Sex Addiction Treatment Facilities – How Do They Provide Care?

Intimacy disorders or compulsive sexual behavior can bring damage to your life as it can wreak havoc on your relationships, career, health and finances. Sexual addiction usually goes hand in hand with other addictions or disorders as well such as substance abuse, PTSD/trauma, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder etc. the sex addiction treatment facilities provide care through a multiple ways such as they create an accepting environment for the patient, provide them comfortable houses, and give complete attention to their trauma and shame they are going through. The treatment for various underlying issues is also given and the couples and family therapy is recommended for one and all so that the patients can also get the help from their family which is the biggest support system for any human.

Healing the Shame of Sexual Addiction

Sex is a natural and an innate need that humans are born with. But then it can also lead to some of the shameful experiences. The blog shows how one single sexual incident of embarrassment makes a person captive for a long time. It can also wreak havoc to the personality of the person. It can further lead to isolation from other people. Sexual addiction leaves scars which people take a lot of time to recover from. These people will display all the shame while talking and their body posture and body language can show the pain he is going through. Though a person ends up getting emotionally isolated from others, it is also a fact that to recover he needs to mingle and connect with others. They need to push their past away and get rid of fear and shame so that they can experience freedom and healing.

Welcome Home: Preventing Relapse after Inpatient Treatment

I once heard a client’s family member refer to their loved one’s inpatient addiction treatment as a sort of summer camp.

The family member made this pronouncement with what sounded like envy; they wished they too could have some “time away.”

The thought intrigued me as a therapist. Soon after that session, I presented the idea of inpatient mental health treatment as “summer camp” to the group I was leading, and within moments I was dodging hypothetical tomatoes being thrown my direction.

Over the years, having spent more time in inpatient treatment as a therapist, I can tell you that there are many reasons why the notion that inpatient treatment is like summer camp doesn’t fly with those in recovery. One of the biggest distinctions, however, is in the returning home. Returning home from summer camp, and returning home from treatment are two entirely different things.

As a kid, you go to summer camp to experience new things and meet new friends with the knowledge that you will return home to your parents and your usual mundane surroundings within a few weeks. Nothing at home is likely to change. That is what often makes the idea of being away so appealing.

Your new friend’s primary interest is in coaxing you into the lake after lunch so that they have a swim partner. In fact, at summer camp you may not even think of home very often. Your mind typically stays on the burnt marshmallows, and the weird lanyard thing you work on at night before bed that you plan to present your parents as a token of your love and gratitude.

None of this sounds like inpatient drug and alcohol addiction treatment.

What Going Home Means After Inpatient Treatment

You probably will make friends during your inpatient addiction treatment. However, unlike summer camp, the friends you do make will be made by sharing your innermost, and most painful personal failures and struggles—struggles that you thought could be kept secret forever.

When you do think of home, you may feel a sense of loss or confusion. Your thoughts might range from “Where is home?” to “Will I ever really be home again?”

After inpatient addiction treatment, home is a place where you carefully put on your life vest of newly acquired coping skills to keep from drowning in the old habits and patterns of behavior that your brain so strongly associates with drinking or using.

Building a New and Better ‘Home’

The home you return to after inpatient or residential addiction treatment must be built on the foundation of a solid relapse prevention plan. Before you leave treatment, you should have a plan in place for…

• Managing cravings and triggers.
• Preventing a momentary slip from turning into a full-fledged return to substance abuse.
• Relying on a strong diversified support system that can include family, friends, and mental health professionals.

“Relapse prevention” is a term that frequently gets thrown around during an inpatient treatment stay. While in treatment, each patient begins to identify what their own relapse prevention plan will be. However, no one can possibly identify every potential trigger beforehand. It is critical that patients talk about and even practice their plans before leaving treatment. But, practice is never exactly the same as real-life experience.

That’s why, in addition to having a relapse prevention plan, you should also get familiar with the stages of relapse, so that you can identify who the best people to reach out to would be if you, unfortunately, found yourself in one of these stages. If you are prepared, you will find that slipping into one of these stages doesn’t mean the end of your recovery. Rather, an expected slip can be an opportunity to apply one of your newly-acquired coping skills and pull yourself back into a manageable place.

The three, progressive stages of relapse are:

1. Emotional

During this stage, you may start reacting to the same triggers that lead to your drug or alcohol misuse with feelings of anxiety, anger, isolation, mood swings, and changes in eating or sleeping habits. The most important thing you can do at this stage is to reach out to your support system. Contact your sponsor, therapist, or visit your support group, or attend your 12-step meetings.

