Posts Tagged ‘addiction’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Detox From Oxycodone in South Florida

June 29th, 2011

Oxycodone dependence or addiction comes with very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you do not take your next pill as the first one wears off. One misconception is that people are using Oxycodone to get high, when in fact this is not the case. The drug Oxycodone is prescribed to treat pain, but it does have an addictive nature. The fact is, Oxycodone is an opioid. It is combined from a derivative of opium, though it is not like heroin or morphine. In South Florida, addiction or dependence to Oxycodone is very common. It usually starts with an addiction to the medication and progresses to obsession or a compulsion to take the pill when it is not needed. The person’s life can turn into an entire preoccupation with finding anyway possible to get the drug.

Here in South Florida, detox from Oxycodone usually happens when addicts start to go beyond normal bounds to obtain the drug – even to the point of stealing or doing other illegal activity such as prescription fraud. The fact of the matter is that Oxycodone is a highly addictive substance that requires help to stop using it.

How Addiction to Oxycodone Can Happen

Addiction to Oxycodone can usually happen when people who are prescribed to use it end up using too much of it or when it’s no longer needed at all. If you take too much or if you take it too long, it is very easy to gain a dependency on it – especially when the doctor is not really paying attention and continues to prescribe refills. Again, this happens all to often in South Florida due to the abundance of pain clinics. It also has to do with proper patient education; informing patients how important it is to take the medication only as prescribed to prevent the addiction that can happen all too easily.

In all honesty, there seems to be a breakdown between doctors and patients in that many doctors do not realize how easy it is for Oxycodone to become an addiction – even for people who are not really prone to such behavior. Prescription drug dependency can happen to anyone, and it does require a detox and treatment to stop.

Getting Detox Treatment for Oxycodone in South Florida

There are many drug rehab facilities in South Florida that offer detox programs. They can last for as little as three days or sometimes up to a week. If an addiction is severe, the addict may need to try a residential treatment or an outpatient treatment as a follow up to ensure they remain drug free and do not fall into a relapse. Be sure to discuss your treatment plan in detail with an addiction specialist to get into a program that is right for your needs.

We Can Help! Call Us Today at (888) 842-3167 for your Free Confidential Assessment for detox from Oxycodone in South Florida

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

How to Avoid Suboxone Withdrawals

June 22nd, 2011

Suboxone is a medication which is used to treat opiate addiction such as those who are heroin users. Unfortunately, while it does help drug addicts to stop using illegal drugs, it too can cause drug dependence if not taken properly. What this means to an addict is that if you discontinue using Suboxone too quickly, it is highly likely that withdrawal symptoms could just like from any other opiate. Suboxone is not a medication that should be used occasionally or as one feels it is needed in order to not use the original drug of choice. It is super important to not stop using Suboxone unless you have first discussed how to do so with your physician. Your doctor will need to gradually decrease the dose of the Suboxone in order to minimize or altogether avoid withdrawal symptoms.

If it comes down to an emergency situation and you end up in medical clinic or something more serious, you will need to instruct your family members (if you can’t tell them yourself) to tell the facility staff that you are prescribed Suboxone and that you are doing so for addiction to opioids. This can help them come up with a treatment plan to help you a lot faster than if they have no idea what is going on.

What are Withdrawals from Suboxone Like?

Just like other opiates, the withdrawals are very unpleasant. They may include nausea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia and anxiety. Some patients may even feel physical pain. It seems as if the key to avoid the withdrawals is to follow your doctor’s plan exactly, not take too much and then suddenly stop taking it without your doctor’s supervision.

Medications like Suboxone or methadone are solely intended to keep drug addicts who are addicted to opiates from using illegal drugs while trying to get off of opioids completely in the long run. They aren’t to really be used as a substitute for getting high, they simply help addicts feel well and avoid withdrawal symptoms from other drugs as they try to get clean.

Avoiding Suboxone Withdrawals

Because Suboxone is a replacement therapy that can be used to detox and for a maintenance program, going cold turkey when you “think” you are feeling better is not recommended. In some cases it can cause addiction, although not as severe as addiction to harder drugs. Your best bet is to take it once a day as prescribed at the same time everyday and then wean off of it at your doctor’s recommendation.

