5 Signs You May Have An Addiction Problem — Even If It Doesn't Feel Like It

Addiction comes in many forms. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Addiction looms over more people than you might realize.

In 2016, the US surgeon general determined that one in seven Americans will face substance addiction— meaning they will become addicted to using a substance at some point in their lives. That statistic doesn't account for those who could become unhealthily addicted to other things like exercise, food, or social media use.

The reality is an addiction doesn't have to be illegal for it to be detrimental to your health, and that's where some may choose to overlook something as a simple habit.

Here are some signs to watch out for to help you recognize an addiction.

Your priorities shift.

Even if you can't support your habit, you keep doing it. Thomson Reuters

If a substance or habit suddenly occupies the number one slot on your priority list, regardless of any consequences it may have on you or your inability to support it (financially or otherwise), it could become an addiction.

"You can determine importance not only by how much you're doing it but also by how much you're not doing other things," Psychology Today reported.

You ignore warning signs.

You might ignore that your exercising habits are making you exhausted. Gero Breloer/AP

People with addiction may notice the occurrence of negative side effects as the result of their use or addiction-related actions, but they choose to ignore them.

For example, someone who is addicted to exercise may notice they're experiencing extreme fatigue after burning more calories than they have consumed in a day but will continue to undergo extreme workouts despite those feelings.

You avoid social situations that don't involve your addiction.

You start making excuses for not seeing friends. Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

Often times, people with addiction will alienate themselves from social situations in which they aren't able to pursue their addiction — as a result, they might start to make up excuses. If you find yourself skipping out on a necessary chat with a friend because she wants to meet up at a non-smoking bar, your addiction to smoking might be overshadowing other needs.

You're willing to take risks and make unreasonable sacrifices.

Those who struggle with drug addiction could have brains that are wired differently. Pexels

Suddenly, your addiction is the only thing that matters, and you're willing to go to extreme lengths to fulfill it, even if those lengths are risky and unwarranted. The brains of those who struggle with drug abuse may be wired in a way that finds a good reason to take risks. A report published by Science Daily suggests why that might be the case.

People struggling with drug abuse "have very strong motivation to seek out 'rewards,'" the report reads. "They exhibit an impaired ability to adjust their behavior and are less fulfilled once they have achieved what they desire," which is why they tend to take risks that others may deem unnecessary and dangerous.

You build up a tolerance and can experience withdrawal symptoms.

You might experience withdrawal signs like shaking and nausea.

These signs pertain largely to substance addiction, including addiction to food. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), tolerance builds up when "a person's body adapts to a substance to the point that they need more and more of it in order to have the same reaction."

Withdrawal symptoms can include any feelings or sickness that occur as a result of not fulfilling an addiction. Anxiety, shaking, jumpiness, sweating, nausea, and vomiting are a few of many examples, according to the NCADD.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don't hesitate to contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national helpline for support.

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Neurofeedback and Young Adults

The clinical professionals at the Claudia Black Young Adult Center at The Meadows understand the enormous complexity of how the human brain functions in young adults, aged 18-26. Addictions, psychological trauma, and certain mood disorders often surface during this time period in a person’s life and may be connected to the presence of a dysregulated brain stem. In recognizing this crucial aspect of recovery, we utilize proven treatments to help regulate our patients throughout the healing process, which allows them to embrace long-term recovery.

Neurofeedback (NFB) is an integral part of our treatment plan and the core of our onsite Brain Center at the Claudia Black Center. In our Brain Center, our young adults have access to the latest and most efficient technology designed to promote “self-regulation” skills that can enhance and expedite the recovery process. Neurofeedback provides the patient with an opportunity to observe and influence the activity of their brain through practice and feedback. Both the addicted patient and those with a trauma history learn to self-regulate and develop a feeling of internal control and a sense of safety. Additionally, patients with ADHD learn how to produce the brain wave patterns associated with focusing, which cause the symptoms of impulsivity and distractibility to lessen.

