TikTok has a new recovery community sprouting on its platform. Within the popular app, users are rejecting content that encourages drug use or behavioral disorders. Instead, creators are posting pro-recovery material that combats substance abuse, behavioral addictions, and stigmas. Through social media, they challenge the world’s views on what it means to be a recovering addict.  

How It All Started

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok became one of the most popular apps in the world. The video-sharing service’s eye-catching 7 to 60-second clips became a light during those bleak quarantine moments. People who were stuck at home dove into countless short-form stories as a form of entertainment. As weeks passed, various niche genres like bread making, thrifting, and education gained traction. One of those niches turned into an outlet for today’s recovery community. 

How TikTok’s Recovery Community Is Changing the Narrative 

Much like Instagram once did, TikTok has given space to a group of individuals rising above addiction. Content creators cultivate an area where it’s ok to struggle, laugh, and share the “ugly.” Many of them share posts showcasing their recovery from alcohol abuse and overcoming obstacles. Others who battle co-occurring disorders post countless videos of recovery benchmarks and relapses.  

The social network is no longer an app for just dancing kids and teens. Adults, both old and young, are destigmatizing society’s views on addiction through the viral platform. With hashtags like #soberlution, #wedorecover, and #recoveringaddict, the narrative is changing. Every day, individuals are shedding light on the true experiences of recovering users.

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The Challenges 

TikTok may be providing a space for the recovery community to use their voice, but the app is not perfect. According to the Guardian, harmful pro-anorexia content was easily searchable on the platform. A different investigation by the Sun discovered hundreds of videos glamorizing drug use. Based on the same study, posts also taught users how to take substances like Cocaine or magic mushrooms. 

In response to these studies, TikTok launched an investigation in 2020. Since then, they have taken measures to prevent the posting of harmful content and advertising. Still, despite their best efforts, the toxic messages continue to seep through. There are thousands of videos flying below the network’s algorithm. These videos, coined as “underground” trends, range from live videos of influencers sharing their experiences during a “trip” to challenges like the Benadryl challenge, which encourages users to take large doses of the antihistamine to induce hallucinations. 

TikTok, The Recovery Community, And The Future

TikTok may have illicit videos circulating through its platform. Still, it also has its fair share of positive messages surrounding recovery. The social network is a sea of information with the potential of causing both harm and good. While TikTok continues improving its algorithm and prohibiting pro-drug use content, it is up to TikToker’s to decide which videos to consume. 

Find Treatment For Substance Abuse Today

If you or someone you love is battling a substance use disorder, there is help available. Contact a treatment provider to discover treatment options. The group of committed individuals can help answer any of your rehab-related questions. You do not have to battle substance abuse alone. Take an empowered step towards recovery by contacting a treatment provider today. 

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Addiction transference, also known as a cross addiction, is when a person has an addiction to two or more addictive substances or behaviors, which can include addictions to not only drugs and alcohol, but also gambling, sex, video games, food or other compulsive behaviors. Addiction is the continued use of a substance or behavior despite the potential for personal problems or negative consequences. A person with an addiction may want to stop, yet struggle doing so on their own.

Cross addictions do not necessarily have to occur simultaneously. For instance, someone may be in recovery from a drug addiction, such as opioids, and may even be clean for many years, but later develop an addiction to alcohol or engage in behaviors that may become compulsive. This triggers the brain’s dopamine reward center. People who have or have a history of one addiction have a higher propensity for developing a cross addiction. Addiction transference occurs when a person substitutes one addiction for another.

How Does Addiction Transference Happen?

There are various reasons for why addiction transference develops; however, it is often accidental. For example, a person with an addiction or history of addiction may have surgery and be prescribed Percocet or Vicodin, and the euphoric feeling they get from the drug reinforces the continued use of the drug until it leads to increased use and eventually becomes an addiction. Another common cause of addiction transference or cross addiction is lack of understanding that another addiction exists. A person may be aware they have an addiction to a particular substance but may not realize they have an addiction to another substance or compulsive behavior, making it pertinent that individuals with a substance use disorder, or history of one, be aware of the risk of cross addiction.

