Drug and Alcohol Rehab Solutions for Addiction

Recent estimates have indicated that there are around 1.5 million people in the United States who are regularly using needles as part of their recreational drugs use. This figure may seem high, but paints an accurate picture of the true number of individuals using substances such as heroin. Drug use poses obvious risks in terms of addiction and the complications that can bring. It can destroy someone’s mind, cause numerous health issues and lead to work and family relationship disasters.

There is however a secondary risk, which many drug users are exposing themselves too on a daily basis. This secondary risk comes in the form of the dangers of sharing needles. Needles are used to inject various substances such as heroin and methamphetamines into the blood stream. Drug users do this as the ‘hit’ is more intense. Many drug users are playing a dangerous game, risking their lives in the process. Read the rest of this entry »

The news is never slow to tell us about the tragic death of our favorite personalities, especially when their untimely deaths are due to drug addiction resulting in suicides or overdoses. It hits us hard and we feel helpless in hearing about something that didn’t have to happen.

But ordinary everyday people die every day without a mention. In fact a recent report shows that more people died in 2009 from narcotics than were killed in car accidents - that’s 37,485 people, most of whom got no mention on the news. This is the first time in 30 years the number of drug-related deaths has been greater than vehicle-related fatalities. Read the rest of this entry »

There was an interesting article in the Miami Herald about the use of cocaine being down due to the economic problems of affording it. I live in South Florida and know that the level of unemployment is quite high. At the mental health clinic I work on there also seem to be less reports from clients both about abusing cocaine and going to rehab for that specific drug. Of course, this doesn’t mean people are not using drugs, but many turn to prescription drug abuse. Prescription drugs should be used properly for anxiety issues, depression management or pain control. Now, people are exaggerating or fabricating symptoms to get scripts or getting prescriptions in illegal manners from what I’ve observed.

According to the director of the Substance Abuse Prevention Center at Nova University, James Hall, people are still using cocaine but the amount they get has been cut and this drug is difficult to afford. One good outcome is this is that there are less deaths from cocaine use in the Miami area. Read the rest of this entry »

There was an interesting study published on the internet the other day discussing that there is a connection between heave users of social sharing sites such as Facebook and Twitter with substance abuse and drug addiction. The causality is not exactly clear but according to the Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse’s survey, over 65 percent of teenagers who use drugs and other substances also are very active with the social sharing sites including MySpace as well. My first response in hearing this was that most teens use Facebook, Twitter and MySpace so this doesn’t really prove anything.

The study covered about 1000 teenagers up to the age of 17 and the founder of CASA said that there was an underlying interest for many to see pictures of their friends and seeing photos of drinking at parties and drug-related shots caused others to follow those behaviors. Read the rest of this entry »

Parker Lanier came from a middle class family and grew up surrounded by wealthier families in a nice neighborhood. He admits that part of his problem started while he was in middle school, he was full of envy and resentment towards the kids who he believed were better off than he was. He believed they were better because they had things that he didn’t have – nice cars, more money and prettier girlfriends.

In eighth grade he discovered alcohol and found that his attitude was very much adjusted with this form of self medication – it eradicated his fears and weaknesses, and that self medication continued for the next 30 years. Read the rest of this entry »

New Mexico is a state affected by the drug trafficking trade; due to its proximity to Mexico. A number of major drug cartels operate in New Mexico, meaning there is a steady flow of illegal narcotics into the stare. This has led to an increasing number of people finding themselves in a situation of drug dependency; with meth amphetamine and heroin abuse causing the authorities particular concern. These issues have led to the development of a number of New Mexico drug addiction centers, who provide specialist care for those who are struggling with addiction. A few such centers are discussed below.

Vista Taos describes itself as a place where you can renew your life, giving you another chance. Vista Taos combine Holistic treatments with more conventional methods. Vista Taos provide in-patient treatment in addition to residential care. Treatment includes individual and group therapy, which are combined with more unconventional methods such as massage and meditation. The center has an ethos of treating the issues which cause the addiction in addition to the symptoms themselves. They believe that in doing this they will help the patient reduce the risk of using the substances again. Read the rest of this entry »

Extensive studies show that many drug addicts have experienced negative childhood experiences. These negative experiences not only lead to drug addiction, they can also be the root cause of many other problems including alcoholism, obesity, tobacco addiction and other behaviors often termed as “self–destructive”.

