Managing Ethical Dilemmas in Mental Health and Addiction Recovery

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

5 Common Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare and How to Address Them

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. Setting Professional Boundaries With Compassionate Care

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

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

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

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

A 12-Step program is simultaneously well-known and mysterious to the average person. Many people have seen a 12-Step program parodied in movies and cartoons, so they have an idea that it’s a program that helps those struggling with addiction. However, the inner workings of a 12-Step program are not well known unless a person or their family member has been involved with it. Understanding what are the uniting principles behind 12-Step programs allows those who are struggling or have a family member struggling with an addiction to make informed decisions about their care. 

12-Step programs are effective enough to be essential parts of addiction treatment facilities. Driftwood Recovery is no exception by using a 12-Step program as part of comprehensive addiction treatment. The specific one used for each client depends on their wishes, as clients have the right to choose the programs they feel meet their values the most. No matter which program is chosen, clients can expect to receive peer support and tools to assist them in their recovery journey. 

To further understand the principles that make these programs so effective, we must first examine what a 12-Step program entails. 

What Is a 12-Step Program?

12-Step programs originated from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a spiritual foundation for recovery from alcoholism, so they are named after the program’s Twelve Steps to recovery. It’s designed as a way for a person not just to help themselves but also to help the family, friends, and community that their alcoholism may have harmed. The goal is to encourage clients to help themselves by seeking out and attending meetings. This model has been adapted and used for other addiction recovery groups. The original AA 12-Step program encourages individuals to surrender to a higher power as a source of strength. 

However, some people in the mental health care community do not agree with the original message of being powerless or embracing a higher power, as it’s believed it could isolate or discourage some people from seeking help. Secular versions such as SMART Recovery have been developed as an alternative to the AA 12-Step program model. SMART Recovery, especially, is commonly used in addiction treatment facilities. 

Though different, the goal of providing peer support and personal accountability is still the same regardless of the specific program. 

The Principles of a 12-Step Program

A 12-Step program operates on, of course, twelve guiding principles or traditions to encourage recovery. To summarize, a person utilizing a 12-Step program must:

• Be honest about their addiction and recognize how their behaviors impact themselves and those around them
• Accept that this is a battle they cannot win alone and seek help
• Take responsibility for their actions by making contact with those they are wronged and make sincere amends for any harm caused to them
• Find spiritual support and have faith in a higher being to give them strength to overcome addiction
• Perform acts of service to their peers and community
• Maintain their sobriety by attending meetings and practicing coping skills

Overall, 12-Step programs focus on the power of faith, forgiveness, and personal service as a way to remain in recovery. AA and other 12-Step programs based on it have the philosophy that addiction is a manageable chronic disease but ultimately a lifelong affliction. SMART Recovery, however, does not view addiction as a disease, only as behaviors that can be corrected. Instead of Twelve Steps, SMART Recovery utilizes a four-point program, which involves:

• Building and maintaining motivation so you can resolve to remain sober
• Coping with urges by identifying triggers and reducing or coping with them
• Manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to avoid relapse and find self-acceptance
• Living a balanced life by making healthy, realistic changes to promote recovery

Clients may use one or both program types to receive support during their recovery journey. Regardless of which program a client ultimately chooses, multiple studies have shown both programs to be effective for recovery. 

Finding Lifelong Support at Driftwood Recovery

The staff at Driftwood Recovery is just as diverse as its client base. People from all walks of life come to Driftwood Recovery to find a safe and secure place to heal. With a holistic treatment philosophy, great care is taken to be sure a wide range of treatment options is available. This includes the choice to participate in a 12-Step program, SMART Recovery, both, or neither. The power of choice is a fundamental human right. A right that Driftwood Recovery seriously upholds.

If choosing a traditional 12-Step program, clients will have meetings with their fellow peers. These meetings help clients take responsibility for their actions and make honest life changes. The Courageous Family program often goes hand in hand with a 12-Step program. They both work as a way for the client and their family to rebuild their relationships. SMART Recovery also features meetings where clients can practice and discuss the coping skills they have learned in treatment.

Regardless of the program chosen, clients are encouraged to support each other and help their communities. Alumni in the alumni program often become mentors to others. This shows the person being mentored that healthy sober living is possible and gives them a person they can call for help when they need strength. Of course, sober living and social skills are taught as part of treatment. However, going off on your own can be a frightening time that is made better with a supportive mentor. 

The goal of every mental health care and addiction treatment facility is for its clients to be successful in their recovery. With the help of a 12-Step program and SMART Recovery, clients find the community they need to be successful. Though treatment can feel overwhelming, it gets easier with each step forward. 

To an average person, the idea of a 12-Step program conjures images of people sitting in a room as they admit that they have an addiction. The truth is that a 12-Step program is much more complex than that. These programs assist clients in changing their lives and taking responsibility for their actions. For many, it’s another step in their recovery that can bring immense healing. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients have access to 12-Step programs as an essential part of addiction treatment. Everyone, including yourself and those you love, can recover from addiction with the right treatment. So don’t wait to start your healing journey; call (512) 759-8330 today.

Personality disorders affect more people than an average person may think. According to a collection of 46 studies spanning six continents, there is a worldwide prevalence of any personality disorder of 7.8%, with higher rates in high-income countries, about 9.6%. Those who struggle with a personality disorder face stigma and distrust. This is the result of many factors, such as media depictions, the difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships, and a societal reluctance to discuss personality disorders. 

