behavior

What is Cross Addiction?

Bryan Vasquez, CATC III, Certified Addiction CounselorLeave a comment

The nature of addiction can be pernicious. Once we have overcome one problematic behavior, another can seemingly sprout up and take its place. In the addiction field, this is often referred to as cross addiction. It has often been stated in various programs and literature that just about everyone has some form of addiction that if not obliged causes irritability, unease and crankiness, to a host of more intense withdrawal symptoms.

Cross addiction is something that is helpful to be aware of early in recovery, as well as for those who have years of experience with recovery. It can often develop very subtly and outside of our conscious awareness, until we realize we have fallen prey to another form of problematic addiction. One of the main reasons cross addiction can be very subtle and innocent in the beginning is because when someone is overcoming an addiction to alcohol, opiates, gambling, or sex addiction, other “lesser” addictions are easily minimized in their capacity to cause harm and disaster. We may be so close to the consequences of our recent addiction that it is hard to imagine anything else causing such pain, especially if there have never been problems with the behavior.

Common cross addictions for people early in recovery are nicotine, pornography, sweets and processed foods, shopping, and sex. While cross addiction can come in many seemingly bad forms, it can also cloak itself in good behaviors, which can turn problematic. Exercise is often encouraged and since it is viewed as healthy some can use exercise in a problematic way early in recovery in an attempt to re-write the wrongs of our past substance use. Exercise addiction can cause physical harm through overuse of muscles, reproductive harm in females through intense exercise and dieting which can halt or interfere with menstruation and exacerbate other mental health disorders such as body image and restrictive dieting.

Mindfulness and awareness of what we are replacing our addictions with is key to notice if and when cross addiction is happening. All of us will at times develop some habits and behaviors which are compulsive and create discomfort when they are not engaged in, and for most, these are not life changing, nor require professional help. If you feel you have conquered one addiction, just to be pulled into the vortex by another behavior, give Realize Recovery a call and one of our addiction professionals will be able to provide guidance and insight on what might be helpful.

Reducing Harms Associated with Substance Abuse

Bryan Vasquez, CATC III, Certified Addiction CounselorLeave a comment

For many who have been using alcohol or drugs problematically, the advice given from loved ones and many mental health professionals is they must remain abstinent from all mind-altering substances and any deviation from complete abstinence is a cause for major concern. This approach to substance abuse follows an all-or-nothing model that does not consider all the gray areas between severe problematic addiction and complete abstinence, and can often have devastating consequences when a slip, or a lapse, occurs.

Harm reduction is about reducing the harms associated with substance abuse. It can be applied to any circumstance where there is less harm, or the potential occurrence of harm, due to specific interventions or actions to reduce, substitute, or replace the use of a harmful substance. In the case of alcohol, if someone were drinking a fifth of vodka a day, and is now drinking a bottle of wine, the harm would be reduced because a bottle of wine has much less alcohol content.  If someone has been using heroin and now strictly uses cannabis, they will have reduced the harm of a potential lethal overdose. 

Harm reduction can come in many forms and will be greatly needed during a time when addiction is expected to climb 100% over the next two years (CCAPP, 2020). For opioid use disorder, there are two main medications, Naltrexone and Buprenorphine, both of which can come in oral or subcutaneous once-monthly injections. Naltrexone can also be used for those who are wishing to stop drinking or reduce their alcohol intake as it helps with cravings and reduces the euphoric effects of alcohol. Often times, people may not want to use medications to help them cut back, taper or assist them in maintaining their abstinence, but harm reduction approaches have been shown to be highly effective when compared with total days sober, and not just total days abstinent (Peele, 2020).  

When working with clients, my goal is to always help them find ways to reduce the harm, or the potential for harm, caused by their problematic use.  Expecting or demanding complete abstinence, when that is not the goal or desire for someone only sets them up for guilt, shame, and a potential self-fulling prophecy if a slip occurs, giving them the opportunity to tell themselves, “See, I knew I would fail at this.” Following a harm reduction model for those who are seeking it or require it based on medical necessity helps individuals build the self-efficacy and belief that they have power to change their behaviors and live a balanced life, free from the grasp of addiction.  

If you or a loved one have been told abstinence is the ONLY WAY, give Realize Recovery a call today and we can discuss options and provide education on the evidenced based treatments that have been proven to work. 

Peele, S. (2020, March 19). So Alcoholics Anonymous Is “Proven” to Work After All? Not So Fast. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://filtermag.org/alcoholics-anonymous-cochrane/

The Disease of Addiction Thrives on Isolation (Rep.). (2020, May 12). Retrieved https://www.ccapp.us/application/files/9715/8932/2072/Addiction_Thrives_on_Isolation.pdf

Practicing Mindfulness

Bryan Vasquez, CATC III, Certified Addiction CounselorLeave a comment

If you or someone you know is struggling with problematic drinking or using behaviors, chances are you feel a great deal of stress, anxiety, fear, and depressive thoughts surrounding this behavior. Managing thoughts about cravings, regrets of the past, and fears of the future can feel so overwhelming that engaging in mind-altering chemicals seems like a rational idea. Practicing mindfulness helps avoid the fears of the future and the resentments and regrets of the past by bringing one’s attention to the present moment and a more solutions-focused attitude.  

As I discussed in the previous post about how beneficial mindfulness can be, it begs the question of how does one practice mindfulness when the mind is constantly jumping from one thought to the other? Simple answer: with patience and persistent practice. When we begin to notice our habitual mode of thinking it can be easy to get discouraged because our habitual thinking may be very pessimistic and negative.  That is a good sign you are on the track to changing!  Through mindful awareness of our thoughts we give ourselves the opportunity to choose a different, more helpful thought process. 

Integrating mindfulness into your daily life may not be as hard as it first appears because we are already practicing some mindfulness each day.  Anytime your mind is fully in the present moment and not focused on the past or future, you are practicing mindfulness.  Setting an intention to practice mindfulness can be a helpful first step to push you to make an action plan on how you can be proactive in establishing your new cognitive habit.  Here are some easy and quick ways you begin using mindfulness in your daily life.  

-Showering:  This is an excellent time to put your attention on all the bodily sensations that are felt from washing your hair, scrubbing your body and feeling the relaxing water flow over your skin.  When a thought comes to the mind, calmly and patiently bring your attention back to the flow of the water coursing over your skin.

-Driving: While driving alone focus on the surrounding sights and be fully present absorbing all the visual scenes and sounds around you.  The goal is to observe objectively, without labeling and judging what is happening on the roads.  Simply observe and notice without engaging in judgmental thoughts.  

Eating:  With each bite put your full attention on the taste, texture, temperature, and smell.  You can use this technique with a meal or a dessert item you can really savor slowly.  

Sitting still:  Sit upright in a chair with eyes closed and simply put your attention on your breath.  Watch each inhalation and exhalation with deepest attention.  Challenge yourself to be mindful for three consecutive breaths.  If, and when, a thought comes into your mind, acknowledge the attention has wandered, then calmly and patiently bring it back to the awareness of your breath.  Practice for 3-5 minutes 2-3 times a day.  

Practicing mindfulness changes the structure of our brain, and over time will change the way we think.  Having more conscious control over our thinking and not being dragged aimlessly from thought to thought, we are better able to engage in daily activities with calmness and poise.  You can learn how to consciously choose which thoughts to entertain and which thoughts to simply observe, and then let go.