It’s a story repeated in emergency departments (ED) all over the country. A person is taken to the hospital for alcohol detox and they may or may not want any medical intervention. Treatment might be available for their disease, but they refuse.

A young man was brought into the emergency room with a blood alcohol level of .423, and according to his boyfriend he had been drinking vodka for two days and had not eaten. He didn’t want treatment and was abusive to the medical team. He was a quite nice guy, didn’t look like the type of person who could explode at any moment and launch into an expletive-laden tirade. But the staff soon found out that he was completely out of control, cursing the nurses and when the doctor entered the room for the first time, he spit on him. The police were called.

The ED staff did their best to stabilize the situation and a plan was initiated to get his into detox and then transferred to a local alcoholism treatment facility. His wife was appreciative and tried her best to cooperate with the staff and encourage her husband to comply with the treatment, but it was not to be. His disease had progressed to the point where nothing mattered to his but the alcohol. As he put it when asked if he wanted to quit drinking, “No, I love this stuff. It’s the only thing that’s legal.” His alcoholism had taken over total control of his life. Perhaps there was some remnant of his old self still intact, but he was hard to love. (more…)

Drug courts are just some of the most effective things man has done in the corrections system and criminal justice system in a very long time. Since working in Oregon with judges and working with judges in the Haight it seems it is becoming more common and wished for. The judges themselves have gotten enamored with the drug court system. They are happy with what they are doing, how they can interact directly with the accused and the treatment alternatives presently. We call this in the drug obsession and law enforcement communities Coerced Treatment. Of course it is a choice, meaning you may end up in to prison, a drug court or you can do more time from that drug court, but it actually is a form of coercion treatment.

Drug addiction education videos are a rewarding assistance to folks wanting to make a difference in relapse prevention treatment drug addiction learning. It is through executives and those with the information that this research has made the impact it has. Research from across the country and from the start of this trend show that drug courts and education were highly valuable in promoting recovery and giving folks long-term sobriety. Most vital of all for the courts is that it reduced recidivism. Folk failed to get arrested and put back in the slammer. (more…)

Effectively using resources, understanding addiction treatment – An alcohol or substance abuse treatment counselor can only be effective as the knowledge and experience they have. It is essential to be able to apply a varying amount of philosophies in any given circumstance during addiction treatment. Individualized care for addicts has to be taken into consideration. Because all backgrounds and personalities are unique, the recovery path should be as well.

Caring genuinely, overcoming objections in rehab – Individuals suffering from addiction generally have a sense while in treatment to recognize genuine caring, or lack thereof coming from clinical staff. Because the work done in treatment is often difficult and very self-disclosing, addicts will look for reasons to avoid and isolate. A lack of interest in a client’s success will cause an immediate incongruency and foster excuses from treatment. (more…)

The number one beneficial aid to cocaine treatment and also for staying off of the habit is a simple step you can and must do for yourself. The old adage, “birds of a feather flock together” goes very well with this scenario of cocaine treatment. Those which you are around will influence what you do!

When you look back at the reason and the surroundings in which got you started down the road to a cocaine addiction, you have to admit that the people you were with probably had a great effect on your getting started. The surroundings in which you put yourself played a great part in getting hooked and also in staying hooked. To get off and stay off, you must choose well your surroundings and the people with which you hang out with. (more…)

A drug addiction is a compulsive disorder. Addiction can be of varied kinds, namely drugs, alcohol, gambling, spending, smoking, sex, eating or any other behavior. A person hit by this is often unsatisfied and restless. Drug addiction in layman’s terms would be dependence on chemicals or on unwanted plants for the sake of getting high. This disorder requires very high consumption of drugs in order to fulfill drug seeking behavior, and is very vulnerable to relapse.

The following are some of the most common drugs that are physically and mentally addictive.

1) Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs. The drug is excessively popular amongst teenagers. Commonly known as pot, weed, grass, herb, Maryjane, and the devil’s cabbage. The effects can last for around 1-3 hours. It can cause a lot of harm to the lungs and a person loses his or her concentration power. It causes severe smoking habits that are difficult to quit, and prolonged consumption can also lead to cancer. There are few addiction treatments available for marijuana abusers, because it is not considered physically addictive. (more…)

Drug addiction doesn’t just suddenly occur one day. Conditions predispose a person to addiction, and circumstances allow drug addiction to continue. For example, a person who is bored, stressed or depressed may look for solutions to alleviate that boredom, stress or depression. For them, if it’s accessible, marijuana may be the solution. Some say marijuana opens the door to other, more harmful drugs, and in that way marijuana itself is highly dangerous. Is marijuana in fact a ‘gateway’ to other drugs? Here are five answers to that question from experts in the field of drug addiction, substance abuse and treatment.

YES. According to a recent study by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, there was a pronounced difference in future drug use between kids who used marijuana and those who did not. In fact, teens who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than those who do not.

YES. In a study of 311 young adult pairs in 2003, Michael T. Lynskey, Ph.D., found that “Individuals who used cannabis by age 17 years had odds of other drug use, alcohol dependence, and drug abuse/dependence that were 2.1 to 5.2 times higher than those of their co-twin, who did not use cannabis before age 17 years… In particular, early access to and use of cannabis may reduce perceived barriers against the use of other illegal drugs and provide access to these drugs.” (more…)

Why do some people choose to use drugs when they’re so bad for you? The causes of drug addiction are as varied as the amount of drugs that are available for use – both legally and illegally. There is no one cause for drug addiction just like there is no consistent profile of a drug user.

People who have a history of drug use or abuse in their families are at risk for drug addiction problems. It has been proven that children of alcoholics will exhibit addictive tendencies. Children of alcoholics or drug users generally have low self-esteem and see their parents escaping from problems using drugs. When they see this, their minds say that this is the way to act and they themselves become users.

There is also a biological basis for causing drug addiction. Drugs alter the brain’s chemicals and the way the brain functions. Drug addiction creates dependence in the brain by changing the brain’s reward functions – the part that reinforces certain behaviors.

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Drug use among teenagers has reached tragic levels. It Doesn’t matter how vigilant you are, your teenagers will definitely be introduced to drugs at school, the very place you think should be a safe environment. Mrs. Reagan’s ‘Just say no to drugs’ campaign was a complete failure. The fact is that teens view adults as old fuddy-duddies that have never seen the outside of a paper bag. Adults, try as they may, face an uphill battle in safe guarding their young ones from the ravaging effects of drugs.
The battle is made tougher by the fact that most of us have prescription medications in our medicine cabinets. When confronting the issue of teenagers and drugs, you have to give them a rational argument that differentiates between necessary prescriptions and illegal drugs. This isn’t easy. Some well known prescription medicines are being peddaled in schools as a way to get high. Kids don’t know that these prescriptions are issued in duplicate or triplicate, as a way to control the use of certain narcotics. Not having experienced a legitimate need for these drugs themselves, they could well come to the conclusion that their parents are enjoying some high that they are for some reason being forbidden.
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Alcohol is capable of causing birth defects. Causing a child to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome is really nothing short of child abuse and it lasts for life.
Fetal Alcohol syndrom is an invisible avalanche crashing down and overwhelming public resources. Patients with fetal alcohol syndrome typically have multiple handicaps and require special medical, educational, familial and community assistance. A baby born with FAS may be seriously handicapped and require a lifetime of special care. In the United States, about 1,200 children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome. It is the leading cause of mental retardation in this country. When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, she risks giving birth to a child who will pay the price- in mental and physical deficiencies- for his or her entire life. It is a pattern of mental and physical defects which develops in some unborn babies when the mother drinks too much alcohol during pregnancy. People with FAS might have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, hearing, or a combination of these. These problems often lead to difficulties in school and problems getting along with others.
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Choosing a long term Christian drug rehab demonstrates the real commitment to change for the better life. Long term Christian drug rehabs may proceed from 3 months to as long as 2 years. The long term treatment is quite different as it gives learning to the patient to live his/her life sober without any addiction during and after the time period of the program.

Christian who have problems regarding Drug and Alcohol feels extreme conflict between their beliefs. Christian Drug Rehabs understands this and tries to connect their heart and mind with God. They have adopted technique that enhances their faith on God. The believe is, they are slave to these chemical materials and cannot overcome by their own. This can be done through only with the God’s faith and power. Christian Rehab treatment helps to regain their lost skills and make them confess to God for their misdeeds and for having faith on him.

The Christian Drug Rehab treatment program is based on the following with Long-Term commitment to follow-up care for their patients:

• Medical treatment

Medical treatments are conducted to facilitate medical setup for their patients. Under this treatment, physicians and nurses are available to monitor the behavior of the patient constantly.

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