Children and Domestic Violence

Domestic violence does not only affect the partner being abused; it can also pose serious effects on any children living in the home. As you already know, exposure to domestic violence poses a serious threat to a child’s psychological and physical well-being. Whether a child is exposed to the act of domestic violence through physical abuse or by observation, they can become emotionally traumatized – and eventually, desensitized to the abuse.

Research has proven that many perpetrators of domestic abuse have either been abused as children or witnessed abuse at home. While domestic violence can affect children in different ways, the exposure is typically traumatic.

Domestic violence can have the following effects on a child:

·         Constant fear and anxiety

·         Nightmares and sleeplessness

·         Aggression

·         Difficulty concentrating

·         Depression

·         PTSD

Both long and short-term effects of domestic violence can be prevented when there is intervention from resources such as social workers and educational programs. However, these resources will be less than helpful if the violence continues. Domestic abuse counseling or anger management courses will be required for the perpetrator. To lead you and your child on the right path to a healthy, fulfilled life, learn more about our online anger management course today at AmericanIntegrityCourses.com.

Recognizing the Signs of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is not always “in your face.” Whenever you hear of a woman who was killed or severely injured by an abusive partner, you probably ask, “Why didn’t she just leave?” The answer isn’t that simple. If you think you may be in an abusive relationship, here are some identifiable characteristics you can use:

Your Behavior

The first question you need to ask is if you are afraid of your partner. No healthy relationship involves fear. If you walk on eggshells to avoid provoking them, then that is a clear sign that your relationship is abusive. If you feel like you can’t do anything right in their eyes, if you feel numb and helpless, or if you are starting to wonder if maybe you’re crazy and making the whole thing up, you are most likely being abused.

Their Behavior

If your partner is abusive, they will fall into a few familiar behavioral patterns. Do they go out of their way to humiliate or criticize you? Do they ignore or belittle your accomplishments or opinions? Do they blame you for the way they treat you? These are all signs of an abusive partner. They may also:

·         Have an unpredictable temper.

·         Hurt you, or threaten to hurt you.

·         Threaten to hurt themselves if you leave.

·         Destroy your belongings.

·         Act excessively jealous or possessive.

·         Control where you go or what you do.

·         Check up on you constantly.

·         Isolate you from your friends and family.

Abuse is not always physical. Some abusers rely on psychological abuse to torment their victims. Know the signs, and know when to get out. If you can talk to a family member or close friend about what is happening, they can arrange to get you out while your partner is not home.

AIC. American Integrity Courses offers a court-ordered domestic violence online course for abusers who need to end their abusive behavior. Contact us today at AmericanIntegrityCourses.com to get started and break the cycle of abuse.

Four Ways to Fight Addiction

Addiction is a dangerous thing, and it is challenging to break free. Here are some things that you can do to help you break the vicious cycle of addiction.

Get Some Friends

One of the worst things you can do as a recovering addict is isolate yourself. Being alone with your thoughts for too long can make fighting addiction almost impossible. Make an effort to spend more time with sober friends or family members. Surround yourself with positive people who care about you. They will remind you every day that things will get better if you keep fighting.

Get a Sponsor

Being held accountable to someone can motivate you to make positive changes in your life. Many twelve-step programs provide addicts with a sponsor who mentors them and helps guide them towards a better life.

Predict Weak Spots

If you pay attention, you can find the things that trigger you to use drugs or alcohol. Are there specific times of day, certain places, or even specific people that trigger you? Try to avoid those places, people, or activities and replace them with something else. If you want to quit smoking and find that you always crave a cigarette when you have your morning coffee, it’s time to find a different morning routine.  Sometimes shifting around your everyday routine is enough to shake off an addiction. Focus on breaking negative patterns in your life.

Put Effort into Your Court Ordered Course

Many people who get into trouble with substance abuse are ordered to take courses by a judge. Take this opportunity to put as much effort into the courses as possible and make a positive change. You can find online substance abuse courses at AmericanIntegrityCourses.com. 

Could Your Impulsive Decision-Making Be Related to Anxiety?

If you have been ordered by a judge to take a decision-making course, you may be wondering how you got to this point. What is it inside of you that causes you to make poor decisions? Your impulsive decision-making could actually stem from deeply rooted anxiety.

Overthinking Leads to Desperation

Anxiety disorders are often characterized by overthinking. You may think that this means you think longer and harder about each decision you make, but this can actually have the opposite effect. As your anxiety mounts, it can create desperation. When you are desperate, you may make the wrong decision in the heat of the moment just to try and get relief from the anxiety.

