Drug Addiction Startling Facts and Hard Truths

Drug addiction is a devastating disease that affects millions worldwide. When it comes to the abuser’s world, drugs are used to silence the emotional and physical pain being experienced. Drugs are used as an escape from reality. When the drugs are used continuously, the body begins to crave it, thus becoming addicted to it.

Much has been said about drug addiction, but some of the more startling facts are ones that the majority of people do not know about.

  1. While a person may try drugs voluntarily for the first time, continued use may make it harder for the person to discontinue use. Drugs change the chemistry in the brain, which makes it difficult for individuals to make sound decisions.
  2. “Abuse” and “addiction” are two very different words with very different meanings.
    Drug use refers to people who continuously use drugs, despite knowing the dangers of using.
    Drug addiction refers to a person who has developed a tolerance to their drug. Because of this tolerance, they require an increased amount of the drug.
  3. Drug addiction is in every socioeconomic class in our society. It does not discriminate. Sure, some groups may have a slightly higher incidence of drug addiction, but it does not mean that it cannot happen to your socioeconomic group.
  4. Many people have tried quitting drugs “cold turkey.” The truth is the majority of those individuals relapse in the first year. It is imperative that individuals suffering from drug addiction complete a drug rehab program.

Drug rehab programs get to the root of the problem, and help the individual become stronger from the inside out. Rehab centers have comprehensive programs to help enrich an addict’s emotional, physical and spiritual health. The programs help the addict know that they are not alone in this fight. These programs give addicts the tools to face their addiction each day, and tell their addiction that they are stronger without the drugs.

[cta]For more information on how Above It All Treatment can help you take that first step to recovery from an addiction, please contact us today. We’re here 24/7 to help.[/cta]

 

Alcohol Abuse in America

The rise in alcohol-related disease and injuries has reached alarming levels in the Unites States in recent decades. Unfortunately, alcohol abuse doesn’t just affect the person with the drinking problem. As a parent, child, spouse, or even a co-worker you can be negatively impacted by those who abuse alcohol even if you do not drink yourself.

 

Alcohol Abuse vs Alcoholism

Both are equally serious conditions yet alcohol abuse varies a little from alcoholism, which is a chronic disease marked by physical dependency on alcohol. Alcohol abuse is better defined as excessive use of alcohol that begins to destroy your relationships and your health well before physical dependency occurs. Even the occasional drinker, who drinks only a few times a year yet drinks to excess or ‘binges,’ ends up endangering themselves and others.

Who Is Abusing: Facts About Alcohol Abuse

  • Almost half of all adults admit to having a parent who abused alcohol
  • There are over 6 million minor children in the US who live with a parent who abuses alcohol
  • 40 percent of family court cases like custody disputes and divorces occur because a family member, spouse, or parent was abusing alcohol
  • Alcohol abuse is implicated in half of all violent deaths
  • In one-third of boating, aviation, and driving fatalities the consumption of alcohol has significantly factored into the equation

Those statistics compose quite a large segment of society affected by alcohol abuse—without even mentioning the millions of people prosecuted annually for driving under the influence. Again, the majority of these people are not alcoholics exactly but every day, otherwise healthy people from all income levels, ages, professions, and walks of life. The facts about alcohol abuse indicate it could be you or someone you know.

Consequences of Alcohol Abuse

If left unchecked, alcohol abuse will eventually result in:

  • Chronic alcoholism
  • Diseases like pancreatitis and liver cirrhosis
  • Unintentional injuries, like traffic accidents and falls
  • Unintended violence (not premeditated)

While the causes of alcohol abuse vary between individuals, the condition most often starts as a coping mechanism for those suffering from low self-esteem, high-stress lifestyles, and untreated depression. The good news is that alcohol abuse treatment is available. If you or a family member is struggling with alcohol abuse, please do not try to go it alone; consult with a qualified health professional who can advise you on available options for counseling and treatment.

[cta]Continue the discussion on Facebook and learn more ways to strengthen the road to recovery.[/cta]

Extremely Pleased

“I have been extremely pleased with the care I have received from every department! If this tablet weren’t so cumbersome to use I would divulge further about my complete gratitude for this program.”

Great Program Curriculum

“Wonderful staff; extremely helpful, understanding, well educated. Great program curriculum.”

What is Social Model Detox?

The term Social Model Detox has a very specific meaning and refers to the primary phase of drug and alcohol treatment, in which the process of withdrawal from the relevant substance(s) is monitored, supervised, and managed without the use of detoxification medication. Social Model Detox describes a detox methodology and environment that is distinct from the Medical Detox Model  (which includes as a subset the Rapid Detox Model).

The primary concerns, according to the National Institutes of Health are:

  1. Is the social detoxification setting as safe for the client as the medical detoxification?
  2. Can alcohol withdrawal symptoms be treated in a nonmedical environment?

The 2nd concern applies equally to drug withdrawal symptoms.

