What Can I Expect in Medical Detox at Driftwood Recovery?

The first step most clients take when beginning addiction treatment is medical detox. Movies and other popular media often depict medical detox incorrectly, where uncaring staff leave clients alone to suffer through withdrawal. Actual medical detox differs greatly. It’s a safe process performed by compassionate medical professionals while working closely with their clients. Medical detox has allowed many clients the support they need to recover from addiction.

However, medical detox is not often discussed, leaving many to wonder what happens during the process. Knowledge of what medical detox is doesn’t just aid those considering treatment. It also helps society understand and care for those who need help. By understanding the process, we can further understand why medical detox is so important, and what to expect should you or a loved one require it.

Why Is a Medical Detox Necessary?

When a person struggles with addiction, it changes the chemistry in their brain. The brain being constantly bathed in chemicals from substances will begin to expect it as part of its normal functions. When the brain cannot get these substances, it causes withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms vary from substance to substance, but all withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable and even distressing. In some cases, some substances, such as opioids, can cause withdrawal symptoms severe enough to cause medical emergencies.

A client cannot focus on treatment or recovery if they have to constantly fight through withdrawal symptoms. Many times, a person will simply use substances again instead of dealing with painful withdrawal symptoms. This causes a constant cycle of distress that can demotivate someone into giving up before their recovery journey can even begin. Medical detox helps by stopping this cycle and providing professional medical oversight. Without this service, a client has to struggle, sometimes for a long time without success, to break the cycle. Medical detox doesn’t just allow recovery to happen faster. It also allows for the recovery process to happen in the first place.

What Happens in Medical Detox?

Medical detox begins with a client being assessed. The assessment process will determine what the client needs for a successful detox. As mentioned before, addictive substances vary greatly. Their potency, withdrawal symptoms, and lasting effects depend on the specific substance. Once this has been determined, the client will then stay in a facility staffed by medical professionals who are trained to provide speedy and compassionate care. These facilities are designed to be comfortable, as fighting withdrawal symptoms is hard work. The bonus is that there will always be a medical professional nearby in case of an emergency.

During medical detox, clients are often prescribed medication. These medications are there to assist the detox process and reduce the symptoms of withdrawal. Note that medical detox addresses acute (medically significant) withdrawal symptoms and not the psychological effects of detox, such as cravings. Psychological effects are dealt with in further treatment and therapy.

The length of time that the medical detox takes depends on several factors. Of course, the specific substance being used can determine the length needed for detox, but there are other factors besides that. How the substance was taken, such as injected or inhaled, can extend the detox process. It also matters in how long the substances were used, how often they were used, and the last time they were used. A client’s sex, age, and medical history also play a role in the process. How long a person stays in medical detox varies, but the average is between three to ten days long.

The Driftwood Recovery Approach

Driftwood Recovery has a high standard for how medical detox is conducted on campus as part of its residential treatment program. Clients can expect the usual compassion and respect that comes with treatment at Driftwood Recovery. However, clients can also expect privacy alongside comfort and safety. By receiving treatment on a beautiful and secure campus, clients can relax and focus on what they must do to recover instead of struggling alone.

Driftwood Recovery takes a holistic approach to its treatments, which includes medical detox. This allows clients to have access to skills and tools that make the detox process as comfortable as possible. Yoga and other activities are used to reduce stress and allow clients to focus on healing. Clients are fed nutritious meals prepared by an in-house licensed chef designed to provide the strength they need to recover. They also participate in outdoor activities and exercise to focus their minds and create healthy habits.

Medical detox is hard work, so clients are given plenty of time to rest. Part of that includes enjoying the healing power of nature, allowing clients to connect with something stronger than addiction. Clients aren’t simply left alone, as family is very important at Driftwood Recovery. Visits from loved ones can give clients the encouragement they need to overcome anything, including addiction. The courageous family program involves the family in the treatment process, bringing loved ones closer together.

There is nothing to fear while receiving medical detox at Driftwood Recovery. The staff genuinely cares about each client, working hard so they can succeed in recovering from addiction. Each client is treated with understanding and compassion and has a firm say in their treatment. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, the first step is to detox. For those in need of help, Driftwood Recovery will meet your needs and those of your loved ones. So don’t wait to get help; reach out today.

Those who are struggling with addiction will often require a medical detox before they can begin treatment. This process can seem scary at first, especially for those who have medical trauma. However, it’s a safe process overseen by medical professionals who can provide a more comfortable detox process. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients can undergo their medical detox in safety, comfort, and privacy. Clients can expect to be treated with compassion and respect during the detox process, as judgment and shame are not welcome at Driftwood Recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, call (512) 759-8330 today to learn more about the addiction treatment and medical detox process.

The treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) requires the collaboration of multiple departments and clinicians. Multiple staff members are responsible for ensuring clients access effective and appropriate treatment. According to Medicine, “Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that Collaborative Care increases access to mental health care and is more effective and cost efficient than the current standard of care for treating common mental illnesses” and substance abuse. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to share their expertise and cross-train to fill gaps in client support. Collaborating with coworkers is essential to high-quality treatment programs.

Collaboration Between Coworkers Creates a More Consistent Treatment Experience

Collaborating with coworkers ensures consistent client care and reduces strain on any one person or department. Sharing the workload and providing emotional or professional support throughout the workday helps staff remain focused and encourages teamwork. Driftwood Recovery understands that people work better when they have a shared goal and work together. Staff members may begin to feel physically or emotionally drained if they take on too much work during the week. Collaborating ensures team members recognize when to step in and lighten the load or provide helpful advice for a coworker.

Collaboration between staff members at Driftwood Recovery improves the treatment experience for clients and clinicians by doing the following:

• Ensuring everyone has access to the resources, skills, and expertise to accommodate client needs
• Providing staff with opportunities to learn new skills from coworkers
• Reducing miscommunication and human error by ensuring everyone works with the same information

Effective communication between staff members is essential to ensuring treatment programs provide the best support to clients. Studies have shown that “[t]he significance of communication in the clinical setting is its quality to improve patient outcomes . . . Communication errors are a major cause of adverse events in the clinical setting.” Driftwood Recovery facilitates effective communication and collaboration through mandatory staff meetings and other policies.

