Facts About Addiction That You Should Know

Nearly 19.7 million adults in the US struggle with some form of addiction. Despite this alarming number, society still stigmatizes addiction and the people struggling with it, making it difficult for the affected individuals to reach out and get help.

Here are a few facts about addiction that you should know more about.  

Addiction is a Disease

The stigma associated with addiction also leads to misconceptions like “addiction is a bad habit” or “addiction is a lifestyle choice”. Addiction is neither of these things. In fact, it’s an illness in which the person addicted doesn’t have control over their actions.  They’re a victim of the disease, just like someone battling heart disease would be considered as a victim of that particular condition. Addiction is not a choice or a personal weakness.

There Is No Single Cause for Addiction

Another thing many people don’t know is that addiction doesn’t have one main cause of the condition. In fact, what exactly causes addiction isn’t fully known. There are a couple of factors that play a role in causing addiction. These include:

· Genetics: Research has shown that a person’s genetic buildup can increase the risk of them using addictive agents and developing an addiction. If you have immediate family members who struggled with addiction, it’s likely that you might too at some point.  

· Environment: Individuals who grew up in a household where they were exposed to addictive substances frequently have greater chances of developing an addiction to these substances themselves.  Similarly, if you’re surrounded by people who’re addicted to a certain thing, you may eventually develop an addiction as well.

· Co-occurring Mental Illnesses: Mental disorders and conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders can increase the risk of developing an addiction. People often turn to an addictive agent as a means of coping with co-occurring mental disorders and illnesses.  

Recovery Is Possible

You can’t be cured of addiction, but you can recover from it. As we discussed above, addiction is an illness. It’s a chronic and progressive condition that will always require you to be on your guard. However, it isn’t a life sentence. Recovering from addiction is entirely possible and achievable if you get the right treatment for it. It’s important to note that recovery is a lifelong process and usually involves drastic lifestyle adjustments.

 

Various forms of treatment and therapy can help a struggling addict recover. Therapy, support groups, rehab, counseling, mindfulness, and medication are all effective strategies. In addition to these, following a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep also helps. Since addiction is a personalized condition, the treatment strategy varies from person to person. What may work for one individual may be ineffective or take much longer to work for another. With the right form of treatment intervention, though, recovery is definitely possible.  

E Care Behavioral Health Institute provides CEU’s for addiction counselors and training for psychologists, including live webinars and recorded webinars. Browse through their collection of Webinar CEUs and courses to get started.

Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder

Impulsive. Erratic. Unpredictable. Untreatable.

These are the common perceptions of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). They, however, cannot be further from the truth.

Officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980 as a personality disorder, the condition was largely understood to be a psychotic disorder. Now, about 40 years later, mental health counselors recognize the need to understand this oft-misunderstood condition.

The causes

 With an estimated 1.4 percent of the U.S. population living with Borderline Personality Disorder, mental health professionals need to understand its underlying causes. While the causes of the condition aren’t entirely clear, the risk factors can be narrowed down to biological, environmental, and social factors.

· Social & environmental factors: As with many mental health concerns, a history of trauma and negative experiences can make you vulnerable to Borderline Personality Disorder. Childhood abuse, abandonment, neglect, or trauma have been suggested as possible causes. However, everyone with BPD doesn’t share similar early experiences.  

· Genetic history: People with family members who have BPD tend to have a higher risk of developing the condition.

· Biological factors: Since BPD is closely related to impulse control and emotional regulation, it is connected to the brain’s functioning. The brain functions and structures of people living with BPD can differ, resulting in altered impulse control and emotional regulation capabilities.

What does BPD look like?

As with other personality disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder manifests in your behavior patterns and ability to function. The dysregulation of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal control is uniquely experienced by each individual—this means that there’s a distinct treatment plan for each person.

