Drug and Alcohol Rehab

Rehabilitation from drug addiction is a complex process. It involves commitment from the individual addict to abstain from further drug use. The physical dependence on the drug needs to be overcome through medical intervention. Medical supervision is essential to safely detoxify an addicted individual. Safety is an issue since sudden withdrawal of a drug will lead to very profound physiological changes that can be very uncomfortable and can sometimes be life threatening. The range of drugs abused is wide but general principles apply to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

After the medical detoxification process, which is often in an inpatient setting, a program to continue the rehab process as an outpatient is essential. Sometimes replacement drugs are needed such as methadone maintenance programs where patients are given methadone to replace the heroin that is abused. The methadone helps prevent the euphoria and at the same time decreases the craving that is central to addiction. A typical dose that may work is 30-60 milligrams of methadone daily but this is variable and depends on the intensity of addiction among other factors. Alcohol rehab often involves an acute hospital based detoxification where a thorough medical assessment is done and then drugs belonging to the class called benzodiazepines are given to prevent withdrawal. Medical issues are often the main reason an addict enters a treatment entry point.

After this acute phase an outpatient 12 step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous is critical to maintain abstinence. Many patients who are addicted to drugs have co-morbid psychiatric conditions like depression that need to be addressed. Others have HIV/AIDS, which also need to be managed if a lasting solution is needed. Many rehab programs are covered by insurance and charity. They also have social workers who will help with the practical aspects of getting back to a productive life.Above all, the commitment of the individuals working in the program helps sustain and develop faith and trust in the system since addicts are often marginalized members of society

Drug Rehab

Recreational drug use
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. Regardless of medical supervision, this label does not apply to the use of drugs for utilitarian purposes, such as the relief of fatigue or insomnia, or the control of appetite.
A distinction must be made between (recreational) drug use and drug abuse, although there is much controversy on where the dividing line lies on the spectrum from a drug user to a drug abuser. Some say that abuse begins when the user begins shirking responsibility in order to afford drugs or to have enough time to use them. Some say it begins when a person uses "excessive" amounts, while others draw the line at the point of legality, and others believe it amounts to chronic use despite degenerating mental and physical health in the user. Some think that any intoxicant consumption is an inappropriate activity

Legal aspects
In many cases, the possession and use of common recreational drugs violates the law; this is often considered an exercise in hypocrisy in that alcohol, tobacco, and various over-the-counter and prescription medications with a high potential for abuse (such as OxyContin, NyQuil, and cough supressants containing the hallucinogenic drug dextromethorphan) are not only legal, regulated and taxed by the government in regards to their distribution, but actively encouraged in some respects (especially alcohol; the most heavily used and abused substance in the world, especially between people aged 19-24). Additionally, many prevalent prohibitionist figures in the American War on Drugs, such as William Bennett, Rush Limbaugh, and Richard Nixon, have themselves unapologetically abused drugs, alcohol, and other forms of indulgent behavior (Bennett, former U.S. Drug Czar, lost over $8,000,000 because of his gambling addiction).

Perhaps the greatest irony of the drug war is that it is essentially prohibiting victimless crimes; in this sense, its actual intent largely remains a mystery. By contrast, alcohol increases aggressive behavior in human beings and heavy use regularly results in drunk-driving accidents, in which people are often killed, and domestic abuse amongst family members of alcoholics; most other drugs seem to affect the body in an opposite manner. Scientific research and experimentation into illicit substances is incredibly difficult due to their illegality, although some of them have documented medicinal properties (marijuana, for example, is quite popular in this field and effective in treating many disorders, and psychedelics such as LSD and MDMA are highly effective in psychotherapy treatment).

This attitude is less prevalent in western Europe—see "Drug policy of the Netherlands"—and more recently in Canada, where enforcement of extant legal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana and other so-called "soft drugs" such as hallucinogenic mushrooms is increasingly ignored or given a low priority by law enforcement officials.
This attitude stands in marked contrast to the official policy of the United States government, which declared a "War on Drugs" under President Richard Nixon in 1972 which later intensified under Ronald Reagan, but saw its greatest increases (in budget, and in the number of arrests and prosecutions) under President Bill Clinton. The United States is far more stringent about enforcing penalties for "soft drug" use. The Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, is primarily responsible for illegal drug interdiction at the federal level. Despite the application of billions of dollars to eliminate the use of illegal drugs, recreational drug use remains common in the United States, and according to some studies is actually more common than in Europe where the laws are more relaxed (although, as stated, prescription drugs are abused in much greater numbers, and given almost no concern by the DEA whatsoever). Millions of illicit drug users exist in the United States who have never faced prosecution. Many American police officers don't bother enforcing possession laws on those holding small quanities of soft drugs.

