Category: Co-Occurring Disorders

Did you know that:

Resilience  or Resiliency is the ability to recover quickly from misfortune; able to return to original form after being bent, compressed, or stretched out of shape.

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress— such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. It means “bouncing back” from difficult experiences.- Education

Resilience in a person reflects a dynamic union of factors that encourages positive adaptation despite exposure to adverse life experiences.

Did you know:

Before one can bounce back from the challenges of life, one must know and understand their issues of adversity first.

There is a test know as the ACE Study. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study) is a research study conducted by Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).^[1] Participants were recruited to the study between 1995 and 1997 and have been in long-term follow up for health outcomes. The study has demonstrated an association of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with health and social problems as an adult. The study has been analyzed extensively, is frequently cited as a notable landmark in epidemiological research, and has produced more than 50 scientific articles and more than 100 conference and workshop presentations that look at the prevalence and consequences of ACEs-According to Wikipedia

What is it that helps resilience happen?

For each person there may be choices they make, resources they turn to, strengths they draw upon or insights they apply. By becoming interested in the steps people take that help them deal with adversity we learn more about how resilience is done.

Remain hopeful:

You can’t change the past, but you can always look toward the future. Accepting and even anticipating change makes it easier to adapt and view new challenges with less anxiety.

Education:

There are three main aspects within the concept of resilience.The ability to achieve positive results in high risk situations

The ability to function competently in situations of acute or chronic stress

The ability to recover from trauma

While defining resilience, it is also essential to distinguish it from factors that modulate it and related concepts such as invulnerability, stress resistance, adaptive behaviors, and mental toughness. –According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry

Did you know that nearly 23 million Americans struggling with addiction, nearly 14 million also suffer from some form of mental illness, either stemming from or leading to substance abuse?

Did you also know that nearly six out of 10 addicts also suffer from a mental disorder such as ADHD, PTSD or schizophrenia. People who are addicted to drugs are twice as likely to suffer from a mood or anxiety disorder and vice versa, and roughly three quarters of addicts in rehab treatment also suffer from some sort of mental disorder. Furthermore, many drugs of abuse have qualities that can mimic the symptoms of mental illness and withdrawal side effects that are often diagnosed as mental illness. Well no matter the statics people do recover.

Below is an empowering video that focused on  recovery stories with peers from around the world at the Alternative Conference in Auston Texas, from the Cafe TA Center .

Here are their  recovery stories.

What is harm reduction?

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with  drug user– according to(health experts). Sounds like stigma, and that is discrimination. The principles of harm reduction can and should be utilized by those who suffer with any form of addiction.

Harm reduction (or harm minimization) is a range of public health policies designed to reduce the harmful consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal. Harm reduction policies are used to manage behaviors such as recreational drug use and sexual activity in numerous settings that range from services through to geographical regions. Critics of harm reduction typically believe that tolerating risky or illegal behavior sends a message to the community that such behaviors are acceptable and that some of the actions proposed by proponents of harm reduction do not reduce harm over the long term. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Today so many people are fighting the war of behavioral health issues of addictions, mental health and suicide called  (co-occurring disorders) and they are seeking hope through new integrative  ways that could change their life.

The Harm Reduction theory:

So let’s look at addiction and mental health disorders using  the theory from the stages of change  as it relates to harm reduction.

1. Pre-contemplation is: Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem  that needs to be changed 
2. Contemplation is: Acknowledging that there is a problem, but not yet ready or sure of
   wanting to make a change
3. Determination is: Getting ready to change
4. Action is: Changing behavior
5. Maintenance is: Maintaining the behavior change.

Recently the medical health professionals are adding relapse as the six level of change. (You Think) The question is why not include or explore harm reduction as a therapy method for change such as:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is-a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique to get to a stage of acceptance.

One-on-one therapy 

Not everyone is able to share and discover their issues of life in a group. One-on-one therapy allows the person to dig deep with an qualified behavioral health professional to reach the help that is needed before attending group therapy.

Group therapy 

Group therapy allows one to be able to share with others to gain a better understanding that
they are not alone!

No one wants to be an addict of any form. however what about those with co-occurring disorders?

Society must understand that addiction or mental health disorders or  suicidal thoughts are issues that just do not go away. With harm reduction it gives those with behavioral health challenges a fighting chance to deal with the root of their problem instead of returning to risky behavioral. The time has arrived for society to understand that  harm-reduction strategies are showing results   in reducing HIV transmission in injecting drug users, sex-workers, those with eating disorders alcohol, gambling and more.

If we deal with harm reduction for those who suffer with co-occurring disorders issues of  addictions, depression, bipolar, eating disorders, schizophrenia and suicide– just maybe the lives for our youth, young adults as well as the mature adults can be approached from a different stage wise level by accepting and moving forward in a realistic  way.

I welcome your thoughts, wisdom and remarks  on harm reduction