Every Department Must Work Together

Staff members often feel more confident in their abilities if each department works together to create a cohesive client experience. Collaboration improves treatment outcomes for clients recovering from substance abuse and mental health disorders. According to Current Psychiatry Reports, “Collaborative care models (CCM) provide a pragmatic strategy to deliver integrated mental health and general medical care . . . CCMs are a team-based, multicomponent intervention . . . improving coordination of patient care through organizational leadership support, evidence-based provider decision-making, and clinical information systems as well as engaging patients in their care.” Teamwork fosters a compassionate and respectful environment where clients and staff feel comfortable trusting and engaging with one another.

Driftwood Recovery Makes Collaborating With Coworkers Easy

Collaboration is easy when it is an expected part of the workplace experience. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff to communicate their needs throughout each shift to ensure no one feels unheard or isolated. The workplace is a positive community where people can rely on one another for support, insights, and expert advice. Collaboration is one of the critical values practiced by every staff member.

Driftwood Recovery helps clinicians collaborate by doing the following:

• Implementing an open-door policy with management to make sure every employee feels heard and valued
• Ensuring every staff member has the chance to provide feedback on facility policies and guidelines
• Encouraging an integrative approach to treatment between coworkers

Every department and individual has unique strengths and skills. Treatment programs work more smoothly when coworkers share those tools and resources.

Routine Check-Ins and Daily Facility Meetings

Daily staff meetings take place before the start of treatment to ensure everyone is on the same page. Staff members meet to share information, insights, and treatment goals to facilitate a smoother experience for clients and their loved ones. Daily check-ins make it easier for clinicians to engage with coworkers from other departments, relay information, and share ideas. Frequent communication ensures appropriate treatment for clients and allows clinicians to grow their skill set.

Collaborating With Coworkers Reduces Miscommunication and Improves the Effectiveness of Treatment

Increased communication is one of the most important aspects of collaboration between coworkers. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), “Effective teamwork has a positive effect on health care, and is associated with:

• Reduced length of stay.
• Higher rates of quality care.
• Better patient outcomes.
• A greater ability to meet family member needs.
• Improved patient experience with care scores.
• Lower rates of nurse turnover.

Clients and staff members are safer, and treatment outcomes are generally more positive when healthcare workers take the time to practice effective communication.

How Does Collaboration Benefit Clients and Clinicians?

Collaboration in a healthcare setting ensures that all services are complementary and people cooperate during client care. Clinicians and support staff work together to determine creative ways to overcome problems, establish care plans, and engage clients in recovery. Studies have shown that “[e]ffective teams are characterized by trust, respect, and collaboration.” Driftwood Recovery has built collaboration into the policies and procedures of each program to ensure everyone feels supported and valued.

People in treatment have better experiences and outcomes when the care team collaborates closely to ensure programs are cohesive and address all their needs. Rehabilitation programs involve creating a bond of trust with clients and developing deep connections. Guiding clients through their recovery journey is more manageable if clinicians work together and maintain consistent treatment between departments. Driftwood Recovery supports collaboration between individual staff members and various departments. Every staff member checks in daily with co-workers and management to ensure they have the tools and resources to create a safe and supportive treatment environment. To learn more about our programs and the care team at Driftwood Recovery, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

The treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) requires the collaboration of multiple departments and clinicians. Multiple staff members are responsible for ensuring clients access effective and appropriate treatment. According to Medicine, “Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that Collaborative Care increases access to mental health care and is more effective and cost efficient than the current standard of care for treating common mental illnesses” and substance abuse. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to share their expertise and cross-train to fill gaps in client support. Collaborating with coworkers is essential to high-quality treatment programs.

Collaboration Between Coworkers Creates a More Consistent Treatment Experience

Collaborating with coworkers ensures consistent client care and reduces strain on any one person or department. Sharing the workload and providing emotional or professional support throughout the workday helps staff remain focused and encourages teamwork. Driftwood Recovery understands that people work better when they have a shared goal and work together. Staff members may begin to feel physically or emotionally drained if they take on too much work during the week. Collaborating ensures team members recognize when to step in and lighten the load or provide helpful advice for a coworker.

Collaboration between staff members at Driftwood Recovery improves the treatment experience for clients and clinicians by doing the following:

• Ensuring everyone has access to the resources, skills, and expertise to accommodate client needs
• Providing staff with opportunities to learn new skills from coworkers
• Reducing miscommunication and human error by ensuring everyone works with the same information

Effective communication between staff members is essential to ensuring treatment programs provide the best support to clients. Studies have shown that “[t]he significance of communication in the clinical setting is its quality to improve patient outcomes . . . Communication errors are a major cause of adverse events in the clinical setting.” Driftwood Recovery facilitates effective communication and collaboration through mandatory staff meetings and other policies.

Every Department Must Work Together

Staff members often feel more confident in their abilities if each department works together to create a cohesive client experience. Collaboration improves treatment outcomes for clients recovering from substance abuse and mental health disorders. According to Current Psychiatry Reports, “Collaborative care models (CCM) provide a pragmatic strategy to deliver integrated mental health and general medical care . . . CCMs are a team-based, multicomponent intervention . . . improving coordination of patient care through organizational leadership support, evidence-based provider decision-making, and clinical information systems as well as engaging patients in their care.” Teamwork fosters a compassionate and respectful environment where clients and staff feel comfortable trusting and engaging with one another.

Driftwood Recovery Makes Collaborating With Coworkers Easy

Collaboration is easy when it is an expected part of the workplace experience. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff to communicate their needs throughout each shift to ensure no one feels unheard or isolated. The workplace is a positive community where people can rely on one another for support, insights, and expert advice. Collaboration is one of the critical values practiced by every staff member.