2. Mental

In this stage, you start to fantasize and rationalize. You might start to dream about using again. Then, you will start to come up with reasons why using again would be “no big deal.” Once you’ve reached this stage, it’s absolutely critical that you talk to your sponsor or addiction counselor.

3. Physical

This is the stage where you give in and reach for the substance or process that you have worked so hard to quit using. This is why it’s so critical to recognize when you’re in stage one or two of a relapse and get help before you go down this dangerous path.

Knowing—but not anticipating—that relapse is often part of a successful recovery will help you to maintain and restore hope if you find yourself struggling through any these stages.

Maintaining your primary focus on the better life that lies ahead through recovery keeps us taking that “next best step,” “one day at a time.” As you continue on your journey “home” remember that awareness plus action is change. This change can be applied no matter where you are on your journey. If you find yourself slipping, take action, reach out, and push forward towards your new home sweet home in recovery.

Ease the Transition Home in an Outpatient Program

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is often recommended when an individual requires a “step down” from one level of treatment to the next before they are ready to return home and apply their recovery skills to everyday life.

At The Meadows Outpatient Center, we teach time-tested recovery skills and help remove the blocks that produce a life full of joy, gratitude, and acceptance. These skills promote loving, healthy relationships free from active addiction in an ongoing, permanent and successful recovery.

We are a comprehensive outpatient program that offers 18-20 hours of services and treatment per week—more than twice the amount of services provided in a typical IOP. We are also in-network with both Humana and Blue Cross Blue Shield. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about our program and help you determine if The Meadows Outpatient Treatment Center is the right place for you. Give us a call at 866-562-9559.

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Don’t Miss The Meadows Alumni Retreat

By Aleah Johnson, The Meadows Alumni Coordinator

I am thrilled to announce that registration for the 2017 Meadows Alumni Retreat is now OPEN! This is one of my favorite times of the year. This year's retreat was my first one at The Meadows and I can honestly say that it was one of the most impactful weekends I have had. My aha moments from this year's retreat involved a lot of surrender, a lot of being open to trying things someone else's way, and allowing myself to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.

The moments, fellowship, laughter, tears, and smiles shared with fellow alumni, as well as The Meadows staff, will be something that I take with me in the years to come.

Here is what some other alumni have to say about it:
"I come because it's like a family reunion with a Meadows re-fuel!" – Amy B.

"When I go to the retreat, I immediately feel a sense of belonging, that this is exactly where I am supposed to be at that time. It’s a great validation and acknowledgement of my time and commitment to my own recovery, being of service, and showing up for others. Hearing about others' journey through recovery is inspiring and an important reminder that I’m not alone!" – Greg F.

"We go back to the retreat because it is a great way to start off the year, we feel inspired and energized from the event. It's also a great way to find out what other programs are being offered by The Meadows." – Chris B.

"I came to the Meadows in September of 2015 with a broken heart & severe depression over the ending of my 27 year marriage. I knew The Meadows was my last resort in healing my heart and learning to live in my new normal. When I came home, my daughter said I was a new person, and I was. From that point forward, I knew I wanted to attend the Alumni Retreat yearly. Seeing old friends, making new friends, and the resources made available to us was phenomenal. It’s an event that will be on my calendar yearly. I don’t want to miss it!" – Lori B.

There is so much to learn, regardless of your time in recovery or the time you have supported someone in recovery since attending Family Week; we offer something for everyone!

Click here for more information and to register - we'll see you there!

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The Meadows Intensive Outpatient Program Partners with Blue Cross Blue Shield

Two years ago, we opened the Meadows Outpatient Center in Scottsdale, Arizona with the goal of taking everything we’d learned throughout our 40 years of delivering world-class, quality treatment programs at The Meadows, and applying it to an outpatient setting.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that The Meadows Outpatient Center is now an in-network provider for all Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the largest managed care companies in the United States. By partnering with them, we can make the cutting-edge services and resources we offer through The Meadows IOP more accessible to more people than ever before.

The Meadows Outpatient Center offers comprehensive outpatient treatment programs for emotional trauma and related mental health issues like drug and alcohol addiction, mood disorders, personality disorders, and co-occurring disorders. There are also programs available that focus specifically on the needs of young adults (ages 18 – 26) with addiction and mental health issues, and men and women who are struggling with sex addiction.

