It is very common for those who have a hard time coping with these stressful situations to use alcohol and drugs in an effort to relax themselves or self-medicate.  Unfortunately the effects of chronic alcohol and drug abuse can take a very dangerous toll on a person’s health and life, and will most likely only worsen or prolong the symptoms of stress and anxiety. By habitually using drugs or alcohol as a means of coping with stress, the substance abuse itself will become the stressor, which could easily trigger a cycle of drug use and ultimately lead to the development of an addiction.  Also, in addition to the development of a physical addiction, it is also common that those who use drugs to self medicate will develop substance use disorders and mental health conditions, which will only compound the situation at hand.

No matter who you are in this world, stress is a part of life and it is important that we learn how to confront these stressful situations and frustrations, rather than escaping and ignoring them. While stress cannot be avoided, addiction can, provided stress is managed in a healthy way. If you haven’t already sought out drugs or alcohol to relieve stress, but have often found yourself contemplating doing so, understand that there are many techniques that can be used to cope safely and without the use of harmful substances. Relaxing the mind with Yoga and massages is a common holistic approach used by many alcohol and drug rehab centers to help their patients cope with stress. Exercise is also very effective because doing so leads to a natural release of endorphins, the hormones that produce our “happy” feelings. Even every day “emotional” tasks such as staying positive, embracing change, accepting what you can and cannot in life, and taking one day at a time can have a huge impact on the outlook you may have on your life.

Unfortunately some may already find themselves ensnared in the vicious cycle of using drugs or alcohol to cope with life’s stressors and in these cases, it is important that addiction treatment is sought out, as drug or alcohol addiction is near impossible to overcome our own. While 12-step meetings outside an alcohol or drug rehab facility may be effective for some addictions such as mild alcoholism, it is important to remember that medical detox is sometimes necessary to fully rid the body of addictive toxins that have resulted from drug use and a more structured drug or alcohol treatment is essential for full recovery. If you feel that in order to cope with stress you have no other choice but to turn to harmful and potentially addictive substances, seek treatment in a Florida drug rehab center immediately.

Only second to marijuana and alcohol abuse, prescription drugs are at the top of the list for the most abused drugs in the United States. And because prescription medication is one of the most expensive street drugs on the market, it is also causing a rise in heroin abuse, as heroin can provide a similar euphoric fix for significantly less money. Another issue is that these are not illegal drugs, but ones that can be obtained rather easily through prescriptions, depending on what symptoms a patient “tells” his doctor he is experiencing. Since pain is subjective, it is near impossible for a doctor to be able to measure the level of pain a patient feels. Many times they will over-prescribe or prescribe a high dose for a potential amount of discomfort, should the patient “possibly” experience an increase in pain. And many times they will unknowingly administer opiates to patients whose “pain” is no more than an actual full-blown addiction.

Doctors or “doctor shopping” is not the only pressing issue at hand when it comes to our countries prescription pain medication epidemic. Another large contributor to prescription drug addiction are those who still hoard their unused prescription medicine for future use and leave such in medicine cabinets, readily accessible to anyone who enters or resides in the home. Because of this type of drug hoarding, there has been a tremendous rise in the amount of teenage prescription drug abuse, as well as criminal acts such as break-ins and home burglaries, as prescription opiates become more expensive and less available on the streets, and more available in the bathrooms of our neighbors.

Unfortunately, with all of the above stated, it is not enough to monitor overzealous opiate prescribing doctors, pill-hoarding families, and tackle the criminal sales of opiates on the street.  There is an issue at hand, and that issue is how we are dealing with pain in the first place. We have now adopted the “quick-fix” method and think pills are the answer to everything when there are non-medical ways to cope with chronic discomfort. Holistic drug-free treatments, which can include acupuncture, meditation, yoga, chiropractic care, aqua therapy, and the teachings of proper nutrition, have all been proven greatly effective in contributing to the relief of chronic pain. With these holistic methods being implemented by some of the most successful drug rehabilitation and treatment programs in our country and the growing number of opiate addictions today, doctors should without a doubt be required to explore these alternatives with their patients well before haphazardly writing another prescription for Oxycontin.

While New Jersey had already received the appropriate funding for a drug-monitoring program 6 years ago, a program that would have regulated the doctors and prevented them from issuing fake diagnoses and illegal prescriptions to the officers, it had unfortunately been placed on the backburner.  It was this instance and the alarming amount of officers involved that finally created the awareness necessary for the New Jersey government to move forward and implement their statewide drug-monitoring program.

The drug-monitoring program in NJ, which is already running in 34 other states, is intended to prevent the abuse of prescription painkillers and anabolic steroids.  Prescription drugs are currently at the top of the list for the highest abused drugs in New Jersey, with Ritalin, Oxycontin and Adderall being the biggest threats to patients who enter drug rehab for prescription drug addiction. The operational monitoring program will use a statewide database to monitor all pharmacies and prescriptions issued. The goal is to track use as well as abuse trends and easily identify individuals who may be using forged prescriptions or obtaining excessive amounts of their prescription pain medication from one or more doctors.

Though New Jersey government officials are primarily focused on monitoring law officials, the program will also be greatly effective when trying to prevent the use of anabolic steroids, painkillers, and prescription drug amongst the general public and the climbing prescription drug abuse amongst teens.

Because trained doctors handle the prescription of opiates, mothers tend to see this form of self-medication as an acceptable way to deal with everyday stress, not realizing that taking such medication can easily lead to misuse and addiction. In addition to dealing with stress, mothers who turn to prescription drugs may also do so to numb any mental disorders they are dealing with such as anxiety or depression. Because a mother may feel like she has to be a strong and positive influence on her child’s life, she may try to cover up any negative issues and emotions she is struggling with by using prescription drugs. But anytime prescription drugs are used to handle an emotional disorder, the emotional disorder is only being masked, not properly treated. Tending to these emotions with medication is a quick and dangerous attempt at healing and one that will only lead to future problems for a mother and her family.

Getting help for a possible prescription drug addiction is also an issue for many stay at home moms. Though prescription drug use and abuse amongst women is on the rise, women are still less likely than men to seek treatment, especially women whose primarily role in the family is a stay at home mother.  A woman whose every day life is dedicated to taking care of her loved ones may feel like the whole family is dependent on her and that she needs to be available around the clock for them. She may even go as far as to worry that a stay in rehab or admittance to drug addiction could cause her to lose her husband or even her children. This is a dangerous way of thinking as there can be no positive outcome for a drug addiction that goes untreated.

Overdose due to prescription pain medication is now one of the most common causes of death in America and the devastation caused by the loss of a mother due to overdose would be life changing for her family. It is in the best interest of a mother to seek treatment in drug rehab immediately so that she can be returned healthy to her family, ready and able to resume her role as a loving partner and well providing mother.

A new tablet of OxyContin, recently approved by the FDA, which contains a time-controlled release of opioids into its patients, was designed to combat the misuse and abuse of the drug. With the old formula of OxyContin, abusers could release high levels of OxyContin all at once, or break the pill into smaller pieces to share with others or split throughout the day for recreational use. To avoid drug abuse, the new formulation of the drug can not be crushed, broken, cut, or dissolved by users looking for nothing more than an immediate high. The tablets will break into chunks making them difficult to snort, when melted become gummy and are impossible to be injected.

Hearing that the drug can’t be taken incorrectly should sound like good news, but unfortunately it’s come with a major downside. Because the new form of OxyContin is harder to tamper with, those who have already become addicted to the euphoric effects of the pill are looking for easier ways to achieve a similar high.  Sadly, they are turning to heroin, now widely known on the streets as OxyContin’s “cousin” drug. Former abusers of OxyContin have switched to heroin, as it is just as accessible, produces an instant high, and is significantly cheaper. Where a gram of heroin may sell for $25-$30 dollars, OxyContin goes for $60-$80 a tablet.

Now boasting the nicknames, “legal-heroin” and “hillbilly heroin”, OxyContin clearly does more damage than good. There are many less addictive pain relief medications that can be properly prescribed and monitored as well as alternative pain management techniques and options that can be taught and handled by drug rehab centers. Options not responsible for the deaths of thousands due to overdose and the destruction of life for tens of thousands due to addiction.

On February 8, 2007, the controversial TV personality and model, Anna Nicole Smith, was found dead in a Florida hotel. Contributing to her overdose were eleven drugs that included Klonopin, Ativan, Serax, and Valium, all of which had been prescribed to her by her doctor.

The list of celebrity overdoses on prescription drugs only continues to grow, each year without fail adding another name to its list. Heath Ledger died while on his prescribed cocktail of Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Diazepam, Alprazolam, Temazepam, Vicodin, Xanax, Restoril and Unisom. Michael Jackson on his that included Valium, Lorazepam, and Midazolam, plus the painkiller Lidocane, topped off with Propofol.

When looking at the amount of drugs these celebrities are taking at once, it almost seems blatantly obvious to anyone that a mixture of that many pills can be lethal.  So maybe the celebrity is to blame for the overdose, they should clearly know that juggling so many prescriptions at the same time could possibly be fatal.  But what if that person is struggling with an addiction to the pain pills? What about the doctor who is prescribing the medication? What if they trust that a doctor wouldn’t prescribe them such medications if it weren’t safe? Shouldn’t he be held accountable?

The official cause of death of Elvis Presley at 42 was cardiac arrhythmia, but it is believed that prescription drugs contributed to his heart condition. Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, Presley’s doctor, explained the singer’s open attitude toward prescription drugs: “He felt that by getting pills from a doctor, he wasn’t the common everyday junkie getting something off the street.”

Why would Elvis’s doctor continue to prescribe him medication knowing such information? Eminem, who had his own struggle with substance abuse treatment, gave one possible answer. In an interview for Vibe magazine he spoke out against irresponsible doctors, stating that celebrity doctors “want to stay on a celebrities radar”.  Money, money, money.

While it does take two to tango, and the patient is the one who in the end makes the decision to take the drugs, there is a reason that we go to doctors for our medication.  They are qualified in the medical field. And because they are qualified, we trust them to know what’s safe for us and when to stop prescribing or increasing our amount of medications if it could prove to be potentially dangerous, or fatal.  We trust them to monitor our medication intake so that we won’t become addicted and land ourselves in a drug rehab center. They are the doctors after all, the experts in good health.

Simply put, there really should be closer monitoring of what doctors are prescribing. While a doctor and patient may be equally to blame in the case of accidental overdose, very rarely is a doctor, who might have prescribed irresponsibly, held accountable, which doesn’t quite make sense.

Celebrities are not immune to the same addictions we as every day people face. An addiction, no matter who you are in the world, is still an addiction and it needs to be treated. If you find you are struggling with an addiction to prescription painkillers and need to get help, whether it is in a support group or through drug rehab, please do so as soon as possible.

Eminem’s world hit rock bottom when it was apparent that he had a painkiller addiction. It was said he would consume up to as many as 20 pills a day to satisfy his needs. Medications such as Vicodin, Ambien and Valium were primarily taken and constantly being mixed together. Fortunately, he took notice of his problem and admitted himself into a rehabilitation facility. But accepting his addiction and going through the necessary steps of his individualized treatment program wasn’t easy for him. When he withdrew from drug rehab for the first time, it was only soon after that he nearly overdosed on methadone pills that were given to him by a friend.

Eminem subsequently experienced a knee injury that needed surgery, but due to his addiction to painkillers he was unable to be prescribed anything for the pain. He reacted by rummaging around his belongings in search of a left over stash of pills that he could use for the pain and sure enough found extra strength Vicodin and Valium. It was at this exact moment, when he relapsed, that he had finally come to terms with the fact that he had a drug addiction problem and one that would be difficult to overcome.

Taking the first step towards accepting that you have a problem with addiction is the hardest part. It’s scary to know how easy it is to relapse even after a long stay in rehab. Those trying to overcome an addiction are constantly being exposed to addiction causing triggers on a daily basis. Stress, anxiety, and the constant battle against neurochemical changes in the brain caused by addiction, can often lead them back to where they began. This is why continuous care is vital. A drug rehab center that provides treatment programs sensitive to one’s individual needs during their stay and continuous care even after the patient has left treatment can greatly assist in a healthy recovery.

Customizable treatment programs are meant to successfully address each addict’s problem individually and cure them of their addiction. If you are struggling with an addiction to painkillers and need help taking the next step, please contact Unity Recovery Center as soon as possible.

If you are struggling with a substance abuse problem during your pregnancy it is not too late, it is critical you seek help! Individual counseling, support groups and drug rehab centers are all places to receive help. According to Unity Recovery center “Traditionally, barriers to entering drug and alcohol treatment for women have been their life roles.  Women will often identify themselves as a part of other relationships; therefore, women frequently position caretaking and nurturing roles ahead of their own needs, and may postpone seeking help for their drug and/or alcohol addiction.  Negative emotions, such as fear, guilt, shame, embarrassment, and low-self-esteem also discourage addicted women in search of help.” (www.unityrehab.com). It is important to seek out a program that is sensitive to your needs; a treatment program that provides alternative means to treatments such as: massage, acupuncture, and yoga have exponential benefits for pregnant woman. Do not wait both you and your child are worth the healing!

“Charlie Sheen has voluntarily entered an undisclosed rehabilitation center today,” his rep Stan Rosenfeld said on Jan. 28. “He is most grateful to all who have expressed their concern.”

Enter the media frenzy responding to Charlie Sheen’s completely off-the-wall interview answers a month later and we can clearly see that Sheen did not take his rehab stint seriously, nor does he think he needs any outside help to cure his drug addiction, which he made very clear in his recent interview on The Today Show:

“I closed my eyes and in a nanosecond I cured myself.”

His interviews almost seem like they have been scripted, his answers so bizarre and out there it’s as if they were cleverly written for him. Another sitcom that his audience (our society) could sit back and laugh at, each line delivered better, each one funnier than the last.  The sad thing is, this is real life.

“I am on a drug. It’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available. If you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.”

At this point, his loved ones have to be at a complete loss. Of course no one wants to point fingers and accuse someone of alcoholism or drug addiction, let alone tell a loved one they are not mentally stable and try to force him or her into an addiction treatment facility. And no one knows if Charlie Sheen really does know how to cure his drug problems with “my mind” or if his addiction is simply one to his own ego, aka the drug “Charlie Sheen”.  But there is one thing a person cannot deny and that’s the behavior that they publicly display to the rest of the world. As much as Charlie Sheen wants to tell us that there is nothing wrong and he’s just enjoying life (while running on Tiger’s blood) a 36 hour bender with porn stars that lands you in the hospital combined with answering serious interview questions with things like “The run I was on made Sinatra, Jagger, Richards, look like droopy-eyed, armless children.” doesn’t exactly seem normal by any standards.

Getting a loved one help when they don’t think they need it is by far a difficult feat. The illness itself can cause a person to believe they are physically and mentally fine. They also may not see what they are doing as a problem per say or they may think that receiving help for their addiction is a sign of weakness. Some believe mental illness itself is a sign of weakness when in fact it’s considered a biological illness. Psychosis, which can go hand in hand with substance abuse, is a mental condition (sometimes seen in schizophrenia or bipolar disorders) in which someone loses touch with reality.   In these cases, someone’s beliefs may become so distorted nothing can save him but psychological treatment in a qualified drug rehab.

There are no easy rules for helping a loved one, but there are ways you can address specific issues in hopes that they will get the help they need. Stating your observations can be effective. When these observations (not accusations) come from an outsider it may cause a person to become bitter and defensive, but when they hear the same things from loved ones, in other words people that they trust and who wouldn’t have any reason to lie, it may strike a different cord. Interventions and turning to other people yourself for support can also aid in talking to a loved one about their problem. Refrain from giving your loved one an ultimatum to get help and instead simply let them know how much they mean to you and remind them that you have faith in their ability to better their future.

In the end, being there for your friend or family member is the most important thing you can do and helping them realize that they may have a problem is a great first step towards their recovery.  Unity Recovery Center has trained professionals waiting to help your loved one down their road to self-discovery and an addiction free life. If you need help referring a family member to rehab, please call us at our toll-free helpline at 877-772-5505 or visit our drug and alcohol rehab facility online.

The psychoanalytic model of alcoholism defines alcohol addiction as a symptom of a dormant, underlying personality disorder. Proponents of the psychoanalytic model blame alcoholism on a potential unresolved inner conflict that may stem from an individual’s early childhood. According to psychoanalysis, the human mind develops through a series of stages. If a certain traumatic, or otherwise severe event causes that process to stop, the affected individual can become stuck at a certain stage and will not progress out of it. Psychologists who follow this model believe that alcoholism is likely the result of an individual whose mental development was interrupted during the “oral stage of development.” Furthermore, it is believed that the only way to cure this type of alcoholism is to resolve the associated mental conflict. According to this model, in-depth psychotherapy in addition to alcohol rehab would be the required treatment.

