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What is IOP and How Can It Help?

February 15, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

Group, Therapy, IOP, Healing, Journey, Recovery, Addiction
Group IOP

IOP stands for “Intensive Outpatient Treatment”. During the duration of an IOP program, individuals attend group therapies and individual counseling above and beyond the traditional cadence of classic once a week therapy. The primary focus of this service is to encourage people to actively practice implementing a host of skills in a supportive, didactic environment.

People enter an IOP program when overcoming substance abuse or have already overcome major hurdles and need help adjusting to life without that substance. The program lasts 12 weeks and sessions are generally 3 hours long, 3-4 days a week for optimal results. People that deeply involve themselves in the program gain the greatest benefit. Sharing personal stories, triggers, and conflict resolutions allow not only the person sharing to heal and grow but also the people around them to do the same.

IOPs are usually covered by insurance. Families and loved ones are encouraged to be a part of the program to generate support and motivation. Highly trained providers work closely with IOP participants in the groups and in the individualized private sessions to ensure that their healing is as beneficial and long lasting as possible. 

In 2014, approximately 21.5 million Americans struggled with addiction, as published by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This makes addiction one of the most common diseases for people in the United States. IOP programs have been helping people create long-lasting habits and safety nets that prevent them from relapsing back into the crippling arms of substance abuse. We would like to take the time to show gratitude and appreciation for not only the providers and doctors that help clients through their program but also the people who have recovered and are now living rich and fulfilling lives.

 

If you would like to learn more about IOP please click the LINK.

Filed Under: Addiction, Featured, General, Group, Mindfulness, Therapy

AA and The 12 Step Program

February 5, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

AA, Abuse, Drug, Alcohol, Group, Anonymous, Therapy, alcoholics
AA Group

 

The first 12 step program was created by the founders of “Alcoholics Anonymous,” AA for short. It was incepted in 1935 by Bill Wilson, a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob Smith, an Akron surgeon. They started as hopeless alcoholics in a mostly nonalcoholic fellowship that emphasized universal spiritual values in daily living. They successfully were able to become sober through surrendering themselves to a higher power and then by helping other alcoholics.

Their program was so successful for treating alcohol dependency that it was implemented with the treatment of abused substances thus creating “Narcotics Annonymous.” The 12 steps were founded around spirituality, but many nonreligious people have benefited immensely from their practice. Recovery is a process that takes time and effort to get through but by following the 12 steps a tremendous amount of people have finally been able to break the chains of substance abuse.

Here are the individual steps listed 1-12.

1). We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.
2). Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3). Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4). Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5). Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6). Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
7). Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings
8). Made a list of persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9). Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10). Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11). Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12). Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

As you can see, there is a heavy emphasis on religion as a driving factor for recovery in the program. Some people have reported that instead of using God as their higher power they employ the idea of their loved ones or their future self in place of God. The two most important steps reported by successful program members are; admitting you have a problem you cannot solve and being vocal with your group about your struggles. Both of these have the same psychological effect in the way that when you admit you have a problem you then allow yourself to be open to healing in the form of suggestion and personal growth. Overall the AA programs of today report a 36% success rate for recovery.

 

If you are more interested in how Alcoholics Anonymous was created and how it helps people click HERE!

Filed Under: Addiction, Featured, General, Group, Therapy, Uncategorized

Habits For 2019 To Develop

January 31, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

Exercise, Habits, Habit, Develop, Clinic, Sage, Brain.
Exercise

2019 is finally here and we would like to share some habits we think would help you to triumphantly get through this year. It is time to get to be where you always dreamed you could be but have maybe strayed from the path. In times of great difficulty, you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your training. The more training you have the more opportunity you will achieve. Luck is a series of two things coming into fruition at one time, opportunity and preparation. These habits will prepare you for the opportunities that will appear in this New Year.

Say yes more often than saying no. Saying yes to something you previously would have been uninclined to do will move you out of your comfort zone and into new territory. In this landscape, we learn so much more about ourselves and how our insecurities hold us back from the life we were destined to live. The more frequently we can be out of our element the more we will grow. Say yes to asking out your crush, taking on more than your share at work, getting up earlier to go to the gym. We are all so much more capable than we think.

Make your bed in the morning. By performing this simple task you start the day off by having a win. You performed a task that you did not think to be important or having much merit, but in contrast, you have actually trained yourself to go the extra mile. This behavior also gives you ownership over the situation you have created and take pride in rectifying them. The U.S military makes their boot camp soldiers make their bed every morning and is where this philosophy has been developed from.

Take ownership of your problems in life. When you own the problem you also own the win you get from the solution. Playing the victim of your life will not develop any form of success, only hardship, and sorrow. Take some time out of your day whether that be in the shower or in the car on the way to work and state, out loud, 5 things you are thankful for. We all get caught up in the problems that affect us each day and somehow forget the things we have that are positive in our life. Hate your boss? Be happy for your home, your family, or any other sort of benefit you have. No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, just remember how good you actually have it.

