Afraid of Intimacy? Here are the Signs

Does this sound familiar? You meet someone. Maybe you go on some dates. Or you’ve made a new friend. Things are going well. But, when things start going too well, and you get too close, the inevitable happens. You push that person away. You may want to connect further, but your fears of putting yourself out there and being vulnerable get in the way. If you can relate, you may be afraid of intimacy. 

What It Means to Be Afraid of Intimacy

Sure, it can be intimidating at times to get to know someone. It takes trust, vulnerability, and the possibility of rejection, whether that’s developing a deep friendship or a romantic relationship. These apprehensions are common. But for some, this fear of intimacy can be paralyzing. More specifically, you may be afraid of a certain type of intimacy, such as: 

• Emotional intimacy: Sharing your deep, personal feelings with others
• Spiritual intimacy: Relating to someone else based on mutual beliefs in a higher power
• Sexual intimacy: Connecting with someone physically, sensually, and sexually
• Experiential intimacy: Relating to someone over a common interest, hobby, or shared experience
• Intellectual intimacy: Connecting with someone through sharing your thoughts and ideas

 

For many people who are afraid of intimacy, it’s usually centered around emotional and/or sexual intimacy with a significant other, or even in developing a close friendship. Also known as intimacy avoidance or even avoidance anxiety, being afraid of intimacy causes you to keep people at arm’s length when the relationship starts getting “too close.” As a result, you may begin to let relationships drop off, distance yourself, or purposefully sabotage a good relationship to keep things from progressing. Underneath the surface, you long for intimate relationships, but your fear wins out time and time again, keeping you from pursuing your true desires. 

Common Fear of Intimacy Signs and Symptoms

Being afraid of intimacy can rob you of your joy and prevent you from living the healthy life you deserve. After all, we’re meant to connect with other people. If you think you may be afraid of intimacy, let’s take a look at some of the main fear of intimacy signs to watch out for:

Signs You’re Afraid of Intimacy

• Trust issues
• Poor self-confidence or low self-esteem
• Difficulty expressing your feelings
• Serial dating
• Preferring casual sex over close, intimate relationships
• A history of pushing people away
• A history of relationship instability
• Not communicating in your relationships
• The inability to share what you need from others
• Little to no relationship history
• Difficulty with physical contact
• Perfectionist tendencies (especially in relationships)
• Intentionally keeping conversations surface-level
• Fearing commitment
• Episodic anger
• Being drawn to people who are emotionally unavailable
• Intentional self-isolation

Why Are You Afraid of Intimacy?

After reading the above fear of intimacy symptoms, the fog—or denial—you’ve been living under may be starting to lift. Now you could wonder how you arrived at this crossroads. What drove you to be afraid of intimacy? 

For many, the root causes of intimacy avoidance stem back to your childhood. Often, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as sexual abuse and parental neglect can be the culprit of your fear of intimacy, shares Healthline.com. This fear of intimacy can also be the result of other fears, including:

• Fear of Abandonment: Fearing someone will abandon or leave you
• Fear of Engulfment: Fear of being controlled or dominated in a relationship
• Fear of Rejection: Fear of being rejected or socially excluded by others

 

These fears above—like other intimacy disorders such as codependency, porn addiction, and  sex addiction—are rooted in past trauma. The trauma you’ve personally experienced, either as a child, teenager or an adult, can drive you to have phobias like the above. Because of your trauma, you may struggle with attachment disorders in adulthood, such as anxious-avoidant attachment, that heighten your intimacy struggles. And unless that trauma is addressed, its impact can continue to manifest in the form of fear of intimacy and beyond. 

The Long-Term Impact of Intimacy Avoidance

While it may feel comfortable now to keep others at bay, your tendency to be afraid of intimacy can lead to some long-term consequences that only make your situation worse. As you consciously drive others away, you can end up isolating yourself socially. As your social isolation persists, you can face a number of new struggles, such as loneliness, anxiety, and depression. And when you try to reconnect with others, these struggles—like your fear of intimacy—will get in the way of the natural community you need. 

As these struggles pile up, you may seek out unhealthy coping mechanisms to self-medicate. Some people who deal with fear of intimacy may eventually develop substance abuse issues with drugs or alcohol, for example. Others can actually develop a hypersexual disorder or sexual addiction as a result of being afraid of intimacy. While sex and short-term flings may make you feel better in the moment, soon your brain develops a chemical dependency on the dopamine sex generates, and your sexual behavior becomes compulsive and uncontrollable. 

