substance abuse

AToN Center Addiction Treatment in San
Diego, CA |substance abuse

Can Polysubstance Abuse Be Treated?

February 13, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

Treatment for substance use can be tricky, as it requires a combination of mental, emotional, and physical approaches to recover. Adding a second substance makes it harder to treat, and when we have been using multiple substances or suffer from polysubstance abuse, we make things especially difficult. Can polysubstance abuse be treated?

The Progression

Most people don’t immediately start using three or more substances. Typically, the use begins with one substance, most commonly alcohol. After prolonged use, particularly when we don’t get the same numbing or high experiences when consuming larger quantities, we try another substance. When that is no longer enough, many of us will try another substance, and so on and so forth. There are some people who will use multiple substances more quickly, particularly in social environments such as parties, concerts, or night clubs. The goal in these scenarios is often to have the most intense or pleasurable experiences. In the end, that search for a high degree of pleasure also leads to multiple addictions rather than just a single substance.

Upping the Ante

One of the difficult things about treating multiple substance use is that often the length of time we have been addicted is very long. The longer we have been using a substance, the more difficult the treatment can be. When more substances are added, this complicates the process, as we will have greater symptoms as our bodies withdraw from multiple substances at once. This creates a medically complex situation where managing some symptoms may cause others to get worse. The risks are higher and it can also take longer when there are multiple substances in our bodies.

Triple Threat

The treatment itself also becomes more difficult, both due to the length of use and also the reasons why we used multiple substances. There are three categories in which treatment becomes more complicated: co-occurring disorders, physical health, and cognitive functioning.

1) There is a greater prevalence of co-occurring mental health issues within those who use multiple substances. Depression is very common, as is bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, as well as other mental health issues. This brings another layer of challenges in treatment, as it takes proper care from professionals well-trained in both mental health and substance abuse to manage the mental and physical symptoms.

2) Physical health is impacted significantly due to health issues that arise from long-term substance use. Each substance has different impacts on the body and chronic use potentiates the effects produced. For instance, when using a depressant like alcohol and stimulants, our cardiovascular system is impacted in a different way as one substance speeds up the body while the other slows it down. This type of interaction in the body between competing substances is a large part of the drastic physical effects that occur during long term substance abuse. The more substances, the greater the intensity of health problems we may face.

3) Our cognitive function is impaired at an increased level when we use multiple substances as well. This includes memory, learning, and reasoning. It is difficult to tell which substance or substances impair our mental function greatest in cases such as this because they are all in our bodies at the same time. The more complex the interactions are, the larger impact they will have on our brains. The worst part is that this is not necessarily something that can be recovered over time, as cognitive functioning can be damaged long-term or permanently, but treatment and abstinence from substances offer a chance of recovery in some capacity.

Layers of Healing

When we seek treatment for substance use, there are layers of physical, mental, and emotional healing that occur. A holistic approach to healing helps to treat not only substance abuse but also the underlying cause of it. With polysubstance use, this process is more complex, but not impossible. Finding the source of our substance use, whether it be loss, trauma, or simply a desire to change the way we feel, and treating that therapeutically helps to strip away the negative impacts of substance use. As we slowly and carefully cleanse our bodies of all of the substances, we can bring about change in our mental and emotional health. Even if we have permanent mental and physical health complications, recovery is the gateway to a chance at an incredible life.

Beating the Odds

No one sets out to try to make their life the most difficult and complicated. Substances do not conspire against us, they are just substances. Even when we face a more difficult road ahead of us as a result of polysubstance use, we can beat the odds. No matter what obstacles lie ahead of us, we can take control of our lives, and live each day in gratitude that we made it this far.

Polysubstance abuse creates more challenges for us in our healing. But it does not bar us from healing. No matter how long we have been using multiple substances, there is always hope. We have survived this lifestyle thus far, and that shows that we are strong, resilient, and have the courage to find our healing. Find the strength to ask for help in changing your life’s path. Your recovery journey begins right now. Take the leap of faith, beat the odds, and find yourself again.

You can be treated for polysubstance use. Find out if AToN has the right answers for you. Call (888) 813-5928 today.

