Functional Alcoholics Never Hit ‘Rock Bottom’
• Tips for Managing Work From Home Stress •
Wellness, Self Care, Anxiety Relief and Relapse Prevention
In This Article:
Functional Alcoholics and Functional Addicts
Those who are High Functioning Alcoholics (or engaging in functional substance abuse) are masters of deception. Friends, co-workers and extended family may see ‘just an average person’.
But in private, addictive behavior patterns are fully active.
Increased alcohol consumption is known to increase depression.
What is a Functional Alcoholic (or Functional Addict)?
Traditionally we talk about high functioning (or functional) alcoholics or addicts that live in denial of their alcohol or substance abuse.
High functioning alcoholics and addicts do not fit the stereotype of a ‘down and out drunk’ or drug addict. They are able to go to work every day. But even when not immediately obvious – the physical and mental effects of consuming daily amounts of alcohol or drugs are damaging.
“Alcohol has diverse adverse effects throughout the body, including on all cells of the immune system, that lead to increased risk of serious infections,” according to Yale Medicine addiction medicine specialist, Dr. E. Jennifer Edelman.
Also see Coronavirus COVID-19 Alcohol Effects
Increased alcohol consumption also negatively impacts the immune system; and makes it harder for the immune system to gear up and defend the body.
COVID-19 Work From Home Functional Alcoholics
The COVID-19 change to work from home (and ‘sheltering in place‘) has put all individuals and families in a situation of ongoing stress.
A 55% spike in alcoholic sales was reported in the third week of March, when panicked shoppers began hoarding alcoholic and other necessities, MarketWatch.com reports.
“Spirits like tequila, gin and pre-mixed cocktails led the way, with sales jumping 75% compared to the same period last year. Wine sales were up 66% while beer sales rose 42%. And online sales far outpaced in-store sales,” Marketwatch said.
Alcohol Sales Increase in 2020
• A spike in alcohol sales has alarmed health experts.
• Nielsen research reports that alcohol sales in stores were up 54% in late March.
• By late April of this year, online alcohol sales were up nearly 500% over last year.
• Increased drinking can make people even more vulnerable to respiratory diseases.
• Those with medical conditions known to be risk factors for COVID-19 should drink even less.
Increased alcohol consumption is known to increase depression.
Call Admissions 866-303-6275 for confidential questions and assistance.
Same Day Detox Admissions · Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
Residential Rehabs | Outpatient Rehabs | Mental Health Care | Virtual IOP
We work with EAP and Union Programs and most insurance.
TriWest in-network; VA Community Care Provider
How Much is Too Much Alcohol?
Looking at Drinking Patterns
• NIAAA defines heavy alcohol use as more than 4 drinks on any day for men or more than 3 drinks for women.
• NIAAA defines binge drinking as consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours.
Drinking excessively, which includes binge drinking and heavy alcohol use, increases your risk of harmful consequences, including AUD (alcohol use disorder). The more drinks on any day and the more heavy drinking over time, the greater the risk. From How Much is Too Much
Warning Signs of Addiction
• Occasional Alcohol or Substance Abuse to Relieve Stress
At the office, drinking or drugging at your desk was not well accepted. At home – there is little to no peer pressure for sobriety.
• Increased Alcohol or Substance Abuse as a Stress Coping Mechanism
Mid-day Margaritas may sound ‘romantic’ – but the reality is not like the happy song.
• Consequences Of Problem Drinking or Substance Abuse
Legal problems or DUI; increased isolation and relationship problems; brain fog; depression and anxiety.
• Noticeable Physical And Psychological Changes
Shaking hands in the morning; frequent heartburn; withdrawal symptoms when not using.
Call Admissions 866-303-6275 for confidential questions and assistance.
Same Day Detox Admissions · Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
Residential Rehabs | Outpatient Rehabs | Mental Health Care | Virtual IOP
We work with EAP and Union Programs and most insurance.
TriWest in-network; VA Community Care Provider
Wellness, Self Care, Anxiety Relief and Relapse Prevention
Especially for those in addiction recovery, coping skills in relapse prevention and anxiety relief activities are essential. To deal positively with this very challenging and ongoing situation, make Stress Relief activities – and Wellness and Self-Care – a priority.