Another reason addiction transference may occur is if someone has unresolved mental health issues, otherwise known as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis. A person with trauma, depression or anxiety may begin to use alcohol with other drugs as a way to comfort themselves. Cross addiction also occurs as an attempt to compensate for uncomfortable changes in behavior and routines, as well as due to emotions and thoughts that the person may struggle coping with. A common example is when a person recovering from an alcohol addiction begins gambling heavily. This can lead to financial stress and feelings of hopelessness. However, because of the compulsive nature of gambling and the reward of dopamine in the brain, the behavior continues as a way to cope.

How Common Is Addiction Transference?

According the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there are approximately 21 million people age 12 or older who reported having a cross addiction. Many people do not seek help for their addiction due to not believing they can stop or not being ready to stop, while some do not believe they have a problem at all.

How Is Addiction Transference Treated?

Addiction transference is best treated at an addiction treatment center with the help of 12-step programs or other recovery support groups. There are many different types of support groups that focus on specific addictions, including specific drugs as well as compulsive behaviors, such as gambling, sex, or food. A good treatment program will further address any co-occurring mental health issues by implementing evidenced-based treatment modalities. There is also the benefit of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for certain individuals.

If someone has a history of addiction, it is best to speak with a professional prior to the use of any prescribed medications that are considered addictive substances, such as opioids or benzodiazepines, due to the high risk of developing a cross addiction. If one must take addiction medications, having a family member dispense them may help reduce the risk of abusing them.

The best way to avoid a cross addiction from developing is by educating yourself and others. When a person is in early recovery from one addiction, they are more susceptible to developing a cross addiction because their brains are still seeking out the dopamine rush that they received when they were actively using. Despite this, it can still occur after many years of being in recovery. The best form of action is to be aware of the risks and take proper inventory of your behaviors to prevent developing a cross addiction.

Get Help Now

Perhaps you or someone you know is struggling with addiction transference. If you are unsure or feel you need help, do not be ashamed to reach out for help. Regardless of the circumstance, addiction help is available. Contact a treatment provider today who can assist you with finding treatment.

The post Understanding Addiction Transference appeared first on Addiction Center.

Three years ago, I was 24-years old and exiting rehab after a six-week stint for recovery from an eating disorder. I was so sure that my life was going to “make sense” now that I was freeing myself of this 10-year battle.

It wasn’t the case.

While I have handled what’s come in the process and the “flexible okay” recovery life, as I like to call it, the experience of recovery has been very different from the idealism I felt that day.

It’s not all roses, and anyone will tell you that. Three years into my own recovery, here are seven real truths I’ve learned in the process:

1. Your Sense Of Style Will Evolve.

Maybe not drastically – but it will. I spent 8 years in oversized t-shirts and black sweatpants that dragged at the feet. I loved those thigh-hiding safety nets. I wore them everywhere. I made excuses for them and lied to myself by saying that I just wasn’t “the dress-up kind of girl.” Honestly, I was engulfed by body dysmorphia, and the only items I ever felt comfortable in were shirts and pants that gave me zero figure.

Today, I’m still figuring out what I like and what feels flattering to my body. One day, I’ll wear a bikini and rock my version of a ”screw it” attitude. Other days, I’ll feel more self-conscious and wear black-on-black-on-black. I’m finally realizing no clothing is “off limits,” as I once believed, and rolling with the evolution.

2. Your Body Will Recover.

Eating disorders affect your body outwardly and inwardly. Fluctuating weight over the years has left stretch marks on my thighs. I used to run on stress fractures and shin splints. At my worst, I was told I had bones of a 70-year old. What’s uplifting, however, is that your body is resilient. I hike and run a couple miles here and there. At some point, it dawned on me how strong I feel now. Nothing hurts anymore when I run, and I always appreciate how able our bodies are when we are treating them with respect.

3. People Will Always Comment On How You Look, And It Will Always Bother You.

Comments are the worst, but they’re inevitable. Every time I see my friends and family at home they have a tendency, out of goodwill, to tell me I look “healthy.” To my eating disorder brain, I immediately go into hibernation mode. I don’t want to know when people are looking at my body, but at the same time I try to remember that this is my family and I have worried them for years.

Occasionally, and possibly the worst commentary, is when my eating disorder comes up in a group conversation. Inevitably, someone turns to me and exclaims, ”WHY would you have an eating disorder? You’re, like, already basically thin.”

