You’re working hard to overcome your addiction, and you need the support of family and friends. There’s a stigma surrounding substance abuse, and people in your life may not understand addiction. Knowing the causes of alienation, how to educate family and friends, and how to break away from the stigma will help you throughout your recovery.

Why the Stigma Surrounding Substance Abuse?

People are more likely to view substance abuse negatively than mental health conditions. The public has been educated about mental health, and awareness campaigns have raised understanding and empathy. Substance abuse, however, is often misunderstood.

Although drug addiction is a medical condition, people view those battling addiction as weak, irresponsible, or having a defect in character. Drug addiction is often associated with illegal drugs, and people equate addicts with criminals, even though addiction may start with prescription painkillers. This criminal image is changing as America finds itself in the grips of an opioid epidemic.

Shame and guilt are associated with drug addiction not only by those who suffer from it, but from friends and family as well. This can lead to people sweeping the subject under the carpet. Just as mental illness was once a taboo topic, substance addiction is still far less talked about and often remains a secret.

Alienation from Family and Friends

Often family members and friends just don’t understand substance addiction. They may be embarrassed, blame themselves, or feel helpless. It’s often easier for them to turn away rather than embrace a loved one going through treatment for addiction. They may be feeling hurt by how they were treated or taken advantage of by someone who suffers from substance use disorder.

Educate Family and Friends on Substance Use Disorder

Education leads to understanding. With the help of a counselor or other members of your treatment team, talk to your loved ones about the realities of addiction. Some talking points may include:

• The physical symptoms of drug addiction, including nausea, vomiting, fever, sweats and chills, tremors, weight gain or loss, and sleep disturbances.
• How substance addiction often co-exists with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
• How addiction changes the brain short- and long-term, leading to poor choices or inexplicable behaviors.
• How addiction treatment plans can help.

Coping With and Breaking Away from the Stigma

You are not your addiction! It doesn’t define you. While substance abuse may be a lifelong challenge, once you have the support, resources and tools to recover, you can lead a productive and fulfilling life. Immerse yourself in inspirational stories of those who’ve overcome substance addiction and tune out the negative chatter that comes from the news, social media, and naysayers.

If you have dedicated friends and family willing to stay with you through thick and thin, you can leave behind the others who can’t understand or won’t stop judging. It’s hurtful to be rebuffed or shamed by loved ones, and you don’t need to put up with it. If you’ve tried to make amends in cases where you’ve hurt loved ones and made attempts to educate them on addiction, that’s all you can do. Choose to keep supportive people in your life and let go of the negative ones.

As substance addiction makes its way out of the shadows and into the light, more people will become educated, leading to its de-stigmatization. Hope is here for those who are overcoming addiction!

At The GateHouse, we’d love to help support you in your journey to overcome addiction and deal with its stigma. Reach out to us today!

The failure to set boundaries in recovery is one of the biggest threats to those with a history of substance use disorder.

Loose boundaries can allow others to negatively influence your behavior or take advantage of your situation. Setting boundaries early on in your recovery will help you stay on track and let your loved ones know where the limits are throughout the process.

Being around friends and family can hold a different dynamic than the one you might have with co-workers or new acquaintances. Your friends and family members have likely been through a lot with you, and it’s vital to let them know where you’re at with your recovery. The new boundaries you’re setting will factor into your relationships, and figuring out how to manage these boundaries will be one of the first steps you’ll take in the recovery process.

Why You Should Set Boundaries

Throughout active addiction, it’s easy to let the boundaries you have set with the people around you fail. Poor boundaries can lead to manipulative, dangerous relationships, an uneven power dynamic, and a host of other unpleasant relational consequences. Some unhealthy boundaries include not taking responsibility for your actions, forcing and discouraging other’s opinions and beliefs, and sacrificing your values to appease others.

On the other hand, setting clear boundaries allows you to create healthy relationships, regain mutual trust and respect, share your thoughts openly, and give you a platform to state your values and goals for the future of your recovery. Creating boundaries for the people that are in your life will facilitate healthier relationships and allow you to flourish in your recovery and beyond.

What Boundaries Should You Set?

