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
addictions bergen county nj
COVID-19: Addiction and Relapse
By: Elyse Ganss
It is currently unclear how COVID-19 will affect addiction. As a result of the nature of the coronavirus and its’ effect on the lungs, people who smoke tobacco, marijuana, or vape are at an increased risk for getting the virus. Besides an increased risk for getting the virus, people who suffer from addiction may be negatively affected in other ways as well.
Isolation can have negative effects on people who suffer from substance abuse, particularly for those who are in recovery. Isolation can trigger anxiety and depression and without proper coping skills, this can trigger relapse.
Social distancing has put a stop to people attending peer-support groups in person, which are typically very beneficial for people who are recovering from addiction. While there are online support groups, it is unknown how many people will utilize them. Similarly, while family support is still available through phone calls and texts, it is no longer available in person. These changes have the possibility to increase levels of addiction.
In some states, access to critical medications, like methadone and buprenophrine that allow addicts to wean off of opioids, have been severely regulated and almost stalled. This could increase self-medication of drugs and alcohol and cause drug overdoses to occur. Receiving treatment, like teletherapy, with a licensed mental health professional to discuss a treatment plan, coping strategies, and what your support network looks like could be extremely beneficial for those who are recovering or currently struggling with addiction.
If you or someone you know is looking for support, 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/blog/healing-addiction/202003/coronavirus-and-addiction
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200407.290720/full/
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https://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/alcohol
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Self-Harm
Self-Harm
Self-Harm
By: Julia Keys
Self-harm is the act of intentionally injuring oneself without intending suicide. Self-harming behaviors may include, but are not limited to: cutting, scratching, burning, banging/bruising or interference with an injury so that it cannot heal. Self-harm has become a huge concern within the adolescent demographic. Research shows that girls are more likely than boys to self-harm. A recent study shows that up to 17% of teenagers self-harm. To many others who do not self-harm, the act of intentionally hurting oneself may be perplexing, however there are many reasons why people self-harm.
The root of self-harming behavior stems from a lack of healthy coping mechanisms. Oftentimes people turn to self-harm when they have overwhelming feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, or guilt that they do not know how to express. Some self-harm as an act of release, similar to crying or screaming. Once they self-harm, the body releases endorphins which are the body’s natural painkillers, giving the individual feelings of relaxation or happiness. Sometimes people self-harm because they “feel numb”, and harming themselves makes them feel alive.
Here are some signs someone you love may be self-harming:
- Unexplained cuts, bruises or marks
- Patterns of parallel cuts or scars
- Sudden change in mood
- Wearing clothing inappropriate to the weather in an attempt to cover certain parts of the body
- Secretive behavior
- Self-isolating behavior
While self-harm is usually not an attempt at suicide, it is a very serious sign of emotional distress. If you are struggling with self-harm or know someone struggling with self-harm, here are some resources you may find helpful.
Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DON’T-CUT (1-800-366-8288)
Self-Harm Text Hotline: Text CONNECT to 741741 in the United States.
If you or a loved one is struggling with self-harm, do not hesitate to seek help by contacting Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy, located in New York and New Jersey to speak to licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners or psychotherapists. To contact the office in Paramus NJ, call (201) 368-3700. To contact the office in Manhattan, call (212) 722-1920. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .
Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/201805/why-do-youth-self-injure
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Related-Conditions/Self-harm
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment#3
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Group Therapy
Alice Cordero
According to psychcentral.com, Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy treatment where several people meet together under the supervision of a therapist in a particular setting. Group therapy is a form of therapy that can be used in conjunction with individual therapy and medication. The benefits of group therapy include:
- Modeling
- Patients are able to witness how others in the group cope with their problems in positive ways and apply it to their lives.
- Patients learn from other group member’s mistakes.
- Helps improve social skills
- In group therapy, most of the time each individual has to share something about themselves and how they are doing; this helps improve the patient’s interpersonal relationships and understand that they are not alone in this particular process.
- Increased feedback
- Provides patients with different perspectives/ coping methods
- Gives patients a view of how others handle their particular situation
- Provides individuals with personal feedback through other patients perceptions of themselves
- Support Network
- Having multiple individuals who are going through the same gives each patients the opportunity to build a support system that they can use
Group therapy involves members expressing their feelings, problems, ideas, and reactions towards other members. Studies have shown that group therapy has been effective in addressing countless problems, including: anxiety, depression, addictive disorders, substance abuse, death, lifestyle issues, and relationship issues.
If you or someone you know is suffering from any of the conditions listed above or think you/ they could benefit from group therapy, 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/.
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