Dismantling Addiction and Recovery Stigma with Recovery Education

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (17.3%) had substance use disorder (SUD) in a given year. Despite the prevalence of SUD, many people do not seek treatment due to barriers like a lack of resources and stigma. In particular, stigma can lead to treatment avoidance or even discriminatory policies that impede resources. Therefore, access to recovery education can be an invaluable tool for dismantling stigma to support access to treatment and recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know forming healthy attachments in yourself and with others can turn clinical insight into action. The challenge of stigma can impair your connection to yourself and others. When you feel less than because of internal and external experiences with stigma, it becomes difficult to make healthy choices. If you are overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings, there is no space to learn and grow. Therefore, uncovering insight for self-love and understanding starts with opening yourself up to learning and growing. 

Recovery education is an integral part of connection and recovery. Through recovery education, you can build tools that support deeper self-awareness and self-understanding. With greater awareness and understanding, you can connect to yourself and others to foster positive thinking and behavior. Seeking recovery education can be fundamental to resilience post-treatment and maintaining your recovery.

Yet, you may question what recovery education is. How can recovery education dismantle stigma internally and externally? Expanding your awareness of recovery education can offer insight into the importance of recovery education for shifting the way you see yourself and how you engage in the world.

What Is Recovery Education?

According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, health literacy originally encompassed basic literacy skills like reading, writing, and numeracy in a medical context. However, health literacy has shifted and expanded to consider a wide range of individual, social, and cognitive competencies. Today’s health literacy also encompasses recovery education, as addiction can have significant health consequences for you and society. 

Access to health literacy is valuable to the well-being of all individuals. Low health literacy is common among groups like older adults, low education, the socioeconomically disadvantaged, and ethnic minorities. However, health literacy can be particularly beneficial to recovery education as those with SUD and co-occurring conditions often have low health literacy. 

Understanding the Impact of Stigma on Recovery

As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes, stigma is the relationship between an attribute and stereotypes that suggest you have undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors. Addiction stigma is often coupled with public, structural, and self-stigmatized beliefs. For example, public stigma views those with SUD as more dangerous, unpredictable, and responsible for their disorder. As a result of public stigma, self-stigma often develops and further harms your well-being. For instance, public beliefs contribute to the perpetuation of negative thoughts and self-talk that erodes your self-esteem, self-worth, and self-efficacy. 

Listed below are the different types of stigma:

• Structural
  • Laws, policies, and regulations cause intentional and unintentional discrimination
    • Limits access to opportunities and resources
      • Increases poor physical and psychological health outcomes
• Public stigma
  • Prejudice is formed from stereotypes about a person or group
    • Stereotyping leads to discrimination
  • Views substance use as a choice
    • This leads the public to blame people with SUD for their condition
      • Decreases support for recovery options
• Self-stigma
  • You internalize negative stereotypes about yourself
    • You perceive yourself as flawed, unworthy of love, belonging, and connection
      • Decreases help-seeking behavior

Addiction stigma changes how others see you, how you see yourself, and how you are treated. Moreover, public, self, and structural stigma contribute to isolation from yourself and others. When you feel disconnected from yourself and others, your self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to maintain recovery erodes. Looking at the impact of stigma on your psychological well-being showcases the importance of recovery education.

The Value of Recovery Education for Reducing Stigma

Some of the tools in treatment and recovery that can help confront and combat stigma include psychoeducational groups. Through psychoeducation, you can gain insight into your disorder and its impact on you and your life. Moreover, psychoeducation in recovery education can also:

• Increase awareness and understanding of maladaptive patterns
• Teach you how to engage in adaptive strategies

Additionally, recovery education tools give you more insight into yourself, which empowers you to take control of your recovery. Moreover, recovery education supports:

• Social inclusion with your loved ones and the wider community
• An environment that encourages understanding, knowledge, and skill development
• Challenges and dismantles stigma
• Establish and achieve life and recovery goals

In addition to psychoeducation, recovery education can also include family education. Through family education, you and your loved ones can gain insight into your SUD and its impact on well-being and relationships to heal the whole family.

Healing the Whole Family With Family Education

Addiction changes the whole family system by disrupting family dynamics, increasing relationship conflict, and fracturing families. Understanding family systems and SUD allows you to explore the impact of SUD on the whole family to heal. Through family education, you and your loved ones can understand each other better and rebuild connections for healthy interdependence and mutual support to thrive in life together. Now, you and your family can foster unity to learn and grow together. 

Finding Recovery Education in Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, our alumni family is a peer-driven network designed to support you and your loved ones. With access to post-treatment services and resources, you can be empowered to continue learning and building on skills to live an independent and fulfilling life. Through holistic care, you can heal in mind, body, and spirit as you understand how stigma impacts your recovery. No matter where you are on your recovery journey, a strong alumni program allows you and your family to continue learning, growing, and sharing in sustained recovery.

Stigma increases barriers to information, knowledge, connection, and sustained recovery. However, recovery education like psychoeducation and family education can support self-awareness, self-understanding, independence, mutually supportive relationships, and lasting recovery. Through a peer-driven alumni program, you can access services and resources for education and connection. Supportive relationships are valuable for enhancing self-esteem, self-worth, and adaptive coping. The connections you build with loved ones and peers in alumni work to support health literacy for physical and psychological well-being. Thus, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to service, support, compassion, respect, encouragement, and accountability in a vibrant alumni program for a courageous life in sustained recovery. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn how recovery education can support your recovery.

Humor is an excellent way to break the ice and reduce stress during clinical interactions. Clients may feel anxious or afraid if they do not know what to expect from an appointment. Inserting even a small amount of appropriate humor into the initial interaction can put clients at ease and build trust with medical professionals. Clinicians and support staff at Driftwood Recovery use appropriate humor and positivity as a therapeutic tool to develop deeper connections with clients. 

How Is Humor a Therapeutic Tool?

Humor can reduce stress, improve positivity, and help clients create a bond with healthcare professionals. Experiencing the physical effects of humor can relieve tension and put clients at ease. Most people know they feel better when they laugh. Individuals with anxiety or depressive disorders may use funny videos or images to help them cope with their symptoms. 

Research has proven humor improves mental health. In addition, clients often feel more valued if healthcare professionals take the time to engage with them in a personalized, humorous exchange. According to Health Expectations,  in one study, clients felt “humour was important in both establishing their identity and in developing a meaningful therapeutic interaction.” 

What Is Appropriate Humor?