A powerful perspective and growth fueled mindset will propel you farther into a more well-developed character than carrying on in the mundane trenches of fear.

Need more motivation? Check the LINK here.

Filed Under: Featured, General, Mindfulness, Therapy

The History and Roles of Vitamins

January 24, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

Vitamin, Nutrition, Clinic, Behavior, Brain,Vitamins
Vitamins

Your brain is so vastly complex that is hypothesized to be able to store 100 terabytes of information, that is 100,000 gigabytes! The average computer can only hold 500 gigabytes of storage. When it comes to being able to recall all of this information it is vital for you to have the appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals for healthy development of this massive hard drive. Vitamins were discovered around the late 1800s and popularized in the 1920s by Casimir Funk and originally called “vitamine” before vitamin.

The reason that vitamins benefited humans so radically is due to most humans on Earth not getting the enough essential; vitamin C, B12, D, along with many others. It has been shown that a lack of B12 in the body can cause the early onset of Alzheimer’s, a debilitating disease that strips you of your memory and currently has no cure. The mechanism of action behind this correlation is that B12 has been shown to decrease levels of homocysteine which is one of the main factors for the loss of memory. Most people get their daily allotment from various forms of fish, poultry, and meat products. This can be a problem if you are a vegetarian or live in a lower economic country that does not have access to higher quality meals.

Arguably one of the most important vitamins has to be Vitamin C. Vitamin C is peculiar in the way that the body does not store it, it only comes from foods that we consume. It is vital for maintaining the production of neurotransmitters, tendons, ligaments, skin, and helps to metabolize proteins. When someone is at a high level of Vitamin C deficiency they are very susceptible to the condition called scurvy. Someone that has this ailment would exhibit signs of swollen bleeding gums, the opening of healed wounds, and can be fatal if left unchecked. Scurvy primarily affected sailors due to their lack of being able to consume meats on their long voyages. Most one a day vitamins contain enough Vitamin C to be able to combat these issues.

We have a tremendous amount of gratitude that we owe to Casimir Funk and his team of scientists that made vitamins an easy to consume product. Without his hard work the number of malnourished people would be dramatically higher and along with that an increase in mortality rate.

 

Interested in Casimir Funk still? Here is a link with more INFO.

Filed Under: Addiction, Featured, General, Medication Management, Therapy

Mindfulness And How It Empowers You

January 21, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

mindfulness, treatment, behavior, thought,
Mindfulness

 

The dichotomy of life is that in order for there to be light, there must be dark. It is vital to understand that if everything were to be great all of the time then the appreciation for it would dissipate entirely. When darkness is around us we will always have one thing to keep us affixed to help us with struggling through the journey, hope. The practice of mindfulness shows you that there are a tremendous amount of things in your life that are going well, this will help you to center your current perspective.

Starting your journey to living a mindful life will be arguably the hardest part. Shifting your train of thought from only seeing the negative to positive can be achieved in various matters. One is meditation, this will help you identify with your problems in a more objective sense. When ideas enter your mind pretend like you are observing clouds moving in and then out of your mind. Recognize they are there but just let them pass through and out making way for others to enter and pass. Meditating can be performed adequately with only 5-10 minutes and you will be surprised how many thoughts you actually have in that time span.

Intimately knowing the cause of your emotions is important for you to deeply understand on your journey to mindfulness. Anxiety is the response of being too caught up in future events, depression is caused by being too worried about past events. When you are at peace, you have achieved clarity of being in the moment. It is important for us to learn from our previous mistakes and have some ideas of goal planning for the future but it is vital for our mental health to appreciate what we have going for us now. When moving into this state of mind look at your surroundings; see the trees for all their beauty, feel the clothes on your body, and focus more of your vision out of your primary focal point and into your peripheral vision. This state of being pulls anxiety out of your life and centers you in your current situation.

Mindfulness can be one of the greatest tools we have in our toolbox, but it is important to keep it sharpened for those challenging times. Over time you will see a dramatic shift in your perspective as well as prosperity in your life. This is not a superpower but you will feel like you have one after you are done though.

 

Having a hard time with mindfulness? Check out the link for some extra tips.

Filed Under: Featured, General, Mindfulness, Therapy

Your New Years Resolution Goals

January 17, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

Psychology, Goals, Clinic, Brain, Depression,
Dreams

 

We’ve all been there before, its the third day of your New Year’s resolution and heading to the gym doesn’t sound as appealing as continuing your 2nd week of binge-watching The Office. The psychology behind this is simple, something you have established as a habit has a tremendously higher pull than the new activity you wish to pursue. It is proven that new habits take anywhere between two-three weeks to develop. This is where discipline and mental toughness will be your best partners throughout this trifling journey.

