3 Benefits of Having a Hobby for Addicts | South Coast Counseling

Read more to learn how having a hobby can benefit you after completing drug addiction treatment.

Going through drug addiction treatment is a real challenge for many individuals. It is easy to lose focus and fall back into the firm grasp that drugs and alcohol often have on an addict. Though most people have all the best intentions when entering rehab, the reality is that many find themselves relapsing time and time again. Half of the battle is getting to recovery; the other half is staying. It is not easy to change your behavior and habits, especially if you have been an addict for many, many years. It is common for newly sober addicts to have trouble avoiding thoughts related to their past lives as a drug user. When times get tough during recovery, you know that there is a quick way to get a release, even if it is the worst route.   

How do you stay in recovery with all of these challenges? Having a hobby is a great way to point your focus in another direction and engage in an enjoyable activity that will decrease your stress. By definition, a hobby is something done during a person’s free time for pleasure. As a recovering addict, having a hobby can be very beneficial, and here are a few reasons why.

1. Get Excited about Life

Some hobbies can be stressful, but the stress that is felt is known as “eustress.” This is positive stress—can you believe that there is such a thing? This type stress is characterized by its ability to make you feel excited about the activity you are doing and the life that you are living. Having a hobby is one of the best ways to tap into eustress. Doing something that you love for absolutely no reason except that you love to do it provides you with a rush of joy and excitement.

2. Meet New People

Having a hobby is a great way to put yourself out there and make some new friends. Even if your favorite activity is a solo activity, such as painting or writing, you can easily meet others who share your interests through networking or social media. You cannot get through life contently without having some kind of social life. As a recovering addict, you might have lost many of your old friends, but now is the time to make new ones.

3. Challenge Yourself

Okay, getting through drug addiction treatment and into recovery was a pretty big challenge, but you should not stop there. Hobbies are capable of interrupting your routine with new challenges that are different from work or the challenges of daily life. These challenges are positive. The more positive activity that you have in your life, the easier it will be to stay in recovery.

Seek Drug Addiction Treatment

The first step to recovery and a sober life is seeking drug addiction treatment. A new world of opportunities is waiting for you on the other side. If you would like more information, visit our AddictionTreatment Costa Mesa page or contact a representative with South Coast Counseling today. 

The Dangers of Fentanyl Addiction | South Coast Counseling

Fentanyl addiction is extremely serious as it is a highly potent and addictive substance. Here’s everything you need to know about the drug.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there has been a surge in the number of deaths due to fentanyl overdose within the last two years. In fact, a rise in the drug’s popularity has concerned Baltimore health care officials to the point where they are launching a campaign for the sole purpose of raising the awareness for fentanyl’s dangers. Fentanyl addiction is extremely serious as it is a highly potent and addictive substance. Here’s everything you need to know about the drug.

What is Fentanyl?

Most often used to treat moderate or severe pain, fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II drug, meaning it has a higher potential for abuse. It is considered to be an analgesic and opioid, placing itself into the same category as morphine. Though they are in the same category, fentanyl is more potent than morphine, actually 30 to 50 times more so.

Unfortunately, many of these overdoses have occurred within the last two years because fentanyl has often been mixed with heroin. So while some users believe they are using pure heroin, they are actually using a stronger, more deadly combination, which can lead to an overdose. But because the drug is fast-acting and resembles a more potent version of heroin or morphine, it continues to be abused by those who are searching for a higher high.

How Does a Fentanyl Addiction Affect You?

Fentanyl has a highly addictive nature, so it does not take much for the user to become psychologically and physically dependent on the drug.With most forms of substance abuse, the user can become psychologically hooked on the drug and go into withdrawals if it has been a certain period of time since their last use. These effects go hand-in-hand with the physical aspect of the addiction, as withdrawals can bring about headaches, nausea, and even troubles associated with increased heart rate. 

Even without withdrawal, the side effects of using fentanyl can include dizziness, confusion, and drowsiness. The indirect effects of fentanyl addiction can also be life threatening, as you are likely to run with a rougher crowd when using a substance of this caliber. Additionally, any addiction can cause your relationships to crumble as you spiral into a world of self-destructive behavior.

What Should I Do if a Loved One is Addicted?

Like any other Drug abuse Huntington Beach or alcohol addiction, you should seek professional help immediately, especially with a drug such as fentanyl. Drug addiction treatment could potentially save the life of someone with a fentanyl addiction, as the number of overdoses continue to climb. With treatment, your loved one would be able to overcome their addiction and regain control over their life.

If you struggle with what steps to take next, when you or a loved one has a fentanyl addiction, contact us at South Coast Counseling today. Our professional counselors will be able to guide you through different types of therapy we offer, our addiction treatment plans, and how you can begin to rebuild your life.

Choosing the Right Substance Abuse Treatment Program for You

Here’s more on how to choose the right substance abuse treatment program that will be most effective for you, as well as what some of those programs are.

When it is time for you to seek professional help for your drug abuse or alcohol abuse problem, finding the right treatment program can be overwhelming. After speaking with your professional counselor, you can consider which of these special programs would best benefit you. Here’s more on how to choose the right substance abuse treatment program that will be most effective for you, and what some of those programs are.

Why are There So Many Different Types of Therapy?

Because every one is different, we all respond to things, such as therapy, in unique ways. For instance, if the 12-step program works for one, it may not work for another. There are many different types of substance abuse treatment therapy programs in order to best suit the patient in question.

This would bode well for you if you were to attend an institution where many types of therapy are offered. You and your professional counselor would be able to decide which course of action would be most effective in controlling your addiction and making you well again. Types of treatment can range wildly, so it’s all about finding what you’re comfortable with and what makes you open up the most.

Types of Substance Abuse Treatment

Aside from the famous 12-step program, there are varying types of group therapy and one-on-one therapy. Each setting has its own benefits for those who need certain guidelines in order to overcome their habits. For instance, the 12-step program has attainable goals that keep you engaged, while group therapy allows for you to share and rely on the experiences of others.

One-on-one therapy is most often best suited for those who prefer a more intimate setting, where they feel more comfortable opening up about their addiction. With this type of therapy, you and a professional counselor would have the opportunity to discuss your addiction and ways in which you can move on past this point in your life. Cognitive therapy can be beneficial too, as it seeks to reorder negative thoughts which are causing depression and possibly sparking your addiction.

Other Types of Therapy

Other types of therapy can range far and wide, depending on the facility you choose for your substance abuse treatment program. If you have always been a more artistic person, you can choose from creative therapies like music, dance, or art therapy, all of which use varying methods in order to meet your emotional needs during your time of healing.  

For those who want to focus inwardly, as opposed to expressing themselves, there are types of therapy that are centered around meditation. Guided visualization and relaxation therapy, meditation groups, and emotional focused therapy are all examples of this. If you prefer to use education as your way of overcoming an addiction, addiction education, nutritional and wellness education, and psycho farm education are just a few of the examples of therapy classes you can take for substance abuse treatment.

As you can see, there are a lot of different programs to choose from at South Coast Counseling. We encourage those struggling with drug or alcohol abuse to reach out to us in order to learn more about how they can enroll in these therapy programs and get back to living a healthy life.