alcohol treatment

Leaving Treatment

April 29, 2018 // by Aton Center

When leaving treatment here at AToN Center we think of it as building a plan to protect your investment, your life. We begin planning for departure early on and think of all of the areas of life that need attention.

We look at the living situation, do residents need sober housing or is their current situation at home safe and supportive? Sober living homes can provide a safer transition back into the reality of life’s stressors and give support where one may need it.

Is it appropriate to follow up with Intensive Outpatient Programming? We refer to many outpatient programs in the area and outside the area to have continuity of care and follow up with addiction specific treatment for the next phase of recovery.

We encourage appointments to be scheduled prior to leaving AToN with outpatient providers such as Primary Care Physician, Psychiatrist, Individual Therapy, and Family Therapy when needed.

We look at whether or not someone may need other supportive providers such as Sober Coaching or Companions and Holistic Providers. Also considered is a weekly commitment to community meetings such as 12 Step, SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery, or Lifering meetings.

We also offer Aftercare which includes weekly calls from clinicians, a weekly aftercare group meeting on Saturday, and other functions hosted by AToN Center.

We ask our residents to fill out a schedule outlining what a week at a glance will look like post treatment as often people struggle to transition back into life after treatment.

We believe that it is just as important, if not more, to maintain the work you are doing after residential treatment as the treatment is itself.

Stay on the Path, Enjoy the Journey

Kristin Colton, CADC II, CATC II
Addiction Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Addiction is Not a Moral Failing

April 19, 2018 // by Aton Center

February, 2016. I’m in a bus in the jungles of Mexico on my way to Mayan ruins in Bonampak. I’m sitting next to a delightful woman who has lived an adventurous exciting life. She has been scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands and other exotic locations. It’s clear she lives a life filled with joy. She is connected to her family and has friends all over the world. Her energy is infectious and I know we are going to be friends for a long time after this. She asks me what I do for a living, and I explain that I work at AToN Center. She gives the biggest smile and pulls out a 25 year an AA chip with “25 years” stamped on it.

My new friend is a perfect example of how there IS life after rehab and it can be spectacular! I asked her what the most helpful thing she learned in treatment and her response has stayed with me: “When I learned that I wasn’t a bad person, that this wasn’t a moral failing – that I needed to treat this like a medical condition, something changed. I realized that heart disease and diabetes aren’t moral failings and I needn’t embrace the stigma that addiction carries.”

Here at AToN Center we want you to know that there IS a wonderful life ahead of you in recovery and hope you can take this example of a type of future that can await you!

Cassandra Cannon, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Alcohol and the Elderly

February 7, 2018 // by Aton Center

As a person ages, they are faced with many major life changing events and some of these may lead to excessive drinking and include:

Empty nest syndrome
Financial difficulties
Deteriorating health
Loss of friendships due to moves
Health complications or death
Deteriorating health conditions (cardiovascular disease, vision/hearing loss and diabetes)
Traumatic events, death of a spouse
Downsizing to a smaller home
Lack of socialization
Loneliness
Isolation
Boredom

A dependency on alcohol can lead to an array of problems down the road that impact not only the elderly, but other people around them.

Risk Factors for Alcoholism in the Elderly

Alcoholism can affect a person of any age. However, certain factors like chronic drinking, gender and medical history can increase that risk. Chronic drinking can sometimes start in early adulthood and persist throughout an individual’s golden years. Other times, a person may achieve sobriety, but relapse down the road.

Frequent drinking greatly increases a senior’s risk of developing health complications such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and liver disease. Recent studies suggest that seniors suffering from multiple chronic conditions are roughly five times more likely to have a drinking problem. The most common chronic conditions among seniors include type II diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer.

The body’s ability to process alcohol declines with age. As body water retention declines it reduces the amount of blood in the body, and therefore only a small amount of alcohol can have a big effect. Some research has shown that as people age they become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. Some medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, ulcers, and diabetes, can worsen with alcohol use.

Many medicines, such as prescription, over-the-counter, or herbal remedies—can be dangerous or even deadly when mixed with alcohol. This is especially worrisome for elderly people, because the average person over age 65 takes at least two medicines a day. Therefore, it is essential that a senior is honest with their doctor when asked how much they drink.