According to the Family Interaction Model alcoholism is a family problem, not an individual one. In this case, alcohol treatment would explore the various relationships in the alcoholic’s family, such as a spouse, sibling, or child. Drinking behavior in the family realm can be traced back to stress that is caused by strained family relationships. Because this model emphasizes the importance of how family relationships are associated with alcoholism, this model requires treatment that involves the entire family. Ultimately, according to the family interaction model, the goal of alcohol rehab is to help each family member to recognize how they contribute to the alcoholic process.

The Behavior Model of alcoholism works by defining alcoholism as a behavior rather than a disease. Similar to the Family Interaction model, the behavior model identifies instruments that promote and allow problem drinking. Generally, theorists who follow the Behavior Model believe that an individual who drinks heavily continues to do so because they are receiving positive reinforcement for the behavior. Types of positive reinforcement include: approval from friends and peers, feelings of euphoria, and the potential to maintain certain relationships with others who drink. Basically, according to this theory, alcoholism is a learned behavior. In the same fashion that one can learn to become a problem drinker, it is believed that an individual can learn to abstain through the use of positive and negative reinforcements.

There are no studies that have found a clear biological link to explain alcoholism, but there are a number of them that have suggested the possibility of some sort of biological predisposition to the condition. Studies of the biological contributors to alcoholism have identified two kinds of predisposition. These predispositions exist as a result of genetic variations at the molecular level that affect alcohol-metabolizing enzymes (enzymes that help to remove alcohol from your body). “Male-limited susceptibility,” as it’s called, affects only men – giving them a much greater chance to inherit behaviors such as early-onset drinking. The other biological predisposition is called “Milieu-limited susceptibility,” which affects both sexes. This one however, only produces its effect in reaction to environmental triggers. At any rate, both of these biological features can make a person vulnerable to alcoholism.

The Medical Model treats alcoholism as a physical illness, likening it to any other disease. Advocates of this model suggest alcohol recovery through medical measures. The disease concept is very popular way of thinking about alcoholism, likely due to the fact that proponents of this model view the behavior as morally acceptable, rather than “bad” or “sinful.” Accepting this model, however, and regarding problem drinkers as victims of an illness implies that they cannot accept responsibility for their behavior. Regardless of its connotations though, the medical model has proved successful for many patients who have attended a medication assisted alcohol rehab center .

It should be noted that the various models of alcoholism are purely theoretical. Often times, there are many, many factors that lead to alcoholism that these specific models cannot accommodate. These models do, however, offer valuable resources in helping problem drinkers better understand their condition. It is important to research your condition and the various drug and alcohol rehab centers available before making a decision on addiction treatment.

Unfortunately, there are numerous reasons as to why people abuse prescription stimulants, particularly Adderall and Ritalin. For example, some individuals use them to stay awake for extended periods of time, while others use them to improve focus, lose weight or to experience a high from the drug. Abuse of these drugs can lead to an array of unpleasant side effects; some of these effects include fevers and headache; feelings of anxiety; malnutrition; irregular heartbeat, leading to heart attack or stroke; extremely high core body temperature; and seizures, tremors and muscle twitching. However, some face the worst effect of prescription stimulant abuse, addiction.

Individuals develop an addiction to these drugs for a number of reasons. One of the most prevalent is in regards to the most common way to abuse the drugs. Oftentimes, those who are taking Adderall or Ritalin without a prescription will crush the pills and snort them; others also crush the pill, mix it with water, and inject the mixture intravenously. These methods are not proper modes of administration and both can lead to addiction. Also, larger doses are often taken by those who abuse these drugs. Addiction to a prescription stimulant is recognized by many of the same characteristics as any other drug addiction. For example, individuals facing addiction to Adderall or Ritalin will be able to tolerate the drug because of their repeated use; this leads to an individual needing more of the drug to try to achieve the same high that they experienced when they first took the drug, although researchers have indicated that this is impossible. Additionally, individuals will begin to crave the drug and obtaining and taking the drug will begin to command their lives and their actions. Another characteristic of addiction to prescription stimulants is that individuals will experience withdrawal symptoms when the drug is absent from their body; these symptoms may include panic attacks, extreme hunger, crankiness, nightmares, fatigue and depression. Overall, addiction can easily develop and can lead an individual down a frightening, damaging path.

Ritalin and Adderall are two commonly abused prescription stimulants; abuse of them, like previously mentioned, often leads to addiction. For instance, Adderall, like illicit stimulants, works by stimulating the central nervous system; this stimulation leads to alterations in an individual’s body. When taken without a prescription, or when taken improperly, Adderall abuse often leads to addiction. Short term effects of this addiction include hives and swelling of the throat, tongue, lips or face; a racing heartbeat; increase in blood pressure; sleeplessness; headache; dizziness; dry mouth; weight loss; and decreased sex drive. These physical effects are harmful; however, the long term effects of Adderall addiction are even more frightening, including many psychological effects. For example, long term effects of addiction to Adderall include hallucinations, aggression, changes in personality, depression, delusions, profuse sweating, vomiting, dehydration, muscle twitching or spasms, lower abdominal pain and kidney damage, as well as psychosis. Overall, abuse of Adderall can easily lead to addiction and addiction, as has been shown, can have life-altering, and sometimes fatal, effects on the body. Fortunately, individuals facing this addiction can seek help to restore their lives at a drug rehab center.

Another dangerous prescription stimulant that is all too often abused is Ritalin. Like Adderall, Ritalin is also used to treat ADHD, as well as narcolepsy. Ritalin works by disrupting the neurotransmitters in the brain. These neurotransmitters are responsible for controlling action and behavior, and a disruption in their activity causes them to collect, unable to be re-absorbed. Proponents of Ritalin suggest that, with an accumulation of the neurotransmitters, an individual suffering from ADHD can begin to experience increased focus due to the accumulation of the neurotransmitters. The effects on the entire body are obviously extreme; with substance abuse of this drug, however, the effects heighten and can often lead to addiction.

The effects of Ritalin abuse and addiction are numerous. For example, short term effects of Ritalin abuse include increases in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration; sleeplessness; headache; dizziness; dry mouth; and weight loss. These effects are obviously detrimental to an individual’s health and well-being; however, with repeated use and abuse (i.e., taking large amounts of the drug, injecting the drug, smoking the drug or snorting the drug), a drug addiction can develop and long term effects will arise. For example, some long term effects of Ritalin abuse include an irregular heartbeat, leading to strokes or heart attacks; a dangerously high body temperature; kidney failure; and the potential for complete heart failure or seizures. Additionally, some individuals will experience long term psychological effects, which include extreme hostility, paranoia and psychosis. Ritalin addiction, as has been shown, can change an individual, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Abuse and addiction to any drug can be harmful. However, abuse and addiction of prescription stimulant drugs, especially Ritalin and Adderall, can greatly impact an individual’s life. Fortunately, drug rehab is available for these individuals and at a professional drug rehab center, an individual can begin rehabilitation and restore their lives, health and well-being.

Heroin is easily one of the most dangerous illegal depressants and is widely available to many. Derived from morphine, heroin is a depressant that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain. There are several ways to administer heroin, each with varying effects on the body; the most common routes of administration include intravenous use, smoking, or snorting. Despite the route of administration, though, substance abuse of this powerful depressant can have damaging effects on the body.

The effects of heroin are numerous and potentially fatal. The short term effects of heroin last for hours; some of these effects include dry mouth, heavy extremities, clouded mental functioning, slow gait, constricted pupils, as well as impaired vision, vomiting, and slowed speech. While these short term effects are frightening on their own, the long term effects of repeated use are even more severe. With repeated use, drug addiction to heroin can easily develop; addiction to heroin, and any other drug, is characterized by a high tolerance for the drug, which requires more of the drug to be taken, a craving for the drug, and withdrawal symptoms when the body is void of the drug; these withdrawal symptoms include sweating, chills, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety or depression. With continued use of heroin, the brain’s molecular structure is altered, making the addiction stronger and harder to overcome. Despite this, though, the drug addiction can be overcome with the help of professionals at a drug rehab center.

A drug addiction to heroin can cause devastating effects. Due to the repeated use of heroin, many individuals develop physical and mental effects that can drastically change their bodies and minds. For example, some long term effects of repeated heroin use include collapsed veins from intravenous use, infection of the heart lining, abscesses, liver disease, as well as a clogging of the blood vessels that leads to the lungs, liver, kidney, or brain. Any and all of these long term effects can potentially ruin an individual’s life or ultimately, end their life. These long term effects of  heroin addiction to heroin cannot be ignored and must be recognized as devastating to not only the drug-addicted individual, but also to their loved ones.

Barbiturate abuse, like heroin abuse, can lead to an array of life-altering problems. Initially, barbiturates were a legal drug that was administered by physicians; in the 1970s, though, barbiturates began to be replaced by a safer drug and the majority of barbiturate use became illegal. Similarly to heroin, when barbiturates enter the system, they begin to affect the brain’s pleasure system as well as the body’s overall ability to respond to pain. Most often taken in pill form, barbiturates can also be injected intravenously into the veins or muscles, which allows for a quickly felt high.

The effects of barbiturate abuse are numerous and potentially fatal. For example, some short term effects of barbiturate abuse include an altered level of consciousness, difficulty in thinking coherently, as well as drowsiness, lack of coordination, shallow breathing, slurred speech, and a slowed heart rate, as well as a decline in core body temperature and blood pressure. These short term effects alone can be devastating. However, with continued abuse of barbiturates, the most harmful effect may develop, addiction.

Addiction to barbiturates can be characterized by an increased tolerance for the drug, which requires an individual to gradually take more of the drug, as well as a craving for the drug and the experience of withdrawal symptoms when the drug is absent from the body. Additionally, due to the long term, continued use of barbiturates, a series of long term effects develop, each with an ability to wreck havoc on the body and mind of the drug-addicted individual. For example, some long term effects of barbiturate addiction include coma and death; these may result from an extreme drop in respiration or heart rate, as well as infection in the kidneys, brain or liver. Overall, the effects of barbiturate use can alter an individual’s life and cause pain for themselves and their loved ones.

Heroin and barbiturates are among the most dangerous illicit depressants. Due to their chemical makeup, they are highly addictive and carry with them an array of dangerous effects. Fortunately, for the thousands of individuals who suffer from the disease of drug addiction to one of these drugs, help can be provided, in the form of drug rehab.

A few drinks can product detectable impairments in memory. But large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly on an empty stomach, can result in a blackout. A blackout is an interval of time where an inebriated person cannot recall key details of events or even entire events. Binge drinking, which is typically defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men or four or more drinks for women, can result in blackouts. A blackout is not the same as passing out; the drinker is conscious but incoherent from substance abuse. Research suggests that females are at greater risk than males for experiencing blackouts. They are also more vulnerable than men for other medical consequences of alcohol use such as cirrhosis, heart muscle damage, and nerve damage. Pregnant females who suffer from alcoholism can also cause of pattern of physical, developmental, and functional problems in their infants called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

When alcohol is used there is an initial feeling of euphoria and uninhibited thinking. This is due to the effect of alcohol on dopamine, the reward part of the brain. Increased serotonin also results in a rewarding, intoxicating effect. This is deceiving to the drinker since alcohol is a depressant that slows brain activity and causes confusion. Aggression, alternating mood swings, anxiety, and depression cause distorted judgments.

Long term alcohol abuse risks serious and persistent changes in the brain. For example, a thiamine deficiency is common in alcoholics and results in poor overall nutrition. Thiamine or vitamin B1, is essential to all tissues, including the brain. Up to 80% of alcoholics have a deficiency in this vitamin and go to develop serious brain disorders like Wernicke – Korsakoff Syndrome which consists of two syndromes, Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis. Wernicke’s Encephalopathy involves mental confusion, eye nerve paralysis, and difficulty with muscle coordination. Clinicians working with alcoholics, such as an alcohol rehab environment, must be aware that this disorder may be present even if the patient does not show all of the symptoms. About 80-90% of alcoholics with Wernicke’s encephalopathy also develop Korsakoff’s psychosis, which is characterized by learning and memory problems. People who suffer from this are forgetful, quickly frustrated, and have difficulty with walking and coordination. They may have problems remembering old memories, but are particularly challenged with new information. For example they may discuss an event from their lives in detail but hours later not remember having the conversation.

Alcohol contracts brain tissue and depresses the central nervous system. It destroys brain cells, and unfortunately brain cells do not regenerate like other cells in the body. When alcohol reaches the brain, it interferes with communication between nerve cells by interacting with the receptors on some cells. By affecting inhibitory nerve pathways, alcohol can make a person sluggish. The cerebral cortex processes information from the senses, thoughts, and initiates voluntary muscle movements. In the cerebral cortex alcohol can affect thought processes, depress inhibition, and blunt the senses and increase the threshold for pain. When someone who abuses alcohol experiences memory loss, it is because of alcohol affecting the hippocampus and septal area of the brain, which controls memory and emotions. When the cerebellum, which coordinates muscle movement, is affected by alcohol a person will become uncoordinated. The hypothalamus controls and influences many automatic functions of the brain and the pituitary gland coordinates hormonal release. Alcohol will cause an increase in sexual desire but a decline in sexual performance. The kidneys will also produce more urine. Perhaps the most frightening thing about the effects of alcohol on the brain is the potential effect on the medulla, which influences or controls automatic body functions such as heart rate, temperature, and breathing. The effects of alcoholism on the medulla can be fatal.

Studies from autopsies also show that patients with a history of alcoholism have smaller, less massive, and more shrunken brains than non-alcoholic adults of the same age and gender. The findings show that there is an association between heavy drinking and brain damage, even in the absence of chronic liver disease or dementia. Most of the brain shrinking occurs in the cortex of the frontal lobe, which is the location of higher cognitive facilities. After 40, some of the changes to this lobe may be irreversible.

Alcoholics are not all alike in terms of the degrees of impairment alcohol causes on the brain. But the good news is that most alcoholics with cognitive impairment show improvement in brain structure and functioning within a year of sobriety, which is a clear incentive to get treatment at an alcohol rehab. Cognitive functions and motor coordination improve at least partially within 3 or 4 weeks of sobriety, and cerebral atrophy reverses after the first few months of sobriety. Hyper-excitability of the central nervous system persists during the first several months of sobriety and then normalizes. Frontal lobe blood returns to normal levels within 4 years. Skills that require novel, complex, and rapid information processing take the longest to recover. New verbal learning is among the first to recover. Visual-spatial abilities, abstraction, problem solving, and short-term memory are also among the first to recover. The sooner an alcoholic receives treatment at an alcohol rehab, the better chance he or she has to avoid permanent brain damage.

Denial is a defense mechanism that we all use to keep our lives in balance and it’s sometimes necessary for our mental health. However, with alcohol or drug addiction denial is taken to the extreme and becomes an obstacle to recovery. An addict will blame everything and everyone except their own substance abuse for their problems to avoid feeling helpless and out of control. Addicts also tend to use drugs or alcohol to cover unpleasant feelings and by coming out of denial, those unpleasant feelings will come to the surface. An example is someone who has suffered abuse; they may use drugs or alcohol to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. In order for a drug rehab to treat this type of dual diagnosis, most the post-traumatic stress disorder and the addiction should be addressed at the same time.

Denial is a common feature of addiction. People who suffer from alcoholism frequently underestimate the amount of alcohol they consume and the impact alcohol has had on their personal life or health. They often overestimate their ability to control their drinking or quit without assistance. In psychology, addiction denial is considered to be an unconscious ego mechanism. To fully acknowledge the addiction problems would be so threatening to the individual’s ego that he or she must misconstrue, reinterpret, or forget the facts of their addiction. This interpretation sees denial as an emotional rejection of the truth instead of a simple failure in insight. Another interpretation of denial is that it stems from cognitive failure which could be from mental rigidity or poor ability to deal with complexity. These may involve an inability to search the memory for evidence of alcoholism and poor discrimination of relevant from irrelevant evidence. These problems are common in alcoholics.

Drug addicts are often regarded as being in ‘denial’ or not recognizing the severity of their disorder. Although denial is frequently considered to be a form of deception, research suggests that it may be due to a specific brain dysfunction comparable to that observed in neuropsychiatric illnesses. For example, patients suffering from schizophrenia often have compromised awareness of their symptoms and the severity of their disorder. This compromise can aggravate symptoms and decrease responsiveness to treatment. These impairments are in the same brain regions that underlie addiction symptoms – such as continuing substance abuse despite catastrophic consequences. Doctors are exploring the possibility that addiction symptoms – craving and compulsion and the chronic relapsing nature of addiction – may be due to compromised insight. This may explain why addicted persons have a hard time recognizing, accepting, and/or acknowledging their signs and symptoms of addiction and need for alcohol or drug rehab. Researches hope that they can use their findings to create more effective intervention strategies and improve prognosis in addiction.

