Author: Grace Ogren

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Celebrity Rehab Centers: 9 Luxury Treatment Options for Privacy and Comfort

Addiction and mental health problems can affect anyone, even the rich and famous. But if you’re used to a high standard of living, you might worry about giving up comfort during inpatient treatment. Celebrity rehab centers offer the perfect solution. These luxury facilities provide top-notch health care while maintaining the comforts you enjoy in daily life.

What Makes Celebrity Rehabs Special?

Celebrity rehabs combine effective treatment with luxury experiences. At these centers, you might go whale watching, take a sunset yacht ride, or enjoy skydiving adventures. Many look like high-end resorts or tropical getaways from the outside. But inside, they offer much more than a fancy vacation.

These facilities maintain strict privacy measures to protect their famous clients. Most have security teams, private rooms, and confidentiality agreements for all staff. Some centers don’t even have map listings, to keep their location secret from the public and media.

The best celebrity rehabs focus on both comfort and effective treatment. They employ highly qualified therapists, doctors, and support staff. Many offer personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique needs.

Celebrity Rehab Centers Around the World

You can find celebrity rehabs around the globe, with a wide variety of treatments and amenities. Whether you prefer the tropics, a mountain retreat, or a private island oasis, there’s most likely a treatment facility that meets your needs. 

luxury holistic rehab exclusive hawaii facility

1. Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

This oceanside center prioritizes privacy with a gated residence hidden from the road. A security team guards the property 24/7. The center treats a maximum of 7 clients at once, offering 3 room options: shared, private with shared bathroom, or private with en suite.

Exclusive Hawaii Rehab offers naturopathic and holistic therapies for drug addiction and mental health. They provide nutritional counseling, IV therapies, and traditional Hawaiian Ho’oponopono sessions. Clients can keep up with work during recovery, with access to phones, laptops, and dedicated workspaces.

When you’re not in therapy, you can feed manta rays, take cooking classes, visit waterfalls, or simply relax on the beach.

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2. Passages Malibu

Located on the sunny coast of Los Angeles County, Passages Malibu focuses heavily on individual therapy. Clients receive 60-80 hours of one-on-one therapy each month. Famous past clients include Mel Gibson, Andy Dick, and Stephen Baldwin.

Passages doesn’t use 12-Step methods. Instead, they see substance use disorder as a treatable condition with root causes that can be addressed. Their holistic approach includes hypnotherapy, acupuncture, and massage alongside traditional talk therapy.

The center offers shared or private rooms with access to lounge areas and multiple pools. On-site chefs prepare nutritious meals customized to your dietary needs.

luxury celebrity rehab cirque lodge utah

3. Cirque Lodge

In the pristine nature of Utah, Cirque Lodge provides substance abuse and co-occurring disorder recovery in a lodge-style setting. Famous clients have included Cara Delevigne, Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan, and Kirsten Dunst.

Cirque Lodge incorporates the 12 Steps along with other evidence-based therapies. They also offer unique experiential treatments like equine therapy. Clients enjoy private bedrooms with en suite bathrooms in a cozy environment.

The campus provides plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature, with stunning views and outdoor activities in the sunny Utah weather.

luxury celebrity treatment neoviva lucerne lakeside swiss

4. NEOVIVA

This Swiss rehab center operates discreetly within a hotel on Lake Lucerne. With no signage or staff uniforms, clients look just like any other hotel guest. Treatment sessions take place in a private section away from other guests.

NEOVIVA maintains a 1:3 staff-to-client ratio and treats just 5 clients at a time. Each private room overlooks the lake. Clients have access to all hotel amenities, including a sauna, restaurant, and outdoor pool. You can even bring your pet.

Their holistic approach includes wellness treatments like yoga, breath work, and Qigong. Weekend activities might include forest hikes, trips to nearby villages, and time at the famous lake.

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5. AToN Center

Located on 10 acres in San Diego, AToN Center provides privacy and luxury. They offer both 12-Step and non-12-Step approaches. Their treatment combines evidence-based, holistic, and trauma-informed therapies.

Clients receive 4 hours of therapy daily, including 3 hours of group therapy and 1 hour of individual therapy sessions. Family therapy is available weekly. The center doesn’t restrict access to devices as long as they don’t interfere with treatment.

Holistic treatment options include weekly acupuncture, massage, personal training, yoga, and hypnotherapy. Clients can also enjoy hiking, painting classes, meditation, and Reiki energy healing.

luxury rehab retreat istana bespoke health ibiza

6. Istana Bespoke Health 

Istana takes privacy to the extreme by treating just one client at a time. They have locations in Ibiza, Bali, and Barbados, each offering a private villa for recovery. Family members can join if the treatment team agrees it would be helpful.

The program offers completely customized treatment using evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Privacy measures include unmarked villas, private airport pickups, and staff trained in confidentiality.

Each client receives support from a butler, personal chef, and life coach, among others. Free-time activities include island tours, cooking classes, music making, and dance lessons.

clinic les alpes exclusive celebrity addiction treatment center

7. Clinic Les Alpes

A luxury chalet in the Swiss mountains, Clinic Les Alpes treats addiction, mental health disorders, eating disorders, burnout, and more. Their world-renowned practitioners create personalized treatment plans using advanced testing and assessments.

Clients enjoy private bedrooms and amenities like a sauna, swimming pool, mountain views, and a gym. Every aspect of treatment is tailored to individual needs, including nutritional care.

The stunning Alpine setting provides a peaceful backdrop for recovery, away from the pressures of public life.

private celebrity rehab center raindrum byron bay pool villa

8. Raindrum

Raindrum offers ultra-private mental health and addiction treatment in various settings. Clients choose between several private residences, either on the beach or in the countryside. All therapy takes place one-on-one, including talk therapy and personal training.

This center treats addiction along with co-occurring conditions like burnout, depression, and anxiety. They offer experiential therapies like surf therapy, equine therapy, dance, and photography, as well as creative options like art therapy, pottery, and language learning.