Driftwood Recovery helps clinicians collaborate by doing the following:

• Implementing an open-door policy with management to make sure every employee feels heard and valued
• Ensuring every staff member has the chance to provide feedback on facility policies and guidelines
• Encouraging an integrative approach to treatment between coworkers

Every department and individual has unique strengths and skills. Treatment programs work more smoothly when coworkers share those tools and resources.

Routine Check-Ins and Daily Facility Meetings

Daily staff meetings take place before the start of treatment to ensure everyone is on the same page. Staff members meet to share information, insights, and treatment goals to facilitate a smoother experience for clients and their loved ones. Daily check-ins make it easier for clinicians to engage with coworkers from other departments, relay information, and share ideas. Frequent communication ensures appropriate treatment for clients and allows clinicians to grow their skill set.

Collaborating With Coworkers Reduces Miscommunication and Improves the Effectiveness of Treatment

Increased communication is one of the most important aspects of collaboration between coworkers. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), “Effective teamwork has a positive effect on health care, and is associated with:

• Reduced length of stay.
• Higher rates of quality care.
• Better patient outcomes.
• A greater ability to meet family member needs.
• Improved patient experience with care scores.
• Lower rates of nurse turnover.

Clients and staff members are safer, and treatment outcomes are generally more positive when healthcare workers take the time to practice effective communication.

How Does Collaboration Benefit Clients and Clinicians?

Collaboration in a healthcare setting ensures that all services are complementary and people cooperate during client care. Clinicians and support staff work together to determine creative ways to overcome problems, establish care plans, and engage clients in recovery. Studies have shown that “[e]ffective teams are characterized by trust, respect, and collaboration.” Driftwood Recovery has built collaboration into the policies and procedures of each program to ensure everyone feels supported and valued.

People in treatment have better experiences and outcomes when the care team collaborates closely to ensure programs are cohesive and address all their needs. Rehabilitation programs involve creating a bond of trust with clients and developing deep connections. Guiding clients through their recovery journey is more manageable if clinicians work together and maintain consistent treatment between departments. Driftwood Recovery supports collaboration between individual staff members and various departments. Every staff member checks in daily with co-workers and management to ensure they have the tools and resources to create a safe and supportive treatment environment. To learn more about our programs and the care team at Driftwood Recovery, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recovery is a dynamic process of change. In recovery, you work to improve your health and wellness, live a self-determined life, and reach your full potential. Through your work in treatment, you have learned that maintaining recovery goes beyond abstaining from substances. Recovery is a lifelong journey of inner work that manifests in your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Therefore, understanding the importance of self-awareness is vital to lasting recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know healing can happen when you rebuild a connection to yourself and others. Through an attachment approach, you have found insight into your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Thus, fostering a connection to the self and others provides deeper self-awareness and self-understanding to grow and change.

Without insight offered by healthy attachment, you cannot see yourself fully to take in feedback and make changes to heal. Therefore, the need for connection to the self highlights the importance of self-awareness. As a result, the importance of self-awareness becomes an important process in treatment and lasting recovery.

Although you have built a strong foundation of self-awareness, recovery is not static. Working on yourself is a lifelong journey in which awareness and understanding are expansive. Thus, increasing your understanding of the importance of self-awareness can support continuing to build tools for sustained recovery.

What Is Self-Awareness?

As noted in Frontiers in Digital Health, self-awareness is your conscious understanding of yourself, like your character, feelings, thoughts, desires, values, and beliefs. Moreover, self-awareness is a complex set of processes that develops from infancy and onward. Through childhood and adolescence, you learn elements of self-awareness that impact how you understand yourself, others, and the world. Listed below are some of the things that showcase the importance of self-awareness for development and self-understanding:

• Ability to think about yourself concerning others
• Self-consciousness: an awareness that others perceive you in certain ways

Looking at some of the stages of self-awareness highlights the importance of self-awareness as your understanding of your outer and inner self. The sense of self you form with yourself and others contributes to how you think, feel, and respond to everything around you. Thus, your self-awareness can be broken into public self-awareness and private self-awareness:

• Public: You are aware that others are watching and evaluating you
  • Encourages engagement in socially acceptable behaviors
  • This can lead to anxiety when you are overly worried about how others perceive you
• Private: You are aware of the physical aspects of yourself

Public and private highlights how self-awareness can be impaired by being overly self-conscious. Self-consciousness is an important part of awareness that can manifest as positive feelings like pride and empathy or negative emotions like shame, guilt, and jealousy. The positive and negative emotions of self-consciousness are crucial components that modify your thinking and behavior to meet the demands of any given situation as it changes. However, being overly self-aware can develop into distressing feelings like embarrassment found in social anxiety. Therefore, understanding how substance use disorder (SUD) can impair your sense of self will showcase the importance of self-awareness in recovery.

Importance of Self-Awareness Impairment in Substance Use Disorder

The importance of self-awareness is reflected in the impact of SUD on your sense of self. When you misuse substances, it makes changes to your brain that impede decision-making, the regulation of impulses, and behavioral monitoring. Despite the thinking and behavioral changes that come with SUD, you are often unable to recognize self-destructive actions when addiction sets in. Difficulty recognizing the harm being caused to yourself and others reflects impaired self-awareness.

As stated in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, deficits in self-awareness can lead to denial of SUD and other mental health disorders. SUD can impair your ability to recognize the personal relevance or significance of internal and external stimuli that have implications for you. Understanding the impairments SUD can cause speaks to the importance of self-awareness as a tool for supporting recovery.

Addressing the Importance of Self-Awareness for Recovery

Through self-awareness, you can better understand your strengths and challenges to foster a healthier self. Some of the other ways self-awareness can support recovery include:

• Understanding your feelings and needs
• The ability to articulate your feelings and needs to others
• You can recognize the feelings and needs of others
• Recognize how your behavior impacts others
• Able to learn from and grow from your experiences and choices

The skills that come from deep self-awareness reflect the importance of self-awareness for learning, growing, and connection. Yet, you may wonder how you can continue to build on your self-awareness. How can deepening your understanding of yourself and others to continue to connect and thrive in recovery?

