Tag: Family Involvement

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How to Help Someone Who Is Suicidal

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room. If the person is not currently in crisis, talk to a mental health professional, a helpline, or emergency services in your country. Many countries have crisis helplines that offer support and assistance to individuals in distress. The United States Suicide Hotline is 988, and the US number to message for a crisis text line is 741741. If you live outside of the United States, you can find your country’s emergency number in this list.

If you are supporting someone close to you who is struggling with suicidal thoughts, it is essential to take a sensitive and earnest approach. There can be many underlying factors that contribute to suicidal ideation, and seeking expert assistance is always strongly recommended.

What Are the Signs of Suicide?

Recognizing warning signs of suicidality can save a life. While these signs are unique to each person, some common ones that might indicate a person is experiencing suicidal thoughts include:

Sign #1: Expressing thoughts of hopelessness or having no reason to live

Sign #2: Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself

Sign #3: Engaging in reckless behavior or taking unnecessary risks

Sign #4: Withdrawing from social activities and isolating oneself from others

Sign #5: Exhibiting extreme mood swings or displaying sudden changes in behavior

Sign #6: Expressing feelings of being trapped or having no way out of a situation

Sign #7: Giving away personal belongings or making final arrangements

Sign #8: Increased use of alcohol or drugs

Sign #9: Sudden improvement or calmness following a period of depression or sadness (this may indicate a decision to attempt suicide)

Sign #10: A final goodbye conversation

Suicidal Thoughts Vs. Suicidal Ideation

Suicidal ideation and suicidal thoughts are intertwined concepts that have distinct characteristics. While both involve contemplating suicide, they differ in terms of the depth of the thought process and the amount of planning involved.

Suicidal thoughts are any thoughts of ending your life. This is usually less intense than ideation and is just a more general feeling of not wanting to live. Someone experiencing this could find a successful recovery in outpatient or residential treatment. If you know someone with suicidal thoughts, call 911 or 988. You can also text the US crisis text line: 741741.

Suicidal ideation is a thought-out suicide plan. The thoughts leading up to this are usually more intense and persistent and include a chosen method, timing, and specific actions they’re going to take. Someone with suicidal ideation should receive care in an inpatient setting, either at a hospital or a rehabilitation center. If you know someone has a plan and resources to commit suicide, call 911 and/or visit the nearest emergency room.

What Are Ways to Help Someone Who Is Suicidal? 

If someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, take their situation seriously and provide support. You can be an invaluable source of guidance and comfort for them during their recovery journey; however, it is important to remember that it is essential to find professional help.

Help Keep Them Safe

If you believe the person is in immediate danger, do not leave them alone. Try to remove any items from their space that they could use for self-harm or suicide. Develop a safety plan that outlines steps they can take when they experience suicidal feelings or distress. Include emergency contacts, coping strategies, and resources they can turn to for support.

Encourage Professional Help

Encourage your loved one to seek professional help. You can help them find appropriate resources, make appointments, or accompany them to appointments if they are comfortable with you joining. Give them information about suicide prevention hotlines that they can contact for immediate support.

Offer Hope 

Offering hope to someone who is suicidal can be a powerful way to support them during a difficult time. Share recovery stories and celebrate any progress they make, no matter how small. Encourage them to envision a future where things can improve. And explore their goals and dreams with them.

Follow-Up 

After the initial intervention, continue to check in on them regularly. Knowing that someone cares and is available to listen can be very comforting. If allowed, check in with their care team to ensure they’re following through with their safety and treatment plans.

How to Talk to Someone Who Is Suicidal

Talking to someone who is suicidal can be an opportunity to show your empathy, patience, and understanding. For this conversation, find a quiet and private space. Approach the conversation with a calm and non-judgmental attitude. Show that you genuinely care and want to listen. And be clear that you’re concerned about them.

Encourage them to share their feelings and thoughts by asking open-ended questions like, “can you tell me what you’ve been going through?” or “how have you been feeling lately?” 

Acknowledge their feelings by saying “Tell me how you are feeling, I want to hear you,” or “I am here for you. Tell me how I can help you.” If you feel comfortable, ask them if they’re feeling suicidal, so that you know what type of support to get them. Empathize with what they’re experiencing—they’ll be more likely to trust you for help.

Be patient with your loved one. They are going through a challenging time, so let them talk at their own pace. Stay calm and collected when they tell you about their feelings. Make sure they know that you’re there for them and that they don’t have to go through this alone. Remind them that seeking help is a positive step.

Where to Get Help for Suicide?

Finding Immediate Help

Help is always available. If someone is in a life-threatening situation, call 911 and/or take them to an emergency room and stay with the person until they have medical help. If you live outside of the United States, you can find your country’s emergency number in this list.

Call a Hotline

If your loved one is currently safe, you can call the United States Suicide Hotline: 988. The number provides 24/7, confidential support to anyone in crisis. Another number to call is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor via text message.

Find a Mental Health Professional

Once you have assured your loved one’s safety and have talked with a hotline and/or doctor, you can consult a mental health professional, like a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist, to develop their treatment plan. If you are having trouble finding an available professional, go to your primary care physician first. They can refer you to the appropriate person. 

Talk Therapy

Mental health professionals are trained to help people with suicidal thoughts. They can provide therapy, medication management, and coping strategies. Talk therapy may be a big part of their recovery plan. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy are just some of the therapies they might participate in. Therapy can help your loved one develop coping skills, challenge negative thought patterns, and improve their emotional regulation.

Medication Management

In some cases, doctors may prescribe medication to address underlying mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. They might prescribe antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or anti-anxiety medications. For the best results, use prescribed medication management with talk therapy.

Support Network

Finally, rally a support network for your loved one. This is essential to keep them on the track to recovery. Kind words of compassion and motivation to keep going can help them on their journey. 

Additional Support for Suicide 

If your loved one needs intensive care for suicide, then a residential rehab that treats suicidality or an inpatient psychiatric hospital may be the best fit for them. Here, they will have 24/7 support and supervision from trained nurses and professionals. They’ll be able to grow and heal in a safe environment, separate from the triggers in their daily lives. 

These programs offer a variety of therapeutic interventions, including individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and psychoeducation. Therapists address the underlying issues contributing to suicidal thoughts and work on building healthy coping skills. They will also create a safety plan.

After completing the residential program, clients typically transition to outpatient care. A thorough discharge plan ensures a smooth transition and ongoing support.
Recovery is possible. Healing is possible. If you know someone that needs help, call 911 or the United States Suicide Hotline: 988.

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What Is Gaslighting? Signs, Effects, and How to Protect Yourself

Gaslighting is a manipulative psychological tactic used to control others. The person gaslighting aims to make you feel “crazy” by undermining you, acting like you’re lying, or that you’re making things up. 

Their adamant denial and blame-shifting can make you distrust yourself, even to the point of feeling like you’ve lost your grip on reality. The person gaslighting may try to make you seem untrustworthy to other people too. 

Gaslighting can happen in romantic relationships, friendships, and between family members. Gaslighting isn’t always meant to cause harm, either. Some people may do it accidentally. But others use it as a tactic of manipulation.

What Is Gaslighting?

Gaslighting is an attempt to make the other in the relationship feel or seem “crazy”1. It’s considered a subset of psychological abuse2. The gaslighter tries to create a surreal reality, one they control, to make the other feel like their beliefs and observations are both wrong and potentially nonexistent. 

The term arose from a movie adaptation of the play Gas Light, where a husband isolates his new wife and manipulates her into believing she’s gone insane. He dims the gas lights in their home only to insist she’s imagining it, claiming that as proof she’s gone insane. The wife eventually believes him.

Victims of gaslighting commonly feel confused1, disoriented, and like their reality has become distorted. This is what the gaslighter often intends. They gain control by “micro-regulating victims’ lives, self-concepts, and sense of reality”1. Over time, the victim may believe their gaslighter’s lies and view them as the only person who can define their reality. 

Gaslighters often separate their partner from the outside world2. They may lie and say no one wants them around, or that their friends are all no good. This makes their victim more vulnerable to manipulation, since no one else can point out their behavior and offer support. 

Not all gaslighting is done with ill-will. Sometimes, friends, family, and those you care about can unintentionally make you feel unheard or like your ideas aren’t important. It’s also possible to respectfully disagree with someone.

Healthy Disagreements Vs. Gaslighting

Two people can disagree or have different views in healthy, respectful ways. For example, you may disagree with someone’s opinion while still respecting their autonomy and beliefs. You both keep your opinions and work towards a middle ground. 

A gaslighter, instead of accepting the other’s different belief, would cruelly question the thoughts, emotions, and sanity behind their belief. Their goal is to “prove” the other’s opinion is wrong and not based in reality … because the gaslighter creates their own.  

You can firmly plant yourself in reality by knowing and recognizing the signs of gaslighting. 

