Life After Rehab

June 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
lonely boy 01 

Image by zoomyboy.com via Flickr

The rehabilitation of an addict can be a long a painful process. One of the hardest areas, for a recovered addict to deal with, is facing the world after rehab.

How does one ever become “normal”?

No matter how much an addict has had family love and support through treatment and on the painful road to recovery, there is no way that they will ever understand what addiction is and what you have been through, unless they have experienced it themselves.

So, where do you go to find support and understanding with companions that will not drag you down to the bottom again? The recovered addict knows that loneliness can be a mighty force to help drive them back into a world where addiction will again consume them.

The best thing is to find a local support group that can always be accessed.

One of the most successful support groups in the world is Narcotics Anonymous (NA). With 60,000 meetings going on at any one time, NA has attracted former drug users that are all ages and from all stations of life. Everyone in NA understands the problem and has “been there, done that”.

Narcotics Anonymous is a 12 Step Program, designed to for all creeds and cultures, that has a high success rate in helping addicts. They keep no records and have no expectations for their members and yet, year after year, they succeed in helping addicts attain a normal and happy life.

Perhaps NA is not for you; if so, make sure to seek out local support groups that can assist you in a full recovery.

You don’t have to do this alone.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: , ,

Reading the Signs of Teen Addiction

June 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
drugs 

Image by L*Ali via Flickr

Let’s face facts.

Almost everyone, by the time they have become young adults, has been exposed to some serious drugs and alcohol.

True, some teens cruise through the drug scene without succumbing to peer pressure, but most teen-agers have at least had experience with recreational drugs and some partying. There are teens who can move on without developing any serious habits, but many teens become drawn into the drug scene, and are hooked before they even realize it.

As a parent, keeping an eye out for problems with substance abuse has to be a high priority. The average kid does not set out to become an addict but statistics show that many start down that path because of a few friends and what is thought of as innocent fun. The problem is that what was at first fun can become a life of fear and misery.

No one wants a beloved family member to suffer the pain of addiction, so what are some things a parent should lbe aware of that might be signaling drug addiction?

Things to look for are:

· Abrupt attitude change; has your child’s attitude become sullen or angry?

· Failing in school.

· Losing old friends; questionable new friends.

· Emotional swings that do not seem to be hormonal.

· Lying; depression.

If you believe that your child is into drugs, act immediately; get your child into a drug rehab program that will work for him/her and see it through to the end. And always act in love and without judgment.

Remember:

Being a teenager is tough enough; being a teen addict can be unbearable, especially once the addiction has set in and can no longer be denied. Your job is to help and to love.

Filed Under: Substance Abuse Tagged With: , ,

Loving an Addict into Treatment

June 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
18 FDG/PET images showing brain function in a ... 

Image via Wikipedia

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: , ,

Non-Traditional Drug Rehab Using Art

May 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Theresien-Haus ( 

Image via Wikipedia

Researchers are always looking for new ways to help addicts overcome their addictions in rehabilitation facilities, and a new one, called RADE, or Rehabilitation through Art, Drama, and Education, is seeing if using the arts will help addicts find the strength to succeed.

This facility has been open for six years and during that time, many lives have been transformed — including those whose families had given up on.

Part of the therapy is about changing the label that has been placed on you by society. If you’re only ever seen as a drug addict, as if you can never be anything else, then that’s all you’ll ever be. By changing the label you place on yourself, you’re able to change how those around you view you.

Those in the facility spend their time in activities that include creative writing, art, drama, and film making in addition to working with therapists in traditional counseling sessions.

One great example is Jenna, who before starting the RADE program had been addicted to heroin. Through the program, she learned that she loves acting and is even in a course at the Gaiety School of Acting in addition to the acting she does at RADE. She’s learning that through art, she’s able to express emotions that she used to bottle up inside. It’s crucial to her recovery, she believes.

It’s not surprising that they’re finding success through the arts. Arts have long been used for therapy and it’s been found that the arts help children gain creativity and help kids in rough neighborhoods find a reason to avoid gangs and do well in school.

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

Tennessee Drug Treatment Facilities Offer Strength and Caring for Patients to Overcome Addiction

September 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Admitting that you have a drug problem is hard enough to do with yourself, let alone when you have to share the admission with friends and family. There are so many issues that are tied to drug abuse and depending on the length and depth of your struggle to stay sober, there are likely many relationships and opportunities that have suffered. Whether it’s missed appointments for your job or misunderstandings with family and friends, it’s likely that there are things that you regret because of your substance abuse. Some of these situations you want to remedy, and some you want to avoid reliving. If you are a resident of Tennessee who is coping with substance abuse, it’s time to stop the cycle and find help.

Taking Steps to Overcome Addiction

Coping with substance abuse is difficult and requires the help of trained professionals who understand the nature of addiction and the steps you need to take to begin your lifelong recovery. Understanding the origin of the disease and finding ways to substitute addictive behaviors associated with alcohol and drug abuse with healthy habits is part of the recovery process. Good staff members who are versed in addiction can help you trace back when you started turning to substances to cope and what led to your choices. The next part of the process is dealing with repercussions of your actions and finding ways to mend fences and repair your life as you re-enter society substance free.

Treatment with caring and trained professionals can lead to lifelong sobriety in patients, so finding a facility where you are comfortable is key. If you are ready to put an end to your addiction, contact one of the many Tennessee drug treatment facilities today and start a new, drug-free life.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Health, Rehab, Substance Abuse Tagged With: , , ,