The progression of denial starts with minimizing. The addict will say that use less than they actually are and will underestimate the problem and the consequences. Then there will be excuses and rationalizing. Elaborate stories are created to justify substance abuse or situations where it is understandable. For example, ‘if you had my life, you would drink too’. Denial thrives when an addict places blame on another person or event instead of taking personal responsibility. Someone else is always responsible for solving the problem, not the user. It usually takes a personal crisis, medical evidence, or an intervention to counter denial.

Recovery cannot begin until an addict admits they have a problem. In fact, in 12 Step programs found at most Florida drug rehabs, the First Step involves the addict acknowledging that they have a problem.  If someone you love is in denial about their alcohol or drug addiction, let the person know that you’re open to talking about the subject. People who are facing distressing issues frequently fear that people close to them will be unable to cope and will abandon them. This security may give your loved one the strength to move forward and take action. You can also offer to meet together with a doctor or mental health provider.

Bulimia is an eating disorder that is distinguished by its binge and purge pattern. This disease is more common among females than males and usually manifests itself during late adolescence or early adulthood. Most often, a binging episode will occur and be characterized by an individual’s consumption of a large amount of food; this episode of binging will be interrupted by an incessant need to purge the newly eaten food from the body. This need cannot be ignored and various ways of purging exist, such as vomiting, using laxatives, or exercising excessively. Similarly to drug addiction, bulimics feel an uncontrollable urge to binge and purge and find it difficult, if not impossible, to stop themselves while they are performing these rituals.  Also similarly to drug dependence, many individuals with bulimia suffer from depression and anxiety, and feel increased shame about their disease, but will also avoid confrontation about it and try to hide their disorder. It is extremely apparent that bulimia has the potential to devastate an individual’s life, much like drug addiction does.

Drug addiction can be deadly for an individual. Oftentimes, drug dependence begins with an initial substance abuse of a drug, the drug may be illicit or prescription, and the individual may not initially take a large amount of the drug. However, with repeated use, an individual will develop a tolerance for the drug. When this tolerance develops, one of the tell-tale signs of addiction, an individual will need more, and very likely crave more, of the drug to try to achieve the same “high” that they initially received from their first use of the drug. This, however, is an impossible goal as researchers have discovered that the first high can never be reached a subsequent time. In addition to a tolerance and a craving for the illicit drug, withdrawal will occur when the body is void of the drug; the effects of withdrawal include sweating, chills, nausea, and vomiting, as well as anxiety and depression. Other common effects of drug addiction vary depending on the drug that is being abused; however, many common effects include hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, depression, an abnormal heart rate, blood pressure and core body temperature, as well as seizures and convulsions. As has been shown, drug addiction can cause numerous problems for the drug-addicted individual, in addition to the family and friends of the individual.

While bulimia and drug addiction are each damaging diseases on their own, in combination, this dual diagnosis can be life-wrecking. Unfortunately, it is relatively common for those who suffer from drug addiction to also have bulimia; in fact, over thirty-five percent of those with a drug addiction also suffer from the eating disorder, bulimia. At times, the drug addiction may present itself first, and the bulimia will be the latter disease to manifest. However, at other times, bulimia will develop initially and a drug addiction will form as an individual seeks to increase their results of their eating disorder; for example, many bulimics will abuse substances in order to increase metabolism, suppress appetite, purge unwanted calories, or all too commonly, to self-medicate to deal with painful emotions. Regardless of which disorder forms first, though, they both share many of the same risk factors and characteristics, which makes it hard to distinguish between the two at times.

The shared behaviors and risk factors for bulimia and drug addiction are numerous. For instance, the shared behaviors of the two disorders include obsession over the disorder; craving the act of binging and purging or taking the drug; social isolation, and other behaviors. Even more closely linked are the risk factors for these diseases. Some prominently shared risk factors include an occurrence during times of stress; common brain chemistry and family history; a history of abuse; unhealthy parental behaviors, as well as unhealthy relationships with others, including family, peers, teachers, etcetera. So, not only are these two diseases detrimental on their own, the occurrence of both diseases at the same time can be overwhelming.

Bulimia and drug addiction can be a deadly dual diagnosis. Fortunately, there is help available. With proper drug rehab, an individual can seek help for both their drug addiction and their eating disorder. With admittance to a drug rehab center, an individual can take the first step to regaining their life.

Heroin (chemical name diacetylmorphine) is an opiate that belongs to the morphine-codeine family and is derived from the opium poppy. Heroin is consumed intravenously, or through smoking or snorting through the nostrils. However, most abusers prefer injection. Heroin primarily acts on the central nervous system and in the few seconds of its being absorbed into the system causes euphoria. Immediately after being consumed, heroin enters the area that is the barrier between the brain and blood causing it to be converted into morphine. After the euphoria wears off the user will immediately experience withdrawal symptoms such as dry mouth, skin flushing, and a feeling of heaviness. This in turn can lead to vomiting, nausea and itching. The user then normally becomes sedate and sleepy for many hours. Many of the vital cognitive functions slow down and get impaired including the ability to reason. Heartbeat and breathing slow down considerably.

Long-term heroin drug addiction leads to damage to the arteries, lungs, liver, kidneys and veins, and several infections, abscesses and bone diseases such as arthritis. Heroin withdrawal symptoms, which begin within hours of the last use, include muscle and bone pain, restlessness, diarrhea, insomnia, cold flashes with goose bumps, strong body movements, convulsions and vomiting. These symptoms can last for months. A client will need to detox before entering a drug rehab. Behavior therapies are also helpful, these may include cognitive behavioral interventional therapies that strive to restructure the addict’s outlook on life and help him deal with stressful situations without recourse to the drug.

Heroin use in many parts of America is changing. Sugar cane farmers in Mexico use aggressive sales tactics and low prices to increase black-tar heroin sales in the United States. Black-tar is a semi-processed form of heroin that now has a demand in cities and small towns that previously had little to no demand for heroin. In many of these places with low demand for heroin, those who suffer from addiction more commonly used prescription pain pills. However, black-tar heroin is less expensive than pain medications. Aggressive tactics helps the sales, users can phone in their orders and drivers will bring the drug to them, and sometimes they are even called to check on the quality of customer service they received. Over the last decade, production of Mexican heroin has climbed rapidly while Columbian output has dropped due to U.S. funded efforts to eradicate Columbian poppy fields according to the U.S. Justice Department 2009 National Threat Assessment. The report estimates that black tar now accounts for two-thirds or more of the U.S. heroin market.

After a 2009 study where a vaccine reduced cocaine use in 38% of addicted individuals, it is now believed that vaccines are scientifically achievable to provide addiction treatment for nicotine, heroin, and methamphetamines. Vaccines against nicotine and cocaine are the most progressive, but versions to block the effects of methamphetamine, heroin and phencyclidine, or PCP, are also in development. In 2010, the FDA approved a new treatment for addiction to heroin or prescription narcotic painkillers. Vivitrol is different from traditional heroin treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine. Vivitrol is injected monthly, instead of orally daily, so it’s easier to stick to. Although patients can obtain buprenorphine at a drug store, they must go to clinics daily to get methadone. And, unlike methadone and buprenorphine, Vivitrol isn’t an opioid but a long-acting form of naltrexone, which blocks opioids. There are drug and alcohol rehab programs that oppose the use of methadone or buprenorphine; and Vivitrol may be more acceptable.

Methadone, like heroin, directly stimulates opioid receptors in the central nervous system, and therefore has many of the same risks and liabilities as heroin. However, whereas heroin rushes into the brain when used, leading to an intense and very psychologically addictive “high,” methadone comes into the brain slowly and stays there for quite a while at stable concentrations. This allows methadone to protect someone with a heroin addiction from opioid withdrawal and to do so in a legal and medically controlled manner. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Unlike methadone, buprenorphine acts like an opioid at lower doses and like an “anti-opioid” at higher doses. As a result protects against heroin withdrawal, but is not as likely to lead to abuse as is methadone. Naloxone further reduces the danger of abuse, because if the medication is abused it will immediately set off severe withdrawal symptoms. Whatever the treatment strategy is for someone addicted to heroin, they will need inpatient detox and then intensive treatment at a drug rehab center.

Self-medication is a form of unprofessional treatment that many attempt while trying to avoid facing their problems. When an individual with a mental or emotional disorder self-medicates they are attempting to mask their symptoms. Whether an individual suffers from bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or any other mental or emotional disorder, they may turn to drugs to hide their symptoms and attempt to find relief. However, the relief is very short-lived and the substance abuse exacerbates their current disorder and leads an individual to eventual drug addiction. So not only does the drug abuse worsen the current symptoms of the mental or emotional disorder, it is also very likely that abuse will lead to dependence, because of a tolerance and a subsequent need for a higher dosage. While temporary relief may be sought, the long-term effects of the self-medication will be symptoms that have only worsened since the onset of the drug dependency. Fortunately, despite the severity of a dual diagnosis of a mental or emotional disorder and a drug addiction, there is help in the form of dual diagnosis rehab. During this type of rehabilitation, both diseases can be treated.

There are many varieties of mental and emotional disorders that individuals try to treat by self-medicating. For example, depression, bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder are very common diseases; cocaine is often used as a self-medication to help to treat the depressive symptoms of fatigue and low self-esteem, as well as the impulsive and hyperactive states of attention-deficit disorder and the manic-depressive states of bipolar disorder. Due to the chemistry makeup of cocaine, it can often lead to feelings of increased confidence and self-esteem, as well as a more assertive temperament, and a more lively character. While these effects of the drug may seem appealing, they often lead to an array of problems caused by their highly addictive qualities. So, in the long run, despite the temporary relief that cocaine may bring, it will ultimately lead to an exacerbation of the mental or emotional disorder and the added pain and suffering of a drug addiction.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is another mental/emotional disorder that may cause individuals to seek self-medication to “fix” their disease. For many suffering from PTSD, depressants provide a solace or an escape from the hyperactivity and hyper-arousal symptoms of the disorder. For example, with depressant abuse, individuals can become numbed to their tendency to react quickly to certain situations. However, like other forms of self-medication, the substance abuse only provides a temporary escape; before long, the substance abuse will heighten to dependency. So, not only will an individual suffer from both post-traumatic stress disorder and a drug addiction, but the symptoms of the former disorder will be exacerbated as a result of the drug addiction. Overall, self-medication via drugs, whether they are illicit or prescription drugs, will not help to overcome PTSD – or any other mental or emotional disorder.

Mental and emotional disorders can be immensely painful for those who suffer from them, as well as for their loved ones. Oftentimes, because of the pain and turmoil that mental and emotional disorders cause, an individual will turn to drugs, illicit, prescription or both, to try to self-medicate and find relief from their disease. However, this only heightens the pre-existing symptoms and creates a dual diagnosis of the initial mental or emotional disorder and drug addiction. Fortunately, even though the recovery is tough, there is help for those who suffer from a dual diagnosis at drug rehab centers. At these facilities, individuals can seek out the professional medical help they need and begin to regain control of their lives.

Barbiturates have the potential to cause drug addiction and are regularly abused. The abuse of barbiturates is motivated by the desire to obtain feelings of intoxication. Barbiturate use results in a “high” that is often followed by a drunken sensation that is similar to the feelings felt after consuming alcohol. According to research, in the year 2001, 8.7 percent of high school seniors admitted that they had, at one point, used barbiturates to get high. This statistic is quite alarming because the abuse of barbiturates comes with an extremely high risk of accidental overdose. An overdose of barbiturates can lead to the shutting down of necessary organs in the body. If the heart fails or breathing stops, the consequences can be fatal. Because the abuse of barbiturates has such dire consequences, it is highly recommended that those suffering from this addiction seek treatment from a Florida drug rehab center.

Combining other medications with barbiturates has been reported to change the effects of barbiturate use. A majority of these drug interactions have been reported with the specific barbiturate “Phenobarbital.” Barbiturates interact with the other medications in two main ways. The additives in each drug are one factor that determines how the body will react to the combination. How the combination affects the liver is the other factor. These factors can change how the body processes and uses certain medications. The body increases the depressive effects of barbiturates when they are combined with substances such as alcohol, tranquilizers, antihistamines, and other sedatives. When barbiturates interact with other medications by increasing the rate that the liver processes and eliminates other drugs, the result can cause a decrease in the effectiveness of certain medications. This phenomenon is especially true for medications such as corticosteroids and doxycycline. It is important for patients to discuss the potential drug interactions with their doctor or health care provider before starting a new prescription while on a barbiturate. Often times, a doctor will suggest drug rehab for a patient who is requires a medication that cannot be used in combination with barbiturates. Sometimes patients will require professional addiction treatment in order wean themselves off of a barbiturate they have become dependent on.

Barbiturate use can have some devastating effects when used by pregnant women. In pregnant women, the placenta is the tissue that connects the mother and the fetus. The job of the placenta is to transport nourishment to the unborn child and to remove waste. Barbiturates are known to travel through the placenta with ease.  This means that when women use barbiturates while pregnant, they are essentially giving their unborn child the same dose of drugs that they are using. Additionally, babies who are exposed to barbiturates in utero might experience negative side effects. Babies in utero (still in the mother’s uterus) are still prone to the hazards of substance abuse. Pregnant women who use barbiturates have a high risk of delivering children with birth defects and should immediately seek professional treatment from a drug rehab center. Some of the potential birth defects caused by barbiturate use include: smaller head circumference, bleeding disorders, cognition problems, and other malformations. Babies born to women who have abused barbiturates may experience life-threatening internal bleeding within their first day of life. Additionally, these babies will suffer withdrawal symptoms within a few weeks of their birth. Some of the withdrawal symptoms of barbiturates include severe irritability and seizures, which can be life threatening. It is recommended that women never take barbiturates while pregnant.  Only in the rare instance when a woman has a serious medical condition that can only be treated with barbiturates should a woman accept the risk to her unborn child.

• Prescription drug use – The use of a medication in a socially accepted way. It is often recommended by a doctor or healthcare professional to control mood or state of mind. An example of prescription drug use would be a patient taking a medication prescribed to them by their physician in order to treat their anxiety. The medication does affect their mind and body, but it is being used in a recommended way.

• Prescription drug abuse – Problematic substance abuse. The use of a medication to alter or control state of mind in an illegal manner or a way that induces harm to one’s self. An example of this could be an individual stealing a family member’s medication and using it to get high. Substance abuse is dangerous. Even medications that are considered safe can be harmful when used inappropriately. 

When discussing prescription drug use, it is also important to define the difference between drug addiction and physical dependence. Such a distinction helps prevent confusion with appropriate drug use (such as pain medication after a surgery or accident), which can potentially lead to a physical dependence.

• Drug addiction – The repeated, compulsive seeking or use of a drug despite the negative physical, social, or psychological effects that are caused by its use. Individuals with drug addictions will continue using a drug even if they don’t require it to treat a medical condition. An example of drug addiction can be seen by an individual who continues using a substance to get high despite the fact that they have missed days of school or have had an automobile accident while using.

• Physical dependence – Physical dependence results when an individual’s body becomes used to a medication and cannot properly function without it. Not all medications cause a physical dependence, though. People who are physically dependent on a medication cannot abruptly stop using the substance. Instead, they have to slowly wean themselves off of the medication, usually with the help of addiction treatment at a drug rehab center. If the medication is stopped suddenly, patients will suffer from physical withdrawal symptoms and will become very sick.

Just because someone is physically dependent on a certain substance or medication, does not make them an addict. There is a distinction because people who are just physically dependent will want to stop taking a medication after they don’t require it to treat their medical condition. Addicts on the other hand, will continue taking the medication to get high and have no goal of stopping. An example of physical dependence is a cancer patient who needs large amounts of pain medication that would experience a physical withdrawal if the use of that particular medication were to stop. This type of patient wouldn’t seek out such a medication if they did not require it, so their dependency doesn’t necessarily make them a drug addict. Sometimes though, drug rehab is required to help individuals terminate their physical dependence.

Individuals suffering from drug addiction can become physically dependent on the drugs that they use, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes drugs won’t cause a physical dependence. However, it is always possible to develop a psychological dependence on a drug. At any rate, an addict will always seek a medication for the purposes of getting high, rather than to treat a medical condition.

As is clear from the stereotyped images of women who have alcohol abuse issues, society is harsh in its treatment of women who drink in excess. Such women may be described as “lushes,” “easy” or “unfit” for parenting. Such women might be hesitant to seek alcohol treatment at an alcohol rehab center fearing the associated stigma of drug addiction.

What do we know about women and alcohol? Is there a difference between women who have a drinking problem and men who drink too much? Is there a difference between the sexes in their use and abuse of alcohol? Or do the sexes only differ in the ways society treats the male drinker and the female drinker?