Figuring out what boundaries to set will look different for each relationship you have. For instance, the boundaries you have with you parents will look different than those you have with your friends or your significant other. The boundaries you set can be physical, mental, or emotional. Here are a few examples to get you started:

• Let those around you know you don’t want them talking about or using substances in your vicinity.
• Establish relationships where it’s okay to share your thoughts and feelings without negative repercussions.
• Don’t allow other people to abuse or manipulate you.
• Don’t allow others to solely depend on you for their own emotional stability.

Inform Your Loved Ones

After determining what boundaries you’ll have with the people in your life, it’s time to inform them. It’s common for people to set boundaries and then fail to let others know. This can make your loved ones feel as though they should be able to read your mind, and it can be very frustrating for them and you.

Have a discussion with each person and go over what boundaries you’ve decided to set for your relationship going forward. Telling them up front lets them know you’re serious and that you expect them to respect the boundaries you’ve put in place.

Stay Firm

Being in recovery is difficult on its own, and managing new boundaries within your relationships can only make it more challenging. Find someone who completely understands that you need these boundaries around your relationships, and lean on their support if other people you surround yourself with aren’t being respectful of your decisions.

Create boundaries that will benefit your relationships and don’t be afraid to stick up for them if anyone dismisses them. They’re necessary for your recovery, and anyone you allow to be in your life should respect your wishes.

If you’re looking for support throughout your recovery, reach out to us today. At The GateHouse, we provide residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs where we can help you determine what boundaries you want to set with the people in your life.

While K2 has been on the market for several years, it recently attracted major media attention when over 100 people overdosed on the synthetic marijuana product in New Haven, CT, earlier this month. Sadly, this wasn’t the first instance of mass overdoses on K2, but it did serve to intensify the discussion surrounding the deadly drug.

What Is K2?

Synthetic marijuana, “spice,” and “K2” are all street names for synthetic cannabinoids. But what exactly is a synthetic cannabinoid? It’s a manmade chemical that is typically sprayed onto dry leaves that attaches to cannabinoid receptors in the brain—similar to THC and CBD. Although K2 is also called synthetic marijuana, it has no relation to real marijuana aside from producing similar effects.

Barring symptoms that mimic marijuana use, K2 can produce other reactions, such as seizures, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, confusion, violent behavior, increased heart rate, decreased blood flow to the brain, and a multitude of other undesirable and dangerous symptoms. People who use K2 regularly have shown signs of addiction and dependence upon it.

Is K2 legal?

Initially, K2 was unregulated, and it was marketed as a healthy alternative to marijuana. Because of this, many states allowed the sale of K2 at gas stations, tobacco shops, corner stores, and even online. Since K2 is created with manmade chemicals, there are covert factories—mostly overseas—that produce it and make it difficult to figure out the initial source of supply.

With numerous overdoses since its inception in the mid 2000s, legislation has become stricter, and over 40 states have banned the sale of synthetic marijuana. To circumvent these new laws, drug-producing chemists have attempted to create different strains of K2 using a variety of substances to circumvent the legal restrictions.

While many of the substances used to create K2 are illegal, K2 is also frequently laced with other illegal drugs. According to NPR, the overdoses in Connecticut were likely due to the deadly drug fentanyl, which is becoming a more common mixer for synthetic marijuana. Although no one who overdosed died, at least two people suffered life-threatening symptoms.

K2 in Lancaster County

Many people in Lancaster County overlook the severity of the drug use problem in the County. In fact, drug use –and specifically K2 use—has seen a tremendous uptick in recent years. Just last summer, in July of 2017, 102 people in Lancaster County were treated for K2 overdoses in under four days. And that’s not all. In April of 2018, Lancaster EMS reported being called in for over half a dozen K2 overdoses each day. Although this is a nationwide issue, it’s essential to recognize these issues residing in our own backyard.

If you or someone you know uses K2 or has become addicted to it, reach out to us today. We offer residential and intensive outpatient treatment at The GateHouse, and we would love to help you or your loved one overcome addiction.