In Asia penalties vary from country to country, but can be even stricter than in the West. For example, under Singapore law, drug trafficking in over 15 g of heroin carries a mandatory death penalty.
Some theorize that the taboos on recreational drugs add an aura of mystique to their use, and encourage experimentation (i.e., the "forbidden fruit" phenomenon). This phenomenon was prevalent in the 1920s during the American alcohol prohibition. It is argued that the dangers of illicit drugs are widely exaggerated (especially in regards to marijuana, with most of its purported negative effects being routinely dismissed as junk science), and actual experimentation can give the user a sense of knowledge of the true dangers of a drug's side effects and addictive properties. An unfortunate side effect of this is that, considering that anti-drug education programs are known to exaggerate the negative effects of illicit substances, many young people encourage themselves to experiment with much more dangerous substances (such as methamphetamines) after convincing themselves they've been lied to when discovering softer drugs, such as marijuana, are nowhere near as harmful as expected.

A few societies have abandoned what they feel are unsuccessful attempts to prohibit recreational drugs, and instead turned to a policy of harm reduction by informing users of ways to reduce common risks associated with popular drugs, and providing medical assistance for drug users who wish to stop using drugs (similar approaches are used to sex-education). Harm reduction is the official policy of the Netherlands, Brazil, and some areas of Canada such as Vancouver, which have stopped actively prosecuting end users of recreational drugs. Instead, law enforcement efforts focus on capturing illegal dealers of "hard drugs" such as heroin and cocaine, passing out clean needles to intravenous (IV) drug users, and providing medical assistance for addicted users who wish to stop taking drugs.

Many currently legal recreational drugs (examples: alcohol, tobacco and caffeine) have been subject to prohibition throughout history, and likewise most of the currently illegal recreational drugs have been legal as recently as the early twentieth century such as with heroin, cocaine and marijuana, or even later for some newer synthetic chemicals such as LSD.

Medical aspects
Although recreational drug use can cause medical complications, including death, such use is not categorized as one of the substance use disorders. It is often referred to medically as "non pathologic" substance use. The substance use disorders, as a class, are diagnosed based upon social, occupational, and other parameters of function which are impacted by ongoing use of prescribed and unprescribed drugs. For example, if an individual is using marijuana resulting in symptoms of apathy and lack of motivation, with additional results of a fall in school grades and family discord, that individual would no longer be noted as using "recreationally" or "socially." However, it maybe that the individual started using the drug to self-medicate for a medical condition unrelated to any drug use. In the past tincture of cannabis was used for nervous disorders[1] and even today is being researched [2]with a view to licensing a modern acetate version again for such indications, so it appears to be a valid claim that this can bring some relief to some unpleasant symptoms.

The problem today is: that whilst the very act of creating the tincture of old, had the effect of severely denaturing much of the problematic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which can induce psychotic symptoms, illicit sources of cannabis usually have a high ratio of THC to the more beneficial compounds of cannabidiol and cannabinol. Therefore, in ignorance: many a doctor can make psychological psycho/social problems worse for a patient by jumping to conclusions as to the underling primary cause and effect. Even if the doctor avoids this pitfall, the licensed medication he prescribes to replace the drug used illicitly maybe less effective or make the condition worse; thereby destroying the patients faith in his skills.
From a medical perspective, quantity and frequency of use are not part of the symptom profile for a diagnosis of either abuse or dependence. As a result, some who use significant quantities of drugs might not be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, while others who use lesser amounts might easily meet the criteria for diagnosis. It is important, however, to point out that even in the absence of a substance use disorder, recreational substance use can still cause significant difficulties. An example of this is an individual using cocaine for the first time, then suffering a cardiac arrythmia resulting in death.

Within the standard medical definitions of abuse and dependence (i.e. addiction), the legality of a given drug does not enter into the diagnostic equation unless an individual is chronically suffering from legal difficulties secondary to ongoing substance use.
Those who have medical questions concerning their individual use could contact a specialist in Addiction Medicine.

Drug Rehab

Twelve-step program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The original 12 Step Program is Alcoholics Anonymous - which deals with what they call the "powerlessness" to stop drinking alcohol. Although the 12 Steps have been adopted by other groups including Al-Anon for people impacted by having or having had alcoholics in their life, Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 Steps were designed and are only intended for use by alcoholics. The only requirement for membership of an Alcoholics Anonymous Group "is the desire to stop drinking".

