The Importance of Safety and Security at Driftwood Recovery

One of the fundamental feelings a person must consistently have for mental wellness is safety and security. Without the ability to feel safe and secure, it’s nearly impossible to maintain mental wellness. For example, it’s difficult for those in treatment to progress if they are constantly afraid of physical and emotional harm. It’s especially important now to stress how safe modern mental health treatment is, as its media portrayals are often less than ideal or rely on outdated depictions for a cheap scare. Without this reassurance, people are less likely to seek the help they need.

That is why at treatment facilities like Driftwood Recovery, care is taken to make sure that safety and security are upheld for every client. As our understanding of mental health care grows, so too does our ability to provide a safe and supportive treatment environment. This philosophy can be found at any mental health care and addiction treatment facility, allowing clients everywhere to be assured of their safety and security.

However, it can be difficult for someone to trust a treatment facility, especially if they have experienced judgment or belittlement in the past. To allow healing to reach those in need, we must explain why the values of safety and security in treatment facilities are upheld so strictly.

Why Is Safety and Security So Important?

As mentioned before, a lot of our mental health hinges on our feelings of safety and security. When we experience events or live in environments that strip away these feelings, it can be difficult to relax. Perhaps the most well-known conditions resulting from a lack of safety and security are anxiety disorders. Some common examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People who struggle with these anxiety disorders often turn to external means to relax or quiet their symptoms. Usually, it ends in a substance use disorder (SUD), which quickly leads to addiction.

The ability to feel safe directly factors into how effective the treatment will be for an individual. If a person cannot relax and rest properly, they may experience burnout and frustration. This greatly slows progress and can cause someone to quit treatment altogether. It’s especially true for those who are more private and don’t want the world to know they are in treatment. Without this trust, people are often afraid to seek treatment, which prolongs their pain. To reduce this likelihood, a great effort has been taken to educate the public about modern mental health treatment to put these common fears to rest.

Understanding Modern Mental Health Treatment

One reason why someone may refuse treatment is that they are afraid. Modern media typically portrays rehab and other treatment programs as something akin to prisons. Our nation’s history of mental health treatment is often used as a prop in horror movies to scare their audience. It is not unusual for someone to believe that enrolling in a treatment program means being trapped while being subjected to outdated practices and abuses.

The truth is that the standards of safety and security of modern treatment facilities are high. These facilities are regularly inspected and staffed by professionals to make sure each client is safe. Modern mental health treatment is scientifically backed and is subject to peer review. If a safer and more effective treatment is discovered, modern mental health care facilities will make that treatment standard as quickly as possible.

It’s now common for mental health care facilities to choose to build in green and out-of-the-way places. By taking their facilities away from foot traffic, clients can recover with an increased level of privacy. Mental health care facilities are not places where clients can expect to be gawked at. Each mental health care professional and treatment provider understands the importance of safety and security for their clients to promote healing. After all, without the trust between provider and client, healing cannot proceed at all.

The Driftwood Recovery Approach to Safety and Security

Safety and security are important to the staff at Driftwood Recovery. Each client who enters treatment deserves to feel safe and secure. That is why many professionals are on staff to make sure each client remains safe.

For example, with medical professionals on staff, clients don’t have to worry about being too far away from help during a medical emergency. Specialized treatment providers who understand chronic pain help those who struggle with them find relief. Even those who participate in therapeutic recreational activities such as rope courses can expect to be cared for by professionals. No matter the activity, clients can be assured that it will be safe.

Safety and security are especially valuable to clients who have a public presence. No matter who the person is, they still deserve to recover in a peaceful environment. To meet this need, the staff at Driftwood Recovery make sure that their clients are not bothered and maintain client privacy and confidentiality at all times. Clients have access to quiet places to rest and recharge, preventing treatment burnout and promoting relaxation.

It’s always okay to ask staff members about the safety and security policies at Driftwood Recovery. They will be more than happy to explain their policies to reassure you that you are truly safe. If, for any reason, you feel unsafe, you are encouraged to speak to a staff member right away. The staff members care about you and your recovery and will work hard to make sure you feel safe. By extending trust in professionals to help you, it allows you to open yourself up to treatment. With trust, time, and treatment, you can recover from anything.

Those who are recovering from mental health conditions and chronic pain require a safe and secure place to heal. Without this security, it can be difficult for those in treatment to focus, which prolongs the time it takes to recover. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, safety and security are important values that every staff member uphold. Here, clients can recover without worry that their privacy will be infringed upon. Under the supervision of professionals, clients can receive the comprehensive and compassionate treatment needed to achieve recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with their mental health, call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330.

In the past, older adults were less likely to be diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD). However, the “Baby Boomer” generation has an increased risk of experiencing SUD. According to Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, “The prevalence rates of substance use disorder (SUD) have remained high among this group as they age, and both the proportions and actual numbers of older adults needing treatment of SUD are expected to grow substantially.” The mental health and addiction recovery experts at Driftwood Recovery use evidence-based and alternative holistic therapies to help seniors with substance use disorder build a sober future.

Increased Risk of SUD in Older Adults

Many factors have contributed to the rise in SUD among adults over the age of 65. Individuals born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s, often called the “Baby Boomer” generation, have a more relaxed view of drug and alcohol abuse compared to earlier generations. Less judgment surrounding substance abuse makes it more socially acceptable. According to Addiction and Health, “With an estimated prevalence of 4%, substance abuse amongst persons who are 65 years and older is increasing [. . .] Substance abuse is difficult to recognize in the older adults, but once identified, presents its own challenges as only 18% of substance abuse treatment programs are designed for this growing population.”

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and prescription drug abuse are the two most common addiction issues experienced by older adults. Some of the known risk factors for developing SUD later in life include:

• Substance abuse in childhood or young adulthood
• Mental health disorders
• Age-related cognitive decline or physical health concerns
• Chronic emotional or physical pain
• Lack of social support, social isolation, or loneliness
• Family history of substance abuse

Healthcare providers offering substance abuse treatment must find creative ways to accommodate the needs of older adults. For example, an older adult may experience memory lapses or other issues impacting their ability to participate in treatment. Case managers, nurses, counselors, and other staff members collaborate with each other, clients, and families to identify any age-related or co-occurring health issues that may impact a person’s ability to participate in treatment.