Tools for Healing: Ways to Improve Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is important because of its ability to help you respond to mental health challenges and other stressors more effectively. Listed below are some of the tools you can utilize to support deeper self-awareness in your daily life:

• Meditation
• Journal writing
• Nature walk
• Listening to others
• Mindfulness
• Engage in introspection of your past
• Gain objective feedback in therapy

Taking an inward look at yourself, from your thoughts and feelings to your behaviors, speaks to the importance of self-awareness as a tool for healing.

Supporting the Importance of Self-Awareness at Driftwood Recovery

Your sense of purpose and fulfillment is tied to your awareness and understanding of the self. Thus, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing an alumni program rich in compassion, support, and respect for you no matter where you are on your journey. Now, you have access to a community committed to giving you the connection you need to continue to rebuild that connection to self. With greater self-awareness, you can build a more positive sense of self to overcome obstacles to healing. Further, your deeper self-awareness empowers you to build the courageous life in recovery you deserve.

Impairments in self-awareness can impede your ability to recognize the harm your challenges cause. Without self-awareness, it is difficult to build and maintain the tools you need to learn and grow from your experiences. However, engaging in an active alumni program can support you in continuing to deepen your self-awareness. With deeper self-awareness, you can understand yourself and others to respond to the stressors of life in healthier ways. Through an alumni program, you continue to have access to support and resources to practice deepening self-awareness, like mindfulness and therapy. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing services that continue to connect you to supportive resources for sustained recovery. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

For those who struggle with addiction and co-occurring conditions, an integrated treatment approach is the most effective way to provide treatment. When a person is struggling with addiction and another mental health disorder, it is known as a dual diagnosis. A dual diagnosis can quickly worsen, especially when both disorders influence the other. That’s why specialized treatment is needed, specifically an integrated treatment approach.

The staff at Driftwood Recovery understands the importance of an integrated treatment approach to dual diagnosis treatment. As a result, clients have access to treatment plans that accurately address their individual needs. Those who may be struggling currently with a dual diagnosis may feel intimidated by the unknown, especially when it involves putting their trust in strangers. However, there is nothing to fear. Understanding what an integrated treatment approach is can go a long way in comforting those considering treatment.

What Is an Integrated Treatment Approach?

An integrated treatment approach is what is used to treat a dual diagnosis. A dual diagnosis can be tricky to treat, as the addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder must receive treatment at the same time. Trying to treat one or the other first can cause the other to worsen, creating a see-saw effect. This bouncing around does not help clients. It only prolongs the time needed for treatment. Taking an integrated treatment approach addresses both issues at the same time, shortening treatment and providing comprehensive care.

The specific types of treatments used in an integrated treatment approach vary depending on the specific addictions and co-occurring mental health disorders. However, some treatments are universal. Medical detox is one that allows a client to detox from an addictive substance in safety and comfort. Psychotherapy is also common, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Each addiction and mental health care facility will have its specializations for its integrated treatment programs. Driftwood Recovery, for example, utilizes holistic methods. Examples include nutritional education and exercise to aid in treatment. Every mental health care facility is different, so it’s important to do your research before making a decision.

Why Is an Integrated Treatment Approach Most Effective for a Dual Diagnosis?

Utilizing an integrated treatment approach is vital for those struggling with a dual diagnosis because of how customizable it is. No client is the same. Each will have their own needs that must be addressed for proper treatment. For example, a client struggling with fibromyalgia and an opioid addiction will require different care compared to someone struggling with trauma and alcohol addiction. Using an integrated treatment approach allows clients to get the specialization they need to achieve successful recovery.

An integrated treatment approach is also used for safety purposes. Some addictions can have serious lingering effects on a person, even after medical detox. Coupled with a co-occurring disorder, it can feel scary for a client. Utilizing an integrated treatment approach allows for mental health and medical care professionals to oversee and protect a client’s health. This overlap ensures the safety of the client, allowing them to trust that they will be cared for.

Integrated treatment also utilizes alumni support and relapse prevention techniques to establish long-lasting recovery. With a full team to help, clients get the encouragement and education they need to succeed long after treatment is completed.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment at Driftwood Recovery

Driftwood Recovery is committed to an integrated treatment approach for dual diagnosis treatment. By treating a wide array of disorders and an extensive assessment process, clients can trust that they will receive the specialized treatment they need. Providing care such as medication management or physical assessments is used to set the client up for success.

Clients with a dual diagnosis benefit greatly from the residential treatment program. This is a program where clients stay on campus to receive care. Not only do clients have access to treatments, but they also can utilize programs designed to help them transition back into normal life. This commitment to aftercare ensures clients succeed in their recovery goals, as seen in the community integration program. With an emphasis on safety and privacy, clients can recover in the best environment possible to promote positive life changes.

An integrated treatment approach is also utilized in the daily programs at Driftwood Recovery. Clients learn how to take care of their bodies and minds to ensure long-lasting recovery. It may not seem as important as treatment, but learning how to eat right and exercise can have a lasting impact on health and wellness. Even sitting down to have a tasty, nutritious, homemade meal on campus can do wonders for the spirit and psyche.

The goal of Driftwood Recovery’s integrated treatment approach is to ensure that clients receive the treatment they need to grow and heal as individuals. True healing is not possible if clients are treated like numbers or a bottom line. With compassionate and knowledgeable providers, Driftwood Recovery works to make sure its integrated treatment approach can help as many people as possible. If you are struggling with a dual diagnosis, there is hope for peace and recovery. Anything is possible with the personal desire to change and the right kind of help.

For those who struggle with an addiction and co-occurring mental health disorder, finding treatment can feel scary and overwhelming. Many people believe that they are too “damaged” and thus are beyond help. However, that is not true, and anyone can recover from what is known as a dual diagnosis. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients are provided with a safe and supportive environment to promote healing. Combined with a focus on an integrated treatment approach, clients receive the comprehensive and compassionate treatments needed for recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with a dual diagnosis, help is only a phone call away. To learn more, call (512) 759-8330 today.

