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Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Treatment Options

Can Individuals Achieve Treatment Through Telehealth Services?

Telehealth services have become widely used throughout the past two years due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some facilities offered virtual treatment services prior to the pandemic, it was not the norm. However, when the world shut down, treatment centers had to scramble to find a way to help their current and potential clients.

The evolution of virtual mental health services allowed millions to seek the necessary treatment required during this time. However, many question the effectiveness of telehealth services. Despite skepticism, many people have received effective treatment and have gone on to maintain their recovery.

Learning more about telehealth services and their pros and cons will help you understand if it is a good option for you and your situation. Many find that telehealth services offer the flexibility necessary to carry out everyday responsibilities while seeking treatment.

What Are the Potential Cons of Telehealth Services?

Telemental health services offer people a convenient and cost-effective way to seek therapy, treatment, and other medical services from the comfort of their own homes or wherever they are. However, what are the potential cons of telehealth?

The first potential con of telehealth is that not every medical service can be done virtually. For instance, this may be more true regarding physical health and medical services. Blood work, scans, and other services require in-person interaction, but a good chunk of telemental health services can be offered remotely. That does, of course, come with its own set of cons.

Cons of Telemental Health

Some of the potential cons of telemental health services include:

  • Lack of body language. Therapists and mental health professionals can infer much about clients from their body language. When treating a client virtually – whether over the phone or via zoom – professionals can not fully see their clients’ bodies. Body language can improve communication with clients. Virtual therapy requires a client to be completely honest, as there is no body language to infer from.
  • Increased distractions. Many clients love the flexibility of telehealth. However, it makes it hard for clients to be fully committed or focused if they are at work, taking care of their kids, or commuting during an appointment.
  • Technology is not always reliable. Poor internet connection, lack of devices, or not having a quiet space to set up a laptop or computer can hinder treatment.
  • Less intimacy and connection. Most would agree that virtual connection can not mimic in-person interactions. Being with people in person creates a bond that can make treatment and recovery more successful.
  • Treatment may require a higher-intensity plan. Lastly, some mental health conditions or substance use disorders (SUDs) are severe enough to require in-person treatment. Perhaps individuals can consider telehealth as a continuing treatment plan, but initial in-person treatment may be necessary before doing so.

Benefits of Telehealth Services

There are definitely many benefits of telehealth services, but as mentioned, some require initial in-person treatment. Telehealth is an effective tool for individuals trying to maintain their sobriety. However, if you are searching for an addiction treatment program for the first time, you may consider a residential treatment program.

Some of the potential benefits of telehealth services include:

  • Convenience. Our everyday lives can quickly become quite chaotic. Telehealth services offer people the flexibility to seek treatment from the comfort of their own homes. That means they do not have to find childcare, take more time from work to commute, or find transportation if they do not have a vehicle to use.
  • More availability and fewer geographical restrictions. Considering telemental health options allows people to seek qualified help from individuals and not worry about them being within a commutable distance. That makes increases access and availability significantly.
  • Reduced stigma and intimidation. Telemental health treatment also reduces the stigma and intimidation of in-person therapy. It can be nerve-racking to seek mental health treatment, especially if it is your first time. Virtual services relieve the anxiety and stigmas surrounding mental illness and make people more comfortable with their treatment.

Telehealth Therapy

Not all services can be offered virtually, but there are therapies you can utilize through telehealth services. Some of them include:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – focuses on exploring thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and understanding triggers associated with your addiction or mental illness. CBT also concentrates on recognizing and changing harmful thoughts and behaviors.
  • Mindfulness and meditation therapy – can also be offered virtually. These practices can help recovery by increasing your awareness and self-examination and helping you feel grounded.
  • Group therapy – can also be conducted in a virtual setting. Like in-person group therapy, interaction is vital, though it can be challenging to interact virtually. Despite the challenge, it can be effective, especially when you can not attend an in-person meeting.

You must determine if the potential benefits of telehealth services for mental health outweigh the cons. Some people love the convenience and flexibility of telemental health, but you may be the type that needs in-person interaction. There is no right or wrong way to go about it, so long as it benefits your recovery and mental health.

In times of devastation, we must find the silver linings and focus on the positive. One silver lining we can focus on regarding the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic is the growth of telehealth services. With telehealth services, individuals across the United States can seek mental health treatment from the comfort of their own homes. It is normal to be skeptical of the benefits of telemental health care, but it is also okay to be the type of person who prefers in-person treatment. There are pros and cons to both. Consider the pros and cons of telemental health care today. For treatment, call Excel Treatment Center at (833) 883-9235. We can help you on your path to recovery. 

Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

Handling Parenthood and Recovery Simultaneously

Achieving sobriety is a challenging feat. If you are a parent, you may wonder how you can balance parenthood and recovery simultaneously. Upon leaving treatment, you will face a number of new challenges. Depending on your chosen treatment program, you may return home to your children for the first time in at least 30 days. Reclamation with the everyday hustle and bustle of work, kids, and other responsibilities may take a bit to get used to. However, it is imperative to know that you can successfully balance recovery and the responsibility of being a parent simultaneously – even if it takes a little help.

Managing Your Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Before you leave treatment and return to everyday life, you must be able to manage your substance use disorder (SUD). That requires you to take what you learned during treatment in rehab and apply it to your life. It also requires you to make changes to maintain sobriety as you tackle all the challenges recovery throws your way.

In order to maintain sobriety long-term, you must create a recovery plan. There is no one “right” plan. Recovery plans are most effective when they are individualized. Before leaving treatment, it is necessary to sit down with a clinician or case manager and plan as much as possible for the road ahead. That includes finding a local support group and a therapist to see on a regular basis. You may also need to end toxic relationships and potentially find a new place to live if your situation prior to treatment is no longer suitable for you or your children.

Many people find it beneficial to move home post-treatment to be closer to family. Family support is critical to a successful recovery and can also help when kids are involved. For example, attending therapy and support meetings will require your children to stay with trusted individuals. That may be grandparents, family friends, or others you trust to watch your child when you must focus on sobriety.

Speaking of therapy and support group meetings, you may be wondering how much of a benefit they will be to you post-treatment. Specifically, how can therapy and support groups help you balance a life of parenthood and recovery?

The Importance of Attending Therapy and Support Groups

There are several benefits of continuing therapy post-treatment. Therapy can improve your communication skills, allow you to experience more happiness, and improve mental function and relationships. When the mind is well, the body is well too. Attending therapy will also help you learn how to prioritize your physical and emotional well-being and focus on sobriety and your mental health.

Therapy also helps people feel empowered. As you continue going to therapy post-treatment, you will learn more about your addiction and ways to cope with it. Managing daily life challenges during recovery will be triggering. Therapy can help you through those triggers.

Similarly, support group meetings are vital to coping with triggers, cravings, and anything else life throws at you. Hearing the stories of others will inspire and motivate you to persevere, especially on days when you feel like giving up. Many of the people in these meetings may also have children. Peers who have been in recovery for a while will be able to offer advice and guidance on balancing parenthood and recovery.

Finding the right therapist and support group may take time, especially if this is your first time seeking mental health services and being in recovery. Patience and persistence are vital during that time of searching.

Balancing Parenthood and Recovery

Once you have a recovery plan, a therapist, and a strong support network, you can find new ways to balance parenthood and recovery. Here are a few ways you can start balancing the two today:

  • Never shy away from asking for help – children do not come with an instruction manual.
  • Be sure to attend mental health appointments and meetings.
  • Discuss recovery with your children in a way most suitable for them.
  • Be proactive when experiencing triggers. Go to a meeting, discuss them with your therapist, or reach out to a peer for help immediately.
  • Prioritize self-care, whether that includes going for a walk with your children, taking day trips with them as much as possible, or spending some quiet time with yourself when able.

Parenthood and Recovery Are Possible

At the end of the day, there is no sure way for people to balance parenthood and recovery simultaneously. Sometimes it will be trial and error, just like anything else in life. The best thing you can do is focus on your children, stick to your recovery plan, heed the advice of others, and know that you are not alone.

If you or someone you love is a parent struggling with addiction, reach out to Excel Treatment Center today.

Sometimes when you seek addiction recovery, other factors influence your decision to do so. For many, that factor is their children. During treatment, you will create a recovery plan to help you maintain sobriety long-term. This plan will help you cope with the challenges life will throw at you post-treatment. Unfortunately, balancing parenthood and recovery post-treatment will take some time, but with the help of your support system, you can do it today. Know that there is a better life than one in active addiction and that maintaining sobriety long-term is possible. For the sake of yourself and your children, reach out to a treatment facility today. Call Excel Treatment Center at (833) 883-9235. 

Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

Coping With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Do you experience intense sadness during the fall and winter or feel unexplainably down around the time the days get shorter? If so, you are not alone. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects many individuals, making it difficult to maintain recovery or mental health. Understanding SAD and how it impacts your overall mental health is the first step toward managing it long-term. Like depression, you can learn to cope with SAD and maintain your sobriety simultaneously despite related symptoms and risks of relapse.

