Assessing the Problem of Abuse

May 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Substance Abuse 

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It happens to anyone, making no distinctions for gender or intelligence. ‘It’ is substance abuse, and one of the most prevalent kinds of abuse out there is the abuse of a legal substance, alcohol. It is because it’s legal that people fail to see its overuse as a problem. Waking up with a hangover, wondering where you’ve been the night before might be common, and legal, but it’s a signal to any substance abuse counselor. The easiest way to determine if you’ve got a problem with this legal substance is to honestly examine your usage of it. You’ve got to answer one question – does your usage lead to harm? If you wake up feeling sick, or with a splitting headache, or do things the night before that you regret the morning after, these are all signs that you’re doing yourself harm.

 

It can be hard to admit this, especially when your entire circle of friends is acting the same way. It’s just too easy to slip into the ‘everybody else is doing it, so I don’t have a problem’ mentality. But you’ve got to focus on yourself, because as much as you might wish your friends will provide the same focus, they really won’t. They’ll even give you a hard time if you tell them that you’ve been questioning your own alcohol consumption habits.

 

And after an honest session of thought on the subject, you may determine that a detox program is the right step to take. It’s never a bad thing to detox. That’s because as your body clears out the toxins left behind, your mind will start to clear up as well.

 

Filed Under: Alcohol Counseling Tagged With: , ,

Reducing the Risk of Drug and Alcohol Addicts Developing a Dependency on Psychotherapeutic Drugs

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Drug and alcohol addicts are just like anyone else and they can often times have the same problems that regular people do. However, a problem can arise when a doctor will go to prescribe a certain type of psychotherapeutic drug to the addict as it could raise concerns over whether or not the addict will develop a new addiction for these types of drugs. A closer look will reveal what risk there is for developing an addiction to psychotherapeutic drugs and what can be done to make sure an addiction does not happen.

The situation of an addict developing a new addiction while in treatment or seeking treatment for another disease or illness is very unlikely. There is no exact number to prove how infrequently this happens but it is infrequent. However, there are certain addicts who do develop an addiction to the psychotherapeutic drugs which is why all doctors and supporters of addicts need to make sure that the proper steps are taken to ensure an addiction does not occur.

Addictions to psychotherapeutic drugs can be prevented by making sure that the drug or alcohol addict is taking the medication as prescribed. Generally if the directions are followed it rarely leads to addictions. Addictions are also prevented by informing the doctor of any past substance abuse problems or family history of substance abuse that the person may have had. This will allow the doctor to monitor the intake of psychotherapeutic drugs and make sure no addiction is forming. A doctor might also prescribe a completely different medication that has less of a chance of leading to an addiction if there is a history of addictions to drugs or alcohol.

Filed Under: Alcohol Counseling Tagged With: , ,

Common Reasons People Believe That Drug/Alcohol Treatment Does Not Work

March 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Drug and alcohol treatment centers are often recommended in order to help cure the addict of their addiction. However, many addicts and their supporters believe that drug and alcohol treatment centers are a waste of money because they are ineffective in their treatment. Unfortunately this is a common misconception of drug and alcohol rehab centers. Treatment centers can be very effective in treating a substance addiction. Here is a look at where the common misconception of treatment centers comes from.

Relapses. Many people wrongly believe that treatment centers cure the addiction completely. However, relapses are a major part of the recovery process so they are bound to happen to any addict. The problem arises when people with the belief that the addiction is cured see that an addict has relapsed. They often wrongly believe that the treatment did not work and blame it on the treatment center. This blame causes many people to believe that treatment centers do not work.

Each Addict is Different. Every substance abuser is different. The reason they use drugs, what drugs they use and how long they have used the drugs will play a part in their treatment process. Due to the differences in addicts some addicts will respond better to treatment than others. This does not mean that treatment is ineffective just that the treatment was not right for them. Many people wrongly blame the treatment center for not curing the addiction or helping the addict when the addict was the one to be resistant to the treatment.

Filed Under: Addiction Recovery Tagged With: , ,

Why Can’t Addicts Stop Using On Their Own?

March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you or someone you know has a substance abuse problem one of the first questions that comes to time is why does the person who is addicted to the substance stop using the drug on their own? Here is a brief overview of that answer.

Almost everyone who starts out using drugs or alcohol believes that at some point in time they can stop using the substance on their own. While there are the occasional addicts who have success with this many people find that they quickly go back to using their substance of choice.

Even though they had no intention of going back to using drugs or drinking alcohol many addicts cannot help it. It is believed that long term use of drugs and alcohol can actually change the shape and structure of the brain. These changes can range from brief periods of memory loss to behavioral changes. Some of the most common changes that the brain undergoes over a long period of drug or alcohol use is the inability to have impulse control. This lack of impulse control leads many people to continue to use the substance of choice long after they have given up their addiction.

