Treatment Cave

The destructive forces of addiction seemingly know no bounds. Like a virus, it infects the user, and from there, the damage rapidly spreads to those around them. Breaking apart marriages, eviscerating friendships – leaving a trail of anxiety, depression and stress in its path. This is why addiction is often referred to as “a family disease” as the trauma of addiction impacts everyone in the home. In households that have been torn apart by addiction, family therapy is often used in conjunction with individual treatment to help the entire home heal together. If you, or someone you love, is searching for help overcoming an addiction to drugs or alcohol, here are four reasons why you should consider family therapy. (1) It can help prevent younger family members from going down the wrong path. It’s an unfortunate fact that substance abuse is more prevalent among teens and young adults. But, family therapy can help reduce the risk of addiction spreading to other family members. During therap...

It’s a paradox of sorts. That some people struggling with substance abuse are also afraid of experiencing recovery. They’re not sure what life will be like without the haze of addiction. How will they cope with stress? How can they navigate social situations? What will it be like to actually feel again? If you’re tired of living with the pain, guilt and confusion of addiction, you shouldn’t let your fear of sobriety stand in your way. Yes, it may take some work on your part to learn new life skills and healthy coping mechanisms but it’s entirely worth it – because you’re worth it. For those seriously contemplating what life would (and could) be like without drugs and alcohol, don’t let any misconceptions about sobriety keep you from starting that journey. Want to hear the truth about what it’s like living a sober lifestyle? Read on… (1) MYTH: I am my addiction. Without that, who am I? The reality is that as human beings – we are complex creatures. We shift. We evolve. We grow pers...

More addiction rehabilitation centers are starting to incorporate a wide range of experiential therapies to supplement more traditional programming – and with positive results. In recent years, art therapy has gained more traction as an effective vehicle to help expedite recovery. In fact, one recent study found that nearly 40% of substance abuse treatment programs use art therapy as part of their standard curriculum. While it is becoming more common, unfortunately, it is still not widely understood. If your team of addiction recovery professionals recommends the use of art therapy as part of your comprehensive drug and alcohol treatment, here are a few things you should know. It can help you process emerging emotions. Drugs and alcohol can often cloud your mind and numb your feelings. That’s why it’s common for those in detox to process memories and emotions that may have been buried. Using art therapy, you can learn how to gradually express thoughts that may be too powerful to c...

The disease of addiction can take many different forms including compulsive overeating and alcohol and drug abuse. While many people typically think of addiction in terms of using and abusing a specific substance, you might be surprised to learn that individuals can also form an addiction to intangible things too. In codependent relationships, for example, the addict forms an unhealthy compulsion to maintain emotionally destructive relationships – often with those suffering from a chemical dependency. If you have a friend or family member who is battling an addiction, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of codependent relationships since it often goes hand in hand. (In one study , 505 family members of drug users were interviewed and 64% exhibited highly codependent behaviors.)   Do You Have a Codependent Personality Type? (1) Do you put your partner first and yourself last? In healthy partnerships, there is a balance in terms of the emotional energy each p...