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5 Essential Resources For Alcohol Abuse Treatment and Recovery

Post author:admin
Post published:December 11, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Last Updated on December 11, 2021 by Randy Withers, LCMHC

If you’ve been using alcohol to cope with stress, you’re not alone. Heavy alcohol consumption has been on the rise for years, and the pandemic has only made things worse. Online liquor sales have increased 262% since 2019, and Nielsen reported a 54% increase in national alcohol sales during the first year of the pandemic. At the same time, more people than ever are starting to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol.

Alcohol use disorder is a serious medical condition that often requires professional, long term care. Fortunately, there are a number of effective treatment options. From the more well-known 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous to newer, evidence-based online treatment platforms like Monument, resources for alcohol abuse treatment are abundant. Many are even free.

No two paths look the same, and there is no one-size-fits all solution for changing a relationship with alcohol. Recovery experts recommend utilizing as many sources of support as possible for the greatest chance of success.

5 Essential Resources For Alcohol Abuse Treatment and Recovery

5 Resources For Alcohol Abuse Treatment

To help you familiarize yourself with the different tools and treatments available, below are five resources for alcohol abuse that can help reduce heavy drinking and promote healthier habits.

1. Psychotherapy

You might think of therapy being used to treat mental health conditions, and you’d be right. But it’s also proven to help treat substance use disorders.

Research shows cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help reduce alcohol consumption by identifying the underlying triggers and influences behind unhealthy alcohol use and offering new tools for coping. It also can help restructure negative thought patterns, regulate emotions, and establish boundaries.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is another common modality used in addictions counseling. It helps clients to develop goals and facilitate positive change in a supportive and non0directive manner.

While specialized therapy focuses on changing drinking habits, it also aims to treat co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and depression. Whether you’re looking to achieve sobriety or drink in moderation, therapy can help you set realistic goals, and provide structured accountability and guidance as you work to achieve them.

There are several ways to access therapy, both in-person and online. The online treatment platform Monument connects you to therapists who have special expertise in helping people cut back on drinking with a judgement-free approach.

Online Therapy Resources For Alcohol Abuse

Please note: these are “premium, fee-based services.

2. Medication to stop drinking

Many people are unaware that there are FDA-approved medications to help stop drinking or cut back. However, they are now considered a gold standard in treatment.

There are a few medications that help to curb alcohol cravings, such as naltrexone and acamprosate, both of which can help a patient achieve sobriety or to cut back on drinking. Naltrexone works by blocking the pleasurable components of alcohol so that people get less reward from drinking. Acamprosate is a different medication that interacts with glutamate and GABA neurotransmission in order to decrease alcohol cravings.

Randomized controlled trials, such as an analysis published in JAMA, revealed that both naltrexone and acamprosate reduce the risk of returning to drinking after sustained abstinence.

Another FDA-approved medication used in alcohol abuse treatment is disulfiram, also known as Antabuse. This medication causes an allergic reaction to alcohol while taking it. Disulfiram can act as a psychological deterrent for those looking to remain entirely abstinent from alcohol. It’s important to note that the reaction between disulfiram and alcohol can lead to dangerous side effects.

Medication is most effective when used in combination with other treatment modalities. For example, taking naltrexone can help reduce cravings so that you have the mental space and energy to address underlying issues in therapy.

The choice to incorporate medication into a treatment plan is based on an individual’s preferences and their physician’s recommendation based on their health history. You can speak with your primary care physician, or connect online with a specialized physician on the Monument platform to discuss if medication is appropriate and safe for you.

Medications for Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. Courtesy, YouTube.

3. Peer support groups

Perhaps the most traditional and well-known form of alcohol treatment is peer support groups. There’s a reason why this resource is so popular. Evidence from AA and other twelve-step programs shows that peer encouragement and accountability can reduce heavy drinking.

Support groups offer the opportunity to share and connect with others who are navigating similar journeys in a safe, often anonymous setting. These groups offer an invaluable opportunity to feel understood and supported during a journey that can feel isolating.

The encouragement from a close and dedicated community can make a huge difference in someone’s recovery. It can also serve as a supplemental resource alongside therapy or medication.

There are a wide range of support groups to try. You can explore what groups are meeting in your local area, or find a group online, such as Monument’s free, therapist-moderated support groups. Sessions are guided by an experienced clinical moderator, with the option to remain completely anonymous by utilizing a chat function, having their camera off, and listening. No one will ever be called on to share if they don’t want to.

