Some stressors, while they may be experienced to a different degree, are somewhat universal. To the extent that the recovering addict falls prey to the stressors and slips into relapse very much depends on how well prepared he or she is to handle the challenges and obstacles that occur – especially in early recovery.

What are some of the most common stressors and, beyond merely identifying them, what can be done about them? Read on.

Unemployment

Once an addict completes treatment and attempts to resume a normal life, one of the first stressors likely to be encountered is job-related. If the individual goes from treatment directly to a sober living home or halfway house, there may be assistance available to help the person transition from active treatment phase to resumption of normal living. A strong component of the transition phase is training in communication skills, how to present oneself for an employment interview, filling out a job application, writing a resume, and, possibly training to open up new employment opportunities.

Some recovering addicts do not go to a halfway house but return directly home. They attempt to pick up where they left off in their job, if they still have one. For some, their job is no longer there, or they were fired or quit as a result of their addiction. Being unemployed is a huge blow to the recovering addict, who now has to face the prospect of finding new employment while trying to negotiate a mountain of accumulated past-due bills, medical expenses, family obligations, and the like.

Add to the pressure the fact that the person may have been the family’s sole provider, and unemployment may become a primary trigger that results in relapse.

If you are a recovering addict and have no job, seek help in getting back into the work world. Use the resources available to you in your 12-step groups such as job fairs, job training, communications training, and financial aid to go back to school, and the like. Your 12-step sponsor and other group members may also be able to recommend programs in the local community that can help. Many alumni members have strong ties to such programs and are more than willing to help out fellow members get back on their feet.

Ask for help – and be willing to accept it. After all, your support system is going to be bedrock of your ongoing recovery. And everyone needs to have gainful employment in order to secure a satisfying and rewarding future.

The Enablers: Family, Friends and Co-Workers

If the family members have not also participated in treatment – such as family treatment programs – the individual in recovery is returning to the same environment he or she left prior to treatment. Family members may become enablers to the person in recovery. They help the addict avoid the consequences of his or her addiction, or they make it easier for the recovering addict to pick up their addictive behaviors that they thought they had left behind.

The same enabling stressors can occur with close friends and co-workers, people with whom the recovering addict spent time engaged in unhealthy and addictive behaviors.

Not everyone in the family will have the same reaction to attending family treatment – if they even went. They may mean well – enablers usually do – but they inadvertently spark or trigger stress that results in the recovering addict’s resumption of the addiction.

How can you help prevent the enabling of family, friends and co-workers? Start by listing ways to avoid relapsing that may be triggered by the actions of these people. You can’t prepare a coping strategy if you don’t have options available to you. Again, don’t try to figure this out on your own. Talk it over with your 12-step sponsor, fellow group members, your therapist or counselor in continuing care or aftercare (if these are part of your overall treatment plan), or an independent therapist trained in recovery strategies.

Source: Drug Addiction Treatment

There is a way out of this situation. But – and there’s always a disclaimer, isn’t there? – it won’t be easy and it will take time. Of course, there’s no guarantee the urges and cravings won’t come back, but when and if they do, you’ll be in a much better position to cope with them.

Cravings and Urges – What Are They?

You certainly know what you feel, but what are cravings and urges, really? What is the physical and/or psychological basis for them? Do they happen to every addict? How can they appear months and years after you’re clean and sober? Will they ever go away for good? These are excellent questions that frequently come up during treatment for addiction.

Cravings and urges are best described as strong memories that are linked to the effect of drugs (alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, prescription drugs used for nonmedical purposes, etc.) or addictive behavior (such as compulsive gambling, spending, or sexual behavior) on the neurochemistry of the brain.

Using brain imagery techniques, researchers have been able to pinpoint intense brain activity when addicts are shown pictures of crack pipes, alcoholic drinks or other visual images of addictive substances or behavior. Research shows that these images or cues can be as brief as 33 milliseconds before they activate the brain’s “go” circuit – even before the person is even aware of it happening.