Some medications should never be taken with alcohol so check with your pharmacist. Here are some examples:

Aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach and intestines; the risk of bleeding is higher if you take aspirin while drinking alcohol.
Cold and allergy medicines (antihistamines) often make people sleepy; when combined with alcohol.
Alcohol used with large doses of the pain killer acetaminophen can raise the risk of liver damage.
Some medicines, such as cough syrups and laxatives have high alcohol content.

Even small amount of alcohol can impair judgment, coordination, and reaction time. It can increase the risk of work and household accidents, including falls and hip fractures. It also adds to the risk of car crashes.

Heavy drinking over time also can cause certain cancers, liver cirrhosis, immune system disorders, and brain damage. Alcohol can make some medical concerns hard for doctors to find and treat. For example, alcohol causes changes in the heart and blood vessels. These changes can dull pain that might be a warning sign of a heart attack. Drinking also can make older people forgetful and confused, and they may end up taking more or less of their prescribed medications without even knowing. For people with diabetes, drinking affects blood sugar levels.

People who abuse alcohol may be putting themselves at risk for serious conflicts with family, friends, and coworkers. The more they drink, the greater the chance of arguments arising with family, friends, and even with strangers. Some seniors don’t socialize as much as they used to, and days may come and go without them seeing or talking with anyone. This can be serious especially if they have fallen or can’t get to a phone.

Some warning sign that a senior person in your life is drinking too much might be:

Decreased reliability
• Neglect of important tasks
• Difficulty making decisions
• Forgetfulness
Increasingly moody
• Slurred speech
• Slowed and impaired thinking
• Increased isolation
• Loss of interest in activities
• Driving while intoxicated
• Unsteadiness walking
• Falls and accidents
• Unexplained injuries
• Declining health
• Declining personal hygiene
Lack of attention to nutrition

Watch out for these as they may save someone’s life.

Johnina Noar – CADC-II
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Addiction Recovery: When the Cure Seems Worse than the Disease

October 27, 2017 // by Aton Center

If you’re scared of going to rehab, you’re not alone. Fear of jumping into a sobriety program can be paralyzing for those who have relied on drugs and alcohol for months or even years. Many of our clients face mixed feelings about recovery: they can’t wait to be sober, but they can’t stop obsessing about their next fix.

At our luxury San Diego drug treatment facility, our personalized, integrated treatment model helps clients manage symptoms, overcome trauma, and return to a life filled with joy and purpose. The journey to sobriety takes work, but the destination is well worth the sacrifice.

3 Common Addiction Recovery Fears

Fear of Detox. Chemically dependent people know what withdrawal feels like, and that feeling alone may keep them out of rehab. Complicating this fear is the worry that they won’t be able to handle life without drugs. At AToN Center, we understand that each individual’s journey is different—and that includes detox. When you are placed on a detox protocol, we observe you closely and provide a safe, comfortable detoxification process.

At AToN, our detox process involves managing symptoms with holistic therapies, providing healthy distractions, extending compassion, and administering ‘comfort medications’ as needed. Our team walks beside you as we facilitate withdrawal from alcohol, opiates, or benzodiazepines. When medical professionals handle detox, clients are able to make an expedited, successful move toward active recovery.

Fear of Group Therapy. Group therapy is one of the most rewarding parts of addiction recovery. Interacting with others who find themselves in the same situation, therapy participants learn that they are not alone in their addiction battle. But many clients are hesitant to participate in group therapy, whether it is out of shame and embarrassment or social fear. Participants feel as if they must share their most intimate secrets with a group of strangers, but this is not the case. When you are unable to share a feeling or experience with other group members, there are opportunities to address them during individual therapy sessions. Over time, most of our guests begin to welcome group time as an opportunity to bond with and support one another during their sobriety journey.

Fear of Sobriety. Whether you have completed your recovery program or are just beginning, you may wonder if life will be boring when you’re sober. You may wonder what BBQs and parties will be like without your favorite chemical, or how you will relax enough to socialize. However, as you regain your energy and learn to channel that energy toward healthy habits and hobbies, you’ll discover the rewards of being “fully present” for your relationships and experiences.