Medical detox is indicated when withdrawal symptoms are judged to be potentially dangerous to the client, whether because of the severity of withdrawal or because of secondary or co-existing health conditions. There is a threshold beyond which safety to the client supersedes all other concerns, and it is mainly determined by the amount of alcohol or drugs consumed on a chronic basis as well as the length of time the dependency has been established. The more critical the physical dependency, the greater the risk of withdrawal symptoms posing physical danger to the client.

If the determination is made that the withdrawal process can be managed without medical intervention, social model detox is indicated as appropriate and productive in terms of cost-containment. When the addict or alcoholic submits himself/herself to treatment, the primary phase—detox, or removal of alcohol and drugs from the system—is managed through counseling and therapy.

Because the symptoms of withdrawal are so unpleasant—even when they don’t reach the threshold of requiring medical detox—addicts tend to defer treatment even when they desire to quit. The establishment of an atmosphere of professionalism, concern for safety, understanding, physical and emotional nourishment, as well as isolation from access to drugs and/or alcohol is the primary goal of social model detox.

[cta]For more information on how Above It All Treatment can help you take that first step to recovery from an addiction, please contact us today. We’re here 24/7 to help.[/cta]

 

A Good Drug Detox Diet Can Help You Get Started in Recovery

By the time someone has developed a drug dependency to the point that they start considering treatment, their systems are out of whack in a number of ways, and a coordinated effort to realign brain function and metabolic function is necessary in order to establish a foundation for recovery. An appropriate diet during drug detox is critical.

As addicts give more and more priority to feeding their addiction, they give correspondingly less priority to life basics like showing up for work, grooming, and physical care. Nutrition often takes a back seat to convenience. Studies indicate that a malnourished body is more sensitive to drug cravings and to the negative effects of withdrawal, thus making the detox experience more difficult to endure.

Well-balanced meals, with regular scheduling, and nutritional supplements are recommended for any drug detox regimen. Properly nourished, the newly recovering addict is more likely to tolerate the ordeal presented by withdrawal symptoms, increasing his or her odds of completing treatment.

A good drug detox diet will include foods rich in protein, essential vitamins, and fatty acids, as well as complex carbohydrates and fresh vegetables. Although sugar cravings are common during the detox phase, experience clearly indicates that yielding to the desire to consume sugar (and caffeine) is counterproductive in the pursuit of early recovery. Part of this is because addicts by their very nature are not good at moderation, and sugar and caffeine in excess are disruptive to healthy brain function.

Also critical during detox is ample intake of fluids. Opiate withdrawals are known to cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, among other highly unpleasant effects, and loss of body fluids results. Although drug detox at home is not recommended, if it is attempted, hydration is critical, and Gatorade—despite its sugar content—might be a useful way to maintain body fluids and electrolytes.

Again, adhering to a planned and healthy drug detox diet significantly improves the odds of safely and effectively surviving the ordeal of withdrawal. Furthermore, it can help establish nutritional habits that will promote the kind of wellbeing that makes recovery feel worthwhile and worth maintaining.

[cta]Continue the discussion on Facebook and learn more ways to strengthen the road to recovery.[/cta]

Wallowing in Self-Pity Is a Relapse Mentality

Why don’t things ever go my way? Why do all these bad things happen to me? Why can’t I ever get a break? These questions can be a good indicator that a person is wallowing in self-pity, when the actual answers to the questions might be the key to the solution.

Of course, sometimes we actually do get a series of bad breaks and it looks like the universe is conspiring against us, but how we react to these life lessons defines our outlook. And, if we’re alcoholics in recovery, it defines how well we’re using the tools that keep us sober. Take any ten recovering alcoholics and  give them the same challenges. Then watch who the complainers are and who instead gets busy matching calamity with serenity, assessing the situation honestly, and then taking indicated action while staying out of the results.

Wallowing in self-pityis a symptom of self-centeredness, the primary enemy of the recovering alcoholic. Let’s examine the questions at the top of the page:

  • Why don’t things ever go my way?—Most alcoholics find that they have been too insistent on having the world conform to their script, and the frustration when it doesn’t usually leads them to the next drink. An important part of recovery is the recognition that life presents us with people and circumstances with no regard for our expectations; accepting life on life’s terms and moving forward with right action and according to principal will, in the long run, bring us vastly better outcomes than insisting on wrestling the world to submit to our will.
  • Why do all these bad things happen to me?—Most of the time, upon guided introspection, the recovering alcoholic will find that most of his or her problems were self-inflicted. When it seems like life is ganging up on us, an honest appraisal of our part in circumstances is a good way to begin moving toward a solution. On the other hand, when we get a flat tire in the rain on the way to an important appointment, these aren’t our fault, but wallowing in self-pity certainly doesn’t help us get to the appointment.
  • Why can’t I ever get a break?—If you’re in recovery, you got your break the day you found freedom from alcohol and/or drugs. Remembering this can be the key to finding gratitude, which can’t co-exist with self-pity.

Simply put, wallowing in self-pity is useless, counterproductive, wasteful, and dangerous. Recognize its signs—negativity, a feeling of victimhood, envy, and self-justification are a few—and try to move on. Talk to someone you trust and use the tools of recovery.

What Are the Dangers of At Home Detox?