Because of life stress, the brain creates unhealthy patterns that influence people’s everyday lives. With neurofeedback, individuals can reestablish healthier brain wave patterns that decrease anxiety, lessen depression, lessen emotional reactivity, and increase healthy emotional responses, improve mood, enhance learning, strengthen concentration, gain more restful sleep, lessen negative self-talk and increase self-esteem. In essence, neurofeedback is brain wave training and a means to overcome conditions and habits that interfere with everyday life. For neurofeedback to be effective, a minimum of 8 sessions and ideally 10 or more are required.

Once a young adult has completed the intake process at the Claudia Black Center, a brain mapping assessment is performed. During the brain mapping assessment, electrodes are placed on the patient's scalp to monitor brain activity for a short period of time. The data obtained from the electrodes provides a detailed brain map of the patient's brain waves and the specific locations of activity in the brain. This process takes a total of four minutes; one minute each for the first 3 mini mappings with eyes open and one minute for the last mini mapping with the eyes closed. This gives better insight into how the brain functions during different states of arousal.

Neurofeedback treatment follows the initial brain mapping assessment. During the session, which is typically 6-12 minutes, electrodes are applied to the client's scalp to collect brain wave data. Brain waves are translated into images and sounds via a specific computer. As patients watch their brain pattern on a monitor, they can begin to regulate the Alpha, Beta, and Theta waves with the use of breath, positive self-talk, and being present with a soft focus. Concepts are also suggested to the patient to think about to show the changes in brain activity. When certain thoughts arise or when feeling stress, the suggestions are then provided to help change brain wave activity. This teaches the patient skills to regulate the brain stem on his or her own outside of the neurofeedback session.

Sarah, a patient at the Claudia Black Center, came to treatment for substance abuse, depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidal ideation and she was experiencing horrific nightmares. After 14 neurofeedback sessions, Sarah’s nightmares were gone and she was sleeping well. Her affect was brighter and her self-esteem clearly improved. This was demonstrated by how she carried her body, how she dressed, and her interaction with peers. Sarah was so excited about her neurofeedback that when her parents came for family week, she made a point of bringing them to the Brain Center to see the neurofeedback machine and to meet me.

Jon, another patient, was in treatment for substance abuse, predominantly alcohol and marijuana, and co-occurring depression. He, like most of the young adults at the Claudia Black Center, was struggling with poor self-esteem. He felt overwhelming guilt and shame about never being good enough: not manly enough to receive his father’s love. Jon was stuck in his obsessive negative self-talk. To help him, I implemented a protocol specifically for issues with self-esteem and being stuck. I used a neurofeedback game called “variable-dot mazes” which, in essence, is like Pac-Man. Jon’s Pac-Man was not moving, he was stuck, but as he started using positive affirmations of his self, Pac-Man began to cruise. We kept that protocol up for his last 5 sessions with excellent results. When he left after 10 sessions, he had reduced his Theta and Beta waves and increased his Alpha waves. Neurofeedback helped him feel better about himself; feel more empowered and helped him recognize that he had choices.

Neurofeedback is an incredible asset to the treatment process and allows patients to maintain a strong, clear mindful intention for their desired outcome.

Written by Simone Mays, Neurofeedback Technician

Claudia Black Young Adult Center

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The Role of Community in a Treatment Setting

Nothing is more important in life than the connections we make with others. In recovery, having a tribe of people you can count on when things are both good and bad, is imperative for all ages.

For young adults, developmentally it is still their peers who have the strongest influence on them. This makes the need to cultivate a sense of community within their treatment setting vital.

At the Claudia Black Young Adult Center, our clients’ age group (18 – 26) the intentional use of community allows this aspect of their development to be utilized in a positive manner.

Community is built into the daily structure at the Claudia Black Young Adult Center; in fact, it’s the heart of the program. It begins upon admission with peer mentorship. An individual who has been in the program for a significant amount of time is designated to be the peer buddy for the newcomer. This person helps the newcomer become familiar with the geography of the program, and to allay any fears of being in treatment.

Community meetings occur each morning as peers and staff come together to share feelings, express gratitude, and set intentions for the day.