Seeing the Signs of Fear of Intimacy? Get Help

If you think you may be noticing signs that you’re afraid of intimacy, you can overcome your fears. But you’ll need help to do so. That’s why it’s best to partner with a therapist or professional treatment center. At Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN, our compassionate team can uncover the root causes of your intimacy avoidance and help you learn to cultivate healthy intimacy without fear getting in the way. Contact us today to learn more about our fear of intimacy treatment program.

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How Addiction Recovery Care Supports Mental Health

Addiction is a complex condition that affects not just the body, but also the mind and emotions. Achieving physical sobriety is a major milestone in the recovery process, but it’s only part of the journey.

 Addiction recovery care is more than just physical detox. It also focuses on the emotional and mental parts of addiction. This helps people heal and create a strong base for lasting wellness.

We’ll explore how addiction recovery care supports mental health and wellness. At Integrative Life Center in Nashville, we emphasize the importance of treating the whole person—not just the addiction. 

Beyond Physical Sobriety: The Importance of Mental Health in Recovery

While detox and physical sobriety are essential components of recovery, long-term success in addiction recovery requires addressing mental health. Many people with addiction also have mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or trauma. These problems can keep the cycle of substance use going.

Addiction recovery care involves more than just managing cravings and avoiding relapse. It focuses on nurturing the emotional and psychological well-being of the individual. This means helping with mental health, healing old trauma, and teaching new ways to cope. These strategies help manage stress, emotions, and triggers without using substances.

How Addiction Recovery Care Helps Mental Health

Trauma recovery is very important in addiction care. Trauma can lead to substance abuse as a way to cope with emotional pain. Here are some of the ways it does so:

• Trauma Recovery: Many individuals struggling with addiction have experienced some form of trauma, whether in childhood or as adults. Trauma recovery is very important in addiction care. Trauma can lead to substance abuse as a way to cope with emotional pain. Treatment programs provide a safe space for individuals to process their trauma through various therapies, including PTSD recovery stages, trauma-informed care, and meditation for alcohol recovery.
• Mental Health Recovery: For people with both mental health issues and addiction, recovery care helps them heal from both. Mental health recovery involves addressing symptoms of conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and incorporating mental health support into the recovery process. By focusing on both substance abuse and mental health, recovery care helps individuals achieve overall wellness.
• Substance Abuse Recovery Strategies: While substance abuse recovery strategies often focus on managing cravings and avoiding relapse, they also provide the tools to address the psychological triggers that contribute to addiction. Therapy, support groups, mindfulness practices, and medication management all work together to support mental health and substance abuse recovery.
• Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders: It’s common for individuals to have dual diagnosis—a condition where addiction coexists with mental health disorders such as depression, PTSD, or anxiety. Effective addiction recovery care addresses both conditions simultaneously, ensuring that the individual receives comprehensive care. This integrated approach improves the chances of long-term success by treating both the addiction and the underlying mental health issues.

The Role of Holistic Care in Supporting Mental Health

Holistic treatment plays a significant role in addiction recovery care by promoting overall well-being. By addressing the body, mind, and spirit, holistic care encourages balance and healing. Some common holistic practices used in addiction recovery include:

• Meditation and Mindfulness: Meditation for alcohol recovery and mindfulness techniques help individuals manage stress and stay grounded in the present moment. These practices help reduce the emotional and psychological distress that can trigger substance use, making them a vital part of recovery care.
• Exercise and Nutrition: Physical health is closely tied to mental well-being. Many addiction recovery care programs include exercise regimens and nutrition counseling to help individuals rebuild their bodies and improve mental clarity. Physical activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, supporting emotional healing.
• Therapeutic Interventions: Therapy is a cornerstone of addiction recovery care. Approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-informed care, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) help individuals address negative thought patterns and develop healthier coping strategies for managing emotions and behaviors. For people with both addiction and mental health issues, therapy offers a safe space to work on both at the same time.

Addressing Opioid Addiction and Other Substance Use Disorders

Opioid addiction is one of the most pressing public health issues today, and opioid addiction care is a key area of focus in addiction recovery care. Opioid addiction often comes with strong withdrawal symptoms and long-term mental health issues. People need complete care that helps with both the physical and emotional parts of addiction.

Substance abuse treatment for opioid addiction often includes medication-assisted treatment (MAT), therapy, and support groups. Dual diagnosis treatment helps people with both addiction and mental health issues. It treats both problems at the same time.

How Long Does It Take to Break an Addiction?