How Do I Know the Value of Substance Treatment?

February 10, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

There are so many reasons that we avoid or procrastinate getting treatment for substance use. Obviously, denial is a big part of addiction, and let’s face it – chronic substance use seriously impairs our level of functioning. Sometimes deep down inside of us, we know that we need help, yet we still make excuses not to get help. We may think it is too much of a hassle, or too much of an expense. Will it even be worth it? How do I know the value of substance treatment?

Choosing a Facility

While we are in crisis may not seem like the time to shop around, a few minutes of extra research can help our entire treatment process. There are many types of therapy, and thus many options to consider when choosing treatment. From inpatient to outpatient, substance abuse-focused to dual-diagnosis, there are treatment options available for all kinds of needs. First and foremost, we should always be sure that regardless of the option we choose, the facility is licensed and accredited. This is where we will be staying for a period of time, and we need to be sure that we will feel safe and comfortable. In order to get a better idea of which facility is right for you, many facilities have great websites that offer plenty of pictures and even virtual tours. A residential facility is ideal for the initial treatment, but be sure that they have medical staff available, particularly for detox. If this is not available for some reason, it would be safer to detox in a hospital or other medically supervised facility.

It should be clear upon our initial phone call if the approach of the staff matches with us and our needs. One of the best ways to find this out is to ask questions, even if they seem trivial. When we get our answers, we will know how invested they are in us and helping our recovery. We can also look to see if they have the amenities we need. Choosing a facility does not need to be like buying a house, but it is important that we feel secure and comfortable enough there to start our healing. There is great value in feeling safe and trusting that we are in good hands.

Choosing Treatment Methods

The best facilities offer many treatment methods for us to choose from so that we can create a personalized recovery plan for ourselves. There are many types of therapy, and if one is not working, it is great to have another option. Individualized therapy and small groups are ideal, as we can learn more about ourselves with more personalized therapy. There are also important skills to learn, such as mindfulness meditation, that can help us heal in treatment and take with us for the rest of our lives.

Proper nutrition and exercise should be offered, and ideally, there will be different kinds of physical activity to meet our needs. Activities like yoga, which help bring mind, body, and soul together in our healing, are useful tools in our newfound sobriety. Other healing services like massage and acupuncture help to create a more holistic recovery. Having a number of choices available to shape and choose our own treatment is invaluable.

What is Treatment Worth?

Most of the time substance use treatment is covered by health insurance since it is a medical issue. Receiving a service costs money, after all, but what is treatment really worth? Not just the costs, the hassle, the time missed from work or family – all things that we can put a quantitative value on. What is it worth to start the healing from our substance abuse, as well as the pain and trauma caused by it?

Is it worth it to us to make that call to work or to human resources and make arrangements for us to take a leave of absence? Is it worth it to make arrangements for family or other commitments? Is it worth it to work out the insurance or our own costs? These are the things that often stand in our way of making that phone call, of doing what we know we need to do. Will treatment be worth it?

The Value of Treatment

When we think about receiving treatment, it often comes at a low point in our lives. It also may be the only life we have ever known, a life that is rife with addiction and alcoholism. There is no monetary value that can be placed on this new life. When all that we have known is sadness, despair, and hopelessness, there is little that compares to escaping the nightmare that surrounds us. Imagining a life free of substances is almost impossible, that our minds could be clear and lives reclaimed. As such, there is no dollar amount that encompasses the treatment and recovery from the hopeless nature of addiction.

Whatever is standing in the way of you picking up that phone is standing in the way of a life you can only dream of right now. You can heal and be sober. You can live free of the shackles of addiction. You can get your life back. The value of substance abuse treatment is the value of your life. You are worth it, whatever it takes.

Find out the value of substance treatment for yourself. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 today.

How Can I Be Strong When I Feel So Worthless?

February 3, 2020 // by ATON RECOVERY

When it comes to seeking treatment for substance use disorder, we are often at our lowest mentally and physically. We may have made some big mistakes, and likely lack control of our lives. We can feel anything from downhearted to broken to completely worthless. Yet the decision to seek help for substance use and begin our recovery takes tremendous strength. The question arises: “How can I be strong when I feel so worthless?”