Treatment for Seniors With Substance Use Disorder

Driftwood Recovery and other treatment facilities offering care to individuals over 65 have a responsibility to provide appropriate treatment for seniors living with SUD and dual diagnosis. Often, older adults have multiple health conditions and prescription medications they take daily to manage their symptoms. The presence of specific disorders and medications may affect treatment for substance abuse. For example, older adults with chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) may need additional support services to manage their pain without the aid of opioids, painkillers, or other highly addictive drugs.

Clinicians use comprehensive assessments to determine what factors may impact a client’s treatment and how best to support their health. Every member of an older client’s care team should have personal experience or training related to treating older adults for SUD and mental health disorders.

Seniors With Substance Use Disorder Face Unique Challenges During Outpatient Treatment

Everyone has a unique recovery journey. The care team is responsible for ensuring their skills and services provide clients with the necessary services to meet their needs and personal goals. Driftwood Recovery provides staff members with the resources to improve their skills to meet the needs of various demographics, including seniors.

Some of the most common challenges older adults may encounter during treatment for SUD include:

• Fear of stigmas, judgment from loved ones, or ageism
• Transportation issues
• Misconceptions about healthcare and mental health services due to generational differences
• Memory problems and difficulty remembering medications, schedules, and other essential aspects of treatment
• Medication side effects causing physical or emotional symptoms and side effects

Clients in intensive outpatient programs (IOP) must balance treatment with family responsibilities. In some cases, older adults require a higher level of care during the initial stages of treatment to ensure they remain focused on their recovery and have access to the resources they need to attend treatment sessions.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Caregivers and families need resources to help navigate initial identification, screening, assessment, and treatment options for older people who misuse substances or have SUDs.” Intensive outpatient programs offer additional structure and support. Many older adults with SUD benefit from the greater flexibility of IOP, allowing families to become more involved in their loved one’s recovery.

How Does Driftwood Recovery Help Seniors With Substance Use Disorder?

Driftwood Recovery treats adults of all ages and backgrounds. Clinicians have the training, experience, and skills to provide older adults with the support they need to achieve and maintain sobriety.

The addiction recovery and mental health experts at Driftwood Recovery provide older adults and their loved ones with the following:

• Family therapy and support services to ensure family members play an active role in their loved ones treatment
• Information about how their diagnosis and any co-occurring disorders may impact treatment and long-term recovery
• Community-based and other local resources for addressing barriers to treatment, including transportation

Age-related physical disorders and the effects of some prescription medications may alter how seniors react to treatment for SUD. Staff are responsible for monitoring older adults throughout their recovery. Driftwood Recovery understands the importance of providing integrative, whole-person care to older individuals. The care team can work with the client’s family doctor and other outside members of their care team to create a positive and consistent treatment experience.

Older adults have unique needs and may require additional accommodations during treatment for substance use disorder. Rehabilitation programs require clients to actively participate in treatment by taking part in individual and group therapy, support groups, and other recovery services. Older adults might find it more challenging to attend treatment or remain engaged. Older adults may encounter unexpected health issues younger clients do not experience. Clinicians and support staff play an essential role in ensuring older adults have access to the resources they need to attend treatment sessions and maintain sobriety. The care team provides clients with a tailored treatment plan and essential support services. To learn more about the dedicated team at Driftwood Recovery, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

Individuals recovering from mental health conditions and substance use disorder (SUD) may experience severe or persistent symptoms, including anxiety, cravings, and intrusive thoughts. Relapse prevention is an essential part of managing symptoms and side effects of SUD. Ensuring accountability for clients and providing relapse prevention generally does not involve repressing or avoiding the triggers of relapse. Instead, treatment focuses on providing clients with the tools to manage them successfully.

According to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, “Clinical experience has shown that occasional thoughts of [relapse] need to be normalized in therapy.” Healthcare workers are vital in ensuring people remain accountable for their behaviors while providing compassionate care. Therapy and other services help clients better understand themselves. Staff at Driftwood Recovery normalize conversations about mental health to facilitate healing and increase accountability.

How Does Encouraging Accountability for Clients Improve Outpatient Treatment?

The goal of treatment is to provide clients with the resources and skills to reintegrate into the community and improve their quality of life. Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) focus on helping clients gain self-confidence, self-awareness, and coping skills for managing their condition in everyday situations. People in IOPs spend time between treatment sessions at work, home, school, or other locations where they may encounter triggers or stressors. Holding clients accountable for their actions during treatment prompts them to make healthier choices at home.

3 Ways the Care Team Supports Client Accountability

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery support clients and hold them accountable for their recovery by providing motivation, inspiration, education, and guidance. People struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders seek treatment because they have been unsuccessful in achieving their health goals on their own. Staff ensure clients have the support and resources to maintain sobriety and positive mental health during and after treatment. Below are three ways the care team at Driftwood Recovery supports client accountability and long-term recovery.

#1. Setting and Monitoring Achievable Recovery Goals: Specific objectives keep the care team and clients on the same page and moving forward in the treatment process. Healthcare professionals use their relationships with clients to help them create practical and achievable goals. Clients are held accountable for working toward those goals with the assistance of their care team and support system.

#2. Relapse Prevention Education and Strategies: Psychoeducation helps clients make connections between their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Clinicians educate clients to ensure they understand the importance of making healthier lifestyle choices and being accountable for their actions.

#3. Providing Clients With the Tools to Achieve or Maintain Steady Employment: Staff members often help people develop essential skills to achieve or maintain steady employment. According to Addiction, “In addition to financial rewards, employment can provide many incentives for sustained recovery, including purpose and meaning, social support, structure and accountability, and a sense of accomplishment and pride.” Clients often benefit from the structure and accountability of workplace responsibilities and expectations of sobriety.

Accountability for Clients Reduces the Risk of Relapse

Relapse is not an inevitable part of recovery. However, many clients participating in IOP treatment at Driftwood Recovery have a history of relapse and valid concerns about how to avoid backsliding into maladaptive behaviors. Staff are responsible for helping clients learn new ways to manage their condition and reduce the risk of relapse. Relapse prevention strategies, skill development, and social support help clients maintain sobriety and build a healthy foundation for the future. According to Alcohol Research and Health, treatment “interventions include identifying specific high-risk situations for each client and enhancing the client’s skills for coping with those situations, increasing the client’s self-efficacy, eliminating myths regarding alcohol’s effects, managing lapses, and restructuring the client’s perceptions of the relapse process.”