Jokes that one person finds humorous, another may find highly offensive. Being mindful of appropriate humor allows healthcare professionals to avoid offending or emotionally harming clients. Many individuals working in high-stress jobs like healthcare use gallows humor, which may not always be appropriate for clients. 

Recognizing the line between acceptable and unacceptable humor in a professional setting is essential. Individuals who may not know how to strike this balance may benefit from not initializing humor. Every interaction is unique, and as experts in healthcare build relationships with individual clients, they may become more familiar with that person’s boundaries surrounding humor. 

Some examples of generally unacceptable humor in a healthcare setting include: 

• Derogatory “jokes” focused on a person’s disability, gender, race, culture, or sexual orientation 
• Making light of a client’s symptoms or medical history 
• Trauma-related humor about mental health, abuse, or past traumas
• Body shaming “jokes” about a person’s weight, physical appearance, or features 
• Any jokes or humor of a sexual nature 
• Ageism and humor that belittles individuals based on stereotypes related to age 
• Religious or political jokes mocking a person’s beliefs and values 
• Gallows humor is often inappropriate during client interactions 
• Mocking speech patterns, language barriers, or accents
• Minimizing client concerns by joking about them dismissively 

In some cases, healthcare workers benefit from waiting for the client to initiate humor. According to research in the previously mentioned article by Health Expectations, self-deprecating humor is the most commonly recognized and practiced form of humor for clients in healthcare settings. Identifying clients who practice self-deprecating humor and responding appropriately can help clinicians develop meaningful connections. 

How to Use Humor as a Therapeutic Tool

If used appropriately, humor can reduce stress on clients during stressful appointments. Humor also helps alleviate some of the perceived power imbalance between the client and clinician. There is no script for using humor. Every interaction is unique, and healthcare workers must consider a client’s cultural and personal views when attempting to use humor to connect with them. 

Some of the ways medical professionals use humor as a therapeutic tool include: 

• Using lighthearted humor to build rapport with clients
• Easing client stress and anxiety during difficult conversations
• Using humor to lift a client’s mood 
• Distracting clients from pain or discomfort 
• Encouraging relaxation 
• Using lighthearted humor to reframe certain situations and help clients cope more effectively 

Clients who feel uncertain about what to expect from clinical professionals may feel more supported and acknowledged if they engage in humorous interactions with staff. Humor humanizes clinicians and fosters collaboration with clients by creating an emotional bridge. 

When Is Humor Not Appropriate?

Humor is not always appropriate. Context is vital in determining whether humor may improve or worsen a situation. For example, individuals receiving devastating or emotionally upsetting information from a medical professional may find humor offensive, belittling their pain and invalidating their experience. Knowing when to add humor to a conversation relies on a person’s ability to build strong social skills and effective communication. 

How Does Driftwood Recovery Use Humor as a Therapeutic Tool?

Humor gives people a new perspective on their recovery and treatment by highlighting some of the absurdities of life that everyone experiences. Instead of letting it cause anxiety or stress, individuals in recovery can learn to embrace those moments of humor. Driftwood Recovery has created a thriving sober community where individuals in recovery, staff members, and families come together to celebrate successes and support one another. Humor can help people get through setbacks in recovery by allowing them to see things from a more positive perspective. Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use positivity and humor to empower and uplift individuals during treatment and community events. 

Humor is a universal experience that can bring people joy and comfort. Finding appropriate ways to integrate humor into client care through scripted or in-the-moment reactions may improve the treatment experience for clients who feel stressed or anxious. Individuals working in healthcare have the unique opportunity to use humor as a way to break the ice with new clients or comfort clients undergoing stressful procedures. By inserting appropriate and culturally sensitive humor into everyday interactions, healthcare professionals can improve treatment outcomes and build stronger client relationships. Driftwood Recovery offers guidance and training for staff members who want to create more meaningful connections with clients. To learn more, call us today at m (512) 759-8330.

People say a lot about how they feel without speaking a word. Individuals express themselves through body language, including hand gestures, posture, and eye movements. Healthcare professionals must be attuned to these unspoken forms of communication to provide the best care for clients seeking help. Body language allows medical professionals to identify if clients feel anxious, scared, or in pain. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff members know how to respond appropriately to nonverbal cues, allowing them to provide compassionate care and support to clients in recovery.

What Are Nonverbal Cues?

Nonverbal cues are body movements or actions that convey an emotion or communicate an intent. According to Perspectives on Psychological Science, “[O]nce in a particular setting, people’s behavioral options are constrained not only by the physical environment, but also by that setting’s social norms.” Many nonverbal cues are instinctual, and people may be unaware of them. However, they can also be a powerful way to express emotion when people feel uncomfortable voicing their thoughts aloud. For example, someone uncomfortable with how close a doctor is sitting may lean away and cross their legs or arms to create a barrier. Healthcare professionals rely on nonverbal cues to help them navigate complex conversations with individuals and families. 

The meaning of nonverbal cues may change depending on multiple factors, including: 

• Personal habits and individual differences 
• Cultural context
• Relationship dynamics, including familiarity between individuals 
• Situational context 
• Mood or emotional state
• Intentional or unspoken power dynamics
• Topics being discussed

Cultural gender norms and other factors also influence how people translate nonverbal cues. No two people have the same nonverbal “language,” and context is essential in determining what specific actions may mean. Body language and other physical cues can communicate distress, acceptance, fear, joy, and many other emotions. Knowing how to correctly translate these cues helps healthcare professionals create a deeper bond with clients. 

Common Nonverbal Cues

Some examples of common nonverbal cues include: 

• Using open posture, eye contact, and movements of affirmation to show understanding and compassion 
• Maintaining consistent and approachable body language to set clients at ease and create a sense of reliability 
• Using gestures and facial expressions to reinforce verbal messages
• Offering a warm smile and steady presence to comfort anxious clients 
• Leaning forward and mirroring the client to show attentiveness and genuine interest
• Ensuring body signals align with verbal messages to avoid confusion 

Focusing on client feedback and being mindful of responses allows professionals to build the foundation for a collaborative and healthy relationship. Clear and open communication creates a welcoming environment where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves and actively participating in their recovery. Every interaction is unique, and it is important for healthcare professionals to monitor how their nonverbal cues are being received. 

Body Language and Compassionate Client Care

How staff members stand and sit during client interactions will be interpreted as part of the overall experience. If a client feels a doctor, nurse, or front desk staff member does not value their time or concerns, it can undermine the entire appointment. Workers in healthcare should remain mindful of how their body language may be interpreted by onlookers and adjust their posture and gestures to fit the message they want to convey. Compassion, empathy, and openness can be communicated through posture, hand gestures, facial expressions, and paralinguistic vocalizations. 

