Author: aboveitalltx

What Is an Alcohol Detox Center?

Alcohol is a substance you can get addicted to.

It might go by different names like alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcoholism, whatever you want to call it though, your body and mind have grown dependent on alcohol. Addicted to it.

It’s important to get that out in the open though because sometimes there’s a tendency to take it “less seriously” than an addiction to drugs and that’s a big mistake.

Roughly 15 million people in the United States suffer from alcohol use disorder and less than 10% receive treatment.

Those numbers are rendered more brutal when you take this into account: more than 95,000 people die from excessive alcohol use in American each year. Moreover, it’s one of the leading causes of death of preventable death in the US.

To top it off, with one of the uglier cherries, the cost of excessive alcohol use in the States, in terms of lost workplace productivity, reached a dizzying $249 billion in 2010.

All that is a prelude to why it’s vital to take alcohol seriously on its own and understand why something like an alcohol detox center is important.

What Is an Alcohol Detox Center?

For starters, detox treatment is an imperative step to any recovery program. You simply can’t get sober without starting with a clean slate. The slate, in this case, being your body. Sobriety is built on the firm foundations of detox.

Detox itself is the natural process of ridding your body of the toxins that you typically arrive at a rehab center with. It’s 100% ok and normal to show up with alcohol in your system by the way.

From the perspective of actual rehabilitation, nothing starts until detox ends.

An alcohol detox center is one that just so happens to specialize in the detoxification of those people struggling with alcohol use disorder. Due to some very particular withdrawal symptoms that accompany detoxing from alcohol, it’s highly recommended to detox under the supervision of professionals.

Why Is It Important to Detox From Alcohol at a Facility?

If you’re unable to feel normal without drinking or can’t go any period without feeling the twinge of alcohol withdrawal creep in, you may need assistance with detox.

With a strong dependency on alcohol, attempting to stop abruptly aka cold turkey could have disastrous and, quite literally, deadly effects.

Withdrawal from serious alcohol abuse can cause delirium tremens, which is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that involves sudden severe mental and nervous system changes.

As per a recent study, “It is now commonly known to occur as early as 48 hours after abrupt cessation of alcohol in those with chronic abuse and can last up to 5 days. It has an anticipated mortality of up to 37% without appropriate treatment. It is crucial to identify early signs of withdrawal because it can become fatal.”

It’s estimated that 3% to 5% of those who chronically abuse alcohol can experience that, which is a major reason why detox at a facility, under the watchful eye of doctors and staff who know how to keep you safe, is very much encouraged.

Additionally, even if you’re not necessarily at risk for the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, detox is just plain uncomfortable anyhow. The only respite in the mind of the user is to just pick up a drink and end the discomfort. If you’re at a specialized detox facility, however, you’re being taken care of by people who understand that feeling very well and can get you to the other side. That helps prevent a quick relapse as well.

How to Find Help for an Alcohol Addiction

If you or a loved one are unable to get off the drink on your own and need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Above It All Treatment Network. We’re connected with a vast network of alcohol detoxification programs all over California and would be happy to help you find the best one for you.

Seeking Addiction Treatment: What Is Rehab Like?

Fear of the unknown is a real thing and accordingly, fear can be a major stumbling block for getting a person that needs rehab…into rehab.

“What is rehab like?” is, therefore, a super important thing to make clear to help put the mind at ease.

From the outside perspective, it might seem baffling why someone would continue to use drugs or alcohol when the negative effects are so readily apparent. But aside from the obvious nature of addiction, there is actually a comfort in using. Moreover, a person may not have developed other ways to cope with things so the prospect of rehab can be a very scary one.

Hence why it’s crucial to equip yourself with the knowledge of what it’s all about.

What Is Rehab?

Rehab is simply the process of helping a person to stop using drugs or alcohol and restoring them to an improved, substance-free state.

After detox, the process of ridding the body of toxins, the next step is rehabilitation where the real work of sustained sobriety and recovery happens.