We Can Help! Call Us Today at (888) 842-3167 for your Free Confidential Assessment for Drug Rehab

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

Are All Drug Addicts Homeless?

June 17th, 2011

Homelessness amongst Drug Addicts

The correlation between homelessness and drug addiction is a controversial topic that many can not agree upon. Of course, if you are taking a look solely at the homeless population, you will see there is a high number of them who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Further looking into the subject however, the addiction can not always explain the reason for the fact that the person has lost everything – and some of the homeless do not even try drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with their problems until they are already in a homeless situation. The truth of the matter is that the majority of those who are addicted to alcohol or drugs never hit a point where they are homeless. The addicts who are most at risk, which should be common sense, are those who are poor to begin with. Clearly if you do not have a lot of money, and you choose to spend what you do have to support your addiction, it is much easier to lose your home to your addiction and end up on the streets.

When you think about the homeless, who are they? Records show that the majority of them are made up of mostly men, ages 18 to 35 and women ages 16 to 30 who are single parents. Many of them are minorities and local to the area where they grew up – not exactly the transients that people think they are. Also surprisingly, the majority of them have been on the streets for less than a year. Today’s homeless people are a diverse mixture of emotionally dysfunctional and mentally ill, some who are even at risk in a medical way with diseases such as AIDS or HIV. Some of them are actually drug and alcohol addicts who are dependent on a plethora of different substances. Statistics show that the number one cause of homelessness is mental illness. With all of this information, you can clearly see that there are just as many reasons that people end up homeless as there are homeless people living on the streets.

Research among the homeless shows that about two-thirds of them struggle with alcoholism and about half of homeless adults are dealing with a drug addiction in some form or another. Additionally, about a third of homeless adults suffer from severe psychiatric disorders, many of whom are dually diagnosed – that is – struggling with addiction and mental disorders at the same time.

At the end of the day, what people label as homelessness can really be described as a total alienation from human relationships and the support systems that most people can maintain. If they are addicts in addiction to being homeless, more than likely their relationships with family and friends were already dysfunctional. Broken homes and dysfunctional families are some of the root causes of those who become homeless – and it does not always have to do with drug or alcohol addiction.

We Can Help! Call Us Today at (888) 842-3167 for your Free Confidential Assessment for Drug Rehab

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

What Rehab Centers Do For Alcoholism

June 16th, 2011

You may be wondering what to expect when you have decided to enter into an alcohol treatment center. If this will be your first time, you may even have some misinformation that should be cleared up as to what happens or not during your stay at a residential treatment center. One of the first things you should know is that you are not a prisoner. The doors are not locked and you are able to leave at anytime you wish. You are there voluntarily under all circumstances. No matter if you have been sentenced to take the program by the criminal justice system, you do still have 100% power to walk out if you so choose. Of course, that scenario does come with consequences, but you are free to leave as you wish. This is because unless you are a willing participant, an alcohol rehab center will not work for you – plain and simple. If you know that when you leave you plan to use alcohol again, you are wasting your time, effort, and money by being there in the first place. You have to be committed to quitting. When or if you decide to stick it out, here are a few things you can expect:

Your Detox Period

You will probably find that many in-patient or residential alcohol rehab centers host their own detox program in-house. Others expect you to complete a detox program before entering their facility at a different location. What this means to the patient is that getting clean and sober prior to entry can be a requirement. This is because the withdrawal process that happens during detox more than likely will need specialized care and treatment. The detox period can usually be completed in about five to seven days.

The Treatment Centers

Each alcohol treatment center is different, but they ultimately offer the same goal – for their patients to get to a point where they can live a clean and sober life without relapses. There are a variety of centers – ranging anywhere from a camp like setting to the most luxurious resort style rehab you could imagine (think Ritz Carlton for alcoholics and drug addicts only). There are also specific facilities that deal just with teens. As you could probably guess, you do get what you pay for or what your insurance decides to cover. The looks of the facility really have nothing to do whatsoever if that is right for you or if you will end up living sober.

The Learning Process

Believe it or not, what you learn in the program – the very education – is right at the heart of a component treatment and rehabilitation program. The type of education may differ from center to center, but in general, the whole education process will teach addicts to take a good honest look at their addiction in the most raw and honest way so that reality can set in. This can give you the tools you need to change your outlook and attitude about getting sober and getting your life back in order.