Services at The Meadows Outpatient Center are based on the renowned Meadows Model for treating trauma and addiction. They include 12 hours of group therapy per week, individual counseling, psychiatry consultations, Neurofeedback, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, art therapy, trauma-sensitive yoga, acupuncture, family therapy, and yearlong aftercare.

"We are extremely proud of the quality and caliber of service offered at the Meadows Outpatient Center,” says Meadows Behavioral Healthcare CEO Sean Walsh. We truly feel that it is unlike any other outpatient program in the country. Our in-network relationship with Blue Cross Blue Shield is an exciting step which allows us to be a resource to a greater number of those in need."

The Meadows Outpatient Center is available to all patients with Blue Cross Blue Shield effective immediately. So please don’t hesitate to call one of our Intake Specialists at 866-356-9801 or chat with us online to learn more. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about our outpatient program and your Blue Cross Blue Shield benefits.

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Do I Really Need an Intensive Outpatient Program after Treatment?

 

 

Once you’ve completed an inpatient addiction and mental health treatment program you may be eager to finally go back home and start a brand new life in recovery. Though you got off to a rough start, your treatment has gone remarkably well. You now feel that you’ve finally gotten your unwanted behaviors under control, and have all the tools you need to manage any negative emotions or conflicts that come your way without drinking, using, or slipping back into old unhealthy habits. 

 

As you are drawing near the end of your treatment program, your therapist says to you “I recommend that you spend some time in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) before you go home.”

“But… I’m fine now.” You say. “I’ve gone through this program with flying colors! I am like a brand new person now! Why do I need more treatment?”

 

Should I Go To An IOP?

The first few months—sometimes even the first few years—of recovery is a vulnerable time. It is not uncommon for those new to recovery to relapse soon after completing inpatient treatment. Even people who were very dedicated to getting sober and left inpatient treatment feeling like there was no way they would ever relapse, often end up relapsing.

Good inpatient treatment programs are designed to remove any outside obstacles, temptations, or distractions that might get in the way of your recovery. You don’t have access to alcohol or drugs in treatment, like you would in the “real world.” You aren’t surrounded by people, places and things that you associate with your addiction or disorder. You don’t have to deal with the usual day-to-day stresses of life. You don’t have to cook meals, drive through rush hour traffic to get to work, or manage difficult relationships with your partner, children, or roommates at home.

This is not to say that everything is always sunshine and rainbows in rehab—you will have bad days, conflicts will come up, and you’ll be overwhelmed sometimes by your emotions and fears. But, when those things do come up, there are always staff and peers available to support you through them, and to make sure you are in a safe and secure setting.

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Turning Setbacks into a Comeback

By Aleah Johnson, Alumni Coordinator at The Meadows

 

Setbacks in recovery are pretty much inevitable; nobody is immune to them or their unforeseeable effects. They can range from major occurrences, such as the loss of a loved one, to minor ones, such as having a headache to the point where you cannot function effectively at work.

We so often hear about icons—CEOs, musicians, artists, politicians, etc. — who have given in to temptations; some have had setbacks so big that it has cost them their entire career. But, setbacks do not necessarily have to be a death sentence; nor do they have to be an excuse for not reaching our goals and dreams.
Setbacks can be powerful catalysts for major comebacks. They can, for example, put you in a position where you have a clearer perspective on life, and even bigger drive to overcome your obstacles.

Stay Accountable

A setback is an event that delays your progress or reverses some of the progress you have made. In the context of addictive disorders and recovery, we also call this a relapse.
When you have experienced a setback or a relapse, it is important that you don’t downplay or ignore what has happened. Instead, take accountability, and try to make sense of the situation.
A wise somebody once said, "...you cannot conquer what you cannot confront." How true that is! Denial will hamper any progress that can come from putting things into their proper perspective.

Assess the Situation

Once we have studied our enemy (addiction) and understand it, then we can be on the lookout for the people, places, or things that can put us back into the hole that we are trying to climb out of in the first place.
The best tool you could possibly have for avoiding a relapse is a realistic action plan that will ensure that you do not find yourself in places or situations that intensify your temptation to engage in self-destructive behaviors.
When a setback or relapse has occurred, it is very critical that you begin to ask these very important questions:

• What caused the relapse?
• Can the relapse be traced to old, self-destructive behavioral patterns you slipped back into?
• Were there any other factors that led to the relapse?

Once you have analyzed the situation and have come up with a possible explanation, strategize and devise a sustainable, preventive plan for the future so that the unwanted behaviors will not be repeated again.
For example, if you relapsed by drinking alcohol during a night out with friends, you might need to consider no longer going to night clubs, even if your intention is only to dance and drink sodas.

