Detox off Drugs

Posts Tagged ‘treatment’

Relapse often occurs to those in recovery, but it is not automatic – and it is preventable. In fact, relapse prevention training is generally included in the final phase of active treatment before the client is released from the program. But, just because you may have had relapse prevention modules doesn’t mean that you have absorbed all you need to in order to ward off relapse. Just as each addict has a unique set of circumstances leading to his or her addiction, and treatment is tailored to best match the individual’s wants and needs, each person in recovery will face numerous stressors, pressures, cravings and cues, that may trigger relapse.

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

Even effectively treated people with addictions will confront unexpected situations after they leave a treatment program and return to their home environment. These situations may produce intense periods of craving to re-use alcohol and other drugs. Lapse, defined as re-use of alcohol or drugs at least once following treatment, occurs in at least 50% of those who complete treatment. The most dangerous period for lapse is the first 3-6 months after completion of formal treatment. Relapse, defined as return to excessive or problematic use, is less common, occurring in approximately 20-30% of those who complete formal care in the prior year.

It is critical that patients, their families and friends prepare for the possibility of lapse and relapse. The preparation should include early detection of a lapse and establishment of steps to keep that problem from becoming a full-blown relapse. Two sets of activities can reduce the likelihood of relapse and reduce the severity if it does occur.

Treatment-Related Preparation

A good addiction treatment program prepares patients to:

• recognize they have a problem that will require continued management and monitoring
• learn and practice some of the fundamental skills needed to recognize and overcome the urge to use or drink when these situations emerge
• be engaged in a continuing care program such as AA and receive regular monitoring of substance use through urine screening or breathalyzer
• receive periodic phone calls or in-home visits following care to monitor their recovery

These generic elements of effective planning during treatment are among the best clinical practices available to forestall lapse. This planning should involve families so they can better understand the treatment issues, be prepared to support the recovery plan and be aware of signs of lapse.

Post-Treatment Preparation

To prevent and contain relapse the family should agree to fully participate in planned continuing care activities. Families and all concerned others can take five helpful steps:

• Have copies of the continuing care plan prominently displayed to reduce ambiguity and promote full communication and response.
• Early in formal treatment, ask the family member in treatment to describe in writing some of the very early signs and behaviors that may lead to his/her lapse and relapse. For example, he/she might write something like “I will begin hanging out with my friend Jimmy,” “I will not do my homework” or “I will stop attending AA meetings.” As the family member undergoes continuing care, regularly refer to these written descriptions to monitor the recovery process.
• During formal treatment, as the individual thinks about relapse scenarios, ask what s/he thinks should be done when early relapse signs emerge. Use these words to develop a contract that includes an action plan the family will follow when any of these signs surface. For example, s/he might write “take my cash and credit cards,” or “increase the urine screens.” Be prepared – before the relapse happens – to take the type of actions contracted.
• Receive and display the results of post-treatment urine screens. Discuss any positive results openly and honestly.
• Monitor and support changes that are consistent with a drug-free lifestyle. In other words “catch him doing something good” and then support it appropriately.

Even effectively treated people with addictions will confront unexpected situations after they leave a treatment program and return to their home environment. These situations may produce intense periods of craving to re-use alcohol and other drugs. Lapse, defined as re-use of alcohol or drugs at least once following treatment, occurs in at least 50% of those who complete treatment. The most dangerous period for lapse is the first 3-6 months after completion of formal treatment. Relapse, defined as return to excessive or problematic use, is less common, occurring in approximately 20-30% of those who complete formal care in the prior year.

It is critical that patients, their families and friends prepare for the possibility of lapse and relapse. The preparation should include early detection of a lapse and establishment of steps to keep that problem from becoming a full-blown relapse. Two sets of activities can reduce the likelihood of relapse and reduce the severity if it does occur.

