Category: Alternative Treatment

The Question of the Future of Recovery. Just about anyone who is new to recovery wonders how they will ever be able to go the rest of their lives without indulging in some kind of substance. I could not imagine how I was going to spend the rest of my life without drinking at some point. In my early experiences in 12 step meetings (something I am do not do anymore) I heard people talk about deceased “old-timers” and how he or she died sober. I thought that sounded like the most dismal thought I could think of.

The Idea Of Forever

The first thing I had to do was dispense with this idea of “forever”. We cannot even conceive of what this means in the first place. The rest of my life is completely abstract and unknowable. In my earliest days and weeks in recovery I focused on the smallest form of the present tense I could conjure. If that meant breaking life into one hour increments, then that was the way it had to be.

One Day At A Time

I know this sounds like the AA slogan of “one day at a time”. But it was really a coping mechanism. It is something I learned from working with mindfulness meditation ideas, and this I learned from another person who had been sober much longer than I. I found that the need to manage, or attempt to manage, things that were beyond me was something that drove my desire to drink and use drugs. As I learned to let go of this micro-managing of the unknown, I became calmer more generally.

Little by little I stopped thinking about not drinking for the rest of my life. In fact, I got to a point where I told myself that the day may come when I do drink. It just will not be today. I was sure of that much. And in the earliest days of recovery I knew I could promise myself I would not drink in the next two hours.

Illusion of Control

Letting go of the illusion of control is a central feature of mindfulness and it has been a crucial practice in staying sober. Mindfulness training teaches us to allow thoughts and feelings to come to us without assigning judgment to these thoughts and feelings. This necessarily means releasing the notion that I can control things that have not even happened yet. I could certainly point to a lot of bad outcomes form my past. But I had no real knowledge of my future.

Future of Recovery

Taking on ideas which involve managing long-term prospects over which I have little to no control is defeating. This is actually defeating to anyone. It is lethal to someone with a substance abuse problem. With several years of sobriety behind me now. I have learned to dismiss these notions of “forever” and “the rest of my life”. I do not know what those things even mean. Again, I am confident that I will not drink or use drugs today. This allows me to just seem myself as a recovering person rather than someone who needs to fight off the desire to drink every day.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

The Art of the Apology – Make Amends: This is part-two of a two-part series.

You Recognize That You Need To Repair Broken Relationships

Usually, when people get into recovery, they feel the most regret over the way they treated people. Whether they stole from family members, cheated on a spouse, disappointed their children, or behaved badly toward an employer; broken relationships are an unfortunate result of addictive behavior.

The good news is, most damaged relationships can be repaired. Sure, it will take awhile to regain trust, establish healthy boundaries, and find healing with the people you hurt or wronged in your relationships, but it can be done. Knowing this may help you overcome at least a little bit of shame in the early days of sobriety, which can bring you some immediate relief.

Preparing To Offer A Sincere Apology

Most people who have been hurt by an addict want to have their feelings validated. They want the person who has harmed them to acknowledge what they did wrong, offer a sincere apology, right the wrong if at all possible, and never do the same thing again.

While your guilt may drive you to want to immediately run to the people you have harmed, throw yourselves at their feet, and beg for mercy; this is not a good idea. Apologizing is an art. It should not be taken lightly and you should not approach it as some insignificant opportunity to absolve yourself so you can feel better. It is a sacred chance to reestablish your credibility in the eyes of the people who matter to you.

There should be some preparation when you are getting ready to make an apology to people you have hurt. This often includes mailing a heartfelt letter to someone admitting what you did wrong and telling them how you plan to fix it. Or, it could involve you inviting someone out to a meal (with you picking up the check) and talking to them face-to-face. Apologizes should not be conducted over text, email, or social media.  

Make Amends To The People Who Matter Most

Making a true amends to someone is not just about saying the words “I am sorry”. It is about becoming willing to right whatever wrong you are guilty of. For example, if you stole money from someone, you should pay them back. If you caused damage to someone’s property, you should offer to reimburse them for it. It is important to recognize, though, that making a financial amends is actually rather easy. Matters of the heart are another thing altogether.