Signs And Characteristics of Gaslighting

You can look for these signs of gaslighting3 in your partner and in other relationships in your life. 

  • Blatant, continued lies. If you point out the truth, they’ll wholeheartedly deny the lie and likely spin it to claim you’re lying. 
  • Making you doubt yourself through statements like, “You’re being too sensitive, you shouldn’t feel that way.”
  • Ignoring your feelings. 
  • Making you question your judgment.
  • Questioning your version of reality.
  • Isolating you from family and friends.
  • Confusing you through white lies and small acts of manipulation.
  • They say things like, “Really? Are you sure?”, “You only think that because you’re so sensitive.”, “That’s all in your head.”, or “You’re crazy.”

Gaslighting Tactics

Gaslighters often resort to specific strategies4 to challenge your reality. These include

  • Withholding, where they pretend they don’t understand you, accuse you of confusing them, or refuse to listen to you.
  • Countering, where they question your memory and the events you know happened. 
  • Blocking/Diverting, where they change the subject or accuse you of inventing/imagining a situation.
  • Trivializing, where they make your feelings and needs seem silly, wrong, or unimportant. 
  • Denial, where they pretend to forget what actually happened and deny the truth. 

Effects of Gaslighting on Victims

The victim of gaslighting, or the gaslightee, may experience serious effects5, like anxiety, low self-confidence, constant underlying fear, confusion, codependency, lack of trust, and psychological trauma. 

If you’ve been severely gaslit, you may even believe you are psychologically sick. Your gaslighter could convince you that your family thinks the same and wants you to get help. In your isolation and confusion, refuting their lies gets harder and harder. 

Even after you leave the relationship, the effects of gaslighting may stick around. You may need professional help to navigate how it makes you feel and how it’s affected your sense of self. A therapist can guide you through the journey and help you process the experience. 

Gaslighting in Different Contexts

Gaslighting is a common abusive tactic in romantic relationships, but it can happen in friendships, families, and in the workplace. Your options for navigating gaslighting often depends on its context.

Gaslighting at Work

If your coworker uses gaslighting to undermine and embarrass you, you could talk to higher-ups to address the gaslighter’s behavior. Depending on the scope of their gaslighting, however, your boss or other coworkers may already believe the gaslighter’s lies. In that case, you can look into other jobs and leave the situation. 

Gaslighting from Family

Gaslighting from a parent or sibling may not be abusive in intent. Your mom, for example, may disregard your feelings about something without meaning to hurt you. Her beliefs overpower yours, but in that example, she’s not actively trying to cause harm. Depending on the situation, you could rectify your relationship through couples and family counseling. 

Online Gaslighting

Online gaslighting may occur more easily because anyone can claim anything, and say someone’s wrong for nearly any reason. Politicians, celebrities, and influencers could have this effect whether they know it or not. Deleting your social media, unfollowing certain accounts, and not following specific news sources are the quickest ways to escape this gaslighting.

Gaslighting in a Relationship

Your romantic partner may use gaslighting to hide their abuse1 and maintain control over the relationship. They may say they never hit you, that you’re making it up, and that you need them to define your reality since you’re lying about being hit. 

They could gaslight you into believing you’re a bad partner, parent, or generally unstable, to invalidate your existence. A gaslighter also uses gaslighting to keep their partner from leaving the relationship. If you feel like your partner defines your reality, leaving them may feel impossible.

You can protect yourself from gaslighting in any context by recognizing it and learning how to respond.

Protecting Yourself from Gaslighting

Gaslighting may start small, with little offenses you barely notice. But you can immediately strategize your protection as soon as you catch their abuse.  

Gather Evidence

You can create an arsenal of evidence to secure your reality by taking screenshots, recording conversations, and writing down abusive actions. If needed, you can also use your evidence to prove the gaslighter’s behavior—either to themselves or others. 

Practice Assertiveness

Being assertive can help you feel more sure of yourself and confident in your reality. You can respond to gaslighting attempts with simple but strong replies, like:

  • “I know you disagree, but I still feel ___” 
  • “You may not remember this happening, but I am not responsible for that.” 
  • “I have explained myself. Your confusion is your responsibility.”
  • “I hear you, but that has not been my experience.”
  • “I do not need to convince you to believe me.”
  • “I know what I’ve experienced is true. I don’t need to prove it to you.”

Surround Yourself With Support

Keep your friends and family close. They can help you feel more secure in your beliefs and experiences. Your loved ones can also point out gaslighting behavior and help you catch it before you become deeply entangled in their distortions. 

Tighten Your Boundaries

Putting more space between you and the gaslighter gives them fewer opportunities to gaslight. If you can, spend less and less time with the person to lessen their influence. Set hard boundaries. You can tell them you’ll continue the conversation when they can be honest and respectful. Block them if you need to. 

As an example, you could agree to see them once a week at most and keep your visits short. Only communicate when you decide to. Don’t text them if they use text conversations to gaslight you.

Setting boundaries isn’t always possible, especially in romantic relationships. In those cases, you may need to fully walk away.

Leave The Relationship

Other forms of abuse may accompany gaslighting, like physical or sexual abuse. Abusers may use severe gaslighting to hide their other abusive behaviors. If you feel unsafe in your relationship, whether romantic or otherwise, you may need to leave. 

A therapist can help you navigate this process safely. If you need immediate help, call your country’s emergency number or talk to the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (or text “START” to 88788).

Seeking Professional Help

Any form of psychological abuse can damage your sense of self and the way you see the world. That’s why getting professional help for the effects of gaslighting can help you both now and in your future. 

A therapist can help you recognize gaslighting if you’re currently experiencing it. They can also help you create a plan to leave abusive relationships or set stronger boundaries. And as you close the chapter on your gaslighter, a therapist can help you process the experience and heal from its traumas.

With their help, you can rebuild your self-confidence and self-efficacy. You can learn to trust others, including yourself. You can remove blame from yourself and see gaslighting as an issue of the perpetrator, not you. You can heal.

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Codependency and Addiction: Understand the Relationship and Get Help

Codependency and addiction have a complex relationship. A codependent person may unwittingly enable their loved one to keep using substances without consequences. The codependent person themself may struggle with an addiction to cope with the pain of codependency. 

Addiction often results from codependency, as codependents may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their issues and to fill an emotional void. Codependency can also lead to addiction by enabling an individual to continue substance use even when it harms their health or relationships. Someone with a substance use disorder may also be more likely to form codependent relationships to gain approval and validation.

Addiction and codependency can feed into each other—though one hasn’t yet been found to definitively cause the other. Codependency doesn’t just happen in a relationship with someone with an addiction, either. 

To find help for codependency and addiction, you can attend peer-support groups, therapy, and go to a rehab that focuses on codependency. 

Codependency: What Is It And Where Does it Come From?

Codependency is a type of dysfunctional relationship where one person has a dependent pattern of behavior that’s emotionally destructive to themselves and/or the other person. It’s typically characterized by an excessive emotional, physical, or psychological reliance on another person—to the point of neglecting your own needs. Codependents also tend to be overly controlling of the other person in their relationship.

Codependency isn’t a diagnosis, nor does it have a mutually agreed upon definition. Some psychologists, scientists, and members of the public think the traits of codependency could just be part of the emotional human experience. 

Others argue codependency can be separated from the bulk of human experiences as a unique adaptation to stress, trauma, unstable childhoods, and living with someone with an addiction. And as codependency becomes a more common phenomenon, more people may realize they fit into its broad definition. 

Generally, a codependent person will aim to control another person or situation by losing themself in the other’s desires and perceived needs. They accept unacceptable behavior as a way to maintain some control of the situation or of the other person. But this can make them disappear—hiding away to continually meet others’ needs. 

Where Does Codependency Come From?

Some definitions of codependency suggest it only develops if someone you live with has an addiction. More accurately, the source of codependency may stem from personality, childhood experiences, trauma, and an intermingling of each. Living with someone who has an addiction can certainly cause codependent tendencies. 

And, none of those factors can cause codependency, too. Some people who live with a person with an addiction may never struggle with codependency. Studies have proven an addicted spouse or child isn’t the sole cause of codependency; but for some family members, addiction can be a catalyst. Someone with childhood trauma may never become codependent either, but it’s a common cause since childhood shapes your adult personality.

Childhood Roots of Codependency

Someone who grew up in a dysfunctional or emotionally distant family may resort to codependency to survive—taking on more responsibilities than they should, making others’ emotions their duty to manage, and losing their true self in the instability of those they seek to control. Doing this may offer a sense of safety and security. 

Codependency in childhood usually causes codependency in adulthood. A child of an alcoholic parent, for example, may gravitate toward a spouse with drinking problems because that unstable relationship feels normal, as does forfeiting their sense of self for safety and control. Being in fight-or-flight mode during childhood can cause a codependent to seek that feeling in adulthood. Someone who takes them out of fight-or-flight mode may feel too unfamiliar, and even daunting, to pursue.

