting client trust. Overcoming challenges involves tailoring care to client needs and adjusting expectations to reflect the realities of recovering from SUD. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to be open and transparent with clients to foster trust and build a stronger bond. 

Establishing Trust Between Clients and Clinicians at Driftwood Recovery

Clients often have expectations about treatment based on their past experience with medical professionals or rehabilitation programs. Sometimes, those expectations can get in the way of healing by stopping clients from fully engaging in treatment. Healthcare professionals at Driftwood Recovery address these problems by providing psychoeducation and other resources to clients. People are more likely to trust clinicians who display expertise in their field. Educational sessions also build trust and ensure clients fully understand what to expect from each stage of treatment. 

Developing a Deeper Connection With Clients

Healthcare professionals develop deeper connections with clients by doing the following: 

• Showing empathy and compassion 
• Creating a safe space where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves 
• Providing ongoing support and consistent care between treatment programs 
• Validating client experiences and offering affirmations to empower clients 
• Promoting a sense of partnership through collaboration 

Driftwood Recovery helps experts connect with clients by providing a multidisciplinary approach to client care. The care team collaborates closely with clients and their loved ones to build a foundation of trust and understanding. Strengthening the client-clinician relationship during treatment benefits everyone involved in the recovery process.  

Many people diagnosed with substance abuse or mental health disorders have experienced trauma that affects their ability to trust in their care team during treatment. A lack of trust seriously limits the effectiveness of treatment and strains the client-clinician relationship. Healthcare professionals can help clients feel more comfortable by learning to identify and address underlying issues affecting trust and interpersonal engagement. Addiction recovery and mental health experts at Driftwood Recovery receive training to help them navigate complex cases. Professionals use various resources and techniques to ensure clients and their loved ones feel safe, comfortable, and heard through every stage of treatment. To learn more about our treatment programs and how our facility supports a healthy client-clinician relationship, call (512) 759-8330.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how important rebuilding a connection to self and others is for healing. Through an attachment-based approach to recovery, you have learned how to foster healthy attachments to the self and others. However, challenges with stigma can disrupt your ability to maintain your recovery. The impact of stigma can erode your resilience and impair your self-perception. We are committed to providing support services and resources through an active alumni program to rebuild those important connections.  

Yet, you may question how stigma can disrupt your recovery post-treatment. Although going through treatment is designed to help you build tools to overcome challenges, you are human. There will be challenges you face in recovery that will attempt to erode your resilience, such as stigma. 

Stigma, in particular, can make the tools you have learned inadequate. Without support, it can feel impossible to weather the storm of life stressors alone, let alone with stigma as well. Understanding the impact of stigma is vital to building individual tools and a strong support network to thrive in recovery.

What Is Stigma?

In general, stigma is a set of negative attitudes and stereotypes about an individual or group that impairs physical and psychological well-being. However, the impact of stigma is complex in how it exists and shapes society. As the Journal of Evaluation Clinical Practice notes, stigma happens at the axis where interrelated components converge. There are five converging components of stigma:

• Humans distinguish and label differences
• People label and link undesirable characteristics to negative stereotypes through cultural beliefs
• Negatively labeled people are placed in distinct categories to create separation
  • Results in othering by categorizing people as “us” and “them”
• Labeled people experience a loss of status and increased discrimination
• Stigma is dependent on social, economic, and political asymmetrical power
  • Those in different positions of power can identify differences, construct stereotypes, separate labeled persons into distinct categories, and execute disapproval, rejection, exclusion, and discrimination against labeled persons

The coverage points of stigma overlap and reinforce each other to cause great harm in every domain of life. 