Addiction recovery specialists and support staff experience an unusually high level of stress due to the nature of their work. Spending every day helping people work through trauma, emotional distress, and physical discomfort takes a toll. A positive work-life balance ensures healthcare workers remain motivated and healthy. According to Cureus, multiple interventions can reduce stress in healthcare, including “Gratitude interventions . . designed to focus attention on the people and things that create positive events and feelings in one’s life.” Driftwood Recovery makes identifying the positives in everyday experiences easier by providing a supportive environment.

Identifying the Positives Reduces Emotional and Physical Burnout

Individuals in the healthcare field have an increased risk of burnout. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Research has found a link between an upbeat mental state and improved health, including lower blood pressure, reduced risk for heart disease, healthier weight, better blood sugar levels, and longer life.” Finding small ways to increase positivity throughout the day can help staff members stay healthy. People who choose to focus on the positives at home and work often have better overall mental health and a reduced risk of emotional or physical burnout. Positivity improves mood, stabilizes emotions, and helps workers remain energized throughout the workweek.

Some of the ways people in healthcare identify and celebrate positive experiences include:

• Recording personal or career goal achievements
• Creating a list of positive things and adding to it each week
• Sharing positive experiences with co-workers or loved ones

Sometimes, people find it easier to focus on the negative aspects of life. However, once people look at their experiences from a more positive perspective, they find it easier to ignore or move past negativity.

Increase Confidence and Motivation By Identifying the Positives

Individuals working in the addiction recovery and mental health field increase their effectiveness and self-confidence by identifying the positive aspects of their daily routines. Often, healthcare professionals feel more motivated to continue growing and gaining essential skills if they feel hopeful for their future and client care. The mental health of clinicians and support staff has a direct impact on client outcomes during substance abuse treatment. Clients have better experiences and build stronger relationships with staff members who have the energy and emotional bandwidth to engage with them on a deeper level.

Mindfulness is one of the most effective ways to reduce negativity and gain self-awareness. Healthcare professionals must remain mindful of their needs, limitations, and boundaries to ensure they provide the best service to clients without sacrificing their mental health. Every day is an opportunity to practice positivity using mindfulness and self-care.

Maintaining self-awareness through mindfulness techniques does the following:

• Reduces the risk of mental health issues
• Decreases overall stress
• Makes it easier for people to practice self-care
• Increases self-esteem and self-efficacy

Being mindful of how work situations affect mental health is an essential part of self-care for healthcare professionals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “[I] t’s important to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time . . . When the demands placed on a person exceed their resources and coping abilities, their mental health could be impacted.” Driftwood Recovery protects staff members by ensuring they have the resources and support to manage stress related to the workplace.

How Can Clinician Positivity in Treatment Help Clients Heal From Addiction?

Addiction treatment often requires an integrative and personalized approach to care. Staff members who feel comfortable, confident, and supported in their role are more likely to provide better treatment. Positivity increases the effectiveness of treatment and helps clinicians stay focused and motivated to help clients heal from the effects of addiction.

Identifying the Positives at Driftwood Recovery

Driftwood Recovery is a welcoming community where staff and clients feel supported. The treatment programs are tailored to the client’s needs and each clinician’s strengths. Every day, staff have an opportunity to share positive messages and build trust with clients.

Driftwood Recovery helps employees increase positivity by doing the following:

• Providing daily check-ins with each staff member and their supervisor
• Offering benefits to improve work-life balance
• Providing mental health resources

Healthcare workers often have to manage long and emotionally taxing work hours. Healthcare professionals find it easier to remain positive if they are part of a team. Driftwood Recovery has created a family-like environment where everyone has access to tools for maintaining positive mental health while treating individuals struggling with addiction. Teamwork is an essential part of the culture at Driftwood Recovery. Staff at Driftwood Recovery uplift and empower one another by sharing skills, providing emotional support, and ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need to successfully manage their workload. Co-workers go above and beyond every day to help one another find positive aspects of client care.

People in healthcare guide clients through treatment and recovery. The process often takes an emotional toll and may increase a person’s risk of developing mental health issues if staff don’t find ways to reduce stress. Making everyday interactions positive and inspiring helps staff members feel motivated and enthusiastic about their work. A more positive mindset decreases overall stress and facilitates better self-care. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to look on the bright side and embrace the positive elements of their everyday interactions with clients and co-workers. Management provides a supportive and nurturing work environment. To learn more about our programs and our workplace values, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Clinicians and support staff take steps to ensure client safety and comfort during treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Studies have shown that adverse events consist “of an incident that causes harm to the patient and negatively affects the patient’s health and quality of life, causing illness, injury, disability, suffering or death, and negatively affecting his or her social, physical or psychological structure.” Care workers also have the potential to experience adverse events impacting their physical and psychological well-being. Driftwood Recovery has strict safety guidelines and policies to ensure all staff members use best practices to ensure everyone remains safe and healthy.

The Importance of Treatment Safety in Building Trust With Clients

Treatment safety builds trust with clients by ensuring they feel comfortable and secure collaborating with staff at Driftwood Recovery. According to BMC Psychology, “Trust and respect may be an important component of client-provider relationships.” Every client is provided with details about the facility’s expectations, safety rules, and guidelines. Being transparent with clients reduces confusion and miscommunication. In addition, normalizing discussions on safety guidelines and program codes of conduct helps clients and staff feel more comfortable speaking up if they have concerns.

Safety standards build trust by doing the following:

• Prioritizing client needs and safety over preferences
• Ensuring clients and clinicians are on the same page
• Creating an open line of communication between clients and staff members

Clients often feel more confident in their treatment if they believe the care team has their best interest in mind. Driftwood Recovery treats clients and staff like family, making the human connection integral to treatment and care planning. Following safety guidelines and standards during treatment benefits everyone.

Workplace Safety Practices Protect Clients and Clinicians

Safety practices are built into the treatment programs at Driftwood Recovery to create a positive experience for staff and clients. However, some situations may fall into gray areas. Clinicians must be familiar with the types of safety issues they may encounter so they can prepare to address them appropriately.