Addicts and alcoholics are natural-born do-it-yourselfers. They habitually go about “doing things my way,” often with less than spectacular results. So it’s no surprise that many of them repeatedly try at home detox rather than submitting themselves to treatment. This has led to a burgeoning market in questionable remedies available on the internet.

The problem is that at home detox is unsafe and ineffective. The safety factor is paramount: unsupervised detox can lead to severe consequences and even to death. Symptoms of withdrawal from opiates, for example, include:

  • Nausea and cramps
  • Chills and sweats
  • Depression and/or irritability
  • Seizures
  • Hallucinations
  • Disorientation
  • Extreme craving to recommence opiate use

Alcohol dependency is even more difficult to interrupt without help. Withdrawal from alcohol (as well as from benzodiazepines) poses even more acute discomfort and possibility of life-threatening complications.

Besides the consideration of safety, there’s the problem of effectiveness. The addict’s primary dilemma is being trapped in a cycle of obsession to use while not under the influence and a craving to continue once having started. If the cycle is interrupted, the obsession to resume increases in direct proportion to the discomfort the withdrawals cause. The addicted brain knows what it wants and gives priority to getting it; without supervision, the alcoholic or addict needs a tremendous amount of willpower to endure detox without help. Unfortunately, willpower, at least in the domain of substance abuse, is by definition exactly the quality that the alcoholic/addict cannot bring to bear on his or her problem.

Whether or not the addict needs full medical detox depends on the severity of their dependency (usually determined by the consistency and length of usage, and the dosage) as well as by the presence of co-occurring medical conditions. Most alcoholics and addicts can benefit from what is called “social detoxification,” which is defined as detox in a residential, nonmedical environment with trained staff, monitoring, counseling, and peer/social support. Government standards are provided for facilities that provide social detox.

[cta]Continue the discussion on our Facebook page and be sure to like us to learn more about topics on addiction and recovery.[/cta]

Detox: The Difficult but Necessary First Step to Recovery

Recovery from drugs and alcohol ­­­is a physical and mental process, but detox is the crucial turning point. Actually, submission to detox is the initial and critical surrender, but detox is, on a physical basis, the first step to recovery. Until the body is cleared of any substances that can affect the mind, little progress can be made. Unfortunately, detox can range from extremely uncomfortable to painful and even deadly. Addicts know this, and the addicted brain uses it as an excuse to put off any attempt at abstinence. The longer the addict uses, the more severe the detox, and thus the cycle feeds on itself and worsens.

There are cases in which medical detox is recommended. These would include times when the addiction is so deep (long-term and continuous large amount of consumption of drugs or alcohol) that a tapering strategy is untenable and possibly dangerous. Also, when complicating medical issues (co-occurring mental disorder, diabetes, coronary disease, etc.) are present, medical supervision and appropriate pharmacological intervention are appropriate.

However, many who suffer from alcohol and/or drug dependency can benefit from supervised withdrawal. Drugs are available to ameliorate the discomfort of opiate withdrawal symptoms, and titrating—a scheduled reduction in alcohol or drug intake—can be an effective strategy. The key, though, is supervision. Because the addicted brain views continued use of a substance as the solution to the problem of discomfort, it will—in the absence of supervision—give priority to finding and using the substance, and attempting abstinence or moderation will take a back seat.

In a proper treatment setting, the goal—after safety—in this first step to recovery is to minimize discomfort to the point where the addict or alcoholic can be coached through the experience, with emphasis on the fact that it is temporary and relief is on the other side. As a corollary, it is useful for the patient to be counseled that sustained effort in recovery is required in order to avoid having to repeat the experience.

Live and Let Live:

When addicts and their families begin to recover from the mire of substance abuse, the amount of new information and changes in behavior often seem overwhelming. That’s why simple slogans, such as “live and let live”, become a valued part of the process. An uncomplicated saying can set family members back on track if they find themselves derailed by the addict’s behavior.

Learning to detach

“Live and let live” is way to remember that detachment is the key to recovery for loved ones of addicts. Detachment sometimes has the connotation of abandonment until you realize that detachment refers to creating an emotional distance between yourself and the addict’s choices and behaviors. It does not mean selfishly walking away; instead it means to act with love and compassion for yourself and the addict.

Omitting judgment

In order to “live and let live,” families need to take a look at their judgment of the addict’s behavior. Setting aside judgment does not mean living with unacceptable or abusive actions. Instead, it means letting go of the thoughts one attaches to another’s behavior and learning to make decisions based on facts alone. Recognizing the role of judgment in one’s feelings of anger and disappointment does not come naturally to anyone, but it is particularly difficult for families of addicts. Giving up negative thinking and fear is not easy. It involves redirecting one’s thinking into a place of simple observation.

Restoring self-esteem

When families apply the slogan “live and let live,” they begin to experience the self-esteem that has been lost by living with addiction. They see that protecting their own emotional health should be their priority. It lowers the sense of feeling victimized by the addict.  A new sense of self-respect will begin to form. By practicing the skill of “live and let live,” loved ones will release themselves from the family drama.