Treatment is completely individualized, with staff coming to your residence rather than meeting in a clinical setting. A full support team includes housekeepers and a personal chef.

exclusive celebrity rehab facility sanctuary vancouver island bc

9. The Sanctuary Vancouver Island

This bespoke center offers high-end treatment for various needs. Beyond addiction and mental health, they focus on chronic pain management, post-operative care, and weight stabilizing.

The Sanctuary Vancouver Island combines evidence-based and alternative treatments, such as CBT with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). More than 100 on-call specialists support your recovery process, from chiropractors to psychiatrists.

Clients stay in private residences on Vancouver Island near the shore, in the forest, or somewhere in between. Between sessions, you can enjoy meals from your personal chef, go whale watching, or explore by seaplane.

Finding Recovery as a Celebrity

Getting help for addiction doesn’t have to mean giving up luxury or privacy. These exclusive drug rehab centers prove you can heal while maintaining comfort and discretion. 

The most effective addiction treatment centers combine evidence-based therapies with holistic approaches tailored to your needs. They maintain strict confidentiality via security measures, unmarked facilities, and staff training. And after treatment, you’ll take valuable coping skills with you, whether you’re heading back to the spotlight or to your private life.

Ready to start your journey back to well-being? Visit our collection of luxury treatment centers to find the perfect match for your needs and lifestyle.

FAQs

Q: How effective are celebrity rehab centers in treating addiction?

A: Celebrity rehab centers can be highly effective when they combine luxury with evidence-based treatments. They typically employ qualified professionals and maintain low client-to-staff ratios. Success rates vary by individual, but many clients find the personalized approach and comfortable environment help them engage better in treatment.

Q: What can I expect at a luxury rehab center?

A: Expect private accommodations, gourmet meals, and amenities like pools and spas. Treatment usually includes a combination of individual therapy, support groups, and holistic options like massage or acupuncture. Many centers allow access to phones and laptops, with recreational activities available. Low staff-to-client ratios ensure personalized care.

Q: How do I find the best celebrity alcohol rehab center?

A: Consider your needs, budget, and preferred location. Look for centers specializing in alcohol addiction with experienced, licensed staff and evidence-based approaches. Ask about detox if needed. Read reviews and ask questions about outpatient program options, privacy policies, and aftercare planning.

Q: How much does it cost to stay at a celebrity rehab center?

A: Mental health or substance abuse treatment costs at luxury rehabs typically range from $30,000 to $100,000+ per month, depending on the center and services provided.

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Recover Your Sense of Self With Individual Therapy

Individual therapy puts you at the center of treatment. And in a rehab with 1:1 therapy, you’ll connect with your own deepest goals and values. Those ideals become guideposts, leading you toward the next chapter of your life. This process can empower you to make recovery your own.

What Is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy, or 1:1 therapy, includes you and your therapist—no one else. These private conversations are a crucial part of most rehab programs. Your therapist might function almost like an advisor, supporting you as you navigate the rest of the program. Usually, they’ll also play a major role in designing your plan of care.

During rehab, you might meet with your therapist several times a week. You may also see them in other settings. For example, your 1:1 therapist might lead a weekly group session as well. If you’re just going to therapy, and not attending a larger program, it looks a little different. In that case, it’s most common to see your therapist once a week, for about an hour at a time.

Individual Therapy for Addiction Treatment

You can find individual therapy in most residential rehabs. Experts agree that it’s “the most useful form of treatment for substance use disorders.” It can help with almost every aspect of recovery, including complex mental health symptoms. Your therapist can also help you work toward specific goals, like abstinence.

Individual Therapy for Mental Health

1:1 therapy isn’t just for addiction. It can also treat most mental health conditions. At first, your therapist will help you identify goals for treatment. Depending on your needs, these might be very specific or more general. You can go to therapy because you’re feeling a little stressed, or because you want to decrease how many panic attacks you have per day. No matter why you start treatment, your counselor will likely teach you new coping skills, help you process your past, and empower you to move forward.

Types of 1:1 Counseling

There are many different types of individual therapy. Depending on your personal history, one or more of these methods may work well for you. And during rehab, you may even try a few different approaches.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

In ACT (pronounced like the word “act”) you’ll learn that fighting against a feeling can actually make it stronger. With that in mind, ACT teaches you to accept strong feelings as they come. Mindfulness and self-compassion help patients tolerate triggers instead of acting on them.

ACT also helps you identify your values. In one of your first sessions, your therapist will likely help you take an inventory of your own highest ideals. You can return to that inventory throughout treatment, and after rehab. While your values may change over time, it’s almost always helpful to know what they are. That way, you can build a life that honors them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can be a vital part of addiction treatment. This 1:1 therapy teaches you to modify your thought and behavioral patterns. You’ll also learn practical coping skills, which can help you process even the most difficult feelings.

Addiction often starts as a coping mechanism. And when you’re triggered, you might run the risk of relapse. CBT skills offer an alternative. Instead of taking drugs, you might say a mantra you learned in therapy, go for a run, or text a friend. Over time, these new responses start to feel natural.

In a session, your therapist will prompt you to confront your thoughts head-on. Then, you’ll learn to distinguish between thoughts, feelings, and facts. For example, you might feel like you’re going to relapse after you leave rehab. But that’s just a feeling. And in reality, you have the power to make a different choice.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy offers you a fresh perspective on your personal history. Your therapist will encourage you to think of it as a story, with a narrative arc and ongoing themes. Then, they’ll establish you as the author of your own life.

This treatment helps clients understand the nuances of their own mental health. For example, imagine getting over a breakup. Painful though it is to be newly single, you can learn a lot in that process. Narrative therapy helps you deconstruct old patterns and start rebuilding yourself.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

In EMDR, you’ll focus on gentle stimuli as you work through past trauma. For example, you might look at a light as it moves back and forth. Or you might rub your arms while you describe a memory. These cues help you process the strong feelings associated with what you’ve been through. And over time, those feelings will subside. As a result, EMDR helps you grow less sensitive to triggers.