Perhaps the hardest part of struggling with a personality disorder is the higher likelihood of also struggling with addiction. Although both conditions are difficult to experience and live with, recovery is possible with the right treatment and willingness to make healthy life changes. Driftwood Recovery works to make the treatment process as smooth as possible for any condition. By providing a supportive and judgment-free environment, clients everywhere can recover in comfort. 

The first step to recovery is recognizing when one needs to seek help. By understanding the link between personality disorders and addiction, it becomes easier to recognize the signs of both. Education is always the key to encouraging those who need to seek help. It has a secondary effect of bringing awareness to those struggling that recovery is never impossible.

What Are Personality Disorders?

Personality disorders are a group of long-lasting mental health conditions. These conditions impose distinct patterns of negative thinking and behaviors on a person. This, in turn, greatly impacts their relationships with others. These conditions cause a person to deviate from societal and cultural norms, which causes great distress. They often impair a person’s ability to function and relate to others, which may affect their social and familial lives. People with personality disorders often struggle with understanding emotions, tolerating distress, or may act impulsively.

Many personality disorders currently exist. They are grouped into three distinct clusters. These are:

• Cluster A: These personality disorders are characterized by a lack of interest or suspicion of others due to a consistent dysfunctional pattern of thinking and behavior. Examples include schizoid personality disorder and paranoid personality disorder.
• Cluster B: These personality disorders are characterized by consistent, unpredictable, over-dramatic behavior and over-emotional thinking patterns. Examples include narcissistic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
• Cluster C: These personality disorders are characterized by consistent dysfunctional patterns of anxious thinking and behaviors. Examples include obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and avoidant personality disorder.

Why Does Addiction Commonly Co-Occur With Personality Disorders?

There are several reasons why addiction is often prevalent in those who struggle with personality disorders. Personality disorders, for one, often bring a lot of stress and anguish to an individual. Since there is quite a lot of stigma surrounding personality disorders, a person may be afraid to reach out for help from a professional. To numb and manage these symptoms, a person may be tempted to self-medicate with substances and drugs, such as alcohol. Over time, the body will become tolerant to these substances. This forces the individual to need more of the substance to achieve the same effect. Once a person is dependent, it almost always leads to an addiction. 

Another reason why addiction is strongly linked to personality disorders is due to some of the common symptoms associated with these conditions. Those who have a personality disorder marked by impulsive or reckless behavior are more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in or be “cool” contribute greatly to the impulse to use these substances. Of course, many drugs and substances are highly addictive and may only take a single use to form a chemical dependency.

There may be biological pathways that may be behind why some people have a higher likelihood of developing both conditions. Genetics that make up our bodies may be a major factor. How our brains are built may also be one, as a person with a slightly different prefrontal cortex may struggle with traits like impulsivity. Negative life experiences, such as trauma, may influence if a person develops one or more conditions. Family history may also be a significant risk factor as well. 

Despite these links, it’s important to remember that both these conditions are treatable with specialized care.

Finding Treatment and Healing at Driftwood Recovery

Driftwood Recovery, as a treatment facility, focuses on treating a wide range of conditions. Most of these conditions are co-occurring and require specialized treatment to address. These are called a dual diagnosis, as all conditions must be addressed at once to be properly treated. Personality disorders and addiction are all too common with a dual diagnosis, along with other conditions such as depression and anxiety. A dual diagnosis is treatable as long as the client is willing to ask for help and accept it.

The exact therapies vary depending on the individual and which addiction and personality disorder they are struggling with. However, some treatments are universal. Finding the underlying cause of both conditions is the first step, along with detoxing from the substance or drug being used. The next step is to treat the cause through various therapies, such as psychotherapy. Then, it teaches the client the skills needed to stay in recovery and achieve success post-treatment through various Driftwood Recovery programs. The courageous family program and alumni program are just a few programs used to build connections and healthy relationships with others. As personality disorders often impact a person’s relationships, such programs are vital to the recovery process. 

Perhaps the most important part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery is the realization that these conditions do not make someone a bad person. It’s a safe place to find understanding and respect, especially from fellow peers who are in the same situation. Though the link between addiction and personality disorders exists, it’s not a set in stone thing. It’s always okay to seek help before these conditions gain a stronghold over your life. So, if you are struggling, don’t wait. Reach out for help today. 

Personality disorders are as varied as the people who struggle with them. These struggles can be severe enough to lead to other conditions, including addiction. Struggling with both a personality disorder and addiction can feel overwhelming, but there is hope. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients find the treatment they need to recover from addiction and manage their mental health disorders. The staff at Driftwood Recovery are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for clients to find healing and understanding. If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t wait to seek help. Call Driftwood Recovery at (512) 759-8330 to begin your recovery journey today. 

Self-medicating is a self-destructive behavior that often leads to addiction. Sadly, it’s an all too common behavior that affects countless people, usually the most isolated and vulnerable among us. There are many reasons why a person may choose to self-medicate instead of seeking help. Stigma, lack of education about treatment, poverty, shame, and many more all contribute to the likelihood of someone self-medicating. Understanding these factors and helping those who are struggling are all ways to prevent addiction and other harmful behaviors from taking root.

That’s why mental health care and addiction treatment facilities, such as Driftwood Recovery, work to educate the public and provide compassionate and quality treatment. Awareness and education are key in helping people recognize when they are self-medicating or have developed an addiction. It’s important to remember that anyone can overcome addiction and harmful behaviors if they are willing to accept help. The more awareness is spread, the better the likelihood that a person can get the help they need.