Online Support Groups

4. Online forums & communities

In recent years, there’s been an amazing increase of online communities for those looking to stay sober or cut back from drinking from the comfort of their own home. As opposed to attending a live meeting, forums and community platforms act as a 24/7 resource for anyone seeking support.

Similar to support groups, online communities can be a powerful reminder that no one should carry their challenges alone. There are also identity-specific sober communities who aim to support individuals who navigate similar experiences, whether that be gender, race, sexual orientation, or other factors.

These communities can be found on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or Reddit. There are also secure, anonymous forums where users can connect and share resources and experiences, such as Monument’s free 24/7 anonymous forum.

Forums and Community Resources For Alcohol Abuse

5. Sobriety podcasts & books

There’s an impressive and robust library of podcasts and books around sobriety and drinking less. These resources can help people who are at the start of their journey hear stories and tips from others who have both personal and professional expertise. They also can provide ongoing sources of education and validation for those working on long-term sobriety or moderation.

Finding a podcast, author, or public speaker you relate to can make a huge difference in feeling motivated and encouraged. Luckily, there’s a huge selection to pick from.

Reading a chapter each night or listening to a podcast weekly can help weave sobriety into your regular routine.

Recovery-Related Podcasts:

Final Thoughts

Seeking support to help change your relationship with alcohol is an incredible, courageous step. If you struggle with alcohol use disorder, remember that getting treatment is no different than seeking support for any other medical condition. It’s one of the greatest acts of self-care (and not to mention, a source of empowerment) you can do for yourself.

You don’t have to know where your journey will take you when you begin treatment. You don’t need to. All you need is the willingness to change and the courage to take those first steps into sobriety.

You’ve got this. Your new life awaits.

Ketamine Infusion Therapy For Depression: Is It Effective? (Things You Should Keep In Mind)

Post author:admin
Post published:December 11, 2021
Post category:POSTS

When it comes to treating mental health disorders, there are some methods and approaches that can be considered the first line of defense such as psychotherapy and self-help (or a combination of both).

However, if we talk about the last line of defense, or in other words, medications, antidepressants come to mind. We often fail to understand how or what those antidepressants consist of.

Ketamine that once developed as an anesthetic, was soon discovered to be a helpful aid when it came to treating depression and related disorders. For decades, researchers have been studying the effects of ketamine and other antidepressants in the treatment of depression.

A study that was published in 2000 showed promising results when a patient was treated using ketamine infusion therapy. In a more recent study, (S)-Ketamine infusion was approved by the FDA for treating depression that has not responded to at least two other antidepressants.

In this article, let’s take a look at how ketamine infusion therapy works, its effectiveness in treating depression, and what things you should keep in mind before opting for ketamine infusion therapy.

Ketamine Infusion Techniques

Researchers believe that ketamine treatment is the one that our body responds to the best. However, the techniques when it comes to ketamine infusion often vary depending on the setting and the cost.

Here are some common techniques:

1. Ketamine infusion: Delivered via an IV tube in a clinical setting or a hospital. It lasts for approximately 40 minutes at a time.

2. Intramuscular: Delivered via an injection (in a clinical setting) into either your thigh or arm. It’s quite similar to IV and lasts for 40 minutes as well.

3. Lozenge: Often taken orally, and can be infused either at home or in a clinic setting. This usage must be prescribed either as a primary treatment or as a follow-up to the above methods.

There’s also the nasal method but that technique should be monitored and administered by a physician.

Ketamine Therapy Can Help Address…

Ketamine therapy can help not only address depressive disorders but other mental health disorders as well, including psychiatric conditions. Other conditions ketamine infusion can help with are:

Is Ketamine Therapy Effective?

Many antidepressants take somewhere between 4-6 weeks to take effect, however, someone struggling with thoughts of suicide or suicidal ideation may not have the luxury to wait for weeks to let the medication work.

In such cases, ketamine infusion therapy comes in. Ketamine infusion works by producing glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays an important role in brain development and functions like learning and memory. Low levels of glutamate can cause depression.

The new neural pathways that glutamate creates allow you to retain positive thoughts and behaviors. Hence, decreasing the symptoms of depression such as helplessness, worthlessness, and suicidal ideation.

But is it effective?