▪ LIMIT Reading or Watching News
▪ Stop ‘doom scrolling’
▪ Structure Your Day
▪ Morning Journal
▪ Listen to Healing Music
Meditation and Mindfulness
▪ Stay Emotionally Connected
▪ Nutrition – Eat Healthy Meals
▪ Develop Sleep Hygiene
▪ MOVE – Yoga, Tai Chi, Walking
Mindfulness Meditation Stress Relief
View or Download the pdf, New Start Recovery Solutions – Mindfulness Meditation Benefits
Mindfulness Meditation Benefits
▪ Enhances Immune System
▪ Increases Blood Flow
▪ Provides Calm and Inner Peace
▪ Reduces Stress, Depression & Anxiety
▪ Increases Energy
▪ Creates a Space Between Thoughts
▪ Helps Identify Habitual Behaviors
▪ Develops Compassion: Self & Others
▪ Helps Reduce Habitual Reactions
▪ Experience of Personal Spirituality
Mindfulness Addiction Recovery
At New Start Recovery Solutions, Mindfulness instruction is an essential part of our dual diagnosis addiction treatment.
Mindfulness provides skills and practices to loosen our identification with thoughts. This helps individuals to recognize that the content of a thought (and the resulting habitual emotions and triggers) are not absolute “truth.” By creating a space between emotional triggers and habitual reactions – individuals can create a permanent cognitive re-structuring away from self destructive and habitual addictive behaviors.
The Result?
Calmness, inner peace; and increasing compassion for self and others.
Many who practice mindfulness meditation experience a gradual and natural increase in gratitude. Another benefit of mindfulness meditation is personal growth and a deepening experience of personal spirituality.
Mindfulness is an essential skill for addiction recovery and relapse prevention at New Start Recovery Solutions.
Mindfulness Guided Meditation Script
Findings from studies suggest that over the course of meditating – long-term practitioners of meditation actually altered the structure and function of their brains, ‘Neuroplasticity and Meditation’.
Below, some instructions to get started in the practice of mindfulness.
If you are feeling overwhelming stress or pressure – do the following:
- Stop what you are doing. If you need to excuse yourself and walk away to another room or outside – do it.
- Breathe deeply and hold the breath as long as you can. ‘Watch’ your breath. That is: concentrate on breathing as if this is your only activity in the world. And for now, it is.
- Slowly release the breathe. Breathe in slowly and again hold the breath.
- Repeat concentration on slow breathing for 1-2 minutes.
- When it feels comfortable – listen. Just…listen. If you are outside, hear the wind moving in the trees. Notice birdsong or even car noise. Just listen to sounds in your surroundings without making a good/bad judgement.
- The combination of centering by concentrating on the breath and listening to surroundings without involvement – will bring you back to your ‘center’.
- Our center is the place where we can just ‘be’ for a few moments, without any judgement. This is who we really are.
- Centering works to ‘break’ the connection with physical and emotional stress. It returns us to a place of inner peace.
- If an unsettled state of mind cannot be brought back into perspective through this mindfulness exercise – mindfully walk or do something else for a few minutes.
- Repeat Steps 2-5. Inner balance and calm are critical factors to implement during times of severe stress.
Increased alcohol consumption is known to increase depression.
Call Admissions 866-303-6275 for confidential questions and assistance.
Same Day Detox Admissions · Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
Residential Rehabs | Outpatient Rehabs | Mental Health Care | Virtual IOP
We work with EAP and Union Programs and most insurance.
TriWest in-network; VA Community Care Provider
Alcohol Rehab Treatment- Getting Started
Medical Detox at New Start Recovery Solutions
Don’t let the fear of alcohol withdrawal keep you trapped! Break the cycle of addiction through safe medical detox.
The compassionate staff at New Start Recovery Solutions will help you to regain control of your life with access to safe and medically monitored detox.
Our fully staffed medical detox facility provides a safe and comfortable environment to go through the process of substance withdrawal. This allows our patients to focus solely on healing. It gives our patients the peace of mind and confidence needed to face addiction head-on.