Researches have only recently begun to investigate these and other questions regarding women and alcoholism. Until a few years ago most researchers believed that only about one out of seven alcoholics were female; today, most social scientists believe that of the approximately 14 million problem drinkers in the United States, half of them are women. Does this mean women drink more today than they have in the past? Or are their problems simple becoming more visible? Probably both. But the fact that we are now acknowledging that women make up half the population of problem drinkers has opened the doors to further research on the subject of women and alcohol. Because of the staggering number of women who require treatment, many alcohol and drug rehab facilities have been popping up around the nation.

There are also certain groups in our society that are hidden. Until recently, homosexuals, sexually abused women or children, victims of rape, to name a few, were all relatively invisible. If we were asked about them, we might admit they existed but, by ourselves, we usually didn’t think about them because it made us uncomfortable and so we chose to ignore their existence.

Women who have problems with alcohol also fell into this category. In part they were invisible because they wished to remain invisible, they drank in secrecy and rarely sought outside help. But they were also invisible because they were “protected” by others. Family members, employers, and even doctors often refused to acknowledge that a woman had a drinking problem. They made excuses for her and conspired to keep the problem out of sight. In an effort to examine the problems some women have with alcohol, we much explore how social attitudes, cultural values, and female biology contribute to our feelings about female drinkers in our society.

According to studies by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women have continued to have higher risks than men for certain serious medical conditions resulting from alcohol abuse. Some of these medical conditions include liver damage, brain damage, and heart damage.  One of the reasons women have a higher risk is because they achieve higher concentrations of alcohol in their blood compared to men. An increased blood-alcohol concentration causes females to become more impaired than males even after consuming equivalent amounts of alcohol. This leaves them more susceptible to alcohol-related organ damage as well as potential trauma from car crashes or violence. Additionally, it is reported that moderate to heavy alcohol consumption by women increases the risks for breast cancer.

The alcohol research field has started recognizing how important it is to understand the gender differences in the development of alcohol dependence. It is no surprise that there are alcohol rehab centers that specialize specifically in the treatment of women. Alcohol treatment can potentially involve several phases, including emotional therapy. Because of this, it is important to speak with a doctor in order to assess the severity of the problem before seeking treatment.

There are three major classes of prescription drugs that run the risk of substance abuse: the opioids, the central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and the stimulants. Opioids are medications that are used to treat pain. They work by affecting certain parts of the brain to alleviate pain, but they also cause feelings of euphoria which can lead to abuse. Central nervous system depressants, such as sedatives and tranquilizers, are regularly used as medications to treat sleep disorders and anxiety. They work by slowing down the brain’s functioning. The most common form of central nervous system depressants are barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Stimulants are often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, a disorder that causes the afflicted to fall asleep unexpectedly. Stimulants increase attention, alertness, and energy. In doing so, these drugs also increase their user’s blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. All of these medications can be used safely when prescribed by a doctor or health care professional, however they are all dangerous when used incorrectly. Most Florida drug rehab facilities will have different methods of treatment that correspond with opioid, depressant, or stimulant addiction.  The following are some examples of prescription medications that are commonly abused:

• Opioids – Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid), Meperidine (Demerol), Methadone, Fentanyl, Propoxyphene (Darvocet), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet)

• CNS Depressants – Benzodiazepines (Lorazepam, Ativan) Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium), Barbiturates (Phenobarbital, Secobarbital, Pentobarbital)

• Stimulants – Amphetamine, Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

There are a number of reasons why individuals choose to abuse prescription drugs. Drug abuse might begin because an individual is looking for relief from emotional stress or is influenced by friends or peers. People who are stressed over family or marital issues, mental disorders, depression, or traumatic events might rely on drug abuse for assistance in dealing with their emotions. Drug addiction sometimes develops when a person feels better while they are high than when they are sober. When this happens, the user is experiencing positive reinforcement from their drug abuse. Once an individual begins abusing a medication, it can be difficult to stop because he or she might get addicted to the feeling and become physically dependent on the substance. A drug rehab center will have the tools necessary to identify and treat the source of addiction; an extremely important step towards achieving sobriety.

People ages 18 through 25 have the highest likelihood of abusing illicit drugs. The younger a person is when they first start using illicit drugs or alcohol, the more likely they are to suffer from substance abuse later in their life. This is especially true for teens that start to abuse drugs before the age of 15. Typically, a teen’s participation in drug use begins with commercially available drugs, like tobacco and alcohol. From there, teens will progress to marijuana experimentation, which often leads to the use of other drugs or drug combinations. Because of this cycle, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are referred to as “gateway drugs.” They are known to “open the gate” to the abuse of other drugs.

One of the reasons that prescription drug abuse is on the rise these days has to do with the campaigns that are used to inform the dangers of “street” drugs. These campaigns have been so successful in informing people of the dangers of street drugs that many have been turning to prescription drugs because they believe they offer a safer alternative. According to research, nearly half of all teenagers incorrectly believe that using prescription medications to get high is safer than using drugs found on the streets. Additionally, one third have the misconception that prescription pain killers do not cause addiction.

Binge drinking can lead to many health problems including, unintentional and intentional injuries, alcohol poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, cardiovascular and liver disease, neurological damage, depression, and sexual dysfunction. Binge drinkers may or not be addicted to alcohol and don’t necessarily drink every day. Studies show that most binge drinkers drink about twice a week, and most binge drinking peaks between the ages of 18 and 22. One of the greatest dangers of binge drinking is alcohol poisoning which is a result of blood alcohol concentration being too high. Symptoms include severe vomiting, depressed respirations, and seizures. This can lead to going into a coma or even death. Binge drinking is not the only cause of alcohol poisoning; it can also result from alcoholism.

Research from a 2010 Toulouse University shows that binge drinking a couple days a week may be worse for the heart than drinking a moderate amount of alcohol throughout the week. The study revealed that men who binge drink have nearly twice the risk of heart attack or death from heart disease than regular drinkers over a 10-year period. It is important that people realize the health implications of binge drinking, especially younger people. Not only does binge drinking increase the risk of heart disease, it is also linked to cirrhosis of the liver and several types of cancer. Alcoholics are at risk for cirrhosis, cancer, and pancreatitis.

Binge drinking is particularly problematic for college students. Drinking is a major health and social problem on campuses. Alcohol abuse can lead to car crashes, sexual assaults, violence, academic failure, and death. College students spend approximately $5.5 billion a year on alcohol, which is more than what they spend on books, soft drinks, and other beverages combined. Alcohol is also responsible for the deaths of about 1,700 college students every year. Binge drinking is a drinking pattern adopted by 44% of college students. This form of alcohol abuse is most common amongst student athletes and sports fans.

The line between alcoholism and binge drinking can be a bit blurred. Although they are both serious problems, an alcohol rehab may evaluate the patient before treatment to see exactly what problem the patient is experiencing. At times, binge drinking amongst friends can mask alcoholism. For example, while a binge drinker may drink too much on the weekend, an alcoholic will drink until he or she passes out or literally can’t drink anymore. An alcoholic may binge drink every time he or she drinks and may continue to drink no matter how inebriated. Another sign of alcoholism is someone who goes to a party specifically to drink, and instead of mingling would prefer to drink alone in isolation. Another red flag is someone who will not attend events unless drinking is on the agenda.

Binge drinking is one of the most dangerous forms of alcohol abuse and can easily get even farther out of control and become a full-blown addiction. It is important to seek treatment as soon as possible at an alcohol rehab to assist with addiction treatment. Many people do not realize that binge drinking is a form of alcohol abuse. It is also common for people to mistakenly think that getting drunk ‘only a few times a year’ is ‘drinking in moderation’ or ‘responsible drinking’. People who regularly binge drink need treatment because they are actively engaging in abusive drinking. Instead of waiting for this repetitive alcohol abuse to evolve into serious health problems, an individual can go through treatment at an alcohol rehab to recover and reclaim their life.

People on syrup experience highs akin to LSD or PCP and euphoric sensations. More than 140 of the cough and cold medicines sold over the counter contain the ingredient dextromethorphan. Addicts of this substance can wind up requiring drug rehab, in the hospital, or in the morgue. In fact, the abuse of syrup leads to thousands of hospitalizations a year. In 2008 alone, there were 8,000 hospitalizations.

The effects of syrup or dextromethorphan abuse vary with the amount taken. As syrup, the drug is usually taken at hundreds of times the recommended dosage. Common side effects include confusion, dizziness, double or blurred vision, slurred speech, impaired physical coordination, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart beat, drowsiness, numbness of fingers and toes, and disorientation. The effects typically last for 6 hours. More serious effects include elevated blood pressure, fainting, and liver damage. Over the counter medications that contain dextromethorphan often contain antihistamine and decongestant ingredients, and high does of these increase the risk of abuse.

Experts purport that the abuse of syrup soaring by 70% in the past four years can be attributed to the drug’s perceived safety, ease of availability, and desired psychoactive effects. In an effort to cut down on substance abuse, the FDA may restrict these medications to prescription use only. It may also require the drugs to be sold behind the counter or restrict purchases by those under the age of 18. Currently the FDA has decided to not make restrictions, but the problem may be addressed again in the future. In the 1970’s the FDA had to pull over the counter cough syrups with codeine from store shelves due to the danger of substance abuse. Dextromethorphan is actually the substitute drug for codeine. However, when they are able to obtain prescription strength cough syrup, which does have codeine, some people will use that to create syrup as well.

People obtain prescription cough syrup with codeine by ordering from online pharmacies that accept unverified prescriptions and identifications. And DEA agents say the demand for illicit syrup has made the price rise. Syrup that sells for $12 a pint that is stolen or obtained illegally from pharmacies is sold to street dealers for $300 a pint. It is then sold to users for about $640 – $1,360 a pint. The DEA’s biggest drug busts have been in Texas and Florida. Those with a codeine addiction may feel like it’s okay because it’s medicine, but too much codeine (which is produced from morphine) can depress the central nervous system and actually stoop the heart and lungs.

Much like narcotic drugs or prescription medications, if a person develops a drug addiction to syrup that contains regular over the counter medication, withdrawal symptoms can result. Withdrawal symptoms can include restlessness, muscle aches, bone aches, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, and cold flashes. The withdrawal process has the ability to be life-threatening if not properly monitored in a professional environment such as a drug and alcohol rehab. The addict will need help to stop taking syrup and learn how to function normally without it. Detoxification will be necessary to cleanse the body of the drug and must be done under physician care.

Abusing syrup with codeine is even more harmful. Codeine is an opiate that is turned into morphine by the body and is related to morphine and heroin. Codeine can depress breathing and other body systems. Drug addiction can result within two to three weeks of use and can result in psychological and physiological addiction. Withdrawal symptoms include restless legs, insomnia, pain, nausea, depression, vomiting, headaches, and muscle aches. Like any other opioid addiction, treatment at a drug rehab should be immediate. Many bodily systems are affected by codeine addiction and it can lead to death.

Heroin, as discussed earlier, is processed from morphine. Heroin can be taken through a variety of methods such as smoking, injection, or snorted in powder form. It does not take long for the short terms effect of heroin to begin taking place shortly after taking the drug.  User reports a feeling of euphoria upon immediate release into the bloodstream making this drug addiction hard for the user to quit on their own without the assistance of addiction treatment from a drug and alcohol rehab center. After repeatedly using heroin for a long period of time, the long-term effects of the substance begin to appear in the user. Chronic users who inject heroin can develop collapsed veins. Users who inject heroin are also at high risk for contracting HIV because of cross contamination of dirty needles. The Drug Policy Alliance reports that up to 75% of new AIDS cases among women and children are directly or indirectly a consequence of drug use by injection. Physical signs of heroin abuse include; constricted pupils, nausea, flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and drowsiness. Users who chose to smoke heroin can develop pulmonary complications including various types of pneumonia which results from the poor health of the substance abuser as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration. In addition to the effects of heroin itself, street heroin often contains toxic contaminants or additives that can cause permanent damage to vital organs. Regular use of heroin can lead to tolerance, where the user builds immunity to the original amount and would need to increase the amount of substance abuse in order to have the same effects they once had.

Regular use of heroin leads to physical dependence, where your body is accustoming to the drug that it has become dependent on it to function. If the user stops using heroin abruptly they will experience severe symptoms of withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms can begin within 6 hours of the last time the heroin was used. These symptoms includes; restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, sweating, anxiety, depression, cramp like pains in the limbs, tears, insomnia, nausea, and fever. Cravings for heroin have been reported during the withdrawal process by former users. Cravings can lead to relapse or prolonged drug use if the user is left to continue sobriety on their own. This is why a drug rehab center is crucial for a successful recovery because not only are they equipped with the medical technology to help the user through the medical detox process but the staff provides emotional support so the chances of relapse are slim. When medical treatment is combined with supportive services, patients are able to stop using heroin and return to stable and productive lives.

One of the biggest reasons that people relapse is the group of symptoms associated with withdrawal. When a person who suffers from chemical dependency or alcohol dependency abruptly stops their habit, or reduces the ingestion of alcohol or a drug, they start to experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms include weight loss, paranoia, vomiting, seizures, sweating, insomnia, rapid heart rate, tremors, headaches and depression. These symptoms can last from a few days to weeks. Often the symptoms of withdrawal become so intense that it drives the recovering addict to start using again. In drug rehab, the patient undergoes a detox program where they are given medicines such as Klonepine and Buprenophex. Medicines used during detox programs help relieve patients of withdrawal symptoms; Klonepin is used to reduce the physical symptoms of withdrawal and Buprenophex is used as an anticonvulsant. The symptoms of withdrawal can be both mentally and physically grueling, but seeking professional help can aid in dealing with withdrawal.

Many studies have found that stress is another leading cause of relapse. A report from the University of Liverpool found that high levels of cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, is found in patients who have relapsed.  Often stress can trigger depression and lead people to turn to alcohol and drugs again. Recent studies show that preventing stress is one of the most important parts of recovery. One specific study published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviors reported that a person who is recovering from addiction that does not know how to deal with stress is more likely to relapse. Another study showed that alcoholics actually have a deficiency in the hormones that are a part of the responses to stress. Because stress is so difficult to avoid in real life, it can be very difficult for addicts to avoid stress and to be able to cope with stress when trying to recover from addiction.

Another leading cause of relapse in a recovering addict is their surrounding environment. The environment people surround themselves with can be the difference between a successful recovery and relapse. For instance, if an alcoholic were to hang out in a bar or a drug addict were to hang out with people who were still using, it would make the temptation to start using again even stronger.  It is extremely important in recovery for an addict to learn to change old behaviors and their old lifestyle. Old habits die hard, so it’s important for addicts to keep themselves in a sober environment and surrounded by supportive people during recovery.

One helpful resource for recovering addicts is group therapy. Group therapy helps patients stay sober and resist the temptation of using. In this format of therapy, the patient meets with a therapist and other recovering addicts. Outpatient group therapy, like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, helps patients learn from others who have dealt with the same addiction and it serves as a great support system for patients who may not know how to deal with withdrawal, stress or their environment.  Individual therapy is also another option for patients who are in the recovery process. This format of therapy allows for patients to have a more personal therapy session and it helps them to learn to deal with their addiction outside of rehab.

Another option for addicts is a drug rehab center. During rehabilitation, patients are given the tools to cope with stress and the symptoms of withdrawal after inpatient treatment. Also during rehabilitation, patients are provided with counseling that helps them learn about their addiction and to learn how to deal with temptation and to change past behavior. Treatment centers provide patients with relapse prevention tracks that educate patients on how to deal with their addiction in the real world.

Addiction is something that can completely take over your life and those who are recovering from it have to deal with the disease daily. Factors such as withdrawal symptoms, stress and their environment can lead them to relapse at anytime. It is key in recovery that patients stay dedicated to recovery and are willing to deal with both the physical and emotional turmoil that comes with recovery. Even though recovering addicts may feel like their situation is helpless, there is still help for them to prevent relapse through therapy and drug rehabilitation.

All stimulants have a few characteristics that they share. For example, stimulants are classified as such because they elevate the mood and increase alertness. Additionally, activity in the brain and the spinal cord are increased with stimulant use. Common physical effects of these drugs include a quickening of the heart rate, as well as an increase in blood pressure and core body temperature. These effects, while seemingly mild to some individuals, can create very damaging effects on the body. Especially in the case of cocaine and methamphetamine, addiction can have devastating effects on an individual’s body and life, due to their powerful chemistry.

Cocaine is notorious for its potent effects on the body and mind. Upon entering the body, cocaine begins to interfere with neurotransmitters in the brain; in particular, dopamine is interfered with and is unable to become reabsorbed in the body. When this re-absorption cannot occur, the levels of dopamine increase quickly, creating strong feelings of pleasure. This feeling gives cocaine its highly addictive quality; however, like with any addictive drug, an individual must take more and more of the substance to try to achieve the same high as their first high; while researchers have deemed this impossible, many continue to try, and the result is a full-blown drug addiction.

