The Ins and Outs of Drug Rehab

As the premier drug rehab in California, Above It All treatment center’s commitment to education, comfort, and support is virtually unmatched. In this entry, we will seek to provide our readers with an in-depth look at the process by which our recovery process is run.

Referral

Patients come to Above It All through for an array of reasons. Because of the progressive nature of addiction, it is not uncommon for individuals who have experienced the continued negative consequences of the associated behaviors to seek help on their own. Other factors may include exterior pressures, such as legal issues, employers, or loved ones. Once a commitment to seek help has been made, the real recovery can begin.

Intake

Intake assessments are the initial step of the recovery process. During this period, facility counselors will ask an assortment of questions to better determine a care plan, which will ultimately dictate the type of treatment the patient will receive. Common questions typically revolve around the types of drugs being used, abuse histories, and the reasons for seeking help in the first place. Patients who are experiencing both substance abuse and mental health issues simultaneously are quite common. As such, staff members will generally request information pertaining to a patient’s mental health history, including current medications and symptoms.

This assessment also serves to help determine just how motivated a patient is to make chances, alongside any stressors that may inhibit the rehabilitation process.

Detox

Various types of substance addictions, such as heroin and alcohol will typically call for a medically monitored detox to help patients through the initial transition into sobriety. Without proper care, the risks of serious complications and physical harm are drastically heightened. The detoxification process can last anywhere from 3 to 10 days, and will include 24/7 staff monitoring. Patients in detox will be offered various medications throughout the process to ensure a comfortable and safe experience.

Short Term Treatment

In cases where detox is of no concern, patients may be offered short team rehab at varying intensity levels. This type of outpatient care is typically only offered to patients who are able to function sufficiently at home while still attending treatment. Patients will often be forced to submit to random urine screenings to help ensure that care is at the adequate level. Group and individual therapy is common, alongside a variety of therapeutic activities to help patients acquire the skills needed to enjoy a sober and happy lifestyle.

Long Term Care

Where more intensive measures are required, counselors may recommend residential long term care. The length of stay will vary from patient to patient, but generally averages around the 3-month mark. Within a long term care program, patients are afforded the opportunity to earn freedoms and responsibilities over time. Long term care provides patients with the ability to obtain the care they require without the distractions and stressors o

Alcohol & Men – The Physical Effects

Men who drink too often or too much place themselves at high risk for an array of health-related issues. Depending on the frequency and amount of indulgence, symptoms can range anywhere from minor weight increases to impotence. Drinking generally also works to negatively affect organ function, impair judgment, and cause behavioral changes in the user.

An estimated 75,000 deaths per year have been attributed to excessive alcohol intake. Aside from general health risks, drinking can result in additional events, including auto accidents, strained relationships, and even death.

Liver Impairment

Drinking alcohol in excess can have a detrimental effect on liver function. As an organ, the liver works to remove harmful toxins and wastes from the body. In most people, the liver is able to hold up against minor threats, including a drink here and there. However, excessive alcohol indulgence can ultimately overload the liver, limiting its functionality and eventually leading to potential cirrhosis.

Sexual Consequences

Though TV and web advertisements promote the misconception that excessive drinking is a “macho” activity, it actually works to increase male estrogen levels. Men who drink on a regular basis are more prone to mood swings and enlarged breasts, while placing themselves at risk for infertility and impotence. Additionally, since alcohol works to lower user inhibitions, unprotected sex and promiscuity are often byproducts of heightened alcohol use. As such, the risks associated with unplanned pregnancy and STDs are escalated.

Skin Issues

Alcohol works to enlarge blood vessels in the skin every time a drink is consumed. Blood vessels will then continue expanding until a loss of tone or quality is achieved, resulting in a permanent red hue on the face. Wrinkles on the skin may appear after extended periods of excessive drinking due to a lack of water content within the body. In addition, overindulgence in alcohol can result in decreased vitamin A levels; an antioxidant that supports both skin and body health.

Mood

Though not a direct physical byproduct, alcohol also serves to negatively affect the mood of its users. While many individuals use alcohol as a “social lubricant”, in excess, it actually serves to disassociate users from the people they care about most. Those who depend on alcohol for social engagement quickly find themselves isolated, depressed, and alone. Motivation, excitement, and happiness eventually subside, causing many users to forget the social graces sought out in the first place.

Need Help?