What Are the Different Types of Rehab?

Rehab comes in many varieties ranging from evidence-based, traditional modalities like individual and group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, etc. to alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, music therapy and more. Each one can have its own deep dive but what’s more important to note here is the general way in which rehab operates since there are some sweeping commonalities.

Inpatient – This is the most intensive level of rehab and it’s generally what comes right after detox depending on the severity of your addiction. In inpatient rehab you live in the facility and all of your time and attention is focused on the work of getting back on track. What you do and how your schedule looks will be directly determined by, and catered to, your needs while outside distractions are almost nonexistent since you’re living at the treatment center.

As you might’ve guessed, you wouldn’t be going to work, school, etc. while in inpatient care. Sometimes this type of rehab is called “residential inpatient” rather than solely “inpatient” and there is a slight difference. “Residential” refers to the type of facility as in it’s more an actual residence and has a homelike feel. These can get quite, quite luxurious. Alternatively, regular inpatient care is much more clinical and medical in terms of the surroundings.

Outpatient – All of the same treatments and therapies that are hallmarks of inpatient care are exactly what you get with outpatient rehab as well, the only difference is that you’re not living in the facility anymore with this type of rehab.

You’re able to come to and from as per the schedule you make with your treatment center. Outpatient rehab is something you can do while maintaining work and family life and whatever responsibilities you have to tend to. Often people will transition from inpatient to outpatient but of course it’s all dependent on your particular circumstances.

Aftercare – Recovery doesn’t end when you finish treatment and aftercare is a crucial part of your journey to a stable and sustained sobriety. In a way, you can think of this as the last phase of rehab and it’s one that’s ongoing. This is where you’ll have your support groups, alumni groups, sober living homes and the like as resources help keep you on track.

Aftercare is ultimately about maintenance and continued work on yourself and your sobriety.

How Do I Find the Right Rehab for Me?

We know it can be overwhelming, there are a lot of options out there between the traditional and alternative rehabs after all and finding the best one for you takes time. Even knowing where to start can be tough so having someone in your corner to help guide you can be a gamechanger. At Above All Treatment Network, we pride ourselves on our deep well of knowledge and connections, so give us a call and let’s find the right rehab for you, together.

How To Get Heroin Addiction Help

Heroin is a brutal drug. There’s no upside to it. Worst of all, it’s incredibly addictive.

The dangers of the drug are very real and heroin plays a role in the ongoing crisis in the United States, accounting for more than 115,000 deaths from 1999 to 2018.

As with all drugs in the opioid class, heroin addiction can happen fast. Tolerance builds quickly which gives way to dependence and that spirals right into an addiction.

The psychological hold is intense and the physical withdrawal is no walk in the park either so getting help with heroin addiction is imperative to have a fighting shot at long-term sobriety.

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is opioid. What exactly is an opioid though?

Opioids are a group of drugs that relieve pain, that’s their basic function. There are many well prescription opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin as well as codeine, morphine and many more. Those names should give you a sense of the effects of heroin.

Whereas prescription opioids, which clearly are dangerous given the epidemic of opioid-related deaths in the last two decades, are at least generally prescribed for a purpose and taken under some medical supervision.

Heroin, on the other hand, is illegal.

As per the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin is, “an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. Other common names for heroin include big H, horse, hell dust, and smack.”

It can be taken in many ways, smoked, snorted, sniffed and injected, with each method of intake changing the effect of the drug. No matter how it goes in though, when stripping it down to brass tacks, heroin is wildly addictive.

The Dangers of Abusing Heroin

There’s no real upside to heroin and the dangers of it are immense.

The euphoria quickly gives way to a whirlwind of downside. Withdrawal kicks in within hours of the last hit and its users experience muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, restlessness and more.

Moreover, as the National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that “repeated heroin use changes the physical structure and physiology of the brain, creating long-term imbalances in neuronal and hormonal systems that are not easily reversed. Studies have shown some deterioration of the brain’s white matter due to heroin use, which may affect decision-making abilities, the ability to regulate behavior, and responses to stressful situations.”

