Finding a job will allow you to build self-esteem and confidence as you acquire your own income and work toward goals like securing your own housing or paying for a vehicle. A job also gives you a sense of purpose every day. Rather than wondering what to do with your time, you have the ability to work hard and feel proud of your efforts and contributions. 

Benefits of Employment in Recovery

Getting out into the workforce is something that can be transformative for a recovering addict. When your life has revolved around substance use for so long, it’s easy to lose touch with all the other things life has to offer. This includes the sense of pride, fulfillment, and confidence you can achieve by going to work each day and being a contributing member of society. 

Jobs provide much-needed structure and stability for individuals in recovery. They give you a reliable schedule that helps you stay consistent with other goals and lifestyle changes as well. For example, because you may have a job that starts at eight in the morning, you are more encouraged to prioritize a nightly routine and get enough sleep. 

Jobs also provide social connections. You can interact with your coworkers and possibly customers each day to experience a sense of connection and belonging. It may sound extreme, but you shouldn’t rush to underestimate how even a casual “How are you?” and short conversation about the weather can impact your mood.  

Another major benefit of a job while in recovery is financial stability. Rather than rely on loved ones or struggle through poverty, you can feel proud for having your own income. A paycheck also opens the door to other essentials like housing, food, clothing, and transportation. 

A job also helps you stay committed to long-term sobriety. When you have something you are a part of, it becomes a source of motivation and inspiration. When cravings strike, you’ll have a strong reason to fight them and avoid relapse. 

Assessing Readiness for Employment 

The first step of career development in recovery is self-assessment. You should be willing to acknowledge when you are or are not ready to work. This is important because individuals who enter the workforce too soon may have a higher risk of relapsing due to stress.  

Once you’ve gained a foothold on your addiction, it becomes easier to manage work stressors, and you’re less likely to be overwhelmed by strong emotions that feel out of your control. 

There are several factors to consider when deciding if you’re ready to find a job during recovery:  

• How long you’ve been sober. The biggest thing to consider is whether you’ve been sober long enough to confidently say you can work without recovery being impacted. Sustained recovery is considered one to five years after quitting. It may take several months or even a year or more before you are ready to work. You could also consider starting a part-time job or contract work before moving into a full-time position.
• Your skills. Sobriety is built on skills. Have you developed the emotional regulation strategies and stress management skills you need to work confidently and comfortably? Do you feel you have the skills to communicate well with others? Do you have self-awareness of your triggers and strategies in place to cope with them? 
• Recovery habits. During your recovery, you should regularly attend meetings and actively work with a support group, therapist, or counselor. They can offer support and be a valuable source of feedback as you navigate your job search.
• A record of success. It’s best for people to wait to re-enter the workforce until they have a proven record of sobriety without relapse. Once you’ve achieved a certain level of stability, then you can consider looking for work. 

It takes time to be ready for employment. Go easy on yourself, and have the courage to admit when you still need to work on some skills before you’re able to work. The time, energy, and honesty you invest in improving yourself and maintaining your sobriety will be worth it. 

Exploring Employment Opportunities 

Navigating the job market in sobriety can feel overwhelming. If you’ve been out of work for quite some time, you may not even be sure where to begin. The first step is writing a resume. Many rehabs help with this as part of their aftercare services; you can also ask your therapist, counselor, or support group members if they would be willing to help. 

There are also amazing free resources online to help you write a resume. Indeed, one of the top job search sites online has a detailed guide on how to write a resume with examples. The guide offers tips for choosing the right resume format so that you can highlight your strengths, skills, and experience appropriately. It also walks you through every part of a resume so that you can confidently write your own.  

If you are worried about entering the workforce with little or no experience, Coursera can help. Coursera is an online education site that offers classes through colleges and universities around the world. Their no-experience resume guide can help you identify a new job, even if you’ve never worked in an industry before. 

You have plenty of options for exploring employment opportunities, including using online job boards such as Indeed and Glassdoor, networking with people you know or on LinkedIn, using a staffing agency, or attending a vocational training program. 

Choosing the Right Industry 

To help you succeed, make sure you explore your career options before applying. This can help you avoid submitting job applications to positions that do not align with your career jobs.  

