Archive for the ‘Addiction’ Category
May 19th, 2012 | 
Author: Most people associate three day weekends such as July 4th weekend, Labor Day and Christmas with family, fun and getting together. However, for many people drug abuse over these special days can be a big problem.
Christmas is the start of the count down for a new year, and to many people who are alone or depressed, all the season heralds is the end of yet another year in which they may have not achieved anything at all. Cold weather doesn’t help either, it may mean that people who are depressed or unhappy become confined and insulated from the outside world and may be tempted to turn to drugs for solace. Depressed people often sleep a lot and they may help that along by taking too many pills to help them sleep.
Teenagers are often left alone and unsupervised over the holidays, which means they may be visiting friends who are recreationally using drugs plus alcohol may also be readily available.
Many adolescents cite boredom for a reason that they abuse drugs, especially over the holidays and school breaks.
For most folks the time referred to as “the holidays” here in the US extends from Thanksgiving to the New Year and can be a very stressful time. People are reconnecting with families, enjoying themselves and busy preparing for holiday meals and buying gifts. Unfortunately when someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol this period may be a time that results in increased abuse. Drunk driving accidents spike during this season and so do overdoses, suicides and increased numbers of domestic abuse cases. Illicit drugs are often found to be the cause in many of these situations and account for about one third of unnecessary suicides.
Families who have known drug abusers and those who are in recovery should keep them engaged and busy as much as possible. If possible treat them like everyone else in the family. Although an alcoholic may be more visible than a drug addict, drug addicts can cause just as many accidents on the road as those who have consumed too much alcohol. There is a danger that they may drive intoxicated over the holidays, try to have a designated driver on hand.
Many drug addicts just can’t handle the stress of the holidays for any number of reasons, so these people should never be left alone. Family and friends should share the responsibility of caring for a drug or alcohol abuser over the holidays, give them things to do but not so much that they get stressed, and try not to treat them any differently than they do the rest of the family. There are narcotics anonymous meetings during the holidas as these are difficult times for addicts. Encouraging this can be an important message.
It may be difficult, but someone who has a problem needs to be in a warm caring environment, so they are not tempted into drug abuse over the holidays. Rehab is often an important step as many people cannot control these behaviors on their own. This can be a time to have some genuine talks and help your loved one get help.
Alcohol addiction is a progressive disease which can prove fatal without the proper treatment of the core causes. Alcoholism’s symptoms can be quite evident when a person has physical withdrawal symptoms, noticeable cravings, a lack of control when around the substance, becoming physically dependent, and gaining an increased tolerance through frequent usage.
Sometimes will power is not enough to get to the point of recovery from alcohol dependence as there are many personal battles that can become unbearable for the addict. Professional assistance is often necessary to help the addict recover from substance abuse completely and with lasting positive effects.
There are many rehab centers which offer various alcohol addiction treatment programs, including intervention services, detoxification protocols, one on one counseling sessions , therapy, and medication.
The initial stages of recovery include alcohol intervention programs during which the core problems of the patient is sought and analyzed. This is followed by the detoxification process which eliminates the most toxic substances from the addict’s body.
Counseling and group therapy are used to help the patient deal with emotional and mental aspects of addiction. Any treatment regiment involves both physical body and psychological side of treatment. The medication stage involves improving the physical health of the patient by prescribing medication.
Alcohol addiction treatment centers employ health and addiction specialists to address the needs of the patient. The rehab center offers in patient programs, individual support, exercise, and clinical facilities for the full care of the individual in order to facilitate a quick recovery. With so many addiction treatments available, the addict should be able to find one cautiously planned to efficiently improve the person’s health physically and psychologically for a more productive and alcohol-free life.
Social drinking is a fact of life, no point in denying it, and when alcohol is drunk in moderation it can be a pleasant experience that is enjoyed by thousands. Problems start to appear though, when alcohol is drunk in quantities or a frequency that starts to affect mental, emotional or physical well-being, and this can occur slowly without you even being aware of it, until something happens that you never thought would.
Once you are on the road to drinking too much alcohol, and start depending on it because you believe it makes you feel better, enables you to relax more, gives you confidence, helps you sleep, and so on, it can be difficult to make the rational choices you know you have to make; life can become more stressful, work more pressured, and relationships with others can deteriorate. So if this is sounding like a lifestyle choice you dont want, choose something else!
