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Can I Overdose on Weed?

October 5th, 2011

Weed is a very commonly used recreational drug – not just in the United States but all over the world. Weed is both eaten and smoked by those who use it and the effects usually last for several hours but can vary based on the potency. Many people who use marijuana want to know if overdose on weed can actually happen. Contrary to popular belief – the answer is yes. Weed overdose happens if an individual smokes or eats too much of the drug. A weed overdoes may result in symptoms such as paranoia or fear, vomiting or nausea, disorientation and sometimes hallucinations along with a rapid heartbeat. Overdosing on weed is not fatal, but the symptoms are certainly very unpleasant for the person experiencing them.

Signs of Weed Overdose

If you are looking for signs that someone may have overdosed on weed, you should look for dilated pupils or unresponsiveness. When a weed overdose is particularly severe, the person may experience a panic attack that is accompanied by trouble breathing and feelings of intense paranoia. For those who have experienced an overdose on weed, they may notice that the effects of the drug last longer than usual – sometimes into the next day. They may experience feelings similar to an alcohol hangover as well.

Overdose on weed is actually more likely to happen with hashish, the concentrated form of the THC. Hashish is known to produce psychedelic effects and can cause accidental overdose if too much of the drug is eaten.

Seeking Treatment for Weed Overdose

It may be necessary to get medical attention if you experience a weed overdose, especially if you know or suspect that it was combined with other drugs. If weed is laced with or combined with certain other drugs, the effects of it can be magnified and be potentially dangerous to the user.

It may seem strange to seek treatment for drug addiction when the drug of choice is weed – but it can be a dangerous addiction nonetheless. Continuous use of marijuana can lead to further drug use or other problems in life such as ruined relationships, job loss, financial problems and the inability to deal with normal emotions. If you are addicted to weed or know someone that is and it is to the point where it is affecting normal activities, seeking treatment may be the best option.

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How Long Is The Stay at a Drug Addiction Treatment Center?

September 12th, 2011

If you or a loved one is getting ready to seek drug addiction treatment, you may be wondering how long the stay will be. There are many different answers to that question and it depends on many different factors. If you are just going to do detox at a drug treatment center while under medical supervision, it can be as little as three days or up to a week – but it is advisable to seek further treatment after the detox period is over. A short term stay works well for those who have never been to rehab before or who are very serious about getting better. Sober living arrangements can be made for when drug treatment is over. A longer term stay may be needed for someone who has a long history of drug use and who may have been incarcerated multiple times on drug charges.

Using Health Insurance to Pay for Drug Addiction Treatment

In the cases where health insurance will be used to pay for one’s stay at a drug rehab, whether in part or in full, the length of time that the person will be able to stay is a set amount of time based on the individual’s coverage levels. The usual stay with health insurance is 28 days, but other health insurance policies will approve thirty, sixty, or ninety days in some cases.

Paying Out of Pocket for Drug Addiction Treatment

If you will be paying out of pocket for treatment then the length of your stay will usually be at least 28 days but could be longer if you are able to afford a longer stay. Some people have been known to stay up to a year if they feel they need more time to beat their addiction.

The bottom line is that drug treatment can last as long as necessary to ensure the person is ready to face the world sober. There are many challenges a person in recovery must face when treatment is over and they must learn to navigate their world in a whole new way – as a sober person. They may have to make new friends and even ex-communicate themselves from very dear loved ones if they are a trigger to their addiction. Everyone’s situation is different; therefore, the amount of time spent in drug addiction treatment may be different as well.

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Why Should I Go To a Sober Living Facility After Drug and Alcohol Treatment?

August 23rd, 2011

Since sober living facilities have been around, they have given individuals in recovery a place to call home while they work towards getting their lives back together. A sober living home can will vary from place to place as to what it looks like, as they are in very different communities all over the nation. Their goal is to help recovering addicts transition into a sober life and to help them succeed in their sobriety with a supportive structure.