If you or someone you know is battling an addiction to alcohol, Above It All treatment center is the place to call. Contact our team today, and let us help you get back on track towards the happy, healthy, and fulfilling lifestyle you’ve been missing.

The 4 Stages of Drug & Alcohol Recovery

When a person decides to seek out professional drug and alcohol addiction help, they embark on a journey comprised of 4 unique recovery stages as they learn to develop a sober and happy future.

These stages – Initiation – Early Abstinence – Abstinence Maintenance – Advanced Recovery – were initially created by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as a guide to recovery success. Below, we will summarize each stage in an effort to inform and support those considering the journey.

Initiation

Upon reaching out for professional help, an addict begins the initial stage of recovery – initiation. Whether the individual is coerced by exterior forces or seeks help on their own accord, the recovery process will commence with the individual initiating professional help.

During a patient’s initial time in rehab, it’s natural to experience feelings of ambivalence toward their recovery decision. Though many patients tend to view their addictions as, “not so bad”, these feelings have the ability of threatening long-term rehabilitation success.

Early Abstinence

Once a commitment has been made to participate in the recovery process, patients enter the 2nd rehab stage – early abstinence. Of the four, early abstinence can often be the most difficult due to an array of factions, including physical cravings, withdrawal, and psychological dependence. During this stage, patients are properly educated in regard to the coping skills needed to enjoy a sober and happy life post rehab. The tools gained here will serve patients throughout the remainder of their recovery.

Abstinence Maintenance

Following a continued 90 days of sobriety, patients will graduate to the 3rd recovery stage – abstinence maintenance. Patients who have begun their recovery in a residential facility will now move to the follow-up or continuing counseling phase of the recovery program while living outside the facility grounds.

With the tools and education gained in rehab, this stage’s main focus lies in relapse prevention. Here, coping skills and tools are utilized to help repair and address various areas of the patient’s life:

-Dealing with the past

-Anger Management

-Building healthy relationships

-Nutrition and exercise

-Employment

-Addiction substitution

Advanced Recovery

After a 5-year sobriety period, addicts will reach the 4th and final aspect of their recovery – advanced recovery. During this phase, addicts should be able to take the skills and tools gained throughout recovery and utilize them in achieving a happy, fulfilling and satisfying life.

Not only are addicts in advanced recovery able to maintain their sobriety, but they will also hold the skills necessary to become a healthier, involved, and well-rounded individual.

Want to Learn More?

If you are interested in learning more about the recovery process, our Above it All addiction counselors are on hand to help! Give us a call today, and get moving towards the sober, happy and exciting lifestyle you deserve!

What is Devils Breath?

Devils Breath (or Scopolamine) is a prescription medication used to manage and address the symptoms associated with motion sickness, including nausea and vomiting. The drug may also be prescribed post surgery to patients suffering from nausea caused by aesthesia. But just as with any medication, a variety of possible side effects can occur with prolonged use and/or abuse.

In recent years, Scopolamine has gained a reputation in Columbia as a “zombie drug” due the debilitating and hallucinogenic effects it has on its users. In this entry, we will outline some of the side effects and dangers associated its use.

Common Side Effects

The following side effects are typically not seen as abnormal in patients taking the drug as prescribed. Most patients find that their bodies adapt to the effects of the medication over time. These common effects include dry mouth, blurry vision, dizziness, flushing, and a feeling of lightheadedness.

Additional Side Effects

In addition to the side effects referenced above, a number of potentially serious side effects can be linked to use of Devils Breath. These effects include urination issues, confusion, rapid or irregular heartbeat, extreme dry mouth, speaking troubles, disorientation, drastic changes in mood or thought patterns, hallucinations and extreme drowsiness. Individuals found experiencing these types of symptoms are encouraged to seek immediate emergency medical attention.

Allergic Reactions

An allergic reaction is often viewed as an additional serious side effect of Devils Breath use. Common signs associated with a Scopolamine allergic reaction include tightness in the chest area, breathing issues, skin rashes, itchiness, hives, and swelling throughout the face. Individuals found to be suffering from such a reaction are encouraged to seek out medical attention as soon as possible.

Words Of Caution

Individuals with a history of kidney, liver or heart disease; bladder issues; glaucoma; urination difficulties; enlarged prostate or stomach obstructions are encouraged to avoid use at all costs. Failure to do so may hold the potential for added complications and risks.

Overdose

In cases of overdose, emergency medical attention must be sought out immediately. Some common overdose signs include dizziness, seizures or convulsions, agitation, excitability, hallucinations, a feeling of lightheadedness and coma. In severe cases, users may even pose the risk of death.