Every person responds differently to interventions. Healthcare professionals must work with clients and their families to determine how to address accountability and prepare clients for long-term recovery. Clients often change how they think and act when they know their choices impact the people closest to them.

Driftwood Recovery Facilitates Accountability for Clients

The dedicated experts at Driftwood Recovery have created a nurturing and welcoming environment by ensuring staff have the resources and training to provide personalized care. Tailored treatment services make it easier for the care team to hold clients accountable and encourage them to make healthier choices.

Staff members maintain accountability by doing the following:

• Making personal connections and developing a deeper understanding of the client’s needs
• Ensuring clients understand how their actions may impact recovery
• Providing emotional and practical support
• Encouraging families to play an active role in their loved ones recovery
• Providing relatable and relevant information and education

Support groups and peer engagement are essential factors in maintaining accountability. Clinicians encourage clients to engage with peers and join support groups. Studies have shown that “[s]upport groups provide guidance through peer feedback, and group members generally require accountability from each other.” The more consistently staff hold clients accountable for their sobriety, the easier it will be for clients to avoid relying on maladaptive behaviors after they complete treatment and transition to aftercare.

Individuals recovering from substance abuse and mental health disorders may experience severe or persistent triggers, including cravings or intrusive thoughts. Professional treatment offers clients essential support and reduces the risk of relapse by holding people accountable for their choices. Evidence-based and complementary treatments provide people with support and the resources to cope with everyday stressors. Healthcare workers are responsible for ensuring clients receive the level of care and personalized services they need to heal and recover from substance abuse. Driftwood Recovery uses tailored treatment planning and comprehensive assessments to help clients have positive outcomes. To learn more about how teamwork within healthcare facilities supports client recovery and sobriety, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

According to “The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment,” the use of telecommunication and information technology in the health care system has been explored since the 1920s. From envisioning treating patients over the radio to establishing a closed-circuit television link between medical locations in the late 50s and early 60s, telehealth has been valued as a tool for connection and healing in medicine. Since its infancy, telehealth has been rooted in lowering barriers to care for underserved communities. Therefore, understanding virtual support tools is valuable to the process of recovery and sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe connection and engagement in the community are vital to maintaining recovery. Thus, using virtual support tools like our Driftwood Recovery app allows you to strengthen those connections. Recovery should never be jeopardized because of a lack of resources for care and support. You deserve the same opportunities to thrive and sustain your recovery, no matter your level of recovery capital. With virtual support tools, you can dismantle barriers and expand your recovery capital to sustain recovery.

Yet, you may still have questions about virtual support tools and their relationship to telehealth. How does telehealth empower access to care?

What Is Telehealth?

Terms like telemedicine, telehealth, and telecare are often used interchangeably but can also have different meanings. As the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) states, telehealth, telemedicine, and telecare typically encompass advances in information and communications technologies for care. Specifically, information and communication advances allow medical professionals and other healthcare providers to offer remote and interactive services to consumers, patients, clients, and caregivers. Yet, the distinction in terminology can be important for understanding what virtual support tools are used and how those virtual support tools are used.

Listed below are some of the ways telemedicine, telehealth, and telecare are defined:

• Telemedicine: The use of telecommunications technologies to deliver different kinds of medical, diagnostic, and treatment-related services
  • Typically utilized by doctors to diagnose, treat, and support patients
    • Diagnostic testing, progress monitoring, and access to specialists
• Telehealth: Evolved from telemedicine; thus, it shares similarities but includes a wider variety of remote healthcare services
  • Services can be provided by other health and care providers like nurses, pharmacists, and social workers
    • Can assist with health education, mental health literacy, social support, and medication management
• Telecare: The term is more commonly used in Europe and typically refers to technology like virtual support tools that allow clients to remain safe and independent in their homes
  • Health and fitness apps
  • Exercise tracking tools
  • Digital medication reminder systems
  • Early warning and detection technologies

The different terms highlight the variety of virtual support tools in health care. Thus, expanding your knowledge of virtual support tools can help you understand their impact on various areas of care.

Types of Virtual Support Tools

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in awareness of telehealth and virtual support tools. The understanding of telehealth during the pandemic focused on preventative care to maintain social distancing. However, advances have opened the door to official and unofficial psychological virtual support tools. The virtual support tools that were expanded upon during the pandemic include mental health support, video conferencing, and multiplayer gaming. Specifically, the virtual support tools found in mental health services have expanded to meet clients where they are. As noted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), virtual support tools or virtual recovery resources can include:

• Virtual recovery programs
  • Offers a variety of online meetings, discussion groups, forums, and access to services
    • 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous
• Online mutual-help groups
  • Offers online and other virtual support tools to support specific and often underserved groups
    • Women’s only recovery communities
    • Programs centered on religious and spiritual beliefs
    • Culturally sensitive and responsive programs
      • Education, research, services, and resources
        • Native Americans, Latinx, Black Americans, and LGBTQI+

Virtual support tools highlight the ways information and communication technologies can support well-being.

Benefits of Virtual Support Tools for SUD and Mental Wellness

The remote nature of telehealth opens the door to more accessible and convenient treatment options for a wider audience. Moreover, telehealth can be particularly beneficial to the needs and care for various disorders and conditions:

• Real-time remote progress monitoring
• Provide resources for rapid intervention and crisis management
• Access to therapy and self-help recovery groups
• Tools for behavioral skill-building
• Texting interventions for relapse prevention

Further, as previously mentioned, virtual support tools are not only valuable for preventive care, crisis management, and skill building. Virtual support tools also work to dismantle barriers that impede access to services and resources in recovery.

