Addiction Archives | Page 6 of 6

How Drug Addiction Can Develop Over Time

How Drug Addiction Can Develop Over Time Drug addiction is difficult to treat because it is a chronic and relapsing condition like diabetes. Like diabetes, addiction begins with predisposition and personal behaviors at first and develops into a disease of the brain and body later in life. It is becoming appreciated that while addiction does not often manifest until adulthood, addiction begins in the teen and the pre-teen years. Adolescence is a critical period of brain and emotional development. Brain development in adolescent is about as extensive as it is in infancy. These changes allow the adolescent to take on increasing control of his life. This developmental period ultimately prepares… Read More

The Trauma-Addiction Bond

The Trauma-Addiction Bond Our experiences as children may consciously and subconsciously affect how we go through life. Those of whom are in the addiction spectrum are different to others because we feel a greater amount of sensitivity, especially to trauma, when compared with the norm. Addicts are sensitive people for the most part. We may just be born this way and this is possibly at the root of all addiction and co-dependency. If you ask any addict the following question, the response is usually predictable: “Were you more sensitive as a child than siblings and peers?” The common answer is: “Of course I was.” So how does this work? It… Read More

Addiction & Relationships

Addiction & Relationships An addiction is a relationship. When someone is addicted to a substance and/or a behavior, that person is in a relationship with their substance or behavior of choice, the same as if they were involved with a person. Further, the relationship with the object of their addiction is the most important relationship in his/her life. He or she will do anything to protect that relationship and keep it alive, i.e. deny it, lie about it, cover it up, minimize it, blame others, etc. When a person with an addiction enters into a significant relationship, he or she is not entering into that relationship alone. Rather, he or… Read More

Family Roles That Support Addiction

Family Roles That Support Addiction Nothing exists in a vacuum, in order for addiction to grow and thrive within a family system it takes a village. Everyone plays a part whether they know it or not. Here are some of the roles people may unwittingly play in enabling an addict to thrive and the feelings they serve to suppress The Addict: The person with the addiction is the center, and though the key to alcohol and drug addiction recovery, not necessarily the most important in family recovery. The “world” revolves around this person, causing the addict to become the center of attention. As the roles are defined, the others unconsciously… Read More

Family Involvement

Family Involvement At Oceanside we provide individualized evidence based recovery programs designed to address a client’s current life circumstances and specific underlying problems and issues. While the first and most critical step is to remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol we also know that there are many reasons why people become addicts and alcoholics. Our team of treatment professionals work to properly access each client so they can begin the healing process and gain the tools they need in order to replace their old destructive methods of dulling their pain. In addition to having a strong 12 step program, we focus more intensely than other treatment programs in working with… Read More