Addiction itself is traumatic. And sometimes, fears of a relapse can feel debilitating. EMDR is commonly used for trauma, but it can be just as effective for the memories and fears linked to addiction.

Benefits of Individual Therapy

Meeting with a clinician in private can make it easier for you to feel safe. But it’s not just about how you feel. Individual therapy also has some unique practical advantages.

Confidentiality

In a 1:1 therapy, you’ll talk to your therapist alone. And for the most part, your conversations are private. There are some exceptions to this, of course. In residential rehab, they may share information with other clinicians on your treatment team. And if you make certain threats, or describe ongoing abuse, they might be obligated to report it. Your therapist can tell you exactly what information they would have to report.

If you’re over the age of 18, your therapist won’t share private information with your family, your friends, or other patients without your consent. So you can trust that your conversations will stay private. This helps many clients feel safe enough to explore vulnerable topics during treatment.

A Close Therapeutic Relationship

This type of therapy invites you to build a strong relationship with your clinician. And data shows that the therapeutic relationship directly affects the success of addiction treatment.

It’s natural to feel safer around people you trust. That’s true in almost any situation. Walking through the woods at night is a little easier when you’re with a friend. And exploring the depths of your psyche can be less daunting when you trust your therapist.

Your bond can also get stronger over time. In every session, you and your therapist will get to know each other a little better. That makes it easier to share more personal information, so you can tackle even deeper issues. And the resulting connection you feel with your individual therapist can make rehab even more effective.

Forging Your Own Path Toward Recovery

Above all, 1:1 therapy teaches you about yourself. Working through past issues can help you build resilience. And in turn, you’ll gain self-confidence in your own ability to heal. This commitment to recovery can inspire you to keep growing, no matter what happens after treatment.

Explore rehabs with individual therapy to see their locations, reviews, insurance options, and more.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod

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Understanding the Link Between Addiction and Schizophrenia

Drug addiction and schizophrenia can feel pretty similar. And if you have both, it might be hard to tell where one condition ends and the other begins. Learning about that dynamic is a key part of recovery. That knowledge can empower you to find the right type of treatment for schizophrenia and substance abuse.

Does Drug Addiction Cause Schizophrenia?

In short: no, taking drugs won’t give you schizophrenia. But addiction and schizophrenia have similar causes—and similar symptoms. The same factors that make you vulnerable to one can also make you vulnerable to the other.

If you have schizophrenia, drug use can trigger your symptoms. And depending on what drug you’re taking, being high can even feel like psychosis. That’s because both drug use and schizophrenia tamper with your brain’s reward system. Here’s why.

The Similar Brain Chemistry of Schizophrenia and Addiction

Taking any drug has an impact on your brain’s reward system. And it doesn’t matter what the drug’s actual effects are. The very act of getting high increases your levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. So when you take drugs, you feel a sense of reward.

Over time, you’ll need more and more of a drug to achieve that feeling. Reward might be replaced with relief. And as your tolerance goes up, you’ll likely develop a more severe addiction.

Even if you never take drugs, schizophrenia still disrupts your reward system.  In some people, it decreases baseline levels of dopamine. Or, it can make you hypersensitive to dopamine, so doing drugs feels like an even bigger reward. And if you’re taking drugs that reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia, addiction is even more likely.

Self-Medicating to Manage Schizophrenia

While addiction is unhealthy, it often begins as a coping mechanism. You might feel like drug use helps you control the symptoms of schizophrenia. And, in some cases, that might even be true. For example, nicotine reduces psychotic symptoms. But that doesn’t mean cigarettes are good for you.

In the long term, addiction continues to destabilize your reward system. Because of this, ongoing drug use can exacerbate your schizophrenia symptoms. This complicates the process of recovery.

Treatment for Both Schizophrenia and Addiction

Quitting drugs isn’t a cure for schizophrenia. But for some people, it’s an important first step toward healing. And because of the overlap between addiction and schizophrenia, many of the same treatments might help with all your symptoms.

If you’re recovering from both these conditions, you might benefit from treatment for co-occurring disorders. Within that framework, there are several specific therapies that can help.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing (MI) helps patients with schizophrenia commit to ongoing treatment. It’s an especially effective treatment for people with both addiction and psychosis.

MI isn’t technically a type of therapy. Instead, it’s a conversation style that many different clinicians apply to treatment. Therapists, doctors, nurses, and others can all use this approach. During MI, they’ll use active listening, pointed questions, and other techniques. This can help you find your personal spark of motivation to heal.

Contingency Management

For patients with both schizophrenia and addiction, contingency Management (CM) can make recovery more likely. This approach rewards your participation in treatment. For example, you might get a gift card, voucher, or even cash for going to a therapy session. You and your care team will write and honor a treatment contract, defining prizes for each activity. In most cases, the value of your rewards will go up over time. For many people, this agreement motivates positive changes.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder. Today, it has many additional uses. For example, DBT can help patients with schizophrenia, addiction, and other mental health conditions.

Sessions of DBT can feel more like classes than therapy. You’ll meet with a group, go through a workbook, and even do homework. You might also have 1:1 sessions with your therapist. Patients learn practical skills in 4 modules: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. These coping strategies can empower you to live a healthier life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Like DBT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on practical coping skills. CBT helps patients with addiction and schizophrenia manage their symptoms without drug use.

Instead of trying to change your feelings, CBT shows you new ways to respond. Future episodes of psychosis might always trigger drug cravings. But you’ll learn how to accept that feeling and move on, instead of falling back into addiction.

Specialized Care in Rehab

Schizophrenia is often a lifelong condition. Instead of “fixing” all of your symptoms, treatment empowers you to manage them. These strategies are far more sustainable than addiction. And in an effective rehab program, you can heal from both at the same time.