What Is SAD?

SAD is a type of depression the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes as “significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change.” For some, symptoms may be moderate. Individuals experience slight mood changes when the seasons change; we all feel the winter blues a little bit. However, symptoms can become severe for many. Especially among individuals already struggling with their mental health, the changing seasons can trigger and exacerbate symptoms of mental illness.

Individuals aware of their SAD can successfully prepare for it. Fortunately, the seasons change around the same time every year. We know when the days get shorter and when to expect the start of spring. Knowing this pattern is great because it prevents a season’s triggers from sneaking up on us.

When Does SAD Occur?

According to the NIMH, SAD typically begins in late fall or early winter and goes away during the spring or summer. This pattern is called “winter-pattern SAD,” also known as “winter depression.” However, it is possible to experience depressive symptoms during the spring or summer. When that happens, it is called “summer-pattern SAD” or “summer depression.” Though it is less common, summer-pattern SAD does happen. On average, symptoms of SAD will last for about four to five months on average.

Symptoms vary depending on a couple of factors. For example, because SAD is a type of depression, there are major related symptoms you may experience. Additionally, symptoms may vary depending on whether you experience winter-pattern or summer-pattern SAD.

Typical Symptoms

Symptoms of SAD, according to the NIMH, include:

  • Major depression symptoms
    • Feeling depressed almost all day, every day
    • Losing interest in enjoyable activities or hobbies
    • Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
    • Having problems with sleep and feeling sluggish or agitated
    • Experiencing a loss of energy
    • Feeling hopeless or worthless
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
  • Winter-pattern SAD symptoms  
    • Experiencing hypersomnia (oversleeping)
    • Overeating, and especially experiencing a craving for carbohydrates
    • Weight gain
    • Social withdrawal
  • Summer-pattern SAD symptoms 
    • Experiencing insomnia
    • Weight loss as a result of poor appetite
    • Experiencing restlessness and agitation
    • Feeling anxious
    • Experiencing episodes of violent or erratic behavior

SAD and Substance Use Disorder

Managing a mood disorder and substance use disorder (SUD) can be a slippery slope. The journal Science & Practice Perspectives, published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), indicates that mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorders, “are the most common psychiatric comorbidities among patients with substance use disorders.” Further, treating a co-occurring mood disorder can “reduce substance craving,” but individuals in treatment will raise the question of how they can manage their mood disorder post-treatment.

Individuals who seek treatment for depression and SUD have an advantage when it comes to handling SAD symptoms. That is simply because they have already learned and practiced techniques to cope with their conditions. This is why dual diagnosis is so crucial to addiction treatment. If clinicians know you are struggling with a mood disorder alongside SUD, they can create a specific treatment plan with that in mind. Then, once in recovery, you can utilize what you learned in treatment and apply it when you experience symptoms of that mood disorder, such as SUD.

Treatment

Learning to manage SAD symptoms is vital. Fortunately, treatment can help. Some of the treatment methods for SAD include:

  • Light therapy – a mainstay for the treatment of SAD since the 1980s, which includes exposure to a bright light daily day to compensate for the lack of sunshine in the winter months
  • Psychotherapies – such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). There is a type of CBT specifically adapted for treating SAD called CBT-SAD.
  • Antidepressant medication – which increases serotonin levels
  • Vitamin D – which you can obtain from a supplement or through light therapy

How to Manage SAD Symptoms

In addition to treatment, you can manage SAD symptoms on your own by doing the following:

  1. Changing your environment to let in more natural light into your home and working spaces
  2. Spending time outside as much as possible
  3. Exercising every day
  4. Improving your sleeping patterns
  5. Practicing other forms of self-care

Consider implementing these changes today to manage your SAD symptoms and enjoy a better winter season, this year and in the future.

Do you find yourself growing irritable or experiencing depressive moods when the seasons change? More specifically, do the darker days of winter and lack of sunlight impact you mentally and emotionally? If so, you may be struggling with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to changes in moods and behaviors whenever the seasons change. As a type of depression, symptoms of SAD sometimes mimic the symptoms of major depression. These symptoms vary depending on whether you have winter-pattern SAD or (less common) summer-pattern SAD. Treatment methods for SAD are also similar to those for depression. You can manage your symptoms of SAD and substance use disorder (SUD) through behavioral therapies and self-care practices. For more information or to get help, call Excel Treatment Center at (833) 883-9235

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