Serenity Ranch Blog

But I just sold a bit, I am not a real drug dealer...

Deon Smit — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:17:00 GMT

How many of our clients that come to treatment centers like Serenity Ranch have made themselves guilty of selling some drugs to fund their own habit or to get drugs free of charge. Many of our sons and daughters do not realize the severity of this action.

When most of us imagine a drug dealer, our minds tend to wander across to the movies or TV shows we have seen. The man dressed in a white suit living in wealth somewhere in South America. We forget that the drugs sold in our communities are mostly sold by members of that community. Yes, our sons, daughters, neighbors and friends perhaps.

Any would be drug dealer should remember that it is a crime and a serious one at that. Considering this statement we thought it would be a good idea to look at what the law has to say about selling drugs, whatever your intent may be. Below are the penalties as per www.defencelaw.com

Offence description	Controlled Drugs and Substances Act Section	S/H/I	Discharge available	Maximum Penalty (S)	Maximum Penalty (I)
Possession of marijuana (up to 30 gms.) or hashish (up to 1 gm.)	4(1)	S	yes	6 mos./$1,000 fine
Possession of marijuana or hashish	4(1)	H	yes	6 mos./$1,000 - 1st offence; 1 yr./$2,000 - subsequent offence	5 yrs. less a day
Possession of cocaine or heroin	4(1)	H	yes	6 mos./$1,000 - 1st offence; 1 yr./$2,000 - subsequent offence	7 yrs.
Possession of amphetamines, LSD, mescaline, or psilocybin	4(1)	H	yes	6 mos./$1,000 - 1st offence; 1 yr./$2,000 - subsequent offence	3 yrs.
Trafficking in marijuana or hashish or possession for the purpose of trafficking (up to 3 kgs.)	5	I	yes		5 yrs. less a day
Trafficking in marijuana or hashish or possession for the purpose of trafficking (3 kgs. or more)	5	I			life imprisonment
Trafficking in cocaine or heroin or possession for the purpose of trafficking	5	I			life imprisonment
Trafficking in amphetamines, LSD, mescaline, or psilocybin or possession for the purpose of trafficking	5	H	yes	18 mos./$5,000 fine	10 yrs.
Trafficking in barbituates or anabolic steroids or possession for the purpose of trafficking	5	H	yes	1 yr./$5,000 fine	3 yrs.
Importing, exporting heroin, cocaine, marijuana or hashish	6	I			life imprisonment
Importing, exporting amphetamines, LSD, mescaline, or psilocybin	6	H	yes	18 mos./$5,000 fine	10 yrs.
Cultivation of marijuana	7	I	yes		7 yrs.
Production of cocaine, heroin or hashish	7	I			life imprisonment
Production of amphetamines, LSD, mescaline, or psilocybin	7	H	yes	18 mos./$5,000 fine	10 yrs.
Production of barbituates or anabolic steroids	7	H	yes	1 yr./$5,000 fine	3 yrs.

It is important to remember that if you, your friends or family are selling drugs in your community, you are not only endangering the lives of others, but risking your own freedom. If you are aware of, or part of a drug selling scenario, you are also an accessory to the crime.

Think about it......

If you or a loved one needs help today, click the button below.

Serenity Ranch Team: Meet Alisha

Deon Smit — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Alisha Beyeler is the latest addition to the Serenity Ranch team. She has only been with us for a short while and we are learning new things about her on a daily basis. Let’s see what makes her tick.

What is your job title?

Addictions Counsellor

What does your job involve?

Facilitating the 12 Step work, one on one counseling and assisting people through the treatment process.

What is the best part of the work you do?

Probably meeting new people, hearing their stories and helping them gain their lives back..

What do you not like about the work you do?

When people do not successfully complete the program

What is your favorite film?

Last waltz – Martin Scorsese

What is your favorite book?

Codependant no more – Melody Beattie

What is the most listened to song on your iPhone at the moment?

Un-answerable….I have 30 000 songs. The last one I listened to was White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane

If you could invite anyone to dinner (from past or present) who would it be and why?

Can I have three? Stevie Nix, Neil Young and Eddie Vedder…to write a song with them.

If you or a loved one needs help with an addiction click the button below

Addiction & Mental Illness - Am I losing my mind?

Deon Smit — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:04:00 GMT

Am I losing my mind?

We are often asked about mental health problems that may occur whilst using drugs and alcohol by participants here at Serenity Ranch. Very often, our participants may be experiencing a wide range of symptoms such as vivid dreams, hallucinations and even hearing voices. Most participants, or anyone for that matter, may fear that they are suffering from a mental health illness when these events take place. The question is often asked:” Am I losing my mind?” In most cases the symptoms experienced may just be an effect of the drugs considering the neurotransmitters that are affected. There are however cases where your fears may become a reality.

Some very interesting points are raised in the extract below from WebMD (www.webmd.com)

"Mental health problems and substance abuse are often seen together because one makes you more vulnerable to the other," says Alan Manevitz, MD, a psychiatrist with New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell University campus, in New York.

Mental health problems are common in the U.S. An estimated 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder, according to the National Institute of Metal Health.

When there is a biological or genetic vulnerability to any type of mental health problem, regardless of how big or small, Manevitz says, substance use often triggers the onset of that problem.

"The substance is not really causing the mental health problem, but it can be a precipitating factor that causes the condition to manifest," Manevitz says.

"In this respect, the mental health condition is already actively present when the substance abuse begins, but the patient just doesn't know it -- the problem is driving the addiction, it just hasn't yet been recognized or diagnosed,"

The statistics on concurrent disorders are staggering as per this extract from JAMA

Among those with a mental disorder, the odds ratio of having some addictive disorder was 2.7, with a lifetime prevalence of about 29% (including an overlapping 22% with an alcohol and 15% with another drug disorder). For those with either an alcohol or other drug disorder, the odds of having the other addictive disorder were seven times greater than in the rest of the population. Among those with an alcohol disorder, 37% had a comorbid mental disorder. The highest mental-addictive disorder comorbidity rate was found for those with drug (other than alcohol) disorders, among whom more than half (53%) were found to have a mental disorder with an odds ratio of 4.5. Individuals treated in specialty mental health and addictive disorder clinical settings have significantly higher odds of having comorbid disorders.