A common question people have is, “How long does it take to break an addiction?” The answer varies for each person, as recovery is a personal journey. Some may require weeks or months of inpatient care, while others may need years of ongoing support. Addiction recovery care helps people recover for the long term. It offers support and strategies to rebuild lives and avoid relapse.

While there’s no set timeline for breaking an addiction, the process involves addressing both physical and psychological needs. A combination of therapies, support, and coping strategies can significantly increase the chances of lasting recovery.

Supporting Mental Health Through Addiction Recovery Care

Addiction recovery care plays a crucial role in supporting mental health and overall wellness. It helps people heal from emotional and mental wounds that lead to addiction. It also gives tools to manage mental health issues. By offering a comprehensive approach that includes trauma recovery and holistic care, addiction recovery care ensures that individuals receive the full spectrum of support needed for long-term recovery.

If you or someone you care about needs help for addiction, it’s important to find a treatment program. Look for one that focuses on both recovery from substance abuse and healing for mental health. At Integrative Life Center, we offer comprehensive programs to support individuals in their journey toward healing.

To learn more about ILC substance abuse treatment and mental health recovery programs, contact us at (615) 891-2226 today. 

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source https://integrativelifecenter.com/recovery/how-addiction-recovery-care-supports-mental-health/

OCD and Addiction: How Obsessive Thoughts Drive Compulsive Behaviors

Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is challenging enough on its own, but when paired with addiction, it creates a complex dynamic that requires specialized treatment. The intersection of OCD and addiction is marked by overlapping symptoms and shared underlying causes, such as trauma and stress. Those seeking help for drug addiction can learn about OCD and various forms of addiction interact, highlight the importance of a trauma-informed approach, and detail the comprehensive care offered by Integrative Life Center (ILC) in Nashville, TN.

Understanding OCD and Addiction

OCD is a mental health disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Addiction, on the other hand, involves compulsive engagement in substances or behaviors despite adverse consequences. The connection between OCD and addiction often lies in the compulsive behaviors, which can serve as maladaptive coping mechanisms for obsessive thoughts. It is estimated that 24% of those with OCD meet the criteria for AUD according to the National Library of Medicine.

For example, someone with OCD may turn to substance abuse or behavioral addictions like pornography or sex to momentarily escape the relentless cycle of obsessive thoughts. Over time, this reliance on addictive behaviors can develop into a full-blown addiction, complicating the treatment process.

Exploring Specific Addictions

OCD and Porn Addiction

OCD and porn addiction often intersect when obsessive thoughts center around sexual themes or fantasies. Individuals may engage in compulsive pornography consumption as a way to cope with these intrusive thoughts, leading to feelings of shame and guilt, which further exacerbate the OCD cycle.

OCD and Sex Addiction

Similarly, OCD and sex addiction can manifest when compulsions drive individuals to seek out sexual encounters as a form of relief. This behavior is not about pleasure but about managing obsessive fears or intrusive thoughts, creating a damaging cycle of dependency.

Substance Abuse and OCD

OCD and substance abuse frequently co-occur as individuals attempt to self-medicate to calm their racing thoughts or reduce anxiety. Alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications may provide temporary relief, but they ultimately worsen both OCD symptoms and addiction.

Overlapping Symptoms and Shared Causes

The overlap between OCD and addiction can make it difficult to distinguish where one condition ends and the other begins. Shared symptoms may include:

• Repetitive behaviors driven by obsessive thoughts
• Guilt or shame following compulsive acts
• Difficulty managing stress or emotional regulation
• Social withdrawal or isolation

Trauma, genetic predisposition, and environmental stressors are often at the root of both OCD and addiction. A trauma-informed approach is critical to address these underlying issues effectively.

Treating OCD and Addiction at ILC

At Integrative Life Center, we understand the complexities of OCD and addiction and offer a personalized, trauma-informed approach to help patients heal. Our comprehensive treatment plans are designed to address both disorders simultaneously, ensuring a holistic path to recovery.

Trauma-Informed Care

A trauma-informed approach recognizes how past experiences shape current behaviors and mental health conditions. By addressing trauma’s role in OCD and addiction, patients can break free from the cycles of compulsive thoughts and behaviors. Trauma-informed therapies at ILC include:

• Trauma-Informed Yoga: Helps patients reconnect with their bodies and reduce stress in a supportive environment.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Cognitive behavioral therapy exercises that challenge negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier coping mechanisms.
• Experiential Therapy: Incorporates activities like art, music, and movement to process emotions and trauma.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnosis care at ILC focuses on addressing co-occurring disorders like OCD and addiction simultaneously. By treating both conditions, patients experience improved outcomes and a reduced risk of relapse.

