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Intervention

November 7, 2011 by Russ

It is a story playing out in thousands of households all over the United States. Husband gets home late or not at all, a woman who was well respected in the community gets her third DWI, a son is busted for narcotics trafficking.
It’s time for an intervention. Interventions can be difficult and trying. The person you’re doing intervention on probably does not want to hear anything anyone is saying, and the people doing intervention are unsure and usually lack the tools needed for intervention to work.
Probably the best way to handle intervention is to just hire a professional interventionist. A professional interventionist will be trained in all the details of intervention and can walk you and your friends and loved ones through all the steps necessary for a successful intervention. The cost can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand depending on whether the interventionist is traveling and will require overnight accommodations. In interventionist will also be able to advise you on different treatment options, and will make recommendations on the best treatment centers.
However, if you’re trying to do the intervention yourself or with your family do not be daunted. There are websites that can help you of performing an intervention. A little research will make the task of putting the intervention together and performing it much easier.
Whether you choose to do the intervention yourself or hire a professional interventionist we applaud you for having the courage and the determination to take real steps to help someone you really care about.

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Florida drug rehab

November 4, 2011 by Russ

Florida drug rehab

Florida is unique in that it has both, one of the worst drug problems with prescription narcotics, and probably the best environment and weather for drug treatment. let’s start by taking a look at the drug problem.

Florida’s drug problem

Florida leads the nation in narcotic sales. Drugs like Percocet, Percodan and oxycodone are easily purchased at South Florida pain clinics.Florida distributors bought over 40 million oxycodone tablets for the first six months of 2010. The other 49 states only purchased a little over 4 million doses. Florida pain clinics are selling over 10 times the amount in Florida that is sold throughout the United States. it is pretty obvious that Florida is not only supplying drugs for all of the drug abusers in Florida, but is also supplying most of the illegal prescription drugs in the United States. Florida has taken some steps to correct it such as the prescription drug database and new laws aimed at reducing the number of pain clinics. However it will be many years before we can ever hope to have drug use and sales in line with the rest of United States.

Drug rehab Florida

Florida has beautiful year-round weather, pristine beaches, and several top-notch drug rehab centers located throughout Florida. One might wonder why you want to travel to another state for yourself or your loved one to get rehab treatment. traveling to another state treatment makes a lot of sense because it gets the drug user out of his or her current environment and makes it more difficult for people who might enable addicts to make contact with the person seeking drug treatment. Also Florida has lower taxes and overall cost than many other states allowing treatment centers to offer quality treatment at lower cost than many other states. One might worry that because of the high amount of legal prescription drugs associated with Florida that a person treatment might find it easy to find drugs in the treatment area. However in practice that simply does not happen.

So, if you or your loved one are looking for drug treatment make Florida your first choice. The great weather, great beaches, wonderful people and low-cost make it the perfect choice for anyone looking for the treatment center to treat a drug or alcohol problem.

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Addiction and Young Adults – There’s Still Time

October 21, 2011 by Russ

Many studies have shown that when it comes to addiction, the earlier a person begins taking substances like drugs and alcohol, the more likely they are to have problems with dependence later in life. Young people can usually present a very carefree attitude in regards to trying these substances, which makes it even more dangerous for them.

Of course the debate will always be there as to why addiction happens, whether it is because of genetics/family history, peer pressure, curiosity, or something else. The real truth is that young people can gain access to drugs and alcohol quite easily and if it is around, they will likely be tempted to try it.

Addiction in young people often starts with using inhalants – called huffing. When certain things like markers, spray paints, glues, etc., they will use it in a way that when they inhale very deeply, it gets them high. This usually continues for some time until they move onto a different substance to get the high they want. Sometimes, this starts as early as age thirteen and the use of other substances such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other drugs will peak during the high school years.

The good thing is that young adults are still young! There are treatment programs designed for young people that will help them work through the underlying issues of their addiction and help to prevent future relapse. For young adults, support from family members is often extremely important, so when choosing a treatment program be sure to ask about family involvement.