Dismantling Barriers to Sustained Recovery With Telehealth

As noted by SAMHSA, millions of Americans are impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) and severe mental illness (SMI). Yet, 47.7% of Americans have an unmet need for mental health services, and only 12.2% of people receive treatment for SUD. The lack of treatment for SUD and SMI often stems from health disparities and inequities. Thus, telehealth, in conjunction with other accessible formats, can dismantle barriers to treatment and recovery resources:

• Improve the quality of care
• Decrease cost of care
• Improve client experience
• Increase engagement
• Improved access to continuity of care
• Supports aftercare
• Reduces stigma
• Decreases geographical barriers

Telehealth can address and support the long-term needs of clients with diverse backgrounds.

Staying Connected: Fostering Sustained Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

Health equity is an invaluable part of treatment and supporting sustained recovery. Through virtual support tools, you are given access to a wide variety of services and other resources to meet your needs. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are committed to providing a full continuum of care to support your recovery. No matter where you are on your road to recovery, we make support accessible to you. With our virtual support tools, you can continue to thrive and lead the courageous life in recovery you deserve.

Connection and engagement are important parts of treatment and sustained recovery. However, various barriers to services and resources can impede your ability to maintain recovery. Whether you are in early recovery or have been in recovery for years, you can experience challenges with cravings, triggers, and recovery capital. Yet, access to telehealth gives you virtual support tools to help you on your recovery journey. With access to apps, texting interventions, and remote progress monitoring tools, you can stay connected to your sober community, continue to build coping skills, and find support for relapse prevention and crisis management. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing an accessible recovery community with our Driftwood Recovery app. Call (512) 759-8330 today.

Chronic pain is a serious condition that affects countless people in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that there are 52.4 new cases of chronic pain per 1,000 persons per year. However, despite the increased rates of chronic pain cases, it’s still known as the “invisible” disability. This is because if you look at someone, it is not obvious that they are struggling with pain. Learning more about this condition doesn’t just help those in pain get help. It also changes our overall view of those struggling with pain.

That’s why mental health care facilities such as Driftwood Recovery work to educate the greater public about the role of chronic pain on mental health. By understanding chronic pain, we understand how and why it impacts our mental health so strongly. Offering more support for those struggling with pain also reduces the likelihood of its associated conditions, such as depression and addiction.

But before we can examine the effect that chronic pain can have on mental health, we must first understand what defines chronic pain.

A Brief Overview of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a condition in which a person experiences persistent pain. This pain can last from weeks to years. Sometimes this pain can come and go in waves instead of being constant. This is not the same as acute pain, which eventually vanishes after treatment and healing. The cause of chronic pain varies, but it’s usually the result of an illness or disease, an injury, or dysfunction of the nerves and nervous system.

Some examples of conditions that cause chronic pain are:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

The list of medical conditions that can cause chronic pain is extensive. Though strides have been made in managing and treating pain, the fact that a person must deal with the pain in the first place can weigh heavy on the psyche. It’s especially true when the source of the chronic pain is traumatic or will worsen in time. Treatment for chronic pain is part medical and part psychological, as seen by the various conditions that can arise as a result of constant pain.

Chronic Pain and Mental Health

As mentioned before, the understanding that you will be dealing with constant pain for what may be the rest of your life can be difficult to accept. Pain can prevent someone from enjoying the things they used to. It can force someone to completely restructure their lives to mitigate the pain. Many find themselves isolated within their homes and unable to engage in normal life activities.

So, it’s no wonder that conditions such as depression are common among those struggling with chronic pain. A person may also struggle with anxiety, anger, and grief. Another common condition affecting those with chronic pain is addiction. In particular opioid addiction is particularly high, as some opioids are commonly prescribed for pain management. Opioids are highly addictive, and addictions can develop even with the careful oversight of medical professionals.

It doesn’t mean that everyone struggling with chronic pain is doomed to addiction and depression. These conditions are often the result of someone having to deal with their pain with no support or understanding. Some people allow their pain to worsen before they seek help, worried that their pain isn’t “serious enough” to deserve treatment. It doesn’t matter how severe a person’s pain is. Pain itself is a serious condition that is worthy of help. By understanding and encouraging those we know who live with chronic pain, we can ensure that they get the treatment they need.

Treatment Options at Driftwood Recovery

The staff at Driftwood Recovery understand the role chronic pain plays in addiction and other mental health conditions. For that reason, clients have access to specialized professionals who understand and can treat pain. This is not a place where a client has to fear judgment. All pain can be treated, especially when a client is open to professional help.

The usual methods of conventional treatment are used to help manage various chronic pain conditions. Treatments such as a medication regimen, physical therapy, and occupational therapy can be expected. These treatments bring relief and increase mobility, allowing clients to perform normal daily tasks. Clients are also encouraged to exercise and participate in activities such as yoga to improve physical health. To ensure the comfort and safety of each client, these treatments are overseen by medical and highly trained professionals.

As Driftwood Recovery is a holistic treatment facility, care is also taken to address the client’s mental health needs. Those requiring treatment for addiction or other mental health conditions will receive treatment for that alongside treatment for chronic pain. Through therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), clients can change harmful thought patterns into healthy ones. This therapy is also used to teach healthy coping skills that clients can use to cope with their chronic pain.

Clients who complete treatment then gain access to the alumni program. Sometimes, being around others who truly understand what you are going through is enough to change your outlook on life. With a robust peer support network, clients can receive support and encouragement as well as forge long-lasting friendships. So, in the end, pain is not an end-all condition. With proper treatment and support, anyone can learn how to manage their pain. They only need to find the courage to reach out for help.

Chronic pain is a condition that affects the body and the mind. Those who live with it must navigate their lives differently than others, which can cause stress and isolation. Chronic pain is one of the main factors behind conditions such as depression and addiction. It may seem like there’s no end to the pain, but help can be found if a person is willing to ask for it. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients receive comprehensive and compassionate treatment for their chronic pain and mental health conditions. If you are ready to take back your life from chronic pain, don’t wait. Call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330.

Substance use disorder (SUD) stigma can impact your sense of self. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), identity processes shape the manifestation of stigma in SUD. Specifically, internalized stigma is highly central to your self-concept as it erodes how you define and think about yourself. Believing in the negative stereotypes applied to you impairs healthy self-identity and sustained recovery. Thus, understanding healthy self-identity is invaluable to supporting physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in recovery.

