Empowering Connections: Fostering Encouragement for Self-Empowerment in Recovery

According to Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation, addiction is a syndrome of dysregulated motivation. The prevalence of malformed motivation can be seen in the sensation-seeking and impulsivity of addiction. Thus, addiction erodes your motivation to maintain other aspects of your well-being, like relationships, employment, and health, in favor of the prioritization of substance use. Without health motivation, you lack the energy to empower yourself to effect positive change in your life. Therefore, fostering self-empowerment in recovery is invaluable to cultivating the motivation to remain engaged with support resources for sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that your ability to turn clinical insight into action requires more than abstinence. How you relate to yourself and others is fundamental to building the self-empowerment needed to effect positive change in your life. As a result, we are dedicated to providing an active alumni program to support healthy attachment with yourself and others to heal. Recovery is a dynamic process that requires more than just listening or attending meetings to be effective. To heal, actionable steps like treatment and sharing are the building blocks to self-empowerment in recovery.

Yet, you may wonder: What is self-empowerment? Are empowerment and motivation the same thing? How do you enact empowerment in your daily life to thrive?

What Is Empowerment?

As noted in “Empowerment” by Lisa M. Haddad and Tammy J. Toney-Butler, empowerment can encompass a variety of things as a process or an outcome. Broadly, community-level empowerment is the process by which people, organizations, and communities gain power. Moreover, at the community level, people unite to accomplish common goals, as two underlying assumptions must exist:

• Everyone has the potential to become empowered
• Community empowerment is born from empowered individuals who work together to achieve mutual goals

Therefore, the process of community empowerment requires the fostering of mutually supportive relationships in the community. Yet, if community empowerment requires empowered individuals, where does individual empowerment come from? Haddad and Toney-Butler note that empowerment in cognitive psychology is to enable one to act. Thus, psychological empowerment at the individual level is the link between:

• Your sense of personal control and efficacy
• A willingness to change and take action

As a result, psychological empowerment enables you to understand the relationship between your actions and their outcomes. The understanding of empowerment as the relationship between action and outcome speaks to empowerment as an intrinsic motivation. Further, the intrinsic motivation of empowerment is made up of four cognitions:

• Meaning
  • Your beliefs, values, and behaviors
• Competence
  • Sense of self-efficacy 
  • Belief in your capability to perform activities and skills
• Self-determination
  • Sense of choice in initiating and regulating your actions
• Impact
  • The degree to which you can influence outcomes in your life

Looking at the four cognitions of empowerment highlights the value of understanding self-determination to support self-empowerment in recovery.

Addressing Self-Determination in Self-Empowerment

According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, self-determination theory (SDT) argues that humans are born with the tendency to pursue growth, well-being, and health. Moreover, the encouragement of self-determination in self-empowerment is built on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation:

• Intrinsic: engagement in a particular behavior for your own sake
  • Motivation for enjoyment, satisfaction, and self-interest
• Extrinsic: engagement in certain behaviors due to external outcomes
  • Monetary rewards, awards, and social recognition

Furthermore, at the core of SDT is the recognition that social environments influence your motivation through psychological needs. As stated in “Application of Self-Determination Theory to Substance Use and Its Treatment” from Substance Use and Misuse, there are three universal psychological needs:

• Competence: Feeling capable
• Autonomy: Freedom to engage in a behavior
• Relatedness: Sense of connectedness to others

Thus, the social environments that support the three psychological needs foster autonomous motivation for improved behavioral adoption and maintenance. On the other hand, social environments that undermine the three psychological needs contribute to controlled motivation, which reduces behavioral maintenance.

In treatment and recovery, self-determination is the foundation from which people have the full capacity for decision management and proceed along a continuum of shared decision-making for greater support. Along the self-determination gradient, greater support is applied to the individual needs and capacity of each person. Therefore, self-determination is a valuable tool for self-empowerment in recovery. With self-determination, you gain autonomy, agency, and choice to support learning, self-monitoring, accountability, and quality care in treatment and recovery.

How Addiction Impacts Self-Determination

Yet, addiction can erode your self-determination and thus self-empowerment in recovery. The act of addiction robs you of self-determination and empowerment as you lose your capacity to make healthy choices. At its core, addiction is a loss of control and a loss of self (to the addiction). 

In addition, the impact of addiction on self-determination and self-empowerment in recovery is particularly harmful to underserved communities. People of color and women face additional barriers to services and resources for treatment and recovery. Therefore, access to resources that support self-empowerment in recovery is invaluable to sustained recovery for the most vulnerable. 