Understanding the Impact of Stigma on SUD and Mental Health Disorders

Countless groups experience the impact of stigma, from race and ethnicity to sex and gender identity. However, individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health disorders often face overlapping stigma that impedes access to resources and services to support recovery. According to “Stigma toward substance use disorders” by Samer El Hayek et al., the impact of stigma from beliefs to language causes countless barriers to treatment, recovery, and reintegration into society:

• Discourages seeking treatment 
• Limits access to treatment options
• Impedes access to healthcare, housing, and employment
• Ignores co-occurring challenges
  • Mental health disorders

Further, the impact of stigma on mental health disorders that often co-occur with SUD is profound. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the consequences that result from the three main types of stigma, structural, public, and self, include:

• Structural: Discriminatory laws, policies, and practices negatively impact stigmatized groups
  • Prejudice and discrimination in public and private institutions create social, cultural, economic, educational, and political barriers
  • Restricted liberties
  • Discriminatory practices
  • Reduced privacy 
• Public/social: Negative stereotypes about a group perceived to have socially undesirable characteristics
  • Results in social segregation and diminished self-efficacy
    • Loss of financial autonomy
    • Restricts opportunities for independence, education, and relationships
    • Coercive treatment 
• Self-stigma: You believe the negative stereotypes about yourself
  • Negative self-perception further harms your mental health
    • Low self-esteem
    • Decreases self-efficacy
    • Increases embarrassment and shame
    • Erodes motivation 

Looking at the impact of stigma on your personal and public life highlights stigma’s role in recovery.

The Impact of Stigma as a Barrier to Recovery

As previously mentioned, one of the most profound impacts of stigma is the barriers it places on sustaining recovery. It is well known that stigma can impede help-seeking behaviors. However, that impairment to help-seeking can persist even after you complete treatment because of the guilt and shame stigma causes. Listed below are some of the ways the impact of stigma can impair your recovery:

• Increases risk for mental health disorders or exacerbates preexisting issues
• Higher rates of relapse 
• Prejudice and discrimination limit resources
  • Fewer support groups
  • Housing and employment 
  • Social exclusion

The impact of stigma in recovery can impair your sense of belonging, purpose, and hope to thrive in recovery. However, stigma does not have to be the end of your recovery. With advances in holistic support, you can utilize resources like digital media to reintegrate and thrive.

Dismantling the Impact of Stigma With Digital Media

Digital media, like social media, can be effective tools for addressing the impact of stigma on well-being. Social media and other digital media technologies allow information to be disseminated to a large, diverse audience. Therefore, digital media, like social media campaigns, can reach and dismantle stereotypes about SUD and mental health to support the well-being of the stigmatized and stigmatizers. Some of the ways digital media tools can help dismantle the impact of stigma include:

• Increase hope for recovery
• Support trust between the public and people in recovery
• Increase openness to seeking support during treatment and post-treatment
• Decrease perception of otherness
• Reduce depression, anxiety, and loneliness
• Enhance your quality of life
• Build resilience

Looking at the benefits of digital media for reducing the impact of stigma showcases the value of education in recovery. With alumni support, you can continue to learn and grow in your recovery.

Empowering Sustained Recovery With Education at Driftwood Recovery

We know recovery and reintegration are complex. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a person-centered approach to reintegration during and after treatment. Stigma can leave you feeling ashamed and alone in your recovery. Through our active and peer-driven network of alumni, we remind you that you are not alone and deserving of a meaningful life. With an alumni program, you can find the service, support, accountability, and encouragement needed to build a courageous life in sustained recovery.

Learning to reintegrate into society can feel overwhelming. The impact of stigma can further complicate and hinder your ability to lead a fulfilling life in recovery. Stigma, in its many converging components like public, self, and structural stigma, can leave you feeling too ashamed and alone to seek support as you learn how to live in recovery. However, with education support resources like digital media literacy, you can build tools to combat the stigma that impedes opportunities to rebuild your life. With an active alumni program at Driftwood Recovery, you can find the support and educational resources needed to thrive in sustained recovery. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more today.

Craving management is an essential skill for those recovering from addiction. The fact is that cravings happen and often continue to happen long after a person has detoxed from a substance. Why this happens can be a frightening mystery to many. Comprehensive addiction education is not as common as it should be, with many content to ignore the problem. An educated population reduces fear, shame, and judgment. This includes education about recovery and what a person can expect when practicing sobriety.

