September is National Reconstruction Month

Most of us know people with substance use disorders. Many of us know people who have lost friends and family. It is a disease that affects people of all ages and all walks of life.

Substance use disorder, a disease also known as addiction, is defined as: Diseases that affect a person’s brain and behavior and cause them to lose control of legal or illegal drug or drug use. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are also considered drugs. When you are addicted, you may continue to use the drug, despite the harm it causes.

Symptoms of some substance abuse disorders / addictions are:

• Experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to take or stop taking the drug
• Spend money on medicine, even when you can’t afford it
• Use medications even if you know they are causing problems in your relationships and physical health
• A thirst for a drug that is literally unthinkable
• Steal drugs
• If you try to stop using it, it will fail
• I feel the need to take the drug on a regular basis, daily or even multiple times a day
• Over time, take large doses of medication to get the same sensations and effects
• Make sure you always have a drug supply
• Dispel work responsibilities and reduce social activity due to substance use

September is National Reconstruction Month, which has been held annually since 1989. Throughout September and the year, Reconstruction Month will spread the following message:

• Behavioral health is essential to good health.
• Prevention works.
• The treatment is effective.
• People will recover.

2021 National Reconstruction Month Theme “Recovery is for everyone: everyone, every family, every communityReminds those who are recovering and those who support them that recovery belongs to all of us.

We all end gatekeeping, lower barriers to recovery assistance, create comprehensive spaces and programs, and broaden our understanding of what recovery means for people with different experiences. Is urged to welcome everyone to recovery.

Mental health and substance use disorders affect people of all ethnicities, ages, genders, geographic regions, and socio-economic levels. They need to know that help is available. These individuals can improve physically and mentally with the support of a welcoming community.

heard Courtney Hayes, Arcadia Trails Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager II, Some questions about addiction, more specifically her role as a caregiver. Haze, whose sober date is January 22, 2016, has a unique qualification to understand what it takes to drink, addict, and seek help.

Her duties include admission, liaison between the sober community and the Arcadia Trail, group promotion, and aftercare planning. Courtney has 6 years of experience in case management and addiction treatment.Before joining Arcadia Trail, She was the case manager and court liaison officer of the Oklahoma County Drug and Drunk Driving Court. She is passionate about advocating for patients, removing the stigma of addiction, and helping patients return to the community smoothly.

What is the most difficult part of becoming a caregiver?

For me, the hardest part of becoming a caregiver is a close and personal look at the devastation that addiction has on individuals, their families, and their communities. That can be painful.

On the other hand, the best thing is to witness the healing that comes from a sustained recovery. A former patient may call you after years of separation, saying that you are in contact with your children or that you are repairing a relationship with a estranged family member. It’s a chicken noodle soup for the soul.

What is your relationship with your loved one?

I consider myself to help patients. I wear a lot of hats on the Arcadia Trail. Often, I am the first person to interact with future patients and their families when they are seeking help. I have been involved in patient care from the first call to one year after discharge.

My responsibilities include screening and admission, group facilitation, collaboration and referrals, discharge planning, and follow-up. I am deeply grateful and understanding of the patient’s experience. I used to be in their position. I am familiar with the hard work and commitment needed to initiate and sustain a recovery. Every day I strive to be a role model for the recovery of the patients I serve.

How do you make sure you care about your mental health?

This is a very important question. Often, recovering people believe that being employed in the area of ​​addiction helps them maintain their drinking. In many cases this is not the case. Working for mental health and substance abuse means I have to work harder for my own recovery. In order for me to maintain my recovery, I find it helpful to always surround myself with friends who are also working on recovery.

I think we often underestimate the importance of having an honest and vulnerable relationship with those who care for us and want the best for us. I attend a weekly recovery meeting to remember the beginning of recovery. It keeps me humble and is firmly planted in my recovery. There are also recovery sponsors. Sponsors are like mentors. This person guides me and makes me responsible. Finally, I have an intimate relationship with my Higher Power, which helps me stay calm and healthy.

How do you make sure you are attentive to your physical health?

Our mental and physical health is more intertwined than most people understand. If you do not manage your physical health, your mental health will also deteriorate. I emphasize the link between physical and mental health in patient rehabilitation groups.

Nutrition is the best for me. A well-balanced diet will help you feel better all day long and develop your self-esteem. Sleep is another priority for me. Through a TED talk by a neuroscientist named Matthew Walker, I learned that sleep is your superpower. “Lost sleep will leak to every corner of your physiology,” he said. It really influenced me. I try to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Finally, exercise is very important to me. It’s as easy as taking a walk with a colleague during lunch break. It gives me the opportunity to get out and connect with nature, and sunlight gives me a vitamin D boost.

The Arcadia Trail focuses on caring for the mind, body and spirit by using multiple modality in settings designed for programming and healing. The Arcadia Trail team is ready to help you take the first step towards recovery. For those who suffer from substance use disorders, it is important to know that:

you are not alone. Countless people stand at exactly the same turning point. In addition, many have recovered.

There is a loophole and we can show you – because many of us were there ourselves.

This is not your fault. Addiction is a disease.

And when you’re willing to go any length, almost anything is possible.

To begin the enrollment process, call 405.216.2500 or toll-free 844.817.6685. For general information on the Arcadia Trail, call 405.216.256 or visit the following website: arcadiatrails.com..