Taking the First Step

Sometimes, the first step feels like a last resort. In some cases, we are encouraged by friends and family, even sometimes by work or court order. Everyone takes that first step for different reasons, but in all cases, that first step is an act of strength. It means we are strong enough to surrender, strong enough to do the right thing, whether it was our idea or not. We may not feel strong, but there is strength in admitting that we need help, and can no longer do what we have been doing on our own.

That first step is so important because even if we feel worthless, we have shown others and ourselves that we are worth helping. There is strength in taking this first step and demonstrates that we believe in ourselves enough to want a change in our lives.

Believing in Ourselves

We draw strength when we believe in ourselves and our worth, perhaps more strongly than we initially thought was possible. It may not start with the conscious affirmation, “I believe in myself,” but rather a willingness to accept that we are worth recovering. Slowly but surely, this willingness to accept belief in ourselves grows when we succeed at each little step. Making the call. Entering treatment. Completing detox. At each landmark on our road to recovery, we demonstrate a growing belief in ourselves and our ability to succeed in not only recovery but at life as well.

As we enter therapy, we begin to learn new habits and skills. We may often exceed our expectations of what we thought we were capable of, transforming our once worthless feelings of self into even greater belief in self. As we are recovering from our substance use and start to healing, we begin to see the change in mindset. We look in the mirror one morning and realize that little by little we have built belief in ourselves where there was none. Even if we do not say it out loud, our experiences and successes in recovery help us to realize that we can do this, all of it, even if it’s one day or one hour at a time.

Increasing Our Self-Worth

Often we measure our self-worth by our actions and how they are perceived by those around us. When we are doing well, we celebrate by using substances. When we inevitably cause harm or are not our best selves, we drink and use to feel better about ourselves. This process is a repetitive and unproductive cycle; the more we use a substance, the more wreckage we cause, the more wreckage we cause, the more we want to try to feel good again. The cycle continues until we are drinking or using just to try to feel okay with ourselves. There is a reason our self-worth drops in doing this: It is often one step forward, and two steps back.

When we begin treatment, however, we have so many successes to celebrate and so much productivity as we start our recovery. Each hour we stay sober in the beginning is a triumph. Then comes the breakthroughs in therapy, our physical fitness improves, we start eating healthier and our bodies feel so much better. When we are not clouded by substances, and the wreckage that follows in their wake, we can do so much more every day. Just knowing that all of the people helping us in our recovery can make us feel like we are worth the work, helping us to realize our own self-worth. When we are physically and mentally able to focus on things other than our substance use each day, we remember all of the good qualities in us and realize what others around us can see: that we have great worth.

Being Confident in Our Own Strength

The further we progress on our recovery path, we start to realize that we are strong. We believe in ourselves, we have self-worth, and we have enough strength to get out of bed each day. We can put one foot in front of another, and do things we may have once thought were too hard for us. We are strong, and getting stronger. Each day we realize that we did have strength all along, but that every day we worked in our recovery, our strength grew that much more. We can have confidence in our abilities knowing that we are brave and strong.

Those of us in recovery can vividly remember the feelings of worthlessness we had while using substances. We also know that those feelings were not the truth. No matter who we are, no matter what we have done, each of us has great worth. We may not feel strong, but we are strong enough to resign from our old ways and get help. As we believe in ourselves and our confidence grows, we learn that we are strong. Find your worth, confidence and strength. You deserve to see what others see in you. You are strong.

You are stronger than you know. You are worth finding your self-worth again. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 today.

How Does Past Trauma Affect My Current Recovery?

December 1, 2019 // by ATON RECOVERY

There is a big correlation between trauma and substance abuse. Trauma is an experience that caused physical and or psychological harm. It could be some form of abuse, an accident, a loss, or other experience that has negatively impacted us emotionally. Many people acknowledge that their substance use began in relation to the pain from some kind of trauma in their life. Others experienced trauma during their substance use. But how does this past trauma impact recovery?