Fewer than 10% of all people that set their resolution follow through for more than a month. One of the most crucial things that you can establish when it comes to sticking with your difficult life change is determining what your goal is. Whether that be losing weight, being more positive, or finally growing into the person you are destined to become. You need to also have an answer set in your mind that is there to confront your internal dialogue when the going gets tough. When your alarm goes off and hitting that snooze button for the 3rd time seems like it’s not that big of a deal, you are wrong. A precedence for the day has been set; you are willing to tap out before the going even begins to get tough. You need to have an answer ready and at attention to go to battle with the snooze button so you can get up and get moving.

A justification for your lack of execution on your resolution will derail you from your goals faster than anything. Saying things like “I’ll work out harder tomorrow to make up for this cake today” is the echo of your previous self pulling you back into your old habits. Put yourself out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and check in on those platforms to let people know how you are doing. Making yourself accountable for your actions can help keep you affixed to them because now it’s not just you who will see if you stray from your journey. Make sure to keep that momentum going though. It is one of the most powerful things you could ever have behind you driving you forward.

Sometimes we all need a little help with our resolutions and imagine how far you will be along when a whole year comes to a close. Would you rather be crushing your goals or still on that couch looking for the next T.V show on Netflix?

 

Having trouble finding motivation? Click the link HERE to get fired up!

Filed Under: Featured, General, Mindfulness, Therapy

History Of Behavioral Health Treatment

January 10, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

Behavioral, Group, Study, health, Addiction, Therapy, Depressed
Behavioral Health Study Group

 

Humans have come a long way in many aspects of our medical and cultural education over the years. Behavioral health treatment initially was treated with much more barbaric and unethical tactics than those that are being performed today. We have all heard the horror stories of people being condemned to asylums to become the victims of electroshock therapy, freezing water baths, and in some severe cases being the subject of lobotomy procedures. Thankfully we have had people throughout history like the author Nellie Bly who posed as a patient of Blackwell’s Asylum to document the living conditions and treatments of those poor people. Her brave contributions brought these heinous crimes to light in the eyes of the public.

Behavioral health therapy has never had more success in its entire history than it has in the 21st century. The therapists, providers, and doctors that are now treating people afflicted with these issues now have tremendous amounts of helpful data to aid in their work. One of the most beneficial things to come out of behavioral health studies was the creation of SSRI medications. SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and is a class of drugs that typically are used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. The first models of these drugs dated back to the 1950s but did not see the acclaimed use that they have now until the early to mid-1980s. The current models of these drugs have undergone much change since its inception and have helped 100s of millions of people globally.

New cutting-edge technologies are always being developed by scientists to further help patients navigate the arduous journey that their recovery might entail. One of the newest creations in this field is the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation device or for short, TMS. This is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to help improve behavioral health symptoms. With relatively no risk and minimal side effects, this new tech is showing tremendously positive results among its users. This modality is so new in fact that the FDA approved it for use in 2008 showing just how committed these physicians are at advancing the quality of treatment that people are receiving.

We all owe a lot to the brave men and women who changed the course of action in the way we treat the most important organ in our body, the brain. without these advancements and current developments, who knows exactly how these behavioral health issues would be treated in the 21st century. The field is ever expanding and holds much positive direction heading into the future.

 

If you are curious about Nellie Bly’s findings you can find them by clicking this link: Nellie Bly

 

Filed Under: Addiction, Featured, General, Therapy, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Tips For Dealing With Anxiety

January 7, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

anxiety, depression, sad, troubled, stress, help
Anxiety

 

Here at Sage Neuroscience, we believe that the first steps in achieving happiness begin with establishing patterns of behavior that aid you in successfully dealing with anxiety. The crippling abyss that anxiety can provoke in your life is generally a construct that is built in your mind due to being too heavily invested in future possibilities that have yet to play themselves out. The chemicals that your body creates for this is; serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and norepinephrine. Now normally all of these chemicals are adequately balanced, but under normal feelings of anxiety, they become unbalanced. This results in that oh so unpleasant Sunday night terror knowing how you’ve neglected or fear your responsibilities for Monday.

Breathing is the most simple and surprisingly effective tool we keep in the back of our head to combat those early stages of panic. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose taking at least 3 seconds to pull in air, then exhale through your pursed lips again slowly. This type of exaggerated breathing aids in relaxation and an introduction of more oxygen into your body. If after your breathing exercises you still have that feeling of anxiety we recommend you move onto stretching your body. Let’s say for instance that you are inexperienced, we then suggest a yoga class or go online to view some video tutorials for basic stretching. This process takes more time than the simple breathing strategy stated above but holds more benefit due to the distraction your body now has over your mind and the endorphins released by your body in response to this new stimulus.