So in short, the fact remains that it is not called a mind-altering substance for nothing. You risk your mental health every single time you pick up your drug of choice and it could be interpreted as just another form of Russian roulette. Are you willing to take the risk? If you use mind altering substances you may want to ask yourself if the hit is worth the potential sacrifice? Keep in mind that people that suffer from mental health illnesses due to drugs never thought it would happen to them either.

If you need help with an addiction, please click the button below.

Serenity Ranch Team: Meet Bill

Deon Smit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:41:00 GMT

Bill Barrett is one of our newest additions to the team at Serenity Ranch and is well versed in first nations culture and traditions. Lets find out a bit more about the man himself.

What is your job title?

I am a Counsellor at Serenity Ranch

What does your job involve?

My job involves sharing my knowledge and experience with the 12 step program in a manner that’s best suited to the understanding of those who are here to learn about it.

What is the best part of the work you do?

The relationships. A healthy relationship is the most important thing. Also to be able to share my experience, strength and hope the program has brought to me.

What do you not like about the work you do?

The fact that I have to do it. In a perfect world I would not be needed.

What is your favorite film?

The Lorax. – Dr. Seuss

What is your favorite book?

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy- Tolkien

What is the most listened to song on your iPod at the moment?

Eric Clapton’s unplugged album.

If you could invite anyone to dinner (from past or present) who would it be and why?

Gandhi – He demonstrated the power off peaceful civil disobedience. You don’t always need to meet violence with violence.

If you or a loved one requires help with addiction, please click the button below

Serenity Ranch Team: Meet Danica

Deon Smit — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:06:00 GMT

Danica Westgard is our in house University of Lethbridge graduate. Lets find out a bit more about the person beyond the counseling room.

What is your job title?

Addictions Counsellor

What does your job involve?

I do a lot of group work as well as one on one counseling, intakes and group activities.

What is the best part of the work you do?

I really enjoy working with week 2, 4 and 6 because then I can really see the changes in people and it is very apparent. I also enjoy doing completion ceremonies with people I worked with. It is very moving and inspirational.

What do you not like about the work you do?

I don’t like it when people leave early.

What is your favorite film?

Legends of the fall

What is your favorite book?

In the realm of hungry ghosts – Dr. Gabor Mate.MD If I pull from a related book and one I enjoy reading it would be this one.

What is the most listened to song on your iPod at the moment?

We are young – Fun ft. Janelle Monae

If you could invite anyone to dinner ( from past or present) who would it be and why?

Gandhi, he would be a very interesting person to take from.

If you or a loved one requires help with addiction, please click the button below

Serenity Ranch Team: Meet Patty

Deon Smit — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:40:00 GMT

Patty Bothner is the glue that keeps us all together. She is always on the move and she is our single point of contact for new participants and their families. We finally caught up with her to ask her a few questions.

What is your job title?

“Twisted servant”. My job, if you want my title is the Office manager. I joke around and say I am the mother hen, but all I want to be is a servant.

What does your job involve?

My job entails, me answering the phone and it is either a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a friend, a relative or the individual themselves wanting to get in for treatment. I better make sure that when someone is as broken as they are, that they know that I truly do care and that they need to get better. It is really black and white, most of the time its either death, dying or living and I prefer people alive.

What is the best part of the work you do?

Watching the transformation from the time they [participants] start to the time they finish. As far as I am concerned, everyone is a success story since they are so much further ahead than when they got here. Watching the miracle happen and knowing that there is still a glimmer of hope. That keeps me going forward and helps my recovery.

What do you not like about the work you do?

When people can’t afford residential treatment.

What is your favorite film?

It is hard to pinpoint because I like vigilante movies. As long as they are doing it for good. People aren’t to take the law into their own hands, but action vigilante movies are so great. I love the Boondock Saints.

What is your favorite book?

The Bible

What is the most listened to song on your iPod at the moment?

My ringtone – This is the stuff by Francesca Battistelli

If you could invite anyone to dinner (from past or present) who would it be and why? Jesus (laughs). I always have to live every day knowing that he is the guest at every meal. He is always there so I better watch what I say.

If you or a loved one need help with an addiction, click the button below

Serenity Staff Team: Meet Deon

Deon Smit — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Deon Smit is our latest import from abroad. Firstly born in South Africa and later he lived and worked in England in the addiction field. Time to find out what makes him tick.

What is your job title?

Executive Director of Serenity Ranch

What does your job involve?

Clinical management, general management, development of new services , operational management etc. I also do one to one work with higher need clients that involves CBT and a wide array of other tools to help participants figure out what drives the behavior that they want to change.

What is the best part of the work you do?

Seeing participants change in such a short period of time. It is incredible to see how building self worth even changes the way they carry themselves into a room. It amazes me every time how far people can go if they are willing to work the program.

What do you not like about the work you do?

Like any job, this one has hard choices. This one just has more of those to make.

What is your favorite film?

Definitely Guy Ritchie’s film “Snatch”. Who doesn’t love diamond heists, bare-knuckle boxing and dogs?

What is your favorite book?

The Gun seller – Hugh Laurie

What is the most listened to song on your iPhone at the moment?

Big head Todd’s vocalist does his version of Black Snake Moan. The guitar on this is awesome.

If you could invite anyone to dinner ( from past or present) who would it be and why?

The guy who designed Keurig Coffee machines….to thank him of course.

If you or a loved one needs help with addictions, click the link below

Serenity Ranch Team: Meet Jim MacLean

Deon Smit — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Jim MacLean is affectionately known by Ranch staff and participants as “Jim”, “Jimmy” or “Hippie Jim”. He has touched many people’s lives in a positive way and its time you learn a little about him.

What is your job title?

Senior Counsellor

What does your job involve?

Basically group counseling, one on one counseling….paperwork…and just passing on the message of recovery to the people coming in [to Serenity Ranch]

What is the best part of the work you do?

The “ah-ha” moments I see in the faces of the participants.

What do you not like about the work you do?

The paperwork (laughs)

What is your favorite film?

My favorite film is either “Reservoir Dogs” or “It’s a wonderful life”

What is your favorite book?

