Addiction Rehab Help

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 Many people are exposed to high levels of trauma on a near daily basis, Doctors, nurses, firemen, policemen, people in the military and paramedics all fall into this category. Addiction Rehabilitation Help for such individuals that suffer from PTSD can be tricky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Drug abuse of any kind is dangerous and we are well aware of the effects of illicit drug addiction on society as a whole. But what if your drug dealer is your physician?

 

Prescription drug addiction is on the rise but people seem reluctant to talk about it One reason for this may be the fact that the family doctor is the one who prescribed the legal medications. Patients unwittingly believe that their prescription drugs are basically harmless simply because they came from a healthcare professional.

 

Since taking the medicine helps patients feel better, they start using these pills beyond the prescribed limits and without the knowledge or guidance of their doctors. Often what starts as pain management or short-term treatment for anxiety or sleep disorders with legal narcotics leads to addiction. Sometimes without the patient’s awareness until one day he realizes he cannot live without the drug and detox and drug rehabilitation is needed.

 

There are many prescription drugs that can be abused but the most common groups are opiates, depressants and stimulants. Doctors prescribe opiates to treat moderate to extreme pain, usually after a surgery or for an illness where pain is one of the symptoms. Medicines that fall in this group are OxyContin, Darvon, Precocet and Vicodin to name just a few of the more popular drugs.

 

Prolonged use of opiates often leads to addiction and physical dependence. Patients who suddenly stop using these drugs suffer bone and muscle pain, vomiting, restlessness and hot and cold flashes and in some cases seizure and death.

 

One of the biggest dangers with opiates is that the patient builds a tolerance over time and a higher dose of the drug is needed to achieve the desired effect. Taking larger doses of these drugs can cause respiratory problems and even death. Opiates when taken as prescribed and under medical supervision for a short period of time can be safe and beneficial. Addiction to this type of medication can come as soon as 7 to 10 days of continued use, (sometimes sooner every individual is different).

 

Doctors prescribe medication like Ativan, Diastat, Valium, Librium and Xanax to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. These drugs are as addictive as opiates and they have very difficult withdraw issues. This class of drugs is called Benzodiazepines and they should never be prescribed for longer than three months, these depressants work by slowing down or decreasing brain activity. Withdraw can include seizures and extreme confusion, the line between reality and fiction is sometimes blurred to a point of not knowing or not trusting people that are very close to you. Those who take these drugs feel calm or drowsy, thus it helps them overcome their anxiety or insomnia. If patients use these drugs on a long-term basis, the body develops tolerance to them. Larger doses are thus required to get the earlier calming effect and this leads to dependence. Without the drugs the patient is convinced he cannot relax or sleep.

 

 

Some people are prescribed stimulants to treat various problems like ADHD, obesity, asthma, depression and other ailments. Drugs such as Dexedrine, Ritalin and Adderall enhance brain activity, thus increasing alertness and energy. Use of these drugs leads to a spike in blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn gives the patient a sense of euphoria. Such wonderful feelings are difficult to pass up, which makes stimulants very dangerous to patients who are not being monitored closely.

 

Stimulant prescription drug addicts become hostile, paranoid and even violent. Irregular heartbeat, cardiovascular failure or seizures and death can occur when high doses of a stimulant drug are taken.

 

Prescription drug addiction can be treated, yet the availability of legal drugs, not only from physicians but even on the street can make recovery difficult, though far from impossible. The first step, as with any other form of addiction is to recognize the problem and find a suitable addiction rehabilitation program. Treatments consist of detoxification, in-patient addiction rehabilitation and follow up care. Detox is done under medical supervision and patients are normally given medication to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. The duration of detox varies, depending on the type of addiction that a person has.

 

Once a qualified drug rehab program is complete it is important to inform any new physicians you may consult that you had a problem with prescription drug abuse. This will allow the doctor to use care if ever there is a need once again to prescribe habit forming prescription drugs.

 

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Bill Wilson, an alcoholic whose disease nearly and completely ruined his life, founded alcoholics Anonymous in 1935. Inspired by an old pal he used to drink with who had since found sobriety through spiritual awakening, he founded AA slowly with a handful of members. The premise behind the group was to help alcoholics stay sober by sharing their experiences with other alcoholics and by lending support to one another. Today, there are chapters of AA all over the world with upwards of 2 million members. The big question: Is Alcoholics Anonymous a viable outpatient program for alcohol addiction treatment? The answers may vary.