Key Therapies for OCD and Addiction

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a cornerstone of OCD treatment and addiction recovery. Patients learn to identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns that drive their compulsive behaviors. Tailored exercises empower individuals to replace these patterns with healthier habits.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

ERP, a specialized form of CBT, gradually exposes patients to anxiety-provoking situations while helping them resist the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors. This therapy is particularly effective for OCD symptoms.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT enhances emotional regulation and interpersonal skills, helping patients manage the stressors that contribute to OCD and addiction.

Experiential Therapies

Creative outlets like art, music, and trauma informed yoga therapy allow patients to process their emotions and reduce anxiety, fostering a sense of healing and empowerment.

Addressing Common Questions

OCD and Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol often becomes a go-to coping mechanism for individuals with OCD. However, alcohol exacerbates OCD symptoms over time, creating a destructive cycle that requires comprehensive treatment.

Obsessive Love Disorder and OCD

Symptoms of obsessive love disorder often overlap with OCD, particularly when obsessive thoughts center around relationships. Addressing these symptoms through tailored therapy can improve interpersonal relationships and overall mental health.

Hypersexuality and Trauma Response

Hypersexuality is a common trauma response linked to OCD and sex addiction. A trauma-informed approach helps patients understand and address these behaviors, reducing shame and promoting recovery.

Comprehensive Support at ILC

At Integrative Life Center, we offer an array of therapies and support services tailored to each patient’s unique needs, including:

• Mental Health Treatment: Addressing the root causes of OCD and addiction
• Addiction Treatment Guide: Providing resources and strategies for long-term recovery
• Dual Diagnosis: Ensuring comprehensive care for co-occurring disorders

Finding Hope and Healing

The connection between OCD and addiction is complex, but with the right support, recovery is possible. At ILC, our compassionate, trauma-informed care approach empowers patients to reclaim their lives and achieve lasting peace of mind.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol and sex addiction, contact Integrative Life Center today. Our expert team is here to guide you on your journey to healing, one step at a time. Call us at 615-378-8806.

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Porn Addiction Recovery: What to Expect

Have you reached your breaking point with porn? Maybe you’ve hit rock bottom, wondering what you can do to climb out of this hole that addiction has caused. If you’re ready to get help, it’s important to know what to expect in the porn addiction recovery process. By understanding what it looks like in advance, you can go into treatment—and your recovery—with the proper mindset. This puts you in a better position to avoid porn relapse and stick with your goals of maintaining sobriety in the long run. 

What is Porn Addiction?

At this point, you may be wondering whether you have a porn addiction and what it truly means. When you’re addicted to porn, you’re watching it compulsively, so much that you can’t stop—even if you wanted to quit. Your porn consumption is controlling your life and daily functioning, interfering with your relationships, personal responsibilities, work, or school. 

Porn addiction is considered compulsive sexual behavior. It falls under the umbrella of hypersexual disorder, or sexual addiction. The causes of porn addiction are often rooted in unresolved past trauma: when you go through trauma, you seek out feel-good experiences to cope. And your brain on porn generates a significant amount of dopamine (the feel-good chemical) causing you to seek out porn as your preferred coping mechanism for feelings associated with your past trauma. As this happens more and more over time, you become addicted, which means you need to seek porn addiction recovery to heal.  Some common porn addiction symptoms to look out for include: 

• Out-of-control urges to watch porn
• Watching porn when you’re stressed or experiencing negative feelings
• Increased porn consumption
• Losing track of time while watching porn
• Unsuccessful attempts to cut back or stop your porn consumption
• Choosing to watch porn over spending time with others or pursuing your favorite activities
• Continuing to watch porn despite its negative consequences

The Porn Addiction Recovery Process

The first step in achieving porn addiction recovery always begins with the awareness that you have a problem. If you can relate to the symptoms above, there’s a good chance you have a porn addiction. Once you realize you’re struggling with addiction and have accepted the reality that it’s causing serious issues in your life, the next step is to seek out help. 

You may be tempted to try to overcome your addiction on your own. However, your addiction is associated with the chemical dependence your brain has developed thanks to its constant supply of dopamine from porn. That means you can’t quit your porn addiction just through behavior modification or self-discipline. You need to partner with professional clinicians at a treatment center.  

