Detox Recovery

Posts Tagged ‘addict’

A dual diagnosis is when a person has been diagnosed with two or “dual” conditions: an alcohol, drug or other substance addiction coupled with a mental health disorder. Many patients that are in addiction treatment are found to have a dual diagnosis. Of the two million people in the United States that suffer from mental illness, about 50% of them also are an alcohol, drug or other type of substance abuser. For an alcoholic, whether they have a dual diagnosis or not, they need to enter an alcohol addiction treatment program. For others that have substance abuse and addiction, a dual diagnosis, addiction treatment is not only warranted but desperately needed. Not every addiction treatment center is equipped to help this illness. It’s vitally important that a center with professional staff prepared to work with patients with a dual diagnosis is chosen.

Probably the most challenging area for health care providers is diagnosing patients who truly have a dual diagnosis. The reason a dual diagnosis is so difficult to determine is because more cases than not, a mental illness is coupled with a substance abuse and addiction situation. It is for this reason that many of these patients are placed in addiction treatment homes or centers only to discover that they are in fact dealing with a dual diagnosis. The problem is that substance dependence can masquerade as a psychiatric disorder, so many times the mental illness is not discovered or revealed until much later than at the initial evaluation.

It can be a very difficult situation to identify a patient with dual diagnosis. Most times they are in denial about their substance abuse so when the addiction is discovered, they overlook the fact that the mental illness is still exacerbating the substance problem and vice-versa. Therefore only one of the two issues is identified. And with teens it is even more difficult. With kids going through puberty and all of the emotional fluctuations that accompany that, how can you be sure that this young man or woman are actually suffering from a bi-polar disorder or even depression? For that very reason it is imperative that when seeking an addiction treatment center you find one that has an acute awareness of this dual disease. It is only then that you can truly have hope for a full recovery.

by Groshan Fabiola

Am I an Addict?

This is NA Fellowship-approved literature.

Copyright © 1983, 1988 by

Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Only you can answer this question.

This may not be an easy thing to do. All through our usage, we told ourselves, “I can handle

it.” Even if this was true in the beginning, it is not so now. The drugs handled us. We lived to

use and used to live. Very simply, an addict is a person whose life is controlled by drugs.

Perhaps you admit you have a problem with drugs, but you don’t consider yourself an addict.

All of us have preconceived ideas about what an addict is. There is nothing shameful about being

an addict once you begin to take positive action. If you can identify with our problems, you may

be able to identify with our solution. The following questions were written by recovering addicts

in Narcotics Anonymous. If you have doubts about whether or not you’re an addict, take a few

moments to read the questions below and answer them as honestly as you can.

1. Do you ever use alone? Yes ? No ?

2. Have you ever substituted one drug for another, thinking that

one particular drug was the problem? Yes ? No ?

3. Have you ever manipulated or lied to a doctor

to obtain prescription drugs? Yes ? No ?

4. Have you ever stolen drugs or stolen to obtain drugs? Yes ? No ?

5. Do you regularly use a drug when you wake up or when you go to bed? Yes ? No ?

6. Have you ever taken one drug to overcome the effects of another? Yes ? No ?

7. Do you avoid people or places that do not approve of you using drugs? Yes ? No ?

8. Have you ever used a drug without knowing what it was?

or what it would do to you? Yes ? No ?

9. Has your job or school performance ever suffered

from the effects of your drug use? Yes ? No ?

10. Have you ever been arrested as a result of using drugs? Yes ? No ?

11. Have you ever lied about what or how much you use? Yes ? No ?

12. Do you put the purchase of drugs ahead of

your financial responsibilities? Yes ? No ?

13. Have you ever tried to stop or control your using? Yes ? No ?

14. Have you ever been in a jail, hospital,

or drug rehabilitation center because of your using? Yes ? No ?

15. Does using interfere with your sleeping or eating? Yes ? No ?

16. Does the thought of running out of drugs terrify you? Yes ? No ?

17. Do you feel it is impossible for you to live without drugs? Yes ? No ?

18. Do you ever question your own sanity? Yes ? No ?

19. Is your drug use making life at home unhappy? Yes ? No ?

20. Have you ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time

without drugs? Yes ? No ?

21. Have you ever felt defensive, guilty, or ashamed about your using? Yes ? No ?

22. Do you think a lot about drugs? Yes ? No ?

23. Have you had irrational or indefinable fears? Yes ? No ?

24. Has using affected your sexual relationships? Yes ? No ?

25. Have you ever taken drugs you didn’t prefer? Yes ? No ?

26. Have you ever used drugs because of emotional pain or stress? Yes ? No?

27. Have you ever overdosed on any drugs? Yes ? No ?

28. Do you continue to use despite negative consequences? Yes ? No ?

29. Do you think you might have a drug problem? Yes ? No ?

“Am I an addict?” This is a question only you can answer. We found that we all answered

different numbers of these questions “Yes.” The actual number of “Yes” responses wasn’t as

important as how we felt inside and how addiction had affected our lives.

