Addiction Rehab Help

Posts Tagged ‘family’

Parent Behavior and Teen Substance Abuse

A national survey taken annually by the “Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse” (CASA) has recently found that there is a direct correlation between parental expectations and teen drug abuse. 15 years of these annual surveys make them believe that a child who can make it to age 21 without smoking, using and/or abusing drugs is more likely never going to start up the habit. This year alone, 1,000 teenagers ages 12-17, (509 Boys and 491 Girls) were surveyed along with 452 of their parents. If the parent drinks openly at home it was found that 2/3 of teens that drink an alcoholic beverage at least once a month, are also getting drunk once a month. These teens are 18 times more likely to use Marijuana and are also at higher risk to associate with kids who use other illegal and prescription drugs.

The results of this analysis show that it is important that both parents, especially Dad, send the right message to their kids; convincing them to avoid alcohol and other drugs. The connection between Dad’s acceptance of teen drinking and teens that actually drink is very profound. It is noted that twenty-one percent of teens who drink say their father would approve of it, compared to the five percent of teens who don’t drink that believe there father would approve of their underage drinking. It is also perceived that teenage boys are much more likely to believe that their fathers approve of their drinking than that of teenage girls.

If you feel your son or daughter is abusing alcohol or drugs it is very important to seek the best treatment possible. The longer you wait the more difficult it is to solve.

To speak to a professional addiction counselor please call us today. 1-877-744-3536

 " Do not seek advice from unqualified people" I think that was the best advice I had ever heard. Many people think they know what is best but even mom has to admit she does not know what is best all the time. When you are looking for addiction treatment seek advice from a professional in the field of addiction. Your family Doctor, your clergy, and your hair dressers brothers’ sister in law may want to help and their heart is in the right place but are they qualified to help you? Usually not.

       Advice from these people is why most addicts go through many different treatment programs before they receive the help they need. If my family had sought the advice from a professional early in my addiction it may have saved them thousands of dollars and years of heartache.

        Many people think that you start on a gradient with addiction, first a little outpatient treatment, if that does not work then a short term program and a few meetings, if that does not work then a little longer program and a few more meetings every week.

        I realize that an addicts family is happy just to have the addict trying some sort of treatment,  but in reality more often than not you are just enabling the addict to continue using and living the same life style as they were before starting this type of treatment. Remember the addict is a master manipulator and is looking for the easy way out. He or she will do just enough to make you happy and get you off his back.

        Get serious right from the start. The first attempt at rehab needs to be the best program for the addict’s specific needs. Even if the addict says he needs help but his addiction is not that bad, remember when an addict tells you about their drug or alcohol abuse you can safely multiply whatever they have told you by three and you will be closer to the truth. For example if I told my parents that I was drinking a pint of alcohol a day what I was really saying was I am drinking a fifth a day.

        Not all programs are the same and not all programs are designed to give the addict what they need to stay clean. "Cookie Cutter" programs that treat every addict the same are not known for their high success rates.

 If you need professional advice on where to send your loved one to get Addiction Treatment call Addiction Rehab Help and let us help you get it right the first time.

Call today: 1-877-744-3536

As a parent, spouse, or child of an addict you have been manipulated for far too long. Everytime the addict in your life wants or needs something he or she will manipulate you, at first you say no but soon he or she makes you feel sorry for them or you just get tired of fighting with them and give them what ever it is they wanted. If you want them to realize they need help, you need to change  your basic behavior. Trust me on this one, the addict will seek help sooner and your life will be better in the long run if you follow  these steps.

• Do not run from the addiction – Learn the facts about the drug that is being used, gather information.
• Do not throw blame at the addict – concentrate on your own actions, they are going to make or break you.
• Do not seek advice from the uninformed – friends, pastors, family doctors they may all want to help you with advice but unless the are trained in how to handle addiction the chance’s are  that following their advice will lead to more trouble then help. Seek  professional advice from a drug and alcohol Specialist.
• Do not try to control the addicts usage – Begin concentrating on the need for treatment and start offering it to them.
• It is not your job to rescue the addict – let him suffer he has to realize and take responsibility for the consequences of his addiction.
• You cannot be concerned with why the addict is using drugs or alcohol – You need to resume a normal life, leave the addict behind to wallow in his own self pitty.
• Do not threaten the addict – SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND DO WHAT YOU SAY! – the more you do this the more the addict will realize you are not being pushed around and bullied or manipulated any more.
• Do not except or try to get promises from the addict – Reject any promise offered by the addict, you know from past promises they will not be kept anyway.
• Do not hide the fact that you are seeking help – not so much for the addict as for you, start a commitment to treatment and better health for you.
• Do not be a puppet – Start detaching yourself, protect yourself and any children involved in the relationship.

When you start to follow these steps you are on the right track to end the cycle of addiction.

For more advise on drug or alcohol addiction and addiction treatment please call 1-877-744-3536

Many people feel addiction is just a bad habit and the addict just needs to snap out of it and change his or her habits. Families of addicted people often loose patience with their loved one and say if they are not going to help themselves then I am not going to help them.

An example of a bad habit is running late all the time or missplacing your keys, yes this type of bad habit is not easy to change but if you set your clocks ahead so you are always running 5 or 10 minutes ahead of schedule or you make one certain  spot to put your keys every time you come through the front door, these bad habits can be changed into good habits and your life will run smoother and less stressful.

Addictions run much deeper then bad habits, the physical and mental dependence  that develops with an addiction turns into withdraw when trying to quit using almost any addictive drug. I remember one time my mom told me that she would quit drinking coffee if I quit drinking alcohol. I laughed at the comparison between the two but said I would try if she did. Believe it or not she had a very hard time and continued to give in to her "habit’ and would drink a cup of coffee. Yes , even if you are a heavy coffee drinker and try to quit , there are withdraw symptoms, headaches, nervousness, ect. After a few days these symptoms go away and you can begin new habits like drinking fresh water rather then coffee and make your life better. Drug or alcohol addiction is much the same but the withdraw symptoms can last for weeks and can include, shakes, throwing up, sleepless nights sometimes for a week or longer, seeing things that are not there, spasms, phantom pain, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, convulsions and the list goes on. The worst part of this is the addict knows how to self medicate, he or she can make it all stop just by using again.

Next time you want to tell your loved one to just stop this stupid behavior, remember it is not just a bad habit. Addiction is something that you do not just walk away from, you need help with the withdraw and with how to live a normal productive live again.

For addiction treatment referral or placement call 1-877-744-3536