Counseling, Group Therapy, and Family Meetings

You will be scheduled for individual counseling that will occur with an addictions counselor. You will also likely participate in daily group therapy meetings with others at the facility who are in the same boat. This helps you to learn a lot about yourself and what triggers you to use. What these sessions will teach you are the skills that you need to survive in the outside world as a sober person. You will be given the tools to recognize what triggers your addiction and how to cope with them before you reach for that drug or drink. If at all possible, you should avoid those situations. Coping skills are a large part of your treatment in a rehab center. When you attend group sessions, you are able to seek the support of others who have had similar experiences. Some of these group meetings are based on the 12 step method and will often be facilitated by the staff members.

Family Involvement

Some of the most successful rehab centers will include family members as part of your treatment. This is to also educate them on the basics of your addiction and what your treatment program is like. When you family learns what this is like for the addict, they can help as much as they can during the rehab process and through the aftercare process to help ensure a successful outcome. During these meetings, your family will learn the ins and outs of addiction and ways to encourage your recovery. They will also learn their own coping skills to begin to heal their own wounds from how they have themselves been affected.

Aftercare and Follow-Up

Most rehab centers will offer 28 day programs, sometimes longer if necessary. After the initial treatment is over, the addict will have to leave the facility and attempt a drug free live on his or her own. Strong aftercare programs are the key to prevent relapses during the journey to a full recovery.

We Can Help! Call Us Today at (888) 842-3167 for your Free Confidential Assessment

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

10 Types of Addiction That Are Addressed in Addiction Treatment

June 14th, 2011

Addiction treatment is not just for alcohol and drugs. People can be prone to addiction to many other things that would require a treatment program in order to stop. Ten types of addiction that you can easily find treatment programs for include:

Drugs or Alcohol Addiction and Treatment

Obviously, drug rehabs exist to help people get over their addiction to drugs and alcohol. In addition to twelve-step programs, there are various types of treatment programs that will help address an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Gambling Addiction and Treatment

Gambling addiction can devastate a person’s life and family just as quickly as any other addiction. Everything can be lost on one roll of the dice, every gambler knows this well. There are many programs available to help with gambling addiction that can truly pay off more than any bet.

Sex or Porn Addiction and Treatment

Sex addiction can threaten a marriage or family and ruin many lives. It is an addiction that many try to hide due to its very nature, so getting someone to seek treatment may be more complicated. Same goes for a porn addiction, as many are ashamed and would rather keep their behavior a secret. Addiction treatment is prevalently available, and it’s confidential & anonymous.

Food Addiction and Treatment

A food addiction is nothing to take lightly, as someone’s health can become a great risk. Obesity and over-eating are leading causes of health failure and diseases such as diabetes and heart problems; many people have died from both. Those who need to seek help from a food addiction can do so as soon as they are ready to take the first step.

Love Addiction and Treatment

Love addiction or relationship addiction can lead to obsessive behavior that is detrimental to all involved. This type of addiction has the ability to consume a person’s life but it can be overcome in a supportive therapy program for addiction, or even a twelve-step program. Love or relationship sobriety can be a challenge, but not an impossible one.

Shopping Addiction and Treatment

Definitely not a laughing matter, especially when a shopping addiction threatens to ruin a person or family’s financial security or when hoarding is involved. While not traditionally thought of as an addictive thing, shopping can produce a high that is felt just as strongly as any other drug when a purchase is made. All too quickly the high fades and the addict is back to shopping and spending money they don’t have on something they don’t need. Professional counseling in an addiction treatment program can salvage what seems like a problem as big as a black hole and help is just a phone call away.

Internet Addiction and Treatment

Most people use the internet on a daily basis, sometimes for hours at a time. So what dictates an internet addiction? When it comes down to it, the internet is a way to be very productive and to communicate at the speed of light. If internet use becomes a time waster and begins to consume all of your free time and is interfering with your personal or professional life – you may be addicted. It may be time you stopped losing track of your time while online and seek help through an available internet addiction treatment program.