If you hurt someone in a way that cannot be measured in dollars and cents, you need to let the wronged person know that you would like to make amends to them. Tell them you don’t have the first idea about how to do that and ask them for guidance. They will surely offer it to you. They will tell you how you can help them heal.

Stay Committed To Living Life As The New You

The best apology you can make to someone you have harmed is changed behavior. If you keep repeating the same mistakes, the people in your life will stop trusting you altogether and they will lose faith in you. You don’t want that to happen. Stay on the right path and do the next right thing. This is the greatest way to heal broken relationships.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment. 

The Art of The Apology: This is part-one of a two-part series.

When You Get Into Recovery, You May Have A Lot To Feel Sorry For

Usually, by the time you get into recovery for a substance abuse problem or behavioral addiction, you have done a lot of things you regret. You may have stolen to support your habit, lied to the people you love the most, cheated people in your business dealings, or made any number of other choices that were less than admirable. Addiction can cause you to violate the values you hold most dear in order to get more of whatever you are hooked on.

In fact, it is often the profound violation of personal values that drives people to get into recovery in the first place. Many people realize they need help because they become someone they no longer recognize when they were using drugs or alcohol, gambling excessively, shopping compulsively, or engaged in a sexual addiction. As much as they may have wanted to stop doing the “bad” things they were doing. They simply could not stop themselves because they did what they had to do to get the next fix.

If you have recently entered the recovery process, we want to congratulate you on your bold step toward a new life. Admitting that you need help requires great strength and courage. However; we recognize that you probably need a lot more than just a simple congratulations from us right now.

The Apology: After Months or Years of Dishonest Behavior, You May Feel Shame and Guilt

When you get sober, you might suddenly find that you are consumed with guilt over the things you did while you were addicted. This is very common for people who regain their sanity after being engaged in the insane cycle of addiction for a prolonged period of time. Being dishonest in your dealings with others for months or even years at a time may have left you feeling bad about yourself.

Although it may be uncomfortable, this is a good sign. When your brain chemistry experiences changes caused by addiction, you lose touch with your conscience. You can justify and rationalize all kinds of outlandish behavior in the name of going on a binge. No matter what your substance or behavior of choice might have been. However; when you sober up – it all comes crashing down around you.  

Feeling shame and guilt means you feel genuine remorse for the way you behaved in the past. You sincerely regret the way you treated people and you wish you could go back and make a different choice. Unfortunately, you know just as well as we do that you can’t change the past. What you can do is apologize for your mistakes both in words and in deed.

Be sure to read The Art of the Apology: Part Two

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Treatment Assessment. 

At DARA Thailand, We Want You To Know We’re Here To Help

Are you coming to terms with the fact that you may need help for a substance abuse problem? If you are finally getting real about your addiction and stepping out of denial, you have taken your first step on your exciting recovery journey. Be hopeful! You are on your way toward wholeness and healing. After all, you simply cannot fix a problem unless you first know that it exists.

You have probably wrestled with this decision for quite some time. Asking for help is difficult for most people – but this is especially true for those who have a substance abuse problem. No one wants to admit to themselves that they can’t handle their drug or alcohol use.

However; we want you to know that there is absolutely no shame in getting help for an addiction to drugs or alcohol. You cannot overcome this problem on your own. We are here to help.    

DARA Thailand Delivers Results In A Resort-Style Setting At A Price You Can Afford

At this point, you may be considering checking yourself into a rehab to get help. You may have tried to quit using drugs or alcohol on your own many times – only to discover that you simply cannot stop on your own.

If you are thinking about getting rehabilitation, you want to make an informed decision. There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to substance abuse treatment. Most places make elaborate promises about what they will do for you, but they don’t deliver. At DARA Thailand, we deliver on our promises.  