That’s why the staff at Driftwood Recovery work to spread education and awareness about addiction and its treatment. The more a person understands about addiction, the more likely they are to seek treatment. Understanding concepts like peer pressure and craving management keeps people in recovery by preventing relapses. Having a clear idea of what to expect reduces the fear of the unknown.

This is especially true for cravings. Examining why they happen and how they can be managed inspires hope that life can and will improve for anyone, including yourself.

Why Do We Experience Cravings?

A craving in the context of addiction recovery is defined by a strong urge or abnormal desire for a certain activity or substance. People are not born with an urge or desire to use substances. However, if a person uses substances regularly, the brain and body “remember” it. This is because when using substances, the brain is bathed with chemicals and induces a flood of dopamine, which is pleasurable. Over time, the brain and body are trained to accept this state as the new “normal.”

The body and brain will start craving the substance to keep feeling “normal” and “good.” It is similar to how you may crave water or leafy greens when thirsty or lacking an essential vitamin. It’s how the body and brain work to correct imbalances or encourage you to consume needed nutrition. However, not all cravings in this manner are healthy, such as cravings for sugar and, in this case, substances. After substance use, the body is so used to the substance being present that it tries to “correct” the perceived imbalance by reinforcing substance use. 

Cravings often occur after a person experiences common addiction triggers, such as high stress or experiencing environmental cues of previous substance use. Recent studies have identified a neuro marker called the NCS (neural craving signature), which may be able to predict how intense drug cravings will be for a recovering individual. Though cravings can be distressing, they will pass and decrease in frequency over time. Some common examples of cravings are:

• Intrusive and distracting thoughts about using substances
• A physical urge to use substances
• An inability to think about anything else but using substances
• Desiring positive mental or physical feelings from using substances

How Craving Management Works

Craving management works by guiding clients into making healthy choices in their lives. Firstly, a client must accept that cravings will occur, and it doesn’t make them a bad or weak person for experiencing them. It takes time for the brain and body to recover from the damage dealt by substance abuse. However, the brain can and will heal, especially when helped along by professional help. In a way, craving management “resets” the brain and trains it to get used to a healthy new normal. 

Much like how the brain gets used to substance use over time, so too will healthy coping skills and habits become equally ingrained. Clients in craving management spend time practicing coping skills until it’s second nature. Boredom is a major addiction and craving trigger, so clients learn how to keep themselves busy as part of recovery. Discovering new hobbies, establishing an exercise regimen, and practicing wellness are all examples of typical activities encouraged in craving management.

Sometimes, medications can be useful as part of craving management. Some drugs and substances are particularly potent and can be difficult to detox from fully. Medications may be used to relieve withdrawal symptoms, including cravings, so clients can detox as safely and comfortably as they can. These medications, however, are only to be used for a brief amount of time and not forever. 

Overall, craving management is a toolkit that gives clients several options for effectively coping with cravings in their lives. 

What to Expect From Craving Management at Driftwood Recovery

Craving management at Driftwood Recovery is influenced by its goal of comprehensive and holistic treatments. Clients can expect all aspects of themselves to receive equal attention as a part of treatment, which is the mind, body, and spirit. Psychotherapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are utilized to help clients cope with and understand their cravings. Programs like relapse prevention are an integral part of craving management, as they help clients practice their skills to navigate addiction triggers that can result in a craving. Clients build confidence and self-esteem through team-building exercises, experiential therapy, and therapeutic recreation. 

Driftwood Recovery also teaches clients how to be healthier once they finish treatments. This includes learning about proper nutrition, establishing an exercise routine, and finding activities and hobbies that give them joy. All of this teaches clients that there is more to life than cravings. In time, clients learn how to allow cravings to come and go while remaining healthy and sober. Staying active in your recovery leaves little room for cravings, and Driftwood Recovery balances activity with times to rest and relax. 