Some of these questions don’t even mention drugs. This is because addiction is an insidious

disease that affects all areas of our lives—even those areas which seem at first to have little to do

with drugs. The different drugs we used were not as important as why we used them and what

they did to us.

When we first read these questions, it was frightening for us to think we might be addicts.

Some of us tried to dismiss these thoughts by saying:

“Oh, those questions don’t make sense;”

Or,

“I’m different. I know I take drugs, but I’m not an addict. I have real emotional/family/job

problems;”

Or,

“I’m just having a tough time getting it together right now;”

Or,

“I’ll be able to stop when I find the right person/get the right job, etc.”

If you are an addict, you must first admit that you have a problem with drugs before any

progress can be made toward recovery. These questions, when honestly approached, may help

to show you how using drugs has made your life unmanageable. Addiction is a disease which,

without recovery, ends in jails, institutions, and death. Many of us came to Narcotics

Anonymous because drugs had stopped doing what we needed them to do. Addiction takes

our pride, self-esteem, family, loved ones, and even our desire to live. If you have not reached

this point in your addiction, you don’t have to. We have found that our own private hell was

within us. If you want help, you can find it in the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous.

“We were searching for an answer when we reached out and found Narcotics Anonymous.

We came to our first NA meeting in defeat and didn’t know what to expect. After sitting in a

meeting, or several meetings, we began to feel that people cared and were willing to help.

Although our minds told us that we would never make it, the people in the fellowship gave us

hope by insisting that we could recover. […] Surrounded by fellow addicts, we realized that we

were not alone anymore. Recovery is what happens in our meetings. Our lives are at stake. We

found that by putting recovery first, the program works. We faced three disturbing realizations:

1. We are powerless over addiction and our lives are unmanageable;

2. Although we are not responsible for our disease, we are responsible for our recovery;

3. We can no longer blame people, places, and things for our addiction. We must face our

problems and our feelings.

The ultimate weapon for recovery is the recovering addict.”

One of the first and most difficult steps that any person faces when entering a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center is detoxification – the medical process of riding the body of the toxins it has stored during years or decades of drug or alcohol abuse. This process can be devastating from both a psychological and physical standpoint, which is why people who enter an alcohol or drug rehab program often will need detox in order to get through the painful withdrawal symptoms that otherwise might lead them to give up on the idea of quitting.

Detox at an addiction center can take days or even weeks, depending on what the person was abusing, how much they were using and for how long. However, just because a person has completed medical detox doesn’t mean that they are through with their rehab program. In fact, detox is just one small step in the larger process of freedom from drug and alcohol dependency.

When a person becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol, they aren’t just addicted to the substance they are abusing – they become addicted to the flood of pleasurable stimuli that the substance provides to them. No drug rehab program can be successful without changing the mindset of a person and helping them to understand how their addiction has changed them and what they need to do to move forward.

In addition to the lessons about moving forward that are taught at a rehab center, addicts also must address the root causes of their addiction. The majority of addicts start abusing drugs or alcohol because of other factors such as genetics, unhappy childhoods or unstable current lives. Without addressing these underlying factors, most people will eventually fall right back into their patterns of addiction and dependence.

For all of these reasons, it’s important to do more than just “get dry” when trying to quit drinking. Long-term abstinence requires a total rehab program that addresses every aspect of the drug or alcohol addiction.

By Sarah Michaels

The main reason for the increasing number of addicts that need treatment for prescription drugs in Florida is the rampant abuse of  prescription drugs. The lack of a system to check who’s being prescribed what is making the problem worse. The patients who take certain drugs over a longer period of time also get addicted to them. Apart from these patients with long-term exposure to a drug, there are others who buy and consume prescription drugs illegally and suffer from drug addiction.

People looking for treatment for prescription drugs in Florida are basically addicted to three categories of drugs. The first types of drugs are opiates. They are taken to relieve pain. Codeine, Demerol, Dilaudid, Morphine and Vicodine are some of the commonly prescribed drugs under this category. Anyone taking these medicines over a longer period of time can easily get addicted and treatment for addiction is necessary, especially in the initial stage of withdrawal. The second category of drugs is CNS depressants. It can be divided into two sub-categories – barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Nembutal and Mebaral come under barbiturates and are given to people suffering from anxiety and sleep disorder. Halcion, Librium, Valium and Xanax come under benzodiazepines and are taken for panic attacks and anxiety. Stimulants belong to the third category. Ritalin and Dexedrine are examples of the Stimulants that are commonly used today. They are provided to stimulate the brain in order to make a person more agile and active. Treatment for prescription drugs should immediately the initiated once the addiction is detected.

