How to Manage Pain Without Turning to Opioids
If you’ve experienced chronic pain, you’ve likely found yourself desperately seeking ways to manage it and get through it. People take many avenues to avoid and handle pain, whether they distract themselves, self-medicate or devote themselves to alleviating symptoms. While the cause of chronic pain may be inescapable (such as a genetic disease), there are some ways to lessen the effects. In this article, we’ll talk about the pros of pain management and how to relieve pain without turning to substances. What is pain management and how will it help me? When you hear the phrase “chronic pain,” people are [...]
How Medically-Supervised Detox Works in Addiction Treatment
Upon making the choice to pursue health and turn away from addiction, you face the reality of detox and withdrawal. It’s a pretty universally understood fact that post-addiction detox is taxing on the body, mentally and physically. Sadly, it’s so well known that many refuse to enter treatment out of fear of these symptoms. However, over the past number of years, doctors and clinicians have worked together to create a way in which one can effectively and safely undergo detox without feeling the brute (and potentially deadly) force of withdrawal. With medically-supervised detox, addiction treatment centers can now offer their [...]
What is Prescription Drug Addiction and What Causes It?
Prescription drug addiction is a dangerous and prevalent issue. Despite the severity, even those affected by it have many questions on the topic. Here, we’ll look into what prescription drug addiction is, what causes it and the signs to look out for. What is prescription drug addiction? According to the Harvard Medical School, prescription drug addiction is defined as the development of a dependence on prescription medicine to the point that withdrawal symptoms occur when the body is deprived of the drug. Anyone can misuse prescription drugs— both those who have prescriptions and those who don’t. Obtaining and using prescription [...]
Is Equine Therapy Effective?
Most people could agree that spending time with animals has certain perks. Have you ever wondered, though, whether there’s science to back it up? When it comes to equine therapy (also called equine-assisted services, hippotherapy, horse-assisted treatment and many other names), there’s ample evidence that it can improve mental and physical health outcomes. Here’s why. What is equine therapy? The American Hippotherapy Association defines equine therapy as the practice of professionals using evidence-based practices and clinical expertise to incorporate horses into treatment aimed at improving functional outcomes. Hippotherapy engages sensory and cognitive systems to offer valuable healing to those who [...]
Information from Bluff about COVID – 19
With the increased information and questions circulating about COVID-19 (previously referred to as the Novel Coronavirus), we want to provide updated information and recommendations that we received from state and federal health agencies, as well as recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO), to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information to guide our policies and procedures. Should there be an impact to our patients or families, Bluff will send out communications to patients, families and employees as soon as possible. This is what Bluff is doing: • Bluff has medical staff with [...]
Bluff Launches Recreational Therapy Program
Recreational Therapy is the purposeful use of evidence-based recreation programs to improve clients’ physical and psychological health. It incorporates various leisure interventions including, but not limited to: Art Outdoor Activities (Rock Climbing, Hiking, Ropes Course, etc.) Drama Sports Games Cooking Pet Therapy Dance Gardening Music Community Outings Using various substances and alcohol over a long period of time gradually depletes Dopamine, a chemical responsible for sending feelings of pleasure to the brain. Using recreational therapy, Bluff teaches and provides clients with various recreational outlets that can provide those same feelings of pleasure instead of using toxic chemicals/beverages and relapsing. When [...]
Bluff Becomes In-Network Provider with Anthem-Blue Cross Blue Shield 5/1/19
Effective 5/1/19, Bluff will become an in-network provider with Anthem – Blue Cross Blue Shield. For more information, please read the press release within.
The Role of Nurses at Bluff’s Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Nurses play a vital role at Bluff’s drug and alcohol addiction rehab center. From day one at our residential addiction treatment center outside Augusta, Georgia, nurses are there to ensure patients are safe, comfortable and supported. “We are the first people patients meet when they come into the building,” said Katherine Harris, a registered nurse and director of nursing at Bluff. “And we are here to support them throughout their time with us.” For men and women taking the first steps to getting sober, the first few hours and days can be difficult, physically and mentally. They’re often angry, fearful, [...]
Why Continuing Care is Important after Drug and Alcohol Rehab
You made it through detox and a substance abuse treatment program. Now you’re ready to say goodbye to addiction and jump back into normal life, right? Not so fast. Men and women who have successfully completed addiction treatment benefit from a continuing care program, also called aftercare. Continuing care is the phase of treatment that follows more intensive care, whether that is residential treatment, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), or an intensive outpatient program (IOP). In continuing care, individuals in recovery participate in group and individual counseling, attend self-help meetings, receive ongoing psychiatric care for co-occurring mental illness, and possibly [...]
12 Steps or Something Else?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the granddaddy of mutual help groups for alcohol addiction. Founded in 1935, AA has helped millions of people in the U.S. and around the world achieve sobriety and overcome the damage caused by alcoholism to their lives and relationships. AA has also inspired many offshoots, including Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, and Gamblers Anonymous. All are based on a set of guiding principles known as the 12 steps. The 12 steps help people maintain sobriety and recover from a hopeless state of mind. To achieve this, the 12 steps ask people to acknowledge their powerlessness over [...]
