Substance dependence

Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab Center

When you have made the decision to enter rehab for a substance addiction, you have already taken the single most important step. You now must make some additional important decisions about the next phase of your life and about how you will proceed with treatment. One important decision is whether to enter an inpatient rehab center or an outpatient center.

Outpatient Rehab Centers

Outpatient rehab centers typically offer support services, meetings, and counseling options for recovering addicts. You would remain at home or with family while going through your treatment. If you feel that you cannot leave your family and your home, but still have made the decision to get help, outpatient rehab centers provide a wide range of options and can build a plan that will work for you. You should talk to people at the center about the services that they offer and decide whether you can continue to function in your own life outside of a rehab center while you seek support and treatment.

Inpatient Rehab Centers

Inpatient rehab centers require the people in recovery to live at the center. While this can sound like a big commitment, it is also a great option for people who are in need of support while they are recovering from an addiction. In a rehab center, you are going to be held accountable, surrounded by trained staff, and able to rest and recover without other stressors and other influences. For people who live alone or who lack a strong support system, an inpatient rehab center can be a good choice to keep them on the path to recovery.

The decision between an inpatient and outpatient rehab center is an important choice and one that will greatly impact your life. The right decision is different for every individual. Counselors can work with you to make the right decision for your recovery.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Substance dependence

Heroin De-addiction: Kicking the habit

Heroin is an extremely addictive narcotic. It is supposed to be even more addictive than morphine, from which it is synthesized. Heroin addiction can happen after a single use and the habit is extremely difficult to get rid of. The addiction to heroin is physical which means that the body reacts with physical withdrawal symptoms if the ingestion is stopped. Since the body of a heroin user starts to develop a tolerance for the drug, the body starts craving for higher doses, and if the drug is not taken regularly, the withdrawal symptoms start.

The physical craving for the drug are accompanied by body and muscle ache, diarrhea and vomiting. Sleeping becomes difficult and the user experiences cold flashes, which has given rise to the expression cold turkey referring to the chills and goose bumps that are a part of heroin withdrawal. Another distinctive symptom is the kicking of legs and feet, which gave birth to another expression, kicking the habit.

The symptoms can be so severe that addicts who were into high doses are warned not to stop suddenly or it could be fatal. The symptoms can start within a few hours after the last dose, but they hit most severely between 48 to 72 hours. The body’s physical symptoms can last for up to 7 days.

A heroin addict who wants to kick the habit needs to be physically detoxified of the drug. This can be an extremely painful process for the person and it requires a special environment for a safe and comfortable detox. Only after the body has been detoxed of all traces of the drug should a person enter a specialized heroin rehab program.

One of the most important aspects of heroin rehab is the understanding why the person became addicted to heroin in the first place. Once the triggers are identified, a customized plan is designed to help him deal with them.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addictions, Drug, Health, Heroin, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Handling a Loved One Who Is in Need of Alcohol Treatment

: Image via Wikipedia

To an outsider, it may appear as if the only person who is suffering when someone has an alcohol addiction is the person with the addiction, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. When a person suffers from an alcohol addiction he or she is not the only one to suffer from the addiction; loved ones such as family, friends and co-workers, also suffer with the addict.

While loved ones do not physically go through the alcohol addiction, they are often secondary parties to the addiction. They feel the anger, frustration and troubles that the addict is going through. It is as if the loved one has the addiction without the alcohol. The loved one of the addict is often times going through his or her own internal struggle regarding the addict, the addict’s behaviors and how to handle situations. The most recommended course of action when you or someone you know is in this type of situation is to get the addict into some type of alcohol treatment center. This will allow the addict to get the help that he or she needs both physically and psychologically. It will also help the loved ones around the addict as many treatment centers also offer family counseling.

However, the problem arises that not all alcoholics believe they have a problem and will refuse to go into treatment. If this is the case, the best thing to remember is that you cannot force an addict into treatment until they are ready. That does not mean that just because the addict is not getting treated for the addiction that you have to continue to suffer with emotional turmoil. There are various support groups and counseling facilities that will help those who have loved ones with an alcohol addiction and allow them to learn coping mechanisms and various resources that will help you handle the situation that you are in.

Filed Under: Family Support For Alcoholics Tagged With: Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Perception and the War on Drugs

: Image via Wikipedia

The 1960s are often held in a nostalgic regard as an era of rampant drug use with few consequences. Free love, antiwar protests, Woodstock and hippies even though the facts get in the way of this account. A 1969 Gallop Poll revealed that only 22 percent of college students had smoked marijuana. It was not until December of 1970 the number hit a something closer to the perception of rampant drug use when 42 percent of college student reported experimenting with the drug.