Using Nonverbal Cues to Make Clients Feel Comfortable

Standing with arms down and palms open is much different from standing with arms crossed and hands balled into fists. No matter what words people use, their body language and other nonverbal cues are essential in communicating intent. Positive nonverbal cues can make clients feel welcomed, heard, and valued. Healthcare professionals should understand basic nonverbal communication and what postures or facial expressions to avoid. For example, a medical professional should not roll their eyes if a client expresses concern about a process or procedure. 

Healthcare professionals who use unspoken forms of communication to improve the client experience do the following: 

• Convey empathy 
• Build trust 
• Enhance clarity and context
• Encourage openness
• Provide reassurance 
• Foster a more meaningful connection 
• Acknowledge client feelings 
• Reduce miscommunication 
• Adapt more effectively to client needs 

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use compassionate care and transparent communication to create a welcoming and safe environment for clients in recovery. 

Building a Toolbox of Positive Cues to Support and Empower Clients

Driftwood Recovery provides staff members with the training, support, and guidance they need to develop a toolbox of positive, unspoken cues to support and empower clients. Clinicians and support staff learn to express themselves mindfully to individuals and families. 

Healthcare professionals must consider medical, cultural, and personal factors that affect how clients and their loved ones interpret nonverbal communication. Familiarizing themselves with client charts and conducting thorough intake assessments can reduce confusion and improve the effectiveness of nonverbal communication. 

Miscommunication is a common cause of conflict, confusion, and frustration between clients and clinicians. Clear communication involves aligning nonverbal and verbal cues to send a specific message. Many moments of miscommunication could be avoided through a conscious effort to convey specific information. Healthcare professionals benefit from learning how to translate common unspoken social cues, including body language and facial expressions. Clients rely on healthcare professionals to give them spoken and unspoken cues to guide them through making critical medical decisions and positive lifestyle changes. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to remain mindful of how unspoken actions and responses may affect their relationships with clients. To learn more about our programs and professionals, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is often thought of as a chronic relapsing disorder. As stated in Addiction Relapse Prevention, approximately 50% of people relapse within the first 12 weeks. Despite the prevalence of SUD relapse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes that 50.2 million U.S. adults consider themselves to be in recovery from SUD and/or mental health challenges. The prevalence of recovery from SUD can be tied to the guiding principles of holistic recovery found in active recovery. Thus, understanding active recovery can be invaluable to supporting healing and sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery is a journey that continues long after you complete treatment. Your challenges with addiction are deeply interconnected to your life experiences and environment. Therefore, sustained recovery cannot happen without consideration for the whole person. Through active recovery, you can build the skills needed to address challenges in your daily life.

Yet, you may question what is active recovery. Expanding your understanding of recovery can provide insight into how connection with alumni can support maintaining recovery.

What Is Recovery?

Many traditional ideals of recovery are tied to complete abstinence with a focus on the elimination of all substances. Although abstinence is an important part of recovery, a holistic approach focuses on taking active steps toward healing the whole person. According to Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, before the abstinence focus of the Temperance Movement, there was an early harm reduction perspective that considered the body and mind. As SAMHSA notes, modern holistic models of care define recovery as a process of change. Holistic recovery is a process of change where you work to improve your health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach your full potential. 

Further, four dimensions support sustained recovery:

• Health
  • Overcoming or managing symptoms and or conditions
  • Abstaining from using substances
  • Making informed, healthy choices for physical and emotional well-being
• Home
  • Having a stable and safe place to live
• Purpose
  • Engaging in meaningful daily activities
    • Work, school, family, creative hobbies, and volunteering
  • Gaining the independence, income, and resources to participate in society
• Community
  • Finding support, hope, friendship, and love in your relationships and social network

The four dimensions of recovery highlight the holistic continuum of care as active recovery. Understanding the difference between passive and active recovery is an important step toward fostering active recovery.

Passive Recovery vs. Active Recovery

On the surface, the difference between passive and active recovery may feel obvious. However, in the day-to-day work of recovery, complacency can happen. You may not recognize that you are engaging in passive rather than active recovery. Passive recovery focuses more on waiting for things to happen to you. Listed below are some elements of passive recovery:

• Relying on external factors for change
• You do not reflect on your thoughts and feelings
• Doing rather than embodying the steps of recovery
• Believing you can recover on your own

Active recovery focuses on seeking out and engaging in support services with and without direct guidance. Some of the other elements that make up active recovery include:

• You accept that you need support and reach out for it
• Actively participating in meetings, therapy, and other recovery programming
  • Engaging in discussions and sharing experiences in meetings
  • Reaching out to your sponsor
• You commit to processing difficult thoughts and feelings

With awareness of active recovery, you can understand the principles of being an active participant in your recovery.

Understanding the Principles of Active Recovery

A holistic and active recovery is built on ten guiding principles that build skills that support every stage of recovery. Listed below are the ten guiding principles of active recovery:

• Hope: The belief that recovery is real and possible
  • You can and have overcome challenges and barriers
• Person-driven: The act of self-determination and self-direction
  • You define and help design the path(s) toward your life goals
• Multiple pathways: Acknowledges that each individual has unique and distinct needs, strengths, goals, culture, trauma, and experiences that impact pathways to recovery
• Holistic: Understands that recovery encompasses your whole life in mind, body, spirit, and community
• Peer support: Recognizes the value of sharing experiences, knowledge, and skills
• Social networks: Offers support, hope, belonging, and encouragement
• Culture-informed: Services are sensitive and personalized to your needs and experiences
• Trauma-informed: Informed and responsive services support and promote safety, trust, choice, empowerment, and collaboration
• Strengths and responsibility: Recognizes individuals, families, and communities have strengths and resources to support recovery
• Respect: Encourages community, systems, and societal acceptance and appreciation for people impacted by SUD and or mental health disorders

The ten guiding principles highlight the power of active recovery. Yet, how do you engage in active recovery in your daily life?

Ways to Engage in Active Recovery

There are numerous ways that an alumni program can support you in building sustained recovery:

• Volunteering in alumni programs and/or the wider community
• Exploring hobbies and activities you enjoy
  • Art, music, writing, reading, gardening, and cooking
  • Spending time with loved ones
  • Sports, hiking, and yoga
• Practicing gratitude and mindfulness
• Educating yourself about your SUD and/or mental health disorder
• Connecting with peers

Engaging in active recovery through your alumni program can support whole-person healing. You can deepen self-reflection and self-understanding through active recovery, set realistic goals, and build a support network. 