Browse rehabs that treat schizophrenia to see locations, photos, reviews, and more.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod

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The Complex Relationship Between Addiction and Depression

Depression can be either a cause or symptom of addiction. Some people try to self-medicate their symptoms, which leads to addiction. Others get depressed because of their substance use. But there’s a reason these 2 conditions appear together so often. If you have signs of both, you might need specialized treatment at a rehab for depression and addiction.

Common Causes of Depression and Addiction

Depression and addiction often occur at the same time. And in fact, having depression doubles your chance of developing addiction. But the link goes both ways. Taking drugs can also cause depressive symptoms.

What’s more, these 2 diagnoses have overlapping causes. The same factors that put you at risk for depression can also make you vulnerable to drug abuse:

Addiction and depression cause similar brain activity. And acute symptoms activate the same neural pathways over and over again. If you have depression, that happens during a depressive episode. With addiction, it happens when you take drugs. Both conditions make those pathways more and more sensitive over time. So without proper treatment, either one will continue getting worse. And, you’ll become even more vulnerable to the other.

Getting the Right Diagnosis

To get the right type of treatment, you first need an accurate diagnosis. And that can be more complex than it sounds. For example, if your depression is the result of drug use, your recovery will need to include addiction treatment.

Depression can co-occur with a wide variety of health issues. These can include mental health conditions, like anxiety, and even physical ones. For example, diabetes is linked to depression. And sometimes it’s just a symptom of a more complex diagnosis.

Depression as a Symptom of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that occurs in over 50% of people with addiction. People with this condition experience periods of depression interspersed with mania. And because it’s a primary symptom, bipolar is often misdiagnosed as major depression.

If you get the wrong diagnosis, it can interfere with your recovery. And it doesn’t just delay your progress—it can also make your symptoms worse.  For a person with bipolar, antidepressants can trigger manic episodes. They can also cause intense swings between mania and depression, called rapid cycling.

Addiction can exacerbate your mood disorder symptoms. That’s true whether you have bipolar disorder, major depression, or something else. If you’re healing from both addiction and any other mental health issue, you might consider going to rehab for co-occurring disorders.

Treatments for Depression and Addiction

Depression and addiction are receptive to similar types of treatment. That means you can heal from both simultaneously. You might even find that focusing on one condition helps you heal from the other. For example, data shows that most depressive symptoms resolve during addiction treatment. But that’s not true for everyone.

When you enter recovery, you might not know which condition came first. But you can work with your care team to answer that question. If your depressive symptoms fade after detox, you might just focus on healing from addiction. But if you do have clinical depression, there are several ways to approach treatment.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches patients to cope with difficult thoughts. You’ll learn practical skills that help you live with and regulate even the most intense emotions.

CBT treats depression and addiction by helping people build self-confidence. And data shows that it has lasting effects, supporting your long-term recovery. You can also combine this therapy with other types of treatment, like medication.

Medication for Depression

Depending on your physical health, your care team may recommend prescribed medication. For example, it’s common to treat depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like Prozac or Zoloft. Preliminary data shows that SSRIs may also support addiction recovery. Specifically, they might help people quit smoking or heal from sex addiction.

SSRIs typically take full effect after 6 weeks. And while they’re a common treatment for depression, they aren’t right for everyone. You may need to try a few medications before you find the right fit. Or, if you have treatment-resistant depression, you might need to take a different approach.

Alternative Treatments

If traditional therapy and medication aren’t working for you, there are many other ways to treat depression. Some of these methods are experimental, while others are highly researched but less well known.

These alternative treatments aren’t replacements for traditional medical care. But you can combine them with other therapies, or even attend a holistic rehab program. There’s no right or wrong way to plan your recovery—just the way that works best for you.

Clearing the Clouds

Depression and addiction have so much in common, it can be hard to tell which one has the greater impact on your life. But there’s a silver lining to their overlapping symptoms. With the right treatment, recovery can be straightforward. In the long term, you can use the same coping skills to manage any ongoing symptoms. But most importantly, healing means learning about the complex relationship between these conditions. And doing that will teach you more and more about yourself.

Browse rehab centers that treat depression to learn about their amenities, photos, and reviews.

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Can You Go to Rehab for Multiple Addictions?

Addiction takes many forms. For some people, it means relying on a particular drug. But it’s not always that simple. If you’re consistently taking more than one drug at a time, or switching between drugs, you might have polysubstance use disorder.

This condition looks a little different for everyone. You might feel like it’s safer to take more types of drugs, so you don’t start depending on any of them. Or, you might be mixing substances to get a certain result. But this behavior doesn’t protect you from addiction.

If you’re ready to make a change, there are several ways to approach recovery and rehab. And in treatment, your care team can help you understand the nuances of this complex issue.

Can You Have More Than One Addiction?

The CCD defines polysubstance use as “the use of more than one drug,” adding that “this includes when two or more are taken together or within a short time period, either intentionally or unintentionally.” Often, this behavior is socially acceptable. Have you ever smoked a cigarette while drinking a beer? If so, you’ve engaged in polysubstance use.

Addiction is, among other things, a behavioral issue. In other words, you can have addiction even in the absence of physical symptoms like cravings or withdrawal. And at first, you might not even notice. It’s all too easy to use multiple drugs at the same time, especially if you’re taking illicit substances. Street drugs like heroin and cocaine aren’t regulated, and might be mixed with other things.

Addiction Can Sneak Up On You

Stigma plays a complex role in many types of addiction. Because drinking is so socially acceptable, it can be hard to know when you have alcohol addiction. On the other hand, meth addiction is so stigmatized that it’s easier to recognize the problem—even if it’s still hard to get help.

When you’re switching between substances, this metric can work against you. For instance, you might not be doing enough of any single drug to be worried about addiction. But are you taking drugs every day? This behavior can quickly become a slippery slope.

Legality makes some substances seem safer, but mixing any drugs has unpredictable results. Think of alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine. In many U.S. states, all 3 are both legal and socially acceptable. It makes sense that people mix these substances without thinking twice. But taking substances together can have unintended, even dangerous, effects.