Probably the Don Juan Trilogy - Carlos Castaneda

What is the most listened to song on your iPhone at the moment?

Right now, probably Stairway to heaven –Led Zeppelin

If you could invite anyone to dinner (from past or present) who would it be and why?

I think I would like to have dinner with Janis Joplin, just to find out what is in her head!

If you or a loved one needs help with an addiction click the button below

Serenity Ranch Team : Meet Darwyn

Deon Smit — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:41:00 GMT

Its time to get to know the Ranch staff a little better and who better to start with than our own IT guru Darwyn Young.

So, Darwyn, what is your official job title at Serenity Ranch?

Head of Information Technology

What does your job involve at the Ranch?

Basically anything you plug in. From designing web pages to marketing online to helping clients move music to their iPad. Sometimes it seems like pretty much anything and everything that has electricity going through it.

What is the best part of the work you do?

It is kind of like a game where you get to check your score at the end of the day. You can see if people have started visiting [the website] more or less and you can see if you have a high score for the day. You get to make lots of drawings and help and teach people [participants and staff] new skills.

What don’t you like about the work you do?

Getting up early in the morning. Really I enjoy almost everything about it.

What is you favorite film?

There are so many good ones out there... I guess “The Matrix”

What is your favorite book?

A Brief history of time – Stephen Hawking, I have read it 60 times.

What is the most listened to song on your iPad at the moment?

It is not technically a song, but audio books that I normally keep on my iPad. It’s a lecture on philosophy determining if a statement is logical or illogical and if something is science or pseudo-science. But, I like all kinds of music from classical to classic rock.

If you could invite anyone to dinner (past or present) who would it be and why?

Probably Johannes Kepler. He seemed to be an interesting person, astronomer and mathematician. I would ask him if he really ate barbequed mice? If so, dinner would be cheap to cook.

Leonardo Da Vinci would also be cool

If you or a loved one require help with addiction, click the button below

Canadian Drug Treatment Centers

Deon Smit — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:45:00 GMT

Working in the UK, I remember how practitioners would refer to Canadian drug treatment as being on the cutting edge and being very effective in comparison to other countries. So why does Canadian treatment systems work?

In the UK most of the residential treatment centers I had the good fortune to work with, were government funded or at least partially contracted by local government to provide a certain amount of beds per year. They also had a very strict policy on hiring ex-users. There were limitations and guidelines on when and where you should hire an ex-user. This in itself is done with good intention but may lead to ex-users not engaging in the field. The treatment centers in the UK were however very good at what they did.

The experience I have had with Serenity Ranch, which I believe is a prime example of Canadian treatment, is almost surreal. The vast difference in working with a government-funded agency vs. a private treatment centre is astonishing. When it comes to government-funded facilities in the UK, you are very restricted in what you can deliver. You stick to the contract. If you want to incorporate any new ideas it needs to be approved by the funding bodies. I can understand why this needs to happen from the funder’s perspective, but from a client and practitioner perspective it is a difficult situation.

In comparing my experiences from the UK and Canada I have come to a few conclusions. Firstly, in a private residential setting in Canada, we are able to employ a balanced mix of experience based (qualified) and academic practitioners with little or no restrictions. We are also able to incorporate new and innovative ideas and technology into treatment. A good example of this is the introduction of the iPad 2 into our program.

What it boils down to is that thus far, Canadian private centers, such as Serenity Ranch, seem to be able to respond to client needs quickly and introduce new and innovate ideas without hesitation. If it works, we can use it. Our main program, like many centers is based on the 12-step model but we are able to provide much more on a moments notice. This is where the “cutting edge” comes into play and this is also where I believe the value and difference lies. Why follow if you can lead?

To find out more, click the button below

Special K - Not the breakfast cereal..

Deon Smit — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:55:00 GMT

“Special K” or Ketamine is a rapid acting anesthetic drug used mainly by veterinarians and sometimes in human surgery. It is also known as a dissociative anesthetic because it can make a person feel a sense of detachment, as if their mind is separated from their body.

Commercial ketamine is a liquid. The street drug is usually sold as a powder. For abuse

purposes, the powder may be dissolved in a liquid, snorted, or smoked in a cigarette. Liquid ketamine is sometimes injected into a muscle. Injecting it in a vein causes rapid loss of consciousness. Ketamine dissolves in liquid and it is odourless and tasteless, allowing it to be slipped into drinks. Its sedative effects have been used to prevent victims from resisting sexual assault. For this reason, it can be referred to as a “"date rape"” drug.

Also Known As: big K, blind, breakfast cereal, cat tranquillizers, horsey P, K, keller, ket, ketalar, ketty, kit-kat, K-rod, lady K, special K, super K, vitamin K, squid, wonk

How does Ketamine Affect the Body?

After taking ketamine the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream where it travels to the brain. In the brain, it acts by redistributing a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) called glutamate. Glutamate is a type of neurotransmitter involved in memory, learning, the perception of pain and responses to the environment.

The speed at which ketamine reaches the brain varies greatly. After snorting the effects are usually felt within 1 to 10 minutes and can last for about one hour. When taken by mouth the effects are felt less quickly and may last up to four hours.

Will Ketamine Always Produce the Same Effects?

The effects of ketamine on a person are unpredictable. It is different for everyone. The way a person feels after taking ketamine depends on many factors:

age and weight
mood, expectations, and environment
medical or psychiatric conditions
the amount of ketamine taken (dose)
how the drug is used
how often and for how long ketamine has been used
use of other drugs, including non-prescription, prescription, and street drugs

Short-Term Effects

Ketamine is a dangerous drug that can cause rapid loss of consciousness if injected. It produces vivid dreams or hallucinations which may be intense and terrifying. Ketamine can also produce the sensation that the mind is separated from the body; this is called dissociation. When ketamine is used medically, dissociation is considered to be an unpleasant side effect. Drugs that prevent hallucinations are often given with ketamine when it is used in surgery.

Ketamine produces a drunken, dizzy feeling. Some people describe “"near-death"” or “"out-of-body"” experiences and sensations of weightlessness. This experience is often described as being in or going through the “"k-hole"”.