Supporting Sustained Recovery With Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we understand that true whole-person healing is rooted in connection to self and others. Without connection, you cannot fully address challenges with addiction, pain, and mental health disorders. An attachment model of care allows you to form healthy attachments in yourself and with others to turn clinical insight into action. You give yourself more space for learning, understanding, and growth through experiential sharing. Thus, access to services and resources that encourage connection to the self and others fosters engagement, support, compassion, and accountability for sustained recovery.

Engagement in recovery is an important part of the healing process. Without engagement, you can find yourself stuck in passive recovery, expecting change to happen to you. However, whole-person recovery requires active participation in the healing process. Engaging in a vibrant alumni program is invaluable to fostering active recovery for sustained recovery. Through a strong peer-driven network, alumni can offer the services and resources needed for connection with the self and others. Recovery is not done alone, and a strong alumni family gives you the foundation for support, compassion, engagement, and accountability to lead a courageous life in long-term recovery. Call Driftwood Recovery at (512) 759-8330 to learn how a dedicated alumni community can support you in your recovery.

Trigeminal neuralgia is widely considered one of the most distressing chronic pain conditions a person can develop. It’s a rare condition, affecting an estimated 4 to 13 per 100,000 people annually. Trigeminal neuralgia isn’t just the pain it causes. It’s also the conditions that occur because of it, such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and, in some cases, suicide. Those who struggle with trigeminal neuralgia often do so in silence, as chronic pain is considered an “invisible” condition. 

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, we give a voice to those who struggle with chronic pain conditions. With a focus on comprehensive and quality care, clients don’t just find a way to take back control of their lives. They also find a community of those who understand and support them. There is hope, and anything is possible with the right help, including care for trigeminal neuralgia and its co-occurring conditions.

Understanding trigeminal neuralgia is the first step to spreading awareness about this condition and its treatment. The more we know, the easier it is to support our fellow people who live with these difficult and often misunderstood conditions.

What Is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve of the face. This is a large, three-part nerve that sends signals between the face and the brain. When this nerve is interrupted or damaged, it can cause intense pain in one or more parts of the face. Common pain spots include the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, and lips. Sometimes, the forehead and eye may be affected as well. This condition is often classified as type 1 and type 2, depending on which side of the face and the type of pain that occurs.

The pain for type 1 trigeminal neuralgia is commonly described as feeling like an intense electric shock or jolt that occurs from simply touching the affected area. This pain usually occurs on one side of the face. Type 2 is marked by constant aching or burning pain that happens in addition to pain attacks, which can occur on one or both sides of the face. Either type makes it difficult to perform normal functions, such as eating, smiling, or shaving without intense pain. 

Trigeminal neuralgia often occurs in women or people over 50. However, this condition can develop at any time if a person experiences significant facial or cranial trauma. Stroke, facial injuries, brain tumors, nerve blockages/obstructions, and surgical trauma are all common causes of trigeminal neuralgia. People with hypertension or multiple sclerosis are also at risk for developing trigeminal neuralgia. The link is common enough that upon the development of trigeminal neuralgia, multiple sclerosis testing is recommended. 

Pain experienced from trigeminal neuralgia can fluctuate or increase in intensity over time. This leaves those who struggle with this condition with the fear of it getting worse.

The Mental Toll of Trigeminal Neuralgia

As a chronic pain condition, trigeminal neuralgia can have a devastating toll on an individual’s mental health. Conditions such as depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder increased upon the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia. Individuals are often driven to find ways to self-medicate their pain, no matter how dangerous the behavior. Substance abuse, especially pain medications, such as opioids, are commonly abused by those with a chronic pain condition. 

Chronic pain conditions are also marked as particularly isolating. It’s known as an “invisible” illness, with many people being dismissed or ignored because they don’t look like they are in pain. Being unable to perform normal functions as a person, such as washing your face, can add to the frustration and loneliness of this condition. Without help, it’s easy to slide into an addiction or, in extreme cases, think about ending your life. It’s why it’s vital for those with trigeminal neuralgia to not just get treatment, but find hope and support. 

Finding Hope at Driftwood Recovery

Though it is a chronic condition, trigeminal neuralgia and any co-occurring mental health disorders can be treated and managed. The staff at Driftwood Recovery is well aware of the toll this and other chronic pain conditions have on a person’s physical and mental health. Rather than sell a cure that doesn’t exist, Driftwood Recovery focuses on reliving pain safely and bolstering mental resilience. In time, clients can find joy and reasons to embrace life again.

This is accomplished by creating an individualized comprehensive treatment plan that combines therapy, wellness, and medication. To treat trigeminal neuralgia specifically, clients are prescribed medications such as anticonvulsants to block pain signals and reduce the frequency of attacks. If this does not work, other medications can be tried to provide relief. Combined with medications are complementary approaches that may also help manage pain, such as:

• Nutritional therapy
• Meditation
• Low-impact exercise
• Aromatherapy
• Yoga

Clients at Driftwood Recovery utilize psychotherapy as part of treatment, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). These therapies are designed to help clients recognize harmful thought and behavior patterns and change them. This involves learning healthy coping skills, practicing mental wellness, and building mental resilience. Group and family therapy gives clients a safe space to have their voices heard and receive support in return. 

In some cases, surgery can relieve the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia. Side effects are common after these procedures, such as facial numbness, and symptoms can return even if the procedure is successful. Though surgeries are not performed at Driftwood Recovery, psychotherapies can help clients prepare for the emotional and physical toll of surgery should the client choose a surgical approach. No matter what, clients can trust that they will receive the most accurate, comprehensive, and compassionate treatment available. Though it may not seem like it now, there is always hope that your life will get better, and it can get better at Driftwood Recovery.

There are many kinds of chronic pain that a person may develop throughout their life. One of them is known as trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that makes touch to the face painful. Such a condition isn’t just painful; it can also cause other mental health disorders, such as anxiety and addiction. Despite this, there is hope for those who struggle with trigeminal neuralgia. Treatments exist not just to reduce physical pain but to relieve mental anguish as well. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients everywhere can find relief from their chronic pain and develop a healthier mindset. To learn how Driftwood Recovery can help you, call (512) 759-8330 today.