Some potential safety issues healthcare workers and clients may encounter include:

• Harassment and assault
• Medical problems caused by human error
• Sexual, physical, or verbal abuse
• Drug-related adverse reactions
• Accidents or injuries caused by an unsafe environment

Adhering to program rules, safety guidelines, and workplace policies protects clients and staff from experiencing these events. Clients are informed of the program rules and expectations on the first day to ensure they understand how their behaviors may impact treatment. Staff members are protected from being harassed or subjected to unsafe situations by working as a team and enforcing safety policies.

4 Ways Staff Members Practice Treatment Safety

Staff members are trained to identify and resolve potential safety issues by speaking up, making a report, providing guidance to clients, and communicating clearly with one another. Each case is unique and must be addressed appropriately. Below are four specific ways staff members practice treatment safety.

#1. Driftwood Recovery’s Values Promote Treatment Safety

Management at Driftwood Recovery values transparency, integrity, and honesty. Staff members promote a positive treatment environment by using these values to ensure clients and clinicians understand conduct expectations. Often, unsafe situations arise due to miscommunication or misunderstandings between clients, clinicians, and the families of individuals in treatment.

Some additional values practiced by staff at Driftwood Recovery include:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Community
• Teamwork
• Commitment

Clients and their families benefit from clinicians using personal and workplace values to improve treatment safety. A compassionate and nonjudgmental approach to client care helps staff identify areas they can improve to help people feel more comfortable and supported.

#2. Clinicians Have Clear Procedures for Reporting Safety Concerns

Driftwood Recovery has clear procedures and policies for reporting client and clinician safety concerns. All staff members have the resources and training to recognize the signs of potential safety issues and address them with management or coworkers. Clinicians are also mandatory reporters and are encouraged to inform the appropriate authorities or management if they notice signs of potential abuse or other safety concerns.

#3. Staff Are Trained to De-escalate Tense Situations

Some safety concerns appear without warning and escalate quickly. Abuse, harassment, or assault are a few safety issues staff members may need to address using de-escalating techniques. For example, suppose a client has an emotional outburst and becomes physically or verbally aggressive. In that case, staff can protect themselves and other clients by remaining calm, following safety procedures, and de-escalating the situation. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff are trained to handle unexpected stressful situations and ensure the safety of everyone in the facility.

#4. Collaborating With the Client’s Family Members While Maintaining Treatment Safety

Treatment safety impacts staff members, clients, and the family members of people in treatment. The care team educates families on the realities of addiction and the treatment process. Communicating openly about potential challenges clients may face helps families feel more comfortable speaking up if they notice problematic or harmful behaviors.

Healthcare professionals must navigate sometimes difficult situations with compassion, care, and integrity. Treatment safety often depends on a clinician’s ability to de-escalate and control the situation when a client or coworker experiences severe emotional distress. Counselors and other care team members are trained to manage and report potentially unsafe behaviors. If the safety concerns might lead to physical harm to an individual or the community, clinicians should report the situation to authorities. Driftwood Recovery prioritizes the safety of clients and staff members by implementing comprehensive safety protocols and guidelines for everyday interactions. To learn more about our programs and services, contact our office today by calling us at (512) 759-8330.

Your relationships impact your life as they inform your sense of self and how you navigate the world. In particular, positive interpersonal relationships can foster social connectedness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social connectedness is a sense of belonging in which you feel supported, valued, and cared for in your relationships. Therefore, therapeutic tools like peer support can be vital to healing. Through peer support, you can build a foundation to rediscover yourself and heal in mind, body, and spirit.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how important connection is to community integration and, thus, maintaining recovery. As a result, peer support can be an invaluable tool for building a foundation for healing through guidance and support. With our commitment to connection and community in our alumni program, you can find the peer support you need to thrive. Moreover, through an attachment approach, you and your fellow peers have learned how to seek and give compassion, understanding, and guidance to each other. Therefore, peer support in alumni can support you throughout your recovery journey.

However, you may question how peer support can be vital to maintaining recovery. What does peer support for alumni look like? In early recovery, you may be in the honeymoon phase in which you feel almost invincible to your previous challenges. Although leaving treatment with confidence in your sobriety is wonderful, it can also be dangerous to ignore the impact substance use disorder (SUD) and other conditions have had on you.

When you think you are invincible or that you will never be tempted, you leave the door open for relapse. The door to relapse is opened when you stop engaging in the adaptive and supportive tools you uncovered in treatment. Thus, peer support is not only a valuable tool during treatment but can be a way of life you carry with you into your independence. Therefore, increasing your awareness of peer support beyond treatment can support your understanding of the importance of connection and community.

What Is Peer Support?

Peer support can come in both unofficial and official capacities, such as a professional peer support worker or peer recovery coach. Regardless of the official nature of the support you receive, at its core, peer support is all about connection and growth through shared experiences. As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states, peer support is a range of activities and interactions between individuals with similar experiences with SUD and other mental health disorders or both. The mutuality born in peer support encourages connection and hope through guidance and compassion.

Furthermore, through practical guidance, compassion, and accountability, peer support offers a sense of acceptance, understanding, and validation of your experiences. Through peer support, you are reminded that you are not alone; you are worthy of healing, support, and leading a purposeful life. Thus, peer support empowers you and your peers to learn from each other’s experiences. When you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed by your challenges or life, the insight of your peers can give you the support and guidance needed to get through difficult moments. With more insight on peer support, you can understand how peer support helps sustain recovery from SUD.

Benefits of Peer Support for Substance Use Disorder Recovery

Understanding the impact SUD can have on relationships can highlight the importance of positive mutual relationships for lasting recovery. According to a 2019 article from Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, SUD harms social functioning. The changes to the brain substance use increase self-destructive behaviors that alienate loved ones. Thus, the loss of close relationships in SUD often leads to isolation and loneliness that develops into or exacerbates mental health disorders. In contrast, close, supportive relationships can support abstinence and maintain recovery. Listed below are some of the ways peer support aids in recovery:

• Increase treatment retention
• Reduce risk for relapse
• Increase satisfaction with treatment experience
• Improve access to resources

Now, with more insight, you can understand the relationship between peer support and your long-term mental well-being.