The evening Tenth Step gratitude meeting is the last group of the day in which they have the opportunity to engage in inward reflection, own behaviors that were harmful, and make self-amends or amends to peers within the support of the group. They often express gratitude citing healthy recovery risks they took that day, and acknowledge their peers, staff, and family.

Daily Opportunities

Our young adults come to treatment emotionally isolated and disconnected, with severe self-loathing and the belief that no one will ever see any value in them. Consequently, realizing their value and worth often stems from their connections with others with a similar history.

This can be seen in the case of Cassie. Cassie enters treatment agoraphobic, depressed, has urges to self-harm, and is afraid to come out of her room let alone attend group. She is adamant that she is in the wrong treatment setting. The staff invites the female community at the Claudia Black Center to hold a group meeting in her room to talk about their own fears of coming to treatment. As a result, Cassie feels less fearful, not so alone, and realizes that the other girls have huge fears too and later that evening she attends her first group and decides to stay in treatment. The girls that created this safe setting for Cassie also have their own experience of practicing a twelfth step, often for the first time.

Another example is that of Riley who spends the first two weeks in treatment telling his peers how he isn’t sure why he needs to be there despite his use of cocaine and marijuana which is threatening his college sports scholarship. Riley also distinguishes himself differently from so many others professing he comes from the “perfect” family with a story to match it. The group has witnessed him ignoring program policy by using a cell phone and sneaking visitors on campus after hours. In a regular morning community meeting, several of his male peers tell him how his behavior not only impacts his recovery but theirs as well. This use of community is a major influence in disrupting Riley’s denial and lack of accountability. As a result, Riley owned the many rules he was breaking, made amends to his peers, became tearful and revealed his father, in fact, was in prison and he had not had contact with his mother in months and she did not even know he was in treatment. The community responded by extending their hands to Riley and his roommate shared, “It’s nice to finally meet you, Riley.” Community helps our young people to not feel alone in their experience and to realize that many of their peers in the group have felt the same way.

Then there is Sam. Sam is scared to invite his dad to family week. His peers know this, and he asks a couple of the guys if they would come and sit next to him when he makes the call to his dad. Those guys told several others, and as Sam calls his dad he is surrounded with love, compassion, and the strength of his peers.

Community through Service

Community is also about having a sense of purpose larger than ones’ self and providing the opportunity to be of service to the outside community. We offer multiple opportunities for our young adults to give of themselves to those who are in need and less fortunate. On a monthly basis, a group of the Claudia Black Center’s young adults will go to a nearby city to participate in the preparation and feeding of over 500 homeless on a given night. When there are community activities such as the annual Easter Egg Hunt or Christmas giveaways for disadvantaged children in the local community the young adults are quickly asked to participate having already demonstrated their eagerness to participate. The experiences are most often humbling and they find it an honor to be of service. Such community service offers a different perspective on their own challenges, which fuels their gratitude for their own blessings.

In reality, at the Claudia Black Young Adult Center, we are creating a community that allows our young people to work through various challenges in treatment, which prepares them for the same challenges in which they will be confronted with on the outside.

Written by Sonia Buchanan

Originally published: http://recoverycampus.com/role-community-treatment-setting/

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The Magic of Sand Tray

Sandtray therapy is a valued medium I use to help young adults who are trauma survivors and/or are struggling with addiction. At the Claudia Black Young Adult Center I use it with clients with early childhood complex trauma, those with attachment disruption often associated with adoption histories, those with dissociative symptoms, or major traumatic events such as sexual assaults, nightmares, and polarities around addiction. Certainly, family dynamics can be explored with this medium. For the client who is showing resistance, has poor verbal skills and/or social relational difficulties it is really useful as the sand tray becomes both a visual and a sensory tactile experience creating the ability to go deeper within and regain an internalized sense of control and safety.