Individuals in rehabilitation for substance use disorder (SUD) or dual diagnosis have a greater likelihood of experiencing trauma triggers, including triggers specific to clinical settings. Many clients participate in multiple programs, and some may have previously had negative interactions with medical professionals. A history of trauma can cause some clients to feel uncomfortable trusting their care team. Healthcare workers build trust by creating a welcoming environment that keeps clients focused on the present. Grounding techniques are an excellent tool for helping clients manage trigger responses during clinical interactions. 

What Are Grounding Techniques?

People use grounding techniques and exercises to strengthen the mind-body connection and increase self-awareness. Studies have shown that “[g]rounding techniques are important skills for assessors and all other behavioral health service providers who interact with traumatized clients (e.g., nurses, security, administrators, clinicians).” Grounding techniques can be used during everyday interactions to reduce stress, improve communication, and keep clients engaged in their treatment. 

Simple Grounding Techniques Healthcare Professionals Use During Everyday Interactions

Everyone has different methods for communicating with coworkers and clients. Healthcare professionals can improve their communication skills, allowing them to build more effective relationships. Using grounding techniques during treatment sessions can also help clients experience better outcomes. Therapists and other healthcare professionals model healthy coping skills and guide clients through learning to use those skills to manage triggers.

Some examples of simple grounding techniques healthcare professionals use in everyday interactions include: 

• Encouraging clients to take slow, deep breaths if they appear nervous or anxious
• Physically grounding clients by encouraging them to touch surfaces or objects (e.g., offering an anxious client a stress ball)
• Increasing body awareness by asking clients to focus on sensations in their body (e.g., asking clients to connect physical sensations such as tension with emotions like anxiety)
• Mindful movement by guiding clients through simple movements (e.g., brief stretching exercises) 
• Asking clients to engage in simple tasks to improve focus and engagement 

Grounding techniques can facilitate more effective client communication by helping clients stay in the moment. The type of client-clinician interaction will determine which grounding exercises may provide the best results. For example, if a client begins to panic, a physical therapist may encourage stretching, while a psychotherapist may suggest slow, deep breaths. 

How Do Grounding Techniques Decrease the Impact of Triggers?

Grounding techniques are often used to help clients successfully manage triggers and mental health symptoms related to trauma or stress. Focusing on actions, sensations, or objects in the present allows clients to remain in control of their emotional and physiological reactions to trauma triggers. 

Every person is unique, and not all coping techniques will work for everyone. Healthcare professionals should practice mindfulness in how they approach grounding techniques. For example, touching a client’s shoulder to ground them may backfire if the client is averse to touch due to severe trauma. Familiarity with client preferences and their medical history ensures that healthcare workers introduce effective and appropriate coping skills in treatment sessions. 

Benefits of Using Grounding Techniques in Treatment

Some of the primary benefits of using grounding exercises in treatment include: 

• Familiarizing clients with helpful coping techniques 
• Reducing overall anxiety and stress 
• Improving emotion and mood regulation
• Interrupting cycles within a trauma response by preventing escalation 
• Building trust with clients by helping them overcome trauma triggers
• Supporting trauma recovery through practical coping skills

Clients may feel more confident in themselves and their ability to manage triggers if they learn effective coping methods. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff have the necessary training and skills to help clients manage trauma triggers and other challenges during treatment. 

The Importance of Providing Comfort and De-Escalating Tension During Appointments

Some clients feel overwhelmed or tense during clinical appointments. Staff members may use grounding techniques, such as distracting clients or offering new coping tools, to help them manage their emotional or physical reactions to triggers. If the situation causes a trauma response, the client may find it challenging to move forward with the appointments. Identifying and addressing the cause of the trigger can de-escalate the situation and refocus the client. De-escalation skills and clear communication reduce anxiety and stress. 

Driftwood Recovery Teaches Clients Effective Coping Skills

Clients benefit from learning practical grounding exercises and other skills that reduce the side effects of trauma triggers. Healthcare professionals play an essential role in teaching and reinforcing positive coping skills. 

Clinicians teach clients to successfully manage their reactions to triggers using various treatment services, including: 

• Individual and group therapy
• Mindfulness-based therapies 
• Holistic therapies, including guided meditation 

Driftwood Recovery offers tailored treatment plans to clients struggling with SUD or dual diagnosis. Healthcare professionals collaborate closely with clients and their families to reduce the negative impact of trauma triggers during rehabilitation. The goal of treatment is to prepare clients to reintegrate back into the community. Healthcare professionals do this by ensuring clients have the necessary coping skills to manage their condition after transitioning out of treatment. Grounding techniques give clients greater confidence in their ability to maintain sobriety and overcome trauma triggers.

Trauma responses can happen at any time. Individuals feeling anxious or stressed often have more profound reactions to triggers. Therapy sessions and other treatment services may cause some clients with a history of trauma to feel on edge. Triggers can significantly interfere with treatment by affecting client focus. Healthcare professionals offer clients emotional and practical support. Grounding techniques are an excellent tool for helping clients cope with the effects of trauma triggers during clinical interactions. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to use grounding techniques and other therapeutic tools to create a more comfortable and safe space for clients. To learn more about our trauma therapy services, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Healthcare professionals build trust with clients to create a positive treatment experience. An open line of communication ensures clients receive appropriate care and access the best treatments to meet their needs. Active listening and other communication skills allow healthcare professionals to develop healthier relationships with clients and coworkers, facilitating better treatment outcomes. The experts at Driftwood Recovery use effective communication to guide clients through the recovery process. 

What Is Active Listening?

Active listening is an essential part of interpersonal communication. According to Social Neuroscience, “[A]ctive listening is an influential behavior, which can affect the social responses of others.” In addition, “Perceiving active listening behavior in a partner can facilitate a positive interaction.” Active listening requires empathy and a lack of judgment. People often mirror the other person through behavior or verbal patterns to show they have heard what has been said. 

A few ways professionals practice active listening during everyday client interactions include: 

• Mirroring nonverbal cues
• Maintaining eye contact
• Paraphrasing and summarizing 
• Asking open-ended questions 
• Offering verbal acknowledgement
• Not interrupting the other speaker
• Asking for clarification 

Healthcare professionals collaborate with clients to create care plans and implement treatments. Empathetic and active listening is essential to keep clients at ease. Active listening involves showing the other person they have been heard through various methods, including body language, summarizing key points of the conversation, and mirroring phrases or words used by the other person. 