But before a person can get help, they must recognize what self-medicating looks like. Part of this may also involve examining their families closely and how they cope with difficulties. Sometimes, self-medicating behaviors are learned from our loved ones, which makes it even more difficult to recognize and stop. 

What Is Self-Medicating?

When someone self-medicates, they are using a drug or substance without the oversight of a doctor to relieve a negative symptom, real or perceived. Doctors prescribe medication in the exact amounts needed to keep their patients safe. They also check in with their patients regularly to make sure they are okay. Self-medication is dangerous because, without the oversight of a medical professional, drug and substance abuse can cause serious harm.  

Most people self-medicate to deal with chronic conditions. Those living with chronic pain and anxiety disorders are particularly prone to self-medicating. For example, a person struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may self-medicate by drinking alcohol to numb their nervous system. Someone struggling with pain may self-medicate with opioids. Marijuana is another common substance used for self-medication as a form of stress relief. Regardless of the substance or drug being used, a person will eventually become dependent, which can lead to addiction. 

Being able to recognize the signs of self-medication before it leads to addiction is also essential. Ask yourself the following questions. 

• Do you find yourself turning to a drug or substance to deal with a problem?
• Is it hard to get through a day without using a drug or substances?
• Do you feel as though you must have that drug or substance to function normally?
• When out of a drug or substance, do you panic or feel fear until you can obtain more? 
• Do you use a drug or substance so you don’t have to think about painful memories, feelings, or bodily sensations? 

 Answering yes to any of these questions is a sign that you are self-medicating and should seek help. 

Understanding Why Self-Medicating Often Leads to Addiction

It’s important to remember that addiction is never the result of a moral failing or the mark of a bad person. Addictions work by hijacking essential brain functions and causing them to become chemically dependent on the drug or substance. All substances and drugs will eventually lose their potency over time as the individual develops a tolerance. This forces the user to consume more of the substance or drug to achieve the same effect as before. Over time, this becomes a dependency, which then leads to addiction. 

There is a chemical factor behind addiction that makes it difficult to overcome. However, the psychological factor behind self-medication is perhaps what keeps someone addicted longer. For example, a person struggling with trauma may be afraid to quit drinking because they don’t feel strong enough to face their trauma. Someone else might not know how to relax, so believe sincerely that they cannot relax otherwise without the use of substances or drugs. 

Finding Treatment Before Self-Medicating Leads to Addiction

It’s possible to find help before a negative situation leads to addiction. Preventative mental health care is just as important as medical checkups in terms of maintaining health. There are many treatment facilities, including Driftwood Recovery, that can help someone manage their conditions and stress before they are tempted to self-medicate. Like doctors, mental health care professionals are bound by laws to protect privacy. Those who worry that asking for help may cause problems have nothing to fear. Mental health care professionals will advise, not judge, your situation. Their goal is to lessen your struggles and direct you to the resources you need to seek help. 

If someone has already developed an addiction, they can still receive help. Enrolling in a specialized treatment program is the best way to recover from addiction, as clients will have access to vital services such as medical detox and medication management. There, clients also learn skills that negate the need for self-medicating and keep them in recovery. For example, they learn to build a support network or discover exciting sober activities that give them joy. These greatly reduce the urge to self-medicate during and after treatment. 

No matter if you are currently addicted, on the cusp of addiction, or want to prevent it, help will always be available to you. So don’t allow yourself or a loved one to continue with this struggle alone. No problem is too big or too small to be solved, especially at Driftwood Recovery.

Self-medicating is a harmful behavior that many people engage in. Using drugs or substances without the oversight of a doctor can result in several problems, such as injury, addiction, or even death. People often engage in self-medicating to feel relief from pain, both physical and psychological. Treating this underlying pain gives clients the means to find healing so that they can begin a healthier and sober life. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients find the comprehensive and compassionate care needed to treat a wide range of conditions, bringing relief and healing to countless people. Anyone can recover from their mental health condition, including yourself and your loved ones. So don’t wait, call (512) 759-8330 today.

In recovery, you have learned how important self-care is for your physical and psychological well-being. You may even be well aware of the nine key attributes of self-care, like awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. Yet, effectively and safely engaging in self-care is easier said than done. Thus, building a self-care plan is invaluable to healthy self-care and sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how easy it can be to get bogged down by fears about maintaining sobriety. With fear often comes an overachiever mindset that manifests itself as trying to take on too much in recovery. However, through an alumni program, you can find the connection, accountability, and support you need to meet challenges with balance. Through community integration, you learn how to process stress and build life skills like a self-care plan. Thus, building a self-care plan can be your first step toward fostering inner connection and healing rather than harming yourself.

You may still have questions about building a balanced self-care plan. How can self-care be anything other than useful in recovery? In what ways can self-care do more harm than good in recovery? You can learn how to build a healthy self-care plan by first understanding self-care fatigue and its impact on well-being.

What Is Self-Care Fatigue?

Talking about self-care has become more common in the general public. Whether it is a host on a show or the HR department at your job, everyone is talking about self-care. Despite the benefits of self-care, you can find yourself in a state of self-care fatigue. Self-care fatigue often happens when your life does not match how you want to feel despite engaging in self-care. 

Now, the thought that you can do self-care incorrectly may sound baffling. In reality, there is not necessarily a wrong way to do self-care. Self-care, much like addiction treatment, should match the specific needs of the individual. While there is no wrong way to do self-care, there are misconceptions that can lead you to make unhealthy choices. Thus, self-care fatigue often bubbles up from a place of emotional exhaustion. 

