Substance dependence

Addiction and Intervention on TV

January 25, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

For the last 4 seasons, Dr. Drew Pinsky, an internist who is board certified in addiction medicine, has been helping well known-addicts try to kick their addictions once and for all. While he first gained fame as a night time love doctor on the nationally syndicated Loveline, he has since helped to create VH1’s celebrity rehab. A reality TV show that takes the viewer into rehab with the addictby documenting the tumultuous times that one must go through on the road to recovery.

Originally the doctor approached VH1 to create a show that would counterbalance the media portrayal of celebrity indulgences and especially celebrity addiction. He believed that the show could be a media intervention of sorts with regards to rehab. Celebrity Rehab is a platform allowing him to create more awareness about the realities of drug, alcohol and chemical dependency without glorifying it. Countless celebrities are shown or have been reported to overindulge in substances and alcohol, yet no ramifications seem to ever be reported. Celebrity Rehab is not another reality show. It deals with addiction and rehab honestly and tries to show the positive steps that the addicts need to take to effectively complete treatment. It tries to authenticate addiction and the process by which someone goes about beating or managing one. The doctor and the counselors try to focus the patients on what triggers them to fall into their negative patterns and how they can try to remedy their triggers to see tangible results within their recovery.

While most of us wouldn’t want to take this journey in the spotlight, there are many places in Southern California that can help addicts achieve positive results with more discretion. Places like alcohol rehab orange county offer solutions that can turn a life around one step at a time. With the right attitude, knowledgeable and patient staff members anyone can find recovery if they are willing to take the first step.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Drew Pinsky, Loveline, Substance dependence

Curbing the Possibility of Addiction

January 21, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Education is vitally important in helping to curb the possibility of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. If you are a parent and you have an addictive personality, or if your family has had a history of addiction, then it is essential for you to keep an eye on the habits of your children because they may be especially susceptible to having an addiction issue with drugs or alcohol in the future.

College graduates have proven to be far less likely to deal with debilitating addictions in the future. What this means is that by promoting education, you are promoting a drug-free lifestyle in your children. Parents have a variety of different options available to them when it comes to putting their children on the right path toward success in school and beyond. You can help your children enroll in a university to ensure that a proper education keeps them on the right track. If money is an issue, then you should consider an online college, which is typically going to be the more cost-friendly option.

If you need help finding the right online school for your children to attend, consider using a resource like EarnMyDegree.com, which will help you find the perfect school for your children’s needs. The right education is going to help to keep your young children’s minds off of drugs, giving them something valuable and positive to work toward. Putting them on the path to a higher education is capable of putting them on the path to a successful drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle. You have the power to make sure that your children live long, fulfilling and meaningful lives, and it simply begins with making sure that they attend the right school and obtain the right college education in order to keep them on the right track.

Filed Under: Awareness, Drug Addiction Tagged With: Addictions, Addictive personality, Centers and Counseling Services, Child, Drug, Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Intervention Programs and Their Benefits

January 15, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

There are many benefits to drug intervention programs. They can offer a person a fresh start, and allow him or her to turn a struggling life around and make it into something great. Getting a person into an intervention program isn’t always easy, but it’s always important. If you or a loved one are facing an addiction and you know that you need help, an intervention that has been staged by people who love you could really change your life and improve what you have and how you feel about yourself. Interventions, when done correctly, are very safe. It’s possible that the person who is the subject of the intervention will become angry, but that’s to be expected.

If you just ignore the problem that your friend or family member has, you’re enabling that person to keep going with his or her drug use and abuse. That’s not the kind of life you want that person to be leading, and you don’t want to encourage that kind of behavior or allow for it. Instead, it’s important that you make the time and the effort to help an addict who’s suffering and may not have the resources or the willpower to help himself or herself. Most addicts don’t want to be the way they are, but they don’t feel like they have the power to change. You can show them a different way.

Even ‘forcing’ them to get help is something that they often want. That way they can blame being in rehab on someone else, but they actually have the opportunity to get better. Putting an addict on track (or back on track) to rehabilitation is one of the best things that you can do for someone you care about. Getting a fresh start in life and another chance at the things they want may only come about if you step in and provide them with a drug intervention.

Filed Under: Alcoholism, Drug Addiction Tagged With: Substance dependence, Treatment

Getting Your Loved One Help Through Drug Treatment Centers

December 20, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Finding an opportunity to offer help to a loved one who is suffering from a drug addiction is a big step in the right direction. It can be heartbreaking to watch a close friend or family member struggle with this type of destructive behavior. Unfortunately, in order for your loved one to actually benefit from treatment, he or she must want to receive that help. This is often the most difficult aspect for family and friends. In many instances, the individual is in denial. It’s not hard to see why you may become frustrated, overwhelmed and feel unable to cope yourself due to the potential consequences of your loved one’s actions.