In a study, it was found that 85% of people experienced relief in their symptoms of depression. However, ketamine therapy isn’t a cure alone. There’s always a risk of relapse after an average of 20 days to over three months.

Here’s What You Should Consider

Before you decide on ketamine infusion therapy, there are some things you need to seriously consider. There can be side effects to ketamine therapy so you need to consult with a professional beforehand. Also, if you’re struggling with a mental health condition (other than depression or related disorders), then you might not be considered for this treatment.

Ketamine infusion therapy is given at a dosage that is less than the dose of anesthesia, but the side effects might be the same. Some common side effects of ketamine therapy can be:

Nausea
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Confusion
Seeing double

While it is said that ketamine infusion can help treat many conditions, some people should not opt for ketamine treatment. For example, if you’re schizophrenic, have high blood pressure, or if you are an alcoholic, then you should avoid ketamine infusion therapy.

How To Get Started?

Now that you’ve decided to go ahead with ketamine infusion therapy for depression, there are some things you need to take care of before beginning the treatment:

A. Lessen stress. Try to avoid anything stressful before your ketamine treatment. Your mind should be calm and relaxed before the treatment.

B. Listen to the right music. Music can help you relax and will help enhance your experience. Non-lyrical music is recommended, as lyrics can be distracting.

C. Meditate. Try to meditate before starting the ketamine treatment. Mediation can help slow down your racing thoughts and give you a clear mind.

D. Feel free to ask questions. Asking questions about the procedure with your therapist will help you calm your nerves and give you a basic idea of how the treatment will work and help you. Discuss your expectations and your fears with your therapist beforehand.

Your first appointment would likely involve you sharing your symptoms of depression, what treatments you’ve already tried, and what medications you’re currently taking. Generally, the standard treatment involves about 6 ketamine infusions for two to three weeks.

Your first ketamine infusion therapy might last for 40 minutes. Your therapist might also do some basic routine check-ups and offer you an eye mask or headphones to make the treatment more pleasant.

Keep in mind that you might feel light-headed or experience an out-of-body experience, however, it’s part of the treatment so don’t worry much. Once the infusion is done, you might feel some side effects and will be monitored for at least half an hour.

It is highly recommended that you don’t drive after the treatment. Take a cab or ask a friend or a family member to assist you.

After the treatment, all you need to do is rest well and take advantage of your clear and calm brain. Think positive thoughts, create new habits, and let your fears wash away, slowly.

To determine if you’re eligible for ketamine infusion therapy, reach out to your nearest mental health center or consult with your therapist. You can also ask your therapist to review your current and past treatments to determine if ketamine infusion is the right step forward.

If you found this article helpful, feel free to connect with us at info@calmsage.com or let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Take Care!

How Can Meta-Cognition Help Our Kids Learn Better?

Post author:admin
Post published:December 11, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Metacognition is something we all do every single day without even noticing it. The process of metacognition basically involves thinking about your own thoughts. It helps you evaluate your thoughts and reframe them to get better results.

Metacognition can be beneficial to anybody who invests their time in it but it is especially beneficial for kids. It helps them learn better. This doesn’t mean that it will give you some special ability to learn quickly.

Metacognition aims at changing the negative approach to problems. It helps children realize that they shouldn’t give up that easily. If your kid is finding it difficult to solve a math problem and is disheartened, you can encourage meta-cognitive thinking so that they can view the problem differently. This way they will work towards solving the problem and not escaping it.

What Is MetaCognition?

What Is MetaCognition

Metacognition when broken into two, Meta means beyond & cognition which came from the Latin word cognocere means getting to know better. Hence, it basically means getting to know about your thoughts beyond the knowledge that you already have about them.

Metacognition came into light in the recent past when the education endowment foundation toolkit highlighted the effectiveness of metacognition especially to enhance the learning process. Metacognition is basically being aware of your thoughts and having the capability of choosing a healthier and positive thought process.

Why Is MetaCognition Important For Your Kid?

According to recent studies, metacognitive thinking has improved the learning process in children. They have seen a significant improvement in comprehending and solving problems related to complex concepts of science, math and english.

Metacognition is important because it will help your child:

Analyze their thoughts
Be more self-aware
Have better control on their thoughts
Have the capability of choosing the right way to deal with the situation at hand

The most important part of metacognition is that it helps your children learn better. It is considered one of the most cost-effective ways of enhancing the learning ability.

Also Read: What Is Learning Disability?

How Does Metacognition Help Children Learn Better?