There are so many misconceptions surrounding addiction that it can sometimes be easy to make incorrect assumptions about the people who struggle with it. Falling into this trap is only intensified by people’s inexperience with the causes of addiction and the corresponding inability to understand that no one chooses this kind of life.

The reasons people become addicted to certain substances are as varied as the people themselves. Some common threads do tie them together, however, and knowing these will serve you well in helping to fight the scourge of addiction.

Experimentation

The first misconception about addiction is that experimentation with a drug is a consciously made choice, and therefore the cycle of addiction that can sometimes follow is due to the user’s decision to experiment. The fallacy in this assumption comes when the curtain is pulled back just a little bit. Choosing to use a substance and “choosing” to be addicted to that substance are two separate things. After all, even the most non-addictive personalities can fall prey to the issues that led to experimentation in the first place. These include peer pressure, recreation, trauma and more.

Peer Pressure and Recreational Use

By the time we reach adulthood, many of our routines are already established. During our most impressionable period—adolescence—substance abuse can rise to the forefront thanks to social factors such as peer pressure and a desire to fit in.

Many teenagers are exposed to marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs at a young age, which tends to normalize those substances and create an environment where recreational use is accepted. Substance use at such an early age can cause kids to use them to self-medicate as a way of combatting the emotional rollercoaster of puberty and the wildly fluctuating hormones that accompany it. As preventable as the first use of a substance is, addiction can be swift and substance use can very quickly become substance abuse, thus affecting everyday life.

Self-Medication

Teenagers aren’t the only ones who may use substances as a method of self-medication. Experiencing a trauma or dealing with chronic pain or emotional disorders can cause people of any age to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Relying on substances to help cope with mental or physical issues can easily cause people to slip into an addiction cycle, regardless of whether they’re under the care of a physician or not.

Prescriptions

Opioid abuse has been a tense topic of discussion for family, friends, clinicians, and health care providers for more than a decade. What began in the 1990s as an easy way for doctors to relieve the chronic pain of their terminal patients has quickly devolved into an addiction crisis that continues to leave experts searching for answers. With more than 115 people dying every day in the United States from opioids, the crises has now reached epidemic proportions.

As opioid addiction has soared in the United States, and the costs of prescription opioids have continued to rise, many patients have found a cheaper way to combat the pain of their illnesses as well as their intense cravings: heroin. According to one study, nearly 80% of people who use heroin used prescription opioids first.

Genetics

For many people, genetics and environment play a large role in the struggle with substance use disorder. The risk of heritability varies by substance, age, race, sex and developmental stage.

Caused in part by their genetic predisposition, people react differently to different substances. Someone who is predisposed to alcoholism, for example, may become addicted on their first use, yet someone else may have no craving or strong desire for alcohol even after several uses. Not knowing how certain substances will affect people due to their genetic makeup plays a role in who ends up struggling with substance abuse and who doesn’t.

This genetic uncertainty doesn’t just limit itself to substances, either. Studies indicate that genetics may play a role across the entire addictive spectrum, from drug and alcohol abuse to gambling addictions to eating disorders.

Regardless of how addictive behavior starts, be it genetics, environment, or self-medication, it’s important to remember that most addicts don’t descend into addiction with a conscious desire to do so. People often react angrily to the “choices” an addict makes to obtain the addictive substance or to engage in the addictive behavior, not realizing that their motives are driven by a dependence that has spiraled out of their control.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please reach out to us today. We offer intensive outpatient counseling sessions as well as residential therapy, and we would love to help you or a loved one on your journey to recovery.

Many people who struggle with substance abuse are good at keeping their addiction hidden. Knowing all the signs of substance abuse will help you decide if you need to talk to your loved one about addiction. If your loved one demonstrates these lesser-known signs of substance abuse it’s time to get them help.

Physical Signs

Physical signs of substance abuse are typically most noticeable in loved ones who struggle with addiction. If you start to observe physical symptoms that are out of the ordinary along with any of the other signs in this post, reach out to them about getting help. Some physical signs of substance abuse that aren’t as well-known are:

• Bad body odor
• Runny nose or sniffling
• Bloodshot eyes
• Frequent bloody noses
• Slurred Speech
• Sudden weight loss or gain

Behavioral Signs

Aside from physical signs, behavioral changes can be another red flag that your loved one is struggling with addiction. If your loved one recently started abusing substances, it’s likely that their behavior and the people they spend their time with changed rather dramatically. If you notice any of these signs, or if they experience them more frequently, think about talking to them about how they’re feeling and if they’ve been using.