You keep engaging in things you perceive as self-care, yet you still have not seen a change in certain aspects of your life. Without change, you can lose hope and find yourself stuck. Therefore, reducing self-care fatigue and building an effective self-care plan starts with breaking down the myths and misconceptions that plague a supportive self-care plan.

Self-Care Myths: Impact of Myths on Building a Self-Care Plan

Numerous myths and misconceptions about self-care can lead you to build an unhealthy self-care plan. Some of the myths of self-care include:

• It is selfish and expensive
  • Taking time for yourself allows you to rest and recharge 
  • You do not have to go to luxury spas or buy expensive equipment
• Self-care is not for everyone
  • Everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, or ability, can benefit from self-care
    • While everyone’s experiences are different, everyone has faced stress and challenges 
• It is time-consuming
  • Self-care does not have a fixed schedule or a specific amount you must do
    • Anything from five to forty-five minutes can be valuable for self-care
    • It is less about time and more about how the act of self-care makes you feel
    • A self-care plan can be as structured or loose as you need it to be
• Self-care is anything that soothes you
  • It should be relaxing and enjoyable, but it should not be done to excess or impair other areas of well-being in your life like your physical health

How your self-care plan should look is often misconstrued by myths that contribute to emotional exhaustion and unbalanced self-care. Listed below are some examples of a poor self-care plan:

• Only engaging in look-based activities
  • Manicures
  • Pedicures
  • Hair appointments
• Avoiding things that make you uncomfortable
  • Exercising
  • Attending a support group
• Doing a self-care activity because someone else does it
  • Spending a weekend reading on a beach when you dislike the beach

Now, you may question how you can build a healthy self-care plan that fits you and your life.

How to Build a Self-Care Plan

According to “Building Your Self-Care” from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), part of building a self-care plan is picking different types of strategies to add to your toolkit. Although you do not have to incorporate each strategy into your self-care plan, each strategy may offer something that works for you:

• Physical 
• Social 
• Mental 
• Environmental 
• Work-related 
• Recreational 
• Mindfulness 
• Spiritual 

Beyond picking strategies, it is also important to evaluate your positive and negative coping skills and identify your self-care needs. With a better idea of your needs and skills, you can build a self-care plan that will support sustained recovery.

Sustainable Tools for Your Self-Care Plan

Much like picking self-care strategies, within those strategies are a variety of tools you can use in your daily life. Listed below are some sustainable tools that may be effective in your regular and emergency self-care plan:

• Regular self-care
  • Dancing to music while you get ready
  • Working out while watching a show
  • Cooking dinner with a loved one
  • Family book club
  • Listening to relaxing soundscapes before bed
  • Attending a support group
  • Write one thing you are grateful for before bed
• Emergency self-care
  • Deep breathing
  • Taking a walk
  • Support person

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

Learning How to Build Your Self-Care Toolkit at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know building a strong foundation to sustain recovery starts with a connection to self and others. Through an active alumni program, you have access to services and activities for community and self-care. You can strengthen your mind, body, and spirit as your peers act as a source of guidance and accountability for well-being. Therefore, we are dedicated to connection and community integration to help you build a unique self-care plan to maintain your recovery.

One commonly occurring instance in life that is greatly harmful to one’s mental health is toxic relationships. These relationships can occur among family, friends, and peers. What makes these relationships dangerous is that they can sabotage treatment progress or even trigger a relapse for those in recovery. Perhaps the most heartbreaking thing about these relationships is that the connections you feel for them are real, which makes them difficult to break away from.

Learning to recognize and let go of toxic relationships is never easy. It’s especially true for those who are victims of manipulation tactics, such as gaslighting. At Driftwood Recovery, it’s considered an essential skill as part of recovery to identify and let go of toxic relationships. Recognizing who will help or hinder you during and after treatment can be stressful, but you don’t have to make these choices alone.

Mental health care professionals and providers are always there to help you examine your relationships to determine if they are toxic or healthy. Before clients can understand that they are in a toxic relationship, they must first know what a toxic relationship looks like. 

What Are Toxic Toxic Relationships?

Many traits define a relationship as toxic. Simply put, it’s a relationship where a person, either inadvertently or maliciously, causes you persistent harm. This harm can be direct, such as physical hitting or outright insults. However, it can be subtle, such as isolating a person or manipulating them to serve a selfish goal. A healthy relationship is about support and mutual care, which makes us feel good. Toxic ones are heavily one-sided and will feel very unfair, tiring, or frightening. 

These toxic relationships are difficult to deal with because of how prevalent they may be in intimate circles. They can come from family, a peer group, or even from a spouse or partner. It’s normal to still love and care about these people, even if they hurt you. It can make severing yourself from these relationships difficult. Toxic relationships also cause conditions such as depression, addiction, and suicidal ideation. 

It’s normal to feel love for the people who hurt you. Sometimes, what makes toxic relationships so difficult is that when you can end the relationship, you may still mourn and grieve for the relationship you thought you had. Toxic relationships still cause harm in this way, and the experiences they leave with an individual often require professional help to treat.

How Do Toxic Relationships Harm Recovery?

Toxic relationships are dangerous to recovery for several reasons. Perhaps the most serious problem is that can trigger a relapse. Often, this is because toxic relationships are highly stressful, and a person may strongly feel the urge to use substances as a coping mechanism. Other times, a toxic person may maliciously or indirectly trigger a relapse by ignoring a person’s boundaries. 