Ask yourself what type of job you would like. Do you enjoy interacting with people, or do you want a job that is more self-directed? Are you comfortable sitting in an office setting for most of the day, or would you prefer to work in a more fast-paced, energetic environment? Do you have any interests that could guide you toward a career, such as cars or beauty?  

Remind yourself that the first job you get during recovery does not have to be your forever career. Accepting a position as you develop skills and career goals, expand your education, or earn certifications is okay. What matters most is finding roles that allow you to earn an income, build self-confidence, gain experience, and grow as a person through recovery. 

Building a Strong Resume and Cover Letter 

Your resume outlines your work experience, education, skills, and objectives as a job candidate. Don’t worry if you do not have an extensive work history or any relevant experience. There are many entry-level positions you can apply for with the right resume. 

Building a strong resume requires: 

• A clear objective statement that describes who you are and what you want to achieve. Frame this through the lens of how you can apply your skills and strengths to improve a business’s operations.
• A list of relevant skills you have to offer. You should have a combination of technical skills that relate to a job and soft skills that everyone needs to succeed, such as teamwork and good communication. 
• Any accomplishments you may have, such as being on the honor roll in school, achieving a certificate, or past achievements in previous jobs. 
• Your work history and a short description or bulleted list of what your roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments were at each position. 

As a general rule, you do not need to include any work history beyond the last 10 years. You should also not list your high school if you have a college degree, but you can include it if you have completed your diploma, earned a GED, and/or are currently attending a community college or vocational school. 

Writing a Cover Letter 

A cover letter should only be one page long. In it, you want to express your personal interest in the role and why you feel you would be a good candidate. To end the letter, you can say something like, “I am excited about the opportunity to discuss this position further.” Thank the reader for their time, and sign with your name. 

It’s ideal to write a fresh cover letter for every job you apply for. If you use a template, make sure to personalize it by highlighting the company’s values and how they align with your own. Tie your own skills and strengths to the responsibilities of the position you’re applying for.  

Navigating the Job Search Process 

Finding a job in recovery is typically done online. You visit online job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, Monster, and ZipRecruiter, search for job listings in your area and industry, and then apply for them one by one. 

Be sure to examine job listings online carefully. Avoid providing personal details such as your Social Security Number or ID, as these are not necessary to apply for a position.  

Once you apply for jobs, you will wait to hear back from companies. They will either request a job interview or let you know they have decided to move forward with other candidates. This is a normal part of the job search process, so don’t let it discourage you when the first rejections roll in. Keep applying, and be persistent. Every denial you get is an opportunity to apply for another position. 

Aim to apply for at least five jobs each day. If you can do more, great! Just focus on applying to jobs that you genuinely feel you can do and would be a good fit for. It isn’t a valuable use of your time to apply for jobs you are uncertain about, especially since receiving more rejections can negatively harm your self-esteem. 

Instead, focus on your own skills, know your strengths, and remember your worth. Network online, build connections, and keep trying until you land a position. 

You can also look for jobs in person. If you are open to working in hospitality, retail, or food service, consider entering local establishments with a copy of your resume and leaving it with management. They may also request you fill out an online application. 

Interview Preparation and Success 

Think of a job interview as a conversation. You are going to discuss your skills, strengths, and goals with a hiring manager to determine if a job is the right fit for you at this time.  

Some jobs have multiple interviews where you meet with management and team members. This can be nerve-wracking, but remember, if you show up as yourself and are authentic, honest, and professional, you can’t go wrong. Even if you don’t get a job you interview for, you can feel confident knowing you did your best. 

Be sure to show up at an interview with curiosity, enthusiasm and a go-getter attitude. You are not required to disclose your sobriety status to anyone, but drug testing may be required in many jobs.  

If the topic of your addiction and recovery arises, address it with honesty and enthusiasm. You have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, your commitment to getting sober and overcoming addiction are strengths that can further prove you are a dedicated, hardworking person who has the strength and willpower to overcome challenges with positivity.  

Maintaining Sobriety in the Workplace 

It is important to remind yourself that you are always in recovery. This means avoiding triggers and not making exceptions to boundaries you’ve put in place to protect your sobriety.  

