A Look at Interventions

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With the success of TV shows that center around interventions in confronting people with substance abuse problems many people have started to consider running their own intervention. While interventions can sometimes be successful, if intervention is done in the wrong way it could potentially be a disaster. If you are considering running in intervention here are some things to consider.

Seek The Help of Professional. Many drug and alcohol treatment centers have professional interventionist who can help run the intervention so that it is done properly. Many people might want to consider using one of these professionals as these professionals can help guide you through the process and make sure that you have the best chance for success.

Try to Confront When Not Intoxicated. This might be hard but it is recommended whether you run intervention with a professional or not that you try to confront the individual when they are not intoxicated. This allows you the best chance to reason and discuss the problem with the person with the problem.

Don’t Place Blame. Interventions are designed to tell the substance abuser exactly what they are putting each individual and their family through. However, the individuals in the family needs to make sure that they are not placing the blame on the person with the substance abuse but merely outlining facts. There is a fine line between placing blame and stating facts. The substance abuser will automatically feel as if they are being blamed the matter how things are being worded so the important part is to make sure that you choose your words carefully. Many people will often write out letters or practice what they’re going to say before they actually run the intervention.

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Acupuncture For Substance Abuse Therapy

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Usually it is recommended that those have a substance-abuse problem seek counseling and help through rehab center. In the past, rehab centers for alcohol and drug abuse usually focused upon conventional medicine and psychological problems. However, recently rehab centers have started to focus on the alternative medicine in seeking treatment for the substance-abuse problem. Treatment centers all across the United States has started to incorporate alternative medicine such as massage therapy, nutritional therapy and acupuncture into their treatment for alcohol or drug abuse. Here’s a look at the most common type of alternative medicine treatment for substance abuse acupuncture.

Acupuncture has been used for many centuries as a way to reduce physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle cramping and nausea. It was just recently that acupuncture has started to be used for those that are seeking treatment for substance abuse.

The way that acupuncture works for substance abuse is not that uncommon for other acupuncture therapy. The acupuncture treatment session will usually last around 45 minutes. During this treatment a certified acupuncturist will work with verified points on the body that are specifically designed to help reduce the signs and symptoms of withdrawal from substance abuse.

It is believed that through the use of acupuncture those that are suffering from substance abuse problem are able to relieve the signs and symptoms of withdrawal, as well as relax the body and reduce the cravings for the drugs or alcohol. This is done by having acupuncture treatments start at the tip of the ear which is a known place on the body which is known to release relaxation energies and play a vital role in many organs and body.

While acupuncture treatment have been proven successful in treating the symptoms of withdrawal and addiction and substance abusers is still recommended that those that have a substance abuse problem seek psychological counseling to help them with their underlying issues. Acupuncture can successfully help a substance abuser deal with the physical symptoms and allow them to work on the mental and psychological problems that cause the addiction.

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Physical Signs of a Substance Abuse Problem

March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While your friends and family may notice that you have a drug or alcohol problem just from the way that you are acting there are actually many types of physical warning signs that there is a drug abuse or alcohol abuse problem going on. These physical warning signs can show up anywhere from a few hours after using the drug or alcohol, to a few days after using the drugs or alcohol. Here’s a look at some of the physical signs that there could be a drug or alcohol abuse problem going on.

The Eyes. Those that have a drug or alcohol abuse problem will generally exhibit signs of having bloodshot eyes or the pupils will appear larger or smaller than normal.

Sleep Or Appetite Changes. Those that have a drug or alcohol abuse problem will show signs of changes in their appetite or sleep cycle. People who generally had a large appetite will usually start to eat less, while those that had a small appetite will generally start overeat. The sleep cycle will often be changed and people who sleep for hours will usually stay out all night and can often go days without sleep, while others who could do without sleep will generally need to sleep for hours.

Physical Appearance. Changes in a person’s physical appearance can also be assigned a drug or alcohol abuse problems. Those that abuse drugs or alcohol will not usually take the time to groom themselves, bathe regularly or take care of their physical appearance.

Other Physical Signs. Depending upon whether the person abuses drugs or alcohol there other physical signs that there could be a drug or alcohol problem. These signs can include slurred speech, impaired coordination, tremors and even having physical track marks due to drug use.

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Psychological Signs of Drug or Alcohol Abuse

February 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Drug and alcohol abuse problems can exhibit itself in three different ways. A person can have physical signs, behavioral signs and psychological signs. These signs and symptoms can help friends and family members know if there is an actual drug or alcohol problem going on. Here’s a look at some of the psychological problems and signs that many drug and alcohol abusers show.