Addiction in Both Parties

As defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), “addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.” Addiction can affect the codependent, the other in their relationship, or both of them. 

A person with substance addiction isn’t the only half of a codependent relationship that can struggle with an addiction. Often, a codependent person will use alcohol, drugs, sex, food, and other substances to manage the pain of codependency. Addressing substance use in both parties can help the relationship heal as a whole.  

The Relationship Between Codependency And Addiction

A spouse, parent, or sibling may become codependent as a way to manage the turmoil of their loved one’s addiction. Someone with an active addiction often has unpredictable emotions, behaviors, and moods. Their codependent will likely appease their every whim to self-manage their unreliability. 

A codependent person also believes they can force their loved one to stop using out of sheer will—or by succumbing to their every need and demand, hoping they can abate the feelings causing them to drink or use drugs. Failing to stop the substance use may drive the codependent to drugs, alcohol, or risky behaviors to cope with that pain.

Someone who’s codependent can enable their loved one’s addiction by accepting the behavior. Codependent people often live in denial—denial of their loved one’s addiction, how they need help, how they both need help—as a way to manage the problem. 

Denying the issue can give it fuel. The person with addiction may knowingly or unknowingly take advantage of that denial to continue using without consequences. So, their addiction may get worse, as would how they treat their codependent partner. The codependent, meanwhile, resorts further and further to their codependent tendencies to find some element of control. And so the cycle continues.

A lack of control and a codependent’s limitless desire for control can perpetuate their codependent behaviors. They may reason that if they just keep trying, they’ll eventually gain control; one day it’ll work and they’ll never drink again. But, as many come to realize, you can’t force someone out of addiction.

Challenges of Breaking The Cycle

The codependent may feel too scared or anxious to stop seeking control through appeasing their spouse/child/parent. They may also fear speaking up about their emotional pain, or even recognizing it at all. 

Someone with an addiction could find it easier to stay addicted if their partner goes along with it or pretends they can’t see it. They might not consider treatment, thinking they’ve “got it handled” and don’t need help. Over time, and without any treatment, their addiction can worsen. 

The codependent often experiences an addictive cycle of emotions. They can go from extreme lows to extreme highs, depending on how their partner treats them. The codependent may crave the next high just as a drug user craves a drug high. 

Treatment And Recovery

Professional treatment can help you find the cause of your codependency traits and develop new ways to manage a lack of control, real and perceived. Each person in a codependent relationship can benefit from treatment.

Treatment for The Codependent

Codependents can benefit from psychoeducation and taking a dive into their childhood. Psychoeducation teaches a codependent the “why” behind their behaviors, including the biochemical reactions that make the cycle so hard to leave. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help a codependent recognize the traits of codependency and examine the emotions behind them. Since most codependents have had a traumatic or dysfunctional childhood, CBT sessions will likely focus on your childhood to find the root belief behind your emotions and behaviors. 

For example, you may believe others’ needs are your responsibility and will feel guilty if you don’t completely satisfy their needs. This ingrained belief may have begun in childhood, perhaps because of an emotionally volatile, mentally unwell, physically unwell, or addicted parent. CBT will help you identify what caused that belief and the guilt related to it, then change your coping tool (codependency).  

You can also benefit from peer support and self-help groups, whether they’re 12-Step-based or not. Support groups can help you find an explanation for your experience and others who share it. Other resources, like books and podcasts, can also help a codependent understand their traits and heal. Here’s a few books you could check out:

Treatment for The Partner

The “partner” in a codependent relationship could be your romantic partner, but it broadly refers to the other person in your codependent relationship. That could be your spouse, child, parent, relative, or close friend. 

The codependent partner may not mean to drive someone to codependency. A codependent’s empathy and conscientiousness might be so highly attuned to negative emotions that healthy expressions of sadness, anger, or other negative emotions could trigger their partner’s codependent traits. 

But in some cases, if not most, the codependent’s partner has similar traits as the dysfunctional or abusive parent(s) the codependent grew up with. They have poor relationships in adulthood because it feels normal. That means a codependent is more likely to fall for a narcissist, an abuser, or someone exploitative. 

When your partner has a personality disorder, an addiction, or dark personality traits, they need professional treatment to heal. Treatment for addiction, for example, can help your partner address the cause of their addiction and identify new coping strategies for difficult emotions. After treatment, you’ll hopefully find your partner much more stable, reciprocative, and safe. In those cases, your codependent traits may fade because you simply don’t need them anymore. 

Once your partner has received proper treatment, you could both attend couples therapy. Here, you’ll address what triggers your codependency traits. Your partner will learn more about how it works for you and how they can help. They may also be able to reassure you that codependency isn’t their intent for you and that they’ll work with you to get well.

You and your family can also attend family therapy to address codependency in your family and how it affects each member. 

Prevention And Self-Care Strategies for Codependency

One way to prevent codependency is to educate yourself on what it is and what causes it. If you do recognize it in yourself, you can seek professional treatment and practice self-care strategies to prevent it from getting worse. Some strategies you can try include:

  • Practice self-acceptance. Each day, try to take stock of the times you blame yourself for someone else’s negative emotions. Then, challenge the blame. Write down the process and your thoughts on it. See if you can make it a daily habit. 
  • Surround yourself with people who make you feel safe. Can you identify people in your life who don’t make you feel responsible for their emotions? People who make you feel safe being yourself? Keep them close as you navigate your codependency.
  • Set aside time just for you. Spend an hour, three hours, or any amount of time however you want—just not on the other person in your codependent relationship. Take a bath, go to the library, or take a walk. Anything that sounds nice to you. 
  • Pursue what brings you joy. Rekindle old hobbies or try something new to give you an extra boost of happiness and confidence in your abilities. 

You can also attend treatment for codependency and addiction at rehab, which provides 24/7 support, intensive treatment, group and 1:1 therapy, and wellness services. 
Explore our list of rehabs treating codependency with pricing information, reviews, photos, and more.

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Coming Out and Mental Health: Navigating the Emotional Journey

Coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can feel daunting, liberating, scary, or all of the above. It can also have positive or negative impacts on your mental health, both of which you can navigate. 

Don’t feel like you need to follow a script, set of steps, or anything else to successfully come out. It’s up to you and what you’re comfortable with. You know your life and circumstances better than anyone else. 

But you do have resources for the journey and its emotional effects. 

Understanding Coming Out

The American Psychological Association defines coming out1 as, “self-awareness of same-sex attractions; the telling of one or a few people about these attractions; widespread disclosure of same-sex attractions; and identification with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community.” 

For many, coming out shapes the rest of their lives. It can be one of the most significant journeys you ever face. For others, it’s not a big deal. It’s different for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay.

Challenges And Fears of Coming Out

A potent fear related to coming out is the possibility of rejection. Your loved ones could reject your core identity, and that would hurt. 

Social prejudices, misconceptions, and misguided views could also make coming out scary, both right away and in your future. Even if the reactions aren’t negative, they might not feel affirming, either. Both can hurt.

Picking the right time to come out can also feel like a challenge. When do you say it, and who do you tell? Should you tell one person, or a group of your friends and family? 

Only you can truly answer those questions. But the weight of wondering can affect your wellbeing. Drinking or using drugs could seem like a way to alleviate the stress. If you’re struggling with addiction, you can browse our list of LGBTQ+-affirming rehabs. 

Mental Health Considerations in Coming Out

Feeling unaccepted can lead to depression, anxiety, and even trauma. Society’s attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community can also cause minority stress2, which can exacerbate or cause mental health conditions. Some may experience chronic minority stress, which means they’re hypervigilant to possible discrimination, frequently worried about it, or carry internalized stigma of themselves. 

This stress, fear, grief, and trauma can create or worsen mental health conditions. It’s not hard to see why—but that’s not how the story has to go. 

The Impact of Attitudes And Acceptance on Mental Health

Coming out could relieve the emotional toll of hiding. When you come out, you won’t have to adjust your behaviors, actions, and words to hide who you really are. That can feel like a deep relief. 

But make sure you know how you feel about your identity. Take a deep and thoughtful search of your heart—what do you feel when you think about who you are? Internalized homophobia can add stress and shame to your coming out journey. As much as you’re able, try to find and challenge these feelings. 

Coming out can lead to self-acceptance, which can powerfully erase any internalized homophobia. And once you’ve accepted and embraced who you are, what others think might not matter so much. It’s okay and normal if it does. You have ways to navigate that, too. 