Of course, the skills clients learn in craving management can help others. Clients may be called upon to assist fellow peers in learning how to manage their cravings. Young family members will observe how alumni healthily deal with their cravings. The staff at Driftwood Recovery work to spread awareness that anyone can recover from addiction. By demonstrating their success, alumni show others that healing and recovery are possible for everyone. That includes understanding the nature of cravings and not allowing them to rule your life. 

Cravings are an unfortunate and often difficult part of addiction recovery. The longer a person has abused substances, the more intense the cravings can be. However, it’s possible to manage these cravings so you can live your life in recovery without fear. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, craving management gives clients back their lives. With an emphasis on holistic and comprehensive treatment, clients collaborate with mental health care professionals to create a successful treatment plan. Cravings may be distressing, but they don’t last forever. If you or a loved one is struggling with cravings, don’t wait to get help. Find out more about our addiction treatment program today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Individuals working in healthcare must practice compassion and empathy with every client to provide the best care. Some professionals may struggle with compassion fatigue (CF) if they experience chronic stress or other issues impacting their mental health. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Professionals regularly exposed to the traumatic experiences of the people they service, such as healthcare, emergency and community service workers, are particularly susceptible to developing CF.” Driftwood Recovery helps staff avoid compassion fatigue by providing professional support and encouraging a healthy work-life balance. 

What Is Compassion Fatigue?

People experience compassion fatigue after being exposed to the trauma of others. CF takes time to develop, and multiple factors influence who may experience it. According to the previously mentioned article by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “CF has been described as the convergence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) and cumulative burnout (BO), a state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by a depleted ability to cope with one’s everyday environment.”

Individuals with the following may have a higher risk of CF: 

• Lack of professional support
• Reduced social support 
• Lack of practical coping skills 
• Insufficient training to address trauma 
• Personal history of trauma 
• Difficulties maintaining emotional stability 
• Mental health disorders 
• Reduced stress threshold 

Many potential factors impact who develops compassion fatigue. The condition often causes guilt, shame, and other negative feelings, compounding the adverse effects of CF. Addressing the underlying causes of CF and finding healthy ways to express compassion and empathy can help healthcare workers create a better work-life balance. 

3 Ways to Manage Compassion Fatigue

Individuals with CF often feel overwhelmed by the trauma of others. The condition may affect relationships, work productivity, and overall health. Driftwood Recovery supports employees and provides them with the tools and resources to manage stress effectively. Finding positive ways to manage compassion fatigue reduces the potential side effects and improves the treatment process for clients and professionals. Below are three of the ways healthcare workers address and manage CF. 

#1. Emotional and Social Support

Seeking emotional and social support from loved ones and peers is the most effective method for managing the increased stress of CF. Healthcare workers often work long hours. Making the time to connect in person, over the phone, or in text with a support system, including workplace and personal support networks, reduces stress and provides critical cathartic release. Discussing the effects of someone else’s trauma can stabilize emotional responses and improve resilience. Many healthcare workers gain greater social and emotional support by prioritizing spending time with loved ones and building mutually empowering relationships with coworkers. 

#2. Setting Clear Work-Life Boundaries

Often, healthcare workers have extended hours, inconsistent schedules, and other factors interfering with their ability to establish clear work-life boundaries. The lack of work-life balance can cause some people to experience burnout and compassion fatigue. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “Our workplaces play a significant role in our lives,” affecting “both our physical and mental well-being — in good ways and bad.”

Driftwood Recovery encourages staff to set firm limits to reduce the emotional impact of work stressors. Creating boundaries allows people to practice self-care and establish healthy routines supporting emotional stability. Stress management is more manageable for individuals who set a clear line between their work and home lives. 

#3. Treating Yourself With Compassion

Compassion fatigue often causes people to stop treating themselves with kindness and grace. According to Psychology Research and Behavior Management, “The importance of cultivating self-compassion is an often neglected issue among mental health professionals despite the risks to occupational well-being present in psychological care, such as burnout or compassion fatigue.” Taking the time to practice introspection often helps people identify if they have begun to treat themselves callously due to compassion fatigue. Self-awareness reduces negativity and fosters self-compassion. 

How Does Driftwood Recovery Help Professionals Avoid Compassion Fatigue?