The effects of cocaine are numerous and potentially fatal. Most commonly administered by sniffing, snorting, injecting and smoking, the short term effects of cocaine abuse include constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, as well as hyper-alertness, fast speech, runny or bloody nose, and seizures. Other short term effects include restlessness, teeth grinding, cold sweats, twitching, hallucinations, and paranoia. For cocaine that is administered through the most direct route, a most intense high is felt, but it is felt for a lesser amount of time. For example, if cocaine is snorted, its high can be felt within thirty minutes and may last for one to three hours. If injected intravenously, the effects can be felt within two minutes, but may only last for fifteen to thirty minutes. Repeated use of cocaine can easily lead to drug abuse and addiction; this dependence provides even more severe effects, with long term effects ranging from seizures and loss of consciousness, to stroke, hyperthermia, coma, and loss of vital organ functions, such as extremely slowed breathing and heart rate, which can result in death. As has been shown, substance abuse of this hazardous stimulant can easily lead to addiction and cause an array of problems for an individual.

Methamphetamine, similarly to cocaine, can have a largely detrimental impact on an individual. When meth enters the body, it begins to interfere with dopamine and norepinephrine, due to its similar chemical makeup. Like cocaine, meth blocks these neurotransmitters, refusing to allow them to re-absorb into the body. The result is an intense feeling of enjoyment, alertness and a decrease in fatigue. This initially pleasurable feeling is what makes meth so addictive. Like any drug, though, meth must be taken in increasing amounts for its effects to be continually experienced by an individual. Due to this, drug addiction to meth is very easily developed, as an individual seeks out larger dosages to compensate for their tolerance; before long, their substance abuse has become an addiction, controlling their lives. Fortunately, this addiction can be helped with the assistance of professionals at drug rehab.

The effects of this potent stimulant, meth, are various and extreme. For example, a few short term effects of meth include an increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, as well as an irregular heartbeat. These effects alone can lead to a sudden death. Other short term effects include the sensation of insects crawling on or under the skin, as well as hyper-activity, and a runny or bloody nose from the destruction of mucous membranes. If addiction to meth develops, the disease can cause more damaging, long term effects; some of these effects include anxiety, insomnia, tooth decay, mood disturbances (i.e., anxiety or depression), as well as loss of the operation of vital organs, seizure, coma, and death. It is apparent by the display of these effects that meth use, while initially providing a pleasurable feeling, can quickly spiral out of control and result in devastation for the drug-addicted individual and their family.

Many powerful illegal stimulants exist and are abused by thousands of individuals. Cocaine and meth are among the most dangerous of these stimulants, due to their highly addictive qualities, as well as their potentially fatal effects. If addiction to one of these drugs does develop, an individual can seek help at a drug rehab center; with the appropriate help, a life can be restored and properly lived to its fullest potential.

Methamphetamine was commonly given to soldiers in World War II in order to fight fatigue and hunger and to increase physical endurance. The problem was, when the war ended many of the soldiers had become addicted to it and wanted to continue using it. After the war, Japanese soldiers were given access to it to feed the drug addiction they had developed.

Because of methamphetamines ability to give the user energy and keep them awake, it became a large source of substance abuse among college students, athletes, and truck drivers in the 1950s. Recreational use of methamphetamine increased in the 1960s when injectable forms became available, which produced a much stronger “rush”. Addiction and drug abuse continued to escalate.

The United States government passed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, which declared methamphetamine in its injectable form as a Schedule II drug and in its pill form as a Schedule III drug. However, both forms were classified as Schedule II a year later. Today, methamphetamine is sold under the name Desoxyn for medical uses such as the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy.

The supply of methamphetamine increased in the 1980s and 1990s to meet the demands of the growing population of those with a drug addiction to meth. Related overdoses and deaths increased as well. Because of this, Congress passed the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act in 1996 in order to establish more control of the ingredients in methamphetamine and to impose stricter penalties for the manufacturing, distribution, and possession of the drug.

Methamphetamines most common form is often called “ice” or “glass”. It looks like white clear crystals, but can also be brown. These crystals are often smoked with a pipe or snorted. They can also be dissolved in water to be injected intravenously. Methamphetamine crystals are also taken rectally. Methamphetamine powder and crystals can contain many contaminants such as lead that is extremely toxic. Because of its toxicity, addiction treatment for meth should be conducted at a drug rehab.

When smoked or injected, meth produces an intense and rapid euphoria within three to five minutes. This pleasurable sensation only lasts a few minutes and is not usually experienced after snorting it or taking it orally in pill form. It is because of this rush that it is easy to develop a drug addiction to meth. When the rush wears off, the user becomes active, alert, energetic, and restless, and experiences pleasurable feelings. These effects take fifteen to twenty minutes if snorted or taken orally. Either way it is taken, the effects can last anywhere from six to twenty-four hours.

As with other drugs, repeated use of meth causes tolerance to both the psychological and physical effects.  As it becomes less effective, the user requires more and more of it in order to achieve the same high he or she has become used to. Repeated use can also lead to “psychosis”, or a lost sense of reality, including hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. A common delusion meth users experience is the sensation that their skin is crawling with insects, causing them to pick at their skin and cause sores. Other side-effects users experience includes mood swings, insomnia, personality disturbances, and weight loss. They may also become violent, aggressive, and engage in repetitive behaviors.

Meth also causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Because it increases the secretion of dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in the heart and circulatory system, it raises the user’s heart rate to as high as 200 beats per minute (as opposed to 70). It may also cause arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats. Meth can also result in higher blood pressure in different parts of the body, including the brain, since it causes blood vessels to constrict. This may cause damage to the vessels, which increases risk of stroke and hemorrhage. Meth use can also cause inflammation of the lining of the heart. Due to these dangerous risks, it is recommended that meth substance abuse treatment be sought out at a Florida drug rehab center.

While meth is in the brain, it causes huge amounts of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin to be released from neurons in the brain. This increase in dopamine release is what causes people to become awake, alert, active, energetic, and addicted. The prolonged release of dopamine in the brain can be toxic, causing the dopamine neurons to die. This damage can be permanent. Symptoms strikingly similar to Parkinson’s disease may also appear, such as impaired movement and muscle control. This death of dopamine neurons is believed to be the cause of the paranoia and psychosis seen in many meth users. Symptoms can be dealt with safely at a treatment center.

There are a lot of people who do not understand why others can become addicted to drugs or how drugs can change the brainwave to foster compulsive drug abuse. Drug addiction and abuse are a major burden to society. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States including health and crime related costs as well as losses in work productivity exceed half a trillion dollars annually. They mistakenly view drug addiction and substance abuse as strictly a social problem and may stereotype those who use drugs as morally corrupt. One very common mistake upon non-users is that drug abusers should just be able to stop taking drugs only if they are willing to change their behavior. Unfortunately these people often underestimate the complexity of drug addiction that it is a disease that impacts the brain and because of that stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Addiction recovery requires medical intervention from an alcohol or drug rehab center.

Addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive drug cravings and use despite known harmful consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those closest to them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so difficult for a person who is addicted to these chemical substances to stop abusing drugs. However being an addict should not be a crime in itself. There are many users who are addicted to either drugs or alcohol that do not engaged in any illegal actions punishable by law and therefore should not be punished for their addiction. Committing a crime and having a substance abuse problem are not mutually exclusive. Crimes like stealing, and driving while intoxicated are illegal. The action being committed is illegal not the fact that the person convicted is an addict.

An addict should not be punished for their addiction if they are not committing any crimes. Instead they should reach out to a rehab center to begin their recovery. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications if available with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. A drug rehab center will offer treatments that are tailored to each patient’s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse.

Barbiturates were brought into the medical field during the early 1900’s as a treatment for insomnia, anxiety, and seizures. Aside from occasional flurries of concern, barbiturates did not get much negative attention in the United States until the 1960’s. At around this time members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee began portraying the drug class as a menace. In the 1970’s and onward harsher regulations were put on the usage of barbiturates. These regulations did not stop the rampant substance abuse that would soon occur, however.

Alcohol and barbiturates are said to have similar effects. If someone who is drunk on alcohol uses barbiturates, their intoxication will increase as if they had consumed more alcohol.  An overdose of alcohol alone can kill a person, and adding barbiturates to a social drinking session can turn it in a fatal drinking session. There have been multiple accounts of people passing away in their sleep from using barbiturate sleeping pills with alcohol instead of water. Individuals with a drug addiction to barbiturates who additionally suffer from alcoholism are at great risk. Individuals who suffer from both conditions are urged to seek addiction treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab center.

Alcohol and barbiturates also share a serious withdrawal syndrome. When alcohol or barbiturate abusers are cut off from their drug they both experience what is called “delirium tremens.” Some of the lesser withdrawal symptoms for both alcohol and barbiturates are vomiting and heavy perspiration. More severe barbiturate withdrawal symptoms include: tremors, fidgety behavior, dizziness, feeling on edge, and insomnia. Even with strict medical supervision, withdrawal from a barbiturate drug addiction can cause death. Extended use of barbiturates can lead to the development of tolerance as well. The safest way to terminate an addiction to barbiturates is with the help of a drug rehab facility.

Individuals using barbiturates should take similar precautions as individuals who drink alcohol. For example, people intoxicated by either alcohol or barbiturates should never drive or operate heavy machinery.  Another detrimental side effect of using barbiturates is the development of a condition called reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the arm. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the arm is a disease that causes the hand to lose bone density resulting in extreme pain and difficulty with movement. Barbiturates are also known to cause a syndrome that causes pain in the shoulder and hand and interferes with their movement.  Extended substance abuse of barbiturates can potentially cause a disease called rickets, a condition that causes bones to soften. Barbiturate overdose can cause all electrical activity in the brain to come to a stop. This side effect may be one of the most dangerous and could lead to a premature declaration of a patient’s death. This could prove to be disastrous for a patient who is being treated for an injury without the doctor knowing about the barbiturate use.

Barbiturate substances can potentially interfere with medication that causes blood to thin. Complications have also been noted when barbiturates are used in combination with birth control pills and other female hormone medications. Barbiturates may extend the time that an MAOI dose lasts. MAOIs are a class of antidepressant drugs that are used to treat atypical depression. When used by pregnant women, barbiturates may cause birth defects ranging from internal organ deformities to malformations of the face. If a pregnant women takes barbiturates frequently, her child may be born dependent on them. Barbiturates pass into the milk of nursing mothers and can affect nursing infants causing symptoms such as: depressed consciousness, pulse rate, and respiration.

Around the 1970’s the United States used a combination of science and law to create a system called “scheduling” that could be used to replace all previous federal narcotic laws. The process of “scheduling” is ongoing and is influenced by the same things that shape other laws and policies. At certain times a Congress or state legislature will place a drug in a specific schedule. Other times, a state official will.

In the United States, the basic principles of scheduling are clear: a drug can either be classified as scheduled or unscheduled. An unscheduled drug has the potential to be harmless or extremely dangerous, available by prescription only or sold over the counter, or even found growing naturally. The emergency room at a hospital might deal with a person who has used an unscheduled drug, but the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration will not. Nearly all drugs are unscheduled, regardless of whether they were formed in a lab by a pharmaceutical company or naturally grown from the earth. Individuals suffering from a drug addiction to an unscheduled substance are recommended to seek drug rehab.

Theoretically, scheduled drugs are rated on their potential for substance abuse. It should be noted, however, that not all abuse can be categorized as addictive. Still though, the rankings of the scheduling system imply that certain drugs run the risk of drug addiction more than others. Presently, there are five schedules that exist.  As a rule of thumb, the drugs in the lower numbered schedules have a higher potential for abuse than those in the high numbered schedules. Heroin is an example of a Schedule I drug that forces many people to seek addiction treatment at a drug rehab center. On the other hand, an over the counter cough medicine might be considered a Schedule V substance. Drugs that are abused and have no regulated medical use are often regarded as Schedule I. Some other drugs that are Schedule I include: dipipanone, dextromoramide,  and phenoperidine.

Even though Schedule I drugs are often viewed as the most dangerous drugs; relatively harmless drugs can make the list if they are not approved for medical use in the United States. Ironically, drugs that can be potentially lethal, even if used in a hospital setting, are sometimes listen in the higher numbered schedules. The rule is that drugs are scheduled according to their potential for substance abuse. Therefore, drugs in the lower schedules are supposed to have a higher abuse potential than those in the higher numbered schedules. Some creators of illicit drugs attempt to avoid scheduling regulations by altering the chemical composition of a drug just enough that it can no longer be defined in a schedule. These drugs are often referred to as “designer drugs” and are still regarded as legal until the schedules are updated.

• Schedule I is for substances that have the highest potential for substance abuse; that lack generally accepted use in the American health care system; and that are so dangerous health practitioners cannot administer them safely to patients. With the exception of specially authorized scientific studies, possession of a Schedule I drug is considered illegal under any circumstance. No doctor is allowed to issue a patient a Schedule I item.
• Schedule II is for drugs that have a high potential for substance abuse; that are used in the American health care system; and that risk causing major physical or mental dependence upon continued usage.
• Schedule III is for drugs that have a lower potential for substance abuse. These kinds of drugs are generally accepted by the American health care system but pose risks of moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
• Schedule IV is for drugs that have a low potential for substance abuse. These are generally accepted by the American health care system and are less likely to result in physical or psychological dependence than Schedule III substances.
• Schedule V is for drugs that have the lowest potential for substance abuse. They are generally accepted by the American health care system and are less likely to result in physical or psychological dependence than Schedule IV compounds.

For many years, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens pretty much comprised the entire contents of the schedules. Drug scheduling was also used as a tool for gauging the needs of addicts in drug rehab facilities. In the 1990s another type of drug was added: the anabolic steroids. There are many different types of steroids that exist. Anabolic steroids can be used to build muscle mass and have long been popular with athletes who are trying to gain an advantage in competitions. Anabolic steroids can have other effects that are very harmful to individuals whose bodies are developing. Growing can be stunted, and sexual organs can be damaged. A growing concern about injury to younger athletes caused strict regulations of the scheduling system to be applied to these drugs. Scheduling is a form of law enforcement and the consequences for illegal use or possession of a drug depends upon its schedule.

CBT blends these two ideals creating a therapy that deals with both sides of addiction-emotional and mental. It focuses on the “here and now” and is used for people with dual diagnosis- those who have both a mental disorder and drug or alcohol problem. There is a definite correlation between the two. People turn to drugs and alcohol because of emotional turmoil. Someone who has low self worth may turn to alcohol as a way to dull the emotion. Another who is frustrated at their job may turn to drugs for the euphoric high. Individuals are encouraged to improve their mental attitude to help battle their addictions.

Therapists specializing in CBT encourage individuals to see their insecurities as hypotheses rather than facts. Experiments are performed to test their beliefs. Patients in distress are told to write down their thoughts and monitor them-referred to as “automatic thoughts”). It’s all part of the addiction treatment to cure people of their illness. In some cases, CBT and medication are used together but the therapy alone is often enough. Especially since there are instances when medication can’t be used to cure a mental illness (as in the case of pregnancy). CBT patients can participate in group or individual therapy and attain great success both ways. Patients in this particular drug rehab program learn how to recognize and change their negative thoughts.

There are numerous factors that make up a CBT program. For one thing, they are significantly shorter than other therapy programs. There are only 16 CBT sessions necessary for recovery while regular therapy sessions can last years. What makes it different is the instructive aspect of CBT. The program utilizes homework assignments as part of the therapy and informs the client at the beginning of how long the substance abuse treatment will take. The therapy implements a stoic philosophy, meaning the ability to stay calm in an undesirable situation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy teaches there is no point in anger over a problem because the anger would only add to the problem. People want as few problems as possible so it is best to choose to remain calm instead of let the situation overcome us. Giving in to anger or distress can cause a relapse, the main reason the patient goes to therapy to begin with.

Two main components make up the CBT sessions: functional analysis and skills training. Functional analysis centers on the therapist and client talking about how they came to this point. What events led up to their current drug and alcohol abuse? Insecurities and fears from their past will be discussed as both student and teacher work together to find a cure. The goal is to establish the roots of the emotions that caused the addiction and acknowledge them. Oftentimes this is a traumatic experience for the patient as it delves in to painful thoughts and feelings. It is also a necessary tool in ensuring the client doesn’t relapse. The detox program is very structured. The patient’s life goals are discussed and it is the job of the therapist to teach the client how to achieve those goals. The therapist is not there to tell you what your life plan is, but rather how to achieve your dreams.