Video Games Addiction and Treatment

This addiction often starts at a young age when parents use television and video games as babysitters instead of spending quality time with their children. Video game addiction can stretch out into adulthood and cause problems with the person’s social life and even their professional life. This impulse control disorder can be treated with the proper addiction treatment program that helps the addict find other ways to fill his or her time and to help them lead more full and satisfying lives.

Whatever addiction you suffer from, there is a treatment program that can help. Never feel like you are alone; there are so many who are literally in the same boat as you. Just reach out and you will find a treatment program that suits your needs.

We Can Help! Call Us Today at (888) 842-3167 for your Free Confidential Assessment

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

Alcohol Addicts And Alcohol Treatment

June 14th, 2010

Drinking is such a common everyday activity that you may not notice when you cross the line that defines you as an alcohol addict who is in need of alcohol treatment.  When you realise that you rely on alcohol to function both physically and mentally, then you have become an alcohol addict.  Alcohol treatment therefore aims to eliminate your dependency on alcohol.

Alcohol addiction exposes you to health, social and drug problems.  You may develop liver, kidney and heart complications which may be fatal.  You become socially challenged as your personal relationships, performance at work and school suffer; and you even run into problems with the law.  As an alcohol addict, you are also in danger of developing drug addiction.

The following reasons may drive you to become an alcohol addict:

1. Genetic predisposition

If you have a history of alcoholism in your family line, then you are genetically predisposed to developing an addiction to alcohol; this is also dependent on your upbringing, social environment and emotional health.

2. Painful memories

You may consume alcohol excessively to supress painful events you may have experienced.

3. State of mind

If you are suffering from mental illness such as depression and panic attacks; and you are using alcohol to self medicate, you are at a risk of developing alcoholism.

4. Peer pressure

If the company you keep indulges in excessive drinking, you may develop an addiction.

The length of an alcohol treatment program will depend on the severity of your alcohol addiction.  You will go through the following basic steps in most alcohol treatment prorams, that will put you on the track to sobriety:

  1. Detoxification
  2. Counselling
  3. Aftercare

Physical dependence on alcohol is addressed by detoxification which aims to cleanse your body off the toxins that have build up due to alcohol consumption.  This process results in extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and is therefore carried out by medical professionals and cousellors to make it safe and bearable.

Psychological dependence is addressed by counselling.For this to be effective you must be completely open and honest during therapy sessions.  This is the only way that the cousellor will determine the root cause of your alcohol addiction, and help you deal with it.  Individual counselling will help you confront your past issues and develop better coping skills.  Group sessions are also offered, where you will meet recovering addicts like yourself.  This is a great forum to share experiences and develop a support network.

Aftercare will help you keep on the right track, to avoid relapse.  You need to surround yourself with people who understand what you are going through as a recovering addict.  It is therefore important that you continue therapy, attend your weekly support group meetings and strictly follow the relapse prevention program that you were taken through by your counsellors.

The most crucial time after completing your alcohol treatment program are the first few months.  But, remember, the battle against alcohol addiction is a life long commitment and you will always need your support system to ensure that you remain sober.

If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol addiction or finding an alcohol treatment center, please call our toll free confidential hotline at (888) 842-3167 .  We’re here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

Conquering Drug Addiction the Rehab Way

June 14th, 2010

The effects of drug use to physical and mental health are obviously detrimental. Drug use also brings financial and legal problems. Joining a drug rehab is one possible way to rid oneself of the drug problems. Drug rehab are available in multitudes in any country and they offer varied medical treatment options and other approaches to facilitate your total recovery from drug addiction. Below are the methods employed by rehabs to aid in recovering from substance addiction.

  • Twelve step program

This program is used by Drug rehab to help victims of drug abuse regain soberness and strength and subsequently lead a drug free life.  In this approach drug addicts are taken on a self realization process. What is involved in this process is admitting past errors and examining them and finally admitting that one has no control over the addiction but has merely to be guided out of it. This process involves humility to God and asking for guidance from him in the drug conquest process. God is the only power to guide and make you conquer addiction. The twelve step process does involve lots of prayer and meditation.  The spiritual awakening gained from this process will help one be able to soberly conduct all his/her life’s affairs after the rehab in a sober way.