A porn addiction treatment facility will often offer a program that includes both residential treatment and outpatient care. When you begin your recovery from porn addiction, you’ll typically start with residential treatment, which means you’re staying onsite at the treatment facility 24/7 for a set period of time. 

In this initial treatment stage, your therapy team is working with you to directly address the root causes of your addiction, namely, your past trauma. That means they will lead with trauma-informed care in the therapy process, coming alongside as an empathetic, supportive partner. During this time, you may struggle with porn withdrawal symptoms as your body adjusts to its lack of porn-driven dopamine supply in your pursuit to quit (which your therapists will help you navigate). 

Empowering You to Stay Healthy

The best treatment centers take a holistic approach to porn addiction recovery, helping you heal emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. This may involve both evidence-based and experiential therapy modalities, as well as individual and group therapy activities. Dual diagnosis treatment may also be pursued if you have any co-occurring disorders like depression or anxiety. 

Once your trauma has been addressed, the next step is to equip you with the tools you need to achieve sobriety long-term. This can take place in both residential and outpatient treatment. During this time, you learn healthier coping skills that empower you to navigate any future porn addiction triggers. You also cultivate important porn addiction recovery habits such as self-care and building a support network for accountability and encouragement. After all, the goal is for you to leave with the know-how and self-confidence to stay the course in recovery back in the real world. 

Your Porn Addiction Recovery Timeline: How Long Does It Take? 

It’s important to understand that learning how to stop porn addiction for good isn’t a quick fix. The duration of residential treatment programs vary, but our men’s residential intimacy disorders treatment program lasts 28 days, for example. And outpatient treatment beyond this continues on for multiple weeks. 

If you’re wondering how long a porn addiction recovery program will take, the short answer is that it depends. A porn addiction is a deeply personal experience. Depending on the duration and intensity of your addiction, as well as the presence of co-occurring disorders, your journey to sobriety may be longer or shorter than others. 

While many treatment programs last about 30 to 90 days (factoring in all of the stages of treatment), recovery itself is a lifelong process. Once you finish treatment, the temptations of addiction are still out there. That’s why staying connected to porn addiction support groups or alumni programming can help you remain focused on your sobriety. 

Ready to Pursue Recovery? Integrative Life Center Can Help

Though it may feel daunting now, multiple studies show that achieving porn addiction recovery is possible, shares FighttheNewDrug.org, even if you’ve been struggling for years. If you’re ready to seek professional treatment, we’re for you at Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN. Our porn addiction treatment program can help you find true freedom and reclaim the healthy, sober life you deserve. Take our porn addiction quiz as a first step or contact us now to get started. 

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source https://integrativelifecenter.com/intimacy-disorders/porn-addiction-recovery-what-to-expect/

Healing from Grief and Addiction: A Holistic Approach to Recovery

Addiction and grief do not have to co-occur–a person can grieve loss without falling into substance use disorder–but all too often, they do. Studies have shown that people with substance use disorder (SUD) have experienced more loss–either through death of loved ones or the loss of important relationships–statistically than those without SUD. Studies have also found a link between people, particularly children, who experience the loss of a loved one and a higher risk of developing SUD later in life. According to Psychology Today, whether the grief came before the SUD started or during, it can intensify the alcohol or drug abuse in the addicted person.

Clearly, there is a link between grief and addiction, and these two forces can be in a feedback loop that feels impossible to break out of. However, there is hope through holistic grief and loss treatment.

The Trauma of Loss

When a person experiences loss of a loved one, either through death or the ending of a relationship, they have experienced trauma. Trauma may be defined as an emotional response to a terrible event. That emotional response can and should include grief.

Grief may manifest in different ways. After suffering the trauma of loss, a person may experience physiological symptoms: sleep patterns may be disrupted and stress hormones intensified, affecting everything from digestion to the immune system.

Grief symptoms may also be mental: the grieving person’s mind may be so busy either trying not to forget the lost loved one or working not to think about them that they have difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

Social aspects of grief might include difficulties forming new attachments, isolation, or a lack of confidence in social interactions.

These reactions are not necessarily harmful in and of themselves, but when the impact of trauma leads to damaging behaviors such as the misuse of drugs or alcohol, it may be time to seek professional help. Though they seem to offer temporary relief from the trauma of loss, these substances only deepen suffering by creating a never-ending cycle of despair.