Treatment-Related Preparation

A good addiction treatment program prepares patients to:

• recognize they have a problem that will require continued management and monitoring
• learn and practice some of the fundamental skills needed to recognize and overcome the urge to use or drink when these situations emerge
• be engaged in a continuing care program such as AA and receive regular monitoring of substance use through urine screening or breathalyzer
• receive periodic phone calls or in-home visits following care to monitor their recovery

These generic elements of effective planning during treatment are among the best clinical practices available to forestall lapse. This planning should involve families so they can better understand the treatment issues, be prepared to support the recovery plan and be aware of signs of lapse.

Post-Treatment Preparation

To prevent and contain relapse the family should agree to fully participate in planned continuing care activities. Families and all concerned others can take five helpful steps:

• Have copies of the continuing care plan prominently displayed to reduce ambiguity and promote full communication and response.
• Early in formal treatment, ask the family member in treatment to describe in writing some of the very early signs and behaviors that may lead to his/her lapse and relapse. For example, he/she might write something like “I will begin hanging out with my friend Jimmy,” “I will not do my homework” or “I will stop attending AA meetings.” As the family member undergoes continuing care, regularly refer to these written descriptions to monitor the recovery process.
• During formal treatment, as the individual thinks about relapse scenarios, ask what s/he thinks should be done when early relapse signs emerge. Use these words to develop a contract that includes an action plan the family will follow when any of these signs surface. For example, s/he might write “take my cash and credit cards,” or “increase the urine screens.” Be prepared – before the relapse happens – to take the type of actions contracted.
• Receive and display the results of post-treatment urine screens. Discuss any positive results openly and honestly.
• Monitor and support changes that are consistent with a drug-free lifestyle. In other words “catch him doing something good” and then support it appropriately.

By: Thomas McLellan PHD

Recovering addicts know that the days, weeks and months following treatment can be rough on the family. In many cases, familial relationships have already been so fractured they are almost beyond repair. For others in recovery, the very occurrence of a setback, however small, is enough to send the family into turmoil and threaten the sobriety of the newly-clean addict. So it is that recovery, which should be a joyous time, a time of hope and renewal, can just as quickly turn into a phase of desperation, failure and relapse. For the recovering addict and his or her spouse/significant other or family, sometimes the only option that makes sense is to walk away.

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

The role of genetics in addiction has been debated for decades. Scientists and other health experts have successfully identified various risk factors for the development of addiction, but concise and objective predictors of addiction have eluded discovery. This past year, however, science has made significant strides in discerning how genetics may affect addiction.

A landmark scientific paper published in the April 2009 issue of Nature Reviews Genetics presented some groundbreaking new insights into the role of genetics in addiction by honing in on specific genes that are tied to all types of addictions. The study, conducted by addiction experts at the University of Virginia Health System and the University of Michigan, even found that some genes that are associated with alcohol dependence are also linked to various other addictions. The gene was found to be a common factor in addictions to nicotine, cocaine, opioids and other substances.

Study co-author Ming Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the UVA School of Medicine, commented on the study and its potential impact:

“Addiction researchers have found that several genes are linked with multiple addictions. … So, we’re narrowing the scope to specific genetic targets. Once researchers can pinpoint exact genetic variants and molecular mechanisms, then we can create much more effective, even personalized, treatments for individuals addicted to a variety of substances.”

Li also believes that further research is needed to understand the full impact of genetic variations on addiction. “The exact nature of the gene variants and how they function are still unknown, so functional studies as well as studies using additional ethnic population samples may be quite revealing,” Dr. Li said.

Another recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver, pinpointed genetic pathways and genes associated with alcohol consumption. The researchers were able to identify genetic factors that predisposed both rats and humans to drink more; however, they were unable to discover a similar link between the genes and actual alcohol addiction. Nonetheless, according to Boris Tabakoff, a lead researcher, the study’s results may help scientists to eventually connect the dots between genetic makeup and addiction.

