Health

Getting Help for a Loved One with an Addiction – MichaelsHouse.com

Finding out that a loved one has a drug addiction can be a very difficult thing to deal with. It is hard to know that someone close to you has been dealing with something like this. You may even find that it is a problem that they have had for some time, and they have been hiding it. Once you find out that a loved one has a drug addiction, you may find that the road is nowhere near done. They may still be denying that they have a problem, and it may come down to you trying to convince them that they need help. This can be a long, difficult journey for everyone involved.

Making the discovery of a drug addiction is only the first step. Trying to get a loved one to admit that they have a problem can be very hard. It is something that may take time and patience. Having an intervention is one way that works in many cases. Unfortunately, it may also make the person upset. They may not feel that they have a problem to deal with. You will need to keep in mind that, until they do admit that they have a problem, a treatment facility like MichaelsHouse.com cannot help them. They may try, but until your loved one is willing to admit that they have a problem, they will be very difficult to help.

You may even find that your loved one wants to stand up to their addiction, but they are having a hard time doing so. In this case, you will want to make sure that they understand that you are there for them, no matter what. One of the hardest things that an addict has to deal with is the possibility that everyone they know and love will abandon them. Let them know this is not the case.

Filed Under: Caring For Addicted Loved Ones Tagged With: addiction, Alcoholism, Centers and Counseling Services, Family, Health, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, United States

Getting Help with Alcohol or Drug Addiction

ContentFor anyone that is addicted to alcohol or drugs the proper type of treatment is needed.Alot of addicts have trouble with the process that a detoxification program requires. When looking for a program it might be a good idea to look for one that has a specialist in the area of alcohol addiction even if the addiction is a harder drug. The reason for this being that if the specialist can not help a person overcome alcohol addiction it is not likely that the specialist can help with anything harder to break. The person with the addiction does however need to want to break free from the addiction.

People will not always be serious about wanting to be rid of the addiction. There are two different types of facilities that are used for addiction treatment. One is residential treatment and the other outpatient. Depending on the severity of the addiction will determine the best method of treatment. It is good to find someone that the addict can connect with on the same level of emotions is important. Commitment to staying sober is a key factor because the entire process is not easy. The way to success is taking one step at a time.

It is important for the addict to have a good support system behind them. A person is free to leave a treatment facility anytime that he or she wants. Usually the ones that fail treatment is the ones that think they can do it by theirself. That is why that it is important to constantly stay in contact with a counselor.

Eventually, if a person does not get any type of treatment for their addiction they will have a breaking point. Most of these people will not want to hear about how the are “labeled” as an addict for life. The person will just need to come to terms with their own behavior and be at peace with themselves.

Filed Under: Addiction Care Programs Tagged With: addiction, Alcoholism, Centers and Counseling Services, Detoxification, Health, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, United States

What is Alcoholics Anonymous about?

Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship of people who readily admit to being alcoholics and who are there to help each other stay sober. It was started in the year 1935 in the United States. Alcoholics Anonymous now consists of an estimated 67,000 local groups and over 1.5 million members in 92 countries. More than 1 million of those members are in the United States. One group is in all but the smallest towns and several groups are in the large cities. A listing of these locations can be found in the telephone directory.

Membership to Alcoholics Anonymous is open to anyone that has a drinking problem and has a desire to become and/or continue to stay sober. There is no fee to become a member of the organization. The organization relies on contributions from the members. Members are of all races, nationalities, and occupations. The members range from people whose health, careers, and relationships have been totally destroyed by alcoholism to those who sought help at an earlier stage of their illness. Alcoholics Anonymous is not affiliated with a sect, political party, institution, or any other organization. It has a policy with other organizations that fight alcoholism.

There are two types of local Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. At a open meeting, which anyone can attend( including members’ families), people describe their lives as alcoholics and the effect the organization has in helping them refrain from drinking. At closed meetings, which only members can attend, new members are asked to describe their drinking problems and the difficulties of abstaining. Other members who have had the same difficulties can suggest methods of staying sober and ways in which other problems can be surmounted. A program for recovery is suggested. Many members find that helping other alcoholics to stay sober is a way to remain sober themselves.

Filed Under: Addiction Care Programs Tagged With: addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholism, Health, Substance abuse, Support group, United States

Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal

ContentAlcohol is a serious problem, both mentally and physically for the alcoholic. The alcoholic becomes dependent on the substance and their body will demand more of it. The withdrawal symptoms from it can last up to a few weeks or only few days. These can be symptoms can be mild or they can be serious enough to lead to death. That is why it is important to have help available that is trained for alcoholism.

This is an excessive problem and it is often repeated. When this substance is abused it can create imaginated effects. There may be a change in the alcoholics mood or personality. It can also bring a change in their appearance or friends. While this is going on outside of the body the inside is changing also. The most common being damage to the liver. Their eyes may look red and skin take on a dry appearance.