Treatment for prescription drugs in Florida involves inpatient therapy, outpatient therapy and group therapy. The inpatient treatment requires patient to be admitted to a detox treatment facility. The patients are carefully examined by physicians and taken off of their particular drugs safely and securely. The whole procedure may take 7 to 10 days. After the detox treatment is complete patients are referred to counselor who then makes further arrangements for individual and group therapy. They are subjected to number of educational lectures and group discussions in order to make them understand the drug addiction and its consequences. This helps them to rehabilitate successfully. In the outpatient program patients are treated through various interventions that include detox treatment, massage therapy, acupuncture sessions and hydro-therapy. Patients are required to visit the treatment facility from time to time in order to be examined and to determine the extent of their addiction and the progress of their individual treatment plan. Patients are also encouraged to take part in various recreational activities like swimming, running, exercising, playing outdoor games and others that are provided at the treatment facility. In group therapy patients are encouraged to participate in meetings that are designed to educate them about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) programs. Emphasis is laid on social interaction as most take to drug addiction because of the feeling of loneliness.

Treatment for prescription drugs in Florida is based upon the philosophy that every individual is important and unique and should be treated with distinction and respect. The main purpose of the treatment is to help the individual to become healthier and lead a drug free life.

By Gen Wright

Not long after attending my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous I began to hear people using the phrase Higher Power and even talking about God.  This was one of the things that kept me skeptical about AA.  I had always had a hard time relating to God and I was petrified that I couldn’t stay off drugs and alcohol because of my aversion to organized religion.  Luckily I obtained a temporary sponsor at my very first meeting and after a few months of going to AA meetings regularly I finally told her about my dilemma.  It was explained to me that Alcoholics Anonymous was not a religious program and that I did not have to believe in anyone else’s concept of God.  That put me at ease for a while but I kept hearing people sharing in meetings about their Higher Power and I was still confused and apprehensive. 

When the time came that I began to go through the twelve steps I had been clean and sober for over three months and still felt disconnected from God.  The first step was to admit that I was powerless over drugs and alcohol and that my life had become unmanageable, which was easy for me.  However the second step was no easy feat, “We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”  I went over and over the words in my head and tried to think what it meant to me and how I could relate to this concept of a power greater than myself.  My sponsor told me that she had a similar experience when she was a newcomer and that all that I needed at that time was to believe that there was something in the universe that was more powerful than me.  I had heard of people using the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous as their Higher Power because they felt that the group was more powerful than they were alone.  That idea made sense to me and for the time being it would suffice.  I was hopeful that in time my relationship to God would blossom and develop as was the experience of others in AA.

When I first began using pain medicine it was innocent enough, I had a back injury from a car accident and was prescribed Vicodin by my physician.  I had 2 herniated discs and the first few months after my accident I was in almost constant pain and needed the pain killers in order to function.  I was going to work everyday and performing to the best of my ability.  I was also still leading a very active social life but I began to feel the need for more and more pain medication.  My descent into addiction was quick and began when I found myself taking more medicine than I was prescribed.  I was supposed to take three pills a day, as needed for the pain, and I can still remember the first time I took an extra dose of Vicodin and thinking to myself that it might not be a good idea.

I began to run out of my prescriptions early and be left with nothing to treat the very real pain that I still had plus the drug habit that was growing.  I would go to the pharmacy and make up all kinds of stories to tell the pharmacist in order for him to fill my medications early.  At that point I knew that I had a drug problem and that I might be a drug addict, but I was not ready to quit.  I continued to use for three miserable years until I finally had enough.  I was waking up sick every morning and needed to swallow up to ten pain killers in order to get myself out of bed.  When I was ready I knew that I had to go to a medical inpatient detox and come off of the prescription medication slowly.  I never thought that I would be able to stop using drugs and now I am in recovery and loving life again!

What causes drug abuse and addiction?

What makes one person abuse drugs to the point of losing their home, their family and their job, while another does not? There is no one simple reason. Drug abuse and addiction is due to many factors. A powerful force in addiction is the inability to self- soothe or get relief from untreated mental or physical pain. Without the self-resilience and support to handle stress, loneliness or depression, drugs can be a tempting way to deal with the situation. Unfortunately, due to the changes drugs make to the brain, it can only take a few times or even one time to be on the road to addiction. Some other risk factors include:

• Family history of addiction. While the interplay between genetics and environment is not entirely clear, if you have a family history of addiction, you are at higher risk for abusing drugs.
• History of mental illness. Drug abuse can worsen mental illness or even create new symptoms. See dual diagnosis for more information on mental illness and drug abuse.
• Untreated physical pain. Without medical supervision, pain medications or illegal drugs like heroin can rapidly become addictive.
• Peer pressure. If people around you are doing drugs, it can be difficult to resist the pressure to try them, especially if you are a teenager.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse & addiction

How can I tell if a loved one has a problem with drugs?