Other twelve-step programs are similarly fellowships which aim to aid in the recovery of the consequences of an obsession, addiction, a physical and mental compulsion, or another harmful influence on their lives, with the help of the faith-based Twelve Steps dependent on reliance on "A Power Greater than ourselves". As is said in Alcoholics Anonymous, it is not just a matter of putting the cork in the bottle, the 12 Step Program deals with the underlying mental and emotional causes of the obsession with alcohol (or other substances in other Programs based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous).

These fellowships of men and women, a bond of loosely organized, autonomous groups, function on the basis of principles formulated in the Twelve Traditions. Synonyms are anonymous program and A-program; the original twelve-step program is Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A), which was started in the US. Today there are meetings and fellowships all over the world.

Characteristics
All twelve-step programs follow some version of the Twelve Steps. Members meet regularly to discuss their problem(s) and share their victories. Common among all such programs is the view that members are dealing with an illness rather than a bad habit or a maladaptive behavior, that the illness is a combination of an allergy of the body that creates uncontrollable cravings coupled with an obsession of the mind that keeps finding rationalizations for returning to that which causes the cravings, and that recovery from the illness can occur by abandonment of individual will through the Twelve Steps. True to the Twelve Traditions, twelve-step programs do not take positions on outside issues such as medical ones. The word "illness" rather than "disease" was used by Bill Wilson, a co-founder of A.A. and the drafter of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous (which was co-written by the first hundred men to find recovery in A.A.).

One of the most widely-recognized characteristics of twelve-step groups is the requirement that members admit that they "have a problem". In this spirit, many members open their address to the group along the lines of, "Hi, I'm Pam and I'm an alcoholic" — a catchphrase now widely identified with support groups.
Attendees at group meetings share their experiences, challenges, successes and failures, and provide peer support for each other. Many people who have joined these groups report they found success that previously eluded them, while others — including some ex-members — criticize their efficacy or universal applicability. Thus there is some controversy about twelve-step programs.

he Twelve Steps
These are the Twelve Steps as defined by Alcoholics Anonymous.
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Other twelve-step groups have modified the twelve steps slightly from those of Alcoholics Anonymous to refer to problems other than alcoholism.

History
The first such program was Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which was begun in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, known to A.A. members as "Bill W." and "Dr. Bob." in Akron, Ohio. They established the tradition within the "Anonymous" twelve-step programs of using only first names. The Twelve Steps were originally written by Wilson and other early members of AA to codify the process that they felt had worked for them personally. The Twelve Steps were essentially a rewriting of the 6 steps of the Oxford Group (founded by Frank Buchman)with whom Wilson had contact. This "codex" is the book Alcoholics Anonymous, often referred to as the "Big Book."

After the unusual cures were realized by Bob and Bill, the Akron group authorized Wilson to write a book about the program. But Wilson returned to New York and wrote an entirely different program based primarily on what he had learned from the Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York, and a leader of the Oxford Group people in America. To Shoemaker's ideas, which are found almost verbatim in the Twelve Steps, Bill added in his Big Book (the new basic text) ideas about alcoholism from Dr. William D. Silkworth, ideas about the necessity for a conversion from Dr. Carl G. Jung, ideas about a so-called "higher power" primarily from Professor William James and New Thought writers, thoughts from Anne Smith's (Dr. Bob's wife) Spiritual Journal, practical techniques from Richard Peabody set forth in his Common Sense of Drinking book, and a smattering of words and phrases with New Thought and New Age origin such as "Universal Mind," "Czar of the Universe," "fourth dimension of existence," and "higher power." Then Wilson declared there had been a program of recovery which consisted of Twelve

Steps the pioneers had taken to find God. Bill asked Shoemaker to write the Steps, but Shoemaker declined. The Steps can be recognized in the Oxford Group teachings Wilson received from Rowland Hazard and Ebby Thacher in late 1934 and early 1935, but neither the Oxford Group nor early A.A. in New York or Akron had any "steps" at all.
A.A. was, at its origins, most assuredly a "religion" and a "religious organization." The concept of "spiritual, not religious," seems to have derived from the desire to keep religion separate from A.A. even though the precepts and practices of A.A. were Biblical in roots and nature. Thus early A.A. meetings in New York were those of "A First Century Christian Fellowship" then also known as the "Oxford Group." The "spirituality" idea was originally defined by Wilson as reliance on the Creator.
Some say that since the publication of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous," New Thought and New Age substitute words have driven A.A. talk and writing towards unbelief and substitutionary, secular universalism rather than toward a relationship with God — the avowed Big Book purpose of the
Steps. Then again, A.A. circuit speakers can often be heard to say things like "if 'God' ran you out of A.A., alcoholism can run your rusty ass back in again."