These symptoms may be mild or become a threat to the life of the addict. The severity will be based on how long the addiction has been going on and how much the addict consumes. Once the withdrawal symptoms begin they will start to get serious within 2 days and can last up to a few weeks.

Some of the mild symptoms would include,sweats,shakes,nausea,headaches,and anxiety. Within a few hours is when the more serious symptoms start. This will usually include hallucinations. These are visual in nature and most likely involve smells or sounds. This is the time when convulsions or seizures may occur.

In the case of more chronic symptoms, delirium tremens will happen. These will begin within a few days after stopping drinking. When these happen medical personnel have no way that they can stop them. If this is not controlled than it could become fatal for the addict.

Filed Under: Interventions Tagged With: addiction, Alcoholism, Delirium tremens, Health, Substance dependence, Symptom, United States, Withdrawal

Addiction Counselling

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Addiction counseling is almost always necessary to overcome any addiction. Not only is an addiction difficult to overcome physically, but an addict needs to address the mental and psychological issues that may have contributed to the addiction. The recovery process is long and finding a safe environment in which to discuss your issues is paramount.

Many addicts end up with their addictions due to lack of self worth and the inability to practice self love. Addiction counseling will teach addicts how to love themselves because if you don’t love yourself how can you possibly feel you are worth healing?

Some addicts are so enmeshed in a destructive cycle that they forget how to communicate and even how to acknowledge their feelings. An addiction counselor will help you learn to communicate and to address any feelings that you may be unable to articulate. Learning to read feelings is not as simple as telling time on a Philip Stein watch, yet this kind of dialogue is imperative to a successful recovery.

Learning how to live each day without using your addiction as a crutch is a difficult process. However, this must be accomplished in order to totally overcome your addiction. Waking up each morning and feeling full of life and joy rather than unhealthy and depressed is important to an addict’s mental health. A good addiction counselor will equip the addict with the tools needed to learn to enjoy each day to its fullest instead of impatiently waiting for their next score.

An addiction counselor can even address issues on how to physically take care of yourself. Addicts adopt behaviors that are self destructive to their health and so learning something as simple as how to eat properly is a struggle. An addict cannot fully recover without ensuring that he or she is consuming sufficient nutrition in order to have the physical strength to overcome daily struggles.

Filed Under: Holistic Addiction Care Tagged With: Addictions, Health, List of counseling topics, Mental Health, Philip Stein, Sexual addiction, Substance abuse, Substance dependence

Holiday are a Great Time to see if Anyone Needs to Visit Addiction Recovery Programs

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The Holidays can be one of the most joyous times of year as friends and family gather for parties, family functions, and work related get-togethers.

For those suffering with depression or drug addiction problems, it’s also the time when drug use can be extremely prevalent as individuals use drugs to avoid their feelings of pain, loneliness, and perhaps difficult financial situations.
While the holidays are known for bringing families together, they are also a great time to assess whether any family members need help through addiction recovery programs.

The holidays tend to bring families together to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. When the family is all together, it’s a great time to talk about things going on in each other’s lives. Within that context, it’s also a time to notice or hear if anyone in the family is struggling with addiction. With family members in close proximity, old issues or problems tend to rear their ugly heads, and drug-addiction will surface as these difficult memories are revisited.

With the entire family gathered together to celebrate the Holidays, it’s also the perfect time for an intervention to ask and perhaps deal with a family member’s addiction. These interventions can be difficult as the ‘user’ will feel threatened by accusations and the knowledge that someone is trying to take away their crutch.

While the Holidays are known for joyous occasions, they can also be overwhelming for many that are struggling with finances, relationships and life situations. If you suspect a family member has a problem with drug addiction, the Holidays are a great time to assess the depth of the problem, while everyone is home. For more information on signs of drug addiction or steps to intervene, consult your local search engine. It may be difficult, but your family member deserves your concern.

Filed Under: Addiction Care Programs Tagged With: addiction, Alcoholism, Centers and Counseling Services, Family (biology), Health, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, United States

Rehab-International.org: Alcoholism Defined

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The day was unfortunate, stretched across too long hours. You gave yourself to the demands of a career, accepted the burdens of office politics. You excelled at all efforts but the result now is exhaustion. And you wish only to enjoy the quiet, the taste you know so well. A beverage is chosen, finished quickly. The process is never a slow one. You have no use for caution, no seconds to spare. You want only to forget your life; and so you drink again and again. The pattern repeats throughout the night and leaves you broken for the morning.

Alcoholism is among the most familiar of substances abused by the masses (even as many would think this impossible. They deem all brews instead worthy of their time). Too easily does it become an indulgence, attempted often and rarely controlled. The nature of this problem is experienced therefore by many.

Defined simply: this is a disorder of both mind and body. It’s a dependence upon any form of alcohol, with all sips turned into excesses. A tolerance is quickly established, due to the amounts being consumed, and soon an individual will have to drink more and more to receive even minimal effects. This is a disease – despite its origins in poor choices and a lack of control – and can cause many consequences, such as: sexual dysfunction, suicidal thoughts, liver corruption, heart damage and dementia.