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Alcohol and the Ego

October 13, 2011 by Russ

Addiction has a lot to do with one’s ego. When it comes to the process of recovery, it is actually one of the most difficult, albeit necessary, things an alcoholic has to face – voluntarily giving up his or her ego. When someone with an addiction to alcohol admits they have a problem and gives up the attitude that their ego has fed for so long, they can be more open to make the life changes necessary to stop drinking. It can seem like a big blow to the ego when a person tries to conquer their drinking habit but fails or when they decide that they will refuse to let anyone else “tell them what to do” and give up any sort of control over their lives. A person who is dealing with alcoholism is also used to being selfish and self-centered, and therein lies the problem with one’s ego.

The illusion of control is a difficult thing to let go of. Alcoholics often believe, due to their ego, that they have their drinking under control and that there is no reason to attend meetings or go to alcohol rehab. This is why a professional intervention is necessary for many alcoholics – to get them to see that they have a problem and admit defeat so that they can finally get the help they need.

Even though it is not an easy thing to do, during treatment and recovery, a person’s Higher Power comes into play in order to give up the ego and swallow one’s pride in order to move forward and complete the program successfully.

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Relapse Prevention – How to Recognize the Early Signs of Relapse

October 10, 2011 by Russ

Relapse is not just something that happens all of a sudden – it is a process. As you try to understand relapse prevention, you should know that there are three stages of relapse which include Emotional Relapse, Mental Relapse, and Physical Relapse.

Emotional Relapse

During the phase of emotional relapse, you are not consciously thinking about taking drugs or consuming alcohol. However, the way you feel and act may put a future relapse into play. You may notice the following signs during the emotional relapse phase:

• Anxiety
• Mood Swings
• Anger
• Intolerance
• Isolation

At this stage, you can change your behavior easier than you can in the next two phases. Ask for help if you need to and take care of yourself as best you can. If you are exhausted and not eating well, you may find yourself in Mental Relapse in just a short time.

Mental Relapse

As you enter the Mental Relapse phase, you may feel you have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. A part of you wants to get high or drunk, and another part of you knows better and does not want to. You may notice these signs during this phase:

• Reaching out to people you used to get high or drunk with
• Fantasizing about getting high or drunk
• Planning when you will get drunk or high so as not to get caught
• Lying

You can get through the Mental Relapse phase by thinking into the future about what would happen if you started using again. You know you probably wouldn’t do it just once, you will disappoint yourself and everyone else – again. You will get caught up in the cycle of addiction and spiral downwards – again. If you think it through, you can pull yourself out of this phase. You can also tell someone how you are feeling. Just having the support of another person can help greatly to prevent a relapse.

Physical Relapse

If you haven’t pulled yourself out of the first two phases of relapse, it will be only a matter of time before you physically relapse. You may find yourself trying to score drugs or driving yourself to the mini-mart for alcohol. At that point – the relapse is in full motion. Try to focus your recovery efforts and be mindful of the warning signs of a relapse. Often, you can stop yourself before it happens.

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Dual Diagnosis Treatment – Depression and Addiction

October 7, 2011 by Russ

Alcohol addiction and depression often go hand in hand and studies show that if a person is already dealing with clinical depression, he or she is more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs. Vice versa as well – if you have a substance abuse problem, you have a much higher chance of developing a problem with depression. Sadly, addiction and depression turn into a terrible cycle and the two problems tend to worsen each other.

When some individuals are depressed, they use alcohol or drugs to self medicate so they do not have to feel the negative emotions of depression. Because the substances tend to dull the emotions, the need to continue using becomes stronger. When this happens, the depression is never dealt with in a positive manner and the downward spiral begins. Depression worsens and more drugs or alcohol are used “as needed” to make the individual feel better. This is when the addiction takes hold.

Many people dealing with a substance abuse problem are never properly diagnosed with a psychological problem and never receive the medical attention needed. Dual diagnosis treatment is extremely important to those with other issues besides addiction. The psychological problem must be treated simultaneously with the addiction in order to get to the root of the issues and set the person up for long term success in their sobriety.