Controlling Impulsivity with Anxiety Treatment

If you constantly make impulsive decisions due to anxiety, you may be able to improve your decision-making skills by first treating your anxiety disorder. Sometimes this requires medication, but there are other ways to keep anxiety down:

• Exercise – Burning off energy can help you tone down anxiety which can lead to making better decisions. The endorphins released by exercise can help you feel happier overall as well.
• Stay Busy – Keep your schedule full of mentally distracting things, channeling your energy into areas other than anxiety. Pick up a new hobby like puzzles, crochet, reading, or hiking.

If you feel like anxiety is running your life and leading you to make impulsive decisions, you should consult a psychologist. They can help you create healthy coping mechanisms for your anxiety, and provide medication if necessary.

How to Help Your Loved One Get through Substance Abuse

If a loved one has been ordered by a judge to take online substance abuse courses, you are probably experiencing a dizzying array of emotions. Your first instinct may be to get angry with them for letting themselves get to this point – but this is not what they need. They do need some tough love, yes, but you need to understand that lecturing them or lashing out in anger will not solve the problem. Here are a few things you can do to help them through their addiction recovery:

Help Them See their Addiction from an Outside Perspective

Sometimes the only way to get someone to see their addiction for what it really is is to force them to see it from your perspective. Outline exactly how their addiction is hurting you and everyone they love – how much it hurts to see them like this. They may not be aware of just how dire their situation is, and hearing how it is destroying their relationships may change that.

Do Not Enable Their Behaviors

One thing many loved ones of addicts fall into is enabling. Do not lend them money, and do not be lenient with them when it comes to their addictive behaviors. They may say they need the money for gas and food, but in the throes of addiction, you know in your heart that the money will not go towards necessities. You need to show them tough love in these situations, and not allow them easy access to the substances that are ruining their life.

Provide Encouragement

When you see them doing well in their recovery, make sure you let them know how proud you are of what they accomplished. Sometimes just hearing that from someone they care about deeply can push them on to success. 

Anger Management Tips

Managing anger can be a difficult task. Luckily, there are a plethora of resources out there that can help you cope with your anger issues and find healthier ways to deal with your emotions.

Stop and Think

When you feel yourself beginning to act in anger, stop and think. Instead of exploding, think about why you are angry and how you can resolve that anger.

Express Your Feelings Later

Once you have take the time to think about your feelings and have calmed down, you can begin to talk about the situation. Sit down with the person you are angry with or find someone you trust to speak with about a situation that made you angry and put your feelings into words. Calmly let the person know how you feel.

Take Time Out

Your mind is like a rubber band – if you stretch it too far, it will eventually snap. If you are under a lot of stress, do not allow yourself to reach your breaking point. Take a time out and do some breathing exercises. You can even take a day or two off to focus on your mental health. Find time to relax in your daily routine so that you do not crack under pressure.

Seek Help When You Need It

It is important to know when it is time to seek help. AIC. American Integrity Courses offers online anger management courses that can help you learn healthy coping mechanisms for your anger. Enroll today at AmericanIntegrityCourses.com. 

How to Get the Most out of Your Court Ordered Substance Abuse Course

Confronting addiction is never easy. When you have been ordered by a judge to take a substance abuse course, it is easy to dismiss it. You may think that if you did have a problem, you would be facing jail time. This is not the case. The judge has given you a chance to turn your life around before it is too late. When you are given an opportunity like this, you need to make the most of it.

Admitting You Have a Problem is the First Step

You won’t get anything out of a substance abuse course if you cannot acknowledge that you have an issue with substance abuse. Take some time to self-examine. Withhold judgment – just focus on the facts. Once you can admit that you have a problem, you can accept help.

Pay Attention

Once you begin your course, give it your full attention. Absorb and retain all of the information the course gives you so that you can apply it to your life. It is imperative that you don’t forget everything you learned in your course.

Focus on the Future

As you work through your substance abuse course, take the time to think about how you will apply the information you are learning to your life in the future. Plan out how you want your life to go from this point. When you have hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up.

Sign Up for Courses Through AIC. American Integrity Courses

When you have been ordered by a judge to take a substance abuse course, enroll in an online course through AIC. American Integrity Courses. Our online substance abuse courses are affordable and can be taken anywhere you have an internet connection. Sign up today at AmericanIntegrityCourses.com.