Recognizing the Need for Recovery

The beginnings of substance use are not always obvious or consciously related to a traumatic event. Even if there was a conscious thought process that preceded our first drink, we may have forgotten what that was. So now that our substance use is interfering with our lives, our first thought is to remove substances from the equation.

However, just like we wouldn’t just paint our car if we were having problems with the engine, simply becoming sober will not keep us sober. It is important to look at our lives holistically. In addition to choosing new habits and thoughts to help us make changes in our lives, we need to find the reasons that we turned to substances in the first place.

How Trauma Impacts Our Lives

Trauma affects people in different ways. For many, trauma will leave scars that do not just heal on their own. The pain continues to impact us, often on a subconscious level. For many people, the scars of trauma will influence choices in our lives without us even realizing it. Trauma can affect whether or not we interact with others, how we interact with others, as well as family and close relationships.

The pain left behind from trauma, especially from childhood trauma, can leave us feeling empty or lacking despite our best efforts to heal. Because drugs and alcohol are presented in the media and entertainment industry as such an appealing escape from everything, we often explore using substances to fill the void or numb the pain. Once we have become dependent on one or more substances to the point that we no longer control our behaviors, we can choose to recover from this dependency.

Healing from the Inside Out

After we have cleansed our bodies of substances, the challenge of re-training our minds truly begins. The scars caused by trauma can replay those memories over and over again in our minds or can cause the brain to function differently based on the trauma. This can lead these past experiences into developing into more serious issues like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. When this occurs and there is also substance abuse, it is important to treat the trauma to help prevent further substance abuse.

Treatment for trauma or PTSD can include therapy, including using methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR.) Using methods such as these in individual therapy can help to heal trauma by teaching the brain to re-process memories, allowing the brain to process the information in a healthy way.

Our traumatic past experiences sometimes keep our brain in a heightened mode, like living in constant fear, causing us to react more extremely to new experiences. This is literally very stressful to our minds and bodies and often triggers the desire to use substances to combat the stress. However, when we begin treating the trauma, the brain is able to not only store those past memories correctly but is also able to respond appropriately to new experiences.

Re-Learning to Cope

Coping includes learning healthy ways of thinking about what is happening to us and responding rationally to our environment and stimuli. We realize that we do not need to escape every time something triggers our desire to drink. We can re-learn how to respond to daily stressors in healthy ways.

When we are healing from the pain and the reason for our substance us is no longer there, then we are free to make better decisions about how we cope with day to day life. We will have other triggers and cravings to deal with, but healing from our trauma takes away a big hurdle as we strive for continued sobriety. We give ourselves room to develop new skills and approach new situations with more knowledge, giving ourselves more options to face each day.

So How Does past Trauma Affect My Current Recovery?

They are intrinsically linked. For our recovery to be completely successful, we will need to go back and face our past in order to give ourselves the best opportunities for a healthy future. Treating our trauma changes the way our brain functions in new situations, it changes the way our bodies react in day to day activities. So when we seek healing for our trauma, we are healing our minds and our bodies and removing some of the triggers for our substance use. This is incredibly helpful in our recovery process.

When choosing a residential treatment facility for recovery, keep in mind that not everyone responds the same to treatments, so an ideal facility offers a variety of treatment modalities, or methods. AToN Center is very experienced in treating trauma and offers many treatment methods to within therapy, as well as teaching skills like meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and more to heal the mind and the body.

Find the right treatment to heal your mind and become whole at AToN Center. Call (888) 813-5928.

Finding Balance in Your Life

November 24, 2019 // by ATON RECOVERY

Keeping a balanced life can be difficult. It becomes even more difficult when substance use begins to interfere with professional life, personal relationships, and more. What may have begun as simply social or fun experiences, as a coping mechanism, a medical necessity, or as an escape from life has taken control of everything else in our lives. Help is difficult to ask for, but when life is so far out of balance, it is time to find the balance again.

First Step to Finding Balance

The first step in finding balance is to admit that balance is missing in our lives. This can be very difficult. For all of the successes in life, dependency on alcohol or drugs can skew life and draw attention away from our family, relationships, career, and more. People are quick to place labels and judge behaviors, but that does not need to define who we are.