Uncovering Self-Empowerment in Recovery

Through empowerment-based services, you can learn how to take back control of your life to thrive. However, what services and resources can support self-empowerment in recovery? Some of the tools to support empowerment include:

• Finding your passion
• Setting goals
• Skill-building
• Awareness and access to resources
• Modalities that enhance self-awareness, self-worth, and competence
• Connecting with others

The building blocks of empowerment highlight the power of education, access to resources, and supportive connections for healing.

Unlocking Self-Empowerment in Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing community-based resources in a continuum of care for sustained recovery. With a comprehensive range of community-based resources, you can continue to heal and make positive changes in your life. Through our connection-driven alumni program, you can access tools that empower you to thrive in every stage of recovery. Your alumni family is here to encourage, support, and guide you as you rebuild your confidence to lead a courageous and self-empowered life in recovery.

Empowerment exists at both the individual and community levels to make actionable changes in your life. An important element of empowerment is self-determination, which supports intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to believe in your ability to make decisions and enact control over your life choices. However, when psychological needs like competence, autonomy, and relatedness are undermined, self-determination and (thus) self-empowerment are eroded. Addiction is one of the ways your psychological needs are undermined to rob you of control and selfhood. Access to support resources is invaluable to fostering self-empowerment in recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing connection-driven services and resources for education, skill-building, and connection with others. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

Addiction and mental health disorders are some of the most stigmatized conditions. The consequences of stigma often result in barriers to care and poor health outcomes. According to Cureus, stigmatization of mental illness can lead to poor help-seeking behavior, delayed diagnosis, discrimination, social isolation, and decreased quality of life. Stigma often stems from a lack of understanding and misinformation, contributing to fear and stereotyping. Therefore, access to psychoeducation in recovery is invaluable to dismantling self-stigma and social stigma for you and your loved ones.

At Driftwood Recovery, we understand that challenges like addiction, mental health, and chronic pain come with predispositions and assumptions. The complexities of stigma can disrupt treatment and recovery to build a courageous life in recovery. Thus, we are committed to guiding and supporting you with psychoeducation in recovery for whole-person healing post-treatment. With psychoeducation in recovery, you can expand your knowledge of evidence-based practices to grow and thrive across every stage of recovery.

Yet, what is psychoeducation? How can psychoeducation in recovery support sustained recovery?

What Is Psychoeducation?

According to Progress in Brain Research, psychoeducation is a therapeutic intervention designed to transfer knowledge about an illness and treatment to enable effective coping. Moreover, psychoeducation integrates emotional and motivational elements that empower you to take an active role in your treatment and recovery. Through psychoeducation in recovery, you are given tools to help you and your loved ones thoroughly understand your condition. The elements of psychoeducation that support knowledge, competence, insight, relapse prevention, and crisis management include:

• Staying informed and educated
  • Provides detailed information about your condition
  • Education of mental health disorders and substance use disorder (SUD)
  • Dismantles misconceptions about SUD and mental illness
  • Reduces stigma
• Skill building
  • Provides practical coping strategies to manage stress, cravings, and triggers
  • Enhances problem-solving skills
  • Improves interpersonal communication skills
  • Enhances decision-making skills
• Fostering emotional support
  • Development of emotional intelligence
  • Improves resilience
  • Fosters a safe space to share challenging emotions and experiences
  • Encourages a sense of belonging and connection with others
  • Reduces isolation and loneliness
• Empowerment through self-assertiveness
  • Encourages self-expression and setting healthy boundaries
  • Reestablishes a sense of control over yourself and your life
  • Guidance of realistic goal-setting
  • Increases goal achievement
  • Strengthens self-efficacy and self-advocacy 

Originally, psychoeducation was conceived in the 1980s to support individuals and their families dealing with schizophrenia. However, psychoeducation has evolved as an evidence-based intervention to support individuals and families with a variety of challenges, including addiction. Thus, there are a variety of different types of psychoeducation programs you can engage with to heal.