Short-term use of ketamine can produce many other effects:

sleepiness
confusion
loss of coordination
blurred vision
inability to speak
fever
nausea and vomiting
increased blood pressure and heart rate
memory loss
nose bleeds
unpleasant taste
decreased response to pain

In addition, a person could potentially experience:

temporary paralysis (inability to move)
incoherent or semi-consciousness
respiratory depression
severe rise in blood pressure

Ketamine can cause vomiting. Eating or drinking before taking ketamine increases the risk of choking on vomit. When taken in high amounts, ketamine may depress the central nervous system. This leads to slower breathing, seizures, and coma and may result in death. Taking ketamine with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol is very dangerous and may result in death. If you think that a person has overdosed, contact emergency services immediately.

A person who shares drug supplies, such as needles and straws, can spread viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

When ketamine wears off the user may:

feel anxious
not recall what happened while on the drug (amnesia)
have flashbacks for a long time after the effects of the drug have worn off

Long-Term Effects

Recent studies and case reports have linked ketamine abuse to urinary tract and bladder problems such as difficult or painful urination, frequent/urgent urination, incontinence and severe bladder inflammation. In some cases, the damage has been irreversible. It is unclear how dose and duration of use affect the severity of these symptoms.

(Extracts from : http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/)

Additional dangers:

Through dealing with Ketamine extensively in the UK, anecdotal evidence suggests that people who are using this illicitly make them selves extremely vulnerable to sexual assault, mental health problems and paralysis that may lead to death in some cases. Reports indicate that people have even died due to hypothermia as a result of paralysis whilst at outdoor events.

If you or a loved one needs help with Ketamine use, click the button below.

But its only a bit of weed - Serenity Ranch

Deon Smit — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:52:00 GMT

So many people, especially young people coming into treatment believe that marijuana is a “soft drug” and refuse to acknowledge the actual dangers it poses. It is not the same drug popularized during revolutionary times in the 60’s where free love and free drugs were the order of the day. Today it is a dangerous and harmful drug that connects people with a lifestyle that surrounds drug use. Mental health implications are far reaching and could easily turn into chronic disorders.

So let us take a closer look at what it actually does:

Marijuana has been around for a long while. Its source, the hemp plant (cannabis sativa), was being cultivated for psychoactive properties more than 2,000 years ago. Although cannabis contains at least 400 different chemicals, its main mind-altering ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).The amount of THC in marijuana determines the drug’s strength, and THC levels are affected by a great many factors, including plant type, weather, soil, and time of harvest. Sophisticated cannabis cultivation of today produces high levels of THC and marijuana that is far more potent than pot of the past. THC content of marijuana, which averaged less than 1 percent in 1974, rose to an average 4 percent by 1994.

 How Does it Affect You?

A mild hallucinogen, marijuana has some of alcohol’s depressant and disinhibiting properties. User reaction, however, is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.

Effects of smoking are generally felt within a few minutes and peak in 10 to 30 minutes. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that encourages fantasies, renders some users highly suggestible, and distorts perception (making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a car or boat, or ride a bicycle). Stronger doses prompt more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

Most of marijuana’s short-term effects wear off within two or three hours. The drug itself, however, tends to linger on. THC is a fat-soluble substance and will accumulate in fatty tissues in the liver, lungs, testes, and other organs. Two days after smoking marijuana, one-quarter of the THC content may still be retained. It will show up in urine tests three days after use, and traces may be picked up by sensitive blood tests two to four weeks later.

 The Impact on the Mind

Marijuana use reduces learning ability. Research has been piling up of late demonstrating clearly that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. A 1995 study of college students discovered that the inability of heavy marijuana users to focus, sustain attention, and organize data persists for as long as 24 hours after their last use of the drug. Earlier research, comparing cognitive abilities of adult marijuana users with non-using adults, found that users fall short on memory as well as math and verbal skills. Although it has yet to be proven conclusively that heavy marijuana use can cause irreversible loss of intellectual capacity, animal studies have shown marijuana-induced structural damage to portions of the brain essential to memory and learning.

 The Impact on the Body

Chronic marijuana smokers are prey to chest colds, bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Persistent use will damage lungs and airways and raise the risk of cancer. There is just as much exposure to cancer-causing chemicals from smoking one marijuana joint as smoking five tobacco cigarettes. And there is evidence that marijuana may limit the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease.

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having smaller babies with lower birth weights, who are more likely than other babies to develop health problems. Some studies have also found indications of developmental delays in children exposed to marijuana before birth.

Marijuana Dangers

Impaired perception
Diminished short-term memory
Loss of concentration and coordination
Impaired judgement
Increased risk of accidents
Loss of motivation
Diminished inhibitions
Increased heart rate
Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia
Hallucinations
Damage to the respiratory, reproductive, and immune systems
Increased risk of cancer
Psychological Dependancy

(Extracts from the American Council for Drug Education)

So if you believe that “weed” is not dangerous, you may want to re-evaluate your position.

If you or a loved one needs help with cannabis use, click the button below.

Should I go "Cold Turkey" ? (alcohol) - Serenity Ranch

Deon Smit — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:02:00 GMT

Even though a large number of people have gone “cold turkey “ before with varied success, certain factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding if detox is appropriate before treatment.

Alcohol withdrawal can range from mild almost unnoticeable symptoms to severe and life-threatening ones. Symptoms usually associated with withdrawal include:

Increased pulse rate
Increased blood pressure
Increased temperature
Restlessness
Disturbed sleep
Anxiety
Nausea and vomiting
Headache
Irritability
Tremor

More severe withdrawal symptoms include auditory, visual, or tactile hallucinations, delirium, seizures, and coma.

Although withdrawal symptoms last longer in older persons and withdrawal can complicate other illnesses, there is no evidence that older patients are more prone to withdrawal. However, detoxification generally takes longer in older adults who are alcohol dependent. In addition, some older persons experience withdrawal symptoms 2 to 3 days into treatment.

All clinicians caring for patients who abuse alcohol need to have a fundamental understanding of withdrawal symptoms and the potential complications. All clinicians should demonstrate knowledge of the most common withdrawal symptoms and the anticipated time course of the symptoms. In addition, all clinicians should be able to complete a standardized assessment of withdrawal such as the Clinical Institute Withdrawal from Alcohol-version A, revised (CIWA-Ar).