Sharpen Your Relapse Prevention Tools

Here at The Meadows, we are very committed to equipping each patient against setbacks. We make sure everyone leaves our programs with a set of relapse prevention tools so that when temptations arise, they can hold their ground and resist them.
If a relapse does happen, remember that there is always a second chance: analyze the situation, put it into its proper perspective, and create an action plan to prevent it from happening again in the future.
And, if you need a little extra support getting through the next stage of your recovery, you can always call us. We have an intensive outpatient program and series of outstanding workshops that help keep you on track. Call 800-244-4949 or send us an email.

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What Is Pornography Addiction?

Lauren Timmermans, LAC, MBA, CSAT
Primary Therapist, Gentle Path at the Meadows
The viewing of pornography can absolutely exist comfortably within a relationship in which both partners have discussed usage openly and find their relationship pleasing and gratifying. Of the large number of people who view pornography at some point in their lives, only a small percentage of those individuals become addicted. For those who are addicted, pornography is a compulsion in which the individual has become powerless in the face of the “drug” and their lives have become unmanageable.

In 2008, the Internet Filter Learning Center estimated that 12 percent of the Internet consists of pornographic images or videos. Through its accessibility, affordability, and anonymity, internet pornography has increasingly attracted a wider audience. Studies have shown that an estimated 50 percent of all Internet traffic is related to sex or sexual images. Additionally, 13 percent of the United States population consumes pornography regularly; 75 percent of the viewers are male.

Three Types of Pornography Users

Dr. Carnes identifies three types of cybersex and online pornography users:
Recreational users consist of those who watch pornography in ways that are both appropriate and inappropriate, satisfy curiosity, and for educational and exploration purposes.

At-risk users are more vulnerable to compulsion, depression or stress-induced viewing. Often times, this individual is able to resist until exposed to pornography.

Sexually compulsive users are typically viewing 11 or more hours of pornography a week and have established a compulsive pattern that could be making their lives unmanageable.

Watching pornography creates an emotional bond with an artificial word. That makes it increasingly difficult to bond with real people in everyday life. It can also lead to a life where sex is void of intimacy. Sex becomes about the behavior and not about the emotion, nurturance, intimacy, and love we get through a true connection with a partner.

Another side effect that has become more evident in recent years is the escalation of the viewing. An individual can begin to view themes or genres they may once not have considered in order to get the same dopamine hit they got when they initially started watching pornography.

Signs That Your Pornography Use is Problematic

How do you know if you or a loved one potentially has a problem? Read through this list and keep track of how many resonate:

1. Preoccupation with pornography on the Internet.
2. Frequently engaging in pornography, engaging in it for prolonged periods of time, or engaging in it for longer than intended.
3. Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control or stop viewing pornography.
4. Restlessness or irritability when attempting to limit or stop engaging in pornography on the Internet.
5. Using pornography on the Internet as a way to escape from problems or to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression.
6. Returning to pornography on the Internet day after day in search of increasingly more intense sexual content
7. Lying to family members, therapists, or other to conceal consumption of pornography
8. Committing illegal sexual acts in the viewing of pornography (viewing underage pornography or soliciting illegal behaviors.)
9. Jeopardizing or losing significant relationships, jobs, or education because of pornography viewing behaviors
10. Incurring financial consequences due to pornographic viewing.

Porn Addiction Help

If you or your loved one identifies with three or more of these behaviors, it may be worth addressing with a behavioral health professional, particularly a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT). By seeking help, individuals who identify with these characteristics can make positive changes to their personal relationships, realign with their higher power, regain time that was spent on addiction, and engage more fully in life. Also, feel free to give one of the Gentle Path at The Meadows Intake coordinators a call at 855-333-6076  or contact us to find out if an inpatient sex addiction treatment program might be right for you.

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What to Do When You Think Your Friend Has an Eating Disorder

Eating Disorder

Carrie noticed that her friend Lydia had lost a lot of weight lately. She was paying close attention to her diet and exercising every day. People at school were always complimenting her, even teachers and parents. “What’s your secret?” they’d often say. “I wish I could lose weight that quickly!”

At first, Carrie was happy for her friend too. But, then she started to notice some things that worried her. Lydia had slowly stopped hanging out with her. She didn’t sit with Carrie in the cafeteria for lunch anymore. In fact, she didn’t go the cafeteria at all. She said she wasn’t hungry and would rather study.

