The Role of Pets During the Recovery Process

Established in 2002, Morningside Recovery, LLC, is an alternative addiction and mental health treatment center located in Orange County, California. Morningside Recovery provides patients with a number of unique treatment options, including pet-friendly services.

Companion animals can play a significant role during treatment for chemical dependency or issues of mental health. Pets demonstrate a number of qualities that can be instrumental during an individual’s recovery process, such as unconditional love and an inability to pass judgment during trying episodes. As individuals face the trials and tribulations of early sobriety, they may find it difficult to find a comfortable place in social situations, public settings, and even family gatherings. However, research has shown that the presence of a pet can reduce the loneliness these difficulties can present.

Pets can also help individuals reclaim responsibility, not only for their own actions, but for the well-being of others. Furthermore, companion animals serve those in recovery with a sense of purpose and direction. Additional benefits of pets throughout the recovery process include lower levels of stress, conversation-starters with new people, and improved self-esteem.

Respect Builds Recovery for LGBTQ Clients

 

Irvine, California-based Morningside Recovery offers a wide range of outpatient services to clients working to overcome drug and alcohol addiction and accompanying mental health conditions. The facility operates from a philosophy of respect for individual needs. Among its programs, Morningside Recovery includes one focused on recovery through Christian faith and another designed specifically to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people.

Some researchers have found that members of the gay and transgender communities, who can experience intense degrees of societal prejudice, also exhibit substance abuse at rates two, three, or many times higher than their non-LGBTQ counterparts. Many experts find a one-to-one correlation, in that the sometimes extreme forms of bigotry directed toward LGBTQ individuals can lead them to substance abuse as a coping mechanism.

Studies have also demonstrated that people learn positive coping behaviors more quickly and easily when they are part of a respectful, supportive, and nonjudgmental community. Morningside Recovery's clinical staff come from professional backgrounds that have enabled them to meet the needs of diverse populations. Their high regard for the value of diversity, and for the worth of each individual they work with, can make the experience of therapy for substance abuse one of personal exploration and acceptance.

Addictive Foods That Are By No Means Good For The Body

Addiction to the wrong kind of food can be as harmful to people’s well-being as being addicted to anything else. People should know the kinds of food that can be addictive and harmful at the same time. Here are some of them.

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Junk food

Junk food such as chips and cheese curls are made to give the consumer a feeling of always wanting more. Basically, junk foods aren’t filling. They’re made with a lot of monosodium glutamate or MSG, which is an additive that stirs the flavor of food and increases a person’s appetite. Junk food rarely has any nutritional value, and are more often than not, “empty calories” with high cholesterol content. That’s never a good thing.

Sugar

By now, people already know that sugar is the leading cause of heart disease, not fat. Knowing that, it certainly follows that any addiction to sweet kinds of food is bad. In fact, many health experts are now hailing sugar as the new cocaine. And of all the sweet foods, researchers found that the most addictive are chocolate cookies. Such sweet treats should be approached with caution and consumed in moderation.

Fast food

There is no debate about it. Fast food contributes to the rising incidence of obesity, in a big way. The calorie content of a large burger is enough to fuel a person throughout the day. French fries, everyone’s favorite little deep-fried potato sticks, are oozing with cholesterol. Factor in milkshakes and apple pies, and addiction to fast food becomes more than just a threat to health.

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Morningside Recovery is committed to providing peaceful and nonjudgmental environment for people coping with and recovering from addiction or mental illness. For more information about the treatment it offers, visit its blog site.

How Pets Make a Difference In Addiction Recovery

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Pets are not only lovable companions at home. Research shows that pets also offer irreplaceable therapeutic benefits for people recovering from addiction. Bringing a cat or dog with you during recovery is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety, stress, and sadness.

In a study by Washington State University about shelter dogs and mood-boosting therapy programs for teens with drug and alcohol problems, researchers observed an increase in joviality, positive affect, attentiveness, and serenity in recovering teen addicts who spend time with dogs. The researchers hypothesized that spending time with pets releases the feel-good chemical dopamine and stimulates opioid release, a chemical known for calming and anti-depressive effects. The study noted that such finding is important because many of those recovering from addiction are also likely suffering from ADHD, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Pets also offer the gifts of acceptance, unconditional love, and non-judgment. Spending time with their pet can help those recovering from addiction to see the lighter side of life. Pets encourage owners to be playful, and their naturally exuberant characters can surely make anyone smile. In addition, having pets make it easier to relate and socialize with other people. Animals are great topics of conversation and having them around creates a relaxed and healing environment for recovery.

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While pets cannot make the entire journey easy, they surely make great companions on the road to recovery for people struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

Morningside Recovery is a pet-friendly addiction and mental health treatment facility located in South Orange County in Irvine, California. Visit its official website to learn more about its programs and services.

Oxycontin - An Expensive and Dangerous Addiction

At Morningside Recovery in Irvine, California, clients learn to move past addictions to alcohol, street drugs, and painkillers. Since 2002, the outpatient facility has offered individually tailored treatment plans that can include faith-based and outdoor adventure-centered programs, as well as those focused on the particular needs of the LGBTQ community. Morningside Recovery employs evidence-based therapies and offers a warm and supportive atmosphere that can assist clients in rebuilding their lives and relationships as they work through addictions and co-occurring mental health issues.

Oxycontin, or oxycodone, is a prescription drug that can help relieve severe pain when used appropriately. In its normal timed-release form, Oxycontin can minimize pain for as long as a 12-hour period; experts say this is preferable to other medications that must be taken more frequently. 

However, when abused, this narcotic analgesic can create longstanding addiction that is difficult to treat. People with addictions typically crush the Oxycontin pills and dilute them with water in order to swallow or inject them, which causes an opioid rush.

Recent news reports point out that Oxycontin addiction has become a major problem in the Hollywood community, with a number of celebrities diagnosed with the condition. Although the drug is expensive, it is among the most sought-after on the streets today.

Symptoms of Oxycontin addiction can include social isolation, slurred speaking patterns, and academic or work-related problems. People addicted to the drug may experience constricted pupils, frequent itching sensations, or unusual weight loss. Withdrawal is usually excruciatingly painful and requires professional help.