The tray is a blank canvas in which the clients’ world is displayed through the use of miniature figures, which could be mythical protective figures, spiritual figures, family figures, animals, vegetation, fences, bridges, and addiction paraphernalia. The client leads the session, mindfully arranges the figures and then adds words to the story. The agitated lower brain is being calmed through tactile stimuli which are interpreted by the limbic system. This results in left and right brain integration, new neural pathways, greater nervous system regulation, less anxiety, and a stronger sense of safety.

The very touch of the sand activates the brain in that sensations travel to the prefrontal cortex which makes sense of tactile input. Both the sand and the blue color in the box trigger neurotransmitters to calm the entire body, lowering blood pressure, slowing down pulse rate and providing a greater ability to handle threatening material. All of this lessens the flight/fight response that the client is often experiencing on an ongoing basis.

Let me tell you about Emily who was attacked while hiking, raped by three men and left in the woods. Her life fell apart. She couldn’t handle the daily functions of life let alone perform at work or engage with others socially. Using the sand tray was key to beginning her trauma work. Her hypervigilance and over-arousal state were so significant she couldn’t sit with herself or with others. She was over-aroused by the tools of EMDR and was extremely dissociative.

The first session is all about creating a safe scene of what it would be like to have the sensation of calmness and safety. Safe scenes in the tray will be filled with protectors, helpers, and resources. When Emily was done, we took a picture of her sand tray, and she was to post it in her room, and also carry a picture of it wherever she was on campus. I wanted her to have this sense of safety available to her at all times.

In future sessions, once she felt that safety was on board, she started to slowly bring in details of the event to the sand tray. While she cannot change the experience, with the metaphorical figures, she can create a new internal story building resilience and empowerment. By projecting onto the tray, Emily also creates enough therapeutic distance to move into a deeper emotional state where it then becomes tolerable to release stored body energy. It is here I now use the tools of somatic experiencing therapy to release the energy, weaving somatic experiencing work with sand tray.

After four sessions using the sand tray, Emily no longer avoided eye contact, held her head down, or looked defeated and scared. Her body now had a stance of power. New beliefs about the event and herself emerged as she articulated “it’s over now…I can move forward….I am okay.” Given the nature of the trauma, Emily would need continued therapy, but she now has enough resources on board to move forward with more trauma work and the ability to use a wider range of mediums.

As a therapist being able to use mediums such as the Sandtray with trauma survivors, I get to witness the miracles of transformation.

Heidi Kaminski, MSW, LCSW is a trauma therapist at the Claudia Black Young Adult Center. While trauma-informed care is pervasive throughout the program in groups and individual sessions, clients see Ms. Kaminski specifically when they can benefit from EMDR, SE, and focused work on traumas utilizing mediums such as the Sandtray and Expressive Arts. Heidi Kaminski also has a private practice located in Peoria, Arizona.

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Webinar Recap: Addiction Interaction Explained

Dr. Erica Sarr, primary therapist at Gentle Path at The Meadows, facilitated an educational webinar titled Addiction Interaction in Young Adults: Drugs, Sex & Tech for clinical professionals August 24, 2017. Dr. Sarr, who specializes in the intersection of sexuality, mental health, and technology, touched on topics such as porn use in young adults, gaming addictions, drug abuse, and age normative behaviors for young adults during the 45-minute presentation.

In the following excerpt from the webinar, Dr. Sarr explains Dr. Patrick Carnes’ Addiction Interaction black hole. Addiction interactions can occur between chemicals such as alcohol and drugs or between process addictions such as sex addiction and food/eating issues.

In the full video, Dr. Sarr describes the addiction interaction between drugs, sex, and technology as we have seen it play out in patients at the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare family of specialized treatment programs.

To view the full recording of the webinar go to https://youtu.be/-BZjKV5onmw.

Meadows Behavioral Healthcare has made a commitment to offering a series of webinars designed for working professionals. The short courses offer real-world applicable knowledge clinical professionals can use in their work with patients struggling with addiction, trauma, and co-occurring conditions. Webinars are presented during the lunch hour and provide professional development opportunities while earning continuing education credit or NBCC clock hour for attendance.

To receive notification of future webinars offered by Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, sign up here.

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