Helping Someone Who Is Either an Addict or in Recovery


The choice to change is ultimately up to the individual, but it is not easy and help is absolutely necessary if a person is going to have a chance at surviving this new way of living.
Since I spent so many years of my life dealing with addiction to alcohol and pain pills the chances for me to change alone were extremely slim. Often, these attempted changes would be so different from the normal routine that I could not adapt fast enough and eventually give in going back to what has always been comfortable for me. After all, my addictions did more than just give me a high, they were also my way of controlling my emotions and keeping me protected from the pains that came from feelings, my coping skills. This cycle would repeat itself over and over and always end up having the same results until I learned how to accept the help from people and not to shut them out when they got too close.
Now looking back at my own life's situations and the struggles I had with bad thinking errors and addiction problems as I was trying to get out of that same familiar cycle I think of the people along the way who offered help and made a huge difference in my life. From a prison counselor helping me to change the way I think to a free computer after my release that allowed me to consider giving education a chance.
One story in particular that shows the impact people can have on other people is when I had my car accident. Hit from behind and the car is totaled with me in the emergency room having a bunch of tests run to make sure I was OK. The injuries were not too bad, thankfully, but what was significant was that when the prescription for pain pills came I was able to turn them down. Not that I wanted to deal with the pain but rather I understood that the temporary pain from the accident was nothing compared path of destruction for me and my family that is brought on by my addictions if I chose to take the prescription.
When this information reached my Primary Care Physician he was interested in hearing more so we spoke many times over the next couple of weeks about my addictions, my history in dealing with illegal prescription drugs, and how I changed. He then took a chance with me and asked me to speak at his practice, which not only went well but opened the door to a long list of speeches that I would be delivering throughout the state of Maine. I now deliver a couple of speeches a week to Medical Offices, Universities, even Law Enforcement Agencies in an effort to help people learn more about prescription medication addictions as well as the way prescription drugs are acquired and moved on the street.
Being able to do what I do is all possible today because a long time ago someone helped me to learn how to think differently. To join the community and attend support group meetings, to be a part of instead of apart from. I learned how to call on people for help, to use support, to allow people in my life to be close to me and not shut them out. I learned that I am not alone and that there are many people who want to help.



Effective Treatments Available for Dependency on Drugs

Drug addiction is disruptive to life as well as life threatening. Dependency can affect work, personal relationships and finances. No one intends to become addicted to drugs, but it happens, and when it does it typically requires serious treatment to overcome. Treatment can come in the form of detoxification, therapy, and medically assisted recovery with the aid of medication used to decrease dependency and withdrawal symptoms. For many, the difficulty of detoxification, accompanied by severe withdrawal symptoms, is enough to cause hesitancy in attempting recovery, but with the aid of certain medications, withdrawal symptoms can be greatly reduced or even eliminated. Many will attempt a rapid detoxification by complete cessation of the preferred drug. This is not recommended because it may lead to severe withdrawal symptoms and increased chance for relapse. Gradual decrease is best when it comes to beating dependency.
When the words drug abuse is heard, it is often illegal street drugs that come to mind. It is not only street drugs such as heroin or cocaine that lead to dependency. Addiction to prescribed opioid narcotics is occurring with greater frequency. Narcotics such as hydrocodone, oxycodone or morphine, are potentially addicting if taken improperly and against doctor advice. These opioids are often prescribed to treat injuries that result in long term mild to severe pain. In addition, they are given for those who suffer from illnesses that cause pain, such as cancers or other serious ailments. These medications often need to be taken for extended periods to keep pain under control, and this can lead to addiction. Often, the pain from these injuries or ailments is so great, some will increase dose or frequency to gain relief, and without realizing it, they become addicted.
Methadone has been used to treat dependency for over 50 years. When taken properly, this medication has helped thousands beat their addiction to opioid narcotics. This medication actually changes the way the brain and body reacts to certain drugs. It does this by attaching to brain receptors and blocking euphoria felt by the drugs. Furthermore, it decreases the cravings for drugs, and also decreases withdrawal symptoms. By removing the feeling of becoming "high", this removes the craving or need for the drug. Methadone comes in pill or liquid form and is very powerful. It is a slow acting medication, so it need only be taken once a day, which is helpful because it lessens the chance for missed doses.
There are multiple benefits for using Methadone in an attempt to beat dependency. First, it decreases withdrawal symptoms like fever, chills, tremors and hallucinations. This is particularly important because it is often these withdrawal symptoms that lead to failure or relapse. In addition, it stops the cravings for injectable drugs, which decreases the chances for developing serious illnesses like HIV or hepatitis. It decreases the chance for overdose and death from drug abuse, and since this medication is so helpful in decreasing withdrawal symptoms and it does not produce a euphoric sensation, it does not alter everyday life. Those on this medication may continue or go back to work and enjoy a social life without fear of debilitating withdrawal symptoms. No one even need know of a dependency problem or that this medication is being taken.
Of course, as with any medication, there is a potential for side effects. Methadone is an opiate narcotic analgesic itself, which means there is the potential for abuse and addiction. Other side effects that may be experienced are drowsiness, decreased appetite, nausea, headache and dry mouth. This drug must be gradually decreased over time, as if it is stopped suddenly withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and diaphoresis may be felt. Serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention are difficulty breathing, rash, itching, seizure or difficulty urinating. It is important to note that side effects are just a potential occurrence. Some may experience few if any, and this should not be a deterrent for taking Methadone. Since the benefits are plentiful and the risk small, it is worth taking for the opportunity to beat addiction.
It may be necessary to take Methadone for a year or more to overcome dependency. It must also be monitored closely by a doctor as it is a risk for dependency itself. This medication is not refillable, which is a benefit due to the requirement for multiple visits to your physician to obtain refills, and this means close monitoring. Recovery is a long process and there are many possibilities for treatment. Methadone is one such possibility in the battle to have a drug free life. Methadone can decrease the "high" felt by drugs, as well as eliminate or reduce withdrawal symptoms. Methadone increases the likelihood for success. Drug dependency recovery is necessary for a healthy body and an optimistic future.