Many of the memories associated with 1960s America actually occurred in the 1970s. By the end of the 70s the U.S. National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse estimated that marijuana was the third most common drug after alcohol and nicotine smoked in cigarettes. Despite vigorous attempts to portray marijuana as a dangerous gateway drug its use only spread after laws were passed to ban it, and the federal government declared a “War on Drugs”. President Richard Nixon first used the term in 1971. By the early 1980s polls showed that nearly 60 percent of high school seniors had tried marijuana at least once. Compared to 22 percent of college students in 1969 the results cast serious doubts on the effectiveness of bans on marijuana use.

Studies have shown that marijuana produces minimal physical dependency and that the drug has few if any withdrawal symptoms. While the debate seems to break along political lines it is obvious that marijuana dependency is less dramatic that addiction to cocaine, heroin or methamphetamines. Due to the inconclusive nature of studies on marijuana addiction or the negative effects of using, the debate has become politicized.

Some groups have monetary ties to keeping marijuana illegal, while others hope to reap the economic benefits of legalization. Part of the difficulty in treating drug addiction is that finding scientific solutions is blocked by the political process.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Cannabis, Drugs, Gateway drug theory, Health, Richard Nixon, Substance dependence, United States, War on Drugs

Morality or Disease

: Image via Wikipedia

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.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addiction, Brain, Health, Psychology, Sexual addiction, Sexuality, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Both Sides of the Rehabilitation Process

It is important for you to be aware of both sides of the rehabilitation process when you are dealing with a drug addiction or an alcohol addiction. If you are struggling with addiction, then you are not going to be able to get over the habit until you go through both detoxification and rehabilitation. Knowing what both of these processes entail is the first step to understanding why you must go through both in order to kick your habit, and websites like TheCyn.com can help you figure it out.

First and foremost you have detoxification, which handles and addresses the physical aspect of the addiction. Detoxification entails overcoming the physical hold that the drug has on your body by letting your body push it all out. Once you go through the symptoms of withdrawal and you overcome the effects of the drug, then that is when your recovery can really begin. Once there are no drugs left in your system and you are feeling sober and level headed, then you can start the real recovery process which is what rehabilitation is all about.

The rehabilitation part of your recovery is all about the emotional and mental parts of addiction. It deals with bad habits and good habits, lifestyle changes and learning how to live without the drug or the people that bring the drug into your life. You must learn to kick the drug mentally just as much as physically in order to be successful in your recovery. You cannot have detoxification without rehabilitation, and you cannot have rehabilitation without detoxification. This is why residential and inpatient facilities are ideal for overcoming your addiction, they help you address both the physical and emotional aspects of an addiction once and for all. Sobriety means overcoming both holds that the drug has on your body, not just the physical or just the mental.

Filed Under: Alcohol Rehab Facilities Tagged With: Alcoholism, Drug Rehabilitation, Substance dependence

Course of Addiction

The majority of people who start drinking or experiment with recreational drugs do not become addicted. Why do some people become slaves to drugs and alcohol?

A good majority have genes that make them more vulnerable to addiction. But genetics alone do not provide the answer. A substance has to be available and the person has to be willing to try it. Families that include drinkers are far more likely to produce children who are willing to start drinking. Many addictions starts seemingly harmlessly with drinking on weekends with friends. A social environment that encourages drinking and drug use is far more likely to put people on a path to addiction.

The initial steps into addition will usually be pleasant A person might find that drinking or using drugs solves psychological or emotional problems. For many it eases the anxiety of socializing. Other addictions might start with treating a chronic pain with prescription medications. The first step is in associating a behavior such as drinking or taking a drug with relief from uncomfortable feeling or pain.

Many addicts have a background that includes psychological trauma or other forms of abuse. Being intoxicated provides a feeling of well-being and an escape from the psychological effects of the torment. From this point recreational use can easily slip into reliance on the drug for its emotional effects. The pleasure of achieving a high makes the negative consequences seem like a small price to play. Obtaining the drug, using it and recovering from its effects become a priority. At this stage people ignore the possibility that addiction can develop. Denial sets in and the behavior repeats over and over.

Denial is a defense mechanism. It operates to protect self-esteem and keep people even emotionally. Denial might protect a person when a harmless insult is sent, but it can also serve to empower addictive behavior.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addiction, Addictive behavior, Drug, Emotion, Health, Psychological trauma, Recreational drug use, Substance dependence

Age Old Problem, New Solutions

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Addiction is an age old problem that dates nearly to the beginning of recorded history.