For example, a person completes treatment for alcohol addiction. A toxic person may refuse to limit their drinking around the person, may constantly invite them to places where drinking is present, or even encourage them to drink again. “Come on, you’re not fun anymore now that you are sober” and “It’s just one drink to celebrate” are all examples of manipulations that can trigger a relapse. 

Toxic relationships are also bad for one’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. A toxic person can grind down a person’s confidence and make them feel as though they are a failure. One thing a toxic person cannot stand is someone who is bettering their life. As a result, those who try to seek treatment may face sabotage. An example of this is a toxic person threatening to harm themselves if you try to leave them or seek opportunities such as getting a new job or undergoing treatment. 

Finding Help at Driftwood Recovery

There are ways in which a person can learn to recognize and navigate toxic relationships. Such skills are important at Driftwood Recovery, as they allow clients to protect their recovery during and after treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one such therapy used to help those struggling with a toxic relationship. This therapy helps clients identify harmful thoughts and behaviors and guide them into making positive changes. CBT is also a critical therapy used to teach clients how to set and stick with healthy boundaries.

Group therapy is also helpful in identifying and navigating toxic relationships. Participants in group therapy have experienced many things and have plenty of wisdom to share. They very well may be the ones who can point out if you are being mistreated. Sometimes, having a sounding board of individuals that you don’t know can show you that your relationships are not healthy. Group therapy participants may also have advice on what to do and can share their personal experiences, showing that they are not alone. 

Building confidence and establishing new and healthy support networks is another way to overcome toxic relationships. At Driftwood Recovery, clients learn that they are valid and worthy of care. This is often done through team-building exercises where clients learn to trust each other. Other times, it’s allowed to happen organically through recreation and downtime. Through each step, mental health care professionals are there to offer support and guidance. Once a client finishes treatment, they can join the alumni program, where they can continue the connections forged at Driftwood Recovery and beyond. 

Recovering from a toxic relationship can be difficult, but healing is always possible. When someone recognizes they need help and accepts it, new doors open up to them. 

Toxic relationships are one of the major contributors to addiction and other mental health conditions. They also will keep people from seeking help, achieving recovery, or even outright sabotaging a person’s sobriety. Learning how to recognize and let go of these toxic relationships is essential to achieving and maintaining recovery. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients have access to a wide array of therapies designed to help them recognize and remove toxic relationships from their lives. It’s never an easy thing to do, but with newfound confidence and self-respect, clients can take a stand to protect themselves and their recovery. To learn more about treatment at Driftwood Recovery, call (512) 759-8330 today.

According to Addiction Relapse Prevention, approximately 50% of people relapse within the first 12 weeks. However, the risk of recovery burnout in long-term recovery is often overlooked. Recovery burnout is an important phenomenon. As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes, 7 in 10 adults are in addiction recovery. Therefore, recognizing recovery burnout can be invaluable to maintaining long-term recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery is a journey that continues long after addiction treatment. However, we also know how difficult it can be to stay connected to a sober community. Losing those recovery connections over time makes it easier to lose yourself in recovery. The work needed to maintain recovery, especially alone, can increase recovery burnout. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing a vibrant alumni program with support and accountability. With support and connection with alumni, you can avoid recovery burnout to sustain recovery.

However, you may still have questions about recovery burnout. What is recovery burnout, and what causes it? How does recovery burnout impact your long-term well-being and recovery? 

What Is Recovery Burnout?

You may be familiar with burnout concerning other domains like work and school. Burnout has recently become synonymous with healthcare workers and college students. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome that comes from chronic workplace stress that is not effectively managed. Thus, burnout, in general, is often thought of as an occupational phenomenon. 

However, the world has expanded to be entangled in other domains and life challenges. Recovery, much like treatment, requires a lot of courage and work to build and maintain. Therefore, when you have been in recovery for a while, you can start to feel exhausted from the effort, time, and commitment you have to put into sustaining recovery. 

Recovery burnout is a loss of the energy that motivates your dedication to recovery. Moreover, recovery burnout can lead to negative feelings about recovery as the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion takes over. Although entering recovery after the structure of a residential treatment program can feel daunting, it may be difficult to imagine ever experiencing recovery burnout. You may think of recovery as this grand prize for all your hard work and the final step in a new life. While recovery does present an opportunity for a new, fulfilling life without substances, it is not a destination. 

Misconceptions that recovery is the end of the journey are born out of the pink cloud syndrome in early recovery. Thus, understanding the pink cloud syndrome can help you better understand how recovery burnout develops.

Pink Cloud Syndrome: Understanding Challenges of Early Recovery

Although recovery is a lifelong process, there are some stages on your journey to recovery. Some of the stages of recovery include seeking support, detox, treatment, and early recovery. In and around early recovery is where pink cloud syndrome or pink clouding is found. Pink cloud syndrome is the phase in early recovery following withdrawal symptoms that leave you filled with feelings of euphoria and elation. 

In many ways, pink cloud syndrome is like the honeymoon phase of recovery in which you have just discovered the joy of life without substances. Moreover, you are overjoyed and optimistic about the progress you have made and are completely confident in your ability to maintain recovery. Feeling happy about the progress you have made toward recovery is something you should be proud of. However, the dangers of pink cloud syndrome are an unrealistic and overconfident perspective that does not last. Some of the issues of pink cloud syndrome include:

• Preoccupation with the positive aspects of recovery
• Excessive optimism
• Withdrawal from your support system

Thus, ignoring the reality of recovery as a dynamic process with peaks and valleys sets you up for recovery burnout.