How to Talk to Students About Substance Abuse


Teachers are constantly looking for something new that they can try in the classroom. Every year they want to step it up a notch. Who can blame them? Students get bored with the same material year after year.
When it comes to talking to students about substance abuse, the material is not always exciting. For one, you are covering a topic that is not exciting to students. Students want to be able to engage and have an opportunity to be creative. That's why if you are a mental health professional or school counselor, you know it's not about what you say but how you say it.
Students are quick to tune out these days as soon as they get bored. All it takes is one student to say out loud what everybody else is thinking and a teacher will lose total control of the class. Schools usually provide a time during the year where they cover topics either in gym class or health class. It's important to let students and parents know about all the topics being covered in class.
If a school has budget set for events, they can get involved to raise awareness at the end of October during what is called Red Ribbon Week. This week long celebration is dedicated to a DEA agent who was killed in the line of duty in Mexico in 1985. Since then schools and organizations have paid tribute to the fallen agent by wearing red ribbons on their clothes for a whole week as a symbol to live drug free lives.
Schools should consider showing red ribbon videos this year to their students. What a great opportunity for schools to combat substance abuse.
This video series is ideal for schools celebrating red ribbon week. Do something different this year, don't just pass out cool wristbands, give your students the head knowledge of how to stop substance abuse among students.


Recovering From Cocaine Addiction At A Drug Rehab Center


For people recovering from cocaine addiction at a drug rehab center, it is essential to understand the steps, processes, and benefits of receiving treatment at a private facility. The main goal of cocaine addiction treatment is to abstain from the drug, to prevent relapse, and to rehabilitate the person into a non-self-abusive state of mind. The process of detoxification begins when the user ceases to use the drug, and its effects have completely worn off. This is the part of treatment that is often carried out in a hospital or an inpatient setting. In these places, medication can be used to decrease the withdrawal symptoms. The detox process for cocaine however, is very difficult without proper assistance-such as an addiction specialist. The withdrawal symptoms can unfortunately last for days, which is why nursing professionals attempt to transition the user from an abuser, to a permanently sober individual who is once again a productive member of society.