Practice self-care by taking short breaks throughout the day. Practice mindfulness, and when you need help, seek assistance. This could be talking to your therapist, support group, or, if necessary, your supervisor. 

While you aren’t required to tell anyone about your recovery or history, it may be helpful in some cases. For example, if you need to schedule accommodations to attend group therapy or an IOP program, it might be helpful to let your employer know why you must work different hours.  

Remember that addiction is your story, and you aren’t forced to talk about it with anyone if you aren’t ready or don’t want to. Many people want to enjoy a fresh start in their new jobs without bringing up substance use, and that is perfectly fine. Disclose things about yourself as needed, on your own time, and only offer as much detail as necessary. There is no need to reveal your personal history in-depth to the people you work with. 

Empowering Recovery Through Employment 

Everyone needs a sense of purpose. A job provides structure and meaning for people in recovery. With the right skills and patience, you can set career goals and begin working toward a bright future that gives you the stability you need to stay sober and enjoy life. If you need help taking the next steps toward recovery from substance abuse, we can help at Liberty Bay Recovery Center with inpatient and outpatient programs. 

The post Empowering Recovery Through Employment appeared first on Liberty Bay Recovery Center.

Millions of people interact with some form of addictive substance on a daily basis. However, these interactions do not necessarily make them addicts. They may drink alcohol or use tobacco or marijuana infrequently. In many instances, people can manage the usage of these potentially dangerous substances.

But it is common for people to lose self-control and fall into a debilitating addiction to these substances. Addictions have the potential to ruin a person’s life, career, and health. Identifying these signs of addiction is the most important step to ensuring that a person stops the addiction spiral before it is too late. 

Understanding Addiction 

Addiction is a sliding scale that is directly connected to a person’s behavior and experiences. It is not connected to the amount of substances they use or the frequency at which they use substances. Addiction is more connected to the behavior associated with substance usage. In addition to using substances, an addict simply cannot stop using them. They do not moderate their usage at essential moments when that usage can start to impede their daily lives. 

For many years, people believed that addiction was simply an individual choice. They mainly treated addicts with stigma and shame for their lack of will power. About a century ago, techniques were developed to help addicts work together in order to gain control of their behaviors and move forward with their lives.  

The modern model of addiction sees it as a disease that needs to be treated like any other. The disease model has helped therapists treat addicts with both drugs and traditional therapies. It has been essential to replacing the view of addicts as failures in society — a view that did little to actually help those afflicted by addiction. 

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction 

There are many signs of addiction, some of which are directly associated with individual substances. They may include bloodshot eyes or slurred speech. Alcohol addiction, for instance, can lead to general cognitive decline and an immense lack of energy. Addiction to psychedelic and psychiatric drugs can lead to paranoia and a general inability to act in a way that a person previously did.  

The mechanisms associated with these signs are not always readily apparent. While some signs of addiction are caused by the substances in question, others are caused by lifestyle changes based on the way people behave when they are using addictive substances. The aforementioned example of bloodshot eyes is a physiological response to some drugs.  

But the same cannot be said for other symptoms. For a long time, people thought that “meth mouth” was directly caused by a substance in methamphetamine. Now, it is seen as a result of the lifestyle that people live while they are on the drug. People on meth tend to eat sugary foods and do nothing to take care of their teeth. It is a behavioral side effect of drug addiction and not a direct side effect of using the drug. 

The most common signs and symptoms of addiction have to do with behavior and relationships. A person may abandon their previous relationships if their partners do not conform with addiction. They may stop talking to friends and family or couch all their conversations in their need for a particular drug. These behaviors are a clear sign that a person is making drugs or other addictive substances a big part of their lives. It can be an obvious sign that they need help as soon as possible. 

Self-Assessment for Addiction 

Anyone who is worried about addiction should ask themselves these questions: 

1. Do I regularly use a substance that has been known to be addictive? This substance can be either legal or illegal.
2. Does my usage of this substance affect the relationships I have in life?
3. Does my usage of this substance change the way I view and interact with my job, hobbies, friends, and family?
4. Do I feel as though I could temporarily or permanently stop using these substances if I wanted or needed to?

Along with answering these questions about themselves, potential addicts should convince friends and family members to take the survey about them. If the answers don’t match too well, they should look into why the discrepancy may be the case. 

Types of Addictive Behaviors 

One common form of addictive behavior is self-rationalization. Very few people want to be addicted or fail to care about society’s negative view of addicts. Therefore, they find ways of rationalizing their behavior. In many instances, this rationalization involves downplaying the behavior and dismissing it as not a topic of concern. An addict may argue that they only use substances on specific days or times. They may lie about the number of beers they had or the number of hours they smoked marijuana. This behavior may be deliberate lying, or it could relate to the impaired judgment caused by the substances in question.  

Another common tactic is professing that they could stop at any moment and then using brief respites in usage to justify this claim. The problem is that addicts do not need to constantly use a substance in order to be addicted. Even the most dedicated addicts often go days or weeks without using a substance and can occasionally moderate their usage. The issue is not about volume but the effect that using a substance has on their health and relationships. 

Another common addictive behavior is overindulgence. A common reason for this is the tolerance that an addict builds up over time. They are chasing a bigger and bigger high that is similar to the first high they enjoyed. As their body builds up a tolerance for a particular substance, they need to take more and more of that substance to satisfy their cravings for it.  

This drive becomes a serious problem when other parts of the body do not have the same tolerance as the brain. A person may take enough of a drug to give them a substantial high that is too much for the heart, lungs, or other parts of the body to handle. In that case, there is a strong chance of an overdose. There is also a good chance that other aspects of a person’s body will be negatively affected. 

A third form of addictive behavior is general withdrawal. Many addictive substances rewire a person’s brain and activities so that they only want to find and ingest more of the addictive substance. As a result, people stop engaging in activities that previously brought them joy. They begin to focus only on obtaining and using the addictive substance they crave. They stop talking to their family and friends and interact only with people who can help them get more of the substance. All these behaviors are warning signs that people need to be aware of if they hope to recover from an addiction.  

Seeking Help and Support 

The most important step to treating addiction is to realize that a person actually is an addict and has a problem that requires treatment. Addicts often spend so much time rationalizing their behavior that they do not realize what is happening to them. The process can be so gradual that they do not know they are addicted until their lives have greatly declined.  

Determining that a person has a problem is essential to getting beyond this cycle and acquiring help. But people who are addicts also need outside support from those they know and trust. This outside support will help them drop their bad habits and move into healthy situations.  

Twelve-Step programs are a good example of the power of this approach. Along with providing 12 concrete steps, this program offers a network of people who are also battling addiction. These people can provide positive peer pressure that can help override the factors that created a person’s addiction in the first place. 

Treatment Options for Addiction 

There are two main, broad categories for treatment of addiction. One of these is therapy based. It involves addicts talking through their problems with an individual therapist or a group of other addicts. By working together, they identify the reasons for their addictions and different strategies used for coping with it. The most common treatment approach for addiction is therapy. Talk therapy, either with a group or individually, helps a person identify the reasons for their addiction and a number of helpful strategies for escaping from addiction. 

The other common approach is drug therapy. People take a wide variety of controlled substances that help manage their cravings and reduce their need for the substance they are addicted to. Drug therapy is essential for many individuals who have a chemical dependency and would need to endure too many terrible side effects to withdraw on their own. Trusted partners like Liberty Bay Recovery offer both forms of therapy to help clients work their way out of drug addiction. 

Overcoming Stigma and Shame 

Society has been much more accepting of those with addictions in the past few decades. But that does not mean all stigma surrounding this condition has disappeared. Instead, the stigma associated with addiction is somewhat more subtle. The most obvious form of stigma appears with regard to drug tests.  

Stigma is also evident in the way we talk about people with addictions. There is still a general trend of shaming and dismissing addiction as a behavior that can easily be fixed. Addicts are seen as less trustworthy than other people and are often kept out of jobs and other responsible positions simply because of their addictions. Treatment centers and recovery centers are essential to challenge this narrative and give addicts the support they need. 

People who are suffering from addiction need to contact a helpful partner as soon as possible. They need to know that their problems will most likely not be resolved on their own. Instead, they need to work with an experienced professional and take substantial steps in order to get around other people, understand the reasons for their addiction, and start to embrace drugs and therapies that will make addiction more manageable. Only by taking these steps will addicts finally find the solace they need for their medical conditions.  

If you believe that you or someone you love might be an addict, get in touch with our caring team at Liberty Bay Recovery Center. We’re here to help you leave destructive habits behind and start a healthy, happy drug-free life.

The post How to Know If You’re an Addict appeared first on Liberty Bay Recovery Center.

Liberty Bay Retreat supports and promotes National Recovery Month at our drug and alcohol rehab center in ME. During the month of September, National Recovery Month is a time where individuals, organizations, and treatment centers create awareness about drug and alcohol addiction, dependency, and recovery. National Recovery Month 2023 is sponsored by the Abuse and Mental health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The goal of Recovery Month is to educate Americans on how to avoid addiction or get help for addiction. There are numerous services available in nearly every town across the country. We also designate September as a time to remember those who have fallen to addiction and celebrate those who have overcome dependency.  

Overcoming the Stigma of Addiction 

One of the most important issues surrounding substance abuse is overcoming the stigma surrounding addiction and treatment. Liberty Bay Retreat partners with SAMHSA to remove the stigma so that people can see more clearly to understand the benefits of recovery. Overcoming an addiction means rising above the false cultural perceptions of both drugs and rehab. Society has a way of glamorizing harmful substances while demonizing or trivializing treatment centers. During the month of September and throughout the year, we make great strides to counter the harmful stigmas created by culture.  

New Innovations in Addiction Treatment 

Every year, leading treatment specialist and researchers discover new innovations in addiction treatment. As research continues, we learn more about a wide range of methods and approaches to helping clients including:  

• Evidence-based treatment 
• Holistic treatment 
• Individual and group therapies 
• Medications for detox and withdrawal symptoms 
• Alternative approaches to traditional therapy 

• Options for outpatient treatment services 

The more we discover about addiction treatment, then the more we can personalize therapy for each individual that seeks substance abuse rehabilitation. During the month of September, addiction treatment professionals and researchers come together to share ideas and research findings. As a result, we have made great strides in the therapy community in helping others get on the road to recovery.  

How You Can Help with National Recovery Month 

If you would like to help out with National Recovery Month in your community, there are several things that you can do such as:  

• Host an event in your town or community 

• Promote any currently planned events on your website or social media page 
• Contact Liberty Bay Recovery to find out about volunteer opportunities 
• Get your friends or family involved in community events or activities 
• Reach out to someone who is suffering from addiction 

As a volunteer you can make a huge impact in your community. Liberty Bay Recovery can partner with you to help you succeed.  

Would You Like to Help? Contact Us Today 

If you are ready to roll up your sleeves and help out with National Recovery Month, then contact Liberty Bay Recovery. We offer comprehensive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Call us at 855.607.8758 to find what you can do to make Recovery Month a success.  

The post National Recovery Month  appeared first on Liberty Bay Recovery Center.

In these challenging times, most people experience stress. The difference is in how we cope with trauma and triggers. Some of us can find balance, while others compound their problems through unhealthy coping mechanisms. One of the most significant issues in the United States is the number of people using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate. In Portland, Maine, you have a place to turn to when struggling with mental health problems and substance use disorder. Liberty Bay Recovery Center provides several programs designed to get to the root of substance use disorders and get you on the path to sobriety.

Fear Responses and How They Affect Our Mental Health

Fear is at the base of many mental health issues, including PTSD. Fear and anxiety can be related to past events in our lives and triggered by similar circumstances, or they can stem from an inability to achieve balance when dealing with everyday events.

When we experience fear or anxiety, we begin to feel overwhelmed and unable to move forward freely. Sometimes, we try to escape our problems, even briefly, by turning to drugs and alcohol to relax or numb our emotions.

Just as our problems are unique, how we react to stress and traumatic events is also. Psychologists term these coping mechanisms the fight, flight or freeze response.

Often, how we respond is linked to our natural personalities and combined with learned behaviors. For example, we see how our parents and other influential figures in our lives deal with problems, and we tend to react the same way.

Fighting Your Way Through Trauma

When feeling afraid or anxious, some of us are natural fighters. When we’re in danger or feeling attacked, we might respond by confronting the problem or antagonist. The trigger can threaten our safety or a perceived slight, such as an offensive comment. However, in the fight response, the reaction is often hostility, anger, or abuse.

The pent-up hostility and anger lead to additional stress without a healthier way of coping with triggers. Eventually, it can negatively affect your mental and physical health.

Deer in the Headlights Syndrome

Have you ever been so scared or surprised by events that you froze? You feel like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car on a highway at night. You know you’re in danger, but you’re unable to react.

This is known as the freeze response to fear, and it’s very common. It happens when you experience a shock to your system that is so great that your mind cannot understand it and tells your body what to do to avoid the threat. Because of this emotional and physical paralysis, our anxiety is compounded by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy.

Fleeing From Stress

A natural response to danger or discomfort is to run away from it. This is the flight response, and it echoes how humans have dealt with danger since the dawn of our existence.

The events in our lives don’t necessarily need to be massive to send us into a downward spiral of anxiety, despair, shame, or guilt. Even one traumatic event can set the stage for continued fear-based responses in the future. In addition, a lifetime of negative events and environments, consistent patterns of unhealthy choices, or being shown ineffective coping skills can set us up for learned patterns of unhealthy reactions to trauma and stress.

Stress, Trauma, and Substance Use Disorder

How do you manage stress? For many of us, career, school, or relationship problems manifest as physical and emotional issues, such as sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and anxiety. Sometimes, we take a drink, pop a pill, or smoke a joint to deal with emotional pain.

For some, the first instinct after a traumatic event is to have a drink. We begin to feel relaxed afterward, and we might believe that we can better cope with whatever is happening around us. This practice is often mirrored in literature and film, and it teaches us to escape physical or emotional pain by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol.

Such self-medicating can lead to a vicious cycle of dealing with outside stressors by artificial means. Rather than developing the tools to manage negative life experiences, we mask our pain and anxiety with intoxicants. Doing this worsens additional problems unless we receive help, guidance, and support to resolve the underlying issues.

According to information presented by the National Library of Medicine, the rates of SUDs among historically traumatized populations, such as those living in urban centers, correlated directly with the levels of trauma suffered, whether through witnessing events like violent crime or personally experiencing them as victims.

Many study participants were victims of childhood sex abuse, domestic abuse, and other violent crimes. Of the participants in the studies:

• 8% used marijuana
• 39% used alcohol
• 1% used some form of cocaine
• 2% used heroin or other opiates

The results were even more far-reaching in a report compiled by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

The ISTSS found that:

• Between one-tenth and one-third of those recovering from an illness, accident, or violent crime reported excessive alcohol use. The greater their physical pain, the more likely they were to self-medicate.
• Up to 80% of veterans seeking treatment for PTSD also meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• Victims of sexual assault reported higher incidences of substance use disorder than those who have not experienced such attacks. This statistic was equally true for men and women represented in the report.
• Children and adolescents who have experienced sexual or physical abuse are four times more likely than their peers to develop SUDs.

Moreover, people diagnosed with PTSD are 14 times more likely to be diagnosed with alcohol or substance use disorder. Approximately 20% of those diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression also fit the criteria for AUD/SUD.

Although anyone can experience alcohol and substance use disorders, these statistics don’t mean everyone enduring prolonged stress, or trauma will develop a substance use disorder. It also depends on your background, conditioning, and the amount of support and stability in your life.

Signs of Stress/Trauma-Related Mental Health Disorders

We all have some stress in our lives. It doesn’t need to be a significant life event that brings it on, and it’s not always negative. Planning a wedding or the birth of a child are joyful events that are notoriously stressful. Having a high-pressure career can lead to a chronic state of tension. How can you tell when normal stress levels have transitioned into a full-blown mood disorder?

Johns Hopkins Medical Center lists the symptoms of mood disorders as follows:

• Persistent feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Ongoing feelings of anxiety or sadness
• Low self-esteem or feeling unworthy
• Excessive feelings of shame or guilt
• No interest in activities or things that once brought joy
• Decreased energy
• Sleep disturbances or insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss or gain
• Anger and irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Repeated thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Although chronic stress, anxiety, and depression are prevalent in our society, and many of those coping with these disorders also struggle with substance use, one of the most tenacious culprits is PTSD. This condition can be complex and long-term, often at the root of anxiety and depression.