Common Types of Loss We Support at Our Grief Treatment Center

At Integrative Life Center, we recognize that grief can manifest from a variety of losses, and we are dedicated to providing constructive support for each individual experience. It’s essential to understand that every loss is significant, and we are here to help you navigate through the challenges associated with them. Below are some of the most common types of loss that we assist with:

The Passing of a Loved One  

Losing a spouse, parent, or child is a profoundly challenging experience. Alongside the emotional turmoil, there are immediate practicalities to manage, such as funeral arrangements, finances, and legal matters. Our supportive environment encourages you to explore your feelings, offering guidance on how to grieve and helping you take positive steps forward during this difficult time.

Loss by Suicide  

Experiencing the loss of someone to suicide can leave you feeling overwhelmed by a complex mix of emotions—shame, guilt, anger, and rejection are common responses. We provide a compassionate space where you can process these feelings and find constructive ways to heal with the assistance of our trained mental health professionals.

Death of a Pet  

The companionship of a beloved pet creates an invaluable bond. The grief that follows their passing is a natural reaction, and we recognize that it can be unexpectedly intense for some. Our approach is to validate your feelings and help you honor your pet’s memory while working through your grief in a healthy manner.

Anticipatory Loss  

When a loved one is nearing the end of their life due to age or illness, anticipatory grief can emerge. This preparation can be emotionally taxing, provoking feelings of worry, insecurity, and guilt. We are here to support you in navigating these emotions, helping you find constructive ways to approach this challenging time and fostering resilience within you.

Our team is committed to helping you through these difficult emotions, providing personalized support to guide you on your healing journey. Together, we can turn grief into growth and resilience.

A Holistic Approach to Healing

Perhaps you or a loved one find yourselves stuck in this cycle. A nightly drink to take the edge off has turned into a habit that feels beyond your control. (If you are specifically concerned about alcohol abuse, you may consider taking the AUD quiz for insight into your own health.) Recovery from your grief seems as impossible as accepting death of your loved one. You may feel you are trapped in a dark place with no way out.

The good news is that there is hope. Holistic treatment programs exist that can help you find your way to healing from grief and addiction.

What Is Holistic Treatment?

Holistic treatment for addiction and grief addresses the well-being of the whole person. Rather than isolate the emotional from the social, physical, and mental, holistic practitioners incorporate all these aspects of a person into their healing journey.

• Physical: in a holistic treatment program, patients will work on everything from healthy eating habits to developing a regular exercise routine. Dieticians may be on staff to help patients rebuild a strong body after the ravages of addiction and grief. Sleep will also be an important element of physical treatment; both extended grief and addiction to substances can disrupt sleep patterns, and rebuilding those patterns is vital to long-term recovery.
• Emotional: while grief is not an exclusively emotional experience, it has its roots there. Healing from grief and addiction must include an emphasis on emotional health. Talk therapy can help a patient identify their motivations for seeking and maintaining recovery, as well as strategies to cope with stress and anxiety without returning to the addiction.
• Mental: the extreme stress of addiction and grief affects mental function, but holistic treatment can help regain mental health. Many people, for example, experience some form of trauma memory loss after experiencing a traumatic event. Through targeted therapies such as EMDR, holistic treatment can help regain those memories so they may be healthily processed and healed from. 
• Social: in the midst of overwhelming grief, people may develop unhealthy trauma bonds. These relationships, while meant to relieve some of the pain of grief, end up feeding into the cycle of despair. Holistic treatment helps patients break these bonds and form new, lasting friendships that will contribute to healing. Through group sessions or other group interactions, patients can develop a strong sense of connection with others, a key component in long-term recovery.

Next Steps to Recovery 

If you find anything familiar in descriptions of a debilitating grief that has cycled into addiction, there is hope for you. Consider grief counseling in Nashville, TN, through the Integrative Life Center. We offer holistic treatment for addiction and grief, including yoga, multiple kinds of talk therapy, mental health retreat for grief and loss, equine therapy, art and music therapy, and much more. Contact us today at 615-709-5694 to begin your journey to healing from grief and addiction.

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Therapies Used in Behavioral Health Residential Treatment Centers

You or a loved one may have had to accept a difficult truth: you need some help to attain the mental health and stability you long for. Whether the issue be depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, or any other mental health diagnosis, it has become too big to manage on your own.

You may be considering a behavioral health residential treatment center but are uncertain what you’ll find there. Representations in pop culture and movies range from silly to frightening. What goes on behind the doors of a residential treatment center? Is it worth the investment of time and money? When is residential treatment necessary?