How To Get Heroin Addiction Help

Full-fledged heroin addiction rehab under the guidance of trained professionals is truly the best course of action for someone looking to rid themselves of it. Each treatment center handles it differently but what it looks like in broad strokes is as follows:

Detox – No heroin addiction help can truly begin until the toxins are fully out of your system. Unfortunately, this can be a particularly rough part of the process since you have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms that come with stopping. This is best done in a place where people understand what you’re going through and can guide you through those tough moments, when the pull of the drug is strongest.

Residential Inpatient Rehab – With a focus on getting you mentally back together, and while living in a treatment center, inpatient care is characterized by one on one counseling and group therapy.

Outpatient & Aftercare – You can look at this as functionally similar to inpatient treatment, but you don’t live in. You can go about your regular life while getting the counseling you need.

Sober Living – This makes the transition back to real-life easier and softer. Sober living homes are substance-free and have certain rules to abide by. The general idea is to be in a support place filled with people who have gone through the same thing as you.

Let Above It All Treatment Network Find You Help

At Above It All Treatment Network, we have years of experience helping people on their journey to sobriety, we understand the ravages of heroin. If it’s taken over your life or that of a loved one, reach out to us. We’ll help you figure out the next steps and what options would help you most.

The Right Addiction Recovery Resources for You

Recovery isn’t, nor should it be, a path you walk alone. The isolation and detachment that drug and alcohol abuse eventually lead you to are not things that further solitude and seclusion can remedy. Recovery is a team sport in many ways though and having the right addiction recovery resources on your team makes for a recovery that’s both long-lasting and rewarding.

Now, “team” in this case doesn’t exclusively mean all the members are people. Books, for example, are wonderfully helpful resources and can be turned to you when you want some quiet, but still supportive, “you” time along the way.

What Are Addiction Recovery Resources?

Resources for recovering addicts run the gamut of interests, personality types, etc. No matter who you are, there are resources that can work well and complement your recovery journey nicely.

Support Groups

Let’s call these the classics. Support groups are where you go for, well, support!

They’re places where people who have gone through the same things as you come to build bonds and gain confidence in their newly sober lives. Not everyone will easily and readily understand or sympathize with what you’ve gone through as a recovering addict, support groups are filled with people who have had the same experiences as you with substance abuse and rehab. In other words, support groups are places where people actually understand you.

12 Step Programs

Naturally, you jump to the most well-known of these: Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous. AA was the first 12 step program after all so the recognition is well deserved. The beauty of being so well known is that you can find these groups the world over. The meetings are an integral part of the program and are free of charge (voluntary donations are encouraged though).

While there is an overarching religious tone to the 12 steps, you can find versions of the program that aren’t so heavy-handed, and more spiritual rather than religious, which may align better with your view. Either way, you don’t have to be religious to get the benefits of the program.

SMART Recovery

This is another group-based option that is fully science-based, with no religious or spiritual elements that are standard in AA. SMART is an acronym that stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. Pretty smart and built around a 4-point program:

Building and maintaining the motivation to change.
Coping with urges to use.
Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in an effective way without addictive behaviors.
Living a balanced, positive, and healthy life.

Refuge Recovery

On the flip side of AA, perhaps the least well-known support group is Refuge Recovery which utilizes Buddhist principles and practices as the foundation from addiction recovery.

Books

The great thing about the many who have found ways to recover is that some went ahead and wrote books about the myriad ways to do it. From memoirs to how-tos, books are rich addiction recovery resources.

The Big Book

This is the first major manual on recovering from alcoholism and was written by one of the founders of AA, Bill W. It’s become one of the best-selling books of all time and named Time Magazine’s most influential books in English since 1923. Impressive.

Drop the Rock

Related to the 12-step program and AA, Drop the Rock focuses on steps 6 and 7:

- Step 6: We’re entirely ready to have God remove all our defects of character.