Sober living facilities make a commitment to help individuals who’ve completed treatment from drug and alcohol addiction treatment successfully. Instead of going directly back home after drug treatment, sober living homes offer residents a stable home where recovering addicts are able to build on what they learned in treatment and learn to live a sober life in the real world. Recovering addicts practice coping skills, make new sober friends, and get support from on-site staff. Adjusting to sobriety is much easier with this type of transition.

Patients who’ve successfully finished a stint at drug or alcohol rehab do require a safe place to live afterwards, and a sober living facility is just the place to go. These types of facilities have a melting pot of different types of people who are all in recovery and in a similar situation. Few sober living homes allow males and females to live together, while the majorities are gender specific for either men or women only. Additionally, sober living facilities touch on many different but important elements that help the individual’s journey for long-term addiction recovery.

In the first place, sober living homes offer a slow transition from the very set structure of inpatient drug and alcohol treatment into a home that is less structured but still has staff support. This means recovering addicts can truly ease back into the mainstream life and soon back into the real world as a sober person. Sober living facilities are non-threatening and overall a safe experience for those who need the support.

Secondly, a sober living facility caters to residents with both emotional and psychological support. The residents live alongside many others who are dealing with the same problems and are trying to overcome the same obstacles. This gives those who choose to live there a form of camaraderie and acts as a form of encouragement to help prevent relapse during the most trying period. Having newly sober friends who can relate as opposed to going straight home into an environment where people are still drinking or getting high gives the person a much better chance to remain sober long-term as these relationships can help strengthen the individual.

Lastly, sober living facilities provide accountability. There are rules and regulations which must be followed so that those in recovery learn accountability for their actions.

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How Long Does Alcohol Detox Take?

August 21st, 2011

When an alcoholic goes into a rehabilitation or treatment center, detoxification will just be the beginning of a longer process. The detox process entails a cleansing of one’s system to remove all traces of alcohol. Generally, it will take around 7-10 days for most people but it also depends on how long and how much a person was drinking. During detox, there will likely be multiple symptoms a person will experience which are known as withdrawal symptoms. How bad these symptoms are will depend on the severity of the person’s addiction. The feelings can range from mild headaches to nausea and shaking & sweating or worse.

When detox is over, the really tough part begins. Because detox is just the first step, the next part is getting treatment. If you are going to inpatient rehabilitation, your stay can last up to 45 days. Detox will take away the body’s physical dependence on alcohol, but an alcoholic must also work through the psychological aspects of addiction as well. The person has to learn what things trigger their want for alcohol and learn how to cope and handle stress in other ways besides drinking. This is because even though detox removes alcohol from the body, the desire to drink alcohol will still remain.

After detox, a person with an alcohol dependency should also seek therapy. The person will need to learn what his or her strengths are which will help them fight their urge to drink alcohol. In order to face every day life again in a normal way and to function in the real world, there is a lot of work to be done. An alcoholic has to make many changes in order to avoid relapse, including finding new hobbies and friends who will be more in line with their goal to remain sober.

If an alcoholic does relapse, it isn’t that detox was not successful. It means that a psychological aspect of their addiction was not addressed and worked out to a point that the person could cope without drinking. If there is a relapse, detox must be done all over again. A second detox may not be as difficult as the first one however it still may take about the same amount of time. Detox is a very necessary part of getting sober and unless the person goes through the process, he or she will not really learn how to abstain from alcohol. Having willpower is not enough for some addicts which is the reason that inpatient treatment is often more successful than outpatient alcohol treatment. The inpatient treatment center provides a safe place, experienced staff members and helpful tools & regulated therapy sessions to help the addict deal with detox and rehabilitation.

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How Does Depression Relate to Alcohol Addiction?

August 17th, 2011

You may not be surprised to find out that nearly forty percent of those who drink alcohol heavily have been found to have symptoms that are like those associated with depression. It could be that they are actually depressed and that they are drinking because of their depression as a way of self medicating. Oddly enough though, when these same people were not drinking only between five to ten percent of them experienced those symptoms. Problems with alcohol and depression often happen in sync, but they can be independent of each other as well. When a person is depressed, he or she may turn to alcohol to find that relaxed and pleasant state of mind that happens due to alcohol consumption.