Types of Psychoeducation Programs

As the Indian Journal of Psychiatry notes, psychoeducation in recovery can vary based on the target population and program focus. Listed below are some of the different types of psychoeducation programs you can explore for your recovery:

• Active psychoeducation
  • Direct interaction with a clinician
  • Provides clarification in real-time
• Passive psychoeducation
  • You and your loved ones receive educational materials
    • Pamphlets
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Leaflets
  • Materials are designed with simple language for easy understanding and assimilation
• Individual psychoeducation
  • You work one-on-one with a clinician 
  • Individualized support
    • Specific concerns, needs, and symptoms
    • Information and services, relevant to your treatment and recovery
• Group psychoeducation
  • You participate in sessions with a small group with similar conditions
  • Group members learn from each other’s experiences in a supportive environment
    • Sharing insights
    • Fosters a sense of belonging
• Family psychoeducation
  • Can support a single family or multiple families in a group setting
    • Shares the same or similar conditions
  • You and your loved ones gain insight into your condition
  • Together, you learn more effective communication strategies and skills
  • Support relapse prevention
    • Improved recognition of early signs or relapse
• Condition-specific psychoeducation
  • Addresses the specific needs of an individual, family, or community based on the condition
    • Schizophrenia
    • Bipolar disorder (BP)
    • Anxiety disorders
    • Depression
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
    • Personality disorders
    • SUD
    • Co-occurring conditions
  • Condition-specific goal setting
• Model-driven psychoeducation
  • Informational: Focus on condition information and management
  • Skill training: Development of certain skills for more effective condition management
  • Supportive: Engages loved ones in sharing and exploring their feelings
  • Comprehensive: Combines informational, skill training, and supportive models

Whether the psychoeducation program is focused on compliance and adherence, condition, treatment, or rehabilitation, there is a program for you. The versatility of psychoeducation in recovery highlights its position as an invaluable tool for sustained recovery.

Value of Psychoeducation in Recovery

Psychoeducation in recovery can provide various benefits for growth as you learn how to live independently and reconnect to your family and community. Some of the benefits of psychoeducation in recovery include:

• Condition clarity 
• Greater awareness of support services
• Increased self-awareness
• Reduced shame and stigma
• Empowerment
• Trigger identification
• Adaptive coping skills
• Increased engagement and adherence
• Enhanced interpersonal relationships
• Improved treatment outcomes
• Relapse prevention

Access to family psychoeducation in recovery can be particularly valuable to healing the whole family.

Family Psychoeducation in Recovery

The knowledge and support that family psychoeducation can offer can be instrumental in treatment and recovery. As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states, family psychoeducation does more than provide information; it can reduce relapse, strengthen social support networks, and enhance the functioning and well-being of the entire family. Thus, supportive interpersonal relationships are a cornerstone for health and well-being across every domain of life.

Supporting Whole-Person Well-Being at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how important involving the family is for building a solid foundation for sustained recovery. The connections you make with loved ones and your peers are instrumental in restoring those connections with the self. Access to a mutually supportive network allows you and your loved ones to embrace each other in healthier ways. You and your loved ones deserve access to support that encourages and champions a courageous life in recovery. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing a comprehensive alumni program that cherishes connections for healing the whole of your parts.

Addiction and mental illness carry a significant stigma that can impede maintaining recovery. However, access to psychoeducation in recovery can support relapse prevention through the dissemination of information. Psychoeducation can enhance your knowledge of your condition, skill building, emotional support, and self-empowerment. Whether you engage in individual, group, or family psychoeducation, you can unlock tools to reduce shame and stigma, increase your interpersonal relationships, and improve engagement and adherence to treatment. Further, family psychoeducation can be invaluable to restoring those important connections with the self and others to heal the whole family. Thus, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a vibrant holistic alumni program to support healing you and your loved ones. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

Bipolar disorder is more prevalent than one might think. It’s considered one of the top 10 leading causes of disability worldwide and affects both teens and adults. Despite how common this disorder is, the condition itself is misunderstood and rarely spoken about in society. This causes those living with bipolar disorder to feel isolated and alone. Without treatment, this mental health condition can worsen and become life-threatening. 

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, we provide compassionate and comprehensive treatment for those living with bipolar disorder. Although this condition cannot be cured, it can be treated. Those in recovery can live normal lives with the right treatment and continued support. To understand how bipolar disorder is treated at Driftwood Recovery, we must first understand what bipolar disorder is. 

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition marked by periods of high (mania, hypomania) and low (depression) mood episodes. These episodes can result in intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns, and behaviors. Manic episodes can result in risk-taking and erratic behavior. Hypomania is not as severe as mania, but it can still interfere with a person’s ability to participate in normal life.