The Effects of Combining Drugs

Combining drugs can be unpredictable. That’s especially true when you’re taking illegal, untested drugs, but it can even be an issue with prescriptions. For example, taking MDMA along with certain antidepressants can lead to serotonin syndrome. This condition is rare, but extremely dangerous. And it’s just one of several drug combinations to watch out for.

The following combinations can also put you at risk of serious side effects:

  • Drinking with benzodiazepines, like Xanax, makes it easier for your body to process the benzos. This can exponentially raise the concentration of drugs in your bloodstream. And because you can’t control or measure that increase, you might increase your risk of overdose.
  • Cocaine and alcohol heighten the risk of cardiotoxicity, or heart damage.
  • Mixing opioids and stimulants—or “speedballing”—is dangerous and unpredictable. If the 2 drugs effectively cancel each other out, you might even feel sober. And if you respond by taking more, then you risk overdosing. Speedballing can also cause serious heart problems.
  • Mixing multiple opioids is easy to do by mistake. Many sources mix drugs like heroin with fentanyl, a cheaper synthetic opioid. Because fentanyl is stronger than other similar drugs, this makes it difficult to dose properly—especially if you don’t know you’re taking it. And even accidental use of fentanyl can increase your risk of addiction.
  • Mixing alcohol with any drug can have a direct impact on your mental health. This can cause anxiety and increase drug cravings, making it harder to begin recovery.

Numerous Ways to Treat Multiple Addictions

Recovering from even one addiction can be a complex process. And if you’ve been taking several different substances, you may need highly specialized treatment. Your care team can help you decide which types of therapy are most appropriate. A comprehensive treatment program might include therapies like the following:

Prescribed Medications

When taken under a doctor’s supervision, certain medications can support your recovery from multiple addictions. However, this may not be appropriate for all patients. For instance, if you have a history of misusing prescription drugs, talk therapy may be a safer treatment.

Even if you find meds helpful, they’re just one part of recovery. It’s important to combine this approach with other therapies, and with healthy lifestyle choices.

Exercise and Movement

Physical fitness has a huge impact on mental health. That makes it important for everyone. But data suggests it matters even more if you’re healing from addiction.

For people with multiple addictions, exercise decreases cravings and improves your mood. Experts say physical fitness might even guard against relapse. And best of all, you can put this data to work for you in any stage of recovery. During treatment, you might benefit from a form of movement that gets your blood pumping. And after you return home, you can take up yoga, go swimming, or just jog around the block.

Fitness can also aid in recovery by helping you build a healthy routine. Doing things you genuinely enjoy is an important part of long-term healing. Sustainable habits, like exercise, can give you the strength you need to stay on track.

Contingency Management

Contingency management (CM) activates your internal reward system. In treatment, patients get material rewards for achieving specific goals. For example, you might get free movie tickets after your 5th negative drug test in a row.

Data shows that CM can effectively treat patients with multiple addictions. This therapy can protect against relapse both during and after inpatient rehab. It even works as a virtual treatment.

Finding the Right Tools for Recovery

Multiple addictions are a complex issue. So when you start recovery, you’ll need a treatment approach that covers all your bases.

Talk to your care team about which combination of therapies will work best for you. The act of designing your treatment plan is the first step toward a healthier future. And that future can be as multifaceted and exciting as your past, even if the details are different.

Search rehab centers near you to learn about their locations, treatments offered, and insurance options, and to start planning your recovery.

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Sadness vs. Depression: How to Tell the Difference

Feeling sad is normal—even healthy. It’s a natural part of the human experience. But persistent sadness can cross a line. When this emotion becomes a mental health condition, you might need professional support. The problem is, it can be hard to distinguish between sadness and depression.

There are some key differences between these 2 experiences. But either way, knowing what’s wrong is the first step toward healing. If you need to, you can seek treatment for depression. And if not, you can still take active steps to move past feeling sad.

Working Through Sadness

We all feel sad from time to time; it’s a normal part of being human. Usually, that feeling has a clear external cause. For instance, sadness is often associated with grief1 or loss. There’s nothing wrong with this important emotion, and it doesn’t need to be pushed away. But—if it’s really sadness, and not depression—there’s a lot you can do to support yourself as you ride out the experience.

Make a Change

Most of the time, you can point to a specific reason you’re feeling sad. Maybe you failed an exam or lost a job. Upsetting as these issues are, they can inspire you. You might recommit to studying, so you’ll get better grades on future tests. Or, you might look for a new job where your skills can really shine. Taking action is empowering. And as you work to improve your life, your feelings might improve too.

Get Social Support

There’s a link between sadness and loneliness.2 So when you’re feeling sad, spending time with people you trust can make you feel better. Your loved ones are allies for your happiness. Their support can give you a new perspective on your own feelings, or just a welcome distraction. Either way, shifting your focus away from sadness can help you move forward.3

Defining Clinical Depression

Life doesn’t stop when you’re sad. You can go about your day, taking care of responsibilities at home, work, and school. Depression takes a greater toll.4 You might feel like everything is a chore—even hobbies and plans with friends. This condition can even have physical symptoms.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression can change your brain chemistry.5 And while intense, persistent sadness is a common symptom, it’s not the only one. Depression can also manifest in your body,6 with effects like insomnia, weight changes, or physical pain. This is one reason that treatment usually includes medication.7

Unlike sadness, depression rarely goes away with simple activities. It also lasts longer than a run-of-the-mill emotion. If you’ve had the symptoms of depression for longer than 2 weeks,6 it might be time to get professional support.

Root Causes of Depression

It’s usually easy to figure out why you’re sad. Depression is a more complex issue. It often occurs with no apparent cause. According to experts, there may be a genetic component to depression.8 But it can also be intensified by external events.

For example, trauma can cause depression.9 But trauma isn’t something you just “get over.” If you’re recovering from depression in response to traumatic events, you might benefit from trauma-informed care for both conditions. When you’re ready to seek treatment, it’s best to get professional advice about where to start.