Unfortunately, drinking heavily has an opposite effect as consuming alcohol in large enough quantities can cause a depressive effect on one’s state of mind. Because of the loss of inhibition that also goes along with consuming a lot of alcohol, people are more likely to take risks they would not normally take and engage in behavior that is not normal for them including acts of violence. This can actually lead to further depression and it begins a cycle that is very difficult to break.

Because so many other problems can happen due to alcohol, a person’s life can quickly spiral out of control and obviously this can worsen depression. Marital problems, loss of one’s job, negative impacts on a person’s financial status, and problems relating to people can all happen as a result of alcoholism. Also, because depression can ultimately lead to suicide, people who drink that also have depression are at a very high risk of suicide.

Something that many people do not know is that although drinking alcohol can make you very sleepy, the quality of sleep that one has after consuming alcohol is very poor. This lack of sleep, especially if it happens more often than not, can take a toll on a person. Depression is often worse when coupled with sleeplessness – yet another way that depression ultimately relates to alcohol addiction.

All in all, depression doesn’t only happen to people who drink. However, for those who do become addicted to alcohol, it may be a side effect of the things that happen due to the addiction so they are very closely related in many ways that many people don’t consider.

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5 Reasons to Choose Outpatient Treatment Over Inpatient Treatment

August 15th, 2011

While inpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs are more “popular”, outpatient treatment is a great option as it helps thousands of addicts in their recovery efforts every day whether they are battling addiction to opiates, prescription medication, marijuana, alcohol or any other harmful substance. An outpatient treatment program is one in which the patient does not remain at the facility overnight, but instead attends daily treatment in the form of meetings, therapy sessions and other programs and then leaves to go home when the sessions are over.

Figuring out if an outpatient treatment program is right means you need to know what it entails and what the benefits are. Keep reading for 5 reasons to choose outpatient treatment over inpatient treatment that may help you make your decision.

Remain in School or Keep Your Employment

If the person’s drug addiction is not overly severe and he or she is able to function well enough in work or school, an outpatient treatment program could be the best way for the person to get help. This allows an addict to maintain nearly a normal life during the recovery process and does not disrupt their day to day activities like an inpatient treatment program would.

Lower Cost

Of course, there are some very upscale outpatient facilities, but in general, the majority of outpatient treatment programs cost significantly less than inpatient treatment. It has nothing to do with the level of care, but instead it is due to the fact that much less overhead costs are involved. Many outpatient treatment programs are covered by health insurance providers, which can also reduce the cost for the patient. Cost should not be the deciding factor, however, as getting the proper treatment is ultimately the most important thing.

No Explanation Needed

Participating in treatment in a residential treatment center entails a lengthy absence from work or school. People will ask questions and the individual will have to explain to employers, teachers or friends about their situation. It may be uncomfortable to share this information with other people so attending a confidential outpatient treatment program provides the chance to get better without any explanation to people who you would rather not tell.

Stay Close to Home and Family

While staying in one’s home environment sometimes can cause a relapse for those with a severe drug or alcohol addiction, for others it is the opposite. Many addicts very much need the support of family or friends during the recovery process. For those people in particular, outpatient treatment programs will provide the opportunity to go to all of the necessary counseling sessions throughout the day, and later return home to a supportive family in the evening.

Learn to be Sober in Your Own Environment

What inpatient programs lack is the ability to teach addicts how to be sober in their own home environment. Sometimes, a relapse will occur once a patient goes home and back to their own element because they haven’t learned those skills. A person who participates in an outpatient program will better learn how to cope with the stress of daily life at home, work, or school and work it into their recovery process.

Outpatient programs still maintain a high level of care but provide different benefits and advantages than inpatient drug and alcohol treatment. It is best to weigh all of your options before making the final decision, as your recovery is the most important thing right now.

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Where Do I Go to Detox From Alcohol?