Skills’ training is where the homework aspect of the program comes in. People who come to CBT centers for drug and alcohol rehab have made the substances a part of their everyday life. Therefore, they have to learn new healthier daily habits to take up instead. This is where the training comes in to play. For instance, instead of turning to alcohol when the patient has a bad day, they are encouraged to go outside and exercise. Assignments are given to help them deal with their emotions and find alternate way to work through daily problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy makes the patient aware of their substance and alcohol abuse and shows them ways to better their life without medication. CBT is viewed as part of a holistic drug rehab program because it veers away from using medication as a remedy for addiction.

There are numerous centers that practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, from a Florida drug rehab center to an alcohol rehab center in New York. Specialists can be found in cities and countries around the world. Its success has been immense and gives hope to people who feel they cannot find their way back to a healthier life.

Withdrawal symptoms, and the onset of said symptoms, may differ from one substance to another.  For instance, with alcohol abuse, withdrawal would begin to occur about five to ten hours after the last drink, or even days later in some cases.  Just because the symptoms don’t begin immediately after the addict stops using or drinking, that does not mean that withdrawal is not occurring.  It has merely not begun to manifest itself in physical symptoms.

With drug addicts, withdrawal symptoms may occur once the “high” begins to wear off, and not necessarily just when they stop using.  This is one of the main reasons that breaking the drug addiction cycle is so difficult – many addicts will relapse to escape the pain of withdrawal.  The more the addict drinks or uses every day, the more likely they are to develop withdrawal symptoms when they eventually stop.  The use of multiple substances, or other pre-existing medical conditions, can also increase the possibility of severe withdrawal symptoms.  In addition, addiction withdrawal from some drugs, like cocaine, often exhibit no physical signs like the vomiting or shaking, but rather manifest itself with more psychological effects, like irritability, anxiety, and paranoia, not to mention the intense craving for more cocaine.

Detoxification is known as the process the body goes through when it is getting rid of the addictive substances.  This is what causes the initial withdrawal symptoms.  While it is possible to go through the detox and withdrawal process by oneself, generally referred to as “self-help,” it is very likely that the addict will relapse, as if they never started the rehabilitation process in the first place.

However, for most patients, the help of inpatient or outpatient treatment centers are necessary, because the drug treatment facilities are able to manage the entire rehab process, starting with withdrawal.  Medial detoxification includes the use of medication to help ease the often painful symptoms of withdrawal.  It “may prevent potentially life-threatening complications that might appear if the patient was left untreated. “  It can also be a form of “palliative care,” which refers to reducing the intensity of a disorder or addiction.

Completing the detoxification process and making it through the withdrawal does not mean that the patient is considered treated or cured.  Addiction is a health problem that needs to be treated properly, and detoxification is merely the first step in that process.  Alcohol Rehab facilities are properly equipped to manage both the physical and emotional effects from abuse and the treatment process, including withdrawal.

The non-medical use or abuse of prescription drugs is escalating and has become a major public health issue. Every single day, there are reports of deaths being reported from accidental overdose of prescription drugs. In many cases, the individual was abusing multiple prescription drugs.

Even though many of these prescription drugs have beneficial uses in clinical medicine, for some unknown reason(s), the abuse of a wide variety of prescription drugs is growing at an alarming rate. Hundreds of internet sites sell these drugs without a prescription. These drugs may relieve anxiety and pain, but when abused they can lead to chemical dependency, just like illicit drugs like cocaine.

The abuse of prescription drugs has increased exponentially over the past 2 decades and is just below marijuana, which is the most abused substance in North America. The prescription drug addiction has created problems at all levels of society and presents a major challenge to law enforcement, health professionals and families of those involved. Today there needs to be a legitimate strong willed approach to control the abuse of these drugs, because the problem will soon be out of control with devastating consequences to society.

Data from the pharmaceutical agencies indicate that at least 50 million Americans report the use of at least one psychotherapeutic drug (tranquilizer, sedative, pain killer, stimulants) at some point in their lifetimes. Approximately 7 million Americans over the age of 12 report recent (past month) use of psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical purposes.
Prescription drug abuse is occurring at epidemic proportions in almost every state. Numerous government studies reveal that the majority of internet sites selling prescription drugs do not even require a formal doctor’s prescription. The drugs are bought directly from the pharmacy and there are never any questions asked and no IDs are required for purchase.

The four classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused are: Opioids- prescribed to treat pain, Central nervous system depressants -used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, CNS stimulants, used treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity and lastly, Non opioid pain killers.
Abusers of prescription drugs tend to combine other prescription drugs for abuse. This leads to more adverse effects and the risk of overdose is common. It is highly recommended that you seek treatment in a drug and alcohol rehab.

Because there are numerous prescription drugs that are abused, it is impossible to mention all the symptoms, but some features are common to all prescription drugs. These features include:

• Alterations in mood or depression
• Erratic behavior
• Mental cloudiness
• Confusion
• Inability to sleep/excess sleep
• Anxiety
• Hyperactive, increased alertness
• Suicidal tendencies

Just like illicit drugs, prescription drugs also have numerous side effects and toxicity from these drugs is common. On a daily basis, individuals are admitted to Emergency Rooms with overdose from the drugs, some of these overdoses are intentional, some not. This in and of itself demonstrates that prescription drugs are just as dangerous as illicit drugs.
The majority of medical emergencies are related more to overdose. Once managed in the hospital, these individuals are stabilized and treated but the addiction problem is not catered to, meaning further addiction treatment in a drug rehab will be needed.

Like all individuals with substance abuse problems, those who abuse prescription drugs also deny that they have a problem. The majority of these people have comorbid conditions which are obvious, but the prescription drug problem is hidden. In some circumstances, there may be a dual diagnosis involved. The majority of these individuals may also experience social, emotional problems, stress, depression, anxiety, financial woes or familial problems.

A gradual change in these individuals may give a hint to their problem of prescription drug abuse. These changes include:

• A change in friends
• Declining interest in health
• Decreased interest in school
• Isolation from family and old friends
• Repeated lies, stealing
• Withdraws from social activities

One prominent sign of alcoholism is not being able to limit the amount of alcohol you are consuming. Another sign is feeling a strong urge or compulsion to have a drink. Not remembering conversations or your whereabouts is referred to as “blacking out” another obvious sign your drinking, or the amount you are drinking, may be out of control. Losing interest in activities and hobbies that used to bring you pleasure can be connected to alcoholism and depression and is also referred to as dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis occurs when someone is suffering from a substance abuse problem, such as alcoholism, as well as a mental disorder like depression. Another sign your drinking is out of control is when you find yourself hiding liquor in unusual places in the home, car, and workplace. Drinking alone or in secret can also be a sign of alcoholism. Having legal problems, problems with personal relationships, or finances due to alcohol abuse might be one of the most serious consequences of alcoholism. Any of these things combined can be a severe sign of alcoholism.  You should definitely check into an alcohol rehab center to get the help you need.

Symptoms of alcoholism can come in more observable physical form. An observable symptom includes experiencing physical withdrawal. Experiencing nausea, sweating and shaking when you don’t drink are signs that your body has become dependent on alcohol. Other symptoms of alcoholism are; anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Waking up with shakes in the morning, and needing to drink to relieve these symptoms are all signs that an individual should seek help immediately to recover from their addiction.
The first step towards recovery is recognizing the signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction. Finding an alcohol rehab center is crucial for a successful recovery because they are staffed with medical professionals that can help the patient handle their withdrawals during the recovery period. An alcohol rehab center is also necessary because they are offering routine support. You should not try to recover from alcohol addiction alone as the process may be dangerous and future sobriety is unknown. The medical supervision as well as the support of the alcohol rehab center will assist the patient through their recovery.

Research has discovered that emotional trauma can be caused by experiences as common as a car accident, the ending of a significant relationship, getting fired from a job, the detection of a disabling condition or life-threatening illness, or other comparable situations. These events can take a severe emotional toll on the individual affected, even if the occurrence failed to cause physical harm. Sometimes those involved are not even consciously aware of the level of trauma they are experiencing. These latent emotional issues are frequently the driving force behind substance abuse problems.

For these reasons, it can be extremely difficult to treat and identify emotional trauma. It is not uncommon for a patient with a drug addiction to check into drug rehab for addiction treatment only to find they require additional therapy.  This usually results from a dual diagnosis of, for example, alcoholism and depression that may be fueled from a long past traumatic event. It has been determined however, that regardless of its source, an emotional trauma includes three common elements: the traumatic event was unexpected, the victim was not prepared, and the person had no power to prevent it from occurring. Often times it is not even the event that governs whether something is traumatic, but instead the certain individual’s experience of the said event.

There is no one person that is immune to emotional trauma. Even the professionals who work with trauma, or close family or friends to an individual suffering from trauma may begin to cultivate symptoms of “secondary” trauma.  It should be noted that developing symptoms is not a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Symptoms should always be taken seriously. Furthermore, steps should be taken to recover, similarly to the way someone would proceed to heal from a somatic illness. And just as with a physical condition, the recovery time, amount of treatment, and the level of assistance needed for a full recovery varies from person to person. Due to the complexities of the condition, checking into a drug and alcohol rehab center becomes a viable option in the fight against emotional trauma.

Most people undergo an extremely wide variety of physical and emotional reactions following a traumatic event. The symptoms can be expected to last for days, weeks, or even months after the trauma has past. It should be noted that the following are normal reactions to abnormal events:

Emotional Symptoms of Trauma

• Shock, denial, or disbelief
• Anger, irritability, mood swings
• Guilt, shame, self –blame
• Feeling sad or hopeless
• Confusion, difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety and fear
• Withdrawing from others
• Feeling disconnected or numb

Physical Symptoms of Trauma

• Insomnia or nightmares
• Being startled easily
• Racing heartbeat
• Aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Edginess and agitation
• Muscle tension

Feelings and symptoms such as these may usually last from a couple of days to a few months, steadily diminishing as you process the trauma. Still though, even when the troubled individual begins to feel better, they may be haunted every now and then by painful memories and emotions, especially when experiencing certain triggers like images, sounds, or the anniversary of an event.

Healing from emotional trauma is no simple task. In order to treat trauma, one must confront the unbearable feelings and memories that have long been avoided. If left alone, the horrific thoughts and images can plague the mind, many times leading to drug addiction as a coping mechanism.  Some of the common therapies an alcohol and drug rehab center typically use to treat emotional trauma are:

Somatic Experiencing

• Somatic experiencing takes advantage of the body’s unique ability to heal itself. The focus of therapy is on bodily sensation, rather than thoughts and memories about the event. By concentrating on what’s happening in your body, you gradually get in touch with trauma-related energy and tension. From there, your natural survival instincts take over, safely releasing this pent-up energy through shaking, crying, and other forms of physical release.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

• EMDR incorporates elements of cognitive-behavior therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation. In a typical EMDR therapy session, you focus on traumatic memories and associated negative emotions and beliefs while tracking your therapist’s moving finger with your eyes. These back-and-forth eye movements are thought to work by “unfreezing” traumatic memories, allowing you to resolve them.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

• Cognitive behavior therapy helps you process and evaluate your thoughts and feelings about a trauma. While cognitive-behavior therapy doesn’t treat the physiological effects of trauma, it can be helpful when used in addition to a body-based therapy such as somatic experiencing or EMDR.

Getting through trauma can often be scary, painful, and potentially re-traumatizing. Tackling sensitive emotional issues runs the risk of re-traumatization, so it is important that the healing is done with the help of an experienced professional. Finding the right therapist can take a lot of time, but it is extremely important to find an individual who has experience with emotional trauma. Because the quality of the relationship with your therapist is so important, explore the various programs your Florida drug rehab center has to offer.

Possible signs that a person is suffering from drug addiction include problems at school or work, lethargy, neglected appearance, behavioral changes, and increased frequency of requests for money.

Marijuana is often readily available although it is illegal. By the time they graduate from high school, about 42% of teens will have tried marijuana. And the United States is ranked first among 17 European and North American countries by the World Health Organization for prevalence of marijuana use. Although it can be argued that marijuana has certain health benefits, it also has adverse effects. Marijuana can impair short term memory and judgment and distort perception. It affects brain systems that are still maturing through young adulthood, risking negative effects on development. Visible signs of addiction to marijuana can included poor memory, red eyes, decreased coordination, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, slowed reaction time, and paranoia.

Prescription depressants such as Valium and Xanax have a legitimate medical purpose, they help with anxiety. However, these powerful substances can often lead to a drug addiction, and are deemed by some as the most available drug after marijuana. Symptoms of substance abuse include abdominal cramps, amnesia, blurred vision, convulsions, confusion, dry mouth, fatigue, hallucinations, heart palpitations, slurred speech, and urination difficulty.  It is recommended that people who have an addiction to prescription depressants undergo medically supervised detoxification at a drug rehab facility.

Stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine speed up the process of the central nervous systems. Legal stimulants can counteract mild depression, treat narcolepsy, or curb appetites. When someone is abusing a stimulant, they may demonstrate decreased appetite, rapid speech, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, weight loss, and paranoia. An amphetamine drug addiction is likely as many abusers quickly develop a tolerance to the drug. When someone is abusing cocaine they may imagine that insects are crawling over their skin and have chest pains. Both heavy and light cocaine users may develop eczema around the nostrils, nasal cartilage deterioration, and runny noses.

Hallucinogens, such as LSD and ecstasy, change perception by affecting all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, sense of time, and emotions. As a result, the user will see or hear things that do not exist or are distorted. People who take hallucinogens typically don’t take them on a regular basis. The immediate symptoms of someone abusing hallucinogens are increased breathing rate, feelings of anxiety and paranoia, sweating, vomiting, dizziness, and impaired coordination. There are also long term symptoms. Sometimes as long as years later, a person may experience a flashback where they experience intense colors and hallucinations. Chronic hallucinogen drug addiction can result in a drug induced psychosis which may last for hours or longer for some people. Drug rehab centers typically offer counseling, group therapy, pharmacotherapy, and withdrawal programs for hallucinogen users.

Narcotics, which include heroin, painkillers, and morphine, are heavily addictive. Examples of symptoms of narcotic substance abuse are a reduced sense of pain, confusion, slowed breathing, depression, and needle marks. Treatment of narcotic abuse can be difficult. The first step a drug rehab center will take is to overcome the withdrawal symptoms and physical dependence on narcotics. Afterwards, the individual will need to participate in long term treatment to cope with the psychological dependence on the drugs.

Getting outside help for drug addiction is vital. Many effective drug rehab centers offer organized inpatient and outpatient programs. Some drug addictions may also require detoxification, which is safer when performed under medical supervision. After treatment programs, additional counseling and attending self-help groups can make a lifetime of sobriety more likely.

A person may also take drugs to ‘escape’ from a problem during a particularly stressful time in their life. Sometimes this may even include prescription drug abuse. This stress may also be the trigger for an episode of depression. Additionally, heavy drug use can lead to major financial problems, difficulties with relationships or trouble with the law. A person suffering from chemical dependency is likely to have more of these pressures, which increases the likelihood of depression. In extreme circumstances, people who are depressed may use drugs in an attempt to end their life. Drug use is especially common in other psychiatric illnesses (such as post-traumatic stress disorder or some anxiety disorders and phobias) that can also have depressive symptoms, even if the main problem is not depression itself.

Why do recreational drugs have these effects when people take them to feel good? There are certain chemicals in the brain (called neurotransmitters) that are key to the way we feel – in other words they control our emotions. It’s the levels of these chemicals that are altered in depression. Recreational drugs also affect these chemicals. This is why drugs alter the way we feel. Different neurotransmitters are affected by different drugs: dopamine is affected by cocaine, amphetamines and ecstasy, while serotonin (or 5-HT) is affected by ecstasy and LSD and noradrenaline (Norepinephrine) is affected by amphetamines and opiates (heroin, morphine etc). It’s primarily these three chemicals (dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline) on which antidepressant medicines work.

What does all this mean for someone who feels depressed and who is using drugs? It means that to be able to help them effectively, doctors have to sort out what role the drugs play in the depression. If the feelings of depression are simply part of the drug addiction withdrawal and are temporary, it is unlikely that antidepressant treatment will be of benefit; antidepressants take an absolute minimum of two or three weeks to start working. The best help in this case is to try to help the person to get their drug use under control or stopped. Taking drugs and the withdrawal process can both produce depressive symptoms, so it is very difficult to know exactly what is going on, even if it seems that the depression led to drug taking in the first place. Additionally, a medical detox may be necessary. As a result, it’s vital to sort out the drug problem – so it’s possible to judge whether antidepressants or other treatments for depression are needed. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to treat the depression when someone is still taking drugs, but it does make it more difficult.

What should I do if I have this problem? First, try to keep as much control as possible over your chemical dependency so things don’t get worse, and most importantly, seek help in the form of drug or alcohol rehab. You may need treatment for the drug problem, the low mood or both, which is known as dual diagnosis. A professional at a drug rehab center will be able to advise you and help you make the necessary arrangements to get help. It is important that you are honest about your drug use with any doctor, nurse or other professional you are seeing. Otherwise they will find it very difficult to work out how best to help you. Help from social services may be a good thing to ask for if you are running into problems with debts, housing, etc, as these can only make things worse if they don’t get sorted out. Remember, such problems may have contributed to your difficulties in the first place.