What actually happens is this: The brain remembers the intense relief or pleasure of the previous drug experience or addictive behavior. It is a kind of programmed response to past association with drug use that activates the cortical areas of the brain by just the sight, sound, smell or thought of the drug itself. You don’t have to be using the drug to experience the craving or urge. Simply seeing or hearing or smelling a trigger – a beer commercial, the sound of ice tinkling in a glass, the sweet aroma of marijuana – makes you relive the experience and produces a strong emotional reaction. This is the craving or urge that you feel.
Tied to memories of such intense pleasure and relief, cravings and urges are both very powerful and tough to ignore. As to whether all addicts have them, the consensus is that they do, although how they react to them is very much individualized.
Some addicts can have the urge and not act on it. Maybe their addiction wasn’t as deep-seated, or they didn’t have any genetic predisposition to addiction (family history of alcoholism, for example). Their addiction may have been more of an environmental and social nature than a hard-core, chronic manifestation of the disease.

Even so, there are many hard-core addicts who successfully overcome their addiction – and are able to combat cravings and
urges effectively. That is not to say that the ability to cope with cravings comes easy or that it doesn’t require conscious effort – especially in early recovery when the memories are the most vivid and insistent.

What Happens in a Craving?

You know you’re experiencing a craving when you start to feel a tingle of anticipation. You hear, see, or smell the trigger and your thoughts center on the memories of using. You can’t get it out of your head.

Cravings aren’t something that you can schedule around, since you never know when they are going to occur. You can get a craving just by watching television or going to the beach, while you are trying to work or go to sleep. All you know is that your body is telling you how much better you’d feel if only you took that drink, smoked that joint, used that drug, went to the casino – you get the picture. Actually, that’s the point: You do get the picture and now you need to know what to do about it.

Source: Drug Addiction Treatment

Photos by Leslie Ellen Ray

The Internet Yogi (theinternetyogi.com)
This web site was developed by David Shannahoff-Khalsa, a research scientist at the University of California, San Diego who specializes in treating psychiatric disorders with Kundalini Yoga. He has developed a protocol using Kundalini Yoga meditation to treat obsessive compulsive disorders and addiction. These techniques can also help improve mental concentration and mental stability, reduce anxiety and depression, and promote a deep sense of inner peace. The protocol uses unique intense active meditative breathing, chanting, and movement techniques (all while sitting in a chair), and is available for purchase on videotape on his web site.

In addition, Dr. Shannahoff-Khalsa has written an article describing a specific Kundalini Yoga meditation technique for treating addictive disorders that is available full text online.

Shannahoff-Khalsa DS. “An introduction to Kundalini yoga meditation techniques that are specific for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Volume 10, Number 1, 2004, pp. 91-101.

For more information on addiction, recovery and treatment for substance abuse visit sunrisedetox.com .

Walking Away Isn’t Quitting

When you walk away from your family, it should never be as a result of the desire to quit. Whether you are the recovering addict or the spouse of the newly-sober individual, your reasons for leaving must be based on the best interests of all concerned. The decision should come after all other options have been thoroughly explored, and/or you’ve come to the realization that by staying, you’re doing more harm than good – harm to you, your spouse and your family.

Let’s take an example. Jennifer, mid-30s, is the live-in partner of Woody, 40. They have no children but prior to Woody’s stay in rehab for cocaine and alcohol addiction, they’d talked about getting married and starting a family. Jennifer is an artist who works from home, an only child whose parents are deceased. Woody’s mother is an alcoholic and his father a compulsive gambler. His two younger brothers, Alex and Tim, early 30s, are heavily into street drugs. Money has always been an issue in Woody’s family and he witnessed many explosive arguments at home growing up. Jennifer worships Woody, but doesn’t know how to relate to him now that he’s home from addiction treatment. He’s often silent, not the talkative person she so enjoyed, and he doesn’t want to socialize anymore. Her own work is suffering, since she feels compelled to watch over Woody all the time, afraid that he might slip. They haven’t had sex since before he went into rehab and Woody says he no longer wants children. In fact, Woody’s so different now that Jennifer feels trapped in a relationship she doesn’t want.