When Should You Get Help?

If you think you might have depression, talk to your doctor or therapist about your symptoms. Depending on your experience, they might recommend a combination of therapy, medication, inpatient rehab, or other types of treatment. To prepare for this conversation, you can answer a few questions, and share your responses with your care team.

  • How long have you had symptoms? By definition, depression lasts for at least 2 weeks.10 Sadness usually resolves more quickly.
  • Is it hard for you to keep up with your responsibilities? When your emotions get in the way of daily activities, it’s often a sign of mental health issues.
  • Can you point to a cause? Sadness usually happens for a reason. If you feel sad even when things go well, you might need treatment for depression.
  • Are you considering self-harm? This is a very serious symptom, and requires immediate care.

If you or someone you love is contemplating self-harm, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 to get immediate support.

No matter how you answer these questions, you can always talk to a therapist about what you’re going through. A professional can offer specific advice, tailored to meet your unique needs.

Finding Your Path Toward Wellness

You and your care team can work together to find the best way forward. And it’s okay to ask for help even before you have serious symptoms. If it turns out that you’re sad, but not depressed, you can still get meaningful support. Or, if you do have depression, your doctor can connect you to the resources you need for recovery.

Browse our list of rehab programs for depression to read reviews, see photos, and learn about pricing options.

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Does Trauma Cause Addiction?

Addiction rarely begins on its own. Something often triggers the need to use substances to self-medicate, cope, or forget painful events, even just briefly.

Uncovering and addressing the traumas behind your addiction is an important part of the recovery journey. And with rehab centers dedicated to treating trauma, you can work through this with the support and guidance of peers and professionals.

How Trauma Sets the Stage for Later Challenges

You may have experienced developmental trauma while growing up, or a traumatic event in the more recent past. In either case, addiction often arises as a way to cope with its effects—whether we realize it or not.

Childhood Trauma

Early traumas tend to show up in our present lives in a number of ways. Behavioral health professionals call these “adverse childhood experiences,” or ACEs, and they’re closely tied to all kinds of issues we may grapple with as adults. ACEs can involve abuse, neglect, and other forms of family dysfunction.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “ACEs are strongly related to development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems, including substance abuse, throughout the lifespan.” That’s because exposure to high stress at a young age affects brain development. “Disruption in early development of the nervous system may impede a child’s ability to cope with negative or disruptive emotions,” says SAMHSA. “Over time, and often during adolescence, the child adopts coping mechanisms, such as substance use.”

Recognizing this in yourself for the first time can be overwhelming. But ACEs are extremely common. In a massive, long-term study by the CDC, “28% of…participants reported physical abuse and 21% reported sexual abuse,” and many had parents who divorced or struggled with mental illness or addiction.

Trauma isn’t okay, but it is common, even among those who appear to have had a “perfect” childhood.

Adult PTSD

Sometimes, symptoms of this develop into an ongoing condition: post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. It’s surprisingly common for adults to experience symptoms from childhood trauma they don’t remember. It’s also possible for an experience as an adult to trigger a PTSD episode based on framework laid by traumatic experiences as a child.

Even though we may not be consciously aware of their origins, we might still see the effects of these traumas later in life. And they dramatically increase our likelihood of developing addiction and other mental health issues. Studies show that adult survivors of childhood trauma are more likely to engage in high-risk and self-harming behaviors, including substance abuse.

Using Substances to Manage Trauma Symptoms

The effects of trauma can be extremely hard to live with, no matter how old you are. Thoughts and feelings associated with trauma are invasive, repetitive, and can be terrifying and exhausting. Veteran mental advocate expert Dr. Harry McCleary explains, “Avoidance is a core symptom of PTSD. The last thing that anyone that has experienced a trauma wants to do is experience something similar.” One of the most common ways to do this is to use substances.

Substances are easily available, and the relief they provide is immediate.

The problem with this is that it works until it doesn’t. As soon as the effects wear off, the trauma comes back—and often even more so, due to a rebound effect. Regularly using substances to cope can quickly lead to dependence and addiction, which only creates more problems. And as long as you’re using substances to avoid your feelings, you’re not developing the coping skills necessary to manage them.

Addiction can also put you in high-risk situations—whether it’s getting more drugs in an unsafe way, or making uninhibited decisions—that lead to further traumas. As McCleary says, “Now you have multiple problems: a substance issue, and a PTSD issue, and one is feeding on another.”

The good news is that both addiction and trauma are highly responsive to treatment.

Why Treatment Should be Trauma-Informed

Trauma-informed care is “an approach in the human service field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma.” In practice, this can look like the following:

  • creating a trauma-informed culture
  • training all staff on trauma
  • screening all incoming patients for trauma
  • evaluating practices to make sure they’re not potentially retraumatizing

Trauma-informed therapists work with a knowledge of trauma and the cultural and socioeconomic factors that contribute to it. These treatment settings reduce the chance that patients will feel triggered, unsafe, or uncomfortable as they work through their trauma.

Learn more about this approach in our article on finding a trauma-informed rehab.

Learning to Manage Triggers

In rehab, you may spend some time learning how to identify and manage triggers. Substance abuse has a strong connection to PTSD symptoms, which makes managing them important. With the support of trained professionals, you can learn new ways of responding to stress within the safe environment that residential care provides.

Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders

Trauma and addiction very often go hand in hand. If you have PTSD or another diagnosis along with addiction, it’s a good idea to find a program that specifically treats co-occurring disorders. As Dr. McCleary says, “Substance use and PTSD are such close friends that we’ve developed multiple treatments to treat both at the same time. There are treatment facilities that treat both at the same time. Because that’s how prevalent this is.”

Plenty of qualified professionals specialize in treating people in exactly your position.

All you have to do is reach out to them to take the first step towards healing.