Creating an Honest and Clear Line of Communication

Honest communication fosters trust and helps clients feel more comfortable discussing concerns or asking questions. Transparency creates a healthy foundation for honest communication. Some clients may have a history of negative experiences with healthcare professionals, making them hesitant to speak up. Maybe their concerns were ignored, or they were made to feel like less than the other person. Driftwood Recovery aims to help these individuals build healthier relationships with medical professionals by providing clients with a welcoming environment and compassionate professionals. 

Some of the ways healthcare professionals develop empathetic and honest communication with clients include: 

• Using simple language instead of medical jargon 
• Sharing information openly 
• Being culturally sensitive and respectful 
• Keeping clients informed with consistent updates 
• Setting clear and realistic expectations 
• Using visual or written aids to help clients better understand complex medical topics
• Respecting client confidentiality and privacy 

Clients rely on healthcare professionals to lead by example. Healthcare professionals have an obligation to model healthy patterns of communication with clients. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to build client relationships through active listening and a compassionate approach to care. 

Clients may have never been able to develop healthy communication skills. Often, part of treatment for substance abuse or mental health disorders involves building up these skills. Clinicians and support staff play an essential role in helping clients learn to communicate more effectively. 

Building Relationships With Active Listening

Developing trusting relationships with clients requires active listening. Healthcare professionals at Driftwood Recovery are trained to resolve conflicts, de-escalate situations, and ease client concerns by educating clients and providing them with healthier ways to express their needs. By practicing honest and transparent communication, healthcare workers create an environment that fosters trust and respect. 

Client trust is essential because it does the following: 

• Facilitates more productive interactions 
• Promotes honesty and openness 
• Enhances treatment outcomes 
• Reduces anxiety 
• Builds long-term relationships 
• Encourages healthy vulnerability 
• Strengthens rapport between staff and clients
• Empowers clients to make healthier choices
• Reduces miscommunication 

Building relationships with clients involves recognizing their needs and finding ways to meet them where they are today. Active listening allows professionals to better understand their clients and provide more effective care. 

How Driftwood Recovery Encourages Active Listening

Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create healthy relationships with clients and coworkers through active listening. Active listening involves showing the other person that their time and opinions matter. Many clients feel safer and more comfortable under the care of professionals who listen to and act on their feedback. Healthcare professionals can take constructive feedback and adjust client treatment plans to accommodate the new information.

Individuals in treatment for substance abuse or mental health disorders may have a history of negative interactions with authority figures. Building trust can take time. Consistently showing interest in their thoughts and feelings while actively listening can show clients that their voice matters. Effective listening leads to action. Being attentive during a conversation is meaningless unless real action is taken to implement feedback and provide solutions to problems. Clients feel heard and valued when their care team actively listens and uses the information they provide to address issues or acknowledge their opinions. 

Regular Daily Check-Ins With Staff

Communicating effectively with coworkers reduces miscommunication and decreases unnecessary stress in the workplace. Professionals should be able to rely on one another to listen attentively and provide appropriate support throughout the workday. According to Frontiers in Psychology, “Listening has been identified as a key workplace skill, important for ensuring high-quality communication, building relationships, and motivating employees.” Healthcare professionals provide better client care when they can rely on their coworkers for support.

Communication is key to developing a deep and honest connection with clients. Healthcare professionals create a welcoming and comfortable environment where clients feel safe and heard. Active listening is one of the most critical tools for healthy communication. Showing a genuine interest in what clients have to say and expressing a desire to further understand can set clients at ease and create a more positive dynamic between clients and clinicians. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to use active listening and other communication skills to develop better client relationships, facilitating a more positive treatment experience. To learn more about our programs and how we provide client support, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), in the U.S. alone, 1.29 million experience homelessness. The prevalence of homelessness on its own opens the door to multiple physical and psychological risk factors. Furthermore, being unhoused shares an intersecting relationship with other challenges with substance use and mental health disorders. Thus, recovery housing can play an important role in the development of substance use disorder (SUD) and sustaining recovery. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize how important recovery housing is to community integration and, thus, sustained recovery. With community integration, you can foster psychological well-being and build a meaningful life without substances. Through a vibrant alumni program, you can find the support needed to build life skills for resilience to life stressors. Additionally, recovery housing provides a foundation and jumping-off point for rebuilding other parts of life and maintaining recovery. Supporting work and school opportunities, restoring relationships with loved ones, and more are made possible with recovery housing.

Understanding the relationship between homelessness and poor health outcomes is the first step to addressing barriers. With greater insight, you can dismantle barriers to recovery housing and maintaining recovery.

Understanding the Intersection of Homelessness and Health Outcomes

Homelessness and unhoused individuals often bear the burden of stigma built on myths about homelessness. Listed below, as the USICH notes, are some of the myths and facts about people experiencing homelessness:

• Myth: People would not be unhoused if they had a job
• Fact: Employment can help with housing, but 40%-60% of unhoused individuals have a job
  • A majority of housing is unaffordable as housing prices rise, but wages remain low
  • There are fewer affordable housing options compared to those with low-income
• Myth: Homelessness is a choice
• Fact: Homelessness is typically tied to economic difficulties like low income, job loss, and the rising cost of living
  • Discriminatory practices and policies also contribute to unhousing
    • Disabilities
    • LGBTQIA+ 
    • Couples 
    • People with children
    • Criminal records
    • SUD
• Myth: Homelessness is caused by SUD and or other mental health disorders
• Fact: Some people with a severe mental illness (SMI) and or SUD are at risk for homelessness
  • According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 21% of  individuals experiencing homelessness have an SMI and 16% have SUD
  • Many individuals with SMI and or SUD do not experience homelessness
  • A majority of unhoused individuals do not have a mental health disorder or SUD

Although complex and often intersecting, homelessness is not a direct cause of SUD and other mental health disorders. Rather, as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) states, homelessness and health are interrelated. Many factors, such as disabilities and medical challenges, can lead to job loss, economic hardship, and homelessness. Understanding the interrelated relationship between homelessness and health can provide more insight into addressing and supporting long-term recovery housing solutions.

Relationship Between Homelessness and SUD

Being unhoused can increase your exposure to and risk for trauma like sexual assault and robbery. There is a high co-occurrence between trauma and SUD and or other mental health disorders. The distress of trauma can impede your ability to effectively cope with life stress which impairs your psychological well-being. Therefore, you are more likely to engage in maladaptive coping strategies like self-medicating to suppress your distress. Thus, there is often a significant intersecting relationship between homelessness and SUD. 

Yet, many people with SUD and or SMI face barriers to treatment and recovery housing to support sustained recovery. You have overcome countless barriers to enter and go through treatment, and your work should not be hindered by unstable housing.