The Twelve Steps were eventually matched with Twelve Traditions, a set of guidelines for running individual groups and a sort of constitution for the fellowship (i.e., A.A.) as a whole.
Many other programs since have adapted AA's original steps to their own ends. Related programs exist to help family and friends of those with addictions as well as those with problems other than alcohol. These programs also follow modified versions of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and include groups like Al-Anon/Alateen, Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Gamblers Anonymous (GA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Nar-Anon.
One organization which is often confused with an "Anonymous" twelve-step program, due to the intentional similarity of its name — but is not one — is Narconon. Narconon is a branch of the Church of Scientology, presenting Scientology doctrine and practices as a therapy for drug abusers. Narconon does not use the Twelve Steps, and is not related to either Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or to Nar-Anon, despite the similarity of names.

Acceptance of a Higher Power
A primary belief of members is that their recovery requires them to give up their self-reliance and willpower, and to put their reliance on God, or a "Higher Power". Proponents of twelve-step programs argue that agnostics and even atheists can be helped by the program as a member’s "Higher Power" may be the 12-step group itself or any other entity, thing or object that helps a member to accept that they are powerless over their problem but that a belief in a "Higher Power" will help them to recover.
The success of Twelve-step groups in aiding in recovery of addictive illnesses is an argument of significance in some parts of the United States, where the criminal justice system has ordered 12-step group participation to convicted felons as well as inmate addicts as a condition of parole or shortened sentences. U.S. judges have often required attendance at AA meetings as a condition of probation or parole or as an element of a sentence for defendants convicted of a crime. The New York Court of Appeals ruled in Griffin v. Coughlin, 88 N.Y.2d 674 (1996) that doing so compromises the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution on the grounds that A.A. practices and doctrine are (in the words of the district court judge who wrote the decision) "unequivocally religious". The United States Supreme Court denied certiorari and let this decision stand.

Critics of the 12-step programs, however, often hold that this reliance is ineffective, and offensive or inapplicable to atheists and others who do not believe in a salvific deity. Other critics see forms of authoritarian mind control in the 12 step approach.
Some critics state that 12-step groups are religious in nature. The only authorized literature in most 12-step groups is their own publications. The members of 12-step groups make the distinction that they are "spiritual, and not religious." Nearly every meeting begins with the Serenity Prayer, a prayer addressed to "God." The Big Book states that its "main object" is not to help you stop drinking, but "to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem." Although in some meetings it may be unusual to find participants who do not find their "higher power" to be the Christian deity, it can be useful for anyone regardless of their religious belief.
Some critics also question the idea of giving up on self-reliance, which can be seen as a form of idealized despair. Secular alternatives to twelve-step programs, such as Rational Recovery, are for this reason in many ways opposite to the twelve-step process. Others, such as YES Recovery, acknowledge a debt to the twelve-steps movement but do not have a culture of belief in God.
Relation to religion

The original A.A. program fashioned in Akron was described as a Christian Fellowship, held "old fashioned prayer meetings," stressed Bible study and prayer and the reading of religious literature, and aimed to bring people to an acceptance of Jesus Christ as the way to a relationship with God.
While meetings were held by alcoholics and Oxford Group members, the work was said to be that of a "clandestine lodge" of the Oxford Group because its stress was on helping alcoholics to recovery, abstinence, resistance of temptation, old fashioned revival meetings, and conversion to Christ — which seemed to derive from the ideas, principles and practices of United Christian Endeavor Society of Dr. Bob's youth.
According to its supporters, the program achieved a 75% to 93% success rate. At Dr Bob's funeral, Bill W said that he thought the success rate was closer to 5%.[citation needed] Its adherents said they felt the answer to their problems was in the "Good Book" (as they called the Bible). There were no Steps, no basic text, only one regular meeting. The emphasis was on Bible study, prayer, seeking God's guidance, conversion, visiting hospitalized alcoholics, fellowship and witnessing. In a word, it was called "love and service" — the watchwords of United Christian Endeavor.