Here are ten reasons why DARA Thailand is the best choice for in-patient substance abuse treatment:

1. DARA is fully licensed and accredited.
2. We do not promote the 12-Step philosophy. We offer proven, evidence-based methods that focus on changing negative thought and behavior patterns.
3. DARA is located on the stunning island of Koh Chang. Ours is a resort-style facility where you will have your own private quarters and luxury amenities.
4. We offer you the services of a physical trainer and promote physical exercise into our treatment programs We will teach you about the mind-body connection.
5. You will receive one-on-one counseling sessions to address all of your personal needs.
6. We have an outstanding team of addiction experts and mental health professionals who live right here in Thailand.
7. You will enjoy amazing gourmet meals prepared by some of Thailand’s finest chefs. Meals are included in our package price.
8. You will receive regular Thai massages that relax the mind, body, and soul.
9. You will participate in super fun activities like elephant trekking, yoga, and Thai cooking classes.
10. We are a very affordable luxury rehabilitation center and we accept insurance from some of the world’s most common providers.

Don’t Delay, Call DARA Thailand And Get The Help You Need

If you are ready to get help for your addiction, please contact us today. We are available 24/7 to take your call and prepare for your arrival.

Sleep Problems, Disorders and Addiction. It is estimated that people with a substance abuse disorder are five to ten times more likely to develop a sleep disorder. To complicate this, one of the most basic elements of a healthy recovery program is proper sleep. We are told repeatedly to avoid becoming hungry, angry, and tired. These simple problems seem to be at the root of the much more complex problems which lead to relapse. Yet, sleep can be elusive especially in early recovery.

Key Issues With Substance Abuse Disorders

For many people, sleep problems are at the root of their substance abuse problems. In one research study, 46% of the patients in their study reported using drugs or alcohol to self-medicated because of problems with sleeping. Sleep disorders underpin substance abuse and they become complicated by substance abuse.

The key issue we run into with substance abuse disorders is that chemical alterations in our sleep patterns inevitably lead to sleep disorders. By artificially altering natural sleep patterns, we interrupt the body’s rhythm toward proper sleep. Over time it can be impossible to sleep without the help of substances.

It would seem logical that by removing drugs and alcohol that our bodies would naturally go back to a natural cycle of sleep. But the opposite is the case. After prolonged periods of drug or alcohol use. Sleep patterns can become so drastically altered that severe sleep disorders are the result. Most people who have been through drug and alcohol rehab can attest to this. Sleep can be sporadic. Insomnia is common. Nightmares are also common. It takes time to get back to a natural sleep pattern. Sleep disorders are extremely common in early recovery.

Alarming Studies Show High Rates Of Relapse From Sleep Problems

The most alarming aspect of this is that sleep problems are a serious trigger for relapse. Several studies have shown that as many as 62% of people in recovery for alcohol use disorder relapsed within 12 weeks due to severe sleep problems. While treatment professionals constantly stress the importance of sleep for proper recovery. Sleep can become the main stumbling block for sustained sobriety.

Doctors and other treatment professional have been reluctant to treat sleep disorder with pharmaceuticals for obvious reasons. Many of the drugs currently available for sleep problems are themselves addictive and may precipitate relapse back to the substances patients are trying to stop using. It is a dangerous predicament.

The light in this otherwise gloomy picture is that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be extremely effective in re-establishing normal sleep pattern for people in recovery. By working with counselors in a program which includes CBT most patients were able to begin sleeping with comfortably within a fairly short time.

Regulate Your Sleep Schedule To Aid Your Recovery

One thing doctors recommend is to put rigorously regulate your sleep schedule in early recovery. While we may lose sleep at night due to the temporary sleep issues associated with early withdrawal phases. If we avoid our natural tendency to nap during the day or to try and go to bed extremely early. We will come to a natural sleep rhythm. This really just boils down to a week or two of not sleeping well with the pay-off of returning to the kind of refreshing sleep many people have not experienced in years.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.