Finding Rehab for Trauma and Addiction

Trauma isn’t fair, but it is a fundamental part of the human experience. And if you’re struggling with its effects, you’re certainly not the only one.

You are normal.

There’s nothing wrong with you.

And you have endless opportunities to heal.

Looking into rehabs that specialize in treating trauma can be a great place to start that healing journey. Visit our directory to learn more about your options and reach out to treatment centers directly.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod

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Finding Treatment for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders (EDs) are a serious mental health issue. And while they’re more common than you might think, it’s important to remember that eating disorders are treatable. People can and do recover from them.

Treatment for eating disorders comes in several forms: some people need, or prefer, to receive around-the-clock care from medical professionals and will opt for a residential rehab program. For those with a strong support network, an outpatient program may be a good fit. Eating disorders are complex, so one type of treatment isn’t necessarily better than the other. Here, we’ll guide you through the basics of eating disorders, along with different treatment options and common therapies:

  • What’s an Eating Disorder?
  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Types of Eating Disorders: An Overview
  • Common Causes of Eating Disorders
  • Who Suffers from Eating Disorders?
  • Where to Find Treatment
  • Common Therapies for Eating Disorders

What’s an Eating Disorder?

The American Psychological Association defines eating disorders1 as any “abnormal eating habit that can threaten your health or even your life.” People who suffer from eating disorders may eat less or more than the recommended amount of food to be considered healthy. An estimated 30 million U.S. adults will have experienced some form of eating disorder2 at some point in their lives.

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that present both behavioral and physical symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

When you seek professional help for an eating disorder, your healthcare provider must give you a formal diagnosis before mapping out a treatment plan. They’ll look at your feeding and eating disorder symptoms3 as laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). There are several different types of eating disorders defined in DSM-5, and each is distinct from the other. Some symptoms may apply to many of these disorders:

Behavioral Symptoms

  • Excessively preoccupied with thoughts of food and body shape or image, making it difficult to focus on other areas of life
  • Restricting calorie intake or refusing to eat certain foods like carbohydrates
  • Engaging in compulsive eating habits like skipping meals, episodes of out-of-control eating, self-induced vomiting or over-exercising
  • Anxious about eating around others
  • Withdrawing from social contact and your usual hobbies
  • Irritability or mood swings
  • Hiding eating behaviors

Physical Symptoms:

  • Noticeable weight fluctuations
  • Dizziness or feeling lightheaded, commonly exacerbated by movement
  • Digestive issues such as constipation, stomach cramps, bloating, and more
  • Females may experience irregular periods or periods may stop completely
  • Dental issues including cavities, sensitive teeth, and enamel erosion
  • Muscle weakness

Types of Eating Disorders: An Overview

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists several different types of eating disorders:

  • Anorexia nervosa
  • Bulimia nervosa
  • Binge eating disorder
  • Avoidant/restrictive intake disorder
  • Pica
  • Rumination disorder
  • Other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) including:
    1. Muscle dysmorphia
    2. Orthorexia nervosa (ON) proposed criteria

People most commonly seek treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa

If you suffer from anorexia nervosa, you may experience intense feelings of self-consciousness and body image distortion, causing you to withhold food from yourself. People with anorexia often engage in extreme eating habits to lose weight. If you notice signs of anorexia, don’t take it lightly. Anorexia is one of the most fatal mental health issues4 in the U.S., with an estimated mortality rate of 10%.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge-eating followed by attempts to “purge” the food over the fear of gaining weight. People may attempt to “purge” through vomiting, laxatives, or over-exercising, all of which are harmful to the body.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Those with a binge-eating disorder experience recurring, vicious cycles of uncontrollable overeating. People often cite a loss of control during binge-eating episodes5. While everyone’s trigger for binge eating is different, it’s usually associated with high stress.

Common Causes of Eating Disorders

The exact cause of eating disorders is still inconclusive. However, there are several speculated risk factors that contribute to the development of eating disorders6.

Biological Factors
A significant number of medical studies suggest an association between genetics and eating disorders. A 2004 report detailing the genetics of eating disorders published in Psychiatry (Egmond) found “greater than 50% of the variance in liability to eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors can be accounted for by additive genetic effects.”7 More recently in 2013, the Annals of Neurosciences reported an “undeniable link between genetic factors and eating disorders.”8

Environmental Factors
A unique combination of environmental factors can contribute to body dissatisfaction. These might include societal pressure and other environmental influences like bullying in school, criticism from family members, and the idolization of certain body types. Teens and young adults are especially impressionable: body dissatisfaction among American teens9 reached new highs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trauma
The flood of emotions that follow a traumatic event can trigger an eating disorder, and it’s rather common for eating disorder patients to cite traumatic experiences. According to a study published in Eating Disorders The Journal of Treatment & Prevention, researchers found that “the prevalence of traumatic events in ED patients10 has ranged from 37% to 100%.”

Co-occurring Disorders
Eating disorders are a mental health issue that commonly co-occurs with other mental disorders. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reports that between 33% up to 50% of individuals with anorexia have co-occurring mood disorders11, like anxiety and depression.

Who Suffers from Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders can affect anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, and age.

The American Psychological Association estimates that in the U.S., 20 million women and 10 million men will experience some form of eating disorder1 in their lives. While women are more likely to receive a diagnosis than men, the number of men who suffer from an eating disorder may be under-reported12. That may be because men aren’t as likely to seek treatment.

Eating disorders are more common among teenagers and young adult populations. According to the National Institute of Mental Health13, people normally start developing bulimia and anorexia at the age of 18, and 21 for binge eating. But eating disorders can still affect the elderly. Unfortunately, this is sometimes overlooked. A 2012 study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that 13% of women in the U.S. aged 50 and older have eating disorder symptoms14.

Where to Find Treatment

If you think you or a loved one has an eating disorder, the earlier you find help the better. Untreated eating disorders can have serious and harmful effects on the body. In severe cases, eating disorders can be fatal. For example, the mortality rate for people who suffer from anorexia is 18 times higher15 than for individuals who don’t have eating disorders.