There are many different ways of interpreting the intent behind twelve-step programs. And as with the Bible, there are those who argue strongly for a relatively literal adherence to program literature, and then there are those who advise "take what you like and leave the rest" and advocate a much more liberal approach. (Note: The phrase "take what you like and leave the rest" cannot be found in the Basic Text of AA or any other A.A. literature. The Big Book makes it abundently clear that following the 12 steps to the letter is one powerful way for an alcoholic of the kind described in the Big Book to stay sober, although it also says clearly that AA has no monopoly on the truth.) Two books that look at the twelve-step literature from a more liberal point of view are The Zen of Recovery by Mel Ash and A Skeptic's Guide To The Twelve Steps by Phillip Z. Another book, "The Recovery Spiral: A Pagan Path to Healing" by Cynthia Jane Collins, looks at the 12 steps through a Pagan perspective.

Drug Rehab

Celebrities ordered into rehab

Leif Garrett
Former '70s heartthrob Leif Garrett was as shaky as a leaf when he appeared in a Los Angeles drug court Jan. 20, 2006, and agreed to enter rehab to avoid prison for heroin possession charges. The onetime teen idol was arrested in a subway station not far from where teen actor Brad Renfro had been picked up weeks earlier for allegedly trying to buy heroin from an undercover officer.

Tom Sizemore
"Black Hawk Down" actor Tom Sizemore was ordered into drug treatment rather than prison after pleading guilty in October 2005 to possession of methamphetamine. But a host of other problems plagues his recovery, including a conviction for abusing his former girlfriend, ex-Hollywood madame Heidi Fleiss. He was also found in violation of probation on drug charges for falsifying urine tests. A judge sentenced Sizemore to three years probation after the actor tearfully admitted he used methamphetamine in Jan. 2006.

Courtney Love
Rocker Courtney Love may have been facing three criminal cases at one time, but the former Hole singer avoided the possibility of prison by cutting a deal and entering 18 months of court-ordered rehab instead. In July 2005, a judge praised Love for her progress. Many stars have been given a similar prescription for sobriety, but while some also fared well, others couldn't stay on the wagon.

Winona Ryder
A jury convicted Winona Ryder in November 2002 of grand theft and felony vandalism for a shoplifting spree in a Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue. But when it came time to mete out a sentence, the judge took into account the prescription pain killers she had on her at the time of her arrest. As part of her sentence, which included community service and a $10,000 fine, the "Edward Scissorhands" actress was ordered to undergo drug and psychological counseling.

Darryl Strawberry
Former New York Yankee Darryl Strawberry had been in and out of drug rehab centers after numerous cocaine-related arrests, but he ultimately went from pinstripes to a prison uniform. Strawberry was thrown out of one rehab center for breaking a rule prohibiting sex among residents. He was released from prison in April 2003 after serving 11 months.

Nicole Richie
The daughter of singer Lionel Richie, the former "Simple Life" star and Paris Hilton crony, was arrested for possession of heroin in 2003. Though she missed one court appearance to tape the first season of the reality show, Richie was sentenced to probation and ordered to complete a drug diverson program

Charlie Sheen
He has admitted to spending more than $50,000 on prostitutes, and he has dated two porn stars, one of whom accused him of abuse. But that's not all that has fed Charlie Sheen's bad-boy image. His abuse of drugs and alcohol led to an overdose in 1998, and he was arrested the following year for driving under the influence. The charges forced him into rehab to avoid prison, but it seems to have done the trick. Sheen's been clean and sober since.

David Crosby
In 1985, singer David Crosby was convicted of drugs and weapons charges in Texas and allowed to enter a drug rehab clinic instead of prison. But when he fled rehab, there was no second chance. The judge put Crosby behind bars, where the singer served a year. That conviction was later overturned on appeal, but nearly two decades later a New York City hotel reported finding Crosby's suitcase containing marijuana and a handgun. Crosby paid a fine in June 2004 in connection with that incident.

Robert Downey Jr.
Arguably the poster child of celebrity battles with drugs, Robert Downey Jr. has admittedly had trouble kicking his habits despite numerous arrests and even a stint in prison "It's like I've got a shotgun in my mouth and my finger on the trigger, and I like the taste of gunmetal," he said during one court appearance. But since undergoing court-ordered rehab in 2002, Downey seems to have gotten his life back in order, prompting a judge to release him from his probation earlier than expected.

Andy Dick
Comedian and sitcom actor Andy Dick's brush with the law began when he crashed his car into a utility pole in Los Angeles in 2001. After Dick's unsuccessful attempt to flee the scene, police recovered marijuana and cocaine in his car. He was arrested for drug possession and DUI, but later pleaded no contest in exchange for a deal in which he would undergo two years of rehab. When he completed the program, the charges were officially expunged. In May 2004, he was arrested in a pot bust at a music festival.

