Centers and Counseling Services

Life after Drug or Alcohol Rehabilitation

Completing a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program literally gives a person an opportunity to start his life over again. However, once the rehabilitation program has ended, there are several steps the person must take in order to get his life in order. These steps are necessary in order to allow one to continue in a successful rehabilitation process as well as prevent or reduce the opportunity for a relapse to occur.

The most important ones are finding a place to live and finding a job. There are many resources and agencies which can help with both of these.

However, during the job search, a person may discover that a college is necessary or at the very least gives one a distinct advantage in obtaining a job. Because of this, many people who have finished rehabilitation may feel that their opportunities for going back to school may be limited, if they even exist at all.

This is not true. Resources such as earnmydegree.com provide information on going back to school through online programs that can be tailored to one’s needs and schedule. This allows a person to work and support himself while attending school, something that might not be possible or as easy with attendance at a traditional college or university.

Besides offering more opportunities in the job market, going back to school online also has other benefits. Taking the initiative to return to school through programs offered through earnmydegree.com or other resources helps prove to the person as well as others that he is willing to take on responsibilities.

Further, taking online classes will give a person other things to focus on. Not only does this help with preventing or diminishing relapse possibilities, but it also lets the person and others know that he is interested in bettering himself, thus once again becoming a productive member of society. Earnmydegree.com wants to provide one means of directing one’s focus towards something positive.

Filed Under: Substance Abuse Recovery Tagged With: Addiction Psychiatry, Addictions, Centers and Counseling Services, Los Angeles, Phil McGraw, Professions In Addiction, Substance abuse, Ted Williams

Avoiding Relapse With LaPalomaTreatment.com

As much as we would like to think that once we kick the addiction, we have overcome it for good, there are always opportunities where relapse or recurrence may result from our behaviors or our encounters. The holidays, for example, are a period of time that can unfortunately seem to drive many people back into their old habits, habits that cause them to self medicate, or otherwise to turn to drugs. Unfortunately, if you have dealt with addiction in the past, then a single taste can overwhelm you quickly, causing you to escalate back into a drug addicted state.

You may have overcome your addiction in the past, but that does not automatically mean that you are immune from the possibility of relapse. As such, it is important for you to consider potential triggers that would cause you to turn back to your old lifestyle, old habits and your issues with addiction. The holidays are a common trigger, potentially creating instances where someone who is recovering may want to relapse. It is important to consider the options that are available when you feel a relapse coming on, such as contacting someone at LaPalomaTreatment.com for help.

The right support is capable of helping you to avoid the potential for relapse. If you feel yourself slipping in any way, shape or form, then it is vitally essential that you seek help from trained professionals. Trained professionals in the rehab industry will help you find lifestyle changes and smart systems for getting through the holidays without turning to drugs and alcohol in the process. All it takes is the right level of support from individuals with training and expertise in drug addiction recovery, and you will find yourself feeling stronger and more capable than ever in your fight against addiction.

Filed Under: Relapse Tagged With: Addiction And Recovery, Alcoholism, Centers and Counseling Services, Professions In Addiction, Relapse, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, United States

Help For High-functioning Addicts

A high-functioning addict keeps their job, home, and maintains family life and friendships, all while drinking or using drugs excessively. These individuals have a serious disease—the very same physical disorder—as a so-called ‘skid row’ junkie, but because they never received a diagnosis, they often fall through the cracks. They don’t seek or receive much-needed treatments and support, and left untreated—even if seemingly well-managed, any addiction will eventually wreak havoc, and their lives will eventually be affected.

The biggest obstacle to treatment is denial. Most high-functioning addicts do not believe they have a problem, when in reality they have a serious disease. Their ability to maintain normalcy in their lives leads them, and others around them, to believe that they have everything under control. If they admit to having a problem at all, they can pass it off as early stages of addiction, and convince themselves and others that they can quit whenever they want. Many use their accomplishments, status, impressive salary or reputation as proof that all is well.

Even the sturdiest of facades begins to crumble over time, and things come tumbling down. Some high-functioning addicts will seek help on their own once their suffering becomes to much to bear, or are motivated by an isolated and often tragic event that brings their dependencies into the spotlight. Whether it’s losing their job, a spouse, compromised relationships with friends and family members, or legal issues, it’s just a matter of time before the consequences of years of excessive drinking or drug abuse will be felt.

High-functioning addicts are potentially more of a danger to themselves than other addicts because of this delay in treatment. It will typically take a tragedy to show the person that they really need help. But it’s also true that the family, friends and coworkers closest to the addict are already aware of a problem, and it is extremely important for these people to stage an intervention before it’s too late. It is recommended that a professional addictions counselor or interventionist be invlved, as the addict will likely be in denial about their problem and need for treatment.

