Rehab | Rehab Expectations

The Very Real Challenges of Rehab

Before any addict even considers entering rehab they must first face the fact that they have a problem. Forcing someone with addiction issues into a rehab facility is unlikely to produce successful results otherwise. What they will encounter while undergoing treatment will vary depending on the facility and their treatment program.

Regardless of facility is chosen, there are conditions that are constant like abiding by rules outlined by administrators. These may cover visiting hours, and there are often restrictions on who can visit. Patients are required to take part in all activities unless they are excused from doing so. In most centers relationships between patients are actively discouraged.

Battling addiction to drugs or alcohol sometimes requires therapy sessions, which can be emotionally taxing. This often forces individuals to confront personal issues that may have played a contributory role in their addiction. For this reason there is a confidentiality agreement between the facility and each patient.

Family Contact

This can be a big challenge, as while visits are usually allowed, contact with family members is generally limited to visiting hours. Most facilities do not allow the use of cell phones, which may lead to a feeling of isolation. This is a necessary aspect of the treatment, however, as all attempt is made to minimize external negative influences.

The Possibility of Relapse

This is a very real concern for anyone who has ever battled addiction, whether it is to alcohol or drugs. Some drug rehab centers offer follow-up programs for just this reason, but this is not always possible. For some addicts, beating the problem will be only the beginning. It is easy to fall back into old habits or behaviors leading t lead to drinking or drug use.

Some centers have whole programs devoted to dealing with the issue of relapse. This usually focuses on identifying the triggers which may lead to drug or alcohol use. Once former patients are educated on the risks of relapse, and follow provided guidelines, they can successfully avoid reverting to their destructive habits.

Filed Under: Health, Rehab Tagged With: Drug rehabilitation, Substance abuse, Substance dependence

Grandma’s an Addict!

Is your Grandma an addict? Before you say “of course not”, you should know that one of the fastest growing addicted age groups is over fifty-five. Most Grandparents are not lurking in an alley looking for a drug dealer. They go to their doctor and buy their drugs at the pharmacy.

Addiction to prescription drugs by seniors has several causes. Pain management may be the most significant cause. Arthritis pain, pain from illness and surgery can lead to an addiction to medications like Vicodin and Oxycontin. Wiley patients can shop for specialists who will provide for pain medications and sleep medications on request. Emotional pain is another cause of senior addiction. The loss of family and friends to death, the loss of your health, physical mobility, and the meaning that your career gave you is often difficult to manage. Drugs and alcohol can deaden the pain of growing older.

Some elders become addicted by accident. Individuals who have memory problems or undiagnosed dementia can accidentally take too many pills and become physically addicted. As we age, we are more likely to develop neurological diseases like dementia, neuropathy, and Parkinson’s disease. The medications used to treat these diseases can have very bad interactions with other commonly prescribed drugs. Senior addicts present special problems for rehabilitation facilities. Very often, they are reluctant to admit they have a problem. Moreover, underlying health problems can make drug withdrawal dangerous. Close monitoring during withdrawal requires special staff and equipment not available at every rehabilitation facility.

Families and friends can be instrumental in a senior’s rehabilitation. What are the signs of addiction for seniors? Some signs are obvious – failing to bathe or a loss of interest in their appearance, unexplained bruising from falls, changes in sleep habits, avoiding friends and family, and a general loss of interest in life can signal an addiction.

Experts predict that the number of addicted seniors will increase dramatically as the baby boomers age. Medicine and rehabilitation facilities will have to play catch-up.

Filed Under: Addiction, Rehab Tagged With: Hydrocodone/paracetamol, Oxycodone, Prescription drug, Substance dependence

The Importance of Aftercare

In some ways, the stay at the rehabilitation facility is the easy part. Maintaining sobriety while you are out there alone, surrounded by temptations is more complicated. That’s where aftercare comes in.

Aftercare is part of the rehabilitation process – continuing to reinforce the lessons learned while in residential treatment. It can include attending twelve step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, seeing a therapist, group therapy, or outpatient care.