 

AA is a self-supporting non-charitable organization that relies solely on donations from active members. Those taking the lead in each chapter are volunteers who are actually encouraged to remain sober by engaging in the assistance of helping others. These men and women are not trained professionals. Consequently it isn’t unreasonable to wonder whether a group being lead by others who are suffering from the same affliction can really be effective. One might conclude it’s like the blind leading the blind.

 

Measuring the effectiveness of AA is difficult because the meetings are “anonymous” and studies on attendees have been sketchy at best. There is a comfort and strength in being among others who share the same struggles, triggers, and ultimately the goal of staying sober—come what may.

 

As an alcohol addiction treatment option, AA appeals to those who are trying to put their lives back together, but still need to function at work and at home. Those who act as sponsors have been sober for at least one year and agree to be at the beck and call of newer members who are trying to get over the initial hump of sobriety, or detox. Of course a relapse can occur at any time no matter how long a person has remained in a state of sobriety.

 

Studies that have been conducted do show a correlation between the AA program and abstinence from alcohol. Participation is voluntary and free, which makes this particular alcohol addiction treatment attractive for those who, though not full blown alcoholics in the strictest sense, may need to get a handle on their drinking habits. However the phrase “My name is ________ and I am an alcoholic” has to be said before speaking in an A.A. meeting, also you have to agree that “Alcoholism is a disease and that you are powerless over your addiction”. Many in house rehabilitation centers do not believe that you are powerless over anything in your life. In most cases these in house alcohol rehabilitation centers run much higher success rates than any outpatient program could offer. However;

the twelve steps developed for AA encourages users to accept accountability for their actions and make amends to loved ones they may have hurt when they were using. The spiritual nature of the program is also of great comfort to many.

 

If you or someone you know needs to find encouragement and support for a drinking problem, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are conducted in virtually every city in the nation and the program is a free, viable, outpatient resource for recovering alcoholics.

 

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Rapid Detox

Ultra Rapid Detox, or Rapid Drug Detox, is a somewhat newer alternative for drug rehab that involves putting a patient who is addicted to opiates, prescription painkillers or other habit-forming drugs under a general anesthesia in a hospital.  This is done with anesthesiologists and nurses who are trained to perform this type of procedure. 

Once under the general anesthesia, the patient is given a drug that counteracts the drug to which he or she is addicted.  While the person is in this drug-induced coma, he or she can avoid experiencing the various physically painful and uncomfortable aspects of detox, such as shaking, sweating and delirium tremors. The body goes through some of this process while the person is still in a drug induced coma.  When the person is taken out of the Drug induced coma it is not the end of all withdraw symptoms, the addict is still going to be very uncomfortable and still experience many of the same symptoms of withdraw as he would have without going through the drug induced coma.  

Though the owners of these clinics make rapid detox an attractive alternative to traditional methods, it must be noted that therapy and other related aids to recovery are also needed. Lifestyle changes will need to be made and a patient must take responsibility for his recovery and understand his disease so that he can successfully manage his now sober life. Psychological triggers have to be addressed and healthy coping skills adopted. 

A recovering addict must learn a new routine; otherwise he may slip back into old patterns that lead to his drug use and addiction. Daily habits may need to be restructured so that reminders of his past drug use do not bombard him. 

With a sudden change, such as occurs from Rapid Detox, it may be harder for the patient to avoid returning to drugs than if he was weaned gradually. Such a quick and painless detox could be compared to an antidote.  It can be argued that this kind of detox is not as effective as one in which the addict has to endure the physical withdrawal. Some think it is necessary to work through it and learn that if he or she goes back to the destructive behavior again, those are the consequences that will be suffered the next time.

 Finally, as promising as this may be, it is not considered to be a mainstream form of treatment for addictions.  There are many others available which are successful and much easier for a person to gain access.   Also, there is always a risk to the patient who is put under a general anesthesia.  For those considering a treatment option such as rapid detox, it would be wise to weigh the various alternatives in treatment that are available and speak to qualified professionals in order to make an informed decision.

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