How Does Metacognition Help Children Learn Better

Metacognitive thinking helps children change their rigid mindset to be more flexible. It changes the perspective of your children, it makes your children give themselves a chance to change. With metacognitive thinking, there’s a lot more room to redeem themselves.

For example if your child is having some issue in balancing an equation for a chemistry problem and gets frustrated and assumes he/she can’t do it. What metacognitive thinking does is that it will change your child’s perspective, it will change the direction of their thought.

Other than thinking, “I can’t do it” they will begin to think like, “what is it that is stopping me? How can I change that?” Basically, the negative thought process is diverted towards a positive thought process.

Also Read: Double Loop Learning: Value Underlying Feelings

Metacognitive Strategies

According to studies metacognitive strategies have proven to have a positive effect on cognitive abilities. The result came out to be that if you want your cognitive strategies to work then you must focus on your metacognitive strategies.

Here’s a list of metacognitive activities that you can focus on

Identify your learning pattern and style
Do proper planning of your actions/tasks
Be organized (gather all required material beforehand)
Have a proper schedule and place to study
Acknowledge your mistakes and monitor them
Keep a check on your success rate
Adjust and make new strategies

Here’s a list of metacognitive strategies that can help your child learn better

1. Learning style assessment: Find out what style of learning your child prefers, audio, visual or through texts. Focus on encouraging them to use their very own style so that comprehension is easy and quick.

2. Modeling: children learn through modeling therefore we are trying to think out loud in a metacognitive way. For example you can say, “i can’t understand how to solve this puzzle, maybe i should solve a bit every day so that eventually i will be able to do it” this shows you aren’t giving up, you have found another way to solve.

3. Meta-discussion: You can discuss with your child about their thoughts. Try to guide them towards metacognitive thinking.

4. Self-questioning: help your child question their own thoughts and actions. Modeling and meta-discussion will make them do it on their own but if they dont you encourage them to question themselves.

Endnote

Metacognitive thinking can help in making your children learn better. You can use these metacognitive strategies to encourage your child to have meta-cognitive thinking on their own. Metacognitive is important for our children so that they develop a positive mindset and never lean on giving up.

I hope you found this article interesting. Do comment and let me know if you are planning to use these metacognitive strategies for your children.

Thanks for reading.

Take care and stay safe.

New Study: Digital Interventions for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Remote Participation)

Post author:admin
Post published:November 29, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects approximately 1% of adults in the general population and may cause significant distress and disability. For reasons we do not fully understand, women appear to be particularly vulnerable to OCD — either new onset or exacerbation of symptoms — during pregnancy and the postpartum period. According to the results of a study of pregnant and postpartum women published earlier this year (Fairbrother et al, 2021), OCD symptoms were common during the perinatal period, with 7.8% of women during pregnancy and 16.9% during the postpartum period reporting OCD symptoms.

While there is data to support the reproductive safety of certain medications during pregnancy, many women who are pregnant or nursing would prefer to limit the use of medications during the perinatal period.

While there are effective non-pharmacologic treatments for OCD, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), many individuals are not able to access this specialized treatment. A new research study being carried out at the Center for OCD and Related Disorders (CORD) at MGH is now recruiting individuals with OCD. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of two digital (app- or web-based) interventions for the treatment of OCD. Participants will participate in digital health programs which use either CBT (app-based) or a Health and Well-Being Program (web-based) to target OCD symptoms.

You can learn more about this study HERE and HERE. This study does not require in-person visits; participants, however, must be living in the United States.

Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD

Fairbrother N, Collardeau F, Albert AYK, et al. High Prevalence and Incidence of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Among Women Across Pregnancy and the Postpartum. J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;82(2):20m13398. doi:10.4088/JCP.20m13398

Wilhelm S, Weingarden H, Ladis I, Braddick V, Shin J, Jacobson NC. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the Digital Age: Presidential Address. Behav Ther. 2020 01; 51(1):1-14.

Seven tools to mind your mental wealth for life

Post author:admin
Post published:October 29, 2021
Post category:POSTS

There are two parts to good ‘mental wealth’: financial resilience, and financial wellbeing. When we talk about personal resilience, it’s about whether we have enough shock in our systems to prepare us for unexpected ‘bumps in the road’, and the same is true for our finances.