Addressing Recovery Housing Barriers to Recovery

Finding affordable housing can present a host of barriers to people regardless of SUD or SMI. Some common barriers to affordable housing include long wait lists, scarce housing options, housing that meets your specific needs, and meeting housing criteria. Further, SUD presents additional barriers to recovery and recovery housing. For example, individuals with SUD and or SMI may experience barriers like:

• A lack of integrated systems
  • Traditionally, housing services are under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
    • Individuals receiving housing services may not have access to ongoing supportive services
  • Whereas SUD and mental health services are under the SAMHSA
    • Individuals with SUD and or SMI may not qualify for some housing support services

However, with an alumni program, you can access services and resources to address your specific needs for recovery housing.

The Benefit of Different Recovery Housing Levels

As the SAMHSA notes, an adequate continuum of care can provide various services and housing types. The type or level of recovery housing is important for addressing your needs, like gender-specific housing and family housing. Listed below are the benefits of different kinds of recovery housing:

• Halfway houses
  • Reintegration and relapse prevention
  • Support applying for government assistance programs
• Oxford homes
  • Long-term recovery through interdependence and accountability
  • Smaller groups
  • Cost-effective
• Transitional living house
  • Transition from temporary to permanent housing
  • Support specific groups
    • LGBTQIA+
    • Racial/ethnic minorities
    • Religious minorities
  • Flexibility in finding housing for your specific needs
    • Proximity to work, school, and family
  • Access to other support resources
    • Skill building
    • Work training

A holistic continuum of support understands that each individual’s experiences and needs are unique. 

Fostering Sustained Recovery With Recovery Housing at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe a strong and vibrant alumni program is instrumental to reintegrating into everyday life. Through an active alumni program, you can access services and resources like recovery housing to support building a courageous life in long-term recovery. Recovery housing is a fundamental part of the recovery process as it gives you the foundation to rebuild a new life without substances. You can feel integrated as a productive member of society through recovery housing. As a result, you foster a sense of belonging that helps you build an adaptive approach to recovery and build or restore connections with others. 

Stigma contributes to the belief that SUD and/or mental health disorders cause homelessness. However, challenges with homelessness, SUD, and other mental health disorders are often interrelated rather than a direct cause. The stressors of homelessness increase your risk for trauma, which can lead to self-medicating to cope with your distress. Thus, access to a continuum of care is vital for addressing interrelated challenges in treatment and recovery. With a vibrant alumni program, you can access resources like recovery housing to support your specific needs for sustained recovery. Alumni can support you whether you need support reintegrating into life after treatment or accommodations that meet your life needs, like gender-specific and family housing. Call Driftwood Recovery at (512) 759-8330 today.

Not many people truly understand what happens in schizophrenia treatment. Much like the condition itself, it seems mysterious to an average person. Most people instead get an inaccurate depiction of schizophrenia from media sources, which further compounds the fear and shame that many with the condition feel. It’s estimated that between 0.25% and 0.64% of the U.S. population have schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders. However, this number only accounts for those who have sought schizophrenia treatment. The actual number is likely much higher, as many don’t seek schizophrenia treatment due to societal stigma and internalized shame. 

This treatment is vital, as untreated schizophrenia can lead to or co-occur with other conditions, such as addiction. Those struggling with schizophrenia are more likely to attempt or die by suicide, especially those without diagnosis or treatment. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients with this condition can find comprehensive and compassionate schizophrenia treatment. With a focus on providing an encouraging and private environment to heal, anyone can learn how to manage their condition for a successful life.

Part of schizophrenia treatment is understanding what the condition is, its myths, and why treatment is so effective. The more people are aware of the truth of schizophrenia, the less fear and stigma are attached to it – and the greater the likelihood that a person in need will seek help.

What Is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric condition that interferes with a person’s ability to think, feel, and behave clearly. Though schizophrenia used to be classified into different types, it is now considered a spectrum disorder with varied symptoms a person can experience. Some common symptoms can include:

• Hallucinations 
• Disorganized speech and thinking
• Delusions 
• Disorganized or unusual motor behavior
• Lack of normal functioning, such as being unable to display emotions, take care of hygiene needs, or feel pleasure in once enjoyable activities when they previously could in the past

Though research is still ongoing on what causes schizophrenia, several risk factors have been identified. A person is more likely to develop schizophrenia if they:

• Have a family history of schizophrenia 
• Grew up in or is still in an environment that causes consistent stress or danger
• Have taken psychoactive or psychotropic substances as teenagers, which may have altered the brain as it was developing 
• Been exposed to environments that may have affected early fetal and infant brain development; examples include being exposed to viruses, toxins, and poor nutrition before or after birth

Schizophrenia usually develops late in life, from the late teen years to the early 30s. Men typically show symptoms between their teen years and their 20s, while women tend to show symptoms in their 20s and 30s. Though considered a life-long condition, it can be managed with the right schizophrenia treatment.

Myths and Facts Surrounding Schizophrenia Treatment

Perhaps the greatest and most damaging myth behind schizophrenia is that those with the condition are dangerous to others. The truth is that those with schizophrenia are more likely to inadvertently harm themselves due to their condition than they are to hurt another person. Seeking treatment is vital in preventing self-harm, but many with schizophrenia are reluctant to seek help.

This is due to another dangerous myth that people with schizophrenia are locked up during treatment and lose their rights. The truth is that people with any mental health condition still have human rights regardless of the severity of their condition. Modern treatment facilities are not prisons, and clients can expect to be treated with compassion, understanding, and respect.

Lastly, it’s a myth that those with schizophrenia are “drugged up” during treatment. Though medication is important in the treatment and management of schizophrenia, clients receive other forms of treatment alongside it. Clients are not “drugged up” and instead receive a carefully crafted medication plan to give them the most relief with the lowest medication dose possible.

To get an accurate picture of schizophrenia treatment, we only need to see how a treatment facility like Driftwood Recovery treats this condition.

Schizophrenia Treatment at Driftwood Recovery

Driftwood Recovery is a comprehensive, holistic, focused treatment center. This means that clients receive treatment that enhances all aspects of their lives, which includes physical, mental, and spiritual health. In the case of schizophrenia and any co-occurring conditions, care is taken to ensure that each client gets the training and assistance they need to continuously manage their condition.