To illustrate this, a study was conducted of returning Vietnam enlisted men who were addicted to heroin. Many enlisted men used heroine on a regular basis in Vietnam but only very small percentage were still addicted in less than a year after returning home. The high 95% recovery rate could not be attributed to successful treatment. Why did the remaining 5% remain addicted to heroin? Read the rest of this entry »

Kentucky, like many states in the US has its fair share of issues with alcohol and substance abuse. Kentucky may be known for its fertile green pastures and horse racing, it is however dealing with an underlying drug use issue, which a problem increasing at an alarming rate. The main problem surrounds the illegal sale of prescription drugs, which are being used by many young people in the state, particularly in the more built up city areas.

Kentucky has also found that it has an issue with so called recreational drugs such as Cocaine and Ketamine, as well as harder drugs such as Heroin. Ketamine, is an animal tranquilizer but has been in the news lately and even a friend of someone on Jersey Shores was just cited for this drug in today’s news. This growing problem has led to the widespread provision of Kentucky drug rehab centers. This article will discuss a few such centers and will provide a brief description of some facilities available. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve had the honor to be able to interview five fascinating individuals who each have their own tale of addiction and recovery. You may be familiar with some of them as Todd Zalkins, Amy Lee Coy and Patty Holloran have all written books which you can find on Amazon. As a therapist, I know that there is no “one approach works for all”. This is as true for addiction issues as it is for depression or anxiety treatment. Each of us has our own path, but we can learn from others and there are certain sentences in these accounts that will resonate deep inside of you. Change often occurs by reading just one sentence.

Some of those interviewed for example, have found the 12 step approach essential for true change. However, alternatives are also found in others interviewed who did not click with AA or NA but instead found other approaches for recovery. Read the rest of this entry »

A cursory look over the instructions provided with medication will show that there are obvious dangers of mixing alcohol with prescription medications. It is generally accepted that doing so is not a good idea; however there is a percentage of people who continue to take this risk. We will discuss a number of common medications and the dangers involved when their use is combined with alcohol.

First of all, if someone has a problem with alcohol or abusing prescription drugs to begin with they are already in danger. It goes without saying that excessive use of one of these alone needs intervention. Combining alcohol with a normal use of prescription meds is often a danger even when the alcohol is consumed in a social context with moderation. Read the rest of this entry »

Drug abuse is unfortunately rife across many states and cities in the US. Pennsylvania is no different. The state has seen a worrying trend and in increase in drug abuse, with Heroin in particular causing a major problem in large urban areas such as Philadelphia. There is now a rising demand in terms for the drug rehab provision required to the tackle this growing problem. As such there is a growing number of Pennsylvania Drug Rehab Centers, set up to provide specialist care and to support people who are looking to free themselves from the their addiction. A few examples of these types of centers are discussed in this article.

Greenbriar Treatment Center (Washington, PA)- PA Drug Rehab Help

The Greenbriar Treatment Centers describes itself as large enough to deliver specialized care and the latest treatments, whilst being small enough to provide every patient with a personalized level of care. The center caters for individuals with both drug and alcohol issues and abides by an ethos of treating all patients with respect and dignity. They believe in affording every patient a fresh start and are one of the most popular Pennsylvania Drug Rehab Centers. Their programs are tailor made to the individual but they broadly offer: detoxification, in-patient care, therapy session – which can take place in on an individual or group basis and counseling. Read the rest of this entry »

With around 8.3 millions people, New York is the most densely-populated city in the United States, If national averages are accurate, this means that in New York alone, approximately 830,000 people are dealing with some form of substance abuse or drug addiction. It is no wonder then that in New York City, drug rehab centers may be found in almost every borough, where they stand as beacons of hope.

Each of these centers employs a distinct approach to dealing with drug addiction recovery. Research each one to see if they are a good match. Some have a religious approach, some will treat those with a dual diagnosis, certain centers emphasize holistic healing and there are various theories of psychotherapy used from rational emotive therapy to ego psychology. Let’s look at four rehab center in New York with unique approaches. Read the rest of this entry »

There have been many investigations into Elvis Presley and addiction to drugs. While many believe he died from a overdosing on drugs, few probably know the roots of his drug dependence. As a young buy, Elvis and his family moved around from one town to the next. Elvis was often a loner in school. He kept to himself most of the time, and was often teased as being a ‘Mama’s boy.’ Despite being ostracized, Elvis did not turn to drugs or alcohol during his school days.

It wasn’t until Elvis joined the army and was shipped off to Germany that his debut into drugs went full swing. While stationed in Germany, Elvis had his first experience with amphetamines, a chemical stimulant or “upper” used by one of his commanding sergeants. The amphetamines reportedly made Elvis feel energized; he was better focused on tasked and was able to do more than his share of duties. Read the rest of this entry »