While the addict might have had good intentions of stopping their substance abuse the changes in the brain cause them to not be able to stop on their own. This is why it is important to see therapy or enter a rehab center. One of the most common forms of therapy that is recommended for addicts is behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can actually help the addict relearn impulse control so that they can eventually give up their addiction.

Filed Under: Addiction Recovery Tagged With: , ,

Heroin: The Villainous Addiction

January 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Heroin aufkochen
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Heroin is synthesized from morphine, derived from opium poppy. It is more addictive than morphine. Ironically, heroin was first marketed as an over the counter drug as a morphine-substitute that was supposed to be without the addictiveness of morphine. It is a depressant that works on the brain’s pleasure centre and retards the brain’s perception of pain.

Heroin can be injected into the vein, or muscle. Injecting into the vein is known as mainlining while chasing the dragon means inhaling the smoke through a straw. It can also be smoked in a water-pipe, regular pipe, mixed in marijuana joints or normal cigarettes, and snorted as a powder through the nose.

Once the heroin hits the bloodstream, the effects start becoming apparent. There is a sudden feeling of euphoria, also known as a rush. The extremities become heavy, and the mouth goes dry with warm, flushed skin. After the initial rush, the next stage is a going on the nod where the user becomes alternately wakeful and drowsy. The central nervous system is affected and depressed leading to lowered mental functioning. The speech becomes slurred, the gait slow, pupils constrict and eyelids start to droop. Night vision becomes impaired and vomiting and constipation may also occur.

A user can get addicted to heroin after just a single use, but the long term effects can be quite devastating. Some of these can be collapsed veins, heart lining infection, liver disease and abscesses. Several types of pneumonia can be the manifestation of pulmonary complications caused by poor health condition and the effects on respiration. Along with the effects of heroin, several other complications could arise from the additives in it. Some of the substances used as additives were never meant to enter the human body and can clog up blood vessels that lead to the liver, lungs, kidneys or brain. Without proper blood circulation to these important organs, there could be cell damage, infection or even death.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , , ,

Getting Back on Your Feet

January 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you’re recovering from a severe addiction, you could probably write your own book on how it destroyed your life. However, addiction doesn’t have to be the final chapter. You can take steps to fully recover from your addiction and get your life back on track! While keeping up with counseling sessions, attending meetings, and participating in a variety of support groups can keep you clean, you can do even more, when you’re ready, to rejoin society. Let’s take a look at the two best ways to feel normal again:

Get a Job

Everyone feels better when they’re able to contribute to society and support themselves. By getting a job, you can help your finances while you help yourself! Having a regular routine and feeling needed is a great way to increase your self-esteem. By feeling better about yourself and the future, you’ll be even more motivated to resist temptation and continue your new life of sobriety. If you can’t find a job right away, don’t overlook volunteer opportunities. Helping out a cause you believe in can feel just as good as a paying job, and it can create great contacts for future job searches.

Go Back to School

If your addiction started early in life, you may not have reached your educational goals or you may have set some new ones during your recovery. It’s never too late to go back to school to improve yourself and your job skills. If you are also employed, there’s a wide variety of online university programs that can let you study at your own pace and on a schedule that’s convenient to you. The most important part of going back to school is that you’ll be using your brain. This is a very important part of both your recovery effort and your overall mental health!

Congratulations on your new life of sobriety! As part of your new life, continue to improve yourself and your skills.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What to Do When You Think a Loved One Has an Addiction

December 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Substance abuse does not just affect the person who is abusing drugs or alcohol; it affects their friends, loved ones, and co-workers as well. But when you suspect a friend or loved one has an addiction problem, you may feel helpless when it comes to getting them the help they need.

The following tips will help you know what to do when you think a loved one has an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or any other substance:

• Join a support group for yourself. Groups like Al-Anon and many others exist specifically to provide support and coping mechanisms for loved ones of those who have an addiction problem. This can be a valuable tool.
• Don’t place blame or guilt. Threatening to punish an addict, appealing to their emotions (“Can’t you see what you’re doing to the family?”), and trying to guilt-trip a loved one into getting help can actually be counterproductive. More often than not, they already know there is a problem.
• Don’t blame yourself. It’s easy to turn the blame inward, but it’s important to remember than no one forces another person to drink or do drugs.
• Don’t attempt to reason or argue with them when they are impaired. This could be dangerous to you.
• Do not try and force them to get help. If your loved one doesn’t want to get help or doesn’t think there is a problem, they can’t be forced to seek treatment.
• Provide support. It’s important to provide support as a loved one receives treatment for addictions. Recovery takes time and can include relapses or therapy to get to the initial problem.