Step 7: Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

The title, and book, are about learning to do away with defects of our character that can sink, or impede, recovery if you hold on to them.

Alumni Groups at Rehabs

If you attended rehab, alumni groups are a fantastic place to start in terms of resources. Not only will you be able to stay in contact with the counselors, therapists and staff at whatever rehab you went through, but alumni groups also allow you to connect with others that went through the same program. Invaluable friendships can be formed through these groups.

Let Us Help You at Above All Treatment Network

This has been just a tiny sampler, an appetizer, of the wealth of resources available to those in recovery. There’s so much more out there and resources to fit all types of people so if you’re struggling to find ones that work for you, get in touch with us at Above All Treatment Network. We’ve been doing this for over a decade and can help connect you to the resources that work best for you.

Finding A Dual-Diagnosis Rehab

Life doesn’t happen in black and white. Mental illness and substance abuse disorders are the types of things that fall into that grey area. The complexities that underlie and lead people to each are vast and often inform the existence of the other.

Of course, people can have a mental illness or substance abuse but what about both together? What about and?

That’s dual-diagnosis and it’s something that many Americans struggle with.

Treating someone with just one of the two, mental illness or substance abuse, already comes with substantial hurdles and difficulties but having both makes treatment even more difficult.

Not impossible, far from it, but there are challenges.

When multiple conditions are presenting at the same time they will start to conceal each other and obscure the real issue at the root. Therefore, going into treatment for just one may end up completely missing the actual problem and essentially only alleviating symptoms.

Defining Dual-Diagnosis

Dual-diagnosis carries the definition right in the name, it’s a person that has a mental disorder and co-occurring alcohol or drug problem. This particular type of comorbidity occurs pretty frequently with roughly 7.7 million adults in the United States being affected by it.

The saddest part is that the relationship between the two, substances and mental illness, works to make the other one worse. The drugs or alcohol intensifying whatever mental illness you’re battling and vice versa.

Almost 40%, 37.9% to be exact, of those with substance use disorders, also had mental illnesses. An astounding amount. About 1 in 5, or 18.2%, with a mental illness, also deal with a substance use disorder.

The most common co-occurring mental disorders that our partner programs treat are:

Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety Disorders

That’s not an exhaustive list, at Above All Treatment Network we can help match you with a program that’s specialized to handle the particular mental disorders that you or a family member or friend are living with.

A dual-diagnosis is tricky to untangle but once confirmed it requires an integrated treatment approach that tackles both in tandem.

Finding the Right Dual-Diagnosis Rehab for You

Even though solutions are out there, a shocking 52.5% of people received no mental health care or substance use treatment at all and only 9.1% received treatment for both. The disconnect is related to the fact that dual-diagnosis rehab is a niche and the reality is that not every treatment center is equipped to handle the complications and intricacies of navigating both at the same time.

Therefore, finding the facility that’s specialized in dual-diagnosis rehab gives you the best shot at successfully conquering both demons and avoiding relapse.

What that looks like in practice is that a rehab emphasizes creating a customized plan that simultaneously targets both substance abuse and mental illness. Working on both at the same time is the only way to navigate towards a lasting and fruitful recovery.

Because of the damage that suffering from both drug and alcohol abuse as well as a mental disorder can cause, the best course of action is a stay in a residential inpatient center. Just detox isn’t enough since that doesn’t touch the mental angle and detox alone is rarely enough anyhow. Outpatient care isn’t immersive to the degree a dual-diagnosis client would need; it simply doesn’t offer enough attention.

At Above All Treatment Network, we’ve been around long enough to have seen the disparity between dedicated dual-diagnosis care and the care a standard drug rehab center provides. There is a significant difference and just tackling the substances without touching the mental health issues is a bridge that only gets you halfway there. We choose our dual-diagnosis partner programs in California carefully, let’s find the one that helps you get all the way there.