Conquer Your Fear of Addiction Recovery

The best way to address your recovery fears is to face them head on. AToN Center is a sanctuary staffed by credentialed addiction specialists offering best-practice addiction treatment methods that capture the needs of individual clients. Caring for the mind and body by offering nutritious, organic cuisine and holistic services like acupuncture, massage, yoga, and personal training, our luxury rehab equips residents with the tools they need to establish balance and combat relapse.

Call 888.535.1516 today, or submit a confidential online inquiry. Our team will be in touch promptly!

Alcohol is a Depressant

September 29, 2017 // by Aton Center

Alcohol depresses the function of the Central Nervous System (CNS) when alcohol it is abused. The CNS is the main control center of the body and is made up of the brain and spinal cord—it takes in information, organizes it, and then provides instructions for the rest of the body. When the CNS is depressed so are the other organs and systems of the body.

When alcohol is abused it can cause:

Confusion
Coordination
Slowed heart rate
Slowed breathing
Unconsciousness
Seizures
Coma
Death

To function normally the brain must maintain a careful balance of chemicals call neurotransmitters. After alcohol has crossed the blood-brain barrier, several neurotransmitters are affected and these include: Dopamine, glutamate, GABA and serotonin. Alcohol affects both “excitatory” and “inhibitory” neurotransmitters.

An example of an excitatory neurotransmitter is glutamate, which would normally increase brain activity and energy levels, but alcohol suppresses the release of glutamate, resulting in a slowing down in the brain.

An example of an inhibitory neurotransmitter is GABA, which reduces energy levels and calms everything down. Alcohol effects GABA by slowing down reaction time, thought patterns, speech and movement.

Alcohol also increase the release of dopamine, which tricks you brain into thinking that you feel great, so we keep drinking to get more of that euphoric feeling. Over time, with continuous drinking, the dopamine effects on our bodies diminish until it’s almost nonexistent, but our bodies continue to chase those feelings of dopamine and the cycle of addiction takes hold.

Alcohol also causes a burst in the release of serotonin, resulting in an initially elevated euphoric mood. However, once the initial feelings of euphoria fades, serotonin levels drop lower than they were originally, which causes a serotonin depletion and enhanced depression.

In summary, alcohol is classified as a depressant, but taken in small amounts it does have some stimulating effects. However, if a person consumes more than they can handle, they will then experience alcohol’s depressant effect.

Johnina Noar – CADC-II
Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Stages of Recovery

July 30, 2017 // by Aton Center

The progression of alcoholism and addiction usually passes through several declining stages before an individual makes the decision to enter treatment. What might have started as a path to increase socialization and well-being often can lead to a solitary and lonely existence.

This isolation can even become normalized as a function of the disease. While engaging with others in recovery can be a new and sometimes frightening experience, it is the beginning of the journey into wholeness.

By sharing our stories and empathizing with the experience of others, we gradually begin to see the benefit of becoming a part of the larger whole, of being connected. Our decision to move forward in a program of recovery will “mark the end of isolation.”

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Dangers of Alcohol Withdrawal

July 12, 2017 // by Aton Center

Nelsan Ellis, acclaimed actor on the HBO series “True Blood”, died of heart failure stemming from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal is a dangerous condition that can occur in chronic drinkers who abruptly stop or even significantly reduce their alcohol consumption. In general, how severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms become depends on how much and for how long a person has been drinking.

Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can begin as early as two hours after the last drink, persist for weeks, and may include mild anxiety, shakiness, nausea, vomiting, and headache. More severe complications include fever, irregular heartbeat, seizures which usually occur in the first 48 hours, and delirium tremens (also called DTs). DTs are characterized by disorientation, confusion, severe anxiety, sweating, high blood pressure, severe tremors, racing and irregular heartbeat.

Due to the fact that alcohol withdrawal symptoms can rapidly and suddenly worsen, it’s important to seek medical attention even if symptoms are seemingly mild. Appropriate alcohol withdrawal treatments can reduce the risk of developing heart failure, withdrawal seizures or DTs.