Behavioral Health Residential Treatment Centers: An Overview

Many kinds of residential treatment centers exist. A behavioral health center uses a variety of therapeutic modalities to help patients recover mental health. They provide around-the-clock care and support from a team of professionals focused on giving patients the tools they need to heal from trauma, mental illness, or substance abuse disorder.

The goal of behavioral health treatment centers is clear: help patients change their behavior by healing their minds.

While Hollywood might present a distorted view of behavioral health residential treatment centers, they started with the goal of compassionate healing in mind. According to the University of Pennsylvania, what were once called “psychiatric hospitals” began in the 19th century as efforts to provide rehabilitation to those suffering from addiction or mental illness. Often in idyllic rural settings, the focus was on compassionate care that would lead to recovery. Contemporary behavioral health residential treatment centers aim to follow in these noble footsteps, emphasizing healing and restoration and enabling patients to enjoy happy, healthy lives. 

Often, these treatment centers are separated by gender to better create a community of healing. Men’s mental health treatment centers offer behavioral health therapies focused on helping men heal, which might include TINSA (Trauma-Induced Sexual Addiction Therapy) specifically targeted for men. A women’s residential treatment center might also offer TINSA, but using language and methodologies aimed at women’s individual needs.

Types of Therapies

In their mission to effect the behavioral change patients so urgently seek, behavioral health residential treatment centers offer a variety of therapies.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The time-tested modality of cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients identify harmful habits of thinking and acting so that they can be actively changed for the better. Used for everything from depression to addiction behavior, CBT gives the patient lifelong strategies for combating unwanted thoughts and behaviors.

EMDR

A popular methodology when offering therapy through a trauma informed lens, Eye Movement Desensitization Processing (EMDR) aims to change how the brain stores traumatic memories, thus enabling healing and the removal of the painful emotional “block” inhibiting wellbeing. 

In EMDR sessions, a therapist helps the patient identify a traumatic memory having disastrous effects on current thoughts and actions. Then, the therapist will help the patient process–and, eventually, emotionally transform–the memory by focusing on the back-and-forth movement of the therapist’s hand across the patient’s field of vision. Thought by experts to be connected to the mind’s actions during REM sleep, this back-and-forth movement of the eyes enables the patient to face what they may have been too traumatized to face before.

Polyvagal Theory Therapy

An important component of holistic addiction treatment, as well as any holistic mental health treatment, polyvagal theory therapy relies on the idea that exposure to trauma or chronic stress can disregulate the autonomic nervous system, and that emotional and mental healing requires re-regulating that system. It gets its name from the vagus nerve, a cranial nerve that controls many automatic bodily functions such as digestion and breathing. 

When a person’s autonomic nervous system has been affected by trauma, it can exist in a permanent state of fight-or-flight, affecting everything from heart health to weight. A trauma informed therapist knows this and will help the patient attend to those seemingly unchangeable automatic responses so that wellbeing is established.

Motivational Interviewing

Many kinds of talk therapy are used in behavioral health residential treatment centers, but one that is particularly effective–especially in those seeking how to stop addictive behavior–is motivational interviewing. This kind of talk therapy follows one RULE: Resist telling patients what to do, Understand a patient’s current motivation for destructive thoughts or actions, Listen to a patient with empathy, Empower the patient to set goals for behavioral change. This patient-centered modality sees the therapist as a responsive guide rather than a teacher or instructor. It helps patients identify harmful motivations and strive to create healthier ones.

Behavioral Health Residential Treatment in Nashville, TN

If any of these therapies seem like a good fit for you, consider the Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN. Our residential treatment facility offers a variety of therapies, from those described above to internal family systems, brainspotting, and more. Our trained clinicians will help you find the path to recovery that is right for you. 

We also offer dual diagnosis treatment, so those suffering from multiple mental health diagnoses can find the help they need.

We don’t forget that our patients are members of communities that extend beyond our walls. The family program at ILC equips family members and loved ones of our patients to support those in recovery while also dealing with their own trauma. If you or a loved one is ready to take the next step in your healing journey, consider the Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN. Give us a call today at 615-891-2226.

The post Therapies Used in Behavioral Health Residential Treatment Centers appeared first on Integrative Life Center.

source https://integrativelifecenter.com/treatment-programs/therapies-used-in-behavioral-health-residential-treatment-centers/

Do You Have ACEs Trauma? Find Out Here

Past trauma is often the culprit behind addiction and mental health disorders, believe it or not. It can also cause physical health challenges in your life, too. If you’re struggling, your underlying trauma may not be as obvious. In fact, it could be the result of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) way back in your formative years. So how can you determine if you have ACEs trauma from your past that’s driving your current issues today? We’ll show you how—and what you can do to find healing. 