Relapse Prevention Strategies: How to Stay Sober

The slog of detox is behind you. The intense, lengthy inpatient treatment is only a memory. Outpatient care went smooth and sober life was treating you well.

And then it happens. Seemingly out of nowhere.

Someone invites you for a drink, just one. Or you find yourself in a situation that you weren’t mentally prepared for which triggers you to take a hit of your old drug of choice.

One drink turned to 10, one hit turned into a bender. You wake up groggy the next day, maybe even in the hospital.

You’ve relapsed.

You’re embarrassed and ashamed, feeling like you’ve failed. Guilt creeps in for the time “wasted” in rehab.

But here’s the thing, relapse isn’t failure. It’s part of the process for many and it just means your strategy for treatment needs to be modified.

That said, there are things you can actively do to prevent relapse and avoid the hurt that comes with it.

Relapse Is Fairly Common

Before jumping into those, just how common is relapsing? The National Institute on Drug Abuse puts the relapse rate for substance use disorders at 40-60%. Pretty sobering numbers, no pun intended.

It’s really important to internalize and take to heart the message that relapse is not a failure. The American Society of Addiction Medicine definition of addiction sheds some light on why:

“Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.

Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.”

The chronic nature of substance use disorder and addiction is what makes relapse so common. Our brains and bodies become conditioned and used to drugs or alcohol. It becomes our “normal”.

Relapse Prevention Strategies

Even though somewhere on the order of half of people will relapse, it doesn’t mean it’s a requirement. Relapse is very much a part of recovery for some while others can kick the habit without going through a relapse.

Planning can help you immensely in your times of struggle and weakness. Some relapse prevention strategies to consider are:

Know What Triggers You

This is huge. You need to know and define what triggers your cravings so you can avoid it. It may be certain people, places, activities or even feelings. Whatever it is, be aware and act accordingly to stay out of those situations

Support Groups

There’s no need to go through anything alone! Plenty of people have gone through what you have and are available as resources to get you through it too. Groups like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous can be extremely helpful in keeping you on track and preventing relapse.

Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential.

Learn to lead a healthy lifestyle that compliments your new drug and alcohol-free life. Eat healthily. Start a workout routine and stick to it.

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

Be good to yourself and be forgiving.

Get Busy

Nothing distracts you more from the pull of old habits like being too busy to notice a craving. If work isn’t keeping you busy enough, consider volunteering or a sports league. Grab a gym membership. Pick up a hobby.

Redefine Fun

You very likely glamorized drugs and alcohol as being “fun”, so to avoid relapse, changing what constitutes fun in your mind is crucial. Your new hobbies should be fun, your exercise regimen, cooking those healthy meals, etc. Find your new fun and shift your definition.

Above All Recovery Knows Relapse Prevention Strategies

If you’ve dealt with relapse before or are laser-focused on making sure it doesn’t happen to you or just concerned about a loved one who recently got sober relapsing, reach out to us at Above It All Treatment Network. We’re a free resource with over a decade of experience assisting people in finding recovery and can connect you with those who can help you prevent relapse.

Meditation for Addiction Recovery

To put it bluntly, addiction recovery is a complex process. There are a lot of moving parts and reasons why a person falls into addiction in the first place, so it follows that working one’s way out won’t be straightforward either. Which is fine, the intricacies of life are what make it beautiful.

Given that, an ever more potent tool in the recovery toolbox has become alternative therapies like meditation. These types of treatments strive to compliment the clinical side and create a much more holistic recovery experience that pays the appropriate attention to all aspects of the body and mind.

The mind, after all, becomes as addicted as the body so while our bodies crave drugs, so too do our minds. Our thoughts dictate our actions and drug and alcohol abuse toys with our thinking and decision making.

Meditation is a therapy that focuses squarely on the mind, fostering and nurturing the ability to take control of your thoughts and help deal with triggering situations in the future.

What Is Meditation?

Let’s consult the dictionary here, Cambridge Dictionary defines meditation as “the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed”.