An aftercare plan is usually developed in the final days or weeks of residential treatment, and must involve the patient’s family or other support network. The plans are written for the individual – some people do well attending twelve step meetings and regular therapy sessions. Others may need a halfway house where they can work during the day, but return to a controlled environment at night. The most intensive aftercare may mean staying at the residential facility for the first dangerous months. Patients who do not have family or a network of sober friends can benefit by maintaining a strict routine while learning to function in the real world.

Aftercare is not program just for the weak willed. It is an important part of every recovering addict’s care when they return home and must deal with the pressures of relationships, work, and home with easy access to drugs and alcohol. Individuals who feel alone and vulnerable can fall into familiar, destructive behaviors.

Families sometimes want to declare an addict cured when they leave rehab. Sometimes they desperately want to get on with life and consider their loved one’s addiction just a bump in the road. Sometimes they indulge in “magical thinking”- not discussing an addiction means it didn’t happen.

Over half the patients who complete rehabilitation relapse within their first year of sobriety. Returning to their old surroundings and old friends can lead to falling back on old habits. A thoughtful aftercare plan can help reinforce new habits of sobriety and healthful living.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: Alcoholics Anonymous, Drug rehabilitation, Narcotics Anonymous, Patient, Substance abuse, Substance dependence

Holistic Drug Rehabilitation

What is holistic drug rehabilitation? While traditional rehabilitation concentrates on detoxification and behavioral changes, holistic (also called alternative) rehabilitation treats the mind, body, and soul. Holistic rehab views addiction as disharmony and imbalance in one’s life. In order to restore balance, holistic rehabilitation hospitals have several different treatment options.

Bio-nutritional therapy usually starts with a hair analysis to determine vitamin deficiencies and the presence of heavy metal in your system. Vitamin supplementation and a carefully balanced diet are the first battle plan to restore balance to your brain chemistry. This balance can reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol.

Imbalance of the chakras or your body’s energy centers can be treated with yoga, acupuncture, chakra healing, Reiki massage or touch healing. Hands-on energy healing is another technique that identifies and removes blockages in the energy centers, returning you to life affirming balance.

Rehab patients who have underlying problems like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), compulsive disorders, or stress are often treated with hypnosis, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDP), Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), or motivational interviewing.

Most alternative rehabilitation hospitals include spa treatments – including steam, sauna, or whirlpools to remove toxins from your system. Sunlight therapy, which increases your brain’s serotonin level, is helpful in creating a natural “high” without drugs or alcohol.

Aromatherapy, which uses scent to calm or stimulate the brain, is another popular therapy. And meditation is often helpful to calm the patient as well as produce self-knowledge.

Alternative rehabilitation may include standard treatments like drug therapy for depression, Alcohols Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, group, and individual talk therapy.

Cognitive Behavior Education (CBE) developed at Jude Thaddeus Program teaches that addiction is not a disease, but a condition to overcome. The program uses self-evaluation techniques to take patients from a self-centered life to a life of self-control through service to others.

Alternative or Holistic drug rehabilitation centers around detoxification of the body, self-respect, self-confidence, and empowerment of the mind and spirit.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: Alternative, Drug rehabilitation, Narcotics Anonymous, Psychotherapy, United States

The Betty Ford Center

It took a very brave woman to introduce drug rehabilitation to mainstream America. But Former First Lady Betty Ford has never been anything but honest about her struggles with breast cancer and substance abuse. In 1982, when Mrs.. Ford and Ambassador Leonard Firestone established the Betty Ford Center at Rancho Mirage, California, drug rehabilitation was spoken of only in whispers. By talking about her own recovery, Mrs. Ford single-highhandedly brought rehab out of the shadows and into the light.

The Betty Ford Center is a non-profit, residential hospital for inpatient, day, and outpatient rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction. The Center has seven different treatment programs ranging from 90-day inpatient treatment to follow-up care. There is also an outpatient program that allows the patient to live at home and attend the program from 5-9 pm daily. This program is primarily an aftercare program or for patients who have completed an inpatient stay, but need a “refresher” course for ongoing recovery.

No addiction happens just to the addict. The Center also has education and prevention programs for children and families who are not addicts, but live within addicted families.