Drug Rehab

Drug Rehab Programs

Selecting a drug rehab center is one of the most important and difficult decisions you will make in your lifetime. Few of us know what to look for in a quality rehab program and not all drug rehabilitation centers are alike. Each drug rehab has its own program options, staff qualifications, credentials, cost, and effectiveness.
Asking appropriate questions when you call a drug rehab for information is important and you should expect to receive clear answers.
Before you make any decisions-ask questions and get the facts!

Does the drug rehab offer a variety of programs?
Alcohol and drug addiction is a disease that progresses through predictable stages. It takes a trained health professional, often a doctor specializing in addiction medicine, to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
A drug rehabilitation treatment center should offer a variety of treatment programs that meet individual needs. Programs may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options.
The difference between inpatient and a residential treatment center is that inpatient services are provided by a licensed hospital, while residential programs usually do not meet the same rigorous standards of medical care.
The length of stay depends on the severity and stage of the disease.

How much does a drug rehab center cost?
"How much does it cost?" is often one of the first questions asked.
The price tag for drug abuse & alcoholism treatment is presented in many different formats. You need to know what is included, what will be added to your bill as a fee-for-service program, and what services your health insurance will cover. This makes it extremely difficult to compare prices by simply asking the question - "What does it cost?"
If you are seeking the best value for your treatment dollar, remember: Price can be meaningful only in the context of quality and performance.

Is the drug rehab treatment program medically based?
There is an advantage to including on-site medical care in a Drug Rehab. Physicians and nurses provide 24-hour hospital services to monitor and ensure a safe withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. In addition, a medical staff specializing in addiction medicine can oversee the progress of each individual and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
Medical credentials and accreditation can also be important. For example, a chemical dependency Drug Rehab that earns JCAHO accreditation (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) meets national standards for providing quality medical care. Appropriate state licensing is also an important consideration.
Be sure to ask which medical costs are included in the price of treatment at the drug rehab.
What is the degree of family involvement in the treatment program?
Drug abuse and alcoholism affects the entire family, not just the alcoholic/addict. Quite often family members do not realize how deeply they have been affected by chemical dependency. Family involvement is an important component of recovery.
Drug Rehabs vary in the degree and quality of family involvement opportunities. Some offer just a few lectures and others offer family therapy. Ask if there is any time devoted to family programs and if group therapy is included.

Does drug rehabilitation include a quality continuing care program?
There are no quick fixes for the diseases of drug abuse and alcoholism. Recovery is an ongoing process. The skills one learns during intensive rehabilitation treatment must be integrated into everyday life and this takes time.
Some drug addiction treatment programs will offer a follow-up program but only in one location which may make it difficult to use.
Drug rehabilitation treatment programs should include a quality, continuing care program that supports and monitors recovery.

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Drug Rehab

Alcohol And Drug Abuse In Mental Health

by: Christos Varsamis

Alcohol abuse is overrated, while drug abuse is underrated. The DSM manual suggests that substance abuse there are differences in the definition of drug and alcohol use. To confuse matters worse the law has its own version of who is an alcoholic or drug addict. Some of the symptoms that help professionals determine if alcohol and drugs are a problem include, excessive drinking/drugging, problems with the law, withdrawal symptoms, shaking of the hands, and so forth.

If a person drinks everyday of the week and relies on alcohol, then you are probably dealing with an alcoholic. There are philosophers who claim if a person needs a drink at breakfast, that he or she is an alcohol. Some philosophers claim that if you drink more than six-pack weeks then you are an alcoholic.
The fact is, most of the people nagging or evaluating alcohol and drugs has a problem them self or has gotten help someone in their lifetime to treat their own problems. Therefore, as you can see addictions, dependant alcoholics, and other types of alcoholics and drug addicts may alter. First all, any chemical that causes harm is a potential danger to your being.
In other words if you start out drinking when you are fourteen and continue through your lifetime without alcohol causing you trouble, or else landing you a spot in jail, then you are probably not an alcoholic according to few. The fact is the ones that are drinking and driving and getting caught are alcoholics according to the system although the level of alcohol in the blood plays a role in the determination.

The truth is the law sometimes over dramatizes and the system is out to make all the money they can, so we all might be alcoholics by the time they are done with us. Alcoholism and drug addictions are complex, in the sense there are too many misconstrued inputs and often the label is placed on individuals according to culture and history. If you parents drank alcohol then the system sometimes will claim you as an alcoholic.