During a Hypnotherapy session, it is the unconscious part of the mind that is spoken to, where new ideas, concepts and affirmations can be implanted, and it is here that old limiting beliefs and habits can be changed. Past phobias and learnt negative behaviour patterns, feelings and concepts can be looked at and laid to rest, allowing the conscious mind to adopt a more rational, positive outlook. The subconscious part of our mind has no critical awareness, and is only limited by our imagination.
Self-Hypnosis is a powerful self-help tool for implementing change within your life. It is simple, effective, non-invasive, produces long-term changes, and can be used by almost everyone.
By using Self-Hypnosis pre-recorded material such as a CD and mp3 download, you will have at the touch of button the benefits of a full Hypnotherapy session, that can be used whenever you need to, as often as you need to. Its as simple as that!
Things you need to know about Alcohol:
Alcohol is a mood altering depressant drug. The reason that alcohol can cause such extensive damage to the body because it can go everywhere! There is no body cell resistant to alcohol. The first stop is the stomach, where without food; alcohol is absorbed directly into the blood stream. Food will actually slow the absorption of alcohol as will fruit juice and water. Vomiting, one of the bodys defences against an alcohol overdose, and is caused when you drink too much.
Alcohol moves quickly to the brain and passes the blood-brain barrier, which normally keeps harmful substances away from the brain. In the brain, alcohol affects the neurons, causing judgement problems, coordination problems, and a host of other problem. Once in the blood stream, alcohol goes to the liver for detoxification, or break down, by the alcohol-attacking enzyme alcohol dehydrogenise. Eventually, the alcohol is broken down and excreted from the body.
Your Appearance – If you want to have clear skin and bright eyes, dont drink alcohol. According to researchers, more than one or two drinks a week promote aging. Alcohol is considered a food with non-nutritional calories that quickly add up. When you abuse alcohol, you tend to be undernourished, making your hair dry, giving you cracked lips, aggravating acne, making your eyes look glassy, and giving your skin a puffy, broken vein look.
Your Brain – Alcohol is a depressant that slows brain activity down. While one or two drinks makes most people feel relaxed, more alcohol may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, and often aggression. Alcohols first effect as it reaches the outer brain is to distort your judgement and lower you inhibition, while producing euphoria (a sense of pleasure). As you consume more alcohol, and it reaches the cerebellum, your coordination and perception are affected, and you can have memory blackouts. As the alcohol reaches your mid-brain, reflexes diminish, you experience confusion, stupor, and may lapse into a coma. Once the alcohol finally reaches the medulla, or inner core of the brain, your heart rate drops and breathing ceases, resulting in death. Research suggests that continued alcohol use can cause depression. Alcohol robs brain cells of water and glucose, the brains food, contributing to a hangover the next day.
Your Gastrointestinal Tract – The stomach is irritated by alcohol, causing increased stomach acid production, causing heartburn and eventually ulcers. Alcohol use is linked to cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, and intestines. The liver, due to its role in breaking down alcohol, suffers the most damage. Alcohol use leads to destruction of liver cells, fat accumulation around the liver, and cirrhosis which is a fatal condition. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which causes the kidneys to increase urinary output, contributing to dehydration and your hangover.
Your Reproductive System – Although the research here is new, it is know that alcohol decreases the male hormone testosterone. Long-term use causes not only decreased function, but size. The use of alcohol in men and women causes increased sexual desire, but decreased performance. Alcohol is toxic to unborn children causing permanent tissue and organ damage.
Other – Alcohol depresses the bodys immune system making it easier to get sick. It also disrupts your sleep patterns, further depressing the immune system. Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, constipation, and strokes.
Problem drinking
Research has shown that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can have health benefits. For men over 40, and women after the menopause, having one or two small drinks a day can help prevent coronary heart disease.
However, it is estimated that a quarter of men and one in six women in Britain drink enough to put their health at risk.
How much is too much?
Government guidelines state that men should drink no more than three to four units per day and women no more than two to three units per day. However, some medical experts believe these levels are too high, and recommend no more than three units a day for men and two a day for women. Either way, you should not “save up” the units over the week and use them to binge at the weekend.