• More frequent traveling
• Arguing with loved ones
• Cancelling plans frequently
• Neglecting work, school, and relationships
• Changes in friends
• Unexplained need for money

Psychological Signs

Psychological signs of substance abuse are normally the hardest to recognize in the people closest to you. Since people who struggle with substance abuse are often very good at hiding their psychological state with those around them, it’s important to take a close look at how they’ve changed since you started noticing other signs of substance abuse. If you notice any of these symptoms coupled with other signs you should gently talk to them about substance abuse.

• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Hyperactivity
• Depression

Many people with a substance abuse problem may not reach out on their own. Recognizing the signs and symptoms will help you determine if your suspicions are valid. If you feel confident that your loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol, reach out to them about getting help.

If you’re looking for outpatient or residential treatment options for your loved one, contact us today to help your loved one get the assistance they need to live a sober and fulfilling life.

You and your spouse have been through a lot—confronting addiction, going through treatment and making a commitment to live a substance-free life.

Now you’re embarking on a new phase in your relationship. It’s time to focus on leading a healthy life together and helping to prevent your spouse from relapsing. Read these 11 ways to help give your spouse the support they need to stay sober.

1. Make sure your spouse is attending a support group. Whether it’s a rehab facility that provides outpatient treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, this is the most crucial step in helping your spouse stay sober.
2. Remove all alcohol or drugs from the house. Consider keeping prescription drugs locked away. Any inconvenience is well worth removing the temptation for your spouse to reach for pills when nothing else is within their grasp.
3. Find support for yourself. It’s not easy being married to someone with an addiction. In order to help them, you need to take care of yourself. Connect with a licensed professional, preferably one with experience dealing with addiction.
4. Realize your limits. If your spouse is relapsing or struggling, get them professional help immediately rather than trying to “fix” them. Let a trained professional step in while you remain supportive.
5. Get your friends and family on board. They need to know your spouse can’t go out for drinks on the weekend or gather around the family table for holiday meals with bottles of wine.
6. Be prepared to lose friends. This is sad, but it’s a reality that friends whose lifestyle heavily revolves around alcohol or drugs aren’t going to give that up for you and your spouse. You’ll need to discuss letting go of friends that may trigger your spouse to relapse.
7. Find ways to make new friends! The good news is there are other couples looking for friends to connect in ways that don’t involve alcohol or drugs. Check your community center for events, reach out to a church or synagogue or find a club to join (from gardening to computer coding to book clubs, there’s a group for everyone!). Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter can connect you with like-minded people
8. Watch out for warning signs. If your spouse reverts to behaviors you saw before rehab, such as being secretive, disappearing for long periods of time or a significant change in behavior or appearance, talk to them. If they deny using drugs or alcohol but the behaviors continue, contact their sponsor or counselor for help.
9. Keep an open dialogue. Staying sober is an ongoing process, just like maintaining a healthy weight or sticking with an exercise program. Keep the lines of communication open. You don’t have to hover and check in every hour. Rather, weave your spouse’s recovery into your regular conversation. One day they’re feeling invincible and the next they’re fighting hard not to take a drink. Assure them they can be open with you and that you’ll meet them where they’re at.
10. Give yourself and your spouse space. You’re not a babysitter, and your spouse doesn’t want to feel like they’re being watched 24/7. Pursue individual interests! Pick a night or weekend to go your separate ways to have fun and take a break from one another.
11. Accept that relapse does happen. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed your spouse or they’re never going to stay sober. Together with a counselor, make a plan in the event of a relapse. Being proactive goes a long way in feeling confident that your spouse can get help and you can support them.

If you and your spouse need help at any point in the recovery process, the caring professionals at The GateHouse would love to help! Please contact us for more information on our treatment options and resources.