Filed Under: Support Tagged With: Centers and Counseling Services

The Addiction Difference Between Men and Women

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In most instances, comparing men and women is like comparing apples and oranges. The biological, psychological, and emotional characteristics that define each sex are incomparable, and scientific studies are recognizing the dichotomy. In a review of substance abuse literature published from 1975 to 2005, researchers found that 90% of the articles that took gender into consideration were published in the past 15 years.

Gender-aware studies have greatly impacted the clinical sector of substance abuse treatments. There are now women-specific programs and support groups, and the proliferation of research has provided insight into the addiction differences between men and women.

While studies show that men are still more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol (except for prescription drugs, where female use approaches that of men), recent findings suggest that women advance more quickly than men from first use to regular use to dependency and first treatment. Despite fewer years of use and overall smaller quantities of drugs or alcohol, the severity of women’s symptoms is typically equal to their male counterparts. In addition, females tend to experience a greater number of adverse medical, psychiatric, social consequences than men, a phenomenon known as ‘telescoping’. Biological and psychological factors can be attributed to this difference.

Many factors influence women’s substance abuse, and a good number of them are social. Alcoholic women are more likely than alcoholic men to have a familial role model or a spouse who is also dependent on alcohol or drugs. Women also cite stressful life experiences and personal trauma including sexual violence, especially as a child, as a reason for drug and alcohol use. Statistically speaking, on a global scale, more women between the ages of 15-44 experience physical and sexual violence resulting in death or mutilation than do cancer, road accidents, malaria and war combined. It’s possible that drug use among women has become a coping mechanism.

Increased substance abuse among females has indirectly resulted in a rise in HIV, other STDs, unwanted pregnancies and prostitution. Treatment centers are tailoring their programs and services to accommodate this shift, thanks in part to relevant studies and data available to guide them.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Alcoholism, Centers and Counseling Services, Research

Substance abuse and the common symptoms related to it

The identification of symptoms in a person who is involved in substance abuse is very important to be able to rehab the person. Addiction to various substances can be easily identified if adequate care is taken to observe the person. There are many symptoms that are related to substance abuse and all the symptoms may not be seen in the same person. Some may exhibit only one of the symptoms, while another person may exhibit more than one symptom.

The main signs by which a substance abuser can be identified are that the person will not become involved in activities that he or she used to love. This could be a particular hobby or any other activity like gardening. A student may become distracted and the grades may fall. Some people who substance abuse may become aggressive or get irritated with the slightest provocation.

Other signs may include the fact that the person may start lying more and avoid work. People who are involved in substance abuse may also commonly be involved in stealing money and other valuables from the home or the office. Close observation of a person will help to identify these changes and may help to identify substance abuse.

There are other methods that can also help to identify such people and they include the fact that they will be involved in some criminal or anti social activity. They may start spending more and more time at bars and other hangouts with other people who are also involved in substance abuse. As a person gets used to a particular drug, he may want to use another one that will give a better “high” than the previous one.

Once such behavior is identified in a person, it is a sure sign of substance abuse and immediate treatment and care is needed to help the person to overcome the problem. Group therapy is one of the best methods of overcoming substance abuse because the members of the group will be able to help and support each other in overcoming the problem.

Filed Under: General Rehab & Addiction Tagged With: Addiction And Recovery, Centers and Counseling Services, Professions In Addiction, Substance abuse

Alcohol treatment center

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Over 2 billion people around the world drink alcohol, so it isn’t surprising that many people become addicted to alcohol. Alcohol addiction can be caused by several factors: genetic tendencies to addiction, mental problems, and social behaviors of the people around the user. Many individuals who become alcoholics can trace a connection back in their family lineage to another member of the family who struggled with the same addiction.

It is also “easier” to become an alcoholic when surrounded by an enabling environment such as friends or family members who consistently use alcohol as a means to cope with problems, relax, etc. Alcohol is also considered by some to be a gateway drug, since it is easy to obtain and legal to purchase. Eventually, it may lead to the use of other, stronger substances when the alcohol is simply no longer giving the user the same “buzz”. So it is easy to see why people become addicted; however, there is a way to treat this addiction.

An alcohol treatment center is a place for treatment. They are available around the country, and many offer levels of treatment based on the intensity of the addiction. Some alcoholics may not see their use of alcohol as a problem, since alcohol is a legal substance and may be considered socially acceptable in some circles. However, any time a substance begins to affect a person’s daily life: school or work attendance, job/task performance, or when a person feels unable to cope with daily life without the use of alcohol. These centers provide comprehensive care through counseling sessions, both one-on-one with a psychologist or psychiatrist, as well as sessions with other patients in the facility. Exercise and meditation are also often used to combine physical wellness with emotional wellness through the tough process of becoming sober from the abuse of alcohol.

Filed Under: Substance Abuse Treatment Tagged With: Addiction And Recovery, Centers and Counseling Services, Drug addiction, Substance abuse