Giving attention to only one thing. That’s big, don’t brush past that. Meditation, to the uninitiated, often carries the connotation of someone sitting there quietly and just kind of zoning out which is a caricatured view of what’s actually happening.

Meditation is something done with intention and contrary to the stigmatized and imagined version, the point is very much to be present rather than absent. The idea is to create mindfulness and focus.

The act of meditating encourages you to become more conscious of thoughts, feelings and what’s around you. To gravitate towards increased self-awareness.

There are a wealth of positives that come with it, Harvard, for example, notes that mindfulness meditation may ease anxiety and mental stress.

Benefits of Guided Meditation for Addiction

Guided meditation is essentially the same thing as general meditation, the difference is that you’re being guided by a trained professional or teacher. They walk you through the process with the aim of making you present and mindful and the benefits are immense to both the body and mind.

Body Benefits

As mentioned above, meditation can ease anxiety and stress. Additionally, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health adds that it can help with fatigue and sleep patterns. Increasingly, evidence has come to light that meditation can help lower blood pressure and even more profoundly, perhaps even improve immune functions.

In terms of our physical health, those improvements make a world of difference in how our bodies feel and that plays into how our mind copes with things. A healthy body corresponds to a healthy mind.

Mind Benefits

The most powerful benefit is the ability to control your thoughts, this leads to an increased ability to focus and ultimately a heightened capacity to find calm in the midst of a storm. The concept of mindfulness comes into play here as well, meditation encourages you to connect with your thoughts & feelings and learn to accept them.

That mindfulness and self-awareness of course also get you on the path towards creating or finding your inner peace.

Find Recovery With Above It All Treatment Network

The mind tends to wander and those wandering can lead to dangerous places, chaotic places but with continued guided meditation a person can learn to control those wanderings and step away from the chaos and into a more serene & controlled headspace. If getting your mind back in order is a priority reach out to us at Above It All Treatment Network, our years of experience and vast network means we can connect you with a rehab specialized in meditation to get you the best outcome possible.

Benefits of Sober Living in California

Congrats on wanting to get sober in the first place and an even bigger congrats for considering California as the place to do it. There are options all over the country and perhaps ones even closer to you than heading out to the west coast but if that’s where your mind wandered and you’re reading this now, it’s clear you already have some unconscious connection with Cali and the good life it offers.

Above It All Treatment Network would like to now dive into what makes being sober in California the best.

Benefits of Living in California

First and foremost, California boasts many treatment centers that can cater to the needs of each individual on their path to recovery. Be it detox, residential inpatient, outpatient, sober living houses, alternative therapies and more, this state has a treatment facility for everyone.

Not only that but they’re spread across the entire state.

Sober Living California

In addition to having a lot to offer in terms of the sheer amount and variety of options, California is just a super enjoyable place to live after treatment. Once you finish up and have begun the transition from your intensive inpatient stay to outpatient care, you’ll already find yourself in love with the way of life out here and hard-pressed to leave it.

Why?

Lots of Nature

Can you think of a more geographically diverse state? You’ve got the coast from top to bottom so a day at the beach is never too far away. Down in Los Angeles, you have essentially year-round nice weather and what’s described as a warm Mediterranean climate. Up north you’ve got mountains for endless enjoyment, hiking and biking in the summer and skiing or snowboarding in the winter. Forests full of sequoias to explore. Add a little sprinkle of desert and you really do have a touch of every type of nature.

Easily Accessible With Major Airports

Another benefit to living in California is that it’s extremely accessible and well connected. Major airports dot the state with smaller regional ones in between for even more convenience. Your family and friends will have no trouble flying in to visit from anywhere and conversely, because there are so many major airports, you won’t have a tough time getting anywhere either.

Big Industries to Work In

It’s easy to equate California with Hollywood and the entertainment business, that’s certainly accurate. But setting aside that and the other big industries, in general, for a moment, consider that California has the largest economy of all the states in the US. Taking it one step further, if it were its own country, Cali would have the 5th largest economy in the world. It’s larger than the entire economy of the United Kingdom. Try to wrap your head around that.