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, your sense of attachment and healthy self-identity can get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Moreover, being bombarded by stigma can erode your resilience to maintaining a healthy self-identity and attachment to yourself in recovery. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing an active alumni program built on connection and community. Through our peer-driven network, you can find support to help you maintain a healthy self-identity no matter where you are on your journey.

However, you may question what is a healthy self-identity. Expanding your knowledge of self-concept and identity can help you better understand how SUD has impaired your sense of self.

Understanding Self-Concept as Identity

Sometimes, self-concept and self-identity are confused with each other or used interchangeably. While they are connected, self-concept and self-identity are not the same. Self-concept is constructed from your beliefs about yourself. You hold beliefs about your behaviors, abilities, and characteristics and how others respond to you. Listed below are some of the parts that make up your self-concept:

• Self-image: How you want to see yourself
  • Personality traits: Introvert vs. extrovert
  • The life roles you view as important: Being a parent
  • Hobbies: Being a fan of a sports team or fandom
  • Passions: A religious or political organization
• Ideal self: The qualities you want to have or strive to have
  • I am confident vs. I am anxious
• Self-esteem: How much you like, accept, and value yourself
  • How you feel about your interactions and place in the world
    • Your sense of purpose, how others see you, how you think you compare to others, and your role in society

Similarly, your self-identity encompasses your self-esteem, the roles you perform, and your social identity. Your self-identity is something you give yourself; it is the roles in life you believe define you. With self-identity, you build and prioritize certain ideas, beliefs, and values. Together, self-concept and identity help you answer who you are, what communities you belong to, and how you fit into those communities and society.

Social Identities: Exploring Addiction and Recovery Identities

A better understanding of self-concept and identity gives you insight into the importance of a healthy self-identity in recovery. Your self-identity is not inherently static, as it can change with the experiences and interactions you have. For example, difficulties with SUD expose you to negative thinking patterns born from stigma like substance-first language. You may identify yourself as an alcoholic, addict, user, or weak, which creates a mindset in which you see yourself only as those negative things.

Public, self, and structural stigma contributes to isolating you from yourself and others. With isolation, your self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to maintain your recovery are impaired. Thus, the interactions and relationships you form with others influence how you think about yourself. As noted in BMJ Open, social identity gives you a sense of who you are based on the groups you associate with. When you have the opportunity to engage with a social network of your peers in recovery, it helps reinforce building and sustaining a recovery self-identity.

The Value of Healthy Self-Identity for Sustained Recovery

A greater understanding of the importance of social identities in peer support for recovery also showcases how healthy self-identity supports positive self-beliefs for well-being. With access to healthy connections, you can move from substance-first to person-first language to foster healthy self-identity and reintegration into the larger community. Moreover, a healthy self-identity can support your well-being as a whole person, from staying motivated in recovery to pursuing life goals for fulfillment and purpose. Listed below are some of the other ways a healthy self-identity can support recovery:

• Mental: Supports life satisfaction, balance, and psychological resilience
• Emotional: Supports adaptive coping with life stressors
• Social: Supports mutually supportive interpersonal relationships
• Spiritual: Empowers personal values and beliefs for your sense of purpose
• Physical: Empowers you to care for your body in strength, nutrition, activity, and hygiene
• Environmental: Supports finding self and healing in nature

The benefits of a healthy self-identity highlight the importance of self for whole-person healing. Thus, you are reminded that recovery does not begin and end with treatment. The tools you learned in treatment, much like self-identity, are not static. You must continue to practice and build various adaptive coping strategies in your daily life.

Ways to Build Healthy Self-Identity

Although it may seem daunting, you can build a healthy self-identity to thrive in recovery. Some of the ways you can build a healthy self-identity include:

• Mindfulness
• Positive thinking with affirmations
• Challenge negative thinking
• Self-reflection
• Affirm your strengths
• Foster mutually supportive relationships

Building a healthy self-identity does not happen overnight, but with practice and support, you can support your well-being as a whole person.

Uncovering Healthy Self-Identity With Alumni Support at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, our Driftwood Alumni strength is built in our dedication to connection and community. We know how important connection and community integration are to fostering a healthy self-identity and sustaining recovery. Thus, we are committed to providing a vibrant peer-driven network in which you can repair or discover your social identity and sense of self. With access to long-term resources and services like weekly meetings and the recovery app, you can connect to the self and others to lead a courageous life in recovery.

The impact of public, structural, and internalized stigma from SUD can lead to an addiction identity. With an addiction identity, you develop negative self-beliefs about yourself. Negative self-beliefs can impede recovery as they erode your self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to maintain your sobriety. However, you can move from an addiction identity to a recovery identity by building a healthy self-identity through connection and community. With peer support in recovery, you can repair your social identity and foster positive self-beliefs to heal beyond treatment. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a strong community-driven peer network in our alumni program to provide long-term access to resources and services for whole-person healing. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

One major skill that is used to keep alumni in recovery is relapse prevention. A relapse is when someone begins to use addictive substances again after a period of abstinence. When a client becomes alumni, they return to normal life. Normal life, however, can be an environment full of stress and difficulties. Learning how to navigate these difficulties with healthy coping skills is part of relapse prevention. Anyone can recover from addiction, but the fear of what comes after treatment can hold many back from reaching their full potential.

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients spend time practicing how to care for themselves before they “graduate” from treatment. With a focus on holistic treatment, clients receive comprehensive and compassionate care. Part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery involves clients learning how to preserve and nurture their recovery. To have a good recovery foundation, clients must first master several skills, some of which may be surprising.

Skills Learned in Relapse Prevention

Relapse prevention requires several key skill sets. One is to know how to prevent a relapse. Secondly is how to recognize when you are at risk for a relapse. The third is what to do should you experience a relapse. Knowing how to do all three takes studying, being receptive to instruction from professionals, and time to practice.

A common prevention skill is learning how to recognize your addiction triggers. These can be scenarios, emotions, conditions, and environments that cause you to want to use substances. For example, a common addiction trigger is grief and reminders of loss. Working to treat your grief will lessen its effects, allowing you to grieve healthily without turning to substances to numb or mask it. Another common scenario discussed in relapse prevention is peer pressure. Learning how to set boundaries and cutting out toxic people who threaten your recovery is a hard but vital process of recovery.

