Loving an Addict into Treatment

June 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Suffering from an addiction can be a very painful experience; life can seem hopeless. The sufferer can feel worthless and ashamed. Sometimes it can be extremely difficult to convince an addict that there are solutions to their addiction and that life can become better.

As the path to addiction didn’t happen in a day, the cure isn’t going to be a quick fix, either. Many addicts can become overwhelmed with the idea of a long process that will seemingly have no end.

If you have a loved one that is suffering from addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, it is in their best interest for you to do all you can to help them get into treatment.

Sometimes one might have a tendency to think that an addict can’t be helped until they’ve reached rock bottom, but this is not necessarily true. As a friend or relative of an addict you have a responsibility to help them understand that there is help out there, as well as hope.

Realize that although most addicts start on the path of addiction voluntarily, once there is sufficient substance abuse, the addict is no longer in a place of reason.  Prolonged drug abuse alters the brain and makes it impossible for a user to overcome a serious addiction by themselves.

Your job is to help them seek help as quickly as possible. Your job is also to do this without exhibiting any judgment or disgust. One of the factors that can lead an addict to seeking help, is to for them feel the unconditional love of family and friends.

It can save their life.

 

Filed Under: Addiction, Rehab Tagged With: , ,

Are Video Games Addicting?

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Although addiction to video games is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, at least not at the moment, many believe that playing video games is addicting. Why? Mostly because of the escape that video games give those who play them. While playing, you no longer have to think about the real world or what is causing you stress.

The problem is that this high that players feel, which causes dopamine to be released, can become addicting — especially if the life outside the game is not very good. Sometimes, kids are playing video games just because they’re bored, but it’s easy to turn a quick game into an all-nighter and the results can be detrimental. For kids and teens it can lead to lack of sleep which affects school performance. For adults, it can affect how they’re able to perform at school and could possibly lead to being fired.

What Parents Can Do

The best thing to do is prevent the addiction in the first place. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these games; it’s when they’re played all too often that there’s a problem. So the first thing that parents can do is limit how much the games are played. They should only be played after your kids’ homework is done and all chores are completed. Depending on age, the time limit should be between 30 and 90 minutes a day.

Games can be a great way to relax and practice problem solving skills, but be sure that you and your children are limiting how much you play so that there isn’t a chance that it could become an addiction.

Filed Under: Addiction, General Tagged With: , ,

Staying Clean after Rehab

May 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

So you’ve put in the hard work at rehab and feel you’re ready to go home, but what can you do to stay clean now that you won’t have assistance every hour of the day? Here are some tips:

Get Steady Support

The number one thing that you can do to help you stay clean is get steady support. Surround yourself with people who want the best for you and want you to succeed and most importantly, do not hang out with those who are still using. They may say they want to support you, but when you see them using your addiction of choice, it will be hard not to fall back into old habits.

Make sure you find a sponsor. Call him or her each and every day when you first get home and tell him or her how you’re doing. In addition to that, go to meetings every day when you first return. You’re going to need as much support as you can and by having your sponsor and the others at the meetings to help you, you’ll be able to stay strong. And if you need it, go to more than one meeting a day.

Take the Advice Given

Before you leave your rehab facility, you’ll receive some advice on what you should do when you get home from your doctors and other care takers there. You may think that you don’t need it and you’ll do fine without it, but to be sure, they know what they’re talking about after having hundreds of patients, so listen to their advice and try to follow it as closely as possible.

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Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding if You Have a Drug or Alcohol Problem

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many drug and alcohol users are in denial about their addiction. They often believe that because they have rationalized why they use drugs and alcohol has become normal and there is no problem. Because the drug and alcohol use or has rationalized why they use drugs and alcohol they often do not believe that they have a problem. If you use drugs and alcohol and are concerned that you might have a problem here is some questions that you might be able ask yourself which will help you decide if you have a problem with drugs or alcohol.

Are you forced to lie or hide your drug or alcohol use? If you feel that you are forced to hide your drug or alcohol use it could be a sign that there is a problem. If the behaviors considered normal there is no reason to hide your drug or alcohol use from others.

Are you getting into legal trouble or have you done anything illegally to get your drugs or alcohol? Your drug and alcohol use can be viewed as a problem we start to do things illegally in order to gain the drugs and alcohol that you need to use. If you notice that you’re getting into legal trouble or trouble with your family this could be a sign that the drug and alcohol use has turned into a problem.

Are you spending money that you don’t have or can’t afford to spend on drugs and alcohol? If you notice that you are using money that is normally reserved for bills and other expenses on drugs and alcohol it could be a sign that it has turned into a problem.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drug Addiction Tagged With: ,

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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drug Addiction Tagged With: , ,

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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drug Addiction Tagged With: , ,

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.

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

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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drug Addiction Tagged With: , ,

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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drug Addiction Tagged With: , ,
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