Category: Articles

DARA Dual-Diagnosis

Understanding And Treating Dual-Diagnosis

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

What Is A Dual-Diagnosis or Co-Occurring Disorder?

If you have a mental health diagnosis like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, an eating disorder, or any other mental illness AND you have a substance abuse problem. You are considered to have a dual-diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring disorder. It is estimated than one in five people who have a problem with chemical addiction also have a mental health issue.

Treating a dual-diagnosis is more complicated than simply treating an addiction problem. That is because there are two conditions that need to be treated and each of these conditions complicates the other. Quite often, those who have a mental illness use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate to find relief from the symptoms of their condition. This can lead to frequent relapses.

Those who have a mental illness need to treat their condition AND their substance abuse problem. This requires specialized care and a highly individualized treatment plan executed by skilled therapists and addiction experts. At DARA Thailand, we are equipped to help those who have a co-occurring disorder find joy and freedom.

Diagnosing A Co-Occurring Disorder

Diagnosis of a co-occurring disorder can be difficult. When someone has a drug or alcohol problem, they can display symptoms that appear to be related to mental illness when they are just a result of prolonged substance abuse.

For this reason, many unskilled medical professionals don’t realize that someone has a mental health issue when they have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. They think the person’s mental health is directly affected by their substance abuse instead of an underlying issue. It often isn’t until someone stays sober for an extended period of time and they continue to have mental health problems that it becomes clear that someone has a dual-diagnosis.

We Identify Dual-Diagnosis Early On

At DARA Thailand, we conduct a thorough evaluation of every client who comes to see us. Our pre-admission process assesses the potential for a dual-diagnosis. We understand that it is important to treat substance abuse AND mental illness simultaneously. This ensures ongoing, long-term success for people in recovery.

Many of our clients come to us because they have tried other programs that didn’t work for them and they were unable to maintain sobriety. Our program works. We are known for the quality of our services throughout the international addiction treatment community.  

A Holistic Approach Is An Important Part Our Dual-Diagnosis Treatment

Mental illness is largely treated with medications. Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety medications, and anti-psychotics are commonly prescribed to those who have mental health issues. The problem is, most people have to undergo a process of trial and error to find the right medication or combination of medications. This can be a lengthy and sometimes uncomfortable process.

At DARA Thailand, we offer a holistic approach to treating someone with a co-occurring disorder to address the mind-body-soul connection. While medication certainly plays an important part in treating a dual-diagnosis. We believe there is more to treating this condition than just offering someone a handful of pills.

We provide integrated care so that each one of our clients receives seamless treatment by mental health and addiction professionals under the same roof. Our balanced approach to dual-diagnosis treatment is based on the most current and effective evidence-based therapy.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Eight Gifts You Will Enjoy In Recovery

Eight Gifts You Will Enjoy In Recovery

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Do you have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, porn, gambling or shopping? If so, you may be wondering what recovery is like. We understand that making the decision to give up your addiction can be a scary time, but it shouldn’t be. Addiction is a cunning enemy of life that will rob you of your future, steal your joy, and kill your dreams. Recovery is a beautiful experience that promises hope, joy, and freedom.

Here are eight gifts you will enjoy in recovery:
  1. You will feel better about yourself. Substance abuse and behavioral addictions like gambling, pornography, or compulsive shopping can leave you in a perpetual state of feeling guilty and ashamed. When you get into recovery, your dignity and self-respect is restored. You feel good when you don’t engage in your addiction and pursue all the negative, self-defeating behaviors that come with it.
  1. Your relationships with the people you love and care about will be healed. Addiction destroys families and friendships. That is the nature of the beast. When you stop indulging in addictive behaviors, you will find that your relationships begin to improve. People will start to trust you again and they will want to be around you.
  1. You will save money. No matter what your addiction is, it has probably cost you a lot financially. Drugs and alcohol are expensive. So is gambling and sexual addiction. Chances are, you lost count a long time ago when it comes to how much money you were spending on your addiction. Get into recovery and your bank balance will thank you.
  1. You will start building a foundation for a positive future. What you do today impacts what will happen tomorrow. When you invest in an addiction today, you pave the way for a lousy tomorrow. When you engage in positive, healthy, uplifting activities today, you set yourself up for a tomorrow you can enjoy. Having an addiction guarantees destruction in all areas of your life. Being in recovery promises hope and healing.
  1. You will learn to love yourself. When you have an addiction, you hate yourself. You compromise your values and sacrifice everything in your life that matters. Recovery teaches you to have a healthy, loving relationship with yourself. You begin to enjoy your own company and you start feeling comfortable in your own skin.
  1. No more regret when you wake up in the morning. When you are addicted, you will do just about anything to pursue your next fix. This makes it hard for you to look yourself square in the eye when you look in the mirror. When you are in recovery, you make choices you are proud of. You look forward to getting out of bed in the morning instead of dreading facing the new day.
  1. You make time to pursue your dreams. Everyone has a dream – some goal that they want to accomplish in this life. Addiction robs you of your ability to pursue your dreams because all you are concerned with is meeting the demands of your addiction. When you get into your recovery, you have the time and resources to go after what your heart desires.