There are three main types of bipolar disorder, including:

• Bipolar I disorder: Involves at least one episode of mania that can be extreme and dangerous. Major depression may be experienced, but it is not required for a diagnosis. This type of bipolar disorder is considered the most severe and can result in hospitalization. 
• Bipolar II disorder: Though similar to bipolar I, this type always has depressive episodes with occasional hypomania. Bipolar II is not less severe than bipolar I, as it is a separate diagnosis. Sometimes, bipolar II can develop into bipolar I.
• Cyclothymic disorder: Known as cyclothymia, this type of bipolar disorder has less severe highs and lows compared to bipolar I and II, with shorter episodes of hypomanic and depressive symptoms. Cyclothymia can develop into bipolar I or II.

Scientists aren’t sure what causes bipolar disorder, but it’s believed that genetics, brain structure, environment, and lifestyle factors can play a role in its development. 

Myths and Facts About Bipolar Disorder

There are a few myths surrounding bipolar disorder that act as a barrier to treatment. Knowing the truth behind these myths is essential not just for encouraging an individual to seek treatment but also for improving public health and awareness.

Myth #1: People With Bipolar Disorder Are Dangerous and Violent

The truth is that people with bipolar disorder are no more violent than an average person. They may say hurtful things in the heat of anger, but physical violence is not caused by bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder are more likely to harm themselves through risk-taking behavior and suicide than they are to harm another person.

Myth #2: Having Bipolar Disorder Is Good Cause Mania Increases Productivity

During a manic or hypomanic episode, a person may feel more confident or feel little need for sleep. However, these episodes can also cause irritability and difficulty focusing. People in a manic or hypomanic episode may also take unusual risks, which can have negative consequences on their school, work, or social life. 

Myth #3: Bipolar Disorder Looks the Same and Is Easy to Diagnose

Though bipolar disorder is marked by unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels, how these symptoms present themselves in individuals varies. Some people may rapidly shift between episodes or experience mixed affective states, which can make a diagnosis tricky. 

Myth #4: Living With This Disorder Is Impossible

Plenty of people live normal and successful lives while having bipolar disorder. Though the condition cannot be cured, therapy, medication, and coping skills training allow for continuous recovery. 

Seeking Treatment at Driftwood Recovery

Treatment for bipolar disorder at Driftwood Recovery varies, but all contain a mix of medication and therapeutic techniques. Psychotherapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) help teach emotional regulation and recognize harmful patterns. Medications, such as mood stabilizers, help to mitigate severe symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. Medication management helps clients stay safe while taking medications and get into the habit of managing their health needs. Other therapies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), can also be useful in treatment depending on the individual’s needs. 

Clients are also given training on how to manage their condition. Teaching clients self-care and mindfulness techniques ensure that they stay healthy during and after treatment. Relapse prevention training is also essential in helping clients stay in recovery long after treatment has concluded. These workshops are essential in teaching clients how to manage their disorder without turning or returning to substance use.

Driftwood Recovery, at its core, is a holistic treatment facility. This means that not just the mind is treated, but the body and spirit as well. Clients can expect to use therapeutic techniques such as art therapy, therapeutic recreation, and yoga. Nutritional science is also important, as clients learn how to change their diet to minimize symptoms and improve overall health. Finally, clients are taught that they are not their disorder. Although they have bipolar disorder, it does not define who they are as a person. Building up self-esteem, inspiring courage, and finding understanding are all important for continuous recovery. 

Finally, no client is ever alone at Driftwood Recovery. With a robust peer support and alumni program, clients will always have contact with those who understand what they have gone through and the conditions they live with. Preventing isolation and loneliness ensures that no matter where you go, you will always find help at Driftwood Recovery. 

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite how common this condition is, those who struggle with it often feel isolated and alone. At Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, our clients are never alone. With a focus on providing judgment-free, compassionate, and comprehensive treatment, anyone can recover from bipolar disorder and live a normal, successful life. Our holistic treatment philosophy ensures that it’s not just your mind that recovers but your body and spirit as well. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, don’t wait to get help. Reach out to Driftwood Recovery today by calling (512) 759-8330. 

Recovery is a lifelong process of change, and rebuilding your life does not happen overnight. However, you can rebuild your life and recover the self by fostering purpose and meaning. You can find purpose and meaning by working on the different domains of your life that may have been disrupted by substance abuse and other mental health challenges. Power in education, in particular, can be incredibly valuable to support your ability to rebuild and thrive in other domains of life, like work.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know access to support through services and resources in an alumni program can turn clinical insight into action. The action of clinical insight is not born solely out of treatment but the willingness to open yourself to learning and growing in every domain of life. Thus, power in education can be an integral part of the recovery process. Through the power of education, you gain access to tools that can help you unlock deeper recesses of the inner self. With greater self-understanding comes positive change inside and out to help you heal and lead a self-directed life.