Dual diagnosis treatment is challenging, and should be done with the help of experienced professionals in order to get the personalized treatment that is most appropriate. Look for a Florida drug rehab that provides dual diagnosis treatment with staff that is trained to deal with the needs of dual diagnosis patients. The treatment may take a bit longer, but it will be worth it in the end.

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Chronic Pain – Opioids are a Slippery Slope into Addiction

October 5, 2011 by Russ

When a doctor is given the task of helping a patient manage chronic pain, many times their first move is to prescribe a narcotic pain killer. For some people, that may work. For too many others, it leads them down a slippery slope into an addiction that makes just about everything else – including their pain – even worse. Chronic pain can be debilitating and that pain does need to be treated, but there are other alternatives to narcotic pain killers that work for many patients. The problem with becoming addicted to pain killers is that it often leads to other problems and even death for patients who just want to feel better. Those who are dealing with chronic pain do not set out to abuse their pain killers; genetically many of them are predisposed to the problem due to a high tolerance to the narcotics that require increases in dosage to continue receiving any benefit from it. The addiction along with the chronic pain can lead to depression and despair and an overall sense of helplessness.

If you or a loved one is in need of addiction treatment and detox, Florida has some of the nation’s top substance abuse programs available. The doctor’s can help with pain management using alternatives to narcotic pain killers during treatment. Pain medication addiction treatment may begin with a professional intervention followed by detox. A personalized treatment plan will be put into action which incorporates the pain management program approved by a medical doctor. Both problems need to be treated together in order for the program to be successful and effective. When you choose a Florida drug rehab, be sure to ask about the staff’s experience when it comes to non-narcotic pain management so that you are sure the facility you choose will work for your situation.

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Prescription Pill Addiction

October 3, 2011 by Russ

Concerned that you or a loved one has an addiction to prescription pills? There are several signs or symptoms that will help you determine if this is the case. Finding out if a problem exists can sometimes be the most difficult part to get through – then you can seek treatment and get things back on track. Obviously, we know that’s easier said than done. Keep reading for some of the warning signs to look for:

• Change in Personality – When a person’s normal behavior changes, it can be a sign of drug addiction. If you notice someone’s mood or energy change – and not in a good way – it is certainly time to look for other signs of dependence.

• Withdrawing from Family and Friends – Social interaction is often difficult for someone with an addiction, especially when it comes to being around family or close friends. This happens because they are afraid that others will find out.

• Increased Usage of Prescription Pills – When someone starts out taking prescription pills, especially because they were prescribed, when they become addicted they will need higher and higher amounts to feel the “high”. The bottle of pills may run out sooner than later, it is one of the sure signs of addiction.

• Neglecting Responsibilities – Someone who becomes addicted to prescription pills or any other substance at some point will begin to neglect their day to day responsibilities. This may cause job loss, bad grades, bills not being paid, and loss of important relationships. Life can start to spiral out of control very quickly as these things happen.

• Forgetfulness – When people take certain drugs and abuse them, they may forget events that happened while they were under the influence. The person may appear to suffer “blackouts” where they do not remember events over long periods of time.

These, among other symptoms, may give you an indication about whether or not a person has an addiction. Seeking treatment is never far away, it just takes one phone call to get started.

More info at Addiction Help

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EMDR

September 20, 2011 by Russ

The staff at The Ambrosia Treatment Centers uses many different treatment methods to help people suffering from both addiction and dual diagnosis. One treatment option, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) may be incorporated into the treatment plans of those presenting with various traumas, chronic relapse, depression, and anxiety.
EMDR is an approach to psychotherapy that supports the premise that most people have both an innate tendency to move toward health and wholeness, and the inner capacity to achieve it. EMDR accesses existing information, introduce new information, facilitates information processing, and inhibit accessing of inappropriate information.

Sal Raichbach PsyD LCSW, Clinical Director - Ambrosia of the Palm Beaches. Sal has earned both a doctorate in Psychology as well as a Masters degree in clinical social work.

Dr. Raichbach is Clinical Director of Ambrosia of the Palm Beaches.

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