Addressing Unhealthy and Health Habits in Recovery

With recovery burnout, you can get stuck in unhealthy habits that leave you feeling unbalanced and overworked. Thus, recognizing and addressing unhealthy habits is important to effective long-term recovery. According to NIH News in Health, habits often arise through repetition and when the brain’s reward centers are triggered. Therefore, healthy and unhealthy habits often stem from the same process. For example, your brain may crave the reward feeling and familiarity of one too many glasses of wine before bed, the same way meditating before bed can become a healthy habit. Yet, how do you dismantle the unhealthy habits of overachieving in recovery burnout?

Finding Healthy Ways to Cope With Recovery Burnout

The NIH states that changing unhealthy habits is a process. Recovery does not happen overnight or require perfection, as pink clouding and early recovery lead you to believe. Your ability to find balance in recovery and avoid recovery burnout starts with building healthy coping strategies to combat stress and an overachiever mentality. While everyone’s needs to overcome recovery burnout is unique, some adaptive coping skills you can use to reestablish balance include:

• Recognize and accept your feelings
• Give yourself space to relax
• Set boundaries 
• Reach out for support
• Find healthy outlets 
  • Drawing
  • Journaling
• Make time for wellness
  • Yoga
  • Sleep hygiene
• Change up the recovery resources you use
  • Online and app-based resources
  • Sober activities

With greater self-awareness, you can effectively address and reduce your risk for recovery burnout.

Fostering Recovery Burnout Tools for Lasting Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know the connection to self and others in alumni is vital to sustained recovery. No matter where you are on your recovery journey, it can be thrilling and overwhelming. Feeling overwhelmed in recovery is not something to feel ashamed about but rather something you acknowledge and lean on your support system for. Healing is not meant to be done alone, and engaging with alumni reminds you that balance in recovery is possible. Through a peer-driven network, you can find the support, resources, guidance, and accountability you need to lead a courageous life in recovery.

Learning how to manage stress is an important part of growing up. As children, we learn how to manage stress and our emotions by observing and copying the behaviors of both our peers and adults. The presence of or lack of healthy coping skills learned as youth can greatly impact our ability to cope with difficulties once we become adults.

This is especially important when undergoing treatment for addiction and its co-occurring conditions. Although steps are taken to make treatment as smooth as possible, it’s still a stressful endeavor. Those who cannot healthily manage stress during treatment run the risk of burnout and may give up before treatment is completed.

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients utilize therapies to teach them how to manage stress on their own. While learning these essential skills, clients also have access to stress-managing activities. Knowing when you are feeling stressed is also important, as well as recognizing when you need to manage it. Overall, stress management will become second nature over time, especially when given opportunities to practice these skills in a safe and supportive environment. 

Although not a comprehensive list, here are a few tips all clients can follow to manage their stress.

Tip 1 – Manage Stress by Moving Your Body

Exercise and moving your body release endorphins, which are a feel-good chemical. It has been proven that exercise can help boost your mental health. Psychical activity allows stress to leave the body, especially when engaging in enjoyable activities. 

At Driftwood Recovery, all clients are encouraged to move their bodies as part of treatment. It can be vigorous movement, such as playing a sport through therapeutic recreation, or more relaxing, such as yoga. Before beginning any physical activity, it’s important to speak with a professional to prevent injuries. They can give you the tips you need to enjoy physical activity safely.

Tip 2 – Self-Care for Stress Relief

Taking care of your physical and emotional needs is essential to manage stress. Many times, stress can be relieved by satisfying vital biological functions. Getting proper sleep and rest is one such way to manage stress, as it bolsters your body. Eating nutritious food at regular intervals, as well as remaining properly hydrated, can all reduce stress. If you feel stressed, it might be because you are tired, hungry, or thirsty.

Self-care also refers to fulfilling one’s emotional and spiritual needs as well. Engaging in activities that you feel are purposeful or working to better yourself are all forms of self-care. Many times people feel stressed because they feel as though they have no direction in life. Actively working towards a goal to fulfill this need can also manage stress. 

Tip 3 – Find Healthy Outlets to Manage Stress

Stress is harmful because it remains inside a person until it can be expressed. Those engaging in unhealthy stress relief may engage in substance abuse or other dangerous activities to feel better. However, there are ways for a person to manage stress healthily without resorting to harmful activities. 

Driftwood Recovery encourages clients to find hobbies and activities that release stress and give them joy. Some common examples of hobbies that can be used to manage stress include crafts, gardening, or playing games. Therapies designed to manage stress, such as art therapy, can provide a client with a lifelong outlet for stress. 

Tip 4 – Reduce Stressors by Accepting Help

Another way to manage stress is to accept professional help. Attempting to accomplish a difficult task on your own can be highly stressful and frustrating. It’s especially true if you experience repeated failures, which can work to demotivate a person. In time, a person may even stop trying, which is something that cannot be allowed to happen in treatment.

To help with that, clients are encouraged to trust in others to help them. The bond between client and provider is only possible through this trust, which ultimately promotes healing. Driftwood Recovery makes this easier by being staffed by compassionate and understanding professionals. Clients can let go of their stress by allowing these professionals to help them carry their struggles. Understanding that your providers will give you time to breathe through the treatment process can go a long way to managing your stress. 