Some common signs and symptoms of BPD are:

· Frequent mood swings

· Low sense of self-worth, resulting in uncertainty about their role in people’s lives

· Interests rapidly change

· Viewing things in extremes

· A pattern of unstable relationships with close friends and family members

· Extreme efforts to avoid abandonment—whether it’s rational or imagined.

· Recurring thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation

· Difficulty controlling anger or trusting people’s intentions

· Frequent feelings of dissociation

· Difficulty empathizing with others’ emotions

· Intense fear of separation or rejection

· Lack of impulse control with regard to risky behaviors

With almost 80 percent of those living with BPD reporting a history of suicide attempts, mental health professionals need to display a greater understanding of the condition. Only by recognizing its various signs and manifestations can you provide effective care to those who need it most.

Enhance your knowledge through CEUs for mental health professionals and distance learning programs for training for psychologists. By paying attention to the individual’s needs, you can begin to help them to the path of recovery.

You have the power to alter the course of someone’s life—register for E Care Behavioral Health Institute’s live and recorded webinars to polish your skills as a mental health professional. They offer extensive insight into general skill-building, training workshops, and certifications.

Browse their recorded webinars or find out which Webinar CEUs are scheduled by heading to their website. Learn about Borderline Personality Disorder, The Chameleon of Psychopathology by registering for the webinar.

If you, or a loved one, are struggling with BPD or any other mental health condition, it’s important to seek professional help. If you’re experiencing self-harming behaviors and suicidal thoughts, know that you are not alone.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) at any time or day of the week.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Speeding up Your Recovery

 

Healing isn’t a lateral experience that everyone who’s struggling goes through. Depending on the experiences of the individual, the experience of recovery can differ. How you think and feel about your thoughts and emotions significantly impacts how you experience them.

Emotional intelligence has been extensively studied as an important aspect of the mind in terms of mental health and illnesses. Emotional intelligence affects your emotional adaptation, empathy, self-control, and regulation of impulses.

When you’re able to understand your own and other people’s emotions, as well as effectively express them, you’re able to help yourself better. Emotional intelligence is often understood as the bridge that connects you with others.

A Forbes article stated that emotional intelligence is comprised of four core competencies; these are self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management.

So how can emotional intelligence instill the coping skills you need to recover?

Motivation

Personal growth and recovery are significantly affected by how motivated you are to achieve your goals. When you set a speedy recovery as your goal, you’ll be able to find the drive to accomplish it.

With higher emotional intelligence, you’re better able to direct your energies to work on yourself.

Self-awareness

Emotional intelligence is all about processing and understanding your inner thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Individuals with high emotional intelligence are able to decipher their negative behavior patterns and understand the changes that are needed to improve their life.

When they aren’t constantly battling their inner selves to improve their quality of life, the harmony within their thoughts and actions will prove positive results.

Better social skills

Since social awareness is understood to be one of the tenets of emotional intelligence, it’s clear that higher emotional intelligence leads to better relationships with those around you.

Using empathy and social skills, individuals with higher emotional intelligence are able to make lasting relationships and seek comfort in them. Social support is an important part of the journey to recovery and, thus, emotional intelligence is a necessary component of healing.

Regulating your thoughts and emotions

When you’re in touch with your emotions, you’re able to recognize your needs and identify what you should be cautious of. People struggling with mental health concerns are often unable to see their negative habits, leading them to continue losing control of their lives.

With greater emotional intelligence, you’re better able to feel in control of your life and how you’ll be able to improve.

As a mental health counselor and psychologist, it’s imperative to focus on encouraging emotional intelligence in your clients. As times change, you should be able to stay abreast of the latest methods and techniques that are being used to provide effective relief.

E Care Behavioral Health Institute is a hub of information—live webinars, recorded webinars, workshops, and courses— that will help you on your CEU journey. Their training for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, and peer support specialists polish your skills and add to your knowledge.

Head to their website to find out more about E Care Behavioral Health Institute’s popular courses or call them at 704 883 6615.