Mental Health Resources for the Coming Out Process

Many support groups, online chats, and other resources can help you through the coming-out process. Here’s a few:

  • PFLAG: A LGBTQ+ resource with 400 local chapters in America. Started in 1973, they were the first organization to offer help, education, and support to LGBTQ+ people and their families.
  • 988: They provide resources for LGBTQ+ people and a 24/7, nation-wide suicide crisis hotline. 
  • The Trevor Project: They’re the world’s largest crisis service for LGBTQ+ youth ages 25 and under. You can call, text, or chat the crisis interventionists here 24/7. 
  • Trans Lifeline: A crisis line for trans people that respects your rights and doesn’t use non-consensual interventions.
  • Pride Counseling: A specialized online counseling service for the LGBTQ+ community.
  • LGBT National Help Center: They provide a phone hotline for LGBTQ+ people of all ages to speak with an educated volunteer about identity struggles, coming out, and other concerns. 
comingout

Self-Care Strategies for Mental Well Being

Coming out likely won’t be completely stress-free, and that’s okay. Whether the stressor is big or small, you have ways to manage your emotions and improve your wellbeing. 

You can practice mindfulness and meditation when your emotions feel overwhelming. Try to identify the support you have in your life, too. The resources listed above definitely count as someone you can talk to when you feel overwhelmed.

Be sure to practice self-care, self-compassion, and self-acceptance as you plan and execute coming out. Don’t force yourself to follow what anyone else did, either. The way and time you come out is unique to you—try to take comfort in that. Here’s some other self-care steps you can take:

Your mentor could be someone who came out months or years ago. They can help you through the process and offer support from someone who’s really been there. 

To find one, you can connect to an openly queer person in your life. Even if they’re not able to help you throughout the whole process, it might help you to know that they know what you’re going through. If you don’t know any potential mentors, or don’t feel comfortable doing so, you can connect with others online. 

Building Resilience and Creating a Supportive Environment

A negative reaction to your identity will probably hurt. But you can manage that pain by building resilience and creating a supportive, safe environment for yourself.

The American Psychological Association suggests group environments build resilience3. Your group may be other LGTBQ+ people in your neighborhood, work, or school, or a more formalized LGBTQ+ gathering. All your group must do is offer support and bring you happiness to strengthen your recovery. 

A supportive environment will feel safe and accepting. For you, this might include your family, friends, or others in the LGBTQ+ community. It differs for everyone, and that’s okay. If your environment becomes unsupportive, consider leaving it, if you can. Mental health professionals can help you navigate this change. 

Resilience also ties into self-care. The healthier you are physically, the more prepared you’ll be to handle emotional challenges. Take care of your mind, too. That’s where meditation, journaling, and mindfulness come in.

Reach The Other Side of Your Rainbow

Coming out is your unique journey. It can come with stress, worry, and fear, even if you’re excited for the change. But you have help available along the way. 

Along the way, make sure to prioritize your mental health and well being. You can do so through therapy, engaging in support, and actively practicing self-care. 

And remember that your coming-out process is your own. If you think writing out a script will help, do it! If a video seems more helpful, or even baking a cake, do that! The path you take is up to you.

Good luck and be well.

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9 Ways To Help Someone With An Addiction

If your loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, you can make an impact in their life by supporting their recovery journey. Being a positive support for your loved one can help them navigate the transition to treatment, and life afterwards. If the addicted person doesn’t have a strong support network, they could easily fall back to old patterns. You can be that powerful motivator.

There are resources available to help work through addiction at all stages of rehabilitation. You can start the journey by finding addiction treatment to start the healing process today.

What To Do: How to Help Someone With an Addiction

Here are 9 ways you can help a loved one who’s struggling with addiction.

1. Educate Yourself

Addiction is not necessarily “curable,” but with understanding and guidance, it is possible to successfully manage the ups and downs of it. Education is key for family and loved ones to provide the best support to those affected by addiction. Empowering yourself through knowledge helps you through the recovery process.

The Biology of Addiction

When you take drugs, they interrupt how neurotransmitters communicate in the brain1. Addiction begins when your brain produces less of its natural neurotransmitters due to high, constant drug use. You can build up a tolerance and need to take more of the substance. At first, using drugs or drinking alcohol is a choice, but it can soon spiral out of control.

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Eventually, some neurotransmitter networks and areas of the brain become damaged from the constant disruption. Because of this, addiction changes your brain chemistry, so many scientists believe that it is a disease. In some ways, you can look at addiction like cancer or diabetes. It’s an ongoing disease that, luckily, can be treatable. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) thoughtfully puts it, “addiction is a disease, not a character flaw2.”

2. Recognize The Signs of Relapse

Just like other diseases, relapse is always possible. So, being aware of warning signs is crucial. Everyone’s triggers are different, but common ones include stress and trauma. 

If your loved one is about to relapse, you might notice them fudging the truth, keeping secrets, or lying about their whereabouts. They could also show other changes in behavior such as:

  • Being withdrawn or distant
  • Showing a loss of interest in activities they like
  • Displaying mood swings

If you notice this, you may want to start gathering resources for help and talk to a professional. 

3. Listen

Be compassionate with your loved one. Ask them questions about why they drink or use drugs. And speak without judgment. Getting them to trust you with this vulnerable information is the first step towards getting them the help they need.

3A. Be open-minded: Ask questions that can help your loved one reflect on their addiction and their progress. Don’t judge the person or their decisions. Show that you are open to different approaches and solutions.

4. Be Patient

This process can be a great opportunity to show your loved one how much you care. Being patient and empathetic throughout their recovery journey will help them through difficult times and be greatly appreciated. Let the person know that you care and understand what they are going through. Your presence and support will be invaluable to them.

5. Vocalize Your Support

Sometimes, we think actions speak louder than words, but voicing your support of this journey is so important. Just saying, “I love you, and we’re going to get through this together” can encourage your loved one during a confusing and difficult time. Here are some more supportive phrases for recovery:

1. “I’m here for you no matter what.”

2. “I’m proud of you for seeking help.”

3. “I believe in you.”

4. “I’m here to help.”

5. “You can do this.”

Words of Support and Encouragement for Your Loved One During Their Recovery Journey.

6. Set Healthy Boundaries

Prioritize yourself and your wellbeing while helping your loved one. It is a difficult process, so remember to take a break when needed. It’s okay if you are unable to be involved in every aspect of their healing. If a situation becomes heated, consider setting a boundary such as taking a break from the conversation to reflect and come back to it in a more peaceful mindset. 

7. Have Realistic Expectations

Change doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient and supportive of your family member/friend’s journey of recovery. Celebrate each step of progress they make and encourage them to keep going. Don’t expect instant results, as change takes time and effort. Remind them that with perseverance, anything is possible. Be their source of hope and strength.

8. Offer resources

Suggest helpful resources or support groups that may be beneficial. Your loved one may want to look into different groups like Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous3, Women for Sobriety4, or SMART Recovery5. They can also explore our resource center with different articles to learn more about their condition or recovery in general.

9. Research Treatment and Recovery Resources

One of the biggest ways you can help your loved one is by getting them professional treatment. Rehab, outpatient programs, and/or therapy all teach clients the tools they need to regulate their emotions and behaviors to reinforce their sobriety. 

What Not To Do:

This is a sensitive time, and there are some things you might want to avoid to keep the recovery journey on track.

1. Don’t Enable

While you want to support your loved one, there’s a fine line between support and enabling. Don’t give your loved one money or a place to stay if their predicament results from drug use. Don’t tolerate negative behavior. And don’t rescue them every time they mess up. Instead, hold them accountable and practice tough love.

2. Don’t Blame Yourself or Them

Many factors go into how addiction forms, and you could end up wasting a lot of energy trying to pinpoint the cause. Instead, you can focus on taking action and moving forward to overcome this struggle.

3. Don’t Force Them To Quit

If your loved one feels like they can’t trust you because you demand they quit, that could make matters worse. They might start sneaking around or lying about their actions. And the less you know about their addiction, the less likely you’ll know how to help.

Offer to help them, but don’t demand sobriety immediately.

4. Don’t Ignore The Problem

Pretending an issue doesn’t exist doesn’t make it go away, especially for addiction. By ignoring it, you’re enabling it. You can take concrete steps to better your loved one’s life.

Find a Treatment Program For Addiction

So your loved one admits they need help, now what?

Doing some research to find the best kind of treatment for their needs is a great start. 

A good, and often necessary, first step in the healing journey is detox. Medically monitored detox safely rids your body of drugs and alcohol and can help you feel clear minded and ready to tackle treatment.

Many people then need residential rehab to overcome their addiction. Residential care can help them replace their unhealthy coping mechanism, substances, with positive habits. They’ll learn new techniques with therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to be well equipped to face the uncomfortable feelings that come with addiction recovery. And they’ll likely engage in holistic activities like yoga for well-rounded healing.

If you’re a family member, you may want to look into a program that offers family therapy. Usually, you’ll work with a therapist and your loved one. Or, they might offer a family weekend for on-site visits. Another key component of family therapy is addiction education. You’ll learn more about the addiction and recovery process, so post-treatment your loved one will have a healthy environment to come home to.