Whether you have been addicted for several days or many years – a safe, comfortable detox is the essential beginning to recovery!
Patients stay at our facility for the duration of the detox process. After detox, individuals can immediately enter our residential treatment program.
For opioid addiction treatment – we use M.A.T. Medication-Assisted Treatment.
With M.A.T. – there are no painful opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Each patient receives a complete assessment and individualized treatment program.
Call Admissions 866-303-6275 for confidential questions and assistance.
Same Day Detox Admissions · Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
Residential Rehabs | Outpatient Rehabs | Mental Health Care | Virtual IOP
We work with EAP and Union Programs and most insurance.
TriWest in-network; VA Community Care Provider
After Detox – Bay Area Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
New Start Recovery Solutions provides affordable dual diagnosis holistic addiction recovery.
We have evidence-based integrated substance abuse treatment for dual diagnosis in Northern California; including the Bay Area, East Bay, Silicon Valley and Bangor.
Individuals rarely want to take the time needed for residential rehab and addiction recovery. It is easy to use the career and home as a reason to avoid getting help. However, the best chance for recovery is a permanent change in habitual behaviors. Time, education and therapy are required to make permanent behavioral changes.
Dual Diagnosis or Co-occurring Disorders is a term for people who have both a mental health issue (such as PTSD, depression, trauma, anxiety) and an addiction problem (substance use disorder, or SUD).
If you think you may be suffering from a substance use disorder – as well as PTSD, depression, anxiety, trauma or other mental illness (dual diagnosis) – please know that seeking help is the first step to addiction recovery and regaining control of your life.
Many functional alcoholics and high functioning addicts (HFA) also experience depression and/or anxiety. For a lasting resolution of underlying mental health issues, integrated substance abuse treatment is needed.
Bottom Line:
The eventual outcome of an escalating addiction will take a lot longer to sort out than taking a few weeks off for rehab.
We Can Help!
Call Admissions 866-303-6275 for confidential questions and assistance.
Same Day Detox Admissions · Dual Diagnosis Rehab Treatment
Residential Rehabs | Outpatient Rehabs | Mental Health Care | Virtual IOP
We work with EAP and Union Programs and most insurance.
TriWest in-network; VA Community Care Provider
New Start Recovery Solutions | Recovery Happens Counseling Services
Confidential Consultations, Questions or Admissions
Call 866-303-6275
We are dedicated to helping those in need.
We Work with EAP and Union Programs and Accept Most Insurance
Kaiser Preferred Provider
VA Community Care Provider In-Network with TriWest
We also work out of network with most PPO insurance.
Please Note: We cannot accept Medicare, Medicaid or Medi-Cal.
Veteran Programs
We Work With:
∙ Union and EAP Programs
∙ VA Community Care Provider
∙ In-network with TriWest
• Each patient is evaluated by New Start Recovery Solutions staff and receives a biopsychosocial assessment; and an individualized treatment plan.
• We use Mindfulness for Relapse Prevention and other whole person evidence-based therapies.
• Our holistic therapies include CBT, DBT, Brainspotting, Conscious Recovery, yoga and more.
• If you or your loved one is located in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Bay Area, San Rafael, Monterey, Sacramento, Chico, Paradise, Redding, Martinez or other Northern California area – and are dealing with a drug abuse or an alcohol use disorder – welcome to evidence-based whole person addiction treatment at New Start Recovery Solutions.
• New Start Recovery Solutions is a VA Community Care Provider; in-network with TriWest.
• Our trauma-informed dual diagnosis treatment is effective for PTSD, depression, anxiety and more.
• Military and Veteran PTSD Treatment Programs – Residential and Outpatient.
• Treatment Programs for First Responders, Union Members and Professionals.
Please call our Admissions at 866-303-6275 for more information.
Or feel welcome to Contact Us.
We Accept Most Insurance
Your Life Awaits – Make a New Start Now
New Start Recovery Solutions
Questions? Call Admissions at 866-303-6275
Photo Copyright: Sam Wordley
Photo Copyright: Viktor Gladkov
Photo Copyright: Ruslan Galiullin
Alcohol Rehab Treatment Bay Area