Every time Carrie asked Lydia to go to the mall, or to the movies, or just to hang out at her house, she said she couldn’t because she had to get her workout in. It seemed like she was always working out!

And, Carrie couldn’t talk to her about “normal” things anymore. All Lydia seemed to want to talk about were calories, the latest diet fads, and new exercise routines.

Lydia was also starting to look way too thin. All of her clothes hung loosely from her body; sometimes it even seemed like she was deliberately wearing bigger clothes to try to hide how thin she’d become.

One day in Health class, Carrie’s teacher brought up the topics of anorexia and bulimia during a lesson on nutrition. That’s when Carrie realized that her friend Lydia might be in serious danger.

How to Talk to Your Friend About Your Concerns

If the scenario above sounds at all familiar to you—whether your “friend” is a classmate, spouse, daughter, or niece—you may wonder what you should do to help. Here are some tips that may increase the likelihood that your efforts will be seen by your friend as the caring gestures that they are, and will convince her to seek eating disorder treatment.

First, prepare yourself with information:

• Know the signs of anorexia and bulimia so that you are acting out of clear information rather than uninformed suspicion.
• Learn about the medical and psychological consequences of eating disorders.
• Understand that eating disorders are complex. Recovery is not just a matter of will power.
• Learn what community and healthcare resources are available to help people with eating disorders.

Next, pick a non-stressful time to discuss your concerns with your friend:

• State your fears to your friend.
• Describe what you have observed. List evidence of the problem.
• Be compassionate; listen.
• Try to understand things from the other person’s perspective. Understand that people with eating disorders often make decisions based on their feelings rather than on facts and logic.
• Express your concerns about the person’s health and functioning, not just their weight.
• Indicate your conviction that the situation should at least be evaluated by a professional. If she is a teenager or adolescent encourage her to talk to her parents about the situation.
• Explain how you can help. If you are both teenagers, offer to go with her to talk to a parent, teacher or trusted adult. If you are both adults, you may be able to offer a referral, information, emotional support or financial support.
• If you and your friend are people of faith, consider praying together for her well-being and wisdom in her decisions.

Be ready to:

• End the conversation if it is going nowhere or if the person becomes upset. But, if possible, leave the door open for further conversations.
• Have patience: If rejected, try again later, explaining that you are coming back because you think the situation is serious.
• Respond to emergencies: If the person is throwing up several times per day, passing out, complaining of chest pain, or talking about suicide, get help for them immediately.
• If you and your friend are still in middle school or high school, be ready to reach out to a parent, teacher, or trusted adult and tell them about your concerns.

Things to avoid:
Here are some actions or words that could lead your friend to feel as though she is not being heard and reject your help.

• Don’t oversimplify. Avoid platitudes like, “Eating disorders are an addiction like alcoholism,” or “All you have to do is accept yourself as you are.”
• Don’t nag about eating or not eating, or spend time talking about food and weight.
• Don’t be judgmental; don’t say that what the person is doing is “sick,” “stupid,” or “self-destructive.”
• Don’t give advice about weight loss, exercise, or appearance.
• Don’t say, “I know how you feel.” Instead, you can demonstrate that you understand by paraphrasing what the person has said.
• Don’t feel obliged to agree with the person’s perspective or beliefs, even though you are making an effort to understand them.
• Don’t bring a group of people to confront the person.

Make Sure You Also Take Care of Yourself

Finally, think about ways to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Remember that you matter too, and that good boundaries will help protect your well-being as well as that of your friend.

• Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Definitely, don’t promise to keep the person’s behavior a secret. Eating disorders have the highest death rates of all mental illnesses, so there’s a good chance you might have to get other people involved in helping her.
• Don’t get over-involved. Know your limits. You are not a substitute for professional care.
• Find support for yourself. Talk to a counselor or healthcare professional. Attend a support group for family and friends of those with eating disorders.

By following these guidelines, you increase the chances that your desire to help your friend will lead to real change in his or her life. And you are more likely to preserve the friendship and your own balance in the process.

Reach Out to Remuda Ranch

In our safe and tranquil environment, Remuda Ranch at The Meadows offers specialized care for women and girls in all stages of eating disorder recovery. Our approach combines proven medical and clinically intensive treatment with life-skills training and experiential programs to help patients restore balance to their lives.

Representatives are available by phone at 866-390-5100 or online at www.remudaranch.com to answer questions regarding eating disorder treatment for themselves, a family member, or loved one. If your friend or her family needs someone to speak to, feel free to give them our contact information.

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