Post-residential care, sober living homes offer more flexibility while providing a comfortable place for your loved one to focus on their sobriety. They’ll likely attend an outpatient program, go to work or school, and grow with other peers in recovery. This is especially great for those who need a stable environment to heal in.

Recovery starts with a single step. You can make an impact in your loved one’s life by reaching out to addiction treatment centers.

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The Signs of Drug Use in Teens

Drug use in teens is an increasing problem in the U.S. It’s important to recognize the signs of drug use in order to intervene and help teens struggling with addiction. Common signs of drug use in teens include changes in behavior, including mood swings, attitudes, and school performance. Additionally, physical signs can include red eyes, changes in sleep patterns, and changes in physical appearance. Finally, teens with drug addiction may show signs of financial or legal trouble, including stealing money or getting into trouble with the law.

If your child is using drugs, this recovery journey you’re about to embark on can not only help your teen, but it can also make your whole family grow closer. Getting teen treatment can set your child on the path to success. 

Signs, Symptoms, and Behaviors of Drug Use in Teens

If you know what to look for, you can discover if your teen is using drugs or drinking alcohol. Be on the lookout for these signs:

Changes in mood:

  • Irritable
  • Withdrawn
  • Unable to focus
  • Depressed or hyperactive

Changes in appearance:

  • Unkempt appearance
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Flushed cheeks

Changes in behavior:

  • Sneaking out
  • Secretive about their phone or their whereabouts
  • Missing school or work
  • Hanging out with a new crowd of friends

How to Spot Drug Use in Teens

If you have a hunch your kid is using drugs, but you want to be sure, there are some things you can do to get a better idea of the situation:

  • Have eye contact conversations, and see if their eyes are bloodshot.
  • Smell for smoke.
  • Pay attention to their emotional state, this may be out of the norm.
  • Go through their belongings: This can be a sensitive topic. Giving your children the privacy they deserve is important, but if you are concerned about your teen’s safety and well being due to possible drug use, you may want to consider this option.

Teen Drug Use Statistics

 According to the National Institute on Drug Use, since the start of COVID-19, reported drug use has decreased1. This is likely due to school closure and social distancing (i.e. less peer pressure). Luckily, the downward trend has continued through the last couple of years; however, substance use still poses a threat.

The Most Commonly Used Drugs Amongst Teens

The most commonly used drugs reported in 2022 were nicotine/vaping, cannabis/marijuana, and alcohol. (Keep in mind that these are only the reported statistics. More teens likely use these substances and just don’t report it.)

  • 20.5% of 10th graders vaped
  • 19.5% of 10th graders ingested cannabis
  • 15.2% – 31.3% of 10th graders drank alcohol

While this downward trend provides some hope, research findings show dramatic and rising death rates in youth between the ages of 14-18. 

Also, it’s important to know that fentanyl, amongst other dangerous players, has contaminated the U.S. and worldwide drug supply2. This substance is extremely potent, meaning even the tiniest drop can make the user overdose. Fentanyl could be found in drugs like cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and heroin because it’s cheaper to cut these drugs with fentanyl than sell the pure substance.

Educating yourself on these dangers, and knowing how to help your child, is crucial for prevention, awareness, and recovery if/when needed.

Reasons Why Teens Use Drugs

Each teen has their reasons for using drugs. Here are some common factors that can push them to experiment.

  1. Peer Pressure: Being a teenager is hard, and they just want to fit in with their peers. If their best friend, or someone they admire, offers them drugs or alcohol, they’ll likely take it to feel accepted. 
  2. Media: TV shows, movies, and especially social media nowadays can show drug use as glamorous, normal, or fun. This can appeal to impressionable teens.
  3. Self-Medication: Mental health issues start to pop up around adolescence, and some teens may see the escape of drugs as a way to avoid these complex feelings.
  4. Experimentation: Teens are curious and ready to try new things, especially as they start to gain some freedom.
  5. To Feel Grown Up: Wanting to be a grownup and assert their independence can lead them to drinking or doing drugs.

Find Help for Teen Drug Use

So you’ve had the conversation with your teen about their drug or alcohol use. Now is the time to start gathering resources on how to help them.

  1. Gather Information: Begin by browsing programs for teens. Think through what you want to get out of this experience—for your child and your family. You may want to look for gender-specific care. These programs address hardships that boys and girls uniquely experience by giving them tools to face uncomfortable emotions and experiences. Gender-specific care also helps them focus on treatment without distractions. 
  1. Engage in Family Therapy: Family therapy will likely be an important part of the recovery process, for your teen and your whole family. Addiction education for loved ones is usually offered with this, as well. This gives clarity on your teen’s journey with substances and recovery. So when your child comes home after treatment, everyone will have the skills they need to maintain a healthy recovery environment.
  1. Be Supportive: Most importantly, be a rock for your child. They’re likely going through a confusing time, so having your support will make this process easier and improve their chances of success.
  1. Make Sure You Have Support: Give yourself grace through this journey. Helping your child through addiction recovery can be emotionally draining. You will have support from medical professionals, but other family members or friends can also provide support in this process. 

4A. Remember to prioritize your own self-care. Engage in activities that bring you joy and practice stress-reducing techniques.
As your kids grow older and start making their own decisions, you can act as a compassionate guide and lead by example. What you do from here on out is what matters most. A bright future awaits for your child with the right teen treatment.

find help for teen drug use
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Understanding Family Roles in Addiction: How to Break the Cycle

One person’s drug use can affect their whole community. That includes family, friends, colleagues, and anyone close to you. Whether you or someone you love is in treatment for addiction, understanding family roles in addiction can help you heal.

Addiction and Family Systems

Addiction always has a context. Most people turn to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. You might be dealing with mental health symptoms, trauma, or just the stress of daily life. Any of these issues—including addiction itself—can relate to your family dynamic. 

To heal a dysfunctional family system, it might help to think about family roles. Family therapist Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse introduced this framework in her 1989 book Another Chance: Hope and Health for the Alcoholic Family. In it, she describes common ways that family members interact when one person has addiction. 

This model isn’t universal, and it might not describe your experience perfectly. But learning about these different roles can give you insight into your own behavior. That newfound understanding can empower you to communicate your needs, set clear boundaries, and build stronger relationships within your family.

The 6 Family Roles

Wegscheider-Cruse describes 6 different family roles that support addiction.1 Each one has specific emotions, needs, and patterns of behavior. 

The Person With Addiction

The person actively using drugs or drinking is at the center of this dynamic. Even if you feel isolated, your addiction can influence everyone around you. That doesn’t mean you’re responsible for everything that happens in your family. Sometimes, it’s just the opposite.

Successful addiction treatment addresses the underlying cause of your behavior. For example, your addiction might stem from childhood trauma. Your family may be the cause of that trauma or they may have survived it alongside you—or both. Sometimes, you’ll need to let go of these relationships to move forward. In other cases, rebuilding them can be vital to your recovery.

The Caretaker

The caretaker, or enabler, tries to protect their loved one with addiction. Because addiction and codependency go hand in hand, that can be counterproductive. It might feel like you’re keeping them safe. But in reality, you’re shielding them from the consequences of their own actions. And that makes it harder for them to realize they need help.

Enabling someone with addiction also puts the caretaker in harm’s way. You can find yourself bearing the brunt of someone else’s behavior. For example, imagine your loved one can’t pay their bills because they’re spending too much money on drugs. By lending them money, you risk your own financial security. 

The Hero

This person, often the oldest child, sets out to save the family’s reputation. They put on a brave face and work hard to achieve their goals. To outsiders, they appear stable and successful. While that’s sometimes accurate, it’s not always the hero’s primary goal. 

The hero feels responsible for their family’s safety and security. They may experience parentification,2 in which a child takes on the role of a parent. Sometimes that means caring for their siblings or earning money at a young age. Heroes might also provide emotional support to adults in the family. People in this role tend to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed.

The Mascot

The mascot is like a class clown. This person tries to distract their family from the impacts of addiction. They use humor and kindness to keep everyone happy. In the short term, their behavior lightens the mood. But in the long term, it can lead to serious problems.

As a child, the mascot resolves conflict with jokes or distractions. As an adult, this can prevent them from building strong relationships. They may not know how to face communication issues or power struggles. And if humor is their primary coping mechanism, other people might not take them seriously. 

The Lost Child

Caught up in the whirlwind of addiction, family members ignore the lost child. This person might be “the quiet one,” or seem like they live in their own world. Perhaps they love reading, video games, or another kind of escapism. Without the emotional support they need, they look for other ways to cope.

The lost child is isolated, often feeling sad and lonely. Many develop an intense fear of abandonment. Data suggests lost children might be more vulnerable to personality disorders,3 especially avoidant personality disorder. 

