Coming to terms with substance abuse is hard. Having the courage and strength to ask for help is an empowering step to take on behalf of yourself. We offer a life-affirming alternative from the typical treatment approach with an individualized approach specific to what you and maybe even what your family needs. You will leave our assessment process feeling seen, understood, and with a recommendation that meets your needs even if you do not know what all of your needs are when you start the process of looking for help to stop drinking or using drugs.
At Eastside Center for Family, our small-sized Intensive Outpatient Program is influenced by an evidence-based approach called Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention. Buddhist psychology is also part of our approach as we explore with you the problem in life that we all face of how to deal with personal suffering.
Why mindfulness works
Being mindful is learning how to fully attend to what’s happening in the moment, paying attention to what you’re doing and the thoughts floating by in your mind. Becoming aware of where you hold emotion in your body is part of the process to begin healing what you are numbing. It is common right now during the pandemic to resort to behaviors such as overeating, frivolous spending, binge-watching movies, and yes overdoing it with alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs all as a means of coping with the overwhelming feeling of isolation and unknown about the future.
It’s normal for our minds to run wild with the constant chatter of thoughts but those thoughts can become painful as they begin to feel overtake you and cause you to become anxious with dread, fear, and wanting to avoid people. The pain in your body, the anxiety in your mind can create impulses to self-medicate and numb, which adds to the problem of feeling overwhelmed. Once overwhelmed it can be hard to get things done and be fully present in relationships with your loved ones, friends, and colleagues. This is particularly true if you find you are waking up hungover with a muddled mind and pain in your body due to inflammation from alcohol and foods eaten when high and not getting a good night’s sleep.
Mindfulness allows you to tap into what makes you feel grounded while beginning to accept your thoughts and feelings. The problem of abusing alcohol, cannabis, or drugs is only part of the problem, there is something deeper — something more meaningful that you can no longer ignore that has to be found and worked through. As you begin to learn how to calm down the body and mind, some space for healing is opened in your mind and body and you can reach the underlying issues that fuel substance abuse problems. If you are currently struggling with substance abuse or addiction, the chances that you believe you’re worthy of self-love, self-respect, and positivity from others is low. Becoming more mindful helps you practice listening to yourself, your true needs, and to practice the self-love you deserve.
Mindfulness techniques
Learning how to give yourself space is the first step towards self-love and this is important because the more you love yourself the more you can love those who are important to you, like your children and your partner. Please know that there are options that will help you progress to a place of more peace, self-love, and competence to deal with the anxiety and depression you are trying to get away from. It may feel like others have given up on you and even that you have given up on yourself. The team at Eastside Center for Family is committed to helping you find a path that you can walk and feel comfortable with and will work with you to understand and practice the unique skills of mindfulness.
These include:
- Meditation: Learning how to ground the body and use breathing techniques that calm both the body and the mind.
- Grounding Techniques: Using different exercises to remind ourselves where we are, both physically and mentally.
- Buddhist Teachings: Buddhist psychology and philosophy offer many methods that we use to help clients overcome addiction
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT allows us to look at the thought patterns we possess and relearn the unhealthy habits and reactions we possess. This combines talk therapy, mindfulness techniques, and more.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: Based on CBT, DBT has been adapted for clients who feel their emotions in a very intense way, and allows for more group work.
Is an alternative rehab program right for me?
Our IOP program is built for those who are not getting results from traditional methods of treatment. There are many benefits to an intensive outpatient program, but it’s also important to remember that it’s not right for everyone. If you need help making the best decision for you, call us today. Intensive outpatient programs are part of a range of different treatment options. Compared to other treatment options they have the following benefits:
- Intensive Outpatient Programs are less expensive than residential treatment centers for alcohol or drug addiction, making them a more affordable option for people who need more than just therapy.
- In IOP, you can continue living at home and maintain a presence within your work, school, or community. For many, it is helpful to be surrounded by a supportive network or family and friends while undergoing intensive treatment.
- Continuing to live in the ‘real world’ may also help you make the fundamental changes in your lifestyle and relationships that may be harder to achieve in the more artificial environment of rehab.
- IOP treatment is sometimes appropriate to make the transition from inpatient treatment back to your life at home where the real work of change is put to the test with family members who may not know what you have learned and who have not yet begun their own healing process.
Get sober today
Call us for help to deal with your or your family member’s substance abuse, Eastside Center for Family will provide evidence-based techniques to put you on the path to recovery. For more information, fill out a contact form or give us a call. Start your journey today.