The first step in taking control back and achieving harmony in life is to look in the mirror and see that dependency is pulling us off the path to our success. It is interfering with our relationships and harming those that we love. We can take back our lives, we can find that balance again, but we need medical help to rid ourselves of the dependency, and professional therapeutic help to help us keep that balance.

Cleansing the Body

Chemical dependency can take its toll on the human body. Going through a period to detoxify our bodies and purify them can create the physical foundation for balance and wellness in our lives. In addition to detoxification, our bodies can be further strengthened and balance restored through holistic treatment methods such as massage and acupuncture. These treatments help to improve physical health and balance as well as improving overall balance in our minds as well.

Cleansing the Mind

When chemical dependency pulls our lives out of balance, the mind is impacted both physiologically and emotionally. It becomes necessary to cleanse the mind both in a physical sense of becoming sober and abstaining from substances, and also to cleanse the mind from an emotional standpoint. Looking at why we became dependent in the first place can help us to find the balance we need to stay on our path to success.

Once our bodies are clear of substances, there are many tools available to help us find and achieve balance in our minds. Daily personal therapy helps us to explore our minds and empowers us to find new ways of thinking. Therapists can use effective and proven methods, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT,) biofeedback, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR,) and other best practices for recovery. Working with certified and trained professionals will allow us to heal and reach our fullest potential as we seek our own path in life.

Additionally, there are programs such as 12-Step or SMART Recovery programs that help empower us and give us valuable tools as we learn to take control back of our lives and become balanced again. Within these programs, we can personalize our journey and find the methods that work for us as individuals.

Balancing the Body

As important as it is to cleanse our bodies, it is also important to allow them and find positive outlets that will help maintain balance. This can include playing sports, swimming, working out in the gym, doing yoga, or many other activities. While recovering from substance use, moving our bodies and using them regularly helps us renew or create new physical habits and discipline which in turn creates harmony in our lives.

What we put into our bodies determines what we are able to do with our bodies. Eating healthy is an important component of achieving balance. Eating well-proportioned, balanced, regular meals allows our bodies to heal and to be more productive. Combined with physical exercise, good nutrition allows our bodies to support what we want to achieve mentally and emotionally.

When our minds are cleansed of substances and medical and therapeutic methods are facilitating our healing, we can achieve new levels of balance in our mind through practices such as meditation. When we meditate, we learn to balance our thoughts, negative and positive. We learn to be centered and live in the present. This helps us to achieve an emotional and mental balance that supports happiness and success in all areas of our lives.

We can rise above stereotypes and labels and still acknowledge that our lives are not in our control. When substance use has impacted or taken precedence over the most important aspects of our lives, such as family, relationships, and career, then it is time for us to be strong and ask for help. That balance we seek is possible once again, but it is not something we can achieve without professional help from medical experts, or we would have already found it on our own. In order for us to restore harmony in our lives, we must first be willing to acknowledge that we need that help.

The AToN Center is committed to helping you find balance again in your life. With a staff of caring and qualified professionals in our private and luxurious settings, we offer a personalized and holistic approach to recovery from alcohol or drug addiction.

Don’t wait another day to achieve the balance you crave in your life. Call AToN Center at (888) 813-5928 to change your life today.

Addiction Recovery and the Brain

June 18, 2018 // by Lauren// Leave a Comment

It is no secret that substance abuse can impact the brain severely. The brain stem, cerebral cortex and the limbic system, among other parts of the brain, are particularly affected. A severe consequence of alcohol misuse can be Korsakoff’s Syndrome, a term indicating alcohol induced dementia. This is one of the reasons why, along with evidence based psychotherapy practices, AToN encourages a holistic approach to nourish the brain and promote PsychoNeuroPlasticity.