If you think your friend or relative may have a problem with chemical dependency, you may wish to suggest to them that you have noticed there is something wrong. Ask them if they have considered asking for help from any of the sources mentioned above. It may be difficult if the person doesn’t want you to know they have a drug problem: be diplomatic and encourage them to see someone about the depression. Leave the rest of the working out to the professional they see.

Bi-polar disorder (also known in the past as manic depression) does not simply mean a person is moody. According to the DSM-IV, typically a depressive or manic state would need to last several weeks or more, each representing a departure from behavior considered normal for the individual experience these episodes. At times, those with Bi-Polar disorder may also experience periods of “normal” thoughts or behavior considered neither manic nor depressed. When a person with bipolar disorder is in a manic state, they may feel that they are on top of the world and that they can do anything. They may be more likely to take part in risky activities, such as consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, drug addiction, or indulging in sexually reckless behavior. Addiction may be the result of the manic phase of the illness, as opposed to the reason for it.

The person in the manic phase of bipolar disorder may turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to try to stabilize their condition. When a person is on a severe “high,” being able to shut down long enough to get adequate sleep can be very difficult, and an addiction to alcohol or drugs might come about because they are trying to slow down their thought processes long enough to get some rest.

In the depressive stage of the illness, a person with bipolar disorder is vulnerable to addiction because they are looking for something that will help them snap out of the feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness they have. Alcohol or drugs may be seen as a type of anesthetic to help them get away from these kinds of feelings.

In between manic and depressive episodes, a person with manic depression does experience times when their moods are normal. They are aware of the highs and lows, and substance abuse may start off as a way to try to stave off the next wave of abnormal mood patterns. Bipolar disorder can be treated with medications, and an addiction to another substance will not help to control the symptoms of this disorder. After having multiple episodes of highs and lows, and self-medicating- sometimes for many years- it becomes difficult to determine what symptoms the patient suffers are due do Bi-Polar, which are a result of their chemical dependency and potentially multiple addictions and which are a convoluted product of both combined. Drug rehab is needed to treat both the disorder and the addiction.

To understand why bipolar disorder patients would have addictions, you truly have to understand these moods and the effect they have on the person experiencing them. When substance abuse occurs in bipolar patients, this is known as dual diagnosis. The substance abuse in bipolar patients can occur during both the manic and depression phases. Sometimes bipolar patients refuse to take medications because of the side effects and choose instead to self-medicate. Or they feel that the medications aren’t doing enough. Often times, medical detoxification may be necessary before the patient may receive needed prescription medications to treat their mental illness. For manic patients, alcohol can become the substance of choice because of its depressant qualities. Patients in the depressed state can resort to cocaine abuse as well as other stimulants to lift themselves out of the funk. Unfortunately this self-medication can lead to addictions, effectively giving bipolar patients yet another medical condition to battle.

Help for bipolar patients with chemical dependency ideally should come from a holistic rehabilitative approach in a drug rehab, addressing both the addiction and mental illness. This will also further allowed trained professionals to determine which of the patients symptoms are due directly to the mental illness, and which are the by-products of their drug or alcohol addiction. Individual or group therapy in rehab is also needed in order to address the mental health aspects that relate to the patients addiction.

Patients undergoing rapid detox are placed under anesthesia for up to six hours, during which they are administered special medications that greatly accelerate the physical withdrawal process. These miracle medications work by blocking the specific brain receptors that are responsible for absorbing the abused substance. It is during this time that the body expels the toxins caused by substance abuse, subsequently resulting in those dreadful withdrawal symptoms. The unconscious patient, of course, is relieved from any discomfort due to the anesthesia. When the patient’s body is clean from the abused substance they are encouraged to enter a drug rehab center.

The method of rapid detox serves as a powerful tool in the fight against drug addiction. The promise of a pain free withdrawal period encourages drug addicts, who may fear the agonizing experience of detoxification, to pursue substance abuse treatment when they otherwise wouldn’t.  A miracle treatment that painlessly weans you off of hard drugs in just a few hours certainly begs the question though – Does it really work?

As to be expected, rapid detox does face its fair share of criticisms. According to an article from USA Today the technique of “rapid detox “can be life-threatening, is not pain-free and has no advantage over other methods.” These claims are backed by a study of one hundred and six heroin addicts. Out of all the participants, a group of thirty-five was selected to undergo rapid detox. Those receiving the specialized addiction treatment were anesthetized for nearly four hours and were given drugs to block their brain cells’ need for opiates. It is reported that upon waking up the patients still experienced severe withdrawal despite the additional medications they were administered for the symptoms.

Additionally, the article details how the rapid detox method performed terribly in regards to the number of patients that remained clean after the procedure. Reportedly eighty percent of the rapid detox group dropped out of their follow-up drug and alcohol rehab center; a dropout rate that was higher than the other groups in the study. Most shockingly of all, however, was the report that three of the thirty-five anesthesia patients experienced life-threatening complications despite the scrupulous safety measures that had taken place.

Rapid detox has also fallen under criticism because of the “quick-fix” nature of the procedure. The promise that one can avoid the problems and consequences of their addiction only serves to perpetuate the compulsion that addicts characteristically experience to begin with.  Because of this, it is believed that rapid detox breeds a cycle of behavior that may lead to alternative addictions, such as alcoholism or gambling.

Beyond the health risks, perhaps the most striking deterrent behind rapid detox is its price tag. A typical six-hour procedure can cost up to a whopping $15,000 dollars. For less than half that price one could stay in a Florida drug rehab center for thirty days or more! According to the National Survey of Substance  Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), the average cost for inpatient programs was about $7,000 per month. To put things in perspective, a hospital stay can run up to $2,000 per day!

Ultimately, drug and alcohol treatment are of paramount importance to those who suffer from substance abuse.  If you or one of your loved ones become ill, the cost of recovery is priceless. It is no wonder why people pursue options such as rapid detox. However, when searching for treatment it is imperative to consider and research all of your options before coming to a decision. It may take some time to determine what is best for you as an individual in the long run.

Luckily, recovery is possible with the proper addiction treatment.  Addiction is a sickness that can be treated by trained professionals, who can help recuperate the brain and body from the damage that has been done.  Florida offers various forms of treatment all across the state, including some of the best rehabilitation facilities in the country.  Depending on the type of addiction, there are several treatment options to choose from.

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, can be defined by four main symptoms: craving, loss of control, physical dependence, and an increasing tolerance to alcohol.  With most alcoholics, a 12-Step Program is traditionally used in accordance with the treatment process, with the first step being that the drinker must finally come to terms with the fact that they cannot control their drinking on their own.

Drug addiction, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, can be defined by an “intense and, at times, uncontrollable drug craving, along with compulsive drug seeking and use that persist even in the face of devastating consequences.”  It can refer to illicit or illegal drugs, as well as prescription drug abuse.

The fist step for a lot of addicts is admitting that they are, indeed, addicts.  Often times, an intervention is necessary to prompt this realization.  Once the decision has been made to seek professional help and treatment, there are several different steps and methods that may be used, including but not limited to medical detoxification (“the process of getting rid of addictive substances from the patient’s body while managing the intense physical symptoms of withdrawal, usually under a physician’s care”), pain management, group or individual therapy, or holistic recovery (“the art and science of healing that addresses care of the whole person – body, mind, and spirit”).

Detoxification and easing of withdrawal symptoms, treatment and therapy, and relapse prevention are the general steps involved with rehabilitation.  Two of the most important elements in any treatment are usually a combination of medication and behavioral therapy, which enables the addict to “engage in the treatment process, modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse, and increase healthy life skills.”  An individualized plan for the addict is vital, as well as follow-up support that can include family, loved ones, and communities.

Of the 23 million people suffering from addiction, only about 2.6 million received treatment at a facility, leaving 20.9 million Americans untreated.  As the NIDA points out, the “treatment gap” is massive.  The steps needed to reduce this gap include “increasing access to effective treatment, achieving insurance parity (now in its earliest phase of implementation), reducing stigma, and raising awareness among both patients and health care professionals of the value of addiction treatment.”

While some addicts attempt to stop drug and alcohol use on their own, known as self-help, most find it necessary to seek the support of a drug rehab program.  Research has shown that addicts who seek treatment are more likely to stop using, avoid relapse, and successfully recover their lives.

The same can be said for children of alcoholics. This child may have grown up as a victim of an emotionally or physically abusive mother or father, one who only caused such damage after drinking heavily and constantly. Why wouldn’t this keep them far away from following in their parent’s footsteps?

Unfortunately, in the case of a child living with a parent or family member who suffers from a drug addiction or alcoholism, it’s not really a choice per say.

“The research increasingly shows that children growing up in homes with alcohol- and drug-abusing parents suffer – often greatly,” said SAMHSA acting administrator Eric Broderick. “The chronic emotional stress in such an environment can damage their social and emotional development and permanently impede healthy brain development, often resulting in mental and physical health problems across the lifespan.”

This is sad news as the damaging mental and physical health problems in later years can easily lead a person who is suffering to self-medicate. Self-medicating that is unfortunately usually done in the form of alcohol or drug abuse.

The fact is, no matter what we see before us, on TV or in our own homes, it’s not enough to affect our actions. Alcoholism is still a problem. And there are facts to back it up.

For example, according to a new government study, alcoholism is increasing in women and the elderly.

“The reason behind the increase is the changing trend of women’s drinking habits, as more women began to work outside the home, and the rapid growth of the elderly population,” said Susumu Higichi, assistant director of the Kurhama Alcoholism Center.

“Such a trend was encouraged by alcoholic beverage companies, which promote products targeting women such as fruit cocktails,” he continued.

According to experts, because of their smaller livers and slower metabolisms, women can easily be affected by alcohol more then men. Consuming the same amount of alcohol has a man can still result in the alcohol level in their blood being much higher.

Alcohol abuse is also rising in college students.  A recent study found nearly half of the 5.4 million full-time college students abuse drugs or consume alcohol on binges at least once a month. The use of alcohol, along with other drugs, has dramatically increased since the 1993 start of the study at Columbia University of New York’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

The study also found college students have higher rates of alcohol or drug addition than the general public, with 22.9 percent of students meeting the medical definition of alcohol or drug dependency.

Celebrities are always at risk as some of them tend to find that dealing with fame isn’t as glamorous as one would cope. Fame can come with a whole list of responsibilities and obligation and many celebrities may be ill equipped to deal with such, thus creating addictions in order to cope and landing them in drug and alcohol rehab centers.

“Entertainment, rock stars, pilots, race car drivers; these kinds of environments tend to have a high predisposition for addiction,” says Dr. Drew Pinsky of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab.

“People somehow believe celebrities are different from everyone else,” he continued. They don’t understand how much mental disease there is among the famous.”

Alcoholism and drug abuse is still without a doubt a major issue today.  There has been a staggering increase in drug addiction and alcoholism in our society over the past several years, and because of this, there has been a drastic increasing need for more and more drug and alcohol rehab centers.  Alcoholics Anonymous may be a good solution for treating this addiction, but for some, depending on the length of abuse or severity of the addiction, it is recommended that an addict attend a drug rehab center for long term treatment since it may take longer to repair the damage of long term abuse.

“It is time to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for chemical addiction. It is time for Congress to deal with our Nation’s number one public health problem.”  ~ Jim Ramstad

As of 2008, over 23 million Americans were addicted to alcohol and other drugs.  Substance abuse can be defined as “the repeated and excessive use of a drug or alcohol to produce pleasure or escape reality despite its destructive effects.”  While most people will think of illegal drugs when they hear “substance abuse,” as noted above, abuse can include alcohol and tobacco, which are both legal substances.  The problem occurs when recreational use of these substances becomes an addiction, or when the use becomes a necessity.  Drugs and alcohol are chemicals that affect the way the brain functions, and as such, addiction is considered a disease that needs to be treated as a health problem.

The first step in breaking the addiction cycle is admitting that you do indeed have an addiction.  Step 1 in the 12 Step Program states, “We admit we are powerless over our addiction – that our lives have become unmanageable.”  The 12 Step Program deals directly with alcohol abuse, but the steps can be applied to other addictions, as well.  One of the first signs that the user has an addiction is that they have lost the power over their choice to use or drink.  According to the Cambridge Health Alliance, addiction can be identified by the Three Cs: Behavior that is motivated by emotions ranging along the craving to compulsion spectrum, continued use in spite of adverse consequences, and loss of control.

The addiction cycle is common to each different type of addiction, whether it be drugs and alcohol, overeating, sex, etc, and it “refers to the circular pattern characteristic of addiction.”  The only truly effective way to break the addiction cycle is through treatment, and the best results occur when the user acknowledges his/her problem and is committed to the treatment program.  In addition, most treatments should be multi-disciplinary to be the most successful, and generally includes several steps or initiatives.

Some of the initiatives include, but are not limited to: behavioral therapy, medication, some form of counseling (group and individual), 12-step program participation, relapse prevention and aftercare.  Detoxification is an important step, as well, and is “the process of getting rid of addictive substances from the patient’s body (in an inpatient or outpatient setting) while managing the intense physical symptoms of withdrawal, usually under a physician’s care.”  Rehabilitation centers and facilities are properly equipped to manage both the physical and emotional effects from abuse and the treatment process, including withdrawal symptoms and recovery.

Self-help is when addicts try to stop drug and alcohol use on their own, and they often seek the support of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other organizations for sobriety.  However, most addicts find they need the help and support of an inpatient or outpatient drug rehab treatment program.  Inpatient treatment refers to the treatment of addiction while the patient stays or lives in a treatment center.  Outpatient treatment is when the patient can commute to a treatment center.  Outpatient treatment is more effective when the user has a strong support system at home or if they are still able to function at work and is mostly reserved for those who have already completed an inpatient drug rehab program.

Relapse prevention is a coping-focused psychotherapy aimed at teaching addicts and users the skills necessary to avoid addiction relapses.  There are three main goals of a relapse prevention program: “(1) teaching coping skills to allow the recovering person to ‘identify, anticipate, avoid and/or cope’ with high risk situations for relapse, (2) to help recovering persons learn how to keep a single ‘lapse’ from turning into a multiple ‘relapse’ situation, and (3) to help the recovering person feel as though he or she is really capable of controlling his or her own behavior.”

Addiction is not a crime – it is a physical and mental health problem that needs to be treated as such.  It has become an epidemic in our country and is considered the largest health problem that our citizens face.  But there is hope and you can find help and support at addiction treatment centers.

If you must attend a party that you know will involve alcohol, setting boundaries beforehand is a great way to make it through one dry. If it’s a family gathering, make it very clear to your loved ones that you will not be drinking or if you are comfortable enough, let them know you have an addiction you are trying to overcome. This is your family after all, and if anyone, they should be the most understanding. Because family is more concerned with catching up and simply being around loved ones, the importance of alcohol at these events is far less compared to a gathering with friends. If you do come from a family that likes to indulge a little during family get-togethers, simply informing them will at least create awareness and someone who is drinking will be less likely to unknowingly tempt you by offering you a beverage.

Attending parties with friends or coworkers may prove to be a little more difficult. Someone battling with alcoholism may still feel tempted to be a part of these parties as to not feel like the odd man out or in the case of work , a non-team player. Where it may be a little easier to share with close family a problem with alcohol abuse, doing so when it comes to someone like your boss may not be as simple or even an option.

One easy way to avoid looking like a “party pooper” is to announce to anyone who offers you a drink that you are your own designated driver for the evening, a reason that really can’t be argued with. If you feel the need to be a part of the party or at least appear to be, you can also choose to have a bartender make you a “drink” that consists of soda water and a lime. Carrying a non-alcoholic beverage allows you to look social and helps you avoid having to explain yourself or your situation to others. But if even holding a non-alcoholic beverage makes you crave a real one, if possible, put the glass down and take a “breather” in a separate room from the party. Collect your thoughts, call a friend or loved one, or just take the time to remember all the reasons you chose to quit your addiction in the first place.

Of course the easiest way to avoid drinking during these occasions, is to simply limit yourself to the amount of parties you attend. Obviously, the less you attend, the less you will be tempted to drink. If you have recently been treated in a rehab facility or you are a recovering alcoholic who is still having a hard time with his or her recovery, avoid them all together. There is not a good enough reason you could give that would allow drinking to compromise your health and well being. There is always next year and by then maybe you will have a better hold on your addiction.