It’s the requirement of alcohol to sustain energy or interest throughout the day; and this makes it all too common.

It is also, however, all too curable.

Treatment is available for this disorder. Institutions like Rehab-International.org seek to educate individuals about alcoholism and how it can be countered. Special programs can be joined to find support and information. And the simple act of refusing to drink can leave a person free from illness.

It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle change.

Filed Under: Addiction Rehab Tagged With: Alcoholism, Disease, Drink, Health

How to Intervene: A Guide to Intervention

When you realize someone you love has a problem with addiction, it can be one of the most traumatic experience of your life. As you struggle to come to terms that this loved one has a problem, you try to find out what the best ways of intervening are in this situation. Intervention can potentially save your loved one’s life.

There are many intervention services and resources you can turn to. The Internet is a wealth of information for those who are not sure where to begin but who are trying to figure out how to come to terms with this realization. There are numerous online support groups that can help you, as well as encourage you to help your loved one.

Other great resources are organizations, such as Nar-anon or Alco-non. They have meetings in almost every major and small city around the country. Most chapters allow both addicts and non-addicts to attend meeting regularly. Some separate the addicts from the family members so that each has a support group and can share freely without being intimidated.

Family intervention is usually the first option this is when a family member or a group of family members tries to sit the addict down to discuss the potential problem. This has to be handled very delicately so as not to alienate the addict. Screaming, accusing, and verbal assault will not get the desired results.

Another avenue to explore is mediated intervention. This is when a professional comes into the home to help the family confront the addict and make sure the dialogue does not do more harm than good.

Regardless of how you go about intervening, an intervention is necessary if a life is at stake. The negative repercussion of standing idly by and seeing your loved one deteriorate before your eyes is much more painful than any conversation you may have.

Filed Under: Interventions Tagged With: addiction, Family (biology), Health, Mental Health, Nar-Anon, Psychological trauma, Substance abuse, Support group

Recognizing the symptoms of alcohol abuse

As you know, alcohol is a legal drug although most people do not think of it as a drug. Some people use it to celebrate a grand occasion others choose to drink until they pass out. Today you will learn to recognize the symptoms of alcohol abuse. When people begin to drink alcohol they do not intend to become addicted to it, it happens over a period of time.

The following are symptoms of an alcoholic. First the person begins to avoid family and friends and hide the fact that they are drinking. They have a tendency to drink alone or drink with people who drink as much or more than they do. Some people drink to escape their problems and obviously when they are sober the problem is still there. Depression and drinking go hand in hand as the alcoholic feels as if alcohol deadens the pain so it gives them an excuse to get drunk.

Often alcoholics will lie about how much they had to drink. Again they do not want anyone to know they have a problem with alcohol or are not ready to admit it to themselves. They must have a drink to start the day with before they go to work, and they put alcohol in a cup so no one knows what is in the cup and drink it at work. Most of the time someone will notice changes in the person and eventually they lose their job.

The alcohol abuser drinks more and more to get a high when before one or two drinks would get them a buzz. Despite all of that there are numerous programs available to help the person who is addicted to alcohol. You can not force someone to get help, if they want it they have to ask for it and then the road to recovery can start.

Filed Under: Causes Of Addiction Tagged With: Alcoholism, Drink, Health

Preventing Relapse After Treatment

You or a loved one has just successfully completed drug rehab California-style treatment. The experiences were tough, and yet, you came through them with flying colors. You feel confident that it was all worth it and you are ready to return to your life. However, you really can’t return to your previous lifestyle and the friends with whom you used to do drugs.

Your new goal is to prevent a relapse into drug abuse. While the actual detox and treatment may have been difficult, the hardest part is yet to come. Treatment programs are usually designed to get you through a short period of time during which you quit using drugs. However, the subsequent weeks can be filled with confusion and depression that can trigger a relapse. Remember that relapses can occur a long time, even years, after treatment is completed. Unfortunately, statistics show that the likelihood of a relapse is very high.

Relapse can occur because something prompts the former abuser to want to turn to drugs again. Abusers call them triggers. They’re smells, people, and images that can make a person want to do drugs. For example, seeing images of drugs in the media can be a trigger. These triggers are difficult to resist so the abuser tries to avoid them.

Friends, however, are the most significant trigger. Again, the person must avoid his or her former friends who were involved with drugs. This can be especially difficult if these are friends the abuser has known for a long time. Obviously, avoiding drug dealers is a very important step in relapse prevention.

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime can also help prevent a relapse. These things will help reduce depression, reinforce a positive attitude, and provide overall good health. Therapy sessions with a mental health professional can also be very beneficial. Twelve-step programs are also a good deterrent.

Filed Under: Interventions Tagged With: California, Health, Substance abuse