The Scapegoat

Like the mascot, the scapegoat distracts their family from the person with addiction. But instead of using humor, they act out. This person might start using drugs themselves, or spending time with friends who do. They also take unnecessary risks, requiring other family members to solve their problems. 

This behavior can interfere with a child or teen’s social development. Scapegoats are at higher risk for educational, interpersonal and even legal problems as they get older. 

Finding Help for Families

These Family roles in substance abuse describe patterns of behavior, not permanent parts of your identity. Think of them as a tool for recovery, and not a way of justifying harmful dynamics. Understanding your relationships can help you improve them. 

Most rehabs offer some form of family therapy. Depending on your program, this could mean anything from virtual sessions to an intensive family program. Treatment can help each person understand their family role in the context of addiction recovery. 

Family therapy is available for families of every structure. You can look for a program that treats teens and their parents, married couples, or entire chosen families. Some providers have even more specific areas of expertise. For example, you can easily find a rehab program for LGBTQ+ clients.

Family involvement also empowers each person to heal on their own. In addition to group sessions, family members with and without addiction can benefit from individual therapy. This treatment offers you a safe, private space to explore your own feelings. You can also learn practical ways to improve your behavior, both for your family’s sake and your own. 

Search our list of rehabs to find programs with family therapy, treatment for loved ones, and other types of specialized care.

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Is My Loved One Using Cocaine? How to Tell If Someone Is Using Cocaine

Cocaine doesn’t have to control your loved one. The first step to their recovery might be recognizing signs of use, and then you can help them find a rehab for cocaine addiction. 

You both have resources for recovery. But the more you know about cocaine use, and how to spot it, can help you help the ones you love. 

How to Spot Cocaine Use

Spotting cocaine use can be tricky. It has a seemingly endless list of slang names and pseudo-identities, making it hard to decipher what your loved one might be talking about. They could hide their behavior with more than sneaky names, too. But there are signs to look for1. 

Physical Signs

  • Dilated pupils
  • Lack of appetite—it might seem like they barely eat
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Poor sleep
  • Disheveled appearance, lack of hygiene 

Emotional And Mental Signs

  • Paranoid without reason
  • Hyperactivity—“bouncing off the walls”
  • Irritability
  • Anxious, more so than usual 
  • Extreme startle reactions, like jumping at the sound of a cabinet shutting

Along with knowing the signs of cocaine use, you can also familiarize yourself with the street names for cocaine.

Slang Names for Cocaine

The nicknames for cocaine2 might surprise you. They’re creative, to put it positively. And they change based on the form of cocaine (crack, regular cocaine) and what it’s mixed with. 

There’s a lot to keep track of, but knowing even just a few can help.

  • Snow
  • Stardust
  • Stash
  • Bouncing Powder
  • Coke
  • Coca
  • Flake
  • Devil’s Dandruff
  • Florida Snow
  • Joy Flakes

You can also educate yourself on cocaine itself, and how it affects the mind and body.

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine comes from the leaves of the coca plant1. It grows in South America. From there, it’s smuggled all across the globe.

Cocaine causes a rush of euphoria3, which can last 2-20 minutes. This rush comes from a build up of dopamine in the brain—dopamine stacks up on the transmitters meant to receive it4, causing an intense flood of pleasure. 

Neurotransmitters like dopamine jump between nerves and target cells. If the receptors aren’t working, all the received dopamine has nowhere to go—causing the high. Altering the usual transmission of dopamine can actually change the structure and function of your brain over time. 

The crash, or comedown, from this high can quickly prompt a redose, sometimes until supplies or money run out. This is considered a binge1.

You can ingest cocaine in multiple ways1. Some snort the white powder up their nose. Or, you might mix it with water and inject the mixture into a vein, using a syringe. If it’s crack cocaine, you can smoke it.

Is There a Difference Between Cocaine and Crack?

Chemically, no. Cocaine and crack are the same thing5, just in different forms. Crack isn’t any cheaper, either6. But it is more potent, easy to ingest, and wildly addictive.

Crack looks like rocks, or crystals. It’s a smokeable version of cocaine5, derived from the same coca plant as cocaine. 

For crack cocaine, you might see some of these slang terms:

  • Rock
  • Moon Rock
  • Apple Jack
  • Dice
  • Sleet
  • Yahoo
  • Yale
  • Top Gun
  • Base, Basing

Mucous membranes absorb cocaine and crack cocaine7. You have a huge plane of mucous membrane in your lungs—the alveoli responsible for bringing oxygen to your blood. The inhaled crack smoke absorbs into the alveoli in the lungs rapidly, causing a nearly immediate high.

A crack cocaine high fades faster, though. To avoid the crash, people might keep smoking until they run out of crack. And the more they ingest, the more likely they are to overdose and have negative long-term effects8. 

The Effects of Cocaine Use

Cocaine use can lead to heart problems8, like cardiac arrest and strokes. Inhaling it as crack can cause respiratory conditions. Snorting it could completely degrade your nasal passage over time. 

Short-term, the effects of cocaine could range from paranoia to seizures9. And rarely, cocaine can cause sudden death after just one use. 

Repeated use takes up more and more money and time. And the more it’s used, the more your brain changes. Addiction and tolerance to the drug can set in quickly1. 

Cocaine use can also have unpredictable effects, usually caused by what it’s been cut with. The cutting agent could be harmless, but that’s not always the case.

What Is Cocaine Cut With?

Dealers may cut cocaine to up their profit10, selling a “watered down” version to unsuspecting buyers. Powder cocaine could be cut with baking soda, caffeine, sugars, or anesthetics. Visually, you’d likely never know it wasn’t pure cocaine.

But cocaine could have harmful additives. Levamisole, a veterinary drug that kills parasites10, has made its way into 70% of cocaine in America. It causes necrosis11, which kills and rots the skin. 

You can also mix cocaine with other drugs for new, sometimes preferred, effects.

Cocaine Mixtures

Users seeking a different high mix cocaine with other substances, like marijuana and tobacco. Nicknames for these mixtures include Woo-Woo, Woolies, Candy Flipping, Cocoa Puffs, and Boy-Girl.

Certain blends, like alcohol and cocaine, are notably more dangerous. Cocaine and alcohol react12 and form a heart-toxic chemical, cocaethylene. Heroin and cocaine mix to form a speedball9, or an opiate and depressant blend. But cocaine wears off faster than heroin, potentially slowing your breathing to null as the full sedative effect of heroin hits.

No mixture is predictable, or safe. Neither is cocaine by itself. But, for single and blended use, you can find recovery. 

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction often requires a multi-pronged approach—detox, therapy, and medications13. And the more research scientists do, the better these options become. There’s even a cocaine vaccine in the works14. 

Your loved one will most likely need to detox from cocaine in a safe, clinically monitored setting. There, they’ll have constant supervision, comfort medications, and begin the therapeutic healing process. This could be at a detox center or a residential rehab with on-site detox. 

Once cocaine has left their system, inner healing work can begin.

Therapy for Addiction

Therapy can address and heal the causing factors of addiction. It can also motivate and empower your loved one to commit to their recovery, even when it gets hard. 

Behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs15. You’ll learn to shift your perspective of yourself to one that’s more positive. Rather than thinking “I’ll never get better”, CBT would challenge the thought with “Why not?”.

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)16 addresses black-and-white thinking. Your loved one can accept the problem of cocaine use and know they can get better. DBT can help with relapse too, as it helps patients identify unhelpful thoughts that could lead back to old coping mechanisms. 

The 12 Steps

The 12-Step program offers a place for members to connect and recover in a respected treatment program. Members follow 12 steps together, learning responsibility, accountability, and forgiveness. And the 12 Steps can run in and out of treatment—you don’t have to be in rehab to find a local group to attend. 

The 12 Steps are often called AA (alcoholics anonymous) meetings. For cocaine use, you’ll likely see them called CA (cocaine anonymous). Each uses 12-Step practices to help members stay accountable and sober.

Aftercare

Contingency management (CM) can inspire greater dedication, during and after residential treatment. CM programs usually give out money, snacks, or vouchers as a reward13. And since you’ll actually get a reward for staying sober, attending recovery meetings, and going to treatment, you might find yourself more motivated to do it. 

Your loved one can also keep attending 12-Step meetings as a form of aftercare. If they go to a residential rehab, they might have the opportunity to attend alumni groups, too. 

Continued therapy and medications, if prescribed, can both contribute to long-term success. That’s why they’re both common forms of aftercare for cocaine addiction. If your loved one goes to rehab, they might offer continued 1:1 therapy with the same therapist. If not, they’ll likely connect you to further therapy as part of their discharge service.

Find Power Through Recovery

If you think your loved one is using cocaine, know that they, and yourself, have recovery resources. They can find new power and hope through recovery—addiction isn’t the end. 

You can browse our list of rehabs for cocaine to see pricing, reviews, insurance, and photos of each facility. 