The more challenging aspect of the treatment process is yet to come at this point though. The psychological addiction to cocaine can range from moderate to severe. For those more severely addicted, it is often the case that they have relapsed once or more times after undergoing therapy. These people may also suffer from severe mental illness and could need the higher level structure of guidance and monitoring in an inpatient drug treatment center.
After the drug treatment program, patients are urged to pursue sober-living houses or communities so that mentors and supporters can provide help and encouragement on a daily basis. After-care is also granted based on the client's needs. Support and understanding from family and friends is also extremely beneficent for recovery. Statistics show that including family and close friends in group therapy can help bring a new level of trust and help from those closest to the patients.
It is important to know prior to receiving treatment, that there are no FDA approved medications for long-term treatment of cocaine addiction-an unfortunate truth for those looking forward to "wean" the drug out of their system. As a result, the primary course of action is going "cold turkey;" or in other words, undergoing full withdrawal from drug use and detoxing thoroughly. Severe withdrawals and cravings mark the cleansing process in an efficient manner; also, the NDA consider the findings of alternative medications as something worth researching for; there are already several prototypes currently being tested. This includes a vaccine that will stop cocaine in the blood stream before it reaches the brain.
As cocaine continues to be one of the most abused substances in the United States, and an enforcer of unintentional drug-related deaths, it is imperative that the population gain knowledge on the beneficial effects of professional treatment for this affliction, as well as to support those around them who suffer from it.
To be clear, cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant composed of powdered hydrochloride. The stimulant increases levels of dopamine in the brain which is associated with pleasure. Cocaine also affects the production of dopamine in the brain by stalling it from recycling, thus causing an abnormal build up, amplifying the message to the brain. It is this common effect that is responsible for the sense of euphoria felt while taking it.
There are three ways of ingesting cocaine. Smoking it, shooting it, and snorting it. Snorting cocaine is the process in which the powder is inhaled into the nostrils and is absorbed into the blood stream. Although not as potent as shooting, or smoking the drug, snorting cocaine will bring on side effects for up to 30 to 35 minutes. When 'shooting' the drug, cocaine is injected directly into the blood stream with a needle. This practice can lead to especially severe health issues including greatly increasing the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Smoking cocaine involves inhaling smoke and vapor off of the burning substance, and is absorbed into the blood stream from the lungs. Both shooting and smoking this drug allows for it to absorb into the blood stream and reach the brain extremely quickly and more potently. Though this also means that the high is experienced for a shorter time.
Some of the effects of cocaine are increased energy, reduced fatigue and mental alertness. As mentioned above, the speed at which the cocaine is absorbed and the intensity of the dose will alter the strength of the side effects. This introduces the risk of addiction quickly. As the trip only lasts a short period of time, users will have to re-administer the drug to continue experiencing it. This leads to higher dosages, especially when used in succession many times. The amount of drug needed to reproduce the original effect must get larger and larger with every use. It is common for those suffering from cocaine addiction to go on binges and ingest the drug repeatedly during a short period time.
Cocaine also has several physiological side effects that include constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased body temperature, heart rate and increased blood pressure. It can cause headaches, abdominal pain and nausea. Also, because this drug reduces appetite chronic users can be known to be malnourished. To be considered is the fact that each method of ingesting the drug also has its own set of side effects. For example, snorting can lead to the loss of sense of smell, nose-bleeds, swallowing problems, hoarse voice, and chronically runny nose. The ingestion of the cocaine into the stomach can also cause severe bowel gangrene.
Prolonged use, and binge pattern cocaine abusers can become irritable, restless and extremely anxious. Even more severe is the heightened sense of paranoia. Sometimes users can fall into a temporary state of full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which people lose touch with reality and experience auditory, or hearing hallucinations.
Regardless to the method or quantity that cocaine is abused in, those addicted to cocaine are constantly at risk of a serious health emergency, including heart attack or stroke which can lead to death. These risks skyrocket when cocaine is paired with other substances. Research found that when cocaine was consumed with alcohol, the human liver took the two components and created a third, named cocaethylene. This new substance highly intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects and is associated with a substantially greater risk of sudden death than cocaine is alone.
No one deserves to suffer from cocaine addiction, though it continues to ruin many innocent lives. If you know someone who suffers from cocaine addiction or any other form of substance-abuse behavior, or if you yourself are looking for a safe and healthy recovery, then reach out to us. We can help. A Center for Addiction Recovery is a private addiction treatment center that provides long-term residential treatment, short-term outpatient treatment, as well as traditional and holistic therapies.


Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PMPs) Increase Demand for Drug Treatment


For those who suffer from an unfortunate prescription drug addiction, looking for ways to gain access to specific drugs is not an easy task. Indeed, an addiction is an addiction-and getting "a fix" is often more important than where and from whom they get it from. For addicted individuals, it's almost impossible to control the urge to use, no matter how hard they try. They either get it from fellow drug-users, dealers on the streets, friends, or even their home bathroom and kitchen cabinets.
But what about those who get prescribed drugs from their personal doctors; that is, those who "doctor shop" their way through the access of prescription painkillers that may potentially cause physical harm or an overdose. States nationwide have reported that doctor shopping has influenced many prescription drug addicts to find their drug of choice at clinics and medical facilities. For this reason, the use of PMP, or Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, has been implemented has way of filtering these shoppers-who are considered 'patients' and not criminals-in finding proper addiction treatment for those who are abusing.
To be clear-"What exactly are PMPs?" PMPs are programs led by prescribers that help accumulate detailed information about the prescription history of individual patients, for which to gain insight on who is receiving abusive drugs and medications, which specific drugs are being prescribed (and to what degree), and last but not least, how many times they're re-filling the same drug from doctors or providers state-wide. This information is used solely as a tracking system. The goal is not to persecute these individuals and punish them judiciously, but rather, filter out which ones being overly-prescribed, and understand why. Are they suffering from an addiction to painkillers? Do they need professional assistance? If necessary, medical providers will step in and help provide proper addiction treatment by confronting the user, and determine whether or not it is the appropriate course of action.
Some of the drugs being "red-flagged" are under the category of "Schedule II" medications, including methamphetamines, as well as painkillers like oxycodone, and morphine. Indubitably, these painkillers-as well as others-have strong addictive qualities on the body as well as the mind, which according to addiction specialist and law enforcement, need to be better moderated and supervised by medical facilities.
It's important to mention that PMPs are innovative medical tracking systems that aim to get the general public out of harm's way from addictive substances and medications. Several states have reported an increase in opioid-related deaths, which to no one's surprise, has only recently surpassed the amount of deaths from car accidents-once the leading cause of unintentional death in several states. However, fatal overdoses on prescription drugs for non-medical use are now becoming the leading causes of unintentional deaths, such as in states like Rhode Island and Connecticut. For that matter, PMPs are designed to allow clinicians to consult patients about their drug addictions and self-destructive behaviors, and pave the way toward finding a well-suitable drug rehab center.
Now, instead of people running from the law and getting into deeper trouble-that only worsens their addiction problem but adds more psychological distress-clinicians and counselors can discuss these issues at a personal level. Addiction after all, is a disease, not a crime.
If you are someone looking for a comprehensive addiction treatment program, one that will guide you through Detox, relapse prevention techniques, withdrawal, and provide after-care services, then A Center for Addiction Recovery is the ideal drug and alcohol rehab center for you.

Residential Drug Rehab Center Offers Final Recovery Option Resulting Satisfaction


When parents, friends and well-wishers lost all hopes in helping their closed ones relief from mental disorders or addiction from drug, residential drug rehab center is the only option that brings back the smile and good health to the patients. Residential drug rehab centers are the last platform where live-in facility-providing therapies for inpatient substance abuse, mental illness and other behavioral problems get its solutions. In such drug inpatient rehabs, patients get round-the-clock onsite mental treatment, medication monitoring and avail programs designed to treat specific behavioral issues.
The treatments include inpatient substance abuse, where patients get special therapies recognized by skilled therapists in the industry. Structured residential drug treatment programs offer day and night wellness therapies involving family, patient's achievements and social support to encourage confidence to fight the disorder. The programs include co-operation of the medical staff, family, friends and therapies based on evidence-based treatments providing long-term quick recoveries. Such programs are effective and provide quick results to the patients. The treatments might take few weeks, one month or sometimes a year depending upon the cause. But, inpatient treatment for substance abuse ensures for complete cure and eradication from the addiction.
Adolescent and teens are first victims of drug addiction. Aggressiveness, fearless and carefree attitude are the reasons that encourage the generation to opt for such illusive substances. Substance abuse is not restricted to drugs, any substance such as alcohol, cocaine, opiate, heroin, etc consumed for mood altering with methods neither approved nor supervised by medical professionals, is illegal and falls under severe punishment act approved by constitutions across the countries. Manufacturing, trafficking or consumption is heinous acts fall under criminal offense declared by the federal government.
The addiction starts as fun and portraying style statement among friends, which ends life with severe pain, harassments and dishonor to family and friends. The scenario gets worse when patients know about the addiction issue and consequences, but fails to control or recover himself or herself. In such cases, contacting a residential drug rehab center practicing inpatient treatment for substance abuse helps recovering from the addictions with satisfactory results along with the stamina and strength to avoid any future invitations from the addiction world.
A complete cure therapies and programs building strength and stamina to eliminate all mental disorders that encourage people for the addictions. Contact the best residential drug treatment rehab-center for quick and satisfactory recoveries. Expert therapists have approved the evidence-based therapies practiced for addiction recoveries in the rehab centers.