Trauma-Informed Care Archives - Freedom Addiction

Two men sitting together at a table during a counselling session

What to Expect During Your First Counselling Session

Kate Pindera
12 Sep 2024

Counselling is an integral part of the rehabilitation process. With an estimated 21% of Canadians meeting the criteria for addiction in their lifetimes, the role of therapy is more important than ever. Making the decision to seek help for addiction is one of the most important steps you can take. However, once you’ve gone through the detoxification process, supporting your...

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A person holding a bottle of methadone medication.

Understanding Methadone Withdrawal: Symptoms and Timeline

Mandy Sandhu
26 Jul 2023

Methadone is a synthetic analgesic used to replace other drugs such as fentanyl and heroin to avoid a harmful relapse. It’s often used as part of a harm reduction plan and can be quite effective when used as prescribed. However, users can easily become addicted to methadone due to its pain-relieving effects. When this happens, methadone withdrawal symptoms may be...

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Childhood Trauma and Addiction: How Are They Linked?

Mandy Sandhu
12 Jan 2023

Our childhood experiences shape us, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that trauma in the formative years can have a long-lasting impact. You may be wondering how childhood trauma and addiction are related; are people more prone to developing an addiction after going through adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)? Is there a way to prevent past trauma from causing addiction...

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A teary-eyed person with half of their face covered

What Are the Principles of Trauma-Informed Care?

Mandy Sandhu
5 Jan 2023

Everyone plays a part in healing people with trauma. Even non-therapists can participate in someone else’s recovery. However, these efforts should be guided by the principles of trauma-informed care. First responders, law enforcement officers, service providers, and support staff can help improve health outcomes and patient engagement by implementing a trauma-informed approach. Let’s take a closer look at the fundamental...

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A girl on her phone talking to people online

Human Trafficking Statistics in Canada

Mandy Sandhu
8 Sep 2022

Human trafficking is an an abhorrent criminal act that exploits vulnerable people. One would like to think that such an act doesn’t happen in this day and age, however, human trafficking affects around 40.3 million people around the world today. This article dives deep into human trafficking statistics in Canada, showing the reality of how it happens, who it affects...

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A person suffering from substance abuse disorder and mental illness

What Is Comorbidity and How Does It Differ From Concurrent Disorders?

Mandy Sandhu
6 Jan 2022

Relatives of individuals with drug dependence often wonder what made their loved ones abuse drugs. Did the substance abuse happen because they have a mental illness? Or did the substance abuse cause the mental illness? Often, mental illness contributes to substance abuse and vice-versa. But sometimes, a person can have both substance abuse disorder and mental illness at the same...

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A bowl of leafy greens and sliced avocado

Top 10 Foods Good for Liver Health

Mandy Sandhu
12 Aug 2021

Liver health is a primary concern for newly sober people with a history of substance use disorder. One of the countless ramifications of alcohol abuse is liver damage. Years of excessively drinking alcohol cause swelling and inflammation that can potentially progress to scarring or liver cirrhosis, the final stage of liver disease. If you are recovering from addiction and are...

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How to Set Up a Support System After Rehab

Mandy Sandhu
7 Jun 2021

Life in recovery has its ups and downs, and that’s why having a good support system can make a difference in helping you get through it. These people can be your sounding board when making significant decisions, or a trusted ally to keep you accountable spanyour path to sobriety Your support system will be there for you as you figure...

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Why Co-Occurring Disorders Can Be Challenging to Treat

Mandy Sandhu
1 Apr 2021

Addiction can exist alongside mental health concerns. When this happens, the combination is known as a co-occurring disorder or a concurrent disorder. When this occurs, a subsequent treatment plan is carefully prepared in conjunction with addiction treatment. There can oftentimes be challenges in the execution of co-occurring disorder treatment due to the complexities and risk factors that are present in...

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Young woman on the couch working on her laptop with a cup of tea and a book beside her

Things to Do at Home While Self-Isolating

Mandy Sandhu
6 Jun 2020

The global pandemic has forced countless people around the world to stay indoors out of fear of contracting the life-threatening COVID-19. It’s normal that confinement of self-isolation might feel constricting and frustrating to some people. However, if you’re finding yourself using recreational drugs or alcohol more often than ever before, or tempted by boredom and your substance use disorder to...

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