August 12th, 2011

When you detox from alcohol, you will go through a process of ending your dependence on alcohol by allowing the substance to leave your body completely. The alcohol detox process should be overseen by an addiction specialist or a medical professional and it is the first step that happens before seeking treatment for alcohol addiction.

Detox from alcohol will involve dealing with alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some of these symptoms include having “the shakes”, feeling jittery or nervousness along with general irritability and mood swings. One who is having withdrawal from alcohol may also experience depression or nightmares. Certain physical symptoms may also occur such as sweating, nausea, vomiting and a loss of appetite.

Because one of the most difficult hurdles for recovering alcoholics to overcome is withdrawal, it is recommended that one go to a treatment center that offers an in-house alcohol detox program. Detoxing from alcohol at home is not the best idea, as the length and even severity of the withdrawal symptoms can vary greatly from mild to intense depending heavily on the individual themselves as well as how much and how long they have been addicted to alcohol. It is not advised to give up alcohol “cold turkey” unless a medical professional or alcohol addiction specialist has been consulted.

The bottom line is, you will fare better going to an alcohol detox or rehab center to go through the detox period. How someone will feel as he or she goes through alcohol detox will vary greatly and will depend on the individual. Some people will experience very intense detox symptoms while others will go through it with little or even no issues at all. The difference is in the physiological make up of the person as well as how long he or she has been consuming and abusing alcohol.

Everyone’s situation is different, of course, so you can never predict how someone will be when the alcohol detox happens. It is always important to seek the help of a medical professional or addiction specialist before attempting to detox from alcohol or drugs, as it can be a very intense period for the person to deal with. Going through alcohol detox at home is rarely a good idea if you want to prevent relapse and actually get the person to commit to treatment. Check in your local area at different alcohol rehab centers or even out of state treatment centers that offer in-house detox programs as your best resource.

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What Factors Do I Need to Consider When Choosing a Drug Rehab Center in Florida?

August 10th, 2011

If you are faced with the task of choosing a drug rehab in Florida, you probably have a lot of questions you need answers to. You need to know where to go, where to start…there are so many drug rehabs in Florida that it can seem like a challenge to choose the correct place. There are certain factors you should consider when choosing a drug rehab center in Florida that you may not have thought of, so keep reading to find out where to start.

Treatment Method

First, you need to find out what methods of treatment a drug rehab center uses. Will they address each aspect of you or your loved one’s addiction? This is an important question, as some drug rehab centers may only deal with one aspect of addiction and may be less likely to be successful. You should keep in mind that an addiction happens as a result of a combination of different things. A drug rehab center should address things such as breaking bad habits, improving the patient’s health and coping mechanisms for facing difficult problems. The facility should deal with the psychological aspects of addiction as well as the physical and mental aspects of addiction. They should also have a support or after care program that will help you or your loved one be successful with staying clean and sober once the drug rehabilitation program is completed.

Location

Find out exactly where the drug treatment center is located. You will want to know – for your loved one how it is protected and even how easy it would be for him or her to just leave or wander off without being seen. This is important because many drug addicts will almost certainly try to leave a drug rehab center during the first couple of days in the withdrawal period. It shouldn’t be easy to leave without being seen but it should also not feel prison-like.

After Care Program

Sending a recovering drug addict out into the world without some kind of follow-up support may prove to be disastrous. It may be a good idea to look into sober living arrangements, or at the very least ensure that the drug treatment facility provides support meetings or regular phone calls after treatment has ended. The more thorough the follow up care, the more chance you or your loved one has at remaining drug free.

Of course, there are other factors to consider when choosing a drug rehab center in Florida, but this is a good start. You can also ask about the length of the program, the price, the staff members, what services are offered specifically for your addiction, and the facility’s success rate.

