Addiction Therapy Bergen County

Addiction: Recognizing and Coping with a Loved One’s Opioid Addiction

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By: Lydia Gallagher

Opioids are a class of drug that can either come as legal prescription drugs, such as oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and others, or illegal street drugs, like heroin. Misuse of prescription painkillers often leads to addiction, after to the cheaper and more available option of heroin. Opioid addiction, formally known as Opioid Use Disorder, is a heartbreaking disease that causes turmoil to the life of the addict and their loved ones. Recognizing the signs of an opioid addiction is an important step on the road to recovery and rehabilitation.

The common symptoms of opioid addiction are as follows:

  • Weight loss
  • Drowsiness
  • Cravings for opioids
  • Isolation
  • Frequent flu-like symptoms
  • Stealing from family or friends
  • Slurred speech

Addiction is hard to fight alone, and many people need their loved ones to help them. Addiction never discriminates and anyone can fall victim to it. Opioid Addiction doesn’t just hurt the one who is addicted. Family and friends can find it emotionally draining and upsetting to see their loved one suffer from this damaging disease. If you have a loved one suffering from opioid addiction, it is important to be there for them and encourage them to get help. It is also vital to take care of yourself and seek therapy to help you become less distressed.

If you or someone you know is seeking therapy for an opioid addiction, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/opioids

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/step-by-step-guides-to-finding-treatment-drug-use-disorders/if-your-adult-friend-or-loved-one-has-problem-drugs/how-to-recognize-substance

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/opioids/science-of-addiction.html

Addiction: Ways to Overcome it

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

 

Addiction: Ways to Overcome it

By: Daniela Vargas

Falling into addiction can feel like you have lost control of your life. But, you can gain that control back. Addiction can involve different substances like alcohol, gambling, drugs like cocaine and heroin. Now, you may ask how addiction starts or why people continue using these substances? The reason for this is that when you take a substance or do a certain behavior it makes you feel good and stress free. That “good feeling” is a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that your brain releases when you feel pleasure or satisfaction.

Psychotherapy:

Psychotherapy can help one overcome addiction. Psychotherapy has many ways which therapists can use depending on the situation. Here are some that can help with addiction.

  • Supportive Psychotherapy: Can help patients feel safe and comfortable sharing their experiences and troubles. A therapist can be a strong guide throughout your journey and give advice to help you push through.
  • Coping- focused psychotherapy: This method can teach patients ways to cope with substance abuse. This method, combines individual therapy with a Relapse Prevention programs.
  • Exploratory Psychotherapy: It is important to find the root of the problem. This type of psychotherapy can help uncover connections with your addiction.

Medication:

Medication or a combination of both medication and Psychotherapy can help overcome addiction.

  • Naltrexone: can help reduce craving of alcohol
  • Buprenorphine: this medication can help reduce Opioid withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine helps to block and activate the opioid receptors in the brain.
  • Methadone: Can also reduce Opioid withdrawal symptoms
  • Bupropion: can reduce withdrawal symptoms for nicotine addiction. This medication is also prescribed for people battling with depression.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/addiction

https://www.mentalhelp.net/substance-abuse/psychotherapy/

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-adolescent-substance-use-disorder-treatment-research-based-guide/evidence-based-approaches-to-treating-adolescent-substance-use-disorders/addiction-medications

Image: https://www.google.com/search?q=addiction&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS752US752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi88tufv6juAhXjct8KHR3ZAF0Q_AUoAnoECBAQBA&biw=1434&bih=687#imgrc=qyOm9dPoiVdWaM

 

Addiction: Supporting My Adult Child Through Addiction

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Addiction: Supporting My Adult Child Through Addiction
By Emma Yasukawa

Being a parent means that your children always come first and from a young age, you teach them to make good decisions because children form plenty of life decisions on their own. For example, there are plenty of adult children who make the decision on whether or not they will try drugs or alcohol; even after hearing all of the possible side-effects and risks of addiction. This decision ultimately has an effect on parents and may leave them second-guessing their parenting skills and whether or not they did something wrong as parents.