Many factors contribute to the development of CF and emotional burnout. Driftwood Recovery helps professionals avoid CF and other problems in the workplace by creating a supportive and caring environment where coworkers uplift one another and normalize conversations about mental health. Staff members are encouraged to speak with management if they feel emotionally overwhelmed. Various resources are available to meet employee mental health needs. Driftwood Recovery understands the importance of prioritizing professionals’ emotional and physical health during and after work. 

The management team helps healthcare professionals avoid compassion fatigue by doing the following: 

• Providing training to recognize the signs of CF
• Offering mental health resources 
• Encouraging a healthy work-life balance through flexible scheduling and time-off policies 
• Promoting peer support 
• Encouraging honest and open communication 
• Implementing manageable caseloads 
• Offering professional development opportunities 
• Regularly assessing workplace stressors and addressing them with policy updates 

Driftwood Recovery supports every staff member and provides them with essential guidance during moments of high stress. Professionals can avoid CF by relying on workplace support services and other resources to manage stress.

Individuals who feel compassion and empathy for others often enter healthcare fields to provide support to individuals in need. However, constantly being exposed to the trauma and suffering of others can have a negative impact on a professional’s mental health unless they learn effective ways of managing their emotional responses. Compassion fatigue is a common concern among individuals working in healthcare. Mental health and addiction recovery specialist have a higher risk of being exposed to multiple secondhand traumas throughout their career. Driftwood Recovery protects employees from compassion fatigue by providing training and resources. All staff members receive the support of managers and coworkers as they develop healthy coping mechanisms. To learn more about our workplace policies, call (512) 759-8330

Individuals in healthcare may experience unusual or emotionally charged situations with coworkers and clients, leading to ethical dilemmas. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Moral dilemmas arise when two or more principles or values conflict and there are mutually inconsistent courses of action.” Driftwood Recovery provides comprehensive training and staff support to help clinicians navigate ethical dilemmas with dignity and compassion. 

5 Common Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare and How to Address Them

Ethics is a cornerstone of good healthcare. Ethical guidelines protect clients and healthcare professionals from legal issues, ensuring people have access to relevant and appropriate care. Identifying and adequately addressing moral dilemmas improves treatment outcomes for clients and reduces workplace stress for clinicians. Below are five common ethical dilemmas encountered in healthcare and how professionals can manage them. 

#1. Maintaining Client Privacy While Addressing Threats to Public Safety

Client privacy is essential to the therapeutic process. Ensuring confidentiality and privacy builds trust and confidence in the client-clinician relationship. However, some situations may make it challenging to maintain client privacy while balancing public health and safety. For example, clinicians may have to break confidentiality if a client expresses intent to harm themselves or others. Finding the right balance between ensuring public safety and maintaining client trust involves practicing good judgment. Driftwood Recovery has strict guidelines and protocols for managing client privacy and adhering to privacy laws. HIPAA and other laws ensure healthcare workers know when to break and when to protect client confidentiality. 

#2. Informed Consent and Clients With Limited Capacity to Understand Treatment Options

The effects of chronic substance abuse, complex mental health issues, and developmental factors may impact a client’s capacity to understand their treatment options. Individuals with a decreased capacity to recognize their needs and identify effective treatment plans may have difficulty understanding their situation. Healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring clients under their care give informed consent for treatment services. Some clinicians may struggle with determining if a client has the mental capacity to provide informed consent. 

Ongoing assessments and ethical judgment help healthcare workers recognize when a client needs an advocate. Driftwood Recovery ensures all staff know how to identify the signs of a client’s capacity to give informed consent. In cases where clients may not be able to consent, the clinical team follows legal guidelines for working with client families or representatives to make the best decisions for their care. 

#3. Refusal of Treatment Despite Severe or Life-Threatening Consequences

Individuals experiencing complex mental health issues, substance use disorder, or dual diagnosis may refuse treatment despite a high risk of relapse or self-harming behaviors. Mentally competent adults have the right to refuse treatment regardless of how this may affect their physical or emotional health. However, determining mental competency can sometimes be difficult and cause moral dilemmas for healthcare professionals. 