Relapse prevention also requires clients to learn healthy coping skills to replace the desire to use substances. A client, for example, can learn to practice yoga as a form of healthy stress relief. Another may choose to utilize art as a means to express big and painful emotions. Self-care and other skills are taught as part of relapse prevention. Getting proper nutrition and exercise is a part of self-care, as well as getting proper sleep and rest. Being healthy gives clients the foundation they need to resist cravings.

Lastly, clients learn what to do should they experience a relapse. The goal of relapse prevention is to prevent a relapse entirely. However, it can still happen. Clients must understand that they will not be shamed for experiencing a relapse. Having a crisis plan in place is just as prudent as having any other CDC-recommended disaster plan. Clients should be able to live and enjoy life, not be constantly afraid of a relapse. Knowing what to do beforehand can reduce stress and anxiety in a person’s daily life.

Practicing Relapse Prevention Skills Post-Treatment

Relapse prevention relies on the person practicing it to work. Clients at Driftwood Recovery are given time to practice these skills before they leave treatment. It’s encouraged that clients search for personal discoveries that give them meaning and joy. An example of this is a client utilizing therapeutic recreation. This therapy might give them intense joy and excitement for hiking. The client can take this new hobby they discovered and use it as part of their relapse prevention plan. After all, why waste time and money on substances when you can be on the trail with new hiking gear? Finding activities that inspire such change is vital for lasting recovery.

Self-care is another important aspect of relapse prevention. Clients are taught essential life skills, such as getting proper nutrition, valuing exercise, and resting when needed. When someone is healthy, they can resist cravings and adapt to stressors. Without proper sleep and other essential processes, someone can fall into self-medicating habits to deal with stressors. It may sound silly to those who have never needed treatment, but being able to practice good hygiene and keep your home de-cluttered can go a long way in relapse prevention.

Of course, one doesn’t have to practice relapse prevention skills alone if they have a support network to help them.

Gaining Support From Fellow Alumni

Driftwood Recovery has an alumni program that features an extensive sober community. All clients are encouraged to participate in the alumni program as a form of aftercare. A major reason why some people relapse after treatment is because they become isolated and alone. By building a large support network of fellow peers who understand exactly what you are going through, alumni have a greater ability to protect their recovery. Just having a hobby can be an essential part of relapse prevention. Imagine how robust a prevention plan can be with the help of fellow peers.

Finishing treatment doesn’t mean new alumni have to go through life alone. There is a wealth of resources there to help alumni along in their new lives. Even in times when relapse prevention isn’t enough, there will always be help available. It’s important to lean on fellow peers to reinforce relapse prevention skills and find meaningful relationships.

Alumni are always encouraged to stay in touch and check in with their treatment providers. Just like how a person needs to visit a doctor every year to be sure they are healthy, so too should alumni return for a mental health checkup. Here, the opportunity is always there to ask for additional help when needed.

By drawing inspiration and courage from others, you gain the confidence and self-love needed to remain in recovery. All it requires is you to be open to support and be willing to ask for help.

One danger that faces those who have completed addiction treatment is a relapse. However, with training, clients learn to prevent relapses by recognizing their triggers and practicing healthy coping skills. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, all clients participate in relapse prevention training before their treatment is complete. By making use of various therapies and role-playing with professionals, clients leave Driftwood Recovery with the skills needed to navigate a sober life. With a robust alumni support program, clients continue to receive lifelong support and encouragement from fellow peers. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, reach out for help today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Clients diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD) or mental health issues may find it difficult to engage in treatment. Some clients are more challenging than others and require additional support to ensure program compliance. Studies have shown that “[o]nce clients are engaged actively in treatment, retention becomes a priority.” However, “Many obstacles may arise during treatment [. . .] Frequently, clients are unable or unwilling to adhere to program requirements.” The staff at Driftwood Recovery makes sure all clients feel supported and valued during the treatment experience by practicing patience and empathy.

Identifying and Supporting Challenging Clients

Staff members have the vital job of identifying barriers to program compliance and creating practical solutions. Difficult clients may have more severe symptoms, co-occurring disorders, or other issues impacting their mental health and behaviors. Individuals recovering from chronic substance abuse may have underdeveloped social skills and reduced self-awareness. Some people need assistance understanding how their behaviors affect others. Clients rely on staff to educate and guide them throughout the treatment experience.

Challenging clients can have trouble managing emotions or coping during stressful moments. As a result, they may act in inappropriate or socially unacceptable ways. Client reactions may cause therapists and other mental health professionals to worry about their safety.

Some of the most common challenging situations staff may encounter include:

• Clients with suicidal ideation, a history of suicide attempts, or active self-harming behaviors
• Aggressive, violent, and unpredictable clients causing tension or conflict with peers
• Clients with a history of sexual or physical assault acting inappropriately
• Knowledge of ongoing domestic abuse, child abuse, or toxic family dynamics
• An inability for clients to manage any level of emotional or physical stress
• Client reluctance to engage in treatment

How clients feel about themselves, the care team, and their recovery impacts how they respond to treatment. People who have no support at home, difficulty coping with daily stress, and other complicating factors often require more one-on-one support from healthcare workers. According to The American Journal of Family Therapy, “[W]hen we are dealing with difficult situations, there are multiple layers of information we need to take into account during conceptualizing and creating our treatment plans such as the severity of the issues, access to resources, support systems of the families, gender and culture issues.” Experts at Driftwood Recovery consider all factors impacting a client’s health and safety to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Practicing Patience Shows Clients You Value Them

Healthcare workers must practice patience every day to provide their clients with a safe and nurturing environment. Practicing compassion and patience shows clients they have value and that their feelings matter. Clients who feel respected and understood are more likely to follow program guidelines and trust staff members.

Managing Challenging Clients

Healthcare workers manage challenging clients by doing the following:

• Practicing patience and empathy
• Diving deep into the client’s history
• Finding positive and creative solutions to problems
• Providing emotional and practical support

People who cause disruptions during treatment have beliefs and motivations influencing their behaviors. Staff members who talk to clients and take the time to really get to know each person often develop a more positive client-clinician relationship. Getting to know the person underneath the disruptive behaviors takes patience and a willingness to be vulnerable and open. Experts in mental health have many therapeutic tools to help them connect with clients on a deeper level. The more clinicians understand about each client, the better equipped they are to manage any challenging or unexpected situations they may encounter with those individuals.