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Top 5 Reasons to Choose an Alcohol Rehab Center in California

August 6th, 2011

Seeking treatment is difficult enough – and finding an alcohol treatment center that is just right for your situation can seem like a big deal. If you have considered going out of state for alcohol treatment, California is a good choice for many people for a variety of reasons. Let’s take a look at what makes California a top contender when choosing an alcohol rehab center:

#1 – Weather and Setting

The weather alone is a great reason to choose an alcohol rehab center in California. You’ll find that a tropical setting with warmer weather can make for a more pleasant experience when you have to go through a difficult time in rehab. Being in California for alcohol rehab means you won’t have to deal with below freezing temperatures and you can enjoy the outdoors when you really need a breath of fresh air.

#2 – Looking for Serenity?

Many of the alcohol and drug rehab facilities in California offer a more luxurious experience than you can expect in other rehabs across the nation. You can find alcohol rehabs in California that are very resort-like in many aspects but that will still provide all of the staff support and treatment needed to get sober. You will be out of your comfort zone, away from distractions you would face in your own neighborhood but when seeking treatment for an addiction, that can be a very good thing. Alcohol rehabs in California offer a serenity that many other facilities can not provide, simply because of where they are located.

#3 – Holistic Treatment Programs

If you are seeking holistic treatment for alcohol addiction, California is definitely the place to go. Many of the facilities provide the holistic experience you are seeking. These programs are excellent, as they address the person as a whole with a mind-body treatment program that will help with physical, psychological, and emotional problems in addition to the patient’s addiction issues. The experience of the staff members offering holistic treatment at facilities in California may prove to be exactly what you are looking for.

#4 – Experience with Dual Diagnosis

Because California is a major area for the recovery community, the staff members are very experienced in dealing with multiple issues besides just addiction. If you have other issues to deal with (a co-occurring disorder), an alcohol rehab in California will provide the treatment you need in all aspects of your recovery to help reduce the occurrence of relapse.

#5 – A Strong Sober Community

California has one of the strongest sober communities in the nation, and it is a great place to find like-minded people who value their drug and alcohol free lives. The level of aftercare available to those who complete an alcohol treatment program in California is unsurpassed and there are programs available for all ages. Addiction specialists and AA meetings can be found nearby no matter where you are in California and it is a great place to be once your treatment is complete.

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How Much Does Alcohol Treatment Cost?

July 23rd, 2011

With the need for alcohol treatment everywhere, there are many treatment centers where those with alcohol addiction problems can seek help. Unfortunately, there is no set cost for alcohol treatment. The cost of alcohol rehab varies depending not only on the state or region you are in, but also on the type of facility. Some are very clinical while others are quite luxurious like a spa resort. Another factor that can affect the cost of alcohol treatment is whether you choose outpatient care (the less expensive option) or inpatient residential care (the more expensive choice). Additionally, how long you remain in treatment will affect the cost as well.

There are a variety of alcohol treatment programs that exist to help those who struggle with alcoholism. It all depends on the individual. What you will find is that initially, alcohol treatment will involve an evaluation, often an intervention, counseling sessions, and possibly a residential inpatient stay. You will also need to go through a period of detox.

The first assessment for the patient, including and examination and a consultation along with some other tests may run in the ballpark of $100. For individual sessions, you will receive personal counseling and if there are family related issues, the cost per session is also around $100. If you ask your treatment center, you will sometimes find that if you commit to several sessions you can get a discount of about twenty percent.

If you are looking for a family treatment program, there are those that are designed to help entirely families with alcohol related issues. Each session runs about $120, give or take – depending on the facility and region where you live. As far as after care, you will want to keep seeking outpatient care to avoid a relapse and keep in touch with a support group. Each of these sessions will be up to $50.

On average, for intensive residential alcohol rehab you are looking at anywhere from $8,000-$12,000.

Some medications in alcohol rehab will also cost you some money. There are injectable drugs to treat alcohol dependence such as Vivitrol which will be administered by a health care professional. This medication helps to decrease the urge to drink by blocking neurotransmitters that go to the brain. It does not however help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The cost of Vivitrol medication is typically around $700 for just one injection.

As you can see, cost of alcohol treatment varies. If you have a relapse, some programs will help you at least somewhat for free or a lower cost. Keep in mind that your health insurance may help you to cover the cost of the programs.

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