These are just a few of the gifts recovery has to offer. Are you ready to stop wasting your life away in your addiction? Don’t you want to enjoy a life where you can feel good about yourself and your decisions? We can help.  

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Medicinal Marijuana

Can You Use Medicinal Marijuana And Still Be in Recovery From Addiction?

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
Legal Medicinal Marijuana May Have Complicated Matters When It Comes To Recovery

Countries around the world have begun to legalize medicinal marijuana for medicinal purposes. Uruguay, Canada, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Colombia, and the Czech Republic are just a few nations across the globe that have amended their laws to allow marijuana consumption for medical reasons.

For many years, marijuana was considered a dangerous drug and was strictly banned by governments as an addictive substance that should be avoided. However, international studies about the benefits of marijuana for treating several medical conditions have changed the minds of those in power and turned them toward marijuana instead of away from it. For many, this has complicated the matter of recovery and marijuana use.

Marijuana is currently being used to treat ADHD, cancer, AIDS, chronic pain and chronic pain disorders like Fibromyalgia, insomnia, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, and mental disorders like bipolar, depression, and anxiety. Many people who are walking the road of recovery are afflicted with one of these conditions and they have to ask themselves, “Can I use marijuana and still be in recovery?”

Sobriety Isn’t So Black and White Anymore – Has Recovery Gone To Pot?

It used to be that recovery was a black and white issue. You either used drugs or you didn’t. If you used drugs after committing to sobriety and staying clean for a certain amount of time, you relapsed. If you didn’t use drugs and continued to walk the path of abstinence, you were in recovery. It was black and white – you were either in recovery or you weren’t. Now, things are quite so simple.

Before marijuana was made legal for medicinal purposes, the stuff was off limits. It was considered a harmful drug. You couldn’t use marijuana and claim to have sobriety. Now, with millions of people in countries around the world using marijuana for legal reasons, marijuana is no longer taboo. In many circles, it is no longer considered a drug – it is considered medication. When used for legitimate reasons, you CAN use pot and enjoy a life of recovery. But, it’s tricky……….

The Fine Line Between Recovery And Relapse When It Comes To Marijuana

To be clear, you can only use medical marijuana and keep your sobriety under three conditions –

  1. You have a legal prescription for marijuana from a doctor.
  2. You have a legitimate medical condition for which marijuana is prescribed.
  3. You only use marijuana AS PRESCRIBED by your doctor.

If you use marijuana under any other circumstances, you are in relapse mode. Here are some examples of situations that would constitute a relapse:

  • If you go to a doctor and manipulate the doctor to get a prescription just so you can use pot
  • If you don’t have a medical condition for which marijuana is prescribe and you make up symptoms just so you can be prescribed weed
  • If you use marijuana more often than has been recommended by a doctor
  • If you use it to get a buzz
  • If you use someone else’s prescription
  • If you have a prescription, but you run out, so you buy marijuana on the street
If You Have Been Prescribed Marijuana, Treat It Like Medication – Because It Is

If you have been prescribed medicinal marijuana, you should view it like you would any other medication. It is okay to take medications that you need for your health while you are in recovery. Medicinal Marijuana is no different. As long as you have a legal prescription for a legitimate medical condition and you take it as prescribed, you can still continue to remain in recovery without worrying if you have relapsed.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

gambling addicts

The Psychology Behind Gambling Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Gambling, like drinking alcohol, is largely a harmless indulgence for most adults. The thrill of betting and winning holds a real appeal for many people. Most just head out for a day of chance, win or lose, and leave it at that. But for some people, gambling becomes a preoccupation to the point that it impacts their lives on the order of a real addiction. What is the psychology behind this addiction?

One of the most significant flaws in thinking that contributes to compulsive gambling is something called the “Gambler’s Fallacy.” This is when we believe the outcome of a chance event can be predicted past on past events. If I flip a coin nine times and it comes up heads each time, there is still a fifty/fifty chance that it will be tails the tenth time. The gambler’s fallacy leads one to anticipate heads even though the odds are factually against this likelihood.