Practicing Patience at Driftwood Recovery

Patience is critical for client care and staff mental health. Individuals working in healthcare have an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other stress-related mental health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Health worker jobs in the U.S. involve demanding and sometimes dangerous duties, including exposure to [. . .] violence from patients and their families.” However, “Health workers reported fewer mental health issues when they said they work in supportive environments.” Driftwood Recovery ensures every staff member has a support system to help them manage their duties.

In many cases, challenging clients become more manageable as they get to know the care team and develop a foundation of trust. Driftwood Recovery speeds up that process with a low client-to-clinician ratio and daily routines involving the care team. Clinicians spend time each day utilizing their skills and various therapeutic techniques to help clients lower their emotional walls.

Practicing Patience Empowers Healthcare Workers and Clients

Treatment aims to provide people with the support and resources to improve their quality of life. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “With appropriate treatment, people can manage their illness, overcome challenges, and lead productive lives.” Driftwood Recovery uses psychotherapy, peer engagement, community activities, and other services to help clients achieve their recovery goals. Staff members patiently guide clients through developing healthier behaviors, routines, and lifestyles.

Healthcare workers often find client transformations uplifting. Most individuals working in healthcare have chosen the career because they want to help others build healthy and happy lives. Watching people transform from challenging clients to fulfilled alumni gives Driftwood Recovery staff a sense of fulfillment and empowers them to continue changing lives one client at a time.

Some clients have more severe symptoms and other factors impacting their ability to engage in treatment. Clients may have poor attitudes or act out in ways that disrupt treatment programs. Healthcare workers have the job of identifying why some individuals have trouble participating in treatment and developing creative solutions. Clients come from all backgrounds, and some may have experienced trauma impacting their ability to build a trusting relationship with the care team. Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use compassion and evidence-based methods to help clients overcome barriers affecting their recovery. Staff must use their skills and resources to guide clients through recognizing the need for treatment. To learn more about our treatment programs and staff, call (512) 759-8330.

Your mental well-being is an invaluable part of your health and your ability to heal. Poor mental well-being is often reflected in the presence of challenges with substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders. As stated in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 21.5 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder. Together, co-occurring disorders can be disruptive to your daily life. Therefore, understanding mental well-being can support managing and healing the physical and psychological symptoms of dual diagnosis.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know an approach founded on an attachment-based is vital to maintaining recovery. With a commitment to attachment, we give you access to the tools and connections you need to heal. Through an attachment approach to care, our alumni community creates a space where compassion, understanding, and guidance become second nature. Thus, through connection and community found in attachment, you can thrive.

Whether you are in early recovery or have been on your recovery journey for years, you can lose sight of your mental well-being. It can be easy to get caught up in the sobriety aspect of your recovery and slack on the tools you have learned. While not using substances is an important part of recovery, your mental well-being plays a vital role in how you experience SUD and other mental health disorders. As a result, understanding the relationship between SUD and other mental health disorders is important for sustained recovery.

Understanding Co-Occurring SUD and Mental Health Disorders

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), SUD often accompanies other mental illnesses and vice versa. However, despite the prevalence of co-occurring disorders, they are not necessarily the direct cause of each other. SUD and other mental health disorders share a bidirectional relationship, which, as the NIMH notes, there are three possibilities for their high co-occurrence:

• Shared factors like genetics, family history, and environmental challenges
• Challenges with mental health disorders can contribute to self-medicating with substances
  • Certain drugs can temporarily alleviate symptoms but will exacerbate those symptoms over time
  • Changes in the brain can enhance the reward effects of substances
• Difficulties with SUD can contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health disorders
  • Substance use can trigger changes in brain structure and function

Looking at the interrelated relationship between SUD and mental health disorders highlights the importance of mental well-being in healing.

What Is Mental Well-Being?

Your mental well-being is an important indicator of your physical and psychological health. Thus, understanding mental well-being is valuable to helping you sustain your recovery. Yet, you may question what is mental health and mental well-being. Although they are often used interchangeably, mental health and mental well-being can be different. According to Medline Plus, mental health usually encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Your mental health influences how you think, feel, and act as you respond to and cope with life.

However, as noted in “Mental Health vs Mental Wellbeing: Is There a Difference?” from Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, holistic models allow you to see your health from multiple dimensions. Therefore, mental well-being is a broader, proactive, and positive view that encompasses emotional/mental, financial, physical, and social well-being. In addition, mental well-being is also your capacity for resilience to prepare for and manage life challenges. Thus, a holistic perspective showcases that poor mental well-being is a risk factor for the development and relapse of SUD and other mental health disorders.

Relapse Prevention: Importance of Mental Well-Being for Recovery

As stated in Addiction Relapse Prevention by Nicholas Guenzel et al., relapse is a process rather than an event. Thus, the process of relapse has three main stages: emotional, mental, and physical relapse.

• Emotional: Denying risk factors prevents you from using adaptive coping skills
• Mental: An active internal tug-of-war between the desire to use substances and the desire to maintain sobriety
• Physical: A lapse in which you initiate the use of a substance or a relapse, which is the uncontrolled use of a substance

The emotional and mental stages of relapse highlight the significance of mental well-being for coping with distress in recovery. Therefore, making efforts to support your mental well-being can help prevent the process of relapse to support maintaining your recovery.

Addressing Risk Factors for Poor Mental Well-being

Understanding risk factors for poor mental well-being can give you insight into how to reduce your risk for relapse. As noted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), recovery is a lifelong process that requires healthy changes to multiple domains in your daily life. Your physical, behavioral, communication, psychological, and social spheres are all important components in maintaining recovery. Without a commitment to healing the whole of your parts, your mental well-being risk factors can include:

• Low self-efficacy
• Lack of motivation
• Poor use of adaptive coping skills
• Inadequate social and emotional support

Despite the harm that comes from poor mental well-being, healing is still possible. You can support your recovery by practicing the tools you learned in treatment throughout your life.