Changes in Personality. There is often an extreme change in personality or attitude of the person who is using drugs or alcohol. Sometimes these changes can be explained such as a death in the family or stress at work. However, the use of drugs and alcohol will often cause the abuser or addict to have extreme changes in behavior or attitude.

Mood Swings. Due to the chemical imbalance that drugs and alcohol causes the abuser of drugs and alcohol can often have extreme mood swings, sudden angry outburst and irritability that really have no explanation at all.

Hyperactivity. Extreme periods of hyperactivity, giddiness and agitation are often a sign that there is a psychological problem that could be a result of the drugs and alcohol.

Decrease in Motivation. There is often an extreme decrease in motivation for work, personal life or schoolwork. The drug and alcohol user will often appear lethargic or, since if they are on a different plane as if they are spaced out. This is often a result of the effect of the drug has on the person.

Paranoia. Drug users and alcohol users often have periods of prayer:, paranoia and anxiousness without having logical reasons for feeling this way. This is because internally they know that what they are doing is wrong and are often fearful of being caught or called out on their drug or alcohol problem.

Filed Under: Addiction, Substance Abuse Tagged With: , ,

Behavioral Signs of a Drug or Alcohol Problem

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Drug and alcohol abuse can often see show itself by having the abuser exhibit behavioral changes. These behavioral changes will usually come along with the physical and psychological changes of drug and alcohol abuse. Here’s a look at some of the behavioral changes that many drug and alcohol abusers will exhibit.

A Sudden Change In Work or School. Drug and alcohol abusers will exhibit setting changes in their work or school schedule. This can be a change in the attitude that they take toward school or work or by changing the amount of time that they spend on school or work.

A Sudden Need For Money. Everyone needs money in order to survive. However, those with drug or alcohol problems will usually exhibit a unusual need for money when they generally do not need that amount money before.

Financial Problems. Sudden financial problems can also be also be a sign that there is a drug or alcohol problem. This is because the money will tend to be going towards drugs or alcohol.

Secretive Behavior. Many drug and alcohol abusers will start to exhibit secretive or suspicious behavior. This can include going out at night, unexplained absences, or being in places they generally would not be. When asked about this the person will generally give a random excuse or have a hard time explaining why they were there.

Frequent Trouble. Frequently getting into trouble both legally and personally can be a sign that there is a drug or alcohol problem. Drug or alcohol use can usually lead to many legal problems as well as problems with personal relationships and friends and family. If a person who generally do not get in trouble with the law suddenly starts exhibiting problems with the law it could be a sign that there is a drug or alcohol problem.

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How to Decide Which Treatment Center is Right for You

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The hardest part about having a substance abuse problem is the ability to admit that you have a problem. Once you have committed your problem you will generally start looking for treatment center to help you deal with your addiction. The problem is that once you start looking into treatment centers can often be overwhelming as there are hundreds of different treatment centers out there for substance abuse. Luckily, with a little thought you can successfully narrowed down whatever treatment centers you’re looking for and help you make the decision of which treatment center might be right for you.

Here’s a look at some of the characteristics of a treatment center that you should consider. These characteristics will help you narrow down which treatment centers are right for you.

Inpatient versus outpatient. Inpatient versus outpatient is the biggest decision that you have to make regarding treatment centers. Inpatient treatment centers include all therapy being done in one location and are generally for solid block of time such as 30 to 90 days. Outpatient therapy is usually done first set block of time a couple times a week. Generally, inpatient therapy is more intense than outpatient therapy.

Treatment Style. Each treatment center will have their own way of treating the substance abuse problem. Some treatment centers will focus upon the conventional medication way of treating the substance abuse problem. This can include using prescription medications and other types of conventional medicine to treat the addiction. Other treatment centers will focus solely upon the alternative treatment style and focus upon relaxation, meditation, acupuncture and massage therapy. A third option is the combination of conventional medicine and alternative medicine. Deciding what type treatment you wish to receive will help you narrow down whatever treatment centers are right for you.

Therapy Sessions. Therapy is a major part of the substance abuse treatment center. You’ll want to make sure that you are receiving the therapy that you want while in your treatment. Check to see what type of therapy is the treatment center offers. Most will offer individual and group therapy. Some will even offer family therapy.

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How to Tell if Your Teenager Has a Drug or Alcohol Problem Part 2

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Being a parent is never easy. Being a parent of a teenager is even harder. One of the most difficult task parent faces is the ability to notice if their child is showing signs of a drug or alcohol problem. This is often difficult for many parents because some of the same exact sign that are used to distinguish drugs and alcohol problems are signs of your teenager growing up. Here’s a look at some more signs that many teenagers exhibit when there could be a drug or alcohol problem in existence.