Those clinicians in settings in which withdrawal management or treatment is available also need to be competent in providing detoxification management. This includes the use of benzodiazepines for the management of alcohol withdrawal.

Factors Affecting Symptoms

Although AW delirium is a serious and life-threatening problem, serious problems are preventable and, when present, can be managed in most patients. Most patients are able to reduce or stop drinking with only minimal withdrawal symptoms. An estimated 13 to 71 percent of individuals presenting for alcohol detoxification will manifest significant symptoms of AW.

AW symptoms vary in severity and duration, depending on several factors:

Quantity of alcohol consumption. Patients who are infrequent or moderate drinkers are less likely to suffer withdrawal symptoms. If they do experience symptoms, the symptoms are usually mild.
Frequency and length of time one has been drinking. The central nervous system eventually loses its ability to adapt to alcohol.
Onset of physical illness. Withdrawal may be induced or worsened by other illnesses.
Severity of alcoholism. The more severe the alcoholism, the greater the chance of withdrawal. Gradually tapering alcohol use is not likely to lead to significant withdrawal effects. Therefore, it may be presumed that no one should attempt going "cold turkey," but should taper alcohol use over time.  For individuals who are alcohol dependent or who have high craving states this strategy is not likely to lead to a reduction in consumption. Thus the dilemma is that those who are at the highest risk for withdrawal symptoms are also the patients more likely to be successful in reducing consumption by rapidly eliminating alcohol use.

History of withdrawal. Patients who have had previous withdrawal symptoms are more likely to manifest symptoms again. Most likely it is because they are somehow vulnerable to withdrawal symptoms.  In addition, the presence of withdrawal symptoms is a marker of greater severity of alcohol use and thus indicates that the person is more likely a high consumer. Finally, patients with a history of multiple detoxification episodes are more likely to experience seizures and severe withdrawal symptoms

Medical Detoxification

Benzodiazepines are typically used to manage AW. However, patients should be advised not to drink while taking benzodiazepines. Medical detoxification should only be considered for patients who are attempting to become abstinent.

These medicines alleviate and prevent the progression of symptoms to reach a more serious state such as seizures. In older adults, the cumulative years of drinking may lead to more severe withdrawal symptoms.⁸ The shorter-acting benzodiazepines may be of more clinical utility in this population, given their lower risk of oversedation.

Benzodiazepines are cross-reactive with alcohol and essentially act to taper the effect of sudden drops in blood alcohol levels. The recommended medication for outpatient withdrawal management or detoxification includes Lorazepam (Ativan) and chlordiazepoxide (Librium).

(Extracts from http://pathwayscourses.samhsa.gov)

It is also very important to note that Benzodiazepines should be used as directed during a detoxification and are not intended for prolonged use as they are a highly addictive drug.

If you or a loved one suffers due to addiction you can get help by clicking the button below

What really happens when you drink.

Deon Smit — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:11:00 GMT

“I drink because it gives me confidence”….what really happens when you drink.

How many times have you heard yourself or someone else make that statement. Is it true though? We have heard this many times as treatment providers. Do you really gain confidence by drinking alcohol or is something else at play?

I challenge that idea and instead offer the hypothesis that drinking does not give you confidence, but rather makes you ignore the consequences. Let’s take a look how alcohol actually affects your brain when you drink.

It is when the alcohol reaches the brain that we start to feel drunk and it inhibits areas of the brain in a specific order. Each brain area is responsible for different things and as each one is affected it alters your behaviour in different ways. As a rule it works front to back and affects your higher brain functions first before the others. The first affect it has is to affect the cerebral cortex which we could equate to the 'Superego' in Freudian psychology that regulates our behaviour. This then causes us to become more talkative and less inhibited, and in some cases to be more inappropriate. This is why beer is so often considered a 'social lubricant' and makes us more talkative and friendly in a crowd. This will also slow down your high-order cognitive abilities such as decision making, maths and processing.

Next the alcohol reaches the hippocampus. This is responsible for both emotion and memory. As a result you will find that you feel exaggerated emotions – if you feel optimistic at the time then you will likely become very happy and feel warm feelings to everyone, while if you are feeling down before you start drinking, then you will likely become very upset and depressed. As this area is also responsible for laying down memories it means that you may have only fragmented memories, or no memory of things that occur from this point onwards. It's not that you forgot as such, rather the memories were never formed properly.

The alcohol will then move to the cerebellum which is responsible for maintaining balance. As such you will start to sway and potentially fall over. Other motor movements and coordination will also be affected meaning that you are less able to place down your glass without spilling it and will slur your words.

Finally the alcohol reaches your medulla if you continue to drink. This is serious – the hindbrain is responsible for not your higher order functions, but is part of your hindbrain and so regulates our most basic abilities such as breathing. If these abilities become impaired you will become paralytic and will require stomach pumping. If you continue to drink or do not get medical attention it may result in death. (www.healthguidance.org)

So the next time you say, or hear someone say…”I drink because it gives me confidence”, think again: Is this really true?

If you (or a loved one) are concerned about alcohol use click the button below.

Drinking with Charlie: Introducing Cocaethylene - Serenity Ranch

Deon Smit — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:27:00 GMT

Introducing Cocaethylene, a third drug created when alcohol and cocaine meet and in this case three is definitely a crowd.

If you’re drinking alcohol and taking cocaine at the same time you really are dicing with death.   Research has revealed a potentially dangerous interaction between cocaine and alcohol when taken together. The two drugs are converted by the body into a third drug named cocaethylene. Cocaethylene affects the brain for longer and is more toxic than either drug alone. It heightens and intensifies the euphoric effect of cocaine, but also amplifies the depressive effect of alcohol.   So, you might feel on top of the world at the start of the night, but as the evening wears on, things get progressively worse. It puts an added strain on the body and side effects include increased aggressive behaviour or getting into vulnerable situations.