Studies have shown that when “a patient’s illness is affecting their capacity to refuse care, and they are considered a danger to themselves or to others, the healthcare provider is expected to treat the patient regardless of their refusal.” Every state has different laws regarding involuntary treatment. Driftwood Recovery educates clinicians on state, local, and federal laws for treating patients who have refused care. 

#4. Balancing Respect for Cultural Beliefs With Evidence-Based Care

Some people’s cultural beliefs may clash with evidence-based care, making it difficult to treat conditions impacting the client’s mental and physical health. Responding with compassion and curiosity instead of judgment can help healthcare professionals develop tailored approaches to care that meet client needs while respecting their cultural beliefs. 

Mental health and addiction recovery experts balance respect for client cultural beliefs with evidence-based treatments by doing the following: 

• Conducting cultural competency training 
• Actively listening to client needs and preferences 
• Collaborating with clients and their families to tailor treatment 
• Using culturally appropriate assessment tools 
• Providing access to bilingual counselors 
• Encouraging family involvement in treatment 

Healthcare professionals can respect cultural beliefs and stigmas surrounding treatment while gently introducing evidence-based modalities into treatment plans. 

#5. Setting Professional Boundaries With Compassionate Care

Boundaries may become blurred sometimes, making it difficult for healthcare professionals to set limits on how they interact with clients. Professionals set clear boundaries with clients by doing the following: 

• Defining professional roles at the start of treatment 
• Maintaining consistent and clear communication 
• Avoiding dual relationships, such as becoming a personal friend with therapy clients 
• Practicing self-awareness and mindfulness during interactions with clients 
• Consulting coworkers or supervisors if boundary issues become a problem 
• Respecting client autonomy

Boundaries help clients avoid confusion or miscommunication during treatment. Maintaining a professional distance from clients while treating them with dignity and compassion improves the effectiveness of treatment services and helps clients learn to set their own healthy boundaries. 

Mental health and addiction recovery programs involve many gray areas that may lead to ethical dilemmas for healthcare professionals. Strict workplace policies ensure staff members understand when they must legally report certain situations and how to react appropriately to moral dilemmas. Experts are humans, too, and may experience a lack of judgment. Comprehensive workplace guidelines help professionals know how to respond to various complex or sensitive situations. Driftwood Recovery trains staff to recognize and address potentially challenging interactions using compassion, objectivity, and transparency. Healthcare professionals benefit from relying on their supervisors and coworkers to help them navigate unusual issues that may have them worried about providing the best care to clients. To learn more about our policies, call (512) 759-8330.

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe staying connected through a peer-driven network is integral to lasting recovery. We believe that mutually supportive attachment with others can give you the tools you need to reintegrate into everyday life. Engaging in a robust alumni program allows you to connect with your peers and other resources like digital media for lasting recovery. 

Yet, you may question how digital media can offer positive interpersonal connections to thrive in recovery. You have likely heard stories about digital media making people more distant from each other. Despite how interconnected and instant digital media has made us, a great number of people are experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation. Thus, understanding digital media and its relationship to substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health is important for recovery. 

Connecting Digital Media With Mental Health and SUD

The use of digital media is broad in scope. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in general, digital media is on-demand mass communication that is distributed digitally. For example, digital media can include things like blogs, podcasts, video games, and social media. Therefore, most people’s domains, such as work, school, and health, have been touched by digital media in some way. 

When you use a smartphone, apps, a computer, or tablet, you are engaged in and consuming digital media. Despite the broadness of digital media, at its root, it connects people. Whether that connection is through interactions, sharing information, or creative expression, digital media is a source of connection. However, that source of connection can also expose you to content that advertises and glorifies substance use. Social media, in particular, normalizes the overconsumption of alcohol and drugs as a positive. 