Financial resilience is being able to deal with setbacks: ‘Do I have enough emergency savings to pay for unexpected costs without spiraling into debt or it seriously impacting my day-to-day life and mental health?’. For example, if the washing machine breaks ‘am I ready to deal with that payment?’

Financial wellbeing is about making decisions and taking action now, to create wealth for yourself later over a longer time period. Wealth is grown in decades, not days, so preparing for the future has to happen sooner instead of being put off.

1. Kick unhealthy habits

Before embarking on a new health regime, it’s important to tackle the bad first, like smoking and eating junk food.

With finances, it is the same, and the most urgent issue is getting out of high-interest debt if you’re in it, such as store cards or credit cards. Not tackling these debts first defeats the point of any good budgeting and saving for the future.

If you are able to pay more than the bare minimum monthly payments, make sure you know what interest you are paying and see if you can lower it by taking out a loan that charges you less interest.

It might feel scary, but it can often have better rates that allow you to put the money saved towards paying off your balance, resulting in a quicker end in sight.

2. Don’t be afraid to talk about money

When people ask you ‘how are you?’ the chances are you don’t mind sharing that you’ve had the flu, or have recovered from a recent injury. But you’re probably less likely to discuss your mental health or money worries. Like with mental health challenges, bottling up financial concerns feeds anxiety.
Everyone has had a money issue at some point in their life, so there will be people in your network with advice and learnings that could be useful to you.

Surprising as it might seem, your HR department or employer is somewhere you can turn to for example. More and more companies offer financial wellbeing support, because they know anxiety about money impacts mental health, and therefore how people perform at work. If they don’t have one, ask them why not. It could prompt them to initiate one.

You can even request that your employer works with a company like Neyber, which works with employers to offer fixed-rate loans to its employees, for anything from consolidating debt to bigger ticket items like buying a house, which is paid back by a salary deduction.

If they don’t have one, ask them why not. It could prompt them to initiate one. If you’re worried, anxious, or confused about your personal finances, saying it out loud and hearing other people’s stories can help be the first step towards making a change.

3. Ask for help and advice

Or is there someone in your personal network you can turn to for advice? A friend’s parent if you can’t turn to yours, or someone you are friendly with and talk to regularly, but on a professional basis, such as a business owner in your local area. It always surprises people how often others want to help, but they’ll probably be flattered and if they don’t have relevant advice, they may know someone who does.

If you’re worried, anxious, or confused about your personal finances, saying it out loud and hearing other people’s stories can help be the first step towards making a change. There are even Facebook groups dedicated to topics like debt where you can turn more anonymously to hear other people’s experiences and ask what’s worked for them.

Since the pandemic, numerous consumer-friendly personal finance blogs, apps, Instagram accounts, and podcasts have been launched, dedicated to talking all things money – including debt – meaning you can look outside of your personal network for advice or to hear other people’s experiences and what worked for them. @GetWokeNotBroke, @MoneyMedic, and @AllOurBestIntentions are great Instagram accounts, and the ‘This Is Money’, ‘Money Clinic’, and ‘MoneyBox’ podcasts all help with this.

4. Use the tools available to your advantage

Once you have mastered the basics and built your financial reserves and resilience, and you know you can deal with life’s curveballs, it’s time to invest in your future.

Like exercising and eating well, the payoff isn’t always immediate, but the choices you make now will set you up for financial health in your later years.

5. Raise your awareness and know what help is out there

One of the reasons personal finance can feel daunting is due to just how much information is out there. There’s so much, so how do you know what the right thing to do is? It can be stressful worrying about making the right decision, but from my experience making no decision at all is always worse.
Not everyone wants to research online, or read books on it. Try and integrate financial learning into what you do like.

6. Set long-term financial goals

A good rule of thumb is to have a pot worth ten times your annual salary by the time you retire, which sounds like a lot, but is achievable by starting early and breaking it down into simple steps – like setting a savings goal for every decade you’re in employment,

7. Make your money a force for good

Did you know that acting out of a higher purpose can help reduce stress and improve emotional wellbeing? You may not have considered this, but one way that you can benefit your future self, the planet, and the rest of the people who live on it are by using your money as a force for good – and you can do this by engaging in where your pension is invested.

Money makes the world go round, and when you invest in your pension, you are investing alongside side millions of other people. This amounts to billions of pounds. Your pension is being invested in companies around the world and how these businesses behave has a huge impact on the wellbeing of our planet.

Rob Gardner is director of investment at SJP Wealth Management.