Tip 5 – Manage Stress by Being Kind to Yourself

Perhaps the greatest tip of all to manage stress is to be kind to yourself. It’s not unheard of for someone to take up more of a burden than they need to and then put themselves down for failing. Sometimes, these negative thoughts and feelings of unworthiness will turn on a person, causing them to inadvertently self-sabotage their progress. If you want to manage stress healthily, you must treat yourself better.

This can be done by changing your mindset to be more compassionate and realistic. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used to help clients speak to themselves in a kinder and more understanding way. It allows them to set realistic goals so they can celebrate their successes. Part of this mindset is also accepting that failing is a part of life, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot try again. It’s always better to try than it is to preemptively give up. 

This more positive mindset doesn’t just manage stress; it gives you support and encouragement to face any task that lies ahead. 

Again, this list is not comprehensive, as there are many individual ways in which a client can learn to manage stress. If you feel overly stressed during treatment and recovery, it’s always encouraged to speak to a mental health care professional. They will be able to get you the therapies needed to encourage healthy coping skills and find relief. Stress is temporary, but the skills you learn to manage stress will last forever.  

Stress can be a major contributor to addiction and other mental health conditions. Learning how to healthily manage one’s stress is an essential part of treatment and recovery. Without these skills, it’s possible to struggle with treatment burnout or even experience a relapse. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients spend time learning stress management and relief techniques as part of treatment. Not only do clients learn skills to mitigate the effect of stress on themselves, but they also have time to participate in stress-reliving activities, such as walks or breathing exercises. If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t wait to get treatment. Call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330. 

You have done the difficult work of seeking and completing treatment. Although completion of treatment is exciting, it is also understandably scary as you reenter society and rebuild your social life. Challenges with alcohol misuse can also make reentering social life feel overwhelming and impossible.

Alcohol has played a central role in the lives of countless people across the world since some of the earliest civilizations on the planet. Thus, alcohol consumption, misuse, and abuse is a complex topic. Unlike illicit substances like cocaine and heroin, alcohol is a legal substance that, for many, is a normal part of their social life. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) notes, 2.2 million people 12 years and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Yet, only 7.6% of people with AUD receive treatment, which can highlight alcohol use as a spectrum of misuse. The consequences of alcohol misuse are not relegated only to individuals with dependence or AUD. Rather, most people who misuse alcohol account for the majority of alcohol-related disability and death. Thus, addressing the cultural and social life aspects of alcohol consumption is valuable for understanding overconsumption, dependence, and AUD.

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that living a life in recovery means being reintegrated into the community. Through a community-driven approach, we are dedicated to helping you reintegrate into society. With a vibrant, sober community, you can find the service, accountability, and encouragement needed to rebuild your social life without alcohol. Our peer-driven network provides mutually supportive attachment with others to give you the tools you need to reintegrate into everyday life. 

Yet, it may feel difficult for you to imagine building a social life without alcohol. By expanding your understanding of drinking culture, you can dismantle alcohol’s influence.

Understanding Drinking Culture

Most alcohol research is focused on risk factors and the impact of individual experiences on addiction. However, understanding the cultural elements of alcohol can support sustained recovery. Cultural norms and practices found in society typically intersect with health and psychological wellness. Moreover, the way you experience and perceive culture greatly influences how you see yourself, others, and the world. 

Thus, understanding culture can provide insight into the significance of culture in society and social life. According to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, culture typically consists of a schema of beliefs, practices, values, and other worldviews that are maintained by a cultural group or society, which is preserved and transmitted across generations. For alcohol, drinking culture and social life are deeply interconnected, especially in pop culture: 

• Movies
• Television
• Music
• Social media

Moreover, many of the social influences of alcohol in pop culture spill over into other cultural influences. Additional influences on drinking culture and social life can include community norms, racial and ethnic discrimination, family and peer drinking behaviors, and college social life. Thus, drinking culture can have a fundamental impact on how you engage in social life.

The Impact of Drinking Culture on Social Life

There are countless examples in pop culture that glorify binge drinking and alcohol as a coping tool. Although pop culture can have a significant influence on how you perceive alcohol, interactions with family, friends, and other aspects of social life can be particularly influential. Many of your social life experiences from adolescence to adulthood have likely been influenced by the socialization of alcohol. 

Overconsumption of alcohol can be seen across countless social life events like college parties, young dating culture, sporting events, holiday parties, and bar Happy hours with co-workers. The prevalence of drinking culture in every major segment of life speaks to the far-reaching influence of alcohol on social life. Further, many of the elements of drinking culture found in social life are tied to social connection. 

Importance of Social Connections for Sobriety

Addiction and early recovery are often plagued by self-isolation and loneliness. A loss of social connection can be detrimental to your well-being and increase your risk for relapse. Thus, building a social life in sobriety can not only support relapse prevention but also improve your well-being. Some of the ways social connection through a social life can support your health and well-being include:

• Foster a sense of belonging
• Improve self-esteem 
• Increase motivation
• Raise quality of life

While addiction to your previous social life may have fractured your social connection, support in sobriety can help you reclaim the joys of social life.

Ways to Support a Social Life Without Alcohol

Building a fun, happy, and meaningful social life does not require alcohol. Yet, how do you combat cultural norms that most people subscribe to? Through a vibrant alumni program, you can uncover a fulfilling social life without alcohol. Some of the ways you can engage in a sober social life include:

• Setting clear boundaries with others
• Hangout with friends at places other than bars and clubs
  • Cafe
  • Movie theater
  • Museum
  • Library
  • Art gallery
• Joining a club or group
  • Book club
• Take a class
  • Yoga
  • Pottery
• Join a sports league
  • Volleyball
  • Basketball
  • Flag football
• Volunteer
• Attend sober events

There are a wide variety of sober places and activities you can engage in with old and new friends. Although it can feel daunting to socialize without alcohol, an alumni program can give you the support you need to step into your new sober life confidently.