If you have recently left rehab or if you find that during the holiday season your drinking becomes out of control and avoiding it completely proves to be a losing battle, you may find that fighting your addiction alone or simply not attending parties is not a viable option. Being away from friends and loved ones during this time of year often causes someone to feel more lonely than they usually do or in worse cases, depressed. This can of course lead a person to relapse or abuse alcohol in an effort to self medicate. Seeking treatment in an alcohol rehab facility may be your best option.

Chemical dependency may help a patient cope with some of the symptoms they may be experiencing due to their mental illness, but it will not cure it. In fact, in many circumstances addiction can cause more problems for the individual which may exacerbate their illness. For example, a person suffering from depression who drinks could potentially sink into a deeper depression. Alcohol itself is a depressant. Proper alcohol treatment will be needed to help this person then address their depression. In fact, through medical detoxification this person may already begin to experience fewer symptoms of depression. Despite this fact, the patient will still need to follow through therapy in order to address the cause of depression in the first place.

Alcoholism is actually one of the most common forms of self medication in patients with mental illness. In some circumstances the person may be so dependent on alcohol for their self-medication that an intervention may be necessary in order to encourage them to pursue the treatment they need. In these instances alcohol rehabilitation is likely to significantly improve the results of treatment. The withdrawals the patient will face will be very difficult, and a holistic rehabilitation program will help not only treat the symptoms of withdrawal, but also address their impact on the patient’s mental health.

Conversely, those suffering from bipolar disorder sometimes self medicate with depressants such as alcohol, but may also self medicate with highly addictive stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine. Proper addiction treatment would be a necessary part of the patient’s path to wellness. Those who suffer from bi-polar disorder may also have from additional medical issues that may or may not be related to substance abuse- further demonstrating why a holistic drug rehabilitation program that treats both chemical dependence and psychiatric problems is necessary. In some cases, there may exist a “chicken or the egg” scenario, in which the Doctor must determine which symptoms are caused by substance abuse, and which symptoms led the patient to chemical dependence.

One issue patients sometimes encounter, too, is that not all addiction treatment facilities are quipped to treat those suffering from severe mental illness. Some addiction treatment facilities do not accept a patient also suffering from mental illness. These patients should seek treatment from a rehabilitation center that is experienced working with chemical dependence and mental illness, because sometimes it may require a slower or more deliberate approach than traditional addiction therapy. In addition to treating the symptoms of withdrawal and the addiction itself, the patient will also need to get assistance with their mental illness in order to have a real chance for recovery.

In some instances, those who have chosen to self-medicate through addiction may benefit from psychotropic drugs such as anti-depressives, anti-psychotics medications or others. In some cases a person suffering from addiction may be hesitant to treat themselves with prescription medication, but a psychiatrist experienced treating both addiction and mental illness should be able to determine whether this will be an effective treatment given the individual’s case. This may assist the patient in recovering from their addiction because it could lessen their chemical dependence or need to self medicate.

Regardless of the course of treatment, the most important thing is to recognize that self-medication is not a cure. It can only lead to further issues, and possible worsening of the mental illness itself. A treatment facility experience assisting with both issues is highly suggested for anyone seeking to end their cycle of self-medication.

There are many ways this cycle may start. Often times, an individual is struggling with some form of physical or emotional pain. They then turn to substance use to alleviate this pain. Over time, they grow increasingly dependent upon the substance in order to feel “right” or “normal.” Before they know it, they are unable to simply stop using the substance. Additionally, substance abuse can lend itself to creating other problems that also increase their dependence. They may try repeatedly to stop, but that dependence can be difficult to overcome. After trying and failing to ween themselves from their addiction they must admit that the problem exists, and admit that they are powerless over the problem- that they cannot resolve it alone. The cycle will only continue should you continue trying on your own.

According to the traditional 12 step process, the next step is acknowledging that a power greater than his or herself can help restore balance to their lives and help them gain control over their addiction. For those who are theists, this often means God. Those who do not believe in God, however, can still find a higher power to turn to.  Participants in a 12 step program are not required to accept a particular concept of God, they are only asked to trust that there is a power “greater than themselves” regardless of how they wish to describe or understand it. Next, the individual must surrender themselves to this higher power. In other words, choose to stop living their life their way, and give themselves to living a life guided by the guidelines of a higher power.

The fourth step towards breaking the addiction cycle involves introspection; taking a look inside oneself and soul-searching. The addict will need to look at their actions, their causes and the results of their actions. They will need to look at the impact their choices have had on not only their own life, but the lives of others. This could be friends, family, significant others and more. It is crucial for them to be honest in the process, and to be willing to acknowledge their own imperfections and admit they were wrong. This takes you to the fifth step- acknowledging your errors to yourself, a higher power and another person. In step 6, they will need to decide they are ready for a higher power to remove these character flaws from their life. Next, they need to ask this higher power to help them in doing so.

Once they are at this point, the addict will be asked to make a list of those they have harmed by virtue of their addiction, and be willing to make amends to them for their wrongs. This process can be difficult, of course, but it can also be therapeutic for both the addict and other affected by his actions. The addict must then take the steps needed to make direct amends to the harmed party, except in those circumstances in which doing so may do additional harm. This is important- the addict must be cautious not to do more harm to others. If making amends to this person will bring up old wounds or create new harm, they must not do it.

The tenth step involves maintenance: taking constant inventory, staying vigilant and being willing to admit they were or are wrong. This means accepting responsibility for your actions. Moving forward, the addict is asked to make “contact” with the higher power they have turned their lives over to. This could be through prayer or meditation. The point is to communicate in some means with this higher power, and to attempt to learn what plan this higher power has for them. This prayer or meditation helps the addict strengthen their connection with the higher power. The final step is to serve this higher power- to spread their spiritual awakening to other addicts and to act accordingly in their everyday life, serving as an example.

Breaking the addiction cycle is never as simple as just following twelve steps. It is important to have support and guidance through addiction treatment, family and friends. There will be hurdles to overcome, and one will need to be committed to pursuing the light at the end of the tunnel. Additionally, overcoming the addiction- be it alcoholism, drug abuse or otherwise- is only one step. The addict will need to also address whatever emotional or physical pain it was that they encountered that initially led to their substance abuse. It could have been depression or another mental illness, or it could have been a physical injury that required medication. It could have been a traumatic experience. The key is, taking a holistic approach is the surest way to recovery.

An article posted by All About Life Challenges discusses how loving relationships can easily turn into enabling relationships characterized by codependent behaviors when addiction is involved.  “The relationship between enablers, addictions, and codependency is a perplexing and arduous one. The addict will develop behaviors that are controlling, deceiving, and selfish. Their motives are for one purpose, to acquire and use their “drug of choice.” This can be drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, or any similar snare.

“The adverse changes in an addict’s behavior will progress as their addiction grows. Because their loved ones don’t initially realize the depth of the problem, they begin to alter their own behaviors. They will accommodate so as to not “rock the boat.” The “drug of choice” gives the user a false sense of security or escapism. When confronted, the addict feels their boat being rocked and that they will lose their [false] sense of being in control. For example, the addict will often explode in anger when questioned about their actions. This is to sidetrack the issues so they don’t have to be answerable and face their demons. Codependents in turn, create avoidance to lessen this merry-go-round.

The results are that the lives of the loved ones are now dictated by, or dependent on, the addict and his/her behavior. When a codependent begins to refrain from confrontation and perhaps even cover up or excuse an addict’s behaviors to outsiders, the codependent becomes an enabler. An enabling codependent empowers the addict to continue his/her road of destruction. In a sense, the addict is being allowed to get away with it. This direction is a sad and destructive way of life for the addict and the codependent.” (http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/enablers-addictions-codependency-faq.htm)

Codependency in a relationship is a sign of an unacknowledged problem; it is an unloving act; it causes more problems… it simply, DOES NOT WORK. The basic problem with codependency is that it provides the addict with an environment where they are able to nurture and feed their addiction without facing its ugly and painful truth. Addiction is a progressive disease and gone unacknowledged and untreated with ultimately lead to death or incarceration. We are unable to create change without understanding and acknowledging the problem. Codependent behaviors can take many forms (the caretaker, the rescuer, the pleaser, the victim, the intimidator) but is ultimately a behavior that is adopted as a means for the codependent individual to attempt managing the addict and their problem, the addiction.

Attempting to manage the addiction by politely tip toeing around its chaos is harmful for both people in the relationship. The causes and motivation for codependency differ; however, fear, misplaced trust, and previous observation of such behavior are common experiences that most codependents share. The first step to changing these roles is for the codependent to admit the truth, despite the willingness for the addict to do the same. Once we admit the truth and acknowledge the problem both the addict and the codependent are able to begin their road to recovery. The codependent must become unwilling to love the addict to death; instead they become willing to only love them back to life. This recovery is a process that both the addict and the codependent must seek and engage in addiction treatment for to heal fully.

There are various behaviors and objects that can become addicting for an individual, among these, the addiction to drugs and alcohol is one of the most common. According to a 1992 Library Journal article, 45 million Americans attend 140 different kinds of weekly recovery groups. Another 100 million are trying to help those who are in recovery. If you are struggling with addiction, the good news is you are not alone and there is plenty of help!

The first step in educating yourself on addiction is learning how to recognize when it is present. How do you know if the problem is truly addiction? There are times when someone may identify that they have a problem but may be unsure if it is actually addiction they are struggling with, in these cases it is helpful to have a few signs to look for. The first sign of drug/alcohol addiction is that it consumes the individuals focus. Drugs and alcohol will begin consuming large amounts of the individual’s time, thoughts and energy; once the chemical is obtained the need for more sets in. Another sign to look for is an increased tolerance built by the individual with the addiction. The amount of the chemical needed will continue to increase for the individual to reach the same effect or “high” as they used to need. It is common for the addict to act in denial of their addiction; they will often believe it is possible for them to stop whenever they want. Negative consequences of addiction are unavoidable; addiction harms the lives of the addict and those who love them. Despite continued negative consequences, those who suffer from addiction will continue to use because the addiction has robbed them of their self-control. Finally, those who have become dependent on a chemical substance will typically experience painful physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to stop using. While each of these symptoms is not required for someone to be suffering from addiction, however, when several of these characteristics are found together the likelihood of addiction becomes strong.

If you believe you or someone you love is suffering with addiction it is time to break the cycle! Addiction is a progressive disease that will only worsen if not treated. Seeking professional treatment based on 12-Step principles has been found to have the most successful outcomes. When you just can’t stop, seek the help of others, overcome addiction today!

The new report released today by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University also reveals that alcohol and other drugs are significant factors in all crime. In 2006, alcohol and other drugs were involved in these inmate offenses:

• 78 percent of violent crimes;
• 83 percent of property crimes; and
• 77 percent of public order, immigration or weapon offenses; and probation/parole violations.

The CASA report found that only 11 percent of all inmates with substance abuse and addiction disorders receive any treatment during their incarceration. The report found that if all inmates who needed treatment and aftercare received such services, the nation would break even in a year if just over 10 percent remained substance and crime free and employed. Thereafter, for each inmate who remained sober, employed and crime free the nation would reap an economic benefit of $90,953 per year.

…To reduce the number of substance-involved inmates crowding our prisons, improve the health of inmates and reduce crime, the CASA report offers specific recommendations in its call for action by the nation’s criminal justice systems and federal, state, and local governments including these:

• Use trained health care professionals to screen, assess and treat substance-involved offenders and provide care for co-occurring physical and mental health problems.
• Provide comprehensive pre-release planning and aftercare to continue treatment services for inmates with substance use disorders.
• Require addiction treatment for inmates to be medically managed.
• Expand the use of treatment-based alternatives to jail and prison.
• Require accreditation for prison- and jail-based treatment programs and providers.” (http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/PressReleases.aspx?articleid=592&zoneid=79).

The first step in fixing our failing system and reducing the rising number of prisoners with substance abuse addiction is to acknowledge that substance is, in fact, a disease that can be managed through effective use of treatment programs. Our prison systems currently provide treatment for inmates suffering from various diseases and conditions, why then, is substance abuse left off this list?  With substance abuses high correlation to continued crime and future incarceration, it seems that sweeping this problem under the rug is doing a large disservice to our society as a whole. Creating separate housing or wings for inmates involved in substance abuse programs would be one method of maximize the potential for success within this population. When taking the rise of budget cuts and limited state funding into consideration, another option could be to re-route the non-violent criminal offenders with substance dependence entirely. Instead of placing individuals into the prison systems time and time again for drug or alcohol related charges a therapeutic alternative may be more reasonable. Replacing prison time with drug or alcohol rehabilitation time could cut government funding and serve as a preventative intervention for future re-arrests.

You don’t need to cover everything at once. In fact, you’re likely to have a greater impact on your child’s decisions about drinking by having a number of talks about alcohol use throughout his or her adolescence. Think of this talk with your child as the first part of an ongoing conversation.

And remember, do make it a conversation, not a lecture! You might begin by finding out what your child thinks about alcohol and drinking.

Your Child’s Views about Alcohol: Ask your young teen what he or she knows about alcohol and what he or she thinks about teen drinking. Ask your child why he or she thinks kids drink. Listen carefully without interrupting. Not only will this approach help your child to feel heard and respected, but it can serve as a natural “lead-in” to discussing alcohol topics.”  (www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov).

Open communication between parent and child is the first step in building a trusting relationship where your child can feel comfortable coming to you about drug or alcohol questions or concerns. To create open communication it is critical that parents are able to use active listening skills. The first step of active listening requires you to stop everything else you are doing and focus all your attention on your child. It is important to look at your child and make eye contact; this will make them aware that they have your attention. While your child is speaking, be sure to keep your full attention on what is being said. Once your child has completed their thoughts, comment on what you heard or rephrase what you think you have heard back to them to be sure you understood them correctly. If your child has asked you a question do not be afraid to answer them to the best of your ability. When answering your child’s questions about drugs or alcohol use be honest and sincere with your children.

A parent who is able to practice active listening successfully will create an environment where their child feels significant enough to have undivided attention. Taking time to discuss important issues with your children is critical, active listening can be used as a tool to help solve current problems as well as a tool to prevent problems in the future. Active listening encourages children to work through their thoughts and learn to problem solve for themselves with the support of their parent.

They might make a scene in front of other family members, move out of the house, drop out of school, drink or use other drugs even more and hide it from everyone, or retaliate against them or other family members. However, you might find the conversation to be a wonderfully productive experience.

Perhaps the person simply hasn’t noticed behavior changes, or didn’t realize that his or her substance use was a problem or was causing problems. An intervention with an addict can be a very daunting ordeal, but with the proper steps taken, an effective intervention and positive outcome may result.

An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people (usually family and friends) to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs or other items. Intervention can also refer to the act of using a technique within a therapy session.

Drug intervention encompasses ten steps:

Drug Intervention Step #1: Don’t Rescue the Addict
Friends and family members can attempt to protect an addict from the consequences of his behavior by making excuses about his addiction or getting him out of trouble. This behavior must stop! Once the addict experiences the effects of his behavior, he may become more motivated to stop using drugs.

Drug Intervention Step #2: Don’t Become an Enabler
Family members should be careful not to reward the addict by paying his bills, bailing him out of jail, letting him stay for free or ignoring his behavior.

Drug Intervention Step #3: Find the Right Time
If possible, select a time to talk with the addict when he is sober, when the entire intervention party is in a calm frame of mind and when you can speak privately.

Drug Intervention Step #4: Find Strength in Numbers
Enlist the support of family members, relatives and friends in confronting the addict as a group, selecting one person to be the initial spokesperson. Remember, the idea is to make it safe for him to come clean and seek help.

Drug Intervention Step #5: Be Honest
Tell the addict that you are concerned about his drug addiction and want to be supportive for him while he gets help. Support your concern with examples of the ways in which his drug use has caused problems for you, including any recent incidents.

Drug Intervention Step #6: State the Consequences
Tell the addict that until he gets help, you will leave him to the consequences of his behavior and will no longer bail him out. Make it clear that you are not trying to punish the addict, but protect yourself from the harmful effects of his addiction.

Drug Intervention Step #7: Listen
During your drug addiction intervention, the addict might ask questions regarding potential treatment. Listen! These questions are a sign that he is reaching for help.

Drug Intervention Step #8: Be Prepared
If the addict is ready to take action, don’t wait. Once he’s agrees to go into rehab, work immediately to get him admitted into rehab. Prior to the intervention, pack him a bag, make travel arrangements and ensure he has acceptance into a program.

Drug Intervention Step #9: Don’t Give Up
If the addict refuses help, don’t give up. Be supportive and don’t enable or allow his behavior. Listen whenever you can and be ready to help the addict into therapy when he is ready.

Drug Intervention Step #10: Find a Good Rehab Center
Unity Recovery Center can help engage your loved one in treatment for alcohol or drug addiction. They can help them get past denial and move forward with a drug-free, healthy and honest lifestyle. Help your loved one get free from denial and addiction. Call Unity Recovery Center of Florida (877-772-5505) and make changes now.