Strength and units
The strength of an alcoholic drink is indicated by the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV). A unit is 8 grams of pure alcohol, regardless of the amount of liquid its contained in.
The number of units in one litre of any drink is equal to the ABV. So a 500ml can of 8% ABV lager contains 4 units. One unit is equal to:
about half a pint (300ml) of ordinary-strength lager, beer or cider,
a 25ml pub measure of spirit or a small glass of fortified wine, such as sherry or port (17.5% ABV),
a small glass (125 ml) of 8% ABV wine. .
Alcohol dependence
When drunk frequently or in large quantities, alcohol is addictive. Doctors use a number of techniques to identify patients with drink problems, and there are screening questions drinkers may be asked to explore issues such as the amount and frequency of drinking, whether it damages the drinkers relationships, or whether they have a drink to “get going” in the morning.
A person is generally considered to be dependent on alcohol when they have experienced three or more of the following symptoms during a year:
a strong urge to drink,
difficulty controlling drinking,
physical withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, shaking, agitation and nausea when they try to reduce drinking,
a growing tolerance to alcohol (needing larger quantities to get the same effect),
gradual neglect of other activities,
Persistent drinking even though it is obviously causing harm.
Problem drinking occurs when a person is not dependent on alcohol, but drinks enough to cause actual physical or psychological harm.
Short-term effects
Alcohol suppresses the part of the brain that controls judgement, resulting in a loss of inhibitions. It also affects physical co-ordination, causing blurred vision, slurred speech and loss of balance. Drinking a very large amount at one time (binge drinking) can lead to unconsciousness, coma, and even death. Vomiting while unconscious can lead to death by asphyxiation (suffocation). Alcohol is implicated in a large proportion of fatal road accidents, assaults and incidents of domestic violence.
Long-term effects
Alcohol can be a dangerous drug. Drinking too much too often will cause physical damage, increase the risk of getting some diseases, and make other diseases worse. Excessive drinking over time is associated with:
loss of brain cells,
liver failure,
irritated stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers,
high blood pressure (which can lead to stroke),
certain types of cancer,
nerve damage,
heart failure,
epilepsy.
Excessive drinking has also been linked to:
vitamin deficiency
obesity,
sexual problems,
infertility,
muscle disease,
skin problems,
Inflammation of the pancreas.
With many Hypnotherapy sessions soothing music accompanies the therapy at strategic points, helping you to relax even more, and absorb the information whilst the therapist guides you with gentle suggestions, positive language, and life changing imagery. You will always be in control at all times, able to awaken immediately should the need arise and attend to anything that you need to. No one can ever be stuck in hypnosis, nor can they be coerced into saying or doing anything they do not want to, or does not fit with their own moral code.
So if you feel that your social drinking is getting out of control, or you abstain all week then binge at the weekends, or you drink a little more than you know you should at the end of each day, or the thought of not having another drink again unduly worries you, then Hypnotherapy and Self-Hypnosis could be the answer.
Posted in Addiction | 
Tags: Abuse, Alcohol, Binge, Drinking, Hypnotherapy, Overcome, Selfhypnosis | 
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Finding the right drug abuse counselor is important for those who are experiencing problems with addiction to certain controlled or illegal substances. Addicts who also have mental/emotional health problems are encouraged to seek the help of a professional who is trained to work with people who have these kinds of problems. People who have drug addictions can benefit in a number of ways from talking with a counselor on a regular basis, such as being able to share things that they do not feel comfortable telling anyone else due to the fear of being judged. Many drug addicts, especially those who are young, find counseling to be a very helpful way to overcome and battle their deadly addictions.
For those who have problems with drugs, most of the time the best solution lies with a mixture of certain medications along with simply talking to a counselor about how they feel and what type of challenges they have to overcome on a daily basis.
Simply talking to someone about their problems can go a long way towards helping them to stay completely sober. A drug abuse counselor is able to offer a way of feeling better for many of those who have mental problems along with their drug addictions, making for an extremely effective approach to treatment.
Sometimes these counselors hold group therapy sessions to benefit multiple people who are in drug rehabilitation programs. These group sessions usually consist of sharing feelings and thoughts as well as possible ways to begin healing. These counselors use a variety of methods and skills which they have learned throughout their formal education as well as experience with patients to help them as much as possible.