  • Pharmaceutical therapies

Drug rehab do employ the use of various pharmaceutical products to help rid addicts of the addiction problem. Methadone, Buprenorphine and Ibogaine are popular pharmaceutical medicines on this concern. Tapering sedatives are also medicines used to overcome addiction to sedatives. It should also be noted that there are various medical therapies that will help one conquer addiction. This includes replacement therapy. Many pharmaceutical companies are currently developing drugs to help in overcoming addiction.  All pharmaceutical drugs should be taken on the administration of a doctor.

  • Behavior model of addiction

This is a situation where drug rehabs approach the whole issue of your addiction to drugs as a bad behavior rather than a sickness.  Thus the whole structure of therapies and counseling carried out on you will be to aid you in behavioral change. The therapies can be called behavioral change therapies.  This method is better than the disease model of addiction where a drug addict is taken as someone sick. This method will leave you feeling worthless and hopeless and will do less to help you conquer addictions.  Whereas the disease model renders you powerless over your addiction problem the behavior model gives you control over your problem.

  • Guidance and Counseling

Guidance practitioners are normally employed by drug rehabs to guide addicts out of drug addiction. The process of overcoming drugs needs sufficient guidance from someone knowledgeable and well versed on drug conquering mechanisms.

Counseling is also of vital importance. The twelve step program involves lots of spiritual counseling which has been attributed to its success. Counseling on psychological and physical matters is also needed because life involves three elements: the body, mind and the soul.

Drug addiction is easily conquered in a drug rehab. Drug rehabs approach to conquering drug issues involves relevant therapies, treatments and programs  which have worked for many and will work for you.

If you or someone you know needs help with addiction treatment or finding an drug rehab center, please call our toll free confidential hotline at (888) 842-3167 .  We’re here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

Tiger Woods Sex Addiction Treatment ?

January 14th, 2010

Yes, Sex Addiction is real.  And now according to the LA Times, Tiger Woods enters in to sex addiction treatment.

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

LA Times breaks story about Mark McGwire’s Steroid Addiction

January 11th, 2010

Mark McGwire admits to using steroids

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags:

Xanax Addiction and Dependency Help

October 2nd, 2009

Xanax and other benzodiazepines can become addicting if the medications are abused or prescribed for a long period of time. Addiction occurs when an individual takes over the prescribed dosage and use other methods, such as inhaling or “snorting” the crushed pills or even using syringes to inject the drug, into a vein in the body, once melted down.  Patients who adhere to their correct dosages but receive prescriptions over an extended amount of time can develop what is known as chemical dependency.

Whether an individual is addicted or dependent to Xanax, they will still both experience the same uncomfortable physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms if they do not have access to Xanax or other “Benzos” over a period of time. These symptoms can include nausea, headache, anxiety, irritability, and disturbance in sleeping patterns. Running out of your prescription too early to get it filled again is very good indication that you may be facing addiction. You will want to find a rehabilitation treatment center that includes the appropriate care for addiction to benzodiazepines.

You will find variations in the rehabilitation programs that are offered for addiction treatment when in comparison to the methods used for problems stemming from dependency. In-patient rehabilitation facilities are usually found to be more appropriate and beneficial to those suffering from an addiction to Xanax. Addiction is most often only one of multiple co-occurring disorders. Treatment will be tailored to fit each individual’s needs.  Out-patient counseling is used as form of follow-up treatment after the completion of an in-patient program. It also used for those who are suffering from dependency as their only disorder.

Of course the first obstacle will be admitting there is a problem and Xanax abuse or extended usage has now become an addiction to prescription drugs. There will be every reason in the world why it is alright to be taking the medication in the first place. If you know someone you care about that is addicted to Xanax and cannot reason with them then you may want to try a family intervention. Do not use accusing words or try bullying them into receiving treatment for their problem. First let them know that they are loved and you are concerned for their wellbeing. If you cannot gain their trust then it will be very hard to get them to listen to what you have to say or even furthermore, to confide in you. Be sure to assure this person that you will be there to support them through the process of ending their addiction to Xanax. If you succeed in getting through to them, you may just save their life.

Free confidential helpline for Xanax addiction and treatment / counseling:  (888) 842-3167

Comments Off »

Posted in Alcohol Treatment Drug Rehab

Tags: