Tag: addiction awareness

Man with cloud of cigarette smoke wondering if he is addicted to something.

How Do I Know If I Am Addicted to Something?

People can enjoy many pleasurable activities in a healthy way that does not cross the threshold of addiction. However, sometimes the line between healthy enjoyment of an activity and developing an addiction to it can be crossed without someone even realizing it.

What Is an Addiction?

The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a chronic disease that impacts the brain’s motivation, reward, and memory functions. A person with an addiction will feel as though they crave that substance—and may even ignore other areas of their life in order to fulfill their desires and support their addiction.

What Are Some Typical Signs of Addiction?

While addiction may be hard to recognize at first, there are some indicators of addiction that everyone should be aware. This may help you notice it as soon as possible in order to turn it around. Some signs of addiction include:

  • An inability to stop engaging in a behavior or using a substance
  • Lack of control
  • Decreased socialization and neglecting relationships
  • Ignoring risk factors, such as sharing needles even though there could be severe health consequences to doing so
  • Physical effects, such as experiencing withdrawal symptoms

For someone with an addiction, it can be challenging to recognize that the addiction exists and take steps to overcome it. Many addicts will continue to find ways to continue and justify their behavior. It can be beneficial and even life-changing for supportive people in their lives to get them help if they begin noticing these signs of addiction.

Tharros House Sober Living Home

Tharros House is a sober living home that can be found in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Sober living homes are an excellent option for people who have gotten sober and wish to maintain their sobriety and live among other sober individuals. Contact us today at Tharros House in order to learn more about how we can help you continue and strengthen your sobriety.

identification with addiction smoking Boston Massachusetts

Identification with Addition

For those recently working toward recovery from an addiction, this process may involve a change in identity, meaning a change in how a person views themselves. During recovery, the former addict will need to change their mindset and stop viewing themselves as an addict. They will need to develop a different, more positive self-identity.

The Social Identity Model of Recovery

The social identity model of recovery involves the concept of changing a person’s identity from someone who is actively addicted to or using substances to someone who is in recovery. When a person develops a substance abuse disorder, they tend to lose their existing social identity—a good parent, a good friend, etc.—as their identity becomes more about being an addict to one or more substances. Under this approach to recovery, it is thought that regaining or restoring a person’s lost social identity may give them the motivation necessary to continue with their transition to sobriety and recovery.

Studies have shown that this change in identity is an important aspect of achieving a successful outcome. This positive identity change tends to have a better chance of occurring if the individual is involved with a network or social group that includes other individuals in recovery. This is one of the reasons that sober living homes are an excellent approach to maintaining sobriety in recovery.

Discovering a New Personal Identity

When a former addict begins the long road to recovery, it often includes a change in identification, as well as a shift in their former mindset. It can be challenging to work toward restoring your former identity. A sober living home can help someone at this stage in their recovery maintain their sobriety and continue working on their self-identity and other important aspects of the recovery process. Contact us today at The Tharros House to learn more about what we have to offer.

Addiction Boston Massachusetts

Addiction Can Change Forms

When most people think of the word addiction, they think of alcohol or drugs. However, there are many other addictions out there. One example is an addiction to food. It is important to realize that if a person has an addiction to one substance, as it is possible for their addiction to change forms.

For example, while cutting back on drinking alcohol, a person who was suffering from an alcohol addiction may find that they have now become addicted to food. Someone with an addiction to food may develop an addiction to smoking cigarettes when they attempt to work on healthy eating habits. There are many ways that addiction can change forms, so it is something that is important to keep in mind during the recovery process.

How Is It Possible for Addiction to Change Forms?

When you consume or use a substance that you are addicted to, it results in a release of dopamine in your brain. The release of dopamine gives you a pleasant feeling, which further fuels the addiction since you consciously or subconsciously will seek to replicate that feeling.

When you stop consuming or using the substance that you had been addicted to, you may still seek out that familiar dopamine release. Unfortunately, the addiction cycle may begin again, this time with something else. However, the good news is that you can use the skills and knowledge you learned while working past your first addiction to stop another one from forming. When you start to notice the signs of addiction, you can use what you have learned to end the addiction before it begins.

The Tharros House is a sober living home for men located in Massachusetts. While living in a sober home, you can learn skills and coping methods that can help you successfully face relapses of any kind in the future.

man in backpack thinking about addiction recovery programs

Types of Addiction Recovery Programs

There are many different types of addiction recovery programs out there.  For someone who is working to recover from an addiction, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the different programs in order to choose the best option for their individual needs.  A few of the addiction recovery programs available are explained below.

Alcohol Anonymous: This program is a 12-step program that provides support and guidance in the form of a support group for the recovering addict as well as their family and loved ones.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT):  Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been shown to be effective at using an understanding of how thoughts influence behavior and emotions to manage addiction.  It also works to change the underlying thoughts of an individual that contribute to the maintenance of the addiction.

Detoxification (Detox): A detox program involves a patient going through the withdrawal process being monitored and treated with necessary medications in order to manage the symptoms that occur during withdrawal.  A detox can be done on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  This is not a complete type of treatment and should be followed up with additional treatment methods.

Family Therapy:  Family therapy involves a therapeutic approach that takes into account the recovering addict’s family’s strengths and resources in order to help the individual live their life without the use of alcohol or drugs.  This method seeks to reduce the consequences of addiction on both the substance abuser and their family.

Group Therapy: Group therapy uses a group setting to provide positive peer-to-peer support and assistance and coping techniques.  This type of therapy can be more cost-effective than others.  Group therapy is often used in inpatient and outpatient facilities in addition to individualized therapy treatments.

These are just a few of the many addiction treatment methods out there.  Each person going through the recovery process will need to weigh their options and choose the best method for their own recovery.

Addiction Treatment on Doctor's Tablet

Addiction Treatment

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It’s easy to get confused about addiction treatment, particularly for those who are new to the process.  There are many resources, including addiction counseling, addiction therapy, addiction articles, addiction groups, and addiction centers or recovery centers.  There are 3 main stages to the recovery process, which is a good place to start.

Addiction Treatment Stages

Addiction treatment can be broadly categorized in 3 different stages: Detox, inpatient or residential treatment, and aftercare or continuing care.

Detox is the process of freeing the body from the substance and physical addiction.  In most cases, it’s highly recommended to have a medically supervised detox, which means that you’re entering a detox center.  Depending upon the drug and individual’s use history, this process can range from 3 days to a week, or longer.  While some detox centers will introduce some information about recovery, their primary purpose is to detoxify the body, not to treat addiction behavior.

Inpatient or residential treatment is what people commonly refer to as a treatment center or addiction rehab.  Some centers are in hospitals (inpatient) while others are in a residential environment (residential).  Both require patients to stay overnight at the facility and treatment programs range usually from 2 weeks to 3 months, or more.  During this period, patients undergo various forms of therapeutic intervention which can include both individual and group therapies.  The goal is to provide the patient with a foundation of recovery knowledge so that they may continue the process after this initial treatment period.

Aftercare or continuing care is what happens after leaving an overnight program.  This may include some form of structured transitional living (sober living), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), individual therapy, group therapy, and recovery fellowships like AA or NA.  Essentially, aftercare includes everything you do after you leave the treatment center in order to continue your recovery work.

Addiction Services

When someone goes into a treatment facility, they are provided a number of treatment services.  After leaving this intensive treatment environment, it’s important to connect with local services where he or she can continue recovery while transitioning to a sober lifestyle.  Many treatment centers will help find these resource, which are geared to help prevent addiction relapse.

Sober Living is an Addiction Recovery Residence

A sober living, sober house, or recovery residence, is a place designed to provide a safe and supportive community while transitioning from a treatment center.  While many sober living environments accept a multitude of clients with various recovery experiences, most high standard homes will require that every client has undergone some form of primary treatment for addiction.  These homes are designed to provide support and there is a broad spectrum to what they offer.  At Tharros House in Lexington, we offer a highly supportive and structured environment where clients attend morning meetings, participate in sober activities, group equine therapy, and learn life skills through events like our cooking classes.  Tharros House also offers case management to ensure that each client is connected with excellent addiction services and support programs.

Where should I start

At Tharros House, I get many calls from family members of those in an active addiction.  While they are looking to us for their solution, we don’t provide the services that are offered in the first two stages, detox and inpatient or residential treatment.   There are many great treatment centers throughout the United States, many of which cater to a particular kind of client or form of treatment.  Some are 12 step based, others use alternative treatment modalities.

While we are not affiliated with any addiction treatment program, below are some which we recommend for detox and/or addiction treatment.  Please give us a call if you have questions about Tharros House or where to start.  We will be happy to share some resources which may helpful for your particular situation.   You can reach Tharros House at 617-697-1218.

Serenity at Summit (Haverhill, MA)

McLean Fernside (Princeton, MA) and Borden Cottage (Camden, Maine)

McLean Hospital (Belmont MA)

Mountainside Treatment Center (Cannan, CT)

Spring Hill by Sunspire Health (Ashby, MA)

New England Recovery Center (Marlboro, MA)