One of the biggest factors in helping someone get sober is to help support that loved one. Drug treatment centers can offer help throughout the process. It is very difficult to stop using drugs on your own. The services of a treatment center not only can help the person stop using drugs but also find a way to overcome the effects of those drugs on his or her life. You can offer plenty of support to your loved one through this difficult process of getting clean. Expect the person to falter, and be there to provide support in those trying times.

In addition to these factors, it is often necessary for individuals to realize that they cannot do everything. You cannot force a loved one to get help. You can offer support and encouragement, but you may alienate that person in the process. Learning to cope with the destructive action is difficult, but it may be something you need to do. Talk to a counselor or another good friend or family member to learn how to handle the effects of this drug abuse on your own life. You need to learn to handle the stress of the situation so you’re not overwhelmed.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Drugs, Medication Tagged With: Addiction, Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Addiction to Facebook

December 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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It seems far fetched that anyone could actually have an addiction to Facebook, but mental health experts are starting to believe such a thing is possible. There are certain built in factors within the Facebook platform that make it very addicting.

For instance, the prospect of messages, wall posts, invitations, and frequent updates make it hard to walk away from. Many people seem to spend way too much time on their Facebook account. It starts to take a front seat to studies, work, real time with friends, and relating to the real world. People think about Facebook even when they’re offline. They use it to escape problems and avoid unpleasant tasks. Some people even try to hide how much they use Facebook, and this all looks frighteningly similar to a drug addiction.

The difference in drug addiction and addiction to Facebook is that some drug addicts can put the substance down and go cold turkey. Facebook is such an integrated part of our society and the way we network that it’s become virtually impossible to completely walk away from. In that case, addicted users have to find ways to curb their time online.

Professor Bob Redi suggests that Facebook addicts find out what’s missing in their lives. They need to ask themselves if they have too much free time, not enough friends, a need to escape something, or other underlying issues that they want to avoid. They need to then find other ways to cope with those problems.

If a person is in doubt that they have an addiction to Facebook, they should keep a log of how often they long on and for how long. Redi said most people would be surprised at what they find. At that point, people need to seriously address the issue, even if it means seeking professional guidance.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Medical Tagged With: Addictions, Cold turkey, Drug rehabilitation, Facebook, Health, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Getting Treatment at a Drug Rehabilitation Facility

December 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

More and more people all over the world are getting addicted to drugs every year. Sadly many of these people are teenagers. Once a person has admitted that they need help they will most likely go to a drug rehabilitation center for treatment.

There are hundreds of these centers across the globe. Most of these centers can provide an excellent service that gives many drug addicts a complete recovery. However some people may not recover the first time that they enter into a rehabilitation facility.

There are several reasons why this may occur. Those that are heavily addicted to drugs may find the withdrawal that they suffer far too painful. Because of this they may leave the center and continue to take drugs. Other people may not be able to stick to the strict requirements that some centers enforce. An example of this is that some facilities restrict the use of mobile phones. Many of them monitor the daily movements of their patients. Some patients may take some time to adjust to having this much structure in their lives.

However this does not mean that people should give up on trying to quit their addiction. Addiction recovery is not easy and should be looked upon as a long term endeavor. The responsibility of getting well lies on the addicted person as nobody can help them unless they want to help themselves. The time that will be most difficult for addicts to get through is when their body is adjusting to becoming drug free. The withdrawal process is not pretty and this is why it is best to go to a drug rehabilitation facility. These facilities have trained professionals that have seen the effects of withdrawal many times. This will make becoming drug free much easier than if the patient had to go through the process alone.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Drugs, Hospital Tagged With: Drug rehabilitation, Patient, Substance dependence

Portugal’s Approach to Drug Abuse Has Positive Outcome

December 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

At one time, a shocking one percent of Portugal’s population was addicted to drugs. The government realized that jail time was just costing the country money without solving the problem. After ten years of addressing drug addiction as a public health issue instead of a crime, Portugal’s approach to drug abuse has a positive outcome.

Drugs are still illegal in Portugal, but those caught using them are not criminalized. Instead they are sent to counseling, and offered drug education and resources to get clean. In tougher cases, the individual will be court ordered into a treatment center. In 2000, when Portugal changed its drug laws, it was a brave and groundbreaking approach. Now, the United States, as well as other countries, are watching and considering the success of putting crime money towards treatment instead of jail time.

It has been proven that criminalizing drug addiction only makes it worse and costs the country more money. Addicts live in deplorable conditions, refuse to seek help from health care entities, and turn to crime to support their need for more drugs. By spending money on jails, but not treatment, the rate of recidivism is almost 50%. The Portuguese system has reduced repeated jail time, helped clean up dingy, drug infested neighborhoods, and improved the overall health of those who fight addiction. The money put towards punishment is not treatment money. That means the cost of recovery is reduced because finances don’t have to pay for punishment and treatment. Portugal’s approach to drug abuse gets right to the treatment phase. More people get on their feet faster and spend less time in the courts.