Given that, you can imagine that it’s possible to find work in any industry in California, not just the big ones.

Culturally Diverse

Another beautiful thing about sober living in California is that while the natural beauty is immense the beauty in the diversity of the population is truly a thing to behold. People of all walks of life, from many countries on earth, call California home and serve to create such a rich tapestry of lived experiences to pull from and learn about. It means that while you have access to all types of different foods you also have access to countless perspectives on life that can help shape your new worldview. What a gift that is.

Get Sober in California

If you’ve made the decision to get sober in California or are looking into options on behalf of a loved one, get in touch with us at Above All Treatment. You’ve already zeroed in on the best state for recovery but finding the right treatment facility is a bit more challenging and as a free and comprehensive resource for just that, we can guide to the best program.

Why Can’t I Self Detox Alone?

It’s a valid question and one that has no doubt made the rounds in the heads of addicts at one point or another. “I got myself into this mess, I can get myself out” is something that crosses the mind. Maybe the consideration of doing a self detox is related to the fear of anyone finding you have a problem. Or maybe you tried a self detox before and it didn’t last. Perhaps you believe enough in the sheer power of your will that overcoming addiction and substance abuse can be achieved solo.

Whatever the motivation, it’s a bold and possibly dangerous move, especially when detoxing off alcohol. While it certainly has been done before, there are many potential perils with trying to self detox on your own.

Dangers of Self Detoxing at Home

The first pitfall you’ll encounter when self detoxing, almost immediately, is withdrawal. It’s not comfortable and it’s not pleasant. It takes hold quickly and depending on the severity of the addiction the struggle can become extreme. The body essentially gets used to having a regular dose of whatever you’re taking or drinking, when it doesn’t get it, it throws your system into total disarray.

You can experience anxiety, sweatiness, depression, seizures, heart failure and in the case of detoxing off alcohol, delirium tremens, a very severe form of withdrawal from booze.

Moreover, withdrawal from some substances can be downright deadly, the possible seizures becoming life-threatening. Alcohol, opiates (like Oxycodone) and benzodiazepines (tranquilizers like Xanax) have a particularly high risk for a self detox becoming deadly.

Self detoxing unfortunately comes with a higher risk of relapsing as well. A significantly higher risk in fact. When on your own, it’s simply just easier to start using again when you become too uncomfortable with withdrawal. Even if you do make it through withdrawal though, you won’t necessarily be equipped with a recovery plan to keep you on the straight and narrow.

Benefits of Detoxing at a Facility

Detox facilities strive to mitigate and come as close as possible to eliminating some of the aforementioned dangers.

For starters, you’ll be under the watchful eye of professionals who are trained to get you through this process. They know what’s coming for you as you go through the detox process and how to react to it. Things you will most likely not know. Things that even if you do know, are still difficult to push through on your own.

To alleviate some of the severity of withdrawal symptoms, detox facilities can administer certain medications to counteract them. Weaning you off the drugs or alcohol in a much more controlled fashion, with less of the discomfort of going it on your own. Given that, an assisted detox means the possible lethal consequences are taken care of for the most part and even if something were to happen, you’re in exactly the place to get the proper help and medical attention.

Starting your recovery process with detox at a facility, rather than on your own, also sets you up for further success. Having a professional, real-world-tested and supervised approach to getting drugs or alcohol out of your system starts you on the right foot for your entire journey to sobriety.

Finding a Detox Facility

Struggling and suffering through addiction and substance abuse disorders is no simple feat. The decision to get sober is a tough one and to make it public by entering a detox and rehab facility is yet more difficult. It’s also brave and heroic. Fortunately, there’s at least one part of this that is easier: finding a detox. Above It All Treatment Network is a free and comprehensive resource tailormade to help you find the detox program that best suits your needs.