Cocaethylene also takes twice as long to be processed by the body than normal alcohol, and raises the risk of increased damage to the liver and other parts of the body.  We could demonstrate to you here some more of the research that HAS been conducted, but the truth is that as yet, no-one really knows for sure the full implication of taking alcohol and cocaine in combination. There really is no answer as to when the worst may happen, it may be your first time or it may be your 100th time, is it worth taking the chance? Medical and substance misuse professionals can only offer the quite firm recommendation of not to mix the two as there is no other harm reduction advice.   The worst thing is you could be double dosing or actually forming cocaethylene if you have used cocaine the night before and been out drinking. Even if you have considered the consequences and decided to use and not drink, cocaine is detectable in your body for 3 – 5 days and therefore if you have used on Friday night and then gone out for a drink on Saturday night you could still be introducing cocaethylene to your system. This works the same if you have had a heavy drinking session and not allowed for all the alcohol to have left your system before using cocaine. It’s not quite as easy as not using the 2 on the same night. There is no simple equation that can be applied to work out the best time to mix them. (info courtesy of : www.drinkingwithcharlie.co.uk)

Be responsible and think about your options before pumping you body full of chemicals that may have severe consequences.

If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drugs please click the button below.

Benzodiazepines, are they safe? - Serenity Ranch

Deon Smit — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:22:00 GMT

So what are Benzodiazepines?

We have recently had an influx in inquiries about Benzodiazepines, their side effects and if it is possible to get treatment for a Benzo addiction. In short, YES treatment is available.Benzodiazepines are highly addictive and just because they are a prescribed drug, does not mean that they are safe to use for a prolonged period of time.

Benzodiazepines are a family of drugs prescribed primarily for anxiety and insomnia. They affect the nervous system by reduction of anxiety, for sleeplessness and muscle relaxation . Benzodiazepines include Diazepam ( Valium) , Temazepam, Nitrazepam, Lorazepam ( Ativan), and benzo-like drugs such as Zopiclone, Zolpidem and Zaleplon.

What are the side effects / symptoms of long term use?

It is important to remember that a person will not experience all of the symptoms listed below, but these are some that have been reported:

Common Symptoms

Fear

General anxiety  Panic attacks  Phobias, especially agoraphobia and claustrophobia  Lack of confidence  De-realisation  De-personalisation

Sleep

Sleeplessness  Disturbed sleep  Nightmares

Mood

Depression  Anger  Aggression  Anxiety  Over-excitement, restlessness  Lack of concentration, poor memory  Lack of interest  Minor problems appear bigger  Sometimes suicidal thoughts

Sensory

Enhanced sensitivity to sound, light, taste or smell  Blurred vision  Tinnitus  Giddiness and sense of movement  Tingling or burning sensations  Sensation of insects crawling under the skin  Numbness  Feeling unreal

Physical

Exhaustion, inertia  General aches and pains (muscle tension)  Weakness in arms and legs (Jelly legs)  Muscle twitching  Stomach and bowel problems, irritable bowel syndrome, hiatus hernia  Influenza-like symptoms  Jaw pains, toothache  Sweating  Feeling too hot / too cold, sometimes in rapid succession  Trembling  Palpitations  Headaches  Rashes

Extreme symptoms (after rapid withdrawal from high doses)

Convulsions  Psychotic symptoms including hallucinations and delusions  Delirium  Confusion

(Information courtesy of : www.bataid.org)

Similar to the much debated Oxycontin issue, Benzo’s also seem to create the illusion with the public that they are prescribed, so they must be safe. It is easy to blame doctors and medical professionals for not managing prescriptions or being more aware of the potential harm that drugs cause. The fact is that every individual needs to make sure they know what they are taking and what the potential risks are. Why are we so careful in selecting the right car to buy and read up about them, but trust pills and medications blindly?

Treatment options:

Even though the detox or titration of Benzo’s may differ from other drugs, the treatment for the addiction remains universal. We would always recommend doing a safe reduction schedule with your doctor before attempting to stop using Benzo’s. Like any drug used for a long time, going cold turkey may be dangerous. So speak with your doctor and an addiction specialist if you feel you may need help with your Benzo use.

Case Study:

This video is an interesting story about one person's experience with Benzodiazapines.

If you or anyone you know needs help, click the button below.

Serenity Ranch : Participant created works

Deon Smit — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:24:00 GMT

We are fortunate to have some creative and talented people visit Serenity Ranch.We decided to periodically post some of their works to our blog. Today we have a hard hitting poem by JW. Please note the poem is in its original form and has not been re-formatted in any way.

Marry Me

Marry me, Marry me, his words implore

Repeat, repeat his voice gets hoarse

The loved that burned is now replaced

By booze and lies he has not faced

My heart is like a tortured chamber

Once filled with joy, now only anger

He says he knows I’ll be his wife;

I’ll save him from his war-torn life

He says, “ Your beauty lies not in your stare,

Nor in the graces of God’s care.”

He states with such simplicity:

“ Your beauty is love explicitly.”

He continues to cry and pleads me to see

That my beauty is more than he’ll ever be

“ You hear, then speak, then follow through

Your action wade past the stench of this slew.”

My heart it screams, and pleads, and prays

My body aches for days upon days

My spirit searches for a God I can’t see

My love, you’ve fallen don’t bring down me.

MY GOD! I scream in a fit of rage

“ He has a son, a life, why does he choose to be caged?”

And in the silence I hear a whisper

Something like the brush of slippers

“My Child,” God says like a gentle wind,

“He is not ready, his light is dimmed

He chose to drink his fears away

And leave my grasp, Just for today.”

“ Until my child comes back to me,

He’ll live a life of misery.

“Let go, Let God!” You’ve all been told

Surrender control, not bargain your soul

The brush of slippers disappears

But, before their gone, I quietly hear:

“ Until he can see his beauty inside, sobriety he will not find”

Marry me, Marry me the voice implores

Alas, I say no, before the divorce

Alas, I say no, I can handle no more

Alas, I say no, and my heart God restores.

~JW

Should Oxycontin be delisted in Alberta?- Serenity Ranch

Deon Smit — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:42:00 GMT

EDMONTON - Alberta has no plans to limit funding for OxyContin or its reincarnation, OxyNeo, a move other provinces say they’re taking to curb addictions to the narcotic painkiller. – Edmonton Journal

What exactly is Oxycontin?