Supporting Mental Well-Being Through Connection

Peer support creates a bidirectional relationship in which shared experiences give greater insight and enhance resilience. Thus, greater social capital, positive relationships, and recognition from peers and loved ones give you a source of strength to meet the challenges of recovery. Moreover, as noted in a 2021 article from Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, peer-to-peer support in recovery helps you establish mutually supportive relationships that encourage the initiation and maintenance of recovery. The maintenance of recovery is then built on the principle of shared experiences, responsibility, and cooperation:

• Builds life skills
• Increases confidence
• Improves self-esteem
• Adaptive coping skills
• Promotes hope

With peer support, you expand your toolbox to foster the psychological wellness needed to heal. Yet, some barriers can prevent you from accessing peer support for sustained recovery.

Addressing Barriers to the Continuum of Care

You are likely aware of the barriers that can impede entering treatment, such as economic, transportation, pregnancy, and childcare barriers. However, each stage of recovery is important to the overall process. Thus, a lack of awareness of barriers to healing can impede maintaining recovery:

• Reduced use of coping tools
• Insufficient or a lack of social support
• Disengagement from your recovery community
• Lack of activities and hobbies

Understanding some of the barriers to maintaining recovery highlights the importance of connection in recovery.

Sustaining Recovery With Peer Support at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe a vibrant alumni program can give you the peer support you need to thrive. With our peer-driven network, you can find encouragement and accountability to overcome the challenges of early recovery. Moreover, our commitment to community gives you access to long-term resources and services like weekly meetings, family dinners, and milestone dinners to support sustained recovery. Whether you are in early recovery or have been in recovery for years, we are here to help you lead the courageous life in recovery you deserve.

Stepping down in support after leaving treatment can feel daunting. Not utilizing resources and services following treatment can increase your risk for isolation and loneliness, which can open the door to relapse. However, engaging in an active alumni program with peer support can help you meet the challenges of sobriety and maintain your recovery. Through peer support, you can foster connection, insight, and enhance resilience through shared experiences. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a deeply connected and peer-driven network in our alumni program to support you in the continued work of healing on your recovery journey. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn how peer support can help you in recovery.

For many, finding healing for trauma can be a difficult process. There is a lot of shame and stigma surrounding trauma that discourages some from seeking help. Many may not know how to discuss their trauma or block their trauma out entirely. When people cannot find help in healing from trauma, it can manifest in negative ways. In most cases, it can lead to a lifetime of constant stress and fear. If severe enough, it can develop into a mental health disorder such as addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Nobody deserves to struggle with their trauma, and anyone can find healing from trauma. Treatment facilities like Driftwood Recovery focus on providing comfort and safety to those who are struggling with trauma. With specialized treatment and compassionate care, one can fully find healing from their trauma. But before we can understand what it takes to recover and find healing for trauma, we must first understand what trauma is.

A Brief Overview of Trauma

Trauma is the result of a person experiencing an event that is scary, painful, or shocking. The most common sources of trauma are:

• Natural disasters
• War
• Violence, such as animal attacks and assault
• Violations of safety, such as a burglary
• Accidents, such as car crashes
• Abuse of all types

These events have a profound effect on a person’s nervous system and psyche. In some cases, it can be severe enough to cause long-lasting problems, such as chronic nightmares and high stress, making healing from trauma difficult. Trauma is a cause behind many conditions, most commonly anxiety disorders and addiction.

Though it can feel like the pain won’t ever end, anyone can find healing for trauma. It requires treatment specializing in trauma along with the personal desire and willpower to overcome it. The treatments that can help vary just as much as the trauma it’s designed to treat. Finding the right treatments for your trauma requires working closely with a treatment provider to find which treatment will be most effective for your recovery. The path it takes to find healing for trauma is deeply personal and may take some time, but it is achievable with the right help.

Common Treatments Used for Healing From Trauma

There are several treatments used specifically to aid clients in healing from trauma. Perhaps the most commonly used therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps clients identify harmful thoughts and behaviors. Then, a treatment provider works with the client to replace these thoughts and behaviors with healthy coping skills. By talking through their trauma, clients learn that it wasn’t their fault and thus can find healing from trauma.

Another commonly used treatment for trauma is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. This type of therapy involves using rapid eye movement to “reprogram” stressful memories with new positive beliefs. It’s typically used for PTSD, but it’s useful for anyone who wants healing from trauma, especially combined with other treatments.

Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, are also effective in allowing clients to find healing from trauma. They promote healing from trauma by reminding the client that they are in the here and now and not trapped in the past events that harmed them. For some, especially survivors of abuse, mindfulness helps them re-take their lives and find happiness in the present.

In some cases, medication can help assist with healing from trauma. There is no magic pill that can make trauma go away, but some medication can help make the treatment process more comfortable. Mood stabilizers and anti-anxiety medications are the most common medicines prescribed in the aid of trauma treatment. Medications are used as an assistance tool and cannot replace a comprehensive treatment plan, which is the only way to truly heal from trauma.

How Driftwood Recovery Provides Healing for Trauma

Clients find healing for trauma at Driftwood Recovery by utilizing its extensive and comprehensive treatment programs. With a highly specialized and professional staff, clients can be treated for other disorders directly resulting from their trauma. Driftwood Recovery believes in care at all levels of treatment. Even something as simple as having a nutritious hot meal from the in-house chef plays an important role in healing from trauma by also providing comfort.

Driftwood Recovery utilizes scientifically backed and effective treatments such as CBT alongside wellness activities, such as exercise and meditation, to aid healing from trauma. The goal of this is not just to provide therapy but also to remind the client that they are a different person compared to when the trauma occurred. Part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery is healing from trauma by learning to live your life again.

Clients also have access to a safe and secure campus. Many people don’t like being scrutinized when they are trying to find healing from trauma. The noise and bustle of something like a big city treatment facility may be too much for some traumatized clients. To meet their needs, clients receive care on a beautiful and encouraging campus that fulfills their needs for privacy. There is room to spread out and enjoy the power of nature as a catalyst in healing from trauma. For those who require medicine as part of treatment, medication assistance allows clients to utilize medication safely and effectively.