Help!

Aside from its medical purposes, Scopolamine is not a substance intended for long-term or recreational use. If you or someone you know is suffering from addictive tendencies towards this medication, our Above It All addiction treatment counselors are available to help. Call today to educate yourself on our available treatment options and recovery plans and get on track toward the happy, fulfilling and sober lifestyle you deserve.

Reach out to us a non-judgemental, motivating member of our team will contact you to help get you back on the road to the life you want and deserve.

Call us at (877) 574-0177 or submit this quick form. 

Support for Parents of Addicts: Tips for supporting your Children Through a Difficult Time

During and after rehabilitation, it is not just the patients that need support, the family needs support as well.  There are many ways to get this support, one of which is Family Counseling.   Another way to support the family is to have everyone on board with treatment and the changes that will have to be implemented into their lives.  Here are some tips on supporting each other, and the patient in question:

Stress management through social interaction: Many of the effects of stress can be reduced by social support; that is support from family and friends. So go out into the world, do something fun with friends and family; Picnic, Adventure Park, hike, etc.

Family Counseling: sometimes having therapy for individuals isn’t enough. The individual may need help voicing concerns over what you think of them now, and you may need help expressing your concerns. This kind of therapy gives you a space to talk safely with a referee present.

Understand that occasional relapses happen: when this occurs it is important to get them the treatment they need in a rehab program without being judgmental and offering support.

Help practice social and coping skills: go with them into a no-threatening social situation and help them interact with others in a kindly way.

Help them create a contingency contract: create a plan that outlines the psychological and financial consequences of relapse. This can help motivate them knowing that they have people who care reminding them of what’s at stake: their life.

Just be there: listen, talk, and love each other. It will all be ok in the end.

Remember that there are generally two different windows of vulnerability for drug and alcohol abuse, the first of which is between the ages of 12 and 21, and is more of a chemical vulnerability. The second window is later in life and dependency usually comes from a desire to cope with stressful situations. Social support from family and friends, particularly the effects of a confidante, can help prevent relapse as well as help everyone through the difficult life changes ah

The Bottle is a Symptom

When we first start on our path to sobriety, we’re never sure of our footing.  What do we do with ourselves, with whom do we talk, how do we behave?  As we begin, we may hear things along the lines of “Keep comin’ back.” or “just keep showing up.”  We don’t really know or understand what our actual problem is, only that we don’t know how to act in the world when we’re separated from drugs and alcohol.

At the start, it’s easy to believe that our problem is the drugs or the alcohol however, that’s not the case.  The bottle is a symptom.  Our problem begins long before we take the first drink.  We start hearing the term “mental defective” and maybe that angers us.  Who is anyone to say we are, as we think we’re hearing, not right in the head?  Now, with that said, we have to take a step back and look at the truth of our situation.  We used alcohol and drugs because, in addition to liking the effect they produced, they eased our way in the world; at least we thought they did.   Why did we need an “easing” into the world?  Could it be that we didn’t think in the same way as others?  Could it be that we couldn’t see past the end of our own nose, to take into account what others needed?  Maybe it was that our skin and our souls didn’t feel quite like they fit one another and that trying to edge ourselves into the world while feeling so disconnected & separated from ourselves and others tore at us.  What does that say?  We may want to look at the idea that the problem of the alcoholic centers in his/her mind.
The further proof of that is when alcoholics have “gone back out”, meaning, after being sober for a period of time, they opted to try to drink again.  The thought process may have been along the lines that they could now drink like normal men and women.  Many times, when this happens, there is a strange mental blank spot, and an inability to truly recall the nightmare that ensued after we took the first drink.  The recollection of that incomprehensible degradation from which we suffered at our lowest point is suddenly absent from our consciousness as the glass, the bottle, the pipe, the pill, etc hits our lips.

All of this reinforces the idea that we have a skewed thought process.  Even when we know drinking and/or taking drugs doesn’t *help ease our way* any longer, we keep trying.  We are not in our right minds when we are drinking and we need to learn a new way of thinking, a better way of acting, and a more mindful way to be present and available in the world.  We must shift our actions so that our thoughts can shift and when our thoughts shift, our actions reflect that.  Our ideas keep us beholden to where we are.  Where do our ideas live?  They live in our minds.  If we aren’t thinking correctly how can that be dubbed anything less than being mentally defective?