Oxycontin is commonly known as “Oxy” or “ Hillbilly Heroin”. It is a semi-synthetic opioid used for pain management. Since it is an opioid, it has addictive qualities similar to Morphine or Heroin. The difference here is that it is legal and prescribed.

Delisting and recent developments:

As per the local media, Oxycontin has been delisted in certain provinces in Canada and will no longer receive funding. Alberta however has decided not to do so. OxyNEO that has been altered slightly to make illicit use more difficult will replace Oxycontin. It has been given a hard coating that makes crushing it difficult and it would turn to gel when mixed with water. This in itself is a step in the right direction in the sense that pharmaceutical companies are taking action when their products are being illicitly used.

The Issue:

The big question still remains, is this enough? Will this reduce the illicit use of prescribed opioids? Or is this just a plaster fix?

Oxycontin misuse destroys the person and the family just like any other drug that is allowed to govern a person’s existence. The difficulty with a licensed drug is that most people who become addicted believe it is safe at first. My doctor prescribes it, so it must be ok right?

Who should take responsibility for the safety of Albertans in need of pain management? The doctors, pharmaceutical companies or the individual?

We would love to hear your thoughts on this, so please post your comments below.

Addicted to oxycontin, or know someone who is?

Serenity Ranch: A client's advice to active users

Deon Smit — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:22:00 GMT

"Nobody sets out to become addicted to drugs or expects to deal with drugaddiction. Some people may take an illegal drug for the first time, just to have a thrill or be a part of the crowd."

The quote above, from another addiction based blog rings very true for most of our participants and clients. The person who wrote the piece below was no different.

My name is G

I am a client at Serenity Ranch and I am amazed with the progress I achieved and how the program works. To anyone who has an interest in any program or rehab center, I highly recommend this facility to anyone and everyone.

The biggest piece of advice I could give is to keep busy and always keep an open mind. I pray for the addicts who are still in the dark points of their own addiction and I'm very thankful that I have found recovery.

Don't be afraid to talk to anyone or anything!!!

I might add that thats a big part of getting to be happy again.

So good luck my friends

We also had clients that wanted to express their views on treatment in general that were kind enough to do so on camera. There are three videos in the series.

Serenity Ranch: A Participant's poem

Deon Smit — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:11:00 GMT

We have such a creative bunch of people with us at present that we thought it a good idea to share some of their work and stories with you. Over the next few weeks, we will focus on participant generated blogs. Our first blog by a client comes in the form of a poem.

From The Darkness

The darkness births a single flower,

Among an audience of thorns.

This single flower looks around;

A canvas speckled with black and brown

With nourished Truths and Humble Peace

And armed with light to illuminate,

This single flower blossomed and grew

Until its canvas was White and Brand new

-J.W.

iPad 2: The Day Serenity Ranch went High Tech

Deon Smit — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:01:00 GMT

iPad 2 Technology in Addiction Treatment

Serenity Ranch continues to innovate and pioneer when it comes to addiction treatment. This time it is all about technology. Technology used to simplify and add convenience to our everyday lives is now being used to aid in treatment and recovery. The main treatment program at Serenity Ranch has now been moved onto the iPad format. The “iRecover iPad”, as it is known at Serenity Ranch, is the ultimate classroom and personal tool. Participants use the iPad to journal, do coursework and access video and audio library relating to the program. As a personal tool participants use them for a variety of applications like music, photo albums and even recording their own compositions.

The latest development is the addition of the iPad 2. The sleek new iPad 2 also includes a very impressive camera that will be implemented as part of our aftercare package. The iPad will be used to stay in touch with our alumni after they complete their six weeks of treatment. This also means that participants get to keep their iPad 2 once they graduate from treatment. Using the Apple Face Time technology, Serenity Ranch counselors will be able to have face to face conversations with alumni anywhere in the country using the iPad 2. Exciting times for the future of addiction treatment.

With the program on the iPad we are currently Beta testing with the help of 17 participants using the iPad 2 on a daily basis. There are still a few bugs to work out, but the future looks bright for integrated technology within addiction treatment. Serenity Ranch is constantly researching how modern technology can be used to advance addiction treatment methods. This is only the beginning.

SerenityRanch Blog:"At least I'm not as bad as them?"

Deon Smit — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:20:00 GMT

This statement is quite common in treatment services, especially in a mixed service that deals with both alcohol and what is considered illicit and non-illicit drug addiction. There are always the stereotype images when the general public thinks of addicts.

On the one hand it is the alcoholic on the park bench, possibly homeless with a little brown paper bag covering his bottle of preferred poison. The other side of the coin is the “junkie” somewhere in a “crack house” with a bleeding nose and needles hanging out of his or her arm.

The biggest shock to the system for anyone coming into treatment may be finding out that the largest percentage of people with addiction issues are very likely the same people you work with or go to school with. Very often it turns out to be a family member. Addiction does not discriminate. It can, and will, affect anyone from the stereotype we mentioned to the wealthiest in our society.

This stereotypical belief is probably the basis of some form of self-preservation for most alcoholics and addicts. “At least I am not as bad as them”. Ever hear that before? One of the most eye opening experiences for any alcoholic could be sitting in a room with a heroin addict. At first glance there is no similarity in what the alcoholic and addict use. Ask these same people which is more closely related. Is it cocaine and heroin? or alcohol and heroin? Most people would answer cocaine and heroin. This is wrong.

In the way that heroin and alcohol react to the body and brain it is in fact heroin and alcohol that are closer relations. Both heroin and alcohol are physically addictive. In other words, they both attach to receptors in your brain that will cause physical withdrawal if you cannot have heroin or alcohol. Both substances suppress your central nervous system. When used together they form a dangerous overdose cocktail. Both substances can cause physical and mental health problems. Both can kill you very easily. Even the behaviors associated with using the two different substances are remarkably alike. The big difference is that by an accident of history, alcohol is legal and that heroin is not.

So the next time you think: “at least I am not as bad as them”, think again, and ask yourself: If alcohol was invented today, would it be legal?

Below is a link to an informative video about alcohol and its effects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXjANz9r5F0

And its damaging effects

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCliI779EGM

12-Step or Harm Reduction Addiction Treatment?