PsychoNeuroPlasticity is a term that references how the brain has the ability to heal itself under particular circumstances. According to experts, the brain requires 30-90 days of abstinence in order to attain a “clean” brain. In order to promote this healing process, multiple factors are implemented under AToN’s trained medical and clinical team:

Abstinence – it bears repeating as abstinence decreases brain inflammation
Highly nutritious meals –including high protein, healthy fats and green, leafy vegetables – AND avoiding neurotoxins such as MSG, aspartame and sugar
Supervised exercise (improved balance can stimulate PsychoNeuroPlasticity)
Hydration
Learning how to sleep naturally (AToN does not allow high risk sleep medications)
Structure! The brain craves structure when it is learning a new lifestyle such as addiction recovery
Mind/Body regulation, including relaxation, meditation, hypnotherapy and yoga
Building new neurological circuits – AToN focuses on coping skill building which assists in stimulating brain function and healing

These are just a few of the aspects of AToN’s curriculum that benefit our residents. If you or a loved one could benefit from treatment, please contact us!

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

MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine)

June 15, 2018 // by Lauren// Leave a Comment

MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or Molly, is a synthetic stimulant with hallucinogenic effects. It was discovered in Germany in 1912 by Anton Kollisch who was working for the pharmaceutical company Merck. MDMA was originally made to treat uterine bleeding.

In 1970 it came to the attention of Alexander Shulgin and David Nichols from Dow Chemical Co., who saw the potential for the drug to reduce fear in patients and increase insight. MDMA became the drug of choice at clubs, house parties and raves.

MDMA is a Schedule 1 substance. It is given this rating because the FDA sees no legitimate medical use for it and it has the potential for abuse and addiction.

MDMA causes the release of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the body. The neurotransmitter serotonin plays an important part in the role of sleep, mood, pain and appetite. When large amounts of serotonin are released while taking MDMA, it causes the brain to become depleted of this neurotransmitter and the user ends up experiencing confusion, depression, fatigue and memory problems. MDMA can even damage the serotonin-containing neurons which could cause long-lasting damage. Other long-term effects include irritability, impulsiveness, sleep problems, increased body temperature, decreased sexual interest and memory impairment.

Some of the short-term effects include euphoria, increased energy, distorted perception, increased heart rate, hallucinations, nausea, blurred vision, chills, and sweating. The most dangerous short-term effects are dehydration and hyperthermia.

Combining MDMA with other substances

MDMA and Alcohol

Mixing MDMA with alcohol will put an enormous strain on the kidneys. Heavy drinking can lead to dehydration and a worse come down from the drug. Alcohol is often involved in MDMA related deaths.

MDMA and Cocaine

MDMA and Cocaine are both stimulants and when used alone can be life-threatening, when used together the risk is compounded. The most serious effects are heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, paranoia, seizures, tremors, coma, dehydration and hyperthermia.

MDMA, Cocaine and Alcohol (A lethal combination)

When Cocaine and Alcohol are combined together they create a lethal combination called Cocaethylene in the liver. This is a metabolite that increase the risk of heart attacks, arrhythmias and strokes and when MDMA is added to the mix the combination can be fatal.

MDMA and drug interaction

MDMA used with other serotonergic drugs can lead to a life threatening condition called Serotonin Syndrome and a severe overdose can result in death.

MDMA and Caffeine

Caffeine increases the psychostimulants in MDMA and promotes the toxicity of the amphetamines.

MDMA and treatment

Currently there are no specific medications for the treatment of MDMA dependence; however different pharmacological tools can be helpful. There are several different sleep aids that can be prescribed to combat insomnia and anti-depressants can be used to help replenish serotonin and dopamine levels and manage depression and anxiety. An increase in fluids will be necessary to help with dehydration, and regular, healthy balance meals are essential to correct possible weight loss and anorexia.

Psychosocial treatment

Inpatient and residential treatment centers can vary from a 30-90 day stay; treatment is intensive. Some treatment centers can also include various forms of holistic.

Outpatient treatment can vary in length from 8 weeks – 6 months. An outpatient program is a good option for someone who has gone through a recovery program, but still needs to gain more knowledge about addiction.