Once an individual begins thinking with the gambler’s fallacy, they are led to begin making seriously flawed decisions. For example, even after losing money for an extended period of time, the gambling addict, or compulsive gambler, will become convinced that they are due to win simply because they have lost. This kind of thinking does not square with reality and becomes extremely destructive. 

Further flaws in thought lead gambling addicts to make their decisions to bet money based simply on the fact that someone else has won. Simply put, the psychological process of compulsive gambling compels someone to see only the winning example rather than the vast number of losses which attend any chance event. The compulsive gambler is only able to recognize the winner of a lottery. They will not acknowledge the countless losses that attend the same lottery. Those of us who gamble for fun can see the vast odds against winning and make decisions accordingly. The gambling addict does not.

To complicate all of this, gambling will eventually afford almost anyone a win. This partially reinforces the other flaws in thought for the gambling addict. Even after losing nearly everything they have, a short-term gain reinforces the belief that they are due for a big win and that they are the exception to the odds. Thus the cycle of chasing the prize begins anew and the fallacies of thought are confirmed.

Since these modes of thinking are inherently flawed the losses will inevitably pile up. Gambling addicts will then feel the need to recoup the losses. Loss chasing becomes the final psychological trap that fuels gambling addiction. Since the process of losing has put an individual at a disadvantage, they see no option but to continue gambling in order to repair the damage. The problem becomes the solution, and this is a signal feature of addiction. Just as an alcoholic will drink to drive away the suffering of alcoholism, the gambling addict will gamble in order to repair the damage from gambling. The cycle is complete.

Gambling is a real addiction. And it can be treated. This is the good news. Since gambling addiction follows so many of the same psychological patterns as other addiction, the treatments are in place to recover from this problem.  

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Gambling Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Seven Signs That You Have a Problem With Gambling

Seven Signs That You Have a Problem With Gambling

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
The Internet Has Made Gambling Addiction More Prevalent

 Once upon a time, you had to go to a casino if you wanted to gamble. Now, with gambling available on the Internet, you can gamble from the comfort of your own home just by providing your credit card information. With the advent of online gambling, more and more people around the world have developed a problem with gambling.

Gambling addiction is a major problem for millions of people around the world. It causes financial difficulties, relationship problems, work issues, and it can destroy someone’s self-respect. Once someone becomes a compulsive gambler, they usually need help to get back on track.  

Seven Signs That You Might Have A Gambling Addiction

 Are you a compulsive gambler? Here are seven signs that you may have a gambling addiction:

  1. You have financial difficulties because of your gambling. Have you run up significant credit card debt, gotten behind in your rent or mortgage payments, or borrowed money you can’t pay back because of your gambling activities? If so, this is a tell-tale sign that you have a problem with gambling.
  1. Your gambling has caused problems in your most important personal relationships. You may have a spouse who has told you time and time again to quit gambling, but you continue gambling anyway. You may have stopped spending time with the people you care about to gamble. If your gambling is putting a strain on the relationships that matter most to you. You may want to consider the fact that your gambling has gotten out of control.
  1. You have gambled after you promised yourself you wouldn’t. This is a sign that you have a problem. If you have made the commitment to yourself that you were going to stop gambling and you have continued to gamble anyway, your situation is likely out of control. If you are gambling against your own will, and you seem to be unable to stop on your own, you may need professional help.
  1. You are hiding your gambling from others or lying about it. If you have to gamble in secret because you are ashamed of what you are doing – or you know it is going to cause problems in your relationships – you should be concerned. This means you feel you are doing something wrong and you are ashamed of what you are doing. This is a strong indicator that you have a gambling addiction.
  1. Gambling is causing problems at work. If your work performance is suffering because of your gambling habits, this is a red flag. If you are missing work to gamble, coming in late because you were up gambling late the night before, or you are unable to focus because you are constantly obsessing about gambling, you’re in trouble.
  1. You obsess about gambling. If you are constantly thinking about gambling when you are not gambling, this is cause for concern. People who do not have a problem with gambling do not spend a lot of their thought life focused on gambling.
  1. You feel ashamed about your gambling habits. In the beginning, gambling can be tons of fun. Over time, though, it can degrade a person’s self-respect and cause them to feel shame and guilt about what they are doing. If this is how you feel – ashamed and guilty – your gambling probably stopped being fun a long time ago and has become an addiction.
Do You Have A Problem With Gambling? DARA Thailand Can Help

People come from all over the world to get help for gambling addiction at DARA Thailand. We treat behavioral addictions such as gambling with evidence-based treatment that drives positive results. If you have a gambling addiction, chances are you have tried time and time to quit on your own, but you have been unsuccessful. Call us and talk to one of your addiction experts. We can help you get your life back on track.  

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Gambling Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.