This is done with a combination of medication, psychotherapy, skill training, family therapy, and community support. Antipsychotic medicines are carefully prescribed to work with the lowest dose needed to prevent side effects. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to help clients cope with their condition and change unhealthy behaviors that exacerbate symptoms. Clients are encouraged to improve their physical health through exercise and a nutritionally varied diet. Finally, clients work with their loved ones and fellow peers to establish a support network. Having access to a support network doesn’t just produce understanding companionship; it has also been shown to reduce the chance of relapse. 

Clients during the schizophrenia treatment process focus on recognizing episodes and how to mitigate them. Though treatment can greatly reduce the frequency of episodes, they can still happen. Knowing what to do in a crisis and who to contact for help prevents future harm and allows one to receive help quickly. 

Clients at Driftwood Recovery don’t just get treatment. They become part of a supportive community that will always be there when times get hard. For those with schizophrenia, it can be hard to find positives in life. But here, everyone learns that no matter what condition they have, they still have inherent value as an individual. Seeing that you are more than your schizophrenia and finding value in your own life allows those with the condition to not just stabilize but thrive.

Though schizophrenia can be a frightening condition, it doesn’t mean that those who struggle with it can’t be helped. On the contrary, schizophrenia is a treatable condition and can be managed successfully. With the right treatment, anyone with schizophrenia can lead a normal and fulfilling life. That’s why at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, those struggling with schizophrenia receive comprehensive and holistic treatment to aid them in recovery. With an emphasis on privacy and safety, our clients find an ideal place to heal and become healthier people. By learning how to accept yourself and make healthy changes, you, too, can find joy again. If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t wait. Call (512) 759-8330 today.

According to Frontiers in Psychology, between 30–75% of the world’s population are introverts. Yet, pop culture presents stereotypes about introverts and extroverts that influence how you see yourself and others. Often, extroverts are glorified as the ideal personality type, while introverts are shown as awkward loners. Thus, perceptions of introverts and your preference for low-stimulation environments can lead you to question how alumni could benefit you. Being an introvert does not mean you dislike social engagement because the value of connection is innately human. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we know fostering connections with a community of peers is an invaluable cornerstone for sustained recovery. The value of connection in alumni gives you a community of peers who can provide compassion, understanding, accountability, and guidance. Through our commitment to connection, you are given the tools and resources needed to thrive in recovery. The value of connection in our sober community can be a source of support for introverts and extroverts alike. 

However, you may question how alumni can provide the value of connection for you. Dismantling misconceptions about introverts can provide insight into the value of connection and be a valuable first step toward building community among alumni. 

Difference Between Introverts and Social Anxiety

As noted in the Journal of Personality, introversion-extraversion has traditionally been presented as personality traits in opposition to each other. Further, introversion is often reduced to what is perceived as lacking assertiveness, impulsivity, sociability, and social warmth. Yet, in reality, introverts are not adverse to social connection. Rather, introverts tend to prefer stimulation through social engagement in small doses and often need time to process and recharge. The tendency to withdraw and preference for alone time contribute to misconceptions that introversion and social anxiety are the same. 

Listed below are some of the ways to tell the difference between being an introvert and having social anxiety:

• Introversion
  • A personality trait
  • Gets energy from within
  • Needs time to recharge
  • Prefer solo activities, familiar places, or spending time with people they know well
• Social anxiety
  • A mental health disorder
  • Feels significant nervousness, worry, and fear in social situations or thinking about social situations
  • Experiences a deep fear of rejection and or judgment 
  • Engage in avoidance of social interaction and situations out of fear

Although an introverted person can have social anxiety, they are not synonymous with each other. Being an introvert is less about social anxiety and more about the amount of social energy you have. Yet, how can you find value in connection when social environments deplete you? 

The Value of Connection for Introverts in Recovery

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social connection can have a significant impact on psychological and physical well-being. Moreover, through social connection, you find a sense of belonging, and you feel loved, cared for, and valued. Yet, many are under the impression that social connectedness is not important to introverts. However, as Health Psychology Open notes, the need for social support, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging is a universal human need. Even introverts can benefit from social engagement and support:

• Adaptive coping
• Increased self-esteem
• Greater happiness from deep conversations
• More satisfaction after spending more time with others

Despite knowing the value of connection and enjoying connection, being overstimulated by social environments can present barriers to recovery.

Introverts in Recovery: Addressing Barriers to Healing

The value of connection is deeply integrated into addiction treatment and recovery. Whether it is group therapy, 12-Step programs, or an alumni program, connection is an important component of healing. Yet, if you do not derive your energy from socialization, the social aspect of recovery can make participating in alumni feel impossible. Some of the barriers introverts experience in recovery include:

• The need to be active in meetings
• Sharing your thoughts and feelings
• Spending time getting to know other people in the community

Social barriers in recovery can make it difficult to fully engage in recovery, make sober friends, and build a support network. However, being an introvert does not mean you cannot build a strong network to support you in your recovery journey. Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process, and thus, it must be molded to match your specific needs. 

Ways to Find the Value of Connection for Introverts

With a strong and vibrant alumni program, you can find the value of connection that best fits you and your needs. Listed below are some of the ways you can tailor the social aspect of recovery to your life in an alumni program:

• Lean into building close relationships with a small number of people
  • Connect with your sponsor or a peer mentor 
• Engage in more one-on-one conversations
• Sit with someone you trust during meetings
• Connect with other introverts in your sober community
• Utilize digital recovery resources
  • Online meetings
  • Recovery apps for support and connection through sharing milestones and encouragement
• Know your limits by setting aside time to recover from social interaction

Furthermore, with support, you can find connections and build the recovery life that best suits you.

Fostering the Value of Connection in Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that treatment and recovery must come from a full continuum of care. Through a full continuum of care, you can customize your recovery to meet your specific needs. In our alumni program, we provide access to a variety of support services and resources to help you build a meaningful sober network whether you are an introvert or not. 

You can participate in events and activities that are enjoyable for you, such as milestone dinners and renewal retreats. Moreover, our recovery app also gives you the space to connect with and share with others at a pace that is comfortable for you. Whether you are an introvert or not, we can provide an active and flexible alumni program where every alum can thrive.

Pop culture representations of introverts have contributed to misconceptions about introversion as a negative trait and synonymous with social anxiety. Thus, there is an assumption that the social aspect of recovery creates barriers to sustained recovery for introverts. However, introverts can still engage in the value of connection with alumni with tailored support. Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process; thus, with an individualized approach, you can be an active participant in alumni for yourself and sober peers. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a wide variety of optional events and activities you can engage in and a recovery app that gives you the space to build connections at your own pace. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.