Healing from trauma is possible, even if it feels like it will last forever. It takes a lot of bravery, but finding the power within can start your journey of healing from trauma. Don’t let your life be smothered under the weight of trauma. Free yourself by reaching out for help today.

Trauma is known as one of the major factors behind mental health disorders and illnesses. It can be severe enough to completely overshadow a person’s life, causing them to live in pain and fear. Trauma may seem overwhelming, but it’s possible to heal and recover from it. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients have access to specialized comprehensive treatments designed to help them overcome trauma. With the assistance of compassionate and understanding staff, clients have the tools they need to recover in comfort and safety. If you or a loved one is struggling with trauma, don’t wait to start your recovery journey. Call (512) 759-8330 today.

The process of sustained recovery is not only found in the abstinence of substances but also in how you care for yourself. Recovery encompasses supporting the healing of every part of you in mind, body, and spirit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), well-being has a broad definition that encompasses perceiving life in a positive light and feeling good. Moreover, well-being includes positive emotions, life satisfaction, fulfillment, and positive functioning. Through the power of self-care, you can find positive well-being for sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know true healing cannot start until you address your traumatic experiences and rebuild a connection to yourself and others. Through an attachment approach to recovery, you have learned in treatment the value of connection. Thus, your surrender to doing the work of rediscovering and rebuilding connection has taught you that healing is a whole-person process.

You have learned that healing and connection are not only found in attachment with others like your peers. Rather, healing and connection can also be found in deepening your awareness and understanding of your inner self. In particular, the power of self-care is an important part of the recovery process, as well as maintaining recovery through an inner connection to the self.

Furthermore, well-being is a whole-person process that must incorporate numerous aspects for lasting recovery:

• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional
• Economic
• Social

Thus, understanding the power of self-care can help you build resilience for sustained recovery.

What Is Self-Care?

According to the International Journal of Nursing Sciences, self-care is your ability to care for yourself through self-awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. Moreover, you utilize awareness, self-control, and self-reliance to achieve, promote, or maintain your well-being.

Yet, how do you gain or engage in the power of self-care? The power of self-care can be promoted and supported in settings like healthcare, work, school, and home. Moreover, the power of self-care can be fostered and grown from your inner self, family, and community, which highlights the fundamental principles of self-care:

• Autonomy
• Self-efficacy
• Empowerment
• Community involvement and empowerment

Looking at the principles of the power of self-care acknowledges that your health in mind, body, and spirit is only possible with your participation. Thus, you have a deeper understanding of self-care as a part of the dynamic process of shared decision-making. With more insight into the self-directed and co-production nature of self-care, you can understand the power of self-care as a tool for maintaining recovery.

How Does the Power of Self-Care Support Recovery?

Challenges with substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders can cause impairments. As a result, health issues like chronic pain can take a toll on your well-being. Therefore, the power of self-care can act as a tool to address a wide range of physical and psychological impairments.

As noted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the power of self-care is made up of eight areas known as the circle of health. Further, with the circle of health, you can recognize their interrelated nature as aspects of a whole. Thus, when one area of your well-being is neglected, other areas suffer and impede your ability to meet your full potential.

Moreover, the eight areas of self-care that support sustained recovery include:

• Mindful awareness
• Physical activity
• Environment
  • The sense of safety you feel in your surroundings supports the power of self-care
• Nutrition
• Sleep
• Personal development
  • The power of self-care allows you to find balance in your home, work, and school life
• Interpersonal relationships
• Mind-body connection
• Spirit and soul
  • Finding meaning and purpose in your life

Now, you can see how the physical and psychological aspects of SUD and mental health disorders impede self-care behaviors.

The Impact of SUD and Mental Health on Self-Care

Challenges with SUD can have a profound impact on physical and mental health:

• Physical
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Liver damage
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
• Mental
  • Depression
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

When SUD and co-occurring disorders are left unaddressed, they impair your health. As a result, challenges with impairments make it difficult to engage in self-care behaviors. Thus, a cycle of maladaptive coping strategies persists as each aspect of well-being harms the other. Although SUD and co-occurring disorders can impede self-care, learning how to practice self-care can help reduce those impairments.

The Power of Self-Care: Supporting Well-Being

Through the power of self-care, the cycle of harm from SUD co-occurring disorders can be broken. Moreover, the power of self-care does not stop when you leave treatment. Therefore, the power of self-care is something you can continue to foster in recovery. Some of the ways you can foster self-care beyond treatment include:

• Regular mealtimes
• Sleep routine
• Mindful yoga
• Find support from peers and loved ones
• Go on walks to connect with yourself and nature

By practicing the different tools in your self-care toolbox, you can support your well-being and maintain recovery.

Fostering Recovery Through the Power of Self-Care at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know sustained, courageous recovery is made possible by a strong and vibrant alumni program. Through an active and vibrant alumni program, you have access to a wide range of services and activities. Whether you are looking for ways to support your physical health, connect with yourself, or connect with others, we can help you thrive. During your time in treatment, you built tools that strengthened the mind, body, and spirit.

However, the strengthening of the mind, body, and spirit is a lifelong journey. Through a vibrant alumni program, you are reminded every day to invest in your self-care for lasting recovery and wellness. Thus, you can find opportunities for self-care and sustained recovery in community meetings and sober activities, as well as fulfillment in service opportunities. With our commitment to community integration, you can start a new way of living in your everyday life. Therefore, being an active participant in your alumni program can support the power of self-care through connection.

Challenges with substance misuse and other mental health disorders can impair self-care behaviors. Thus, impairments to aspects like physical, mental, emotional, social, and economic well-being create a cycle of harm to each other. However, through treatment and access to an active alumni program, you can build self-care tools to support well-being and lasting recovery. Through active participation in things like meetings, sober activities, and service opportunities, you can foster self-care through connection, physical activity, and meaningful community work. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are committed to providing access to a robust and peer-driven network that supports you no matter where you are on your recovery journey. To learn more, call us at (512) 759-8330 today.