Family members, you can check out these support groups: Co-Anon, Families Anonymous, and Stronger Together.

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Love the Outdoors? Consider Rehab in Canada

Canada’s beautiful landscape has seemingly endless mountains, lakes, beaches, and forests. As such, many addiction treatment centers in Canada offer outdoor activities like kayaking, snowshoeing, and fishing. The tranquil scenery lets you begin recovery in peaceful solitude.

Canadian rehab centers place a focus on holistic, individualized treatment, although 12-Step programs are also available. Social support plays a central role in many programs, through peer-to-peer relationships and family therapy. There’s also a strong focus on aftercare, helping clients transition back into daily life after treatment.

Canada’s Awe-Inspiring Landscape

There’s no shortage of beautiful natural areas in Canada.1 The country is home to vast mountain ranges like the well-known Canadian Rockies, and an abundance of lakes, rivers, beaches, and more. These areas offer exciting views of local wildlife and countless opportunities for recreation. Canada’s coastline stretches far and wide, giving visitors plenty of space for reflection by the seaside.

Many of Canada’s rehab centers are located in natural settings. Victoria Wellness sits on Rice Lake’s picturesque shoreline, only steps from the lake. Their program includes onsite activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, and fishing. In your free time, you can make your way along the winding path in the labyrinth. The rock-lined trail guides you to the center, and is meant to help facilitate mindfulness through walking meditation.

Cedars at Cobble Hill spreads out across 65 acres of land in the middle of one of British Columbia’s beautiful forests. Tall trees surround the log cabin-like buildings, and trails pepper the forest for clients to explore at their leisure.

Addiction Treatment in the City

You might choose to attend a rehab facility in a larger city if you want to stay close to home, or just prefer urban environments. But even the large cities in Canada aren’t far from nature. For example, Andy’s House in Montréal is only minutes from the St. Lawrence River.

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Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, Andy’s House is steps away from one of Montreal’s largest rivers.

Montréal also has a thriving movie scene, and has been the set for several major films—including The Notebook and The Life of Pi. Perhaps this is why Andy’s House offers cinema therapy. During this unique form of treatment, clients watch movies whose characters’ experiences are similar to their own. These films can help you confront your own issues in a safe and supportive environment.

Although Toronto is the largest city in Canada,2 it still has plentiful green spaces. There are more than 1,600 parks in the city, making up almost 20,000 acres of land. Bellwood Health Services is steps from the lush and green Sunnywood Park. The secluded location amidst beautiful views of tall trees, green grass, and snaking pathways makes it hard to believe you’re still in a busy city. If you decide to attend a rehab center in Toronto, you’ll be close to both an urban environment and plenty of natural ones.

The Bright Side of Cold Winters

If you’re considering rehab in any of these areas, remember to consider Canada’s climate.3 The country experiences all 4 seasons, and the farther north you go, the longer the winters are. Most parts of the country experience temperatures below freezing for the majority of winter. There’s a reason Canada’s nickname is “The Great White North!”

However, the cold season does have its perks—like snow sports! Several centers offer fun winter activities, like snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding. The short, quiet days of the time of year can also provide a much-needed respite from the world at large. You can watch the snow falling outside your window, or go for brisk winter walks to soak up the peace that this season can offer.

If cold winter days still don’t appeal to you, it may be better to attend rehab in a warmer climate. This is especially true if you prefer to participate in activities like swimming and biking, which may be harder to find in Canada.

Canada Rehab Centers Foster a Spirit of Adventure

Canada’s highly accessible outdoor activities make it a great destination for adventure seekers. And it’s not just fun—adventurous activities are also good for your mental health,4 especially when done in natural environments. According to research, these activities have several benefits:

  • improved resilience and self-efficacy
  • Increased confidence after completing challenges
  • connectedness to nature
  • physical fitness
  • opportunities practice emotion regulation

Numerous Canadian rehabs offer adventure outings and sports. At Valiant Recovery, for example, you can play golf, complete a ropes course, go ziplining, and more. They also offer rooftop therapy sessions, so clients can bask in the sunshine to release the stress of working through emotional traumas. Seabridge Foundation is just minutes from the coast in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Among other outdoor adventures, they take clients whale watching, white water rafting, and skydiving.

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Activities offered at Valiant Recovery in Kelowna, British Columbia, make the most of the outdoors.

Building Community During Recovery

Community is extremely important during the healing process. In his now-famous TED Talk, journalist Johann Hari says that “the opposite of addiction is connection.”5 While Hari isn’t a medical professional, he’s definitely right about one thing: the people you surround yourself with can have a huge impact on your recovery.

The Social Model Program

The “social model” is an approach that emphasizes the importance of peer support in residential rehab.6 While many centers offer group therapy and support groups, it’s less common for peer support to be the primary focus of residential rehab. The social model aims to bridge that gap. It prioritizes interpersonal relationships over individual treatment plans. Most social model recovery programs are founded on the same basic principles:

  • Residents both give and receive mutual support, relying on each other and not just trained caregivers.
  • A positive environment promotes abstinence from drug use.
  • 12-Step or non-12-Step support groups provide a framework for the healing process.
  • Residents can learn from each other’s knowledge and experience of recovery.

The Last Door, a rehab center for youth and adult males ages 13-30, utilizes the social model approach. In this program, expert providers “guide but do not drive the management process.” This empowers clients to define what healing means for themselves. Peers play a crucial role in each other’s learning, healing, and rehabilitation processes. Clients can also participate in the community through volunteerism and social outings. This focus on interpersonal skills not only helps you build new relationships; it can also help repair existing ones.

Healing Family Dynamics in Rehab

You’re probably not the only person in your family who can benefit from therapy. Addiction can be difficult for loved ones, too, including parents, children, and partners. Family therapy teaches you how to handle conflicts in a healthy way. It can also help participants process trauma in a safe environment. Family members learn how to support each other and move forward with more sustainable, happier relationships. In many rehab programs, friends and chosen family can partake in this form of treatment.

Sue knew something was different about her husband, but wasn’t sure what was causing his drastic change in behavior. Even after she learned about his cocaine addiction, it was a long and emotionally taxing 3 years before he agreed to seek help. Fortunately for both Sue and her husband, the Last Door offers programs for loved ones affected by addiction.

“I lost a part of who I was during that time,” Sue says. But through a family group that she attended with her husband, and a support group just for partners, Sue found herself again. She acknowledges that both groups were instrumental in her personal healing process, and that of her marriage. “I was able to heal, and he was able to heal,” she says. “You can move on and live life past addiction. That’s one really important lesson that we’ve learned.”

In family therapy, you and your loved ones can begin to repair your relationships—with each other, and with yourselves.

Canada Treatment Centers Focus on Aftercare

For most people, the healing process continues after rehab. Aftercare, also called continuing care, is an extremely important part of recovery.7 Research suggests that longer periods of aftercare result in a higher likelihood of abstinence from drug use, and sustained positive effects from treatment.

Many rehabs in Canada place an emphasis on continuing care, and provide ample resources for alumni. Aurora Recovery Centre in Manitoba helps each resident create a personalized strategy for continuing care at home.

Some clients aren’t ready to go home right after treatment. If you need more support, Aurora Recovery Centre also offers stepped-down care following residential rehab. You can stay on their property in transitional housing, or move off-site to one of their partner sober living homes. These settings can help you slowly reacclimate to life outside rehab.

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Aurora Recovery Centre’s transitional housing is located on their vast property near the shores of Lake Winnipeg.

In our increasingly technological world, online aftercare is getting more and more popular. When you finish rehab at iRecover Addiction Treatment Centers, you’ll get a tablet that comes pre-loaded with program content. Clients keep the device after finishing rehab, and can attend any of the 4 online, live 12-Step meetings that happen each day. You can also use your tablet to stay in touch with fellow participants after the program ends.

How to Get to Canada

Traveling to and within Canada is simple. From the U.S., you can just drive across the border, or fly into one of Canada’s many airports. Because Canada is so large—by area, it’s the second biggest country in the world—you may prefer to fly, even if you already live there.

To make travel less stressful, most treatment facilities offer transportation directly to and from the airport. However, it’s important to check with your rehab’s admissions team before making any plans. They can help you choose the best way to get to their facility.

Canada’s Rehab Centers Utilize the Power of Nature to Aid in Healing

In Canada’s treatment centers, you’re never far from peaceful natural settings. That’s true whether you choose a rehab deep in the forest or in the middle of a bustling city. With an emphasis on building community and robust aftercare, addiction treatment here can be the right fit for a great many people.

Ready to take that first step? See pricing and insurance information, center photos, reviews, and more and connect directly with rehabs via our directory of rehabs in Canada.

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Faster Treatment Access and Serene Scenery at UK Rehabs

The United Kingdom’s acres of countryside provide the perfect setting for healing. Its rolling hills and farmland dotted with grazing sheep can offer you the peace you need as you take the first steps toward recovery.