It can be very dangerous to attempt an ‘at home’ detox. Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a medical emergency. Tragically, Nelsan Ellis, acclaimed actor on the HBO series “True Blood”, died of heart failure stemming from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. The actor’s family stated “Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life. His family, however, believes that in death he would want his life to serve as a cautionary tale in an attempt to help others.” (Page Six)

In accordance with DHCS’s new supplementary Incidental Medical Services, AToN Center is at the forefront offering these life-saving medical services to the resident’s we care for. At AToN Center, the detoxification process is a multidimensional process requiring interdisciplinary coordination. We have vital signs monitored by staff every 30 minutes for first 36 hours, then 3 times daily or as needed. Residents have daily assessments for withdrawal symptoms while taking detox medications using the COWS and CIWA.

We also provide assessments by a medical practitioner for withdrawal symptoms and possible detox medications such as Valium, Librium and Suboxone. Residents can also expect to receive education about detox medications and expectations. AToN Center aids our residents in detoxing from drugs and alcohol in a safe, medically assisted environment which promotes relaxation and rehabilitation.

Kate Judd MS, CADC II
CD Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Do I Have a Problem with Addiction?

June 26, 2017 // by Aton Center

It can be difficult to look in the mirror and admit it. How do you admit that you’ve got a problem that seems so overwhelming? The stigma of the word, “addiction,” is enough to bury your head in the sand.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Does my drinking/drug use interfere with my job? My family and relationships? Do I have legal problems because of this?

A common questionnaire is the “CAGE Questionnaire,” which is used internationally as a screening tool:

Have you felt you ought to cut down on your drinking or drug use?

Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking or drug use?

Have you felt bad or guilty about your drinking or drug use?

Have you ever had a drink or used drugs first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (eye opener)?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may benefit from at least checking out a SMART Recovery and/or a 12 Step meeting. Remember, there is a whole community of individuals who are willing to reach out and assist you in your time of need.

Cassandra Cannon, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Alcohol and Depression

June 6, 2017 // by Aton Center

Alcohol is a depressant, it slows down the function of the Central Nervous System (CNS). When abused, alcohol can:

Cause short-term memory loss
Cause confusion
Effect coordination
Effect vision
Cause slurred speech
Cause a lack of sleep
Slow or stop the heart
Slow or stop breathing
Cause unconsciousness
Cause seizures
Result in coma or death

To function normally the brain must maintain a careful balance of chemicals call neurotransmitters. After crossing the blood-brain barrier, alcohol affects several neurotransmitters including: dopamine, endorphins, GABA, glutamate and serotonin.

Dopamine plays a role in brain regulation and movement, cognition and emotion. Alcohol increases dopamine levels by binding to the D₄ receptor in the nucleus accumbens in the brain.

Endorphins produce a state of euphoria and reduce feelings of pain. Alcohol magnifies these effects. As the brain grows used to alcohol it increases the activity of the excitatory neurotransmitters and the brain attempts to find a new normal. However, if the influence of alcohol is suddenly removed (from a long-term heavy user) their brain needs to readjust once again and this can lead to withdrawal, shakes, anxiety and depression.

GABA depresses CNS activity. By magnifying the effect of GABA, alcohol slows reaction time and may initially create a feeling of being more relaxed and less inhibited. Alcohol’s combined effect on glutamate and GABA makes it doubly effective as a depressant.

Glutamate increases nervous system activity. Canceling out some of this activity is one way alcohol is a depressant.

Serotonin enhances mood, as alcohol increase the level of serotonin, it may put the drinker in a happier mood.

Alcohol abuse is common among people battling depression. Many depressed individuals reach for alcohol as a way to lift their spirits or numb their feelings. As a result, depression and alcoholism go hand-in-hand. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports that 1 in 3 adults struggling with alcohol or drug abuse also suffer from depression.

Whether depression triggers alcoholism or alcoholism triggers depression is an interesting question. However, when we are presented with this co-occurring disorder we need to treat each issue as the cause, and treat addiction, psychological and psychiatric disorders alongside each other to get the best possible results.

Johnina Noar, CD Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

April Is Alcohol Awareness Month

April 12, 2017 // by Aton Center

Learn some facts here about alcohol abuse disorder and the facts about the age groups that are affected by alcohol use disorder.

Click here to see the beautiful Facilities at AToN Center and call for more information about the Inpatient treatment center and the professional 24 hour staff. 888-535-1516.

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