A passage from Proverbs 23:29-35 states “Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.”

While ancient societies might have lacked to the science to understand addiction the effects of alcohol dependence were well documented. Substance dependence affects every level and group in society. National Institutes of Health reports have estimated that one in four people in the United States have a parent, child or sibling who is addicted. Reports on the economic impact of addiction place the drain at more than $250 billion annually.

But the impact of addiction cannot be measured in dollar figures alone. Abusing drugs or alcohol disrupts personal development, injures relationships and corrupts a functioning society. Families affected by addiction understand the difficulty in reversing an addict’s behavior.

Although there are some differences between abusing alcohol and addiction to other drugs there are also many similarities. The basic nature of addiction is interchangeable, and many times people who cannot control themselves with one substance with develop a dependence on another. The ease at which people can obtain illegal drugs has made it more common than ever for people to be addicted to multiple substances. The basic nature of addiction also shares characteristics with compulsive disorders such as gambling or overeating.

The problem is in knowing when has a behavior become an addiction? At what point does social drinking develop into alcoholism? Is someone an addict just because he or she uses an illegal drug? The problem of addiction seems to be an ill that will forever be tied to the human experience. Studying the reasons behind addiction and applying scientific treatments have allowed some people to conquer their demons

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addiction, Centers and Counseling Services, Health, Illegal drug trade, National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence, United States

When does Drinking Become a Problem?

: Image via Wikipedia

There has been a joke told among the staff at alcohol treatment centers that was presented as a litmus test for determining whether or not someone was an alcoholic. Follow the person to a bar at happy hour and drop a dead fly on top of his or her beer. If the person is a social drinker the drink will be discarded. If the person is a problem drinker the fly will be flicked out of the beer when no one else is looking. And if the person is an alcoholic he or she will finish the beer and then wring the fly out to get the last drops.

While the joke illustrates the desperation of alcoholics a proper method for determining addiction is the CAGE questionnaire, which was published inthe Journal of the American Medical Association. Answering yes to anyone of the questions indicates that there might be a problem.

C: Have you considered consuming less alcohol?

A: Have peers bothered you by suggesting to reduce your drinking?

G: Have you had negative feelings due to your drinking habits?

E: Have you started the day with a drink?

This simple test of asking people if they have ever had any problems due to drinking identifies the majority of people with an addiction. The problem with the test is getting people to answer it honestly. Denial is the common mechanism used to deflect seeking treatment. People who are truly addicted can come up with endless reasons and justification for the bad consequences of the addiction. Many also look for ways to defect the label of addict.

For people asking themselves the questions the answer is probably already know. The act of admitting the problem and sharing it with friends and family can be an embarrassing hurdle to overcome. There is also the difficult balancing act of admitting the addiction and figure out how to life without substance dependence.

Filed Under: Alcohol Dependence Tagged With: Addictions, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Beer, Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence, United States

Pinpointing Addiction

: Image via Wikipedia

It seems that it should be easy to pinpoint when drinking or using a drug has become an addiction, but arriving at the point can be difficult. Confusion occurs because observing behaviors is not an exact science. Scientists are attempting to define a change in the way the brain functions as a result of exposure to an addicting substance. Researchers has try to illustrate this problem through the story of the three blind men and the elephant.

One man feels the elephant’s ears and concludes that the creature is broad and thin akin to a leaf. One man feels the elephant’s trunk and believes that he is touching a creature similar to a snake. The final man touches the elephant’s leg and believes that the animal is tall and sturdy like a tree. All three are correct and also wrong. The true nature of the elephant has been lost due to observing only one part of the whole.

Addiction is a condition that has biological, physiological, psychological and behavioral aspects. As a result compulsive use of an addicting substance is only on part of understanding the problem of addiction. In 1972 the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence released a definition of addiction that attempted to include every aspect. The two main components of their definition constitute perhaps the best working definition: loss of control over the use of the substance and continued use despite negative consequences.

Just using substances even to excess is not enough to define addiction. Behavioral clues have to be included for a true diagnosis. This is why it is difficult to diagnosis alcoholism in certain segments of the population. It might be easy to discover a drinking problem when a person has numerous DUI arrests. But for someone show does all their drinking at home and limits their interactions while drinking, a hidden addiction could occur.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addiction, Alcoholism, Behavior, Centers and Counseling Services, Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence, United States