Strenuous physical activity plays a significant role in the staving away of anxiety by putting your mind into a state of full concentration. Whether it’s because you are on a long bike ride concerned about your bodies fatigue level or you are skiing on the side of mountain focused on keeping your technique up to par. These arduous types of activities pull us out of our head and into our body to readjust the perspective you are currently viewing the situation through that is causing your anxiety. Exercise is a requirement by the body, and if that area of your life is being neglected, then you might have a higher proclivity towards anxious thoughts than others around you.

Normal feelings of anxiety are an evolutionary response put in place to keep you wary of what the future might hold for you as well as to aid in long-term planning. Fast forward to the day and age we live in, and it is not uncommon for people to feel anxious for entire months before the feeling dissipates. Learning to deal adequately with these situations will put you leaps and bounds ahead of where you would be in the circumstance where you let those anxiety monsters run around unchecked by your mental fortitude and discipline.

Filed Under: Featured, General, Mindfulness, Therapy

Group Therapy Healing Benefits

January 4, 2019 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

Healing, Addiction, therapy, depression
Group Therapy

 

When one is going through any type of mental health healing, a group environment can be one of the most beneficial modalities to foster greater recovery. In group therapy settings, people report feelings of shared experiences that can help make them perceive their trauma in a new perspective. This enhanced perception manifests itself in seeing others with strength carry themselves and the people around them into recovery and out of loneliness. Many different group environments are usually offered to help assist someone best in their journey to improvement.

Most group facilities share their related experiences with one another to establish connections and trust with their peers. A deeper trust in your group allows one to share more and go farther in their journey to recovery without the tug of judgment weighing in on their thought process. Some people lack a natural support group in their life, either their friends or family have turned a blind eye to their circumstance propelling them deeper into turmoil. A new support system born out of group therapy brings a level of accountability into their lives and the success they see from the people around them helps harbor feelings hopefulness.

Seeing the positivity you are bringing to a group environment brings value to your life, something that some people who are in positions of deep despair benefit immensely from. Most people that participate a hundred percent in group sessions reported an increase in benefit over conventional therapy sessions. In most circumstances, group therapy can be found for no charge being hosted by qualified caregivers who feel a deep need and want for people to know that there is hope to be found out there.

Group therapy sessions bring a sense of community to someone who has felt like an outsider or cannot connect with people on a level that brings them satisfaction and healing to their life which they so desperately search for.

Filed Under: Addiction, Featured, General, Group, Therapy

Childhood Trauma and Its Lasting Effects

December 26, 2018 by Johnathon Zamora Leave a Comment

 

childhood, trauma, pain, abuse, clinic
Overcoming Trauma

 

During a person’s childhood, they experience a variety of unforeseen traumatic events whether they be abuse, loneliness, or neglect. These manifest themselves in adult life in anxiety disorders, self-sabotage, or any gamut of symptoms. A positive emotional upbringing reinforces in a child’s mind that life can be tough and unfair, but a healthy perspective can make the difference in the way an outcome affects you. A person’s behavior can be seen being established as early as kindergarten in the way they interact with their peers.

Most children that grow up being abused see that type of behavior as normal and accepted behavior, this comfortability in a violent act almost always results in abuse of their spouse and children, unfortunately. A vicious cycle then plays out over generations of that family until one recognizes the fallacy and preposterous nature of that idea, this is only predominantly healed through education for most people. A thorough understanding of a child’s suggestibility is imperative knowledge for parents who struggle with their own emotions and actions to help propel their child into a prosperous life.

Even in high school people are still developing a lot of their life habits, an idea of self, and where they feel they fit into society. A phenomenon that a large majority of high school students see themselves fall into is something referred to as “adolescent pseudomature behavior”. This essentially is acting at a higher maturity level than they currently occupy. This type of social signaling is a claw to the top of the highest echelon in whatever circle they might find themselves in. A social ladder that we climb every day with our peers and our professional relationships acted out all between the ages of 5 to 18 on a smaller scale.

Parents that find themselves being able to adequately handle poor situations in life almost always exhibit children with the same ability to do so. This is why it is so crucial to developing constructive habits for dealing with poor situations so that as we age, we can bring a positive light to those that we interact with and maybe even in some circumstances, our own children.

Filed Under: Featured, General, Mindfulness, Therapy

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Sage offers a wide range of mental health services. Begin the process by visiting our new patient process page.

Sage Neuroscience Center strives to meet the mental healthcare needs of the community in a comfortable and compassionate environment.
- Reuben Sutter, MD
Let our addiction detox and intensive outpatient program for addiction help you through addiction on your way to recovery. Will you work through addiction?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is now covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare for treatment resistant depression. Do you have treatment resistant depression?
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Sage Neuroscience Center strives to meet the mental healthcare needs of the community in a comfortable and compassionate environment.
- Reuben Sutter, MD

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