Fostering a Sober Social Life at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe a strong and vibrant alumni program can give you the support and resources you need to thrive in recovery. Through a peer-driven network, you can find a sober community where connection is at the heart of the community. Together, you can foster fellowship and fun in sobriety with shared experiences and a commitment to accountability, service, and encouragement. We are dedicated to helping you reintegrate and build a new sober life, whether it is weekly meetings and activities or in-house AA meetings, there is a community for you.

Suicidal ideation is more common than what most people would think. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.3 million adults have considered suicide at some point in their lives. Anyone from all walks of life can experience or struggle with suicidal ideation. Those who struggle with these thoughts can feel empty, tired, and hopeless. 

There is always hope, and anyone can recover from these distressing thoughts and feelings with the right professional help. At Driftwood Recovery, clients have the freedom to discuss their inner thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or belittlement. Staffed by caring and compassionate professionals, each client receives the attention and treatment they need to overcome anything. 

However, treatment cannot begin if a person doesn’t understand that they need it. Suicidal ideation is heavily stigmatized and rarely discussed. It’s only in recent years that there has been a push to educate the greater public about suicidal ideation and those who are most at risk. By speaking about this topic, we validate those who are struggling and encourage them to seek help.

What Is Suicidal Ideation?

Suicidal ideation, also known as suicidal thoughts, is when someone struggles with persistent thoughts of death and suicide. Although someone may have these thoughts and feelings, it does not mean that they will attempt suicide. These thoughts are often intrusive and very distressing. Over time, these thoughts can wear down the spirit, making it difficult to connect with others or find joy in life.

There are two forms of suicidal ideation: active and passive. Active suicidal ideation is when you have suicidal thoughts and also have the intention to die by suicide. This may involve taking steps such as making a plan, purchasing a weapon, or designating a specific day to die. Passive suicidal ideation is when you have thoughts of suicide, such as “I wish I could disappear,” but have no plans to harm or die by suicide. 

Who Is Most at Risk?

Suicidal ideation can be the result of many factors. However, it often boils down to a desire to escape a situation that feels inescapable. It’s what happens when a person loses hope and finds no value in continuing life. Sometimes, this is a result of a serious condition, such as chronic pain, grief from the loss of a loved one, or addiction. Mood disorders and other mental health conditions, such as depression, can also cause suicidal ideation. Some medications used to treat these conditions may also have a side effect that can cause thoughts of death and suicide. 

Other risk factors that may cause suicidal ideation in individuals are:

• Surviving or experiencing bullying, abuse, and violence
• Loss of a loved one, relationship, healthcare, or job
• Employed in highly stressful occupations
• Experiencing social isolation or loneliness 
• Facing discrimination
• Having a family or community history of suicide 
• Being a member of a marginalized group
• Having easy access to lethal weapons or means to harm oneself
• Being exposed to unsafe media portrayals of suicide

Having any of these risk factors does not automatically mean a person will experience suicidal ideation. It simply means that they must be ready to reach out for help should they need to. 

Getting Treatment for Suicidal Ideation

Those who are struggling with thoughts of self-harm and suicide can reach out by calling or texting the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This lifeline exists to help stabilize individuals and find treatment options in their area. Callers are often directed to enroll in a mental health care facility or seek hospitalization, depending on the severity of their suicidal thoughts. Suicidal ideation must be treated by professionals for the individual to recover, so it’s vital to seek treatment right away. 

At Driftwood Recovery, there are several therapies used to treat suicidal ideation. Psychotherapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) help talk clients through their thoughts and feelings. This helps them identify what is triggering these thoughts and allows them to change these thoughts into healthier alternatives. Group therapy is also helpful in showing clients that they are not alone, allowing them to find support and understanding among their fellow peers. Clients learn that their lives matter, and care is taken to build up their confidence and feelings of self-worth.

Receiving treatment for conditions that cause suicidal ideation is also essential for its treatment. Driftwood Recovery focuses on treating some of the most common causes of suicidal ideation, which are addiction, chronic pain, and mood disorders. By treating a wide range of conditions, clients have an easier time finding the comprehensive care needed to treat both their suicidal ideation and the conditions that cause them. Sometimes, medicine can help manage these thoughts. Using any medication requires time and a collaborative effort between the client and a medical professional, but many clients have found success.

It’s also essential to know that these thoughts will not last forever. As long as a person is willing to make a positive change in their life, they can accomplish anything. Sometimes, a person receiving care for suicidal ideation may inadvertently help others with similar thoughts. Using the skills learned at Driftwood Recovery allows one to make a tangible difference in the world. Every life matters, including your own. 

Experiencing sadness or the “blues” is a normal experience that people have. However, sincerely thinking about your death or daydreaming about your death is not. This is called suicidal ideation, and it can be frightening and stressful to live with. However, it’s possible to recover from suicidal thoughts and ideation with the right treatment and support. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients have access to compassionate and quality mental health treatment. Staffed by caring and understanding individuals, clients are recognized and seen as the individuals they are. If you are struggling with suicidal ideation, don’t wait. There is always hope for a better tomorrow. To learn how Driftwood Recovery can help, call (512) 759-8330 today.