If you are a parent of an adult child who is not making good decisions and their future seems uncertain, this can be a heavy burden on you. You must take a deep breath and remind yourself that your child is no longer your responsibility legally, and that they inevitably chose this path. Though, there are a few ways that a parent can help their adult child dealing with addiction:

1. Adult children who are addicted to a substance tend to feel as if the whole world is against them and that they feel as if they ‘had no other choice.’ As a parent it is important to remind your child that it was their conscious decision that leads them to where they are. Ultimately, this can remind them that they always have a choice and that it is not too late to seek help.

2. As a parent, you will always want to support your child emotionally and financially if needed. It is a parent’s heart to want to always help, but sometimes you are causing more harm than good. It is important to offer assistance and support but only to the degree that you are able to, and knowing that it is actually bettering your child’s future.

3. Love your child. Love comes in many different forms and sometimes integrating tough love is the best kind of love. This means holding him/her accountable for their behavior, and possibly setting up an intervention if needed.

4. While it is easy for the addicted child to become the center of attention, it is important to not allow this to affect the rest of your family. Of course it will be on everyone’s mind but, it should not get to the point where it will split up a family.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Resources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lifetime-connections/201410/7-tips-mothers-adult-addicts

Image Source: https://vertavahealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Addictioncampuses.com-Getting-Help-For-An-Adult-Child-Addicted-To-Drugs-And-Alcohol.jpg
 

Vape and E-Cigarette Addiction

GalleryJudy Gurfein 6 Comments

By: Maryellen Van Atter

    

E-cigarette devices, such as the Juul, are more prevalent than ever. These devices were originally created to help established smokers stop smoking traditional cigarettes. However, because of their ease of use, portability, and sweet taste/smell, they have become popular with a generation of teens who have never smoked traditional cigarettes. This is concerning because of the plethora of health concerns surrounding the devices. They still contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Nicotine is shown to raise blood pressure and spike adrenaline and heartrate, which can lead to increased risk of heart attack. Vaping has been linked to severe respiratory illnesses, and it may be related to pulmonary disease. It can worsen asthma, cause nausea, and irritate the mouth and throat.

While these physical health effects are often discussed, there is less discussion about the mental effects of nicotine addiction. Those who smoke have a lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder which is more than double the prevalence in those who do not smoke. Some research has gone even farther and said that smoking may change neurotransmitter activity in the brain, leading to increased risk of depression. Despite this, the devices are still popular. While it is possible to vape something that does not contain nicotine, it is uncommon and teens often are not entirely aware of what is in what they are inhaling.

The percentage of teens that vape is increasing. Studies have found that 42.5% of high school seniors report vaping in their lifetime; this is dangerous behavior. However, it is important to remember that blame is unhelpful in helping a teen to kick their vaping habit. Similarly, reminding a teen about the risk of cancer and family addiction histories is not an effective way to get them to quit. Teens will respond best to calm conversations and discussions about how their vaping may be affecting them and the things that they consider important, such as school, extracurriculars, and sleep. Helping someone stop smoking is no easy job and it is not something that has to be done alone.

Addiction is a serious mental health concern and the sooner addiction can be treated, the better. There are both psychological and physical symptoms associated with addiction. There are many effective, FDA approved treatments for smoking cessation. These treatments include hypnotherapy, which uses guided relaxation and focused attention to change behaviors, cognitive behavioral therapy, which aims to discover the root of behaviors and works to change attitudes surrounding the behavior, psychotherapy, or talk therapy, and motivational interviewing, which aims to illuminate differences between a patient’s goals and their behaviors. There is no shame in seeking out therapy to assist in quitting smoking or helping a loved one quit smoking, and it is best to seek help as soon as the problem is recognized. The longer one waits, the more established addictive behaviors become.

 

If you or someone you know is struggling with a vaping addiction, Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy can help. Please contact us in Paramus, NJ at 201-368-3700 or in Manhattan, NY at 212-996-3939 to arrange an appointment. For more information about our services, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/print/17921-number-of-teens-vaping-hits-record-high-survey-shows

https://www.psycom.net/mental-health-wellbeing/juuling-teenagers-vaping/

https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/teen-vaping/

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/what-are-treatments-tobacco-dependence

https://www.medscape.com/answers/287555-158503/what-is-the-association-between-nicotine-addiction-and-depression

https://psychcentral.com/lib/can-smoking-cause-depression/