Deon Smit — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:26:00 GMT

Most practitioners in the addiction field tend to drift into a mindset of picking a “side”. Either you are subscribed to a harm reduction or abstinence based 12-step model. It is fairly rare to find a practitioner working across the border. In my case, I did just that. I moved from a harm reduction agency to a 12-step based residential treatment facility. Oddly, the transition was not as daunting as I expected it to be.

I was so used to working in a harm reduction service that focuses on what suits the drug user at the time, that any other philosophy seemed draconian to me. After all, drug services was all about providing needle exchanges, short day programs and substitute prescribing services. I believed this to be, "the be all and end all" of how things should be.

In going through the 12-Step program material, I realized that there are far more similarities than differences in the tools taught to clients suffering with addictions by both schools. I even found elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the 12-Step model. Things like negative self talk featured prominently. I read through the AA/NA big book and realized again that various elements from a wealth of psychological theory and models feature in it. So it was not as foreign to me as I initially expected.

I expected what always gets portrayed on TV, a large group of people intently looking at a lonely soul in the middle telling his life story. Fire and brimstone looks all around and a cult-like attitude. What I found was actually quite the opposite. Clients were breaking off into smaller groups and working in teams on their class materials. I found a non-judgmental but realistic approach from practitioners. I found a workforce who believe that harm reduction does have its place within the recovery process as long as the ultimate goal is to actually become abstinent.

So why the “us and them” attitude that so many practitioners display? Could it be the old fact value debate rearing its ugly head? Do my personal experiences and beliefs influence my practice? Do I believe I know what is best for my client because it was right for me? Or is it the 12-Step spiritual aspect that scares people? My only advice as a practitioner who has worked across the border is to look at the outcomes. The proof after all, is in the pudding.

For those of you in the field who are still unclear about what a 12-Step class or group is about, I linked a short extract from a class below. Its called “King Baby”. It is definitely worth taking a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehfzl3Xdl6w&feature=player_embedded

Another interesting Blog on the subject

http://wiredintorecovery.org/blogs/entry/10607/

Enter a Rehab program Before the Holidays?

Darwyn Young — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMT

Why Should Someone Enter Serenity Ranch’s Alcohol & Drug Rehab program Before the Holidays?

Why spend another Holiday pretending that everything is fine?

Enter Alcoholism and Drug Rehab to beat your addiction now.

The holidays are supposed to be joyous times spent with friends and family. However, when there is an alcoholic or drug addict in the midst, holidays are usually far from happy. In fact, for these families, the holidays are even more stressful. There is one obvious, but often neglected resource that can change all of that; addiction treatment centers such as Serenity Ranch.

Oh, you may be thinking “I can’t do that just before the holidays!”

Why? Is there a better time to turn things around and ensure that future holidays are happy? Why not give your loved one’s the gift of knowing you are going to be safe and happy for the holidays, with your new friends at Serenity Ranch learning how to enjoy a alcohol and drug free lifestile.

Hiding from the problem isn’t going to make it go away. Entering drugs rehab before or during the holidays is actually one of the best times to do it. Believe it or not, the separation will make the family less stressed, and they will be happy knowing the addict is getting much needed help. The addict is going to be getting the gift of happiness and health. They will be getting the gift of happy holidays in the future. They will, in fact, be getting a new future.

Make this the holiday season when everything changes. Holidays can become happy, joyous times. As perhaps they once were, but addiction changed all of that. Entering Serenity Ranch alcoholism and drug addiction rehab center or any first-rate drug or alcohol treatment center is the best gift for everyone involved. Addiction isn’t a solitary ailment. It affects everyone involved with that person. Addiction rehab doesn’t just change the life of the addict, but everyone who cares about them and not to mention the thousands of people who’s lives are touched in one way or another by all of us. Don’t turn away again this holiday season. Make this a holiday to remember.

Addiction rehab is not a negative thing; it is not a punishment. Rehab is a new beginning. That is what every addict (and their loved ones) needs.

Entering Addiction rehab now will not only truly make this holiday better, but also future holidays will be brighter.

Don’t try ignoring the addiction again this year, after all that never really works does it?

Without change his holiday will not be any different, nor will future holidays if something isn’t done. There is everything to gain and very little to lose.

Of course, like every other year, some people will pretend that it will be different this year. They can pretend that this will be a happy holiday despite the addiction, the lies, and the mistrust. If that thinking never worked before, it won’t now. Serenity Ranch and other effective addiction rehab programs are for most the only beneficial solution. Get the drugs and alcohol out of everyone’s life and look forward to a brighter new year.

For more information on how to get yourself or a loved one started on the trail to recovery now, call Serenity Ranch 403-784-3993 or contact us for more information.

Serenity Ranch Renovating Part 3 : September to November 2011

Darwyn Young — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:53:00 GMT

Yes,We are open during renovations Nov 11 2011

Welcome to part three of the serenity Ranch renovation blog. If you are just joining us the story begins here, Part one Serenity Ranch renovation blog. Starting in the spring of 2011. As of Nov 11, 2011, this is what our wonderful treatment center is looking like, as you drive up to our offices, from the west. There is still another 15 feet in height to be added over the indoor courtyard area. The center opening is where the future main entrance will be. There will also be a covered drive up for loading and unloading.

September 2011 Do to such a worm autumn it is decided to continue renovation into the fall, as it turned out we continued as late as the weekend after Remembrance day.

October 2011 from the same side as above

same view in November 2011

A view of the east side

The future indoor courtyard November 2011

A view from the west Nov 11 2011

Jim Gray with the tresses for the new roof

The prefabricated walls for the fourth floor being lifted by crane.

Construction will likely be slowing down for the winter as it starts to cool down and the snow begins to fall but Serenity Ranch's renovation will continue in the spring.

Please check back for periodic updates on the renovation of Serenity Ranch and our blogs on other addiction and alcoholism related issues. If you would like to take a try at writing a blog for Serenity Ranch or are a past participant with a testimonial about your experience here at Serenity Ranch and your journey to recovery, please contact Darwyn, Serenity Ranch's blogger and head of Information Technology. Contributions can be published with your name, or anonymously if you prefer, however we need your name and contact information for our records and permissions to publish. If you wish you could even do a short video testimonial about 1 or 2 minutes.