Mrs. Ford was convinced that men and women react differently to addiction, so treatment is gender specific. Each patient is assigned a comprehensive team of specialists who remain constant throughout your treatment. An individual care is plan is developed for you and counselors, case manager, dietitian, fitness expert, psychologist, and physician follow you through the treatment period.

An important part of rehabilitation is aftercare – the way you maintain sobriety in the real world. The Betty Ford Center has an active alumni group that holds regular meetings throughout the United States and Canada to encourage a lifetime of healthy living.

The Betty Ford Center was the one first rehabilitation hospitals surrounded by luxury and exclusivity. The Center quickly became the rehabilitation site of choice for movie stars and rock musicians, and rehab became socially acceptable.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: Betty Ford Center, Lindsay Lohan, Rancho Mirage California, Substance abuse, Substance dependence

What Do I Take To Rehab?

You have finally decided to enter drug rehabilitation. You have found a compatible program, and set the date you will start the program. What should you take to the facility?

If treatment isn’t prepaid, bring your payment. You will also be allowed to bring a limited amount of cash for personal purchases. Phone calls will be limited, and cell phones are generally prohibited. Buy a phone card for long distance calls when they are allowed.

Rehabilitation is work and you must not be distracted from the task at hand. Do not bring your computer, DVD player, palm pilot, or video i-pod. Ask before you bring an alarm clock, i-pod, MP3 player (with headset), or hair dryer.

Part of rehabilitation is taking ownership of your past actions, and how they have affected the people who love you. Your life has been out of control, revolving around drugs or alcohol. A properly ordered life, complete with diet, regular exercise, and plenty of rest is essential for a successful rehabilitation.

Did your Grandma ever tell you “pretty is as pretty does”? Rehab centers often stress gaining control of yourself and your surroundings. There are often strict rules about clothing- limiting selections to modest shorts, appropriate undergarments, and comfortable casual wear. You will not be allowed to bring any clothing with drug or alcohol logos. Women may be asked to leave all low cut tops at home; but bring one dress. Men may be asked to bring a dress shirt and tie.

You may bring personal toiletries, but nothing containing alcohol- including perfume and after-shave. You may be allowed to bring sealed cigarettes, but they will be checked for tampering. All your possessions will be checked when you arrive for contraband substances.

Rehab is an opportunity to break from old habits and old friends. Restoring your sense of responsibility means getting rid of distractions and bad habits during your stay.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: California, Centers and Counseling Services, Drug rehabilitation, Rehab, Substance abuse

Using Alternative Treatments for Drug Rehabilitation

Drug addiction is an ongoing issue. Over the years various methods of rehabilitation have been tried to help addicts overcome this problem. It is therefore not surprising that with the growing interest in alternative medicine, this is increasingly being used in drug rehabilitation efforts.

Some alternative methods being used to help people overcome addiction include nutrition, acupuncture, meditation, cognitive and motivational therapies. These methods may be combined depending on the response of addicts. Some treatment centers also go with a combination of alternative and standard medicinal programs.

Nutrition is now being used as a means of detoxification. In fact, ensuring a certain level of nutrition serves more than one purpose. It helps to improve the overall health of the addicted person since they are normally malnourished. Plus, certain minerals and vitamins are known to have properties that aid in removing toxins from the body.

Antioxidant rich foods that are high in nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin c, selenium and zinc are excellent at helping to fight free radicals. Malnourished people, especially those who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to have high levels of free-radicals. Increasing antioxidant intake improves the health of tissues.

Acupuncture is also being used to help people beat addiction. The area of focus is the ear. Acupuncture needles are placed in specific areas of the ear to control withdrawal cravings. Based on the pressure points stimulated, endorphins are released which help to improve the mood of drug addicted people. This helps to control the urge and discomfort generally associated with withdrawal from drugs or alcohol.

Whatever methods are used to help people overcome addiction to drugs and alcohol, it will always be challenging. Some persons will be successful the first time they try to beat their addiction. Unfortunately, this is not true for everyone as they will need to try different methods to help them overcome this problem for life.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health, Rehab Tagged With: Drug rehabilitation, Substance abuse, Substance dependence

Drug Addiction and Rehab

Drug addiction is one of the biggest problem and challenges facing the youth not only in this country but across many parts of the world. The saddest part is that teenagers usually fall victim to this habit and by the time they as well as the parents realize it, things usually would have gone out of control. There could be many reasons for drug addictions and most of them are socio-economic in nature, Of course there are also emotional reasons which drive young children to drug.