Sudden Change in Friends. Many teenagers who have drug or alcohol problems will experience a sudden change in friends. Older friends will no longer want to hang out with them and your friends will start to show up unexpectedly. This can be distinguished as many teenagers will experience a change in a large group of friends.

New Interests. If your teenager is exhibiting signs of a complete change in clothing, music and other items this could be a sign of drug and alcohol problems. While changing is a part of becoming a teenager studying extreme changes can often be a sign that there is something more going on.

Changes in Behavior. Teenagers who have drug and alcohol problems will often skip school or have decreased motivation for school work. These are generally teenagers who enjoy going to school or at least did well in school.

Use of Perfume. If you notice that your teenagers walking in with extreme air fresheners or perfume it could be a sign that they’re trying to mask the owners of drugs and alcohol.

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How to Tell if Your Teen May Have a Drug or Alcohol Problem Part 1

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When a teenager is using drugs or alcohol is up to the parent to discover the problem and help get them the help that they need. The problem is that many signs of drug and alcohol use can often be mistaken for normal teenage behavior. Here is a look at some of the things that parents should be aware of which can help them narrow down if their child may be experiencing a drug or alcohol problem.

Secretive. Many teenagers will often become secretive about who they are hanging around with and about their possessions. To an extent this is normal teenage behavior. However, if it they become extremely agitated when asked it could be a sign that there is more going on.

Privacy. Teenagers often need their privacy. However, avoiding family members, having doors locked when there is no need to have the door locked and other secretive behavior can often be assigned there is drug and alcohol use going on.

Missing Items. Many family members will notice missing items throughout the house. This is often because the teenagers unable to afford the drug or alcohol habit and often steal items such as money and valuables in order to fund the drug habit.

Increased Use of Eyedrops. Many teenagers who use drugs or alcohol will often start to use eyedrops as a way to mask their bloodshot eyes. If there is no logical reason for your child to be using eyedrops constantly it could be a sign that there is drug or alcohol use going on.

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How to Tell if You Might Have a Drug Problem Part 1

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many people who have a substance abuse problem know they have a problem. The problem is that after time these people will generally start to consider their habits and behaviors normal and will slowly start to slip into denial. Denial is a perfectly normal part of substance abuse problems as it is a way for the substance abuser to rationalize their behavior and give reason to why they are doing it. If you think you may have a substance abuse problem here is some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if you’re drinking or drug use might be a problem.

Do you often feel as if you are unable to stop the drugs and alcohol at any time? Many drug users believe that they can stop at any time but internally they know that they cannot stop their drug or alcohol use.

Are you overcome with feelings of guilt about your drug or alcohol use? Many drugs and alcohol users have extreme feelings of guilt about their use for drugs and alcohol. This is because they know that the use is wrong but still rationalize that it is okay.

Are drugs and alcohol being used as a relaxant or way to make you feel better? Drug and alcohol use can usually turn into a problem when it is being used as a way to relax the body or to cover up serious problems.

Are people complaining about your use of drugs or alcohol? Those that have a drug and alcohol problem often have others such as their boss, friends, or family members that complain about the use and bring up that it is causing problems.

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Channeling Your Passion In A New Way

December 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
prevention an aid against drug addiction
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Obtaining recovery from addiction is often not an easy or quick process, but it is one that will open up a whole new world for you – a new life that is open to all kinds of possibilities you never dreamed imaginable. Life is a great adventure that is meant to be lived, not just endured! Once you are free from the bonds of addiction, there is no reason to turn around and go back into that dark hole ever again.

There are many resources available in our culture for help people wanting help with addiction recovery from drugs and alcohol (as well as others addictions too) such as rehabilitation clinics, detox centers, addiction counseling, holistic approaches (like meditation and yoga), 12 step programs, and residential treatment. The key is to find out what works best for you and it probably will be a combination of various things that will help you kick your addiction for good.

Now is the time to choose to live your life consciously instead of being just a spectator on the side lines! Anyone who has lived with addiction knows what it is like to feel that uncontrollable drive or pull towards something you know is self-destructive as well as what it is like to become a victim of their own body. It is not a good feeling to feel powerless over something that is in an essence controlling you.

Being able to accept new ideas can be a great start for someone in addiction recovery. During recovery, you have to learn how to think about things in a different way than you did before and figure out how to cope with life and stress in a different way than you did before so that you don’t turn back to the abused substance and head back down the road of addiction. Addiction recovery allows you to reclaim the power you gave up to your addiction.

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