In addition, digital media impacts your mental health. According to Cureus, digital media, like social media, can increase your risk for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Despite being social creatures with the desire and need for companionship, digital media can distort those meaningful sources of connection. Digital media often leads to fewer face-to-face social interactions and can influence how you view and maintain your relationships. Thus, recognizing digital media’s influence on mental health and addiction can highlight its impact on recovery.

The Impact of Social Media on Recovery

Recovering from addiction and co-occurring mental health challenges can be difficult enough on its own. The addition of digital media can further compound stressors that may have contributed to your substance use. Listed below are some of the ways social media can hinder the recovery process:

• Advertisements
  • Romanticizing your past substance use
  • Can trigger cravings and negative emotions
• Information overload and online conflict
  • Increases risk for depression and anxiety
  • Difficulty dealing with stress, anger, and frustration
• Substituting addiction
  • Spending an unhealthy amount of time scrolling on social media
    • Distraction from recovery work
    • Disrupts sleeping patterns
    • Sense of disconnection from others
• Self-perception and fear of missing out (FOMO)
  • Decreases self-esteem 
  • Loneliness and isolation
  • Impairs mental health
  • Increases temptation 

The pervasiveness of social media highlights how digital media can act as a barrier to recovery. However, social media can also be used as a tool to dismantle barriers to sustaining recovery.

Dismantling Recovery Barriers With Digital Media

Some common barriers to maintaining recovery include lack of transportation and access to services, financial instability, and stigma. In addition to traditional recovery barriers, there can be barriers to accessing digital resources. According to JMIR Human Factors, barriers to the uptake and engagement of recovery apps can include:

• Poor access to smartphones, Wi-Fi, and mobile data
• Low motivation

While there are broad structural issues with digital exclusion and marginalization, digital recovery tools can still act as supplementary tools for healing. Through your alumni program, you can find the support needed to effectively utilize holistic intervention in digital technologies. Therefore, access to an active alumni program, both in person and digitally, can provide the tools needed to build connections and dismantle barriers. 

As noted in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, peer-to-peer recovery support is valuable to healing and recovery. Thus, digital sources can help leverage peer-to-peer connections for addiction and mental health recovery. With digital sources like online meetings, social networking sites, and recovery apps, you can find support no matter where you are. 

Some of the ways digital tools like recovery apps can support you include:

• Connection
• Community
• Educational information 
• Motivation
• Accountability
• Monitor progress

Yet, you may question how you can benefit from digital media without being harmed by the pitfalls of social media.

Ways to Build a Positive Relationship With Digital Media

Despite the challenges digital media presents to well-being, it can also support wellness when used thoughtfully. Finding recovery value in digital technologies starts with learning how to build positive relationships with digital media. Listed below are some of the ways you can build a positive relationship with digital technologies:

• Role of digital technology in your life
• Set clear and healthy boundaries
  • Types of media use
  • How much time is spent on digital media
  • Tech-free zones
• Engage in mindful media consumption
  • Seek out positive and educational content
• Practice digital detox days
• Prioritize non-digital activities 

There are many healthy ways that you can engage in digital technologies. With alumni support, you can continue to expand on your personal growth in every domain of your life.

Enhancing Healing Through Digital Connection With Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know healing takes time; change takes time, and we are committed to your long-term well-being. Therefore, we provide a wide range of support services and resources like our alumni app. No matter where you are, our recovery app can help you stay connected to yourself and your peers to thrive in recovery. We are with you along every step of your journey, from sharing recovery milestones to access to recovery-focused podcasts. Through our sober community, you can find connections for belonging, compassion, understanding, and guidance.

Digital media has become integral to life, from work and school to expression and connection. However, exposure to glorified representations of substance use, information overload, and curated highlight reels of others’ lives can increase your risk for SUD relapse, along with challenges with depression and anxiety. Despite the harm digital media can do to your well-being and recovery, digital technologies like social media and recovery apps can be beneficial to sustaining recovery. You can find connections, motivation, and resources to support your recovery through digital technologies like recovery apps. With support from a vibrant alumni community at Driftwood Recovery, you can learn how to build a positive relationship with digital media. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more today.