South Florida Detox Center Tag | Florida Coast Recovery

Art Therapy to Aid in Addiction

June 25, 2017

Creativity is like a balm for the fretful mind. It’s a healthy way to escape from and handle stress and an excellent way to explore your feelings, especially surrounding addiction and negative emotions. Even the simple act of coloring can make you feel more positive and relaxed, and that’s good for everyone, no matter where you’re starting.

In the realm of recovery, drug rehab centers are quickly realizing the benefit of specific art therapies like these within treatment.

Vision Boards

A vision board is a piece of Bristol board, cardboard, canvas, or pin board that contains the patient’s hopes, dreams, and goals, either in general life or in recovery. It serves as a reminder of what they’re working toward and what can be possible if patients stay on the path. Colorful, fun, humorous, and inspirational additions are highly encouraged, as are items like self-directed love notes, encouragement, tips, and beloved or treasured items.

Some patients keep two vision boards—the first for their recovery and the second for general life. This is a fantastic way to keep chips and ribbons where you can see them easily each day.

Personal Masks

Note: Because the process of taking a facial cast can be somewhat restrictive, this one may not be appropriate for particularly sensitive patients. Be sure to discuss the process first.

This project takes a bit more effort but can help addicts to uncover hidden emotions about themselves. It starts with taking a mold of the patient’s face with plaster gauze or air-drying clay. Lay the plaster gauze or clay in strips over the face, molding it to the patient’s unique features. Once the entire face is covered, carefully lift it off and allow it to dry.

Next, the patient draws a line down the middle of the mask. On the left side, they paint, draw, or decorate the face to represent who they were before they became addicted to drugs. On the right side is the person they became after addiction or how they see themselves in recovery.

The end result creates an excellent discussion point for a therapist and the patient that touches on everything from self-esteem to negative self-talk.

Dancing/Acting

For patients in recovery who love to dance, move, and express themselves physically, dancing or acting out skits can be an amazing way to channel positive and negative emotions. This can come in many forms; some facilities host free movement dance sessions in which patients are encouraged to express their emotions through dance, while others use the power of roleplay to inspire group growth via skits.

Patients can also use dancing to improve mood, boost motivation, and let go of stressors before turning to substances. If you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, you’ll recognize this best as Meredith’s “dance it out” moments. Research does show that even just a few minutes of dancing can boost endorphins and make us feel better about ourselves!

Addiction is one of the most common problems facing American citizens today. If you’re struggling, know that there’s no shame in reaching out for help. No one can handle addiction and recovery entirely on their own, no matter how minor or serious the addiction. Call Florida Coast Recovery today to get started on your personal growth path.

Are Rave Drugs a New Threat to Our Young Adults?

March 7, 2017

Rave drugs are not necessarily a new type of drug but, rather, common party-type drugs teens and young adults are tempted to take, especially during rave festivals. They include:

Ecstasy (Molly/MDMA)
GHB
LSD
Methamphetamines
Ketamine

Rave festivals are meant to be fun and enjoyable events. Event-goers often have a carefree and relaxed mood. They are willing to share illegal drugs with others, and, when others are asked if they want to join in, are hesitant to decline since everyone else is experimenting with various drugs.

Most raves provide access to onsite medical responders, so part of the mentality young people have, behind experimenting with drugs, is if something does go wrong there is help onsite and the risks of trying something are reduced. Unfortunately, even with onsite medical responders, fatalities still occur and have claimed the lives of many rave-goers.

According to many emergency room doctors in the Los Angeles area, which has several big rave events each year, teenagers and young adults really have no idea what they are taking or experimenting with, let alone how the drugs are going to affect their body and what reactions they might experience.

For instance, Ecstasy is easily accessible at rave events, yet there is no way to tell what is actually in the Ecstasy. It could be mixed with cocaine, methamphetamines, or other drugs, which alters its effects on the body.

Complicating matters, some young adults have the misconception and belief that if they take “pure” Ecstasy it is safer than Ecstasy which has been diluted with other drugs. This is not the case, and “pure” Ecstasy is just as dangerous.