To counter this scourge, there are many drug rehab centers spread throughout the country. Anyone desirous of giving up drugs would most naturally contact these rehab centers who are always ready to lend a helping hand to such people. All it requires is a mindset which is positive towards detoxifying there body. Once this is done, the next important step is to go for a total drug rehabilitation therapy. This takes time and calls for patience, love and affection on the part of the family members.

There are many types of drugs that are available freely in the market and so detoxification and drug rehabilitation is something which needs careful study before being put into practice. Drug addiction starts as a pleasure and slowly the victim starts sinking deeper into this problem and over a period of time his body takes over his mind.

His body starts demanding drugs out of which he finds it very difficult to come out. They would like to kick this habit out but are unable to do it in spite of their best personal effort. This is when they would need the help and support of rehab centers that would follow a scientific approach and wean away the victims from drugs. The process is slow but it is usually successful provided the victim cooperates.

Filed Under: General, Rehab Tagged With: Addiction, Drug rehabilitation, Health, Substance abuse, United States

Inpatient and Outpatient Options Are Available

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There are plenty of people who need drug treatment, but only some of them will get it. Many of them are in denial about what’s really wrong with them or how much of a serious problem they have. Even if their friends and family members see it, they might not. They also might not think that the issue is one that they need to deal with, when others could feel far differently about that. If you use alcohol and drugs, it’s time that you honestly assessed whether you have a problem. You can get the treatment you need, too, so don’t assume that you won’t be able to get help or that there won’t be anyone around to support you.

If your problem is not as severe and you need to stay in your home so you can keep working or attending school, you may want to consider an outpatient program. For those who have no job and see that drugs have taken over their life, an inpatient choice may be a better one. You don’t have to take that option, but it’s more comprehensive and complete than an outpatient choice. That makes it better for people who are battling a stronger form of addiction or who have been addicted for longer.

No matter which option you choose, though, you’ll have plenty of support from the treatment facility that you choose. You’ll also be able to get outpatient help after you go through an inpatient program, so you can continue to get the help that you need after you get intensive treatment. With time and effort, you can conquer your addiction and move into a good life that’s clean, sober, and enjoyable. It may seem like you can’t get there, or it’s too much effort, but it’s important for the people who care about you that you get the help you need.

Filed Under: General, Rehab Tagged With: Centers and Counseling Services, Patient, Substance dependence, Twelve-step program

Understanding the 12 Step Program

When it comes to alcohol and drug addictions, most people have heard about the 12 step program. Traditionally, this program has proven to be very successful in helping those afflicted with addictions overcome their obstacles. The 12 Step program is a very sound one, based on tried and true principles.

The 12-step program was developed in 1935 by two men, Bill W. and Dr. Bob. The two met together with alcoholics and used this specific 12-step process to help individuals overcome their addiction to alcohol. The first “AA” group was formed as a result of the 12 Step program. Today, the same 12 steps that were introduced in 1935 are used to help treat alcoholism, as well as other addictions.

As the name suggests, there are 12 steps. They are as follows:

1. Admit that you are powerless over your addiction.

2. Believe that a power greater than yourself can restore sanity.

3. Turn your will and your life over to God as you come to understand him.

4. Make a moral inventory of yourself.

5. Admit to God, yourself, and others the nature of all your wrongs.

6. Be ready to let God remove the defects of your character.

7. Ask God to remove your shortcomings.

8. Make a list of all the people you have wronged and make amends.

9. Make direct amends to those you have harmed, where possible.

10. Continue to take personal inventory and admit when you are wronged.

11. Improve actions through prayer and meditation.

12. Have a spiritual awakening as a direct result of the steps.

The steps may seem intense, but in order to overcome dangerous addictions, intense help is needed. If you or someone you know is struggling from addiction, don’t be afraid to give the 12 Step program a try. Look for alcohol and drug treatment centers in your area for overcoming addiction.

Filed Under: Rehab Tagged With: Alcoholics Anonymous, Substance dependence, Twelve-step program