Some U.S. cities are trying a similar approach. Judges in places like San Francisco have the option to sentence addicts to treatment instead of jail time. Those urban areas who are following Portugal’s lead are also seeing positive outcomes.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Medical Tagged With: Addiction, Centers and Counseling Services, Health, Portugal, San Francisco, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence, United States

The Drug Recovery Process

December 8, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

When it comes to being hooked on drugs for a long time, recovery can definitely not only be the best step for you to take with your life, but it can also be a long process. Some drug addicts tend to give up the drugs on their own, but the ones who can’t tend to check into rehab for some type of drug addiction recovery. The recovery may not have to be rehab, but it can consist of you joining a recovering addict group in which people can help motivate you in not only getting off the drugs, but also staying off them.

The biggest hassles in drug addiction recovery are the withdrawals and also making sure that you don’t relapse. Withdrawals usually occur for weeks as the body has to get use to not having all the drugs in its system. At first the temptation may be hard to get through, but it can be done. Relapsing is something that is fairly easy for a person to do based upon the fact that something such as depression could get them right back on drugs. Relapsing has no time limit and a person can be off of drugs for a year and get right back on them.

If you or someone you know are on drugs or addicted to drugs, make sure that you go out and seek some type of drug addiction recovery facility today. There are many groups that people attend not only to keep them off the street where the drugs are, but to also tell their story and the reasons in why they gave up that lifestyle they were living. Just make sure that it is something you want to do and not something you were mainly forced to do just so you can go and please others.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Drugs, Hospital, Medical Tagged With: Relapse, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence

Trauma is a Possible Link to Addiction

December 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Canadian physician, Garbor Mate, has recently released a book that argues that addiction is more likely to come about due to childhood trauma rather than genetics. NPR’s Amy Goodman asked Dr. Mate to explain how trauma is a possible link to addiction.

The physician, who works in a facility in one of the most dense drug addicted neighborhoods in Vancouver, starts his explanation by telling Goodman that every single female addict in his house was sexually abused as a child. He goes onto explain that whether the addiction is drugs, shopping, eating or working, a stressful childhood cause the human brain to change in a way that seeks to ease the trauma of a bad situation.

As a WWII survivor of the Jewish ghetto in Budapest, Dr. Mate uses his own infancy as an example of trauma being linked to addiction. He tells Goodman that his father had been sent to a labor camp, his grandparents had been killed in a concentration camp, and his mother was constantly living under stress and in fear. Her infant son cried all of the time, and when she called the doctor to come see the child, the doctor agreed to do so. The doctor also let her know that all of his infant Jewish patients cried all of the time. Dr. Gabor claims to be ADD and a shopaholic due to this early childhood trauma. Although he couldn’t intellectualize the situation, he sensed the stress in his mother.

With that example, the doctor believes it is possible to re-wire the human brain by providing love and understanding to the addict because our current system simply punishes people who lived through punishing childhoods. He assures Goodman that it is possible for the brain to heal itself through the right support, reinforcement and stress management for addicts.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Medical Tagged With: Amy Goodman, Budapest, Health, Mental Health, Physician, Psychological trauma, Substance dependence, Vancouver

The Success of Substance Abuse Programs

December 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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The success of a a substance abuse program should be considered before entering a patient into it. There are many programs available, and most will have a cost associated with them. Most addicts are not in a position to pay for something only to have it not work, so there are a few things to look for before deciding which substance abuse program to enter.

The success rate of the program is paramount. Ask the treatment center what their relapse rate is. Within 5 years of treatment about 54 percent of the participants will relapse. If the program can prove it has a lower statistic than that, then it’s worth trying.

It is also known that the longer a patient stays in treatment, the more successful he will be. Therefore, the next question should address average length of stay. Patients who stay in treatment for at least 90 days are going to be the most successful. Any time shorter than that will likely return a disappointing result.

Ask what the relapse rate is six months after treatment. For women it should be 20% or lower, and for men it should 30% or lower. If the program can prove it produces those kinds of numbers, it is an excellent choice for recovery.

Finally, the most successful recovering addicts participate fully in aftercare programs, so ask how the participants do in that part of the recovery process. Programs that succeed in getting patients to make all aftercare meetings are the programs most likely to turn around the disease of addiction. At least 60 percent of the participants should be attending all after care meetings in order to consider the substance abuse program successful.

Certainly, many factors in the addict’s life, as well as how motivated the addict is, will play into success, but there’s no sense in spending time and money on a program that won’t produce positive results.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Medical Tagged With: Addiction, Centers and Counseling Services, Drug rehabilitation, Health, Nashville Predators, Substance Abuse, Substance dependence, United States