Tabakoff said, “We know that high levels of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of becoming alcohol dependent in those who have a genetic makeup that predisposes to dependence. This is a case of interaction between genes and environment. Indeed, in our study we found that, higher alcohol consumption in humans was positively correlated with alcohol dependence. However, because different sets of genes seem to influence the level of alcohol consumption, as opposed to propensity for alcohol dependence, we are confronted with great variation in humans. Individuals with a set of genes that predisposes them to drink moderate amounts of alcohol may still have the genetic predisposition to lose control over their drinking behavior, and perhaps become alcohol dependent. Conversely, individuals with a genetic predisposition to drink high amounts of alcohol may not have the genes that predispose them to become dependent.”

A study just completed at Brown University (the results will be published in the January 2010 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research) succeeded in identifying a link between a gene variation and teen alcohol misuse. For the study, researchers examined the genetic makeup of 187 adolescents (98 boys and 89 girls) around the age of 15 years. They were able to correlate a polymorphism (variation in the shape) of the OPRM1 opioid receptor gene called A118G with heightened risk for alcohol-related problems and likelihood to meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

Robert Miranda, Jr., assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University and corresponding author for the study, commented on the implications of the study’s findings:

“Our current knowledge about the genetics of alcohol misuse during adolescence comes almost exclusively from family and twin studies. … But the relative importance of environmental and genetic factors appears to shift considerably over the course of adolescence … with genetics playing an important role once teenagers begin to drink. … Our findings provide the first evidence to suggest that teenagers who carry a certain variant of the OPRM1 gene experience more alcohol-related problems.”

Notably, the Brown University team discovered that teens with this variant were more likely to report drinking alcohol because of the pleasurable effects than for other reasons. The fact that the genetic variation enhances the pleasure experienced by youth when consuming alcohol helps to explain why teens with this variation might be more likely to develop problem drinking behaviors.

Miranda, Jr., explains, “The G allele, or variant, of the OPRMI gene is associated with the function of the body’s own natural opiate system. Research suggests that the G allele is associated with experiencing more pleasure and greater intoxication after drinking.”

 By Emily Battaglia

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

Oxycodone is a narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe pain. It comes in many brand names such as OxyContin and Roxicodone. When oxycodone is combined with acetaminophen its brand names include Percocet, Roxicet and Endocet. When it is combined with aspirin its brand names include Percodan, Roxiprin and Endodan. When it is combined with ibuprofen its brand names include Combunox. Oxycodone is a schedule II drug and it poses a high risk for addiction, especially when abused. It’s pain-relieving effects and side effects are similar to morphine.

What Causes an Oxycodone Addiction? The main cause of an oxycodone addiction is abuse. When a person who is prescribed this drug takes more than prescribed or a person who is not prescribed this drug takes it, they put themselves at risk for addiction. In some cases, a person who takes this drug as prescribed for a prolonged period of time may become addicted to oxycodone. Peer pressure and mental illness can also increase a person’s chance of becoming addicted to oxycodone because it may make them more vulnerable to abusing this drug. Having a family history of drug abuse, specifically oxycodone abuse, can make a person more vulnerable to addiction. Patients who experience chronic pain may be more vulnerable to oxycodone addiction because they may take more than prescribed in an effort to try and decrease their pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Oxycodone Addiction- When a person becomes addicted to oxycodone they may present with certain abnormal behaviors. This drug often causes a euphoric effect so those who are addicted may seem abnormally happy and carefree often. They may also take more risks and seem to not care about consequences. They may also present drug-seeking behavior when they need more oxycodone. When an oxycodone addict does not have the drug they will most likely experience withdrawal symptoms. Oxycodone withdrawal symptoms can include diarrhea, rapid breathing, abdominal cramps, crying, loss of appetite, runny nose, muscle aches, hyperactivity, cold and hot flashes, agitation, tremors, dilated pupils, fever and increased heart rate.

Dangers and complications of oxycodone addiction- Oxycodone can be a dangerous drug when abused. Abuse leads to addiction, which can cause a variety of complications including death. If a person takes too much of the drug they may fall into a coma, suffer heart failure, respiratory failure, kidney failure or if taking a form of oxycodone that is combined with acetaminophen, liver failure or liver toxicity.

Coping with and overcoming an oxycodone addiction- most people suffering from an oxycodone addiction will not be able to stop by themselves. They will need help from their friends and families. If a person is prescribed oxycodone and has become addicted to it, they need to talk to the doctor who prescribed them the medication. Their doctor can then help wean them off the oxycodone and switch them to a medication they will not become addicted to. If the person was not prescribed oxycodone or if they are heavily addicted they will most likely need to go to rehab. Some people will benefit from outpatient rehab, but most may need inpatient rehab so that they can be monitored and treated 24 hours a day. Many addicts will relapse a time or two so it is important that they continue to get help even after they complete a rehab program. After-rehab programs, such as narcotics anonymous, can help addicts remain clean as well as help anyone who relapses quickly recover from their relapse.

by Lisa Simmons

Making the decision on how to deal with drug addiction in someone’s life is a very important moment. It is a time for you to look for treatment of overcoming the physical and mental addiction, create skills, and learn about resources that can be used after treatment. Looking for an addiction drug treatment program that works for you is a very important part of gaining recovery and pulling your life back together.

You shouldn’t feel alone if you are addicted to drugs. In fact the United States has around 20 million drug users at this time. That’s a staggering number and many of these individuals are looking for choices and a recovery program that will work for them. The addiction to drugs is very powerful and overwhelms a sense of coming to grips with how to begin to stop what’s happening to the user. Knowing that you may not have a choice and that recovery won’t happen alone now is a good time to start looking for an addiction drug treatment program that will work for you.

Many factors are considered when overcoming addiction. The environment that you life in is a large factor. Are drugs present and easily accessible in your life? Do many of your friends and family use drugs? Also genetic factors could factor into the body and mind’s addiction to drugs. An addiction drug treatment program should focus on attending to these two factors. The program should look at all of the factors that may have created the addiction and treat these. After recovery is made you should make sure that you won’t relapse based on factors that could have been considered and controlled.

Knowing that factors do make a difference in recovery that you can learn about and change is an important component in overcoming addiction. Taking the time to select an addiction drug treatment program that separate you from the environment that has lead to the addiction will help to break the cycle of abuse. Addictive drugs produce very power physical and emotional factors in the addict. Being in a addiction drug treatment center that provides support and resources is going to be the best bet in overcoming addiction and staying sober.

By Jennifer E

The official name is OxyContin, but on the street it’s known as “oxycotton.”  Oxycotton has become quite the popular drug in South Florida these days.  Thanks to the easy access Florida Pain Clinics, oxycotton has reached the hands of many and has created a legal drug addicted society in Florida.

When taken in pill form, OxyCotton is a slow-release narcotic prescribed for pain caused by cancer, severe arthritis, sickle cell disease, and nerve damage. The active ingredient in the drug is a morphine derivative, the same as that also found in Percodan.

Oxycotton has become big on the street when resold by the drug dealers.  Drug addicts are crushing and snorting it and smoking it to get a powerful and fast high that many users say is better than heroin.

Oxycotton has even grabbed a hold of many people that have never been addicted to a drug.  It is tricky and sneaky.  People start out taking oxycotton for pain relief and before they know it they are taking 50 pills per day.

Oxycotton has created an entire slew of new drug addicts and has given the average recovered heroin addict an easy way to slide back into addiction.  If this is you then we only hope that you find a way to detox off this drug as soon as possible.

You might try going to some Narcotics Anonymous meetings.  If you have insurance or a way to pay for detox seek out detox treatment as soon as possible.  If you do not have insurance or a way to pay then their are plenty of state detox and treatment facilities that will service you if you are willing.  Above all remember there is a way out and you do not have to stay addicted to oxycotton.