Many people start their recovery journey by talking to their primary care physician. They’ll begin by checking your medical history and vital signs to ensure you don’t need more serious care, like medication or hospitalization. If your case doesn’t require hospitalization, your physician may be able to point you towards local resources for treating eating disorders, like a dietician, therapist, or outpatient program.

There are several levels of care for treating eating disorders. Each varies in intensity and is delivered in different settings.

Inpatient Programs (Residential Rehab)

In an inpatient program, you receive 24/7 clinical care on-site at a treatment center. This is the most intensive level of care and is usually recommended if patients exhibit worrying medical signs:

      • laboratory findings that are abnormal or indicate critical health risks
      • unstable vital signs including cardiac disturbances, hypothermia, hypotension, and more
      • coexisting medical conditions that may result in further complications

You don’t need to have severe medical issues to enroll in an inpatient program. For some people, a change of scenery and stepping away from potential triggers is exactly what they need to successfully work towards long-term recovery.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

A PHP, also referred to as a “day hospital,” is less intensive than an inpatient program but more intensive than an IOP. In a PHP, you receive treatment at a clinic for around 3 to 5 days each week, 4 to 8 hours a day. You’ll go home each day after treatment.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

While outpatient programs still follow an intensive therapeutic schedule, you can go home each day after treatment rather than receive 24-hour medical monitoring. You can expect to go in for treatment 3 to 5 hours a day, around 2 to 3 days each week.

This option can work for people who have their symptoms under control enough to complete daily tasks. It’s also usually more cost-effective than inpatient programs. IOPs may be a good fit for people who have a strong support network at home.

Support Groups

Eating disorder support groups offer a network of peers who share similar experiences to yours and some provide educational information that could aid your recovery. There are two main types of support groups: self-help support groups and professionally operated support groups.

Self-help groups, also called “fellowships” or “peer support groups,” are organized by members of the group itself. The sense of comradery this creates can be important for many people in their recovery journey.

Professionally operated support groups are facilitated by professionals like a licensed therapist or a social worker. On top of offering a strong support network of peers, group discussions are led by staff with professional experience in the field of eating disorder treatment. These groups are often operated by hospitals, clinics, or treatment centers and may require a fee to attend.

Searching for Treatment Online

Most people turn to the internet to find eating disorder treatment programs. For the most part, quality treatment centers have their patients’ best interests at heart and help many find recovery each year. But some centers engage in ethically questionable practices. It’s important to be wary of these exploitative practices to protect yourself from rehab scams, which unfortunately do exist.

You can take extra precautionary steps to protect yourself from potential illegitimate rehabs when searching for eating disorder treatment online:

      • Be wary of free helplines. Some websites may present information that appears unbiased, but require you to call a hotline. In some cases, these hotlines connect you with an agent who receives a referral fee for placing someone in a specific treatment center or program.
      • Get your questions answered. During your call with any treatment provider, make sure their admissions team can answer specific questions you may have about their center and program. Be cautious if their answers seem vague, or they can’t specify details about their program.
      • Ask about referral fees. If your primary care provider recommends a treatment facility, you can be upfront with them and politely ask if they received any compensation for making the recommendation.

Common Therapies for Eating Disorders

Since each individual’s experience with eating disorders is unique, there’s no universal approach to healing. Treatment usually involves steps to get back to a healthy weight and normalize bodily functioning, as well as psychotherapy to address the mental issues that eating disorders can stem from.

Nutritional Counseling

Dietitians or nutritionists who specialize in eating disorders work to understand the nutritional needs and challenges of their patients. From there, they’ll design a plan to help them safely meet those needs. One of their goals is to restore weight to a healthy level. According to The American Dietetic Association, “Medical Nutrition Therapy provided by a registered dietitian trained in the area of eating disorders16 plays a significant role in the treatment and management of eating disorders.”

Psychotherapy

There are several different kinds of psychotherapy (also known as “talk therapy”) used to treat eating disorders. Some common ones include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and family therapy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT teaches you how to change your thought process and beliefs using methodical, repeatable strategies. You can learn to spot when your thoughts around weight and appearance are distorted from reality and attempt to change them. Studies show that the ability to separate the sense of self from an eating disorder17 like anorexia is crucial to recover from it. The effectiveness of CBT is widely noted in the medical community. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America reports, “CBT is the treatment of choice for bulimia nervosa18 and there is evidence that it is as effective with cases of “eating disorder not otherwise specified” (eating disorder NOS), the most common eating disorder diagnosis.”

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
DBT is designed to help you develop practical skills that lead to healthier eating choices. This approach focuses on behavior changes and taking action to bolster your mental health. The skills you learn in DBT include emotional regulation, mindfulness, how to build stronger interpersonal relationships, and distress tolerance. You’re taught to accept your emotions mindfully, and that you are not your emotions. Volatile emotions can exacerbate eating disorder issues, and this type of therapy can help people learn how to regulate them.

Family-Based Therapy (FBT)
Eating disorders can impact the entire family system. FBT opens the door to more effective communication between patients and their family members. It teaches family members that while they may not be responsible for someone’s eating disorder, they can be an important figure in the therapeutic process. It also allows patients to recover with a support system, which can lead to more effective outcomes from therapy. A study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and the University of Chicago found that family-based therapy for anorexia is more effective than individual therapy.19

Recovery from Eating Disorders

Struggling, or watching a loved one struggle, with an eating disorder can be anguishing. But it’s important to keep in mind that eating disorders are treatable. With a treatment program fitted to your needs, it’s possible to see significant improvements, and the numbers are promising. A study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that 3 in 4 patients with anorexia nervosa will see levels of improvement following treatment20.

If you’ve determined the need to seek eating disorder treatment, the positive news is there’s a wide variety of plans and programs to choose from. View our directory of rehabs for eating disorders to compare different treatment providers with information like program overviews, pricing, reviews and more.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod