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Staying Sober: Tips to Make it Through Winter

Staying sober is a day-to-day struggle for anyone in alcohol or drug addiction recovery. For some, getting through the winter months offers even greater challenges. Colder temperatures lead to more time spent inside. It isn’t unusual for anyone to feel a little “down in the dumps” during the winter. When those feelings become intense, it could be a sign of seasonal affective disorder (SAD.)

staying sober in winter

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder and How Does It Impact Addiction?

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that occurs when the seasons change. It can begin right before winter and usually ends once the weather turns warmer. Doctors often treat SAD with light therapy, medications, and psychotherapy. As anyone who has suffered from depression knows, it’s more than a feeling of sadness. Symptoms of SAD include:

  • Feelings of hopelessness or guilt
  • Sleep problems
  • Loss of interest in favorite activities
  • Changes in appetite and/or weight
  • Problems concentrating
  • Loss of energy
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Feeling depressed almost all the time

Where you live can also determine whether you suffer from SAD. People who live farther from the equator develop the condition more often than those who live closer. Some scientists believe this is due to the decreased sunlight during the winter in the most impacted areas.

Other known risk factors include having existing depression or bipolar disorder or a family history of SAD or other forms of depression. Anyone familiar with the challenges of staying sober from any type of addiction already knows the relationship between depression and addiction. People with SAD who ignore their symptoms only get worse. Exacerbated symptoms lead to mental health disorders, feelings of suicide, social withdrawal, and substance abuse. These are many of the same demons you’re already dealing with. That’s why it’s so important not to dismiss your symptoms of depression and get help.

What You Can Do

All researchers don’t agree, but there seems to be a distinct connection between SAD and the lack of exposure to sunlight during the winter. Shorter days with less daylight can affect the activity of serotonin in your brain. People who are most vulnerable to the disorder sometimes produce too much melatonin, causing them to feel sleepy. These two factors combined might affect the body’s circadian rhythms.

Getting a little more sunlight might help you combat the changes in serotonin activity and melatonin. That means opening up the curtains and getting outside and into the sunlight as much as you can.

Exercise is an important part of your rehab. You might have to push yourself to get up and get moving. Once you do, it helps improve your mood. To get the most benefit from exercise, bundle up and go outside. Even if it’s just a brisk walk around the block, outdoor exercise can help you control your SAD symptoms.

Light Therapy

There are lots of light boxes and other gadgets out there to provide you with artificial light. Normally, you sit in front of the light box for between 20 minutes and 1 hour each day. These boxes filter out the dangerous ultraviolet rays while providing you with 10,000 lux of fluorescent light. This is 20 times brighter than the lighting you use inside your home.

If you have bipolar disorder or are at a higher-than-average risk of it, light boxes aren’t recommended. Since they can cause manic episodes, your doctor might recommend a different approach. You don’t need a prescription for a light box. You should still get your doctor’s or therapy team’s suggestions for the best course of treatment.

The Role of Vitamin D

You might know that vitamin D helps build stronger bones by helping the body absorb calcium. But scientists continue to find new ways that this essential vitamin helps keep you healthy. Failing to get enough vitamin D is linked to colon, prostate, and breast cancer. It also increases your risk of heart disease, weight gain, and depression.

People with drug addiction and alcoholism often have vitamin deficiencies, including that of vitamin D. Many rehab centers provide vitamin supplements to help improve the addict’s health. Another way that you get vitamin D is from exposure to sunlight. Keep in mind, people who live the farthest from the equator are least likely to get enough sun exposure to help their bodies produce enough vitamin D. Also, people with darker skin tones don’t get as much sun exposure as those with lighter skin. If either of those factors impacts you, you may want to talk to your doctor about other ways to include more vitamin D in your diet.

During the winter months, everyone is likely to get far less sunlight than they need. Experts recommend getting 30 minutes of exposure without wearing sunscreen. This means exposing your skin to ultraviolet light that can lead to skin cancer.

Another option is to take a supplement during the winter. You may want to have your doctor test your levels and prescribe the right supplements for you. More doctors are paying attention to their patient’s vitamin D levels due to the growing list of benefits linked to the vitamin.

You can also add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet like salmon, egg yolks, and orange juice. There are also vitamin D fortified foods like breakfast cereal and milk. If your goal is to stay sober through the winter, taking vitamin D will help reduce your risk of depression and improve your overall health.

Staying Sober

Stay With Your After-Care Program

One of the hardest things for anyone to do is admit they feel depressed. It’s easier to just stay in bed and not put any energy into getting better. Your recovery isn’t complete as soon as you leave the recovery center. An aftercare program ensures your success at staying sober, even after problems arise.

Some people who develop SAD benefit from certain types of antidepressants. Those patients with bipolar disorder can experience manic episodes that also require treatment. No one has the right knowledge of addiction and can help you more than the therapeutic team who has helped get you this far through your recovery.

Don’t Give in to Feelings of Isolation

A lot of the tips your rehab team gives you for rehab are difficult once you experience the symptoms of SAD. They demand that you take control and get into the thick of things. Allowing yourself to give in to feelings of isolation can cause cravings that, in turn, lead to relapse. Put yourself out there and spend time with the people that matter to you. The more activities you perform with people whose company you enjoy, the easier it is to ignore cravings. It doesn’t matter if it’s your bff, your kids, or other people in group therapy.

About 5% of all people in the U.S. population have seasonal depression. Of that number, 4 out of 5 are women. The percentage varies among different geographic regions. Initially, that doesn’t sound like a big number. Considering there are an estimated 328,953,020 adults in the country, that means about 16,447,651 will develop seasonal depression.

Diagnosis of SAD occurs after two episodes of depression at the same time of the year. Ask your doctor about treatment and also about any preventive measures you can take. If you’ve already experienced symptoms or signs of SAD in the past, you may be able to stop them from returning.

Other Reasons You’re Having Trouble Staying Sober

Rehab isn’t easy. The physical and emotional impact it has on your body and mind is the reason so many people relapse. The symptoms associated with addiction, side effects, and symptoms of SAD are intertwined. But as hard as it might be to get through the winter due to depression, there are many other reasons that people give for relapse.

– Fear of Missing Out

Regardless of the impact they’ve had on you, you’ve chosen your friends, the parties, and the lifestyle that goes with addiction. Many users worry that missing just one occasion will mean missing out on something life-changing. The reality is that it’s really just more of the same. The fear of missing out has led many alcoholics and drug abusers to never take that first step towards sobriety.

– You Can’t Distinguish Between Slowing Down and Stopping

Some people look for the happy medium between addiction and rehab. They believe they can continue their drug or alcohol use in moderation. It’s like being on a diet and finally giving in to a piece of chocolate cake. Except when it’s an addictive substance, there isn’t any getting back on track the next day. There isn’t a happy medium between using and sobriety. There’s only a choice between one and the other.

– The Idea of Sobriety Scares You

For some addicts, the idea of staying sober is terrifying. Thinking about no longer having a crutch when things go bad is more than they can accept. That’s one reason some recovering addicts will tell you they became and stayed sober one day at a time. Sometimes the idea that “I’m not going to have a drink today” is a lot easier to live with than, “I’m never going to drink again.”

– Facing Your Demons

Sometimes the reason that people start using addictive substances is to cover the pain they have inside. They may have mental issues that they can’t deal with. With sobriety comes the return of the demons that led to addiction in the first place. If you’re ready to face your demons, it’s time to find a recovery center that takes your physical and psychological health into consideration.

– Previous Relapses

Many people believe they will either become sober or they will fail. When they relapse, they consider it a failure. An estimated 70% to 90% have at least one minor slip-up, while about half return to heavy use. Often, returning to the same settings and friends where they used before serves as a ‘trigger’ for drug use. Relapse occurs most often during the first ninety days in recovery. A slip doesn’t mean you’re at the end of the road.

Underlying conditions, including depression and anxiety, also contribute to the person’s potential to relapse. But staying with the program and learning to deal with issues before a relapse occurs can lead to lifelong sobriety. After a year of not using, the odds of your staying sober become a lot better.

If you’ve already made a previous attempt at staying sober only to end up relapsing, it doesn’t mean it’s the end. Think about what you’ve accomplished during your recovery. More people experience at least a minor relapse than those who don’t. Gather information from your experience and learn how to keep it from happening again. Sobriety is worth it, no matter how many attempts it takes. Learn your triggers and what causes you to start craving drugs or alcohol again. Get help dealing with mental issues, including the symptoms of SAD.

What to Do If You Have Symptoms of Depression

Seasonal affective depression is a very real threat to anyone’s health and happiness. For anyone who is newly sober, it can also put you at a greater risk of relapse. As we’ve explained here, there are many reasons that people relapse. But there are also many types of depression in addition to SAD. Any person can develop depression at any stage of their life. They can also experience it during any season of the year.

We all feel a little down sometimes. But when you’re sad most of the time, it isn’t normal. Once feelings of sadness begin to interfere with your life, it’s time to seek treatment. Most importantly, you should never ignore symptoms of depression. Whether they are caused by cold weather or something else, they can put your sobriety and your life at risk when they get worse. If you aren’t sure where to go for help, talk to your medical doctor. They can either provide you with the appropriate treatment or give you a referral to a specialist who can help.

It doesn’t have to be your first attempt at staying sober. Getting sober is worth every effort you put into it. Contact Riverside Recovery Center to learn more. We offer drug addiction treatment you can depend on in Spokane, Washington. See why people often call us “Spokane’s best drug rehab center.”

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Effectiveness of Drug Rehab | Success Rates and Dropout Rates

Doubts about the effectiveness of drug rehab are one of the top reasons people give for not seeking treatment. Some have already tried and failed. Others have dropped out before completing their rehab program. But even when it takes another try at rehab, it doesn’t mean the first attempt wasn’t effective. If it takes more than one attempt to complete rehab and to live a life without addiction, the person still ends up accomplishing what they set out to do.

Effectiveness of Drug Rehab

The Measure of Success

The information offered on the effectiveness of drug rehab comes from two sources; the rehab centers that offer treatment and research studies from government and independent agencies. There is no real standard for measuring the effectiveness of drug rehab. The freedom to determine their own parameters makes it easier for rehab facilities to boast of high success rates.

Rehab centers sometimes base their success rate strictly on the number of participants who complete the program. Most don’t give dropout rates at all. They may not use post-treatment consultations to measure how many of their clients stay drug-free after completing their rehab program.

Some centers consider all of these factors and a lot more. They strive to keep their treatments up-to-date and implement the newest tools proven to help their clients. When choosing a rehab center, don’t assume that a 90% success rate means that this portion of clients went on to lead successful lives. Ask what their protocol for measuring success is. It’s nearly impossible for your treatment to be effective if you and the rehab center don’t have the same goals.

The statistics provided by research are also misleading. Yes, there are more overdose deaths today than ever before. But the problem isn’t that drug rehab isn’t effective. It’s that a large number of the people who need treatment don’t get it.

The threat of addiction and overdose comes from a variety of prescription and illicit drugs. The added threat from drugs bought off the street is that there’s no guarantee of what is in them. Drug dealers are cutting drugs with more potent ingredients to reduce their costs. Many people who overdose never realize that they took a lethal drug.

Considering the potential risks that accompany addiction, people should still consider their rehab effective when they have to repeat it. Even if it takes a little longer and a lot more effort, overcoming addiction is worth it in comparison to the alternative.