I don’t love this commentary on my body, but there are going to be comments about this forever. You can’t let it be a reason to relapse. There are going to be loads of triggers in recovery, and it’s up to you to be proactive about them.  If you’re uncomfortable with a conversation with your body, you have to take initiative and change the conversation, or at least address the issue at hand so that your loved ones can re-shift how they speak to you.

4. Accepting Your Body Will Take Time.

I’ve hated wearing bras since the moment my stomach had enough fat around it to roll. There is nothing more uncomfortable than wearing a strapless bra and feeling the indentation of the underwire drive into my fat while I sit.

As you recover from an eating disorder, everyone will always mention how hard it can be to adjust to a new healthy body weight, and the changes that occur when that happens.

Acceptance isn’t immediate. It’s a long process with a lot of psychological ups and downs. Hence, the flexible recovery. It is okay to feel bad on the bad days.

5. Dating After An Eating Disorder Is Hard.

In rehab, they tell you to wait a year before becoming romantically involved. Naturally, I threw that logic out the window. Instead, I immediately got into a long-distance and long-term relationship which inevitably ended because I couldn’t commit. I was new in recovery, and I barely even knew what kind of food I liked – let alone how I wanted to spend my future with someone.

As I approach dating now, I still find it difficult. Do you tell people up front? Do you say you’re  ”recovered” to lessen the blow (even though it’s a process)? Do they have a right to ask questions? Do you owe them the truth? In short, I don’t know. For every person I’ve dated, there’s been a different way of addressing it. The point is that you have to ask yourself “what are YOU comfortable sharing or not sharing?”

You don’t ”owe” anyone anything. You don’t have to answer questions, and you don’t have to give an explanation as to ”why.” Your eating disorder and recovery is yours, and it does not make you any less respectable or strong. You are human and you struggle.

6. You’ll Still Be Distracted By The Mirror.

In the prime of my eating disorder, I was preoccupied with reflections. While it lessened in recovery, the body image aspect of an eating disorder is an ever-evolving mental game.

Now, I’ll go weeks feeling fine about how I look. Yet inevitably, at some point, I will panic and not be able to see myself clearly. It’s normal.

My advice is to find ways to soften this urge. Occasionally, I take a selfie to remind myself I’m the same, or I meditate and read about something to distract the self-preoccupation. It helps me realize I look just like I did three weeks ago. As recovery goes along, you’ll find yourself less and less preoccupied with your size.

7. You’ll Move On And Succeed In Recovery From An Eating Disorder.

You’ll forget that life was once about your exercise schedule or your eating times. You’ll skip workouts for happy hours. You’ll go to bed late and miss a morning workout, but appreciate the extra hour of sleep. You’ll eat too much cake and rub your stomach afterwards, groaning and complaining. It’ll pass. You’ll forget calories of things you’d memorized, and it’ll shock you.

You’ll realize you’re making decisions you don’t have to hide, that your ability to lie is worsening.

You’ll wake up one day; you’ll want recovery, and you’ll find yourself telling someone else the same.

“Run wild. You’re free,” you’ll say, and how free you can be.

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Eating Disorders: how often do we see them depicted on a movie or scrutinized in the tabloids? Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Netflix’s “To The Bone” movie – we know what anorexia looks like, but do we really understand how to pinpoint disordered eating in the people we hold close? Or within ourselves? Do we know the signs you may have an eating disorder?

As a culture, we are still fed a loose version of the signs that are involved in an eating disorder. What we fail to take into account is that eating disorders are much more than weight – and a real threat to millions of women and men around the world. In fact, anorexia nervosa is the most fatal mental disorder in the world.

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While every eating disorder is specific in its behaviors, here are 7 real signs you may have an eating disorder:

1. Ritualistic Behaviors

In my treatment center, there was a sign over the cafeteria door that listed behaviors we were allowed or not allowed to exhibit while eating. These included specific limits on liquid consumption and which food groups we were allowed to combine with others. For example, we could put peanut butter on our bananas; we could not put it into our yogurt.

Food rituals vary depending on which cycle of the eating disorder someone is experiencing. We often don’t recognize that eating disorders, as with alcohol and drugs, fluctuate. For a drug addict, it might be Cocaine to Heroin or vodka to whiskey. For an eating disorder, it can phase from exercise bulimia to binge eating, from binge eating to restriction, etc.