How Interventions Work: A Guide For You

Having a loved one with an addiction is not easy, but it’s important to know that you’re not alone. According to a study conducted by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative, more than 23 million Americans are currently suffering from an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. To put things in perspective, that’s around one in every 10 Americans above the age of 12. But this doesn’t mean you have to live with the problem and let it continue to wreak havoc on daily life.

You’ve probably heard of interventions, and when done right, they can be highly effective. Especially if you’ve already tried talking to your loved one about their drug abuse and failed to see any change, an intervention can be the key to helping them finally seek treatment. And with a professional overseeing things, you can make sure your intervention has the best possible outcome. Allow this to be your guide:

How Interventions Work

Each intervention is going to go a bit differently because they are very personal affairs, and every addict’s situation may be different. That said, most interventions will consist of three main components:

A gathering of friends and/or family members, each of whom will have an opportunity to express how their loved one’s addiction has been affecting them. They will also use this time to ask the addicted loved one to seek help and say what actions will be taken should they refuse.
An intervention leader, who will run the gathering and ensure everyone gets the chance to speak. They will also have a plan of action or treatment options ready for the addicted loved one. A professional intervention leader can be the smoothest way to get things done.
An opportunity for the addicted loved one to speak, upon which they will also be encouraged to seek help.

Before you do anything, you will need to start by talking with other people who care about your loved one and may have been affected by their drug abuse. Once you have others who agree to participate in the intervention, you will need to select a time and place. Do not tell your addicted loved one what you are planning, because they may refuse to show up if they know what is in store. Instead, it is usually best to make sure someone else can transport them to and from the event.

Now, the amount of time interventions take can vary greatly. This is why they should be scheduled for days when everyone is available and is willing to set aside the day to help. Gatherings with more people speaking will naturally take longer, but they can also be more effective. Additionally, some people may initially refuse to seek addiction treatment. Because of this, everyone involved should be prepared to be upfront with their loved one and take certain actions if they refuse treatment (like saying they will cut relationship ties). This can be difficult, but your loved one needs to know what is at stake if they do not start making changes.

Ensuring an Effective Intervention

Getting a solid group of family members and friends to participate in the intervention is the best method for effectiveness. However, there are a lot of additional things you can do to help an intervention achieve the best possible outcome (which will be your loved one getting addiction treatment):

Speak calmly. Don’t hold back your feelings, but do not get angry or start yelling. If your loved one feels attacked, they will be put on the defensive and will be less receptive to addiction treatment. Speak from a place of love and care, and make it clear you only want what is best for them.
Use real-life examples and evidence. It will be most helpful to your loved one if you can help them see how their addiction has specifically affected others.
Stay positive and keep hope in sight. Never lose sight of the end goal, which is encouraging your loved one to choose addiction treatment. You are there to show them that they can still save their relationships and change things around
Get rid of distractions. Keep the intervention straightforward. It is not like any other gathering, so don’t include things like food and beverages, TV or music, etc. Young children should not be present (the situation may be inappropriate for them anyway), and make sure everyone has their cell phones on silent.

What Happens After an Intervention?

Interventions should not be left open-ended. Your loved one should have the opportunity at the end to go straight into an addiction treatment program or at the very least be able to choose from pre-selected options already available. Consult with a professional ahead of time to learn more about your loved one’s options and what kind of drug abuse treatment program will be open to them immediately.

Now, if your loved one decides not to enter addiction treatment, you (and everyone else involved) must stay strong and follow through on your actions as promised (even if this means cutting them off emotionally or financially). In many cases, people eventually come around to the idea of treatment once they realize just how serious their loved ones are.

Let Us Help You

At Above It All, we understand that families are struggling enough when confronting a loved one’s drug addiction. That’s why we offer free addiction treatment placement services in California. Our caring team is available 24/7 and can assist you in your loved one in everything from finding the right treatment program to assisting with insurance verification and transportation. And because we are dedicated to seeing things through until the end, we also provide care management throughout your loved one’s time in treatment. The time to get help for them is now — we invite you to get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can be of service.