The fact is, Jesus drink wine in moderation, so drinking in moderation is not a bad thing. The problem becomes a problem when the person has difficulty putting down the bottle and/or increases their intake as well as combining drugs with the alcohol to get an affect they was had. If someone will steal or lie to get alcohol or drugs then you know they have a real problem.
However, most alcoholics and drug addicts have bigger problems than addictions and this is often ignored. For example, people with mental illnesses often resort to alcohol and/or drugs to find relief of their symptoms. Now if a professional is treating this person for his or her diagnose and progress is moving along the person often feels healthy and the alcohol and drugs are out the door.

In my studies and opinions, I disagree with alcoholism and drug addictions if the person is able to stop once the mental illness is treated. This means that the person was suffering and the substances was a mechanism to help them cope.
On the other hand, if the person is treated for mental illnesses and his or her drug and alcohol habits continue, then I think you had better get out the chair and start talking ‘one day at a time.’ Alcohol was once known as the “Devils Drink.” The White men are the originator of the source, and since its beginning it has caused serious complications, including death, abuse, and other related crimes.

Drugs are optional since the system often makes them available by teaching individuals what the drugs contain. The root of all-evil is money, and if a person sees that he or she can gain, they may take advantage, but fall into a snare in between. The system is overwrought, since they put alcoholics and drugs addicts in jail and not seeking help for them.
The solution to humankind’s problem is helping and not hurting or promoting. If we can’t get along now, what makes you think you are going to heaven

Drug Rehab

Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction

Many people view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem. Parents, teens, older adults, and other members of the community tend to characterize people who take drugs as morally weak or as having criminal tendencies. They believe that drug abusers and addicts should be able to stop taking drugs if they are willing to change their behavior.
These myths have not only stereotyped those with drug-related problems, but also their families, their communities, and the health care professionals who work with them. Drug abuse and addiction comprise a public health problem that affects many people and has wide-ranging social consequences. It is NIDA's goal to help the public replace its myths and long-held mistaken beliefs about drug abuse and addiction with scientific evidence that addiction is a chronic, relapsing, and treatable disease.

Addiction does begin with drug abuse when an individual makes a conscious choice to use drugs, but addiction is not just "a lot of drug use." Recent scientific research provides overwhelming evidence that not only do drugs interfere with normal brain functioning creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity. At some point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into addiction, a chronic, relapsing illness. Those addicted to drugs suffer from a compulsive drug craving and usage and cannot quit by themselves. Treatment is necessary to end this compulsive behavior.
A variety of approaches are used in treatment programs to help patients deal with these cravings and possibly avoid drug relapse. NIDA research shows that addiction is clearly treatable. Through treatment that is tailored to individual needs, patients can learn to control their condition and live relatively normal lives.

Treatment can have a profound effect not only on drug abusers, but on society as a whole by significantly improving social and psychological functioning, decreasing related criminality and violence, and reducing the spread of AIDS. It can also dramatically reduce the costs to society of drug abuse.

Understanding drug abuse also helps in understanding how to prevent use in the first place. Results from NIDA-funded prevention research have shown that comprehensive prevention programs that involve the family, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. It is necessary to keep sending the message that it is better to not start at all than to enter rehabilitation if addiction occurs.

A tremendous opportunity exists to effectively change the ways in which the public understands drug abuse and addiction because of the wealth of scientific data. Overcoming misconceptions and replacing ideology with scientific knowledge is the best hope for bridging the "great disconnect" - the gap between the public perception of drug abuse and addiction and the scientific facts.

Drug Rehab

A Family History of Alcoholism

If you are among the millions of people in this country who have a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism, you may have wondered what your family's history of alcoholism means for you. Are problems with alcohol a part of your future? Is your risk for becoming an alcoholic greater than for people who do not have a family history of alcoholism? If so, what can you do to lower your risk?

Many scientific studies, including research conducted among twins and children of alcoholics, have shown that genetic factors influence alcoholism. These findings show that children of alcoholics are about four times more likely than the general population to develop alcohol problems. Children of alcoholics also have a higher risk for many other behavioral and emotional problems. But alcoholism is not determined only by the genes you inherit from your parents. In fact, more than one–half of all children of alcoholics do not become alcoholic. Research shows that many factors influence your risk of developing alcoholism. Some factors raise the risk while others lower it.