Although different drugs may have different effects on overall physical and mental health, the basic pattern is the same. Getting and using the drug becomes more and more important than anything else, including job, friends and family. The physical and emotional consequences of drug abuse and addiction also make it difficult to function, often impairing judgment to a dangerous level.

Physical signs of abuse and addiction

Drug abuse affects the brain and body directly. While high, the drug affects the entire body, from blood pressure to heart rate. Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine “amp up” the body, increasing blood pressure, metabolism and reducing the ability to sleep. Drugs like opiates and barbiturates slow down the body, reducing blood pressure, breathing and alertness sometimes to dangerous levels. Some physical signs of abuse and addiction include:

• Cycles of increased energy, restlessness, and inability to sleep (often seen in stimulants)
• Abnormally slow movements, speech or reaction time, confusion and disorientation (often seen in opiates, benzodiazepines and barbiturates)
• Sudden weight loss or weight gain
• Cycles of excessive sleep
• Unexpected changes in clothing,  such as constantly wearing long sleeved shirts, to hide scarring at injection sites
• Suspected drug paraphernalia such as unexplained pipes, roach clips or syringes
• For snorted drugs, chronic troubles with sinusitis or nosebleeds
• For smoked drugs, a persistent cough or bronchitis, leading to coughing up excessive mucus or blood.
• Progressive severe dental problems (especially with methamphetamine)

Mental and emotional signs of abuse and addiction

Abuse and addiction also affect mood, as drugs are abused for the temporary good feelings they provide. These feelings can vary depending on the drug used. Some mental and emotional signs include:

• Cycles of being unusually talkative, “up” and cheerful, with seemingly boundless energy.
• Increased irritability, agitation and anger
• Unusual calmness, unresponsiveness or looking “spaced out”
• Apathy and depression
• Paranoia, delusions
• Temporary psychosis, hallucinations
• Lowered threshold for violence

The effects of drug addiction are far reaching and go way beyond just affecting the life of the addict. Drug addiction has an effect on families, companies, schools, and friendships. It also has an effect on the body of the addict and could possibly affect the health of those around the addict.

People who use drugs experience a wide array of physical effects other than those expected. The excitement of a cocaine high, for instance, is followed by a “crash”: a period of anxiety, fatigue, depression, and an acute desire for more cocaine to alleviate the feelings of the crash. Marijuana and alcohol interfere with motor control and are factors in many automobile accidents. Users of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may experience flashbacks, unwanted recurrences of the drug’s effects weeks or months after use.

Sharing hypodermic needles leads to an increased risk of HIV and some forms of hepatitis. That, along with increased sexual activity among drug addicts can greatly increase the incidence of people becoming infected with AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

There are over 10,000 deaths directly attributable to drug use in the United States every year; the substances most frequently involved are cocaine, heroin, and morphine, often combined with alcohol or other drugs. Many drug users engage in criminal activity, such as burglary and prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs, especially alcohol, are associated with violent behavior.

The user’s preoccupation with the substance, plus its effects on mood and performance, can lead to marital problems and poor work performance or dismissal. Drug use can disrupt family life and create destructive patterns of codependency, that is, the spouse or whole family, out of love or fear of consequences, inadvertently enables the user to continue using drugs by covering up, supplying money, or denying there is a problem.

Pregnant drug users, because of the drugs themselves or poor self-care in general, bear a much higher rate of low birth-weight babies than the average. Many drugs (e.g., crack and heroin) cross the placental barrier, resulting in addicted babies who go through withdrawal soon after birth, and fetal alcohol syndrome can affect children of mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy. Pregnant women who acquire the AIDS virus through intravenous drug use pass the virus to their infant.

Drug abuse affects society in many ways. In the workplace it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency. Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have occupational accidents, endangering themselves and those around them. Over half of the highway deaths in the United States involve alcohol.

Drug-related crime can disrupt neighborhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and the crimes of the addicts themselves. In some neighborhoods, younger children are recruited as lookouts and helpers because of the lighter sentences given to juvenile offenders, and guns have become commonplace among children and adolescents. The great majority of homeless people have either a drug or alcohol problem or a mental illness-many have all three.

Drug addiction has an effect on all parts of life for the drug user, the family, and society as a whole. The time to get help for an addiction is NOW before its effects become so far-reaching, they cannot be recovered.

by Alden Robinson