Old and New Drugs Presenting Challenges

Some of the same addictive drugs used today have been around for decades. As early as 1902, an estimated 200,000 Americans were addicted to cocaine. Cocaine use peaked in 1982 with 10.4 million users. In 1998, that number dropped to 3.8 million while South American drug organizations expanded from the cocaine market into heroin. Crack, the free-base form of cocaine, started appearing in major cities around 1985. The drug was more affordable to working-class users, contributing to its rise in popularity between 1986 and 1988.

Injectable morphine gained recognition as a pain reliever during the Civil War, leading to the first wave of addiction during the mid-1800’s. Records show that people began injecting amphetamines in the 1950s, a practice which rose to widespread use by the 1960s.

LSD was accidentally discovered in 1943 by Swiss chemist, Dr. Albert Hofmann, who worked for a laboratory. During the 1950s, the military researched the drug as a potential truth serum. Immediately after the military dropped LSD in lieu of other drugs, its nontherapeutic use took off. Use dropped off in the 1970s and 1980s, only to resurge in popularity during the 1990s. The LSD made today is produced primarily in clandestine labs in Northern California at a potency that is nearly 90% weaker than that used during its peak.

Perhaps marijuana has the most interesting history of all. The plant was used as a medical drug between 1850 and 1937. Recreational use was limited until 1910, sparking debates as to whether the drug was addictive, dangerous, and led the way to more serious drug use. Now that medical marijuana is legal in 30 states and recreational marijuana is legal in 9 states, the debate still continues. The facts are that an estimated 30% of marijuana users do have a substance use disorder. Many have used it every day for several years and have failed when they tried to quit it.

People who start using marijuana at a younger age have a harder time quitting it. Over half of all illicit drug users begin with marijuana. The effectiveness of drug rehab for marijuana users depends on the individual program. Those that combine medications with behavioral therapies have shown the greatest promise.

New synthetic drugs continue to enter the scene, bringing higher risks of overdose. Many are easier to get than some of the older drugs, making the risk to our youth even greater. Even as the opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions, all of the drugs listed above continue to contribute to the addiction problem in this country. In every single case, treatment in a qualified rehab facility is the only effective way to stop using these drugs. It’s also the safest way to overcome addiction.

What the Statistics Say

The goal of drug rehab is much more complex than getting the drug out of the user’s system. It’s about getting to the root of their addiction and what led them to use the substance in the first place. Effective treatment lets them get back to a fulfilling life as a functional member of their family, workplace, and society. For treatment to be effective, it has to extend to their personal, spiritual, physical, and mental well-being. Addiction impacts every area of the person’s life. Treatment has to do the same.

Once a person is addicted, using their drug of choice becomes the most important thing in their world. Their relationships fail, they can no longer perform at their job, and many turn to crime to get their drugs. Like other chronic diseases, addiction has a physical hold over the affected person. It causes changes in the chemistry of their brain. With repeated use, many users develop a tolerance to the drug. They need higher dosages to achieve the same good feelings. Cravings for the drug override everything else that ever mattered to them.

When a person relapses after treatment, they think it wasn’t effective. But that isn’t really true. When a diabetic treats their illness with insulin and keeps their glucose levels under control, they aren’t cured. They’re managing their disease. If they slip up and eat something they weren’t supposed to, it doesn’t cancel out the months or years of effectively managing their disease. The same is true for drug addiction rehab. Relapse doesn’t send you back to the beginning.

At first glance, some of the numbers are startling. We have more people dying from overdoses than ever before. But we also have more deadly drugs on the market, including things like fentanyl and carfentanil, the latter of which many people don’t even realize they’re getting.

– 1.4% of opioid deaths occur in an emergency room, leading professionals to think medical intervention works well at stopping overdoses and death.

– The drug responsible for the most deaths in 2017 was fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, resulting in almost 30,000 overdose deaths.

– Over 72,000 people died in the US in 2017 from drug overdoses. Of that number, 14,556 were from cocaine, 15,958 were from heroin, and 19,354 were from opioid pain relievers.

Even if rehab treatment was only 30% effective, if everyone who needed treatment got it, look at the impact it would have on this country’s problem with drug addiction. When a rehab facility uses a variety of treatment methods and a follow-up program, the success rates are a lot higher. That means getting more people into a good treatment program could save thousands of lives each year!

Every individual is different and so is their addiction. The rehab facility needs to perform an evaluation of the individual to determine the best combination of treatment types for them. Treatment doesn’t end once they leave the rehab center. Post-treatment counseling is one of the most significant factors in preventing relapse.

Stopping the Dropout Rates

Another way to make drug rehab more effective is by reducing dropout rates. Some common reasons people dropout include:

– They think they’re already better and don’t need further treatment.

– They feel out of place. Sharing their feelings with others and being away from their friends and family just makes some people uncomfortable and anxious. However, inpatient rehab has proven more effective than outpatient. For some people, getting away from the situations where they abused drugs in the first place helps them.

– They don’t think the treatment is right for them. Maybe they don’t believe that 12-step meetings work, or they’re uncomfortable talking to people in a group.

– They decide they don’t want to quit. They may feel they made the decision to go into treatment too hastily, and they leave.

– They miss their old life. It’s hard to stay away from friends and family for an extended period. Rehab centers that offer family counseling make it easier on the client and their family. It helps everyone learn what to do to prevent relapse once their loved one is back home.

– They don’t think they have enough to do. If they normally have a lot going on at any one time, staying in a tranquil setting where there are limited activities might seem boring. They drop out of the program because they want to get back to their regular activities.

– It’s too scary. Most people don’t really like change and the whole point of drug rehab is to change their life. While treatment is still in their future, they might feel optimistic. Once it becomes a reality, it can become really frightening.

The effectiveness of drug rehab depends on a number of factors. One is whether or not the facility does an evaluation of the person before they enter treatment. Every person needs treatment that is right for them. That means factoring in the substance or substances they are addicted to and the types of therapy that address their lifestyles.

It’s easy for people with addiction to feel guilty and undeserving. They deserve to be treated with compassion and understanding. If they aren’t, the effectiveness of drug rehab is a lot less likely. Society, in general, looks at drug addiction differently than they did in the past. We know that addiction is an illness and it requires medical treatment.

Treatment needs to be all-inclusive. Family members and friends often don’t know how to handle their loved one’s addiction. Even after treatment, knowing the right things to say and do is difficult. A rehab program that includes family members and friends accomplishes two things. It gives the individual the support they need. It also prepares the people in their life to help continue the rehabilitation long after the individual comes home from treatment.

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Finding the Right Drug Rehab Center

Whether you are considering drug rehab for yourself or as an intervention for a loved one, choosing the right facility matters. Choosing the wrong facility could result in failing to complete the program. You want to increase your chances of success. One thing to look at in a rehab center is whether they offer medically managed substance abuse treatment. Medications have a positive impact on various types of treatment and help prevent relapse once treatment is completed.

Another thing to consider is whether the facility offers a diversity of treatment types. The more options they offer, the more individualized your treatment plan will be. Treating the physical side of addiction isn’t enough. Without addressing the mental issues, the details that led to addiction in the first place are still there.

People with addiction need quality care in a relaxing, positive environment. They need to learn coping strategies to control their cravings and deal with the influencers in their lives. Finally, they need a treatment program that includes aftercare.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the programs they offer and what they do differently. All of these factors contribute to the effectiveness of drug rehab. Start your program with the confidence that you will get better and take back control of your life.

If you or a loved one is suffering from drug addiction, contact Riverside Recovery Center to learn more about drug addiction treatment you can depend on. We work with our clients, their families, and their friends to put their lives back together. We are often referred to as Spokane’s “Best Drug Rehab Center.” We offer treatments for a broad range of addictions and fit the treatment to every individual’s needs.