One of the common side effects of taking Ecstasy is an increase in body temperature, reaching a fever-like state for a prolonged period of time. Increased temperatures from Ecstasy can cause comas, brain damage, seizures, and death. Many people who experience seizures and/or comas rarely recover, and most end up dying within a short period of time.

Another problem with increased body temperatures is they will cause the body’s organs to fail. Basically, prolonged temperatures of 107 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, typical with Ecstasy use, cause the organs to shut down. Young adults who have died from Ecstasy had body temperatures in this range.

Ecstasy use also causes the user to feel thirsty, so they will consume large amounts of water, often provided for free at rave festivals. As water intake increases, the body’s sodium levels drop greatly and can trigger seizures where the brain is not getting oxygen, and it leads to a coma.

Aside from Ecstasy usage, rave-goers tend to experiment with other drugs simultaneously, further increasing the risks of dangerous side effects, which are compounded for each type of drug taken.

With the rave festival season just right around the corner, it is important for teens and young adults to increase their awareness about the risks of rave drugs to avoid becoming another statistic. If you or someone you care about is struggling with drugs or alcohol, help is available through our drug and alcohol treatment programs, here at Florida Coast Recovery. Call us at 1-954-990-7101 for more information today.

Source

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-why-some-er-doctors-want-to-end-raves-in-los-angeles-county-20150810-story.html

Addiction way out problem sign. Prevention and cure addiction problem concept.

Healthy Foods to Help Detox Your Body after Drug and Alcohol Rehab

January 2, 2017

It can be difficult for a recovering teenager or young adult to admit they have a drug or alcohol addiction. Even harder is taking steps to regain your sobriety through programs available at our South Florida detox center. Even after completing a rehab program, you will still have many daily challenges to overcome—among those, developing healthy eating habits.

During your addiction period, it is not uncommon for the body to not get the proper nutrition it required. Depending upon the substance, it will affect the body in different ways. Some drugs suppress the appetite, so you may have been only eating one small meal a day.

Other drugs can result in overeating sugary, salty, and fatty foods, even though you were not really hungry. Yet other addictions can lead to various side effects after eating, like vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and so on, so that you may have given up eating food entirely just to avoid these.

Regardless of what prior eating habits you had, after taking the steps on the path to recovery you need to develop new eating habits. For teens and young adults leading a new sober lifestyle, it can be difficult, especially with the temptation of fast food chains. Do not despair and think your only healthy food options are going to be salads and veggies, as there is a wide array of foods to choose from. You will surely find something you enjoy.

Proteins

Your body will need plenty of proteins to help repair the damage caused by your addiction. Proteins come in a wide array of options, including:

Tofu
Tempeh
Seitan
Beans
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
Nuts
Seeds
Fish
Meat
Eggs

Just remember to choose lean cuts of meats and good nuts like peanuts and almonds. There is now a big selection of plant-based proteins found in most grocery stores.

Healthy Oils

The body will also need healthy oils, like the Omega-3s found in fish. If you do not like fish, then other options are to use olive oil in place of butter or margarine, eat ground flax seeds or chia seeds, or take an Omega-3 supplement.

Dietary Fiber

Fiber is found in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, as well as in whole grains, and are vital to help repair any damage to the gastrointestinal and digestive systems. Choose your favorites and make them a part of your meals, sandwiches, or snacks.

Foods to Avoid

There are certain foods you will want to definitely avoid after rehab treatment, as they could prevent the body from getting the nutrition it needs, including caffeine, artificial ingredients, fried and fatty foods, and processed sugars.

Adjusting to a new and healthy diet is not something that should be done drastically. Rather, you want to slowly make adjustments to your eating habits once you have been sober for at least a month. It is okay to make small changes during the first 30-days, but, essentially, your focus should be on staying sober. For assistance and support in leading a healthy and sober lifestyle, do not hesitate to call Florida Coast Recovery at 1-954-990-7101 now!