The very first step which a counselor has their patients go through is acknowledging their problem and that it has become an issue which must be dealt with right away. Many people view this type of counseling as a necessary step in the process of finally getting clean and sober long-term and also as part of a commitment to doing that. A number of people have found these therapy sessions to be very helpful in dealing with some of the physical and emotional problems that come along with quitting drugs for good. Counseling provides the necessary tools for someone who is struggling with this kind of problem to heal mentally as well as physically so they can once again become whole.
Are you an alcoholic? When do you know you have become addicted?
Drinking alcohol excessively for a long period of time has a lot of risks to your health. The amount of alcohol you drink at a sitting and the extent of overall times you do this will determine the amount of damage done to your body.
If you are not a heavy drinker and only drink 1-2 drinks a sitting a couple of times a week, you would not be considered an alcoholic If your drinking becomes more and more each time and more often, and you continue this habit over a long period of time, you will eventually become addicted to alcohol. You increase your body tolerance each time you have a drink.
1. Your family life begins to crumble.
2. You become depressed.
3. Your anxiety will increasingly become worse.
4. You will be unable to sleep as well as you did before.
5.
You start to lose your self esteem.
6. Your friends avoid you.
7. You have problems at work.
That’s just the beginning. You start to shut out the family and your friends. You shut out everything except the alcohol. The long term effects of alcohol become more serious as time goes by.
You could lose your job. You could lose your family. You have already lost your self respect and your self esteem.
More serious than anything else though, is your health status. Alcohol addiction causes many health problems. The most extreme and most serious problem is Cirrhosis of the liver. When this problem occurs, it is incurable.
Other organs affected include the pancreas, stomach, throat, esophagus, and the brain. Excessive alcohol intake has been linked to cancers of these organs. Women who consume alcohol excessively are at a higher risk of breast cancer. If these are not enough reasons for anyone to think twice about continuing to drink excessively, then you are probably too far gone. You should immediately contact a health official and get into a program as quickly as you can. At this point, you cannot do it on your own.
Addiction to opioids like morphine, heroin, codeine, hyrdocodone, and oxycodone can be treated with Subutex, or generically known as buprenorphine. It treats the symptoms of withdrawal that abstaining from the drugs can cause. The effectiveness of the treatment drug is that it attaches to the drug’s receptors which will prevent getting high. This helps people overcome their addiction to these drugs but you will need to be weaned from the buprenorphine to avoid getting withdrawals when you stop using it.
Buprenorphine can be administered either by mouth or injected for patients. Once you leave the rehab or detox facility you will take it orally with pills or through the skin with a patch. Pills are the most common form. People also see a doctor in an outpatient context to detox outside of a facility with this medication. It takes a lot of discipline and support, to do this outside of a facility.
This treatment medication is long lasting and the frequency in which people use it can differ. Some will take the drug daily while other every other day. It is important however to not overdose yourself as it can be very toxic to your system. Also, taking it with other medications can cause respiratory problems.
Some other medications that should be avoided when taking buprenorphine are sedatives, anti-depressants, antibiotics, certain anti-histamines, and some HIV medications. It is vital that you discuss any medications you are currently taking with the physician prescribing you buprenorphine no matter what it is. Since recovery is very important you don\’t want anything to sabotage it.
A small percentage of patients using buprenorphine may experience some strong side effects. Some people can develop allergies which can be life threatening. The patient may get swelling in the lips, face, or even the tongue. They can develop hives, or have difficulty breathing. These reactions are similar to a bee sting or other strong swelling reactions. Jaundice can be another serious side effect of using this medication. You should look for signs of clay colored stool, and yellow in the white areas around the eyes. Immediately consult your doctor if you are throwing up blood, have a hard time breathing, are light headed, pass black stool, have periods of confusion or severe mood changes.
However, for the majority of those who use buprenorphine or Subutex, it is safe and a way to get off the drugs that were so addictive. Your doctor will discuss all the benefits and side effects with you before he prescribes it. As long as you work with your doctor, are honest with them, and take only the dosage recommended, you will be able to eventually have a drug free body. Do not go against the medical advice and be sure to avoid using of any sort no matter how harmless it may seem.