What is ACEs Trauma?

Trauma happens when you experience very stressful, frightening, or distressing events that are difficult to cope with or out of your control, according to Mind.org. There are actually different types of trauma that are associated with one specific event or ongoing events over time. When trauma happens in your childhood, ACEs are usually to blame.  

ACEs are potentially stressful or traumatic events that occur between ages zero to 17, shares the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These experiences can also simply undermine your sense of safety, stability, and bonding as a child. Real-life examples of ACEs can include:

• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
• Physical or emotional neglect
• Living with someone who has a mental illness
• Growing up with an incarcerated relative
• Witnessing your mother treated violently
• Substance use in the home
• Divorce or parental separation
• Having a family member attempt or die by suicide
• Experiencing homelessness

The Long-Term Impact of ACEs Trauma

ACEs trauma can be particularly damaging as it impacts your development as a child, causing long-term ramifications that affect you into adulthood. The CDC shares that trauma from your childhood can limit your education and job potential, for example. Toxic stress due to ACEs trauma can negatively affect your brain development, immune system, and stress-response system, too. Not only does this harm your learning and decision-making skills, it can damage your ability to form healthy, stable relationships throughout life. 

ACEs trauma can also hurt your emotional regulation skills. Because you’re unable to handle stress, difficult experiences, and negative feelings in a healthy way, you’re more vulnerable to developing addictions. Your emotional dysregulation tendencies can even lead to mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

ACEs Trauma Warning Signs

While an awareness of ACEs trauma may be obvious for some people, for others it may be harder to identify, especially from memory. You can actually experience memory loss as a result of ACEs trauma as your brain attempts to cope by blocking out harmful memories of adverse childhood experiences from your past. That means the trauma from your childhood becomes repressed memories without your awareness. 

Even if you can’t wholly remember your childhood trauma, it still negatively affects your life. Some signs of repressed childhood trauma include:

• Strong, unexplained reactions to specific people
• Uneasiness in certain places
• Extreme emotional shifts
• Attachment issues (such as anxious-avoidant attachment)
• Anxiety 
• Childish reactions
• Consistent exhaustion
• The inability to cope with normal stressful situations

 

Beyond the indicators that you may have repressed ACEs trauma, there are additional warning signs to look out for, such as:

• Relationship challenges
• Constant hypervigilance
• Self-destructive or impulsive behaviors
• Mood swings
• Difficulty trusting others
• Social isolation
• Low self-esteem
• Flashbacks, intrusive memories, and sleep disturbances

Do You Have Concerns? Take Our Free ACE Test

If any of the above ACEs trauma warning signs sound familiar, it’s understandable to have concerns. But if you’re still not sure if childhood trauma is impacting your life as an adult, we have a resource at Integrative Life Center that can give you more clarity: our ACE test. 

This free ACE test will take inventory of any adverse childhood experiences from your past. This assessment includes 11 yes or no questions and only takes about one to two minutes to complete. Though it won’t replace an official diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional, your results can indicate the likelihood of ACEs trauma in your life. If you’re ready to find out if childhood trauma could be the reason behind your struggles, you can take our childhood trauma (ACE) test here. 

What Should You Do if You Have ACEs Trauma? 

Research has shown that 60% to 80% of American adults have experienced at least one ACE in their lives, shares the Cleveland Clinic. This same study revealed that 1 in 6 individuals have experienced at least four ACEs, as well. If you think you may be one of the many adults struggling with ACEs trauma, what can you do about it?

First of all, it’s important that you actually take action to address this trauma in your life. Otherwise, it can continue to negatively impact your life (and even get worse), leading to potential addiction and mental health disorders. The best thing you should do if you’re concerned is to seek professional help. By partnering with a trauma treatment center, you can finally heal from your past trauma, as well as any addiction or mental health conditions. 

Get the Help You Need at Integrative Life Center

Don’t let ACEs trauma continue to define your life. At Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN, our trauma treatment program can help you process and finally heal from the effects of childhood trauma. Take our free ACE test as a first step or contact our team today to get started. 

The post Do You Have ACEs Trauma? Find Out Here appeared first on Integrative Life Center.

source https://integrativelifecenter.com/mental-health-treatment/do-you-have-aces-trauma-find-out-here/