When you connect with a private rehab directly, you can usually start treatment right away. If you’re a UK citizen, this lets you begin healing faster, instead of waiting for space to become available through the National Health Service (NHS). These programs are also open to people from all over the world.

Whether you need a change of scenery, or immediate care close to home, you can take the first step toward recovery in one of the many rehab facilities in the United Kingdom.

“Recovery is Freedom”

The choice to seek treatment is a milestone. And that’s something to be proud of, even if you’re not sure what will come next. Choosing the right kind of support for you, specifically, lets you take control of your future.

“Taking away the drugs for me, which I thought was the thing that made me all free, has actually been the most freeing thing,” said Khetsiwe Giles-Rowley, a client who went through rehab at Providence Projects. “The best thing I’ve gotten from my recovery is freedom.”

Rehabs in the UK can offer peace and quiet, with treatment plans tailored to your needs. During recovery, you’ll have time and space to define what freedom means to you.

Getting Prompt Care with Self-Pay Rehab

While every UK citizen is entitled to free addiction treatment, it can be a lengthy and complicated process to get government funding to attend rehab. Once you do get approval for treatment, you may not get to choose which rehab you’d like to attend. Instead, you’ll attend the first center that has space available.

If you opt to self-fund a residential program, the process is usually much faster. You’ll also have much more say in where you get to attend rehab. By choosing the timing and location of initial treatment, you can get the best possible support during recovery.

A Soothing Setting for Recovery

The UK’s countryside is the epitome of peace. Relaxing rainy days alternate with warm sunny ones, and the quiet surroundings offer the perfect opportunity for reflection.

Finding Calm in the Countryside

Imagine walking outside to the sounds of chirping birds and rustling grasses, with nothing in sight but green, rolling hills. This tranquil scenery, like the 50 acres of private woodland and gardens found at Castle Craig in Edinburgh, Scotland, is proven to help facilitate your recovery process.

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Located in Edinburgh, Scotland, Castle Craig offers ample opportunity to interact with nature, including outdoor therapy, equine therapy and walks along their lush property.

Researchers believe that just 20 minutes in nature can lower your levels of cortisol,1 the stress hormone. With this in mind, the team at Castle Craig encourages clients to take advantage of their many walking paths. They also offer equine therapy, nature outings, outdoor therapy, and even alpaca walks to help clients get outside as much as possible during treatment. In Northern Wales, you can attend Parkland Place, which is on 3 acres of National Trust Farmland. You’ll be able to wake up to views of the countryside right from your bedroom.

Relax and Reflect by the British Seaside

The seaside can be calm and therapeutic. In fact, listening to the sounds of the ocean can directly support your healing process. Data shows that the sound of ocean waves decreases stress,2 and generally makes listeners feel more positive.

If you’re looking for a serene place to recover, you’re in luck: the UK has several treatment centers by the sea. At Ocean Recovery Centre, you can enjoy views of Blackpool Beach and Sea. Clients can also make use of the spa at a nearby hotel. Providence Projects is another coastal treatment center, in southern Bournemouth. The area boasts the warmest temperatures in the UK. Clients can stroll along the 7 miles of sandy beaches that offer views of bright blue ocean water from rocky cliffs.

Finding the Care You Need in London

You may prefer to start treatment in an urban setting. Some clients need to stay close to home, or just feel more at ease in the city. Whatever your reasons may be, there are plenty of rehab centers in London.

PROMIS London is right in the heart of the city, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Clients can explore London in group outings to museums, movies, and shopping centers. The OAD Clinic is just a 5-minute walk from Victoria Station, one of the busiest transportation hubs in the city, while Harbor London can be found between Hyde Park and Covent Garden. All 3 centers are easily accessible, no matter where you’re coming from.

Start Your Recovery with People who Understand Your Needs

You can tailor your rehab experience to meet your needs. Plenty of centers specialize in treating specific groups of people, and some treat just 1 client at a time. Depending on your recovery goals, you might benefit from attending one of these programs.

Gender-Specific Treatment

Some addiction recovery programs recognize that some people may feel more comfortable living with people of their own gender. Several UK rehabs offer women-only and men-only programming or living arrangements. For example, the Clouds House offers gender-specific accommodations as well as a women’s lounge and gender-specific communal living area. Gender-specific rehab may or may not be appropriate for clients of other genders, or for men and women who prefer a different treatment setting.

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Clouds House provides gender-specific accommodations and privacy at their discreet campus in Wiltshire, South West England.

Single-Client Rehabs

Some clients require highly personalized treatment. Others may need a high level of discretion during recovery. Because of this, some rehab facilities treat only 1 client at a time, such as Harbor London and The Cottage. Individual treatment empowers you to get the exact type of care you need, provided by a team of experts entirely focused on your recovery.

The UK’s Specialized Addiction and Mental Health Treatments

Many UK rehabs offer new and innovative therapies. Most clients benefit from combining these methods with more conventional treatments like talk therapy, group therapy, and medical care.

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Norfolk

Verve Health uses virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to help clients practice the skills they learn in therapy. Research shows that virtual reality can treat several types of addiction.3 In VRET, clients can safely experience challenging lifelike situations, under the supervision of a therapist. Each session presents you with sounds and images that simulate a real event.

VRET can induce cravings that come from triggering situations. This teaches you how to combat those cravings. Studies suggest that VRET can be especially effective alongside cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in London

Smart TMS is the largest provider of TMS treatment, which “uses pulsing magnetic fields to activate or suppress the brain centers associated with a number of mental health conditions.” This therapy aids in recovery from addiction, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder.

TMS can effectively reduce cravings4 in people recovering from addiction. However, it can also cause headaches, some fatigue, and a small chance of seizures. Because of this, it’s important for clients to work closely with a medical team throughout treatment.

Alpha-Stim Therapy in London

Alpha-Stim therapy helps people experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The handheld device sends microcurrents to the brain that help clients unwind and reduce stress. At The Soke, clients can take advantage of this treatment in relaxation pods for up to 40 minutes after a talk therapy session.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Scotland

In hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), the client breathes in 100% oxygen while experiencing high atmospheric pressure for about an hour. Castle Craig is one center that offers this innovative therapy. According to their website, HBOT can help alleviate opiate withdrawal symptoms, decrease inflammation, improve sleep, and more.

Therapies for the Mind and Body

Addiction recovery is both mental and physical. Some therapies are designed to help you strengthen the mind-body connection. This may help you feel more grounded during—and after—your time in rehab.

Asana Lodge, for example. offers a variety of alternative therapies. At this center, clients can try Satori Chair Therapy and heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback therapy.

The Satori Chair works by sending sound frequencies through the body to help you feel calm and relaxed. Clients have access to the chair at any time, although it may be especially helpful after a talk therapy session.

Studies suggest that HRV biofeedback therapy can lower anxiety.5 In this treatment, an application called HeartMath tracks the client’s heart rate. This information can help you better understand your own feelings. For example, an erratic heart rhythm suggests stress and anxiety. A therapist will help you create coping strategies based on what you learn.

Uniting Families in the United Kingdom

Studies show that family involvement during mental health and addiction treatment is crucial.6 During family therapy sessions, loved ones learn how to best support the person in rehab. Many rehab centers, such as PROMIS London, have treatment plans that include family therapy. PROMIS London’s family program meets weekly. This program “gives families a chance to work on their problems together, in a discrete location, and to break the cycles of harmful habits that may be affecting family members.”

Family therapy is offered on campus at PROMIS London’s quiet South Kensington location.

Family therapy helps you connect with your loved ones, and it also helps them start to heal. Silkworth Lodge, on the Channel Islands, even has a therapy program for children ages 7-12 called “Silkworms.” Over the course of 4 days, children affected by a family member’s addiction participate in a program just for them. This allows them to explore their emotions in a healthy way in a safe, supportive environment.

Traveling in the UK Is a Breeze

Flying to and within the UK7 is easy. London Heathrow is the largest airport in Europe, with numerous flights arriving each day from all around the world. There are over 40 airports around the United Kingdom,8 with 6 international airports in London alone. Most airports around the world have flights to London, and many also fly to other locations in the UK, such as Edinburgh Airport, the busiest airport in Scotland. Upon arrival, you can easily take another flight to your final destination.

Wherever you fly into the UK, your treatment center may offer an airport pickup service. Although the country is renowned for its public transit system

Check with your facility to coordinate your arrival.

Recover in Comfort in the UK

With rehabs in the quiet countryside and the vibrant city, the United Kingdom is a good fit for many clients. Rehab in the United Kingdom allows for time to reflect. Innovative therapies treat your mind and body and help you heal your relationships. And with personalized care, you can heal in a way that suits your unique needs.

Learn more about the therapies and amenities available in the UK’s rehabs here.