The Matrix Model in an intensive outpatient program of approx. 16 a weeks and is helpful for addiction to stimulants. This model includes relapse prevention, urine testing, self-help, therapy and family education. A therapist plays the role of coach and fosters a positive environment and focuses on self-worth.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that human behaviors, thoughts and feelings are interconnected. The approach is to change unwanted behaviors and develop different coping strategies and self-monitoring practices.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive behavioral treatment that helps people learn and use new skills and strategies to develop a life that they experience as worth living. DBT skills include skills for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Future research

There has been some positive data to show that MDMA could be useful for individuals diagnosed with PTSD or for social anxiety in adults suffering from autism, but more research is needed to determine the benefits of MDMA as a treatment option.

References:

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2013). MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly). Retrieved online from www.drugabuse.gov/drugsabuse/mdma-EcstasyMolly
americanaddictioncenters.org

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

Thoughts

May 16, 2018 // by Aton Center

Our thoughts are powerful. So powerful, that an entire style of therapy has been centered around how we identify and manage our thoughts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidenced based treatment for substance dependence, and AToN’s curriculum is centered on this treatment. Our residents learn how to identify their “automatic thoughts” which in turn influence their emotions.

Our private rehab residents not only learn how to identify these thoughts, but they also learn how to modify them into rational thoughts, which in turn can stabilize emotional distress. These techniques, once learned, must be continually utilized for maximum effect.

If you are interested in learning how to utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you with relapse prevention and mood stabilization, AToN’s private rehab in San diego may be a good fit for you. Don’t hesitate to call AToN when you are ready to make the next step.

Cassandra Cannon, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
AToN Center, Private Rehab in San Diego 888-535-1516

A Message to Families of Substance Abusers

April 8, 2018 // by Aton Center

Many of you may have heard that Jackie Chan, who is a Narcotics Control Ambassador for the Chinese police, and is an anti-drug advocate, has been struggling with some recent events. It has become known that his son, Jaycee, has been arrested for drug related charges. Per RTE Ten news, the elder Chan stated, “With regards to the incident involving my son Jaycee, I am very angry and shocked. As a public figure, I am ashamed. As a father, I am very sad and his mother is heartbroken. I told Jaycee: if you have done something wrong, you must bear the consequences. As your father, I am willing to face the road ahead with you.”

I think many of us can relate to the Chan family – conflicting emotions, including anger, confusion, and sometimes self-blame can be experienced when drug use comes to light. I think we can learn from the Chan’s response, which includes acknowledging natural emotions, encouraging loved ones to experience the natural and logical consequences of their behaviors, and finally to “share the road ahead,” during the difficult process of recovery. At the AToN Center, our residents participate in family work, which includes acknowledgement of how use has affected the family, how the family can assist in recovery, and creating expectations and guidelines for the resident after discharge. Sometimes, additional family sessions are held when necessary.

Ultimately, the AToN Clinical Team hopes to assist the families in whatever way may be needed; sometimes that includes education on enabling, or problem solving current or potential issues that may arise. All in all – the AToN Clinical Team recommends that families receive their own support; whether that be from their own individual therapy, attending SMART Friends and Family, or Al-Anon.

Cassandra Cannon, Ph.D.

Clinical Director

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Triggers

January 28, 2018 // by Aton Center

One topic that we address consistently is how to manage triggers. I also see many of the AToN principles incorporated into the following steps. I hope this can help someone in a pinch!

How to Deal with Triggers:

Stop, breathe, calm yourself.
Think about what just happened. . .what exactly was triggering? Why? What feelings did it provoke? Were those feelings a rational reaction to the situation?
Tell yourself verbally that you are not going to let this hinder your recovery.
Make a list of all the reasons for recovering.
If there is someone you can talk to, go to them. Even if you don’t go into specifics, let them help.
Allow yourself to feel upset about the trigger – you can’t hide away your feelings! Acknowledge that the situation affected you and take steps toward carrying on regardless.
Remember the bigger picture – the end goal: FREEDOM
You are loved and worthy.
Do something that pleases you.
Relax, you’re doing so well, I believe in you.

I found this Information from Ocd9Teen and felt it was an intelligent, concise, step-by-step “how to” that could be of benefit to anyone in recovery. I cannot take credit for the following steps – but I am grateful for all of the support that is out there for all in recovery.