According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of PTSD include:

• Sudden bursts of anger or irritability
• Problems sleeping, including nightmares
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of emotional numbness
• Avoiding people, places, and activities
• Reliving the trauma or having flashbacks to traumatic events

Attempts to numb the emotional pain of these symptoms often lead to using drugs or alcohol. In addition, repeated use of intoxicating substances can lead to dependence and addiction.

Dependence means that your brain and body have become accustomed to the effects of your substance of choice and need more with each use to continue achieving the desired feeling.

Symptoms of Substance Use Disorder

Whether the substance of choice is alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs, or some combination, the symptoms of substance use disorder in any form are quite similar. However, it is important to note that these symptoms can be subtle and easy to hide. Symptoms of addiction or substance misuse include:

• Preoccupation with using or finding drugs/alcohol
• Inability to control, cut down, or stop substance use
• Feelings of panic when alcohol/drugs are unavailable
• Secretive behavior and irritability when questioned about the use
• Making risky decisions while under the influence of alcohol/drugs
• Continued use despite negative consequences
• Entering dangerous situations to obtain drugs/alcohol

There are also many unhealthy behaviors that may indicate a person is struggling with substance use. Distinguishing the behavioral signs of addiction from less server issues can be difficult. Possible behavioral signs of alcohol and drug dependency can include:

• Increased absences and tardiness, declining performance, and unusual disinterest at work or school
• Disregard for personal hygiene and appearance, losing or gaining weight rapidly, decreased energy or motivation
• Avoiding, becoming secretive with, and other drastic changes in relationships with family and friends
• Sudden and unexplained financial problems or asking for money without providing an explanation
• Uncharacteristic arrests and unexpected legal problems

If you recognize these symptoms and behaviors in yourself or a loved one and want to learn more. Contact us today. Our knowledgeable and compassionate Addiction and Recovery Representatives can answer any questions and help you understand substance use disorder better.

Treating SUD and Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders

At Liberty Bay Recovery Center, we are equipped to help you or your loved one cope with substance use and mental health disorders. Our comfortable setting, compassionate staff, and various programs provide the guidance, support, and real-world skills to manage whatever life throws your way.

Recovery Treatment Programs

We offer several options for drug/alcohol rehabilitation, including:

• • Medical Detox
  • Residential and Inpatient Rehab
  • Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
  • Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Alcohol and Drug Detox/Withdrawal

The road to recovery process begins with detox and withdrawal, which can be managed with medications to ease the pain of withdrawal.

The side effects of detox, aka withdrawal symptoms, can vary depending on the type of substances used, but they generally include:

• • Insomnia
  • Mood Swings
  • Irritability
  • Intense drug or alcohol cravings
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Body aches and pain

Therapeutic Options

Each of our treatment programs includes individual and group therapy. Designed to uncover and address the root causes of addiction and any co-occurring conditions related to or worsened by substance use. Our addiction therapy services include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dual Diagnosis Treatment, Trauma Therapy, and Medication Management.

Group therapy offers peer-to-peer support and accountability. Clients can also learn new coping skills and tools to help them manage stress or trauma in the future. Medical detox is a technique that uses approved medications to ease the pain of withdrawal and prevent cravings that can lead to relapse.

Supplemental Therapies

Because holistic approaches to wellness support long-term recovery, we offer a range of supplementary therapies. Such as yoga classes and art therapy.

These practices will help you find peace and balance while you’re in the program and help you maintain balance and deal with stress when you return to the outside world.

Nutritional support in the form of healthful meals and snacks will provide a structured daily routine. This offers a way of returning to healthy habits like eating well while regaining strength.

Help Is Close at Hand

When you can cope with stress and trauma in a balanced, holistic way, you’ll unshackle yourself from self-harming behaviors. At Liberty Bay Recovery Center, we invite you to experience the power of freedom.

Contact us to learn more about our programs or arrange treatment.

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