Whether your loved one is addicted to drugs, alcohol, or something else, encouraging them to recognize there is a problem and seek treatment and then supporting them through that treatment is a long and difficult process. Luckily there are a number of resources available to those who are dealing with their loved ones’ addictions.

Filed Under: Family Support For Alcoholics Tagged With: ,

When Alcohol Becomes an Addiction

December 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Most people have enjoyed an occasional drink, whether it’s a beer at a ball game, a glass of wine while dining out, or a champagne toast at a wedding or other special occasion. But for some people, having a drink or two is more than just an occasional thing. Alcoholism is one of the most common forms of substance abuse, and millions of people and their families are affected by excess drinking.

There are a number of factors that determine whether or not a person is at risk for developing a drinking problem. Some of these include:

• Genetics. Many experts believe that alcoholism can in part be explained by genetics. A family history of alcoholism can be a result of learned behaviors as well as a genetic predisposition to alcohol addiction.
• Mental health. People with mental health disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, or others may be at a higher risk. Often times, people turn to alcohol to help them cope with their depression or illness.

These is no definitive answer regarding diagnosis of alcoholism. As a general rule, however, many health professionals will agree that if a person’s drinking is causing problems in their relationships, jobs or school life, or their ability to function in society, they have an alcohol abuse problem.

Some of the warning signs of alcoholism include:

• Feeling guilty about your drinking or lying to others about going to bars or the frequency with which you drink.
• Feeling out of control when you drink, like you can’t stop at one drink
• Turn to drinking to help cope with stress, depression, or other problems in life
• Friends and family members express concern with your drinking
• You miss work, school, or shirk other responsibilities because of your drinking

Recognizing there is a problem with alcohol abuse is the first step to getting it under control. Fortunately, there are many programs and treatment centers available for alcohol addiction.

Filed Under: Alcohol Dependence Tagged With: ,

Knowing When to Seek Alcohol Treatment

December 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Dětský alkoholismus
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It is a sad time for any family, when it is realized that someone in the home needs alcohol treatment. Unfortunately, this happens way too often in the United States. It has become common for those dealing with stress and frustrations to turn to alcohol. Some of these people are able to partake of a drink and not have a problem. Many others, though, are unable to do this. In fact, alcoholism is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

For those in the situation of dealing with alcoholism, it can be hard to admit that it is time to look into alcohol treatment. It can also be difficult for those around the person dealing with the problem to admit it. This is because it is a very hard thing to deal with. Admitting that there is a problem, as we all know, is the first step. But that first step can feel like a never ending fall to some. Many people believe that if you have to seek treatment or help that you are weak or have some sort of personality flaw. This is most definitely not the case. In fact, admitting that there is a problem, and seeking help for that problem is one of the strongest things that a person can do.

Alcoholism should not be treated lightly. It is something that hurts not only those that are dealing with it themselves, but also those around them. Cases of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse rise significantly when alcohol and alcoholism are in play. This is something that can affect everyone around you. If you feel that you have a problem, and may need help, or if you have a loved one that is in this situation, finding help is crucial. There are treatment centers for alcoholism out there that are there to help.

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Filed Under: Alternative Alcohol Rehab Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Morality or Disease

November 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Blame: Who is responsible? Not me!
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Addiction is a brain disorder that some people are more prone to develop than others due to genetic, psychological and environmental risk factors. But it is also due to a repetitive act of will that a person will get far enough down a road for the brain disorder of addiction to develop. While some might take this to mean that addicts only have themselves to blame, the problem of addiction is so complex and has so many unforeseen risks that blaming the addict does almost nothing to ease the problem.

The first step remains for the addict to realize that a problem exists and must be dealt with. The personal decision to seek treatment causes the moral model and the disease model to come together. Addiction might be a disease, but it is one that can be combated by willing parties.

Addiction might be best described as a disorder of will. When an addiction sets in a person’s will is over taken by the need to use. Perhaps not all will is lost but enough is that drinking or other destructive behavior occurs more often and in great quantity than expected. As a result priorities change. The need to drink or use drugs take precedent over all else. This leads to dishonest, self-centered and irresponsible behavior. When on the path the end result often becomes incarceration, brain damage or death. By taking even the smallest step toward recovery a person can take advantage of the research into fighting addiction. Treatments and therapies exist for those willing to take a small step forward. Alcoholic Anonymous describes this step with the slogan “Just for Today”.

Addiction is a brain disorder that cannot be separated from morality and personal responsibility. The reasons for the addiction matter less than taking responsibility to seek out treatment. And it seeking a way out of their addiction people can use resources from both schools of thought.

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Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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