In months of restriction, there is a tendency to cut and minimize food: grapes in half, bananas down the middle, veggie burgers without the bun, or maybe ripped off excess tortilla.

Take notice of food reconstruction. For most, no meal can be eaten as prepared.

For someone in the binging cycle, on the other hand, they will pick out the food methodically, and often eat frantically, 1 item to the other until all is gone.

2. Social Behaviors

Singling oneself out in a group is a top sign for disordered eating. This is more than the instances where you’re the 1 friend that says “No, I don’t want Sushi. I want Mexican.” These are the times you’re on a road trip, and there’s a group in a car.

“Let’s eat Popeye’s!” The group shouts unanimously.

Where once you were relaxed, you are now tense. Where once you were singing along, you are now quiet.

Eating in public becomes increasingly difficult because it’s difficult to be flexible when consumed by the sodium content at a fast food joint (or, really, anywhere) and because of the pressure to remain “sociable” in a group while also meticulously counting every ounce of food.

You’ve forgotten that a balanced life comes with mindfulness, not control.

Because of this, you are the person that always has an excuse as to why you’re not eating a full meal. You’ll show up 20 minutes late to avoid the appetizers or meticulously stuff food in pockets, almonds in a sweatshirt, or chicken down the toilet.

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3. Food Possession

Splitting a meal becomes increasingly difficult. To the victim of an eating disorder, sharing food is like when your roommate invades your closet and wears your favorite shirt without asking. People with eating disorders desire control over what they’ve chosen to eat or not eat. They feel a need to organize, move, strip, and search food.

They cannot eat a piece of lettuce with too much dressing. They cannot take a bite of a wrap without making sure all the excess tortilla has been picked off, and they cannot stand sharing with another person because they don’t know what that person might do with the food.

This is part of the eating disorder cycle that can result in bingeing. You deprive yourself of cheat days or holiday pie, and eventually you snap. You “allow” yourself to have a piece of cake. Once you’ve opened Pandora’s Box, however, it’s hard to close again.

This is what the cycle feels like. It’s frantic and impulsive.

4. Social Events

It is increasingly difficult to adjust to events that involve food and beverage. Buffets are a nightmare because there are too many options.

It becomes a point of pride for someone with an eating disorder when they can sit in a group full of people and feel as though they have more self-control because they are only eating 1 chip while others eat more. There is a feeling like you can hold your head up higher than ever before, and it becomes everything you base your entire worth around.

5. Defining Food As “Bad” And “Good”

Every food becomes “black and white.” Someone with an eating disorder will stand in grocery stores comparing nutrition labels.

They’ve convinced themselves not only to group food items, but food brands as well. Food is your number 1 enemy. Your country and the FDA are your numbers 2 and 3.

Typically, “safe foods” have defined calorie counts and are small in nature.

6. Liquids

Coffee is the culprit of an eating disorder. Coffee, an aging sage with its social acceptance and availability at every street corner, is the true secret. It gives energy, fills up your stomach when hungry, and typically comes with a side of a bathroom break.

There were patients in my treatment center who drank multiple cups a day because it’s such a social staple of our culture that it’s often overlooked how much you’re consuming.

This goes for alcohol as well. I drank to dull hunger cues. I disregarded calories in alcohol as long as it left me feeling full, and I’ve found this a more and more common warning in other people in my age group.

7. Sickness

Notice the convenient times sickness arises before or after meals.

Take heed if someone close to you is having more and more stomach issues. In restricting or binging there will likely be these issues and/or headaches, low blood pressure, etc. Likely, you will hear “I’m tired” more often.

Eating disorders are exhausting mentally, but they take a physical toll as well. Whether bingeing or restricting – the body is trying to keep up, and if you are nourishing it properly there are side effects.

Is your loved one falling more often? Dizzy and lightheaded? This could be due to low blood pressure and lack of nourishment. It takes a toll.

Conclusion

So much of the damage of an eating disorder, disregarding health, is that it prevents a person from ever fully feeling engaged to any event. It’s like when you’re talking to someone and you can see them eyeing the television screen from behind you. You never feel attached to anything for longer than an hour or 2 except your disorder.

The more candid those of us in recovery become about the games, the more we can help society comprehend the obsessiveness that goes into it. Perhaps then, we will have a better means of fighting it within ourselves and as a community.

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