Clearly these two individuals are experiencing a great deal of difficulty adjusting to Woody’s new sobriety. The couple isn’t married, so there would not be any legal issues to untangle should they decide to split. Woody and Jennifer may benefit from continued counseling, if they’d go. It appears, however, that their finances are constrained, so professional couple’s therapy probably isn’t in the cards. Woody needs to resume attendance at his 12-step meetings (Alcoholics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous) – even though he says he doesn’t like the people there and it’s not helping him. Jennifer could find help through Al-Anon or Nar-Anon, but she seems unlikely to go.

Perhaps in this instance, Jennifer and Woody should part ways – at least until Woody is more firmly rooted in his sobriety and has a solid game-plan for his future. Staying together now could mean the relationship continues to disintegrate to the point of irreconcilable differences. For his part, Woody should attempt to see things from Jennifer’s perspective. If she truly means anything to him, he will put aside his own concerns and resolve to set her free. He needs to heal himself before he can open up to Jennifer or any other woman. Jennifer, on the other hand, needs to let go of her guilt and have the courage to stand up to Woody. She needs to be free of Woody’s needfulness.

Display Respect and Love

It’s not as easy as that, however. Walking away involves striving to achieve a delicate balance of resolve and independence, and needs to be accomplished with a display of respect and love.

In other words, you don’t need to have a shouting match to get your point across. Two people should be able to sit down together, or with a counselor present, and discuss their wants and needs in a civil manner. No matter how rough things have been, or how many hopes and dreams have been shattered, the decision to split can be amicable. Sometimes, however, the hurt has been so profound that one partner is unable to see anything good in the other. In such instances, the split should occur as quickly and with as much dignity as possible.

Let’s take another example. Bradley, 58, is married to Lynnette, 43. The couple have three young children, two girls, ages 11 and 15, and one boy, 17. Bradley has been doing his best to take care of the children while his wife was in treatment for compulsive sexual behavior, alcoholism and prescription drug addiction. This was Lynnette’s third time at rehab. Bradley has a good job, is a loving father, but has been repeatedly hurt by Lynnette’s affairs and blatant refusal to be a mother. In fact, she’s often been verbally and physically abusive to the children while she’s drunk and high – most often when she returns from one of her sexual liaisons. Bradley’s at the end of his patience. Lynnette refuses to change, and has stated on more than one occasion that she wants out.

Bradley’s most important consideration is the welfare of his children. While he believes in marriage for life, in this case, he has come to realize that Lynnette is not the partner for him. He and Lynnette should work out the details for her departure, making sure that the children are not negatively affected by the discussions and arrangements. Bradley’s best bet is to remain as respectful of Lynnette as possible, and show her cordiality, if not love, as she leaves the family.

Source: Drug Addiction Treatment

Managing the pain

There are many techniques for pain management that are very effective, both while we are in treatment and afterwards, if we just give them the chance to do so. Listed below are just some of the many useful and effective tools. A qualified physician should approve all techniques before you attempt them:

1. Physical Therapy: This is the most effective treatment of all. Most of us have been through many forms of physical therapy before, but chances are good we were abusing chemicals at the same time, nullifying or weakening the therapy. The form of treatment can also strengthen other parts of our bodies that can be used to physically support the pain area, such as back, leg and stomach muscles. Posture exercises are essential in chronic pain therapy.
2. Heat or Ice Therapy: I have two reusable ice packs in the freezer at all times. Ice is fast acting and very effective. Heat is very soothing to sore muscles. Always follow the suggestions of a physician, to be sure this type of therapy will help you and is safe.
3. Relaxation Techniques: Stress causes pain and pain causes stress. Relaxation helps reduce stress while helping reduce muscle spasms. There are various methods of relaxation, and some are more effective than others, depending upon the source of the pain. Deep breathing exercises can work wonders, since deep breathing is the body’s natural way to relax.
4. Biofeedback: This is a specialized form of relaxation that can help you relax the area that is the source of pain. This is taught by pain management programs or professionals in private practice.
5. Massage Therapy: This works well when used alone or combined with other pain management techniques. The majority of us suffer from muscle pain even though our injury sites may be elsewhere. It is usually the responding muscles that hurt the most.
6. Alternative Medicine: Many of us receive relief from alternative sources such as chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, reflexology and other forms of alternative medicine. This type of treatment is usually done when in-patient treatment is complete, however your particular program may make exceptions.
7. Proper Diet: Depending upon the person, a nutritionist can be consulted for healthy eating habits. If we are overweight, chances are we are making the pain worse by putting extra strain on the body.
8. Psychological and Psychiatric Support: Any program specializing in addiction and chronic pain will have appropriate counselors and psychiatrists to aid in pain management. Counselors and psychologists give emotional and spiritual guidance. They can also provide healthy support in therapeutic activities such as group therapy. Psychiatrists can prescribe antidepressants that can relieve depression and contribute to pain relief.
9. Medications: All treatment programs of this nature have staff physicians than can provide pain relief by prescribing appropriate non-mood-altering medications that are just as good as, if not better than narcotics and benzodiazepines. It may take some trial and error before the best overall medication is found for each individual. Just remember, mood-altering medications are not effective once tolerance builds, and chances are the medications you abused stopped providing physical relief.
10. Occupational Therapy and Vocational Guidance: Many of us are distressed because we can no longer function at work. Some of us must make occupational changes because of our chronic pain. Pain management treatment should include services that can help you return to work, or guide you toward new trades. Occupational therapy may be required if you intend to eventually return to your line of work. This involves training your muscles so they can cope with the stress of a particular job. Vocational counseling can help you change careers. These counselors specialize in this form of therapy, which includes a variety of testing and guidance.
11. Setting Goals: Once we have arrived at a level of acceptance of our pain, it is imperative that we begin setting specific goals that, once we reach, gives us hope and raises our self-esteem. Setting specific goals is a major function of treatment planning. Your counselor will provide guidance and help you set these goals.
12. Family Therapy: This is an essential part of treatment because the family plays such an important role in addiction and chronic pain. This form of therapy will help the family work through fears, and help them understand how they enable destructive behaviors in both areas.

The distinct cause of panic attacks is fear, plain and simple. This being said, however, it would be negligent to conclude that the symptoms are entirely psychosomatic because any number of panic attacks can be attributed to, enhanced by, or directly caused by the mental reaction to any number of drugs – marijuana included. One licensed practitioner (whose opinion has been affirmed by countless others) stated,

“Substance abuse and the withdrawal of the substance being abused can mimic panic attacks. Alcohol, marijuana, opiates, hallucinogens, cocaine, over-the-counter drugs (nasal sprays and diet tablets), caffeine and benzodiazepines can all be associated with panic attacks.”

The assumption that marijuana is the harmless drug that “the authorities love to hate” is simply an erroneous assumption. I’m not arguing here for continued criminalizing of pot or decriminalization for that matter, just stating the known facts.

Though marijuana has some therapeutic qualities, such as increased appetite for cancer sufferers, a dulling of pain caused by many maladies and its effectiveness in combating glaucoma, it argues nothing for the recreational use of the drug.

Every pot smoker is acquainted with the “superficial” negative effects of the habit. Things like laziness, listlessness, and lets not forget paranoia exhibited by many users.

The more serious effects that researches have discovered are things such as the negative effect on short-term memory.  Studies have shown that long-term adult users score less on short-term memory tests, as well as demonstrate reduced verbal and math skills compared with non-users.

What makes these negatives even more disturbing is the comparative strength of marijuana from previous eras and the THC (the component that is mind altering) levels normally seen in today’s variety.

According to the American Counsel For Drug Education, THC content of marijuana, which averaged less than 1 percent in 1974, rose to an average 4 percent by 1994. For the highly popular form of marijuana called Sinsemilla (from the Spanish “without seeds”), made from just the buds and flowering tops of female plants, THC content averages 7.5 percent and ranges as high as 24 percent. The message has been clear in the case of marijuana use and panic attacks. The answer for these panic attacks is simple–break the habit.            By John Bland

Many abusers of marijuana choose to go into a detox center and have professional care while going through the withdrawal symptoms.