Fostering Tools for Sustained Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

Some of the ways you can continue to support your mental health and mental well-being in recovery include:

• Support network
• Physical activity
• Spending time in nature
• Mindfulness
• Participating in hobbies
• Building a sleep routine
• Volunteering

You can enhance your mental well-being in a variety of ways. In particular, reaching out for support from your trusted network is invaluable to recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we believe our alumni family can give you the encouragement, accountability, and services you need to thrive. Through our alumni program, you have access to a variety of individual and community resources. From weekly meetings and family support groups to educational and volunteer opportunities, you are reminded that you are not alone. No matter where you are on your journey, we are here to support you in building a courageous life in recovery.

Your mental well-being is an important component of sustained recovery. Yet, in recovery, you may deny the risk factors for relapse and have a lapse in using adaptive coping strategies, which can disrupt healing. When you neglect your mental health and well-being in recovery, you increase your risk for psychological distress and relapse. However, you can support the lifelong process of recovery by engaging in tools that address your needs as a whole person. With an attachment approach, you can support your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a robust array of services and resources for alumni to meet you where you are. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more today.

Whether biological or not, the individuals you call family play an important role in your life. Family helps you make sense of who you are and your place in the world. The sense of belonging you often find in family is interwoven in your interpersonal interactions. As noted in Family Dynamics, family can be a source of relationship security as you rely on each other for emotional, physical, and economic support. Thus, family-focused care can be a valuable component of the healing process for sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe considering the entire family can set the foundation for recovery and restore balance to relationships. Through family-focused care, connections can be rediscovered or developed to meet your needs in every area of life. With our commitment to an attachment approach, we recognize the value of mutual support and community. Recovery is not done in isolation but in the embrace of a strong community of individuals who want to see each other thrive. The sense of community you find in vibrant alumni can support the building blocks of family-focused care for recovery in mind, body, spirit, and relationships.

However, one of the challenges of substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders is the strain they can put on relationships. You may have difficult and complex experiences and relationships with your loved ones. As a result, thinking of family as a source of strength may feel impossible or daunting. Although everyone’s situation is unique to them, building a network of social support can help foster the life you deserve. Thus, increasing your understanding of the impact of close relationships can give you insight into the value of family-focused care in recovery.

The Value of Family for Well-Being

Families are filled with complexities, from structure to the quality of the relationships. Within those familial complexities is woven well-being across the life course. As noted in Innovation in Aging, the social relationships you share can influence multiple areas of well-being, like life satisfaction and health. In particular, your family relationships influence your well-being through the quality of those relationships. The benefits of close relationships are based on the interdependence within those relationships. Listed below are some of the ways social support can positively support well-being:

• Greater sense of meaning and purpose
• Enhanced self-esteem
• Greater sense of self-worth
• Healthy behavioral regulation
• Greater adaptive coping skills

The positive aspects of social support highlight the power of family-focused care for healthy patterns. However, it is important to acknowledge that close relationships can be a source of both security and stress. Dysfunctional family dynamics and systemic stressors can impede healing. With greater awareness, you can address the complexities of family dynamics to effectively utilize family-focused care.

Family Dynamics: Impact of Negative Relationships on Recovery

All families and other close relationships experience stress and some level of dysfunction. For example, things like arguments and criticism can put strain on relationships. Nonetheless, relationship stressors can be alleviated with healthy coping mechanisms like communication.

However, when your family has insufficient coping skills, those stressors can take a toll on you and your relationships. Moreover, external stressors born from structural barriers and disadvantages present additional stress. Systemic barriers like race and ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status lead to inequalities that put more stress on those marginalized families.

Thus, a lack of adaptive skills in families can lead to poor well-being:

• Low self-esteem and self-worth
• Poor emotional regulation
• Unhealthy boundaries

The consequences of maladaptive coping in families highlight a connection between family dysfunction and psychological distress. When you are in great distress, it becomes more difficult to cope with life stressors. Therefore, making efforts to repair those important relationships with family-focused care can help address the roots of your challenges.

Benefits of Family-Focused Care in Recovery

Challenges with SUD and other mental health disorders impact not only you but your family as well. As BMJ Open states, SUD can have many adverse effects on families:

• Overwhelming distress
• Relationship conflict
• Health challenges
• Child abuse and or neglect
• Intimate partner violence (IPV)
• Financial insecurity

In addition, without family-focused care, your loved ones may still use maladaptive coping skills that impede everyone’s healing. Therefore, family-focused care is valuable for providing education, support, and opportunities for growth in the entire family. Listed below are some of the ways family-focused care can be beneficial for sustained recovery:

• Reduces harm to each family member
• Supports better treatment outcomes
• Improves communication
• Increases understanding of each other
• Supports continued motivation for sustained recovery

Despite the benefits of family-focused care in recovery, numerous barriers impede access to family-focused care.

Barriers to Family-Focused Care

According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, several family-related barriers prevent effective family involvement in treatment. Family conflict is an important barrier to family-focused care. However, other family barriers can contribute to conflict and impede family-focused care. Some of the other barriers that can impede family-focused care include:

• Insufficient understanding of symptoms and treatment
• Family crisis and conflict
• A lack of supportive family members
• Resource challenges
  • Geographical distance from recovery service locations
  • Lack of transportation
  • Low socioeconomic status

The family, treatment, and resource-related barriers to family-focused care showcase the importance of education for building bridges. Through education, bridges of connection and understanding can be built between clients, families, and clinicians for lasting recovery.

Strengthen Bonds With Family-Focused Care at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, our alumni family is a peer-driven network designed to support you and your loved ones. No matter where you are on your recovery journey, we offer you and your loved ones the space, support, and encouragement to build a courageous life in long-term recovery. Through programming like our family support group, you and your loved ones can continue to learn, grow, and share each other’s journeys through recovery. With educational support and access to services, an active alumni program fosters a sense of community to help the entire family thrive.

The relationships you have with your family are important to how you make sense of who you are and your place in the world. Moreover, your close relationships can impact your physical and psychological well-being. Supportive relationships are valuable for enhancing self-esteem, self-worth, and adaptive coping. Thus, family relationships can be valuable for healing and recovery. However, barriers like family conflict, poverty, lack of mental health literacy, and systemic disadvantages can impede family involvement in recovery. Therefore, building a community-driven treatment and alumni program is vital to fostering family-focused care for lasting recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing support services to heal the entire family. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to find healing for the whole family.