Despite the potential advantages found in power in education, pursuing education can be daunting. You may have previous experience in school settings that left you feeling stressed and overwhelmed. In some cases, school-related stress may have contributed to your self-medicating with substances to cope. Thus, concerns about putting your recovery in jeopardy if you return or start your education are understandable. However, with the support of alumni, you can reduce the risk factors found in educational settings and thrive in power in education.

Expanding your awareness of stress and co-occurring disorders on college campuses is an important step toward building a healthy plan for your education.

Stressed Out: Impact of Stress on Recovery

Stress is a common trigger for addiction relapse and mental distress. Yet, stress is a normal part of life and even works as a useful survival skill. Thus, it is impossible to lead a stress-free life as stress pops up in your home, work, and school life. However, stress becomes a problem and a risk factor when you lack the tools for healthy coping. College, in particular, can be a significant source of stress as you navigate deadlines, social relationships, and exposure to substances. 

The Presence of Co-Occurring Disorders in College

Attending college can be a stressful time for any student, but there has been a surge in reported mental health disorders among college students. According to “College and University Response to Mental Health Crises” from Mental Health America (MHA), an estimated 26% of people 18 and older in the U.S. have a diagnosable mental health condition. Academic performance and well-being are greatly diminished by untreated mental conditions. For many students, challenges with stress and mental illness also contribute to substance misuse. 

As noted in “Monitoring the Future” from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), young adults had a historically high prevalence of substance misuse like vaping and alcohol. The prevalence of substance use during college is tied to multiple contributors, including party culture, academic stress, and mental illness. Thus, the risk for relapse among students in recovery makes addressing co-occurring disorders paramount. Some of the ways colleges are supporting mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) challenges include:

• Communication about mental health and SUD
  • University-wide emails
  • Social media 
  • Educational and social events
• Integrated training for faculty and staff
• Community-based services
• Collegiate recovery programs (CRPs)

Colleges are taking important steps toward supporting students both in and not in recovery with resources like CRPs.

Finding Power in Education With College Recovery Programs

Yet, what are CRPs? According to the Journal of American College Health, CRPs are campus-based communities of students in SUD recovery. With professional support, CRPs create a peer-driven network of students committed to maintaining their recovery and achieving their educational goals. At the university level, CRPs can support power in education through seamless access to resources like:

• Sober events
• Peer support
• Sober housing
• Stress management
• Relapse prevention
• Mutual support meetings
• Crisis support
• Financial benefits
• Academic benefits

No matter where you are on your recovery journey, an alumni program can support your recovery. Through recovery high schools, CRPs, and stress management, you can thrive in recovery.

Learning to Manage Stress Through Power in Education

Whether you are ready to pursue a GED or higher education, there is space to grow. Leaning on the support of an alumni program can help you find power in education in other domains of life, like stress management. Listed below are some of the ways you can manage stress in school and your daily life:

• Sleep routine
• Eat nutritious food
• Physical movement
• Do hobbies and activities
• Deep breathing
• Meditation
• Spend time with loved ones
• Plan ahead
• Chunk tasks into manageable pieces
• Seek professional support

While stress is a normal part of life and college, it does not have to jeopardize your recovery and well-being. With support, you can pursue your life goals, like higher education, to lead a meaningful and purposeful life.

Fostering Power in Education With Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe access to a wide variety of services and resources strengthens our therapeutic impact for lasting recovery. Alone, recovery can feel daunting, and it can be difficult to figure out how to move forward in other domains of life. However, with support, you can be empowered by education to thrive in recovery. Therefore, access to resources like CRPs and stress management is made possible by services in our alumni program. 

We believe in your ability to do courageous things for yourself, your loved ones, and the wider community. Thus, we provide access to resources like education consultants through our compassionate peer-driven network. Whether you want to pursue higher education, employment, or build relationships, you can find support to achieve your life goals with a vibrant alumni community.

Rebuilding your life in recovery can feel daunting, especially if you want to pursue higher education. College life can expose you to greater stress, substances, and mental health disorders that can increase your risk for relapse. However, you can find power in education with support resources and services like collegiate recovery programs (CRPs). Through a strong treatment alumni program, you have access to a peer-driven network and resources like education consultants to build a meaningful and purposeful life in recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a wide range of services and resources to meet you where you are on your recovery journey. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn how our alumni program can support you.