Genes are not the only things children inherit from their parents. How parents act and how they treat each other and their children has an influence on children growing up in the family. These aspects of family life also affect the risk for alcoholism. Researchers believe a person's risk increases if he or she is in a family with the following difficulties:
- an alcoholic parent is depressed or has other psychological problems;
- both parents abuse alcohol and other drugs;
- the parents' alcohol abuse is severe; and
- conflicts lead to aggression and violence in the family.

The good news is that many children of alcoholics from even the most troubled families do not develop drinking problems. Just as a family history of alcoholism does not guarantee that you will become an alcoholic, neither does growing up in a very troubled household with alcoholic parents. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families does not mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. The risk is higher but it does not have to happen.

If you are worried that your family's history of alcohol problems or your troubled family life puts you at risk for becoming alcoholic, here is some common–sense advice to help you:
Avoid underage drinking—First, underage drinking is illegal. Second, research shows that the risk for alcoholism is higher among people who begin to drink at an early age, perhaps as a result of both environmental and genetic factors.

Drink moderately as an adult—Even if they do not have a family history of alcoholism, adults who choose to drink alcohol should do so in moderation—no more than one drink a day for most women, and no more than two drinks a day for most men, according to guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some people should not drink at all, including women who are pregnant or who are trying to become pregnant, recovering alcoholics, people who plan to drive or engage in other activities that require attention or skill, people taking certain medications, and people with certain medical conditions.

People with a family history of alcoholism, who have a higher risk for becoming dependent on alcohol, should approach moderate drinking carefully. Maintaining moderate drinking habits may be harder for them than for people without a family history of drinking problems. Once a person moves from moderate to heavier drinking, the risks of social problems (for example, drinking and driving, violence, and trauma) and medical problems (for example, liver disease, brain damage, and cancer) increase greatly.

Talk to a health care professional—Discuss your concerns with a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, or other health care provider. They can recommend groups or organizations that could help you avoid alcohol problems. If you are an adult who already has begun to drink, a health care professional can assess your drinking habits to see if you need to cut back on your drinking and advise you about how to do that.

Drug Rehab

Ecstasy

Ecstasy--an illegal drug often referred to as this decade’s version of LSD—is, according to some of its users “the hottest drug going now.” It’s also one of the deadliest. While Ecstasy is most often associated with large open-to-the-public teen dance parties--or “raves”--federal officials say the drug also known as MDMA (and most commonly called “X” on the street) is so readily available that teens can easily buy it on the street or even on their school’s campus.
A recent survey of teens conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that one in four questioned said they had a friend or class mate whom they knew had used Ecstasy, and 17% said they knew more than one user.
Some of the slang terms for Ecstasy include:

· Disco biscuit
· Essence
· Go
· Hug Drug
· Love drug
· Scooby snacks
· Sweeties
· Wheels
· ”X”

Adding to the already existing dangerous potential of Ecstasy is the fact that, increasingly, other drugs altogether are being passed off as Ecstasy and that Ecstasy pills are sold heavily laced with other dangerous drugs such as PCP.
“When somebody tells me they’ve taken Ecstasy these days, I have no idea what they’ve taken,” says Dr. Grob, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. Grob, who conducted the first Food and Drug Administration-approved study of MDMA’s effects in the mid-90’s, says the growing furor surrounding the illegal use and abuse of the drug has overshadowed its potential as a legitimate, professionally monitored psychiatric treatment for such ailments as posttraumatic stress disorder.
Some of the Facts About Ecstasy

When most people refer to Ecstasy they are usually referring to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. Patented in Germany before World War I, MDMA was not tested on humans until the 70’s. Chemically, it’s structurally similar to both amphetamine and mescaline, a hallucinogen.
In 1985, the Drug Enforcement Administration ordered that MDMA be classified as an illegal drug. However, that did little to stop its spread on the black market. By the mid-90’s, Ecstasy had become a popular “club drug” in Europe, the U.S., and other parts of the world.
A dangerous trend has become pervasive and often proves fatal: In attempts to prolong the effects of the drug and enhance the “I love everyone” feelings, “stacking”--using multiple doses in one night--or combining Ecstasy with alcohol or other drugs is becoming increasingly widespread.

Medical experts are also alarmed by commonly used impure forms of Ecstasy (laced with other drugs), as well as look-alike pills. Other critical concerns include the drug’s capacity to accelerate dehydration and overheating, which, especially at crowded dance clubs, has been the cause of death in some cases. If you or someone you care about is using Ecstasy, consider getting immediate and confidentia lhelp from your doctor or local therapist.

Drug Rehab