Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

The sharing, the caring
The crying, something lieing
The hugs, the tears
The confusion, the shared fears
The staff, the laughs
Wanting the days to pass
The singing in the van
Holding that new person’s hand
Sharing meals everyday
Asking the Lord to give me strenght
to get through this some kind of way
Falling asleep in group; sometimes
I found it hard to poop
Saying goodbye is oh so hard, but
I must forge on toward my new start
Res 5, PHP and onward to home
Thank God for AA + NA, I never
again have to be alone.

Thank you Lakeview staff for all you’ve done to re-introduce me to me and to my Higher Power again. I could not have done it without this important piece of therapy, I am so grateful.

Stephanie H.

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Drug Addiction and Alcoholism, both diseases of the brain which create devastation in the lives of the addict and alcoholic, have often been debated over as to which is easier to recover from. Some say that drug addiction is easier to recover from as alcohol is legal and more prevalent in today’s society, thus creating greater opportunity for relapse in the case of the alcoholic. The other side of this debate would be that illegal drugs and the addict’s “connection” are still present, prescription medication is being prescribed in ever increasing amounts, not to mention, the internet has now made the purchase of narcotics easier than ever before.

Relapse Prevention is equally available for drug addiction and alcoholism

What we are sure of is the addict or alcoholic always has an excuse when they relapse. They tend to blame other people or situations for the reason behind their relapse behavior. If the person recovering from drug addiction or alcoholism would follow a relapse prevention plan, which might include changing their old drinking and drugging buddies for friends in recovery (changing their support system), quit meeting and frequenting places where they drank or used drugs and abstain from participating in unhealthy behavior, there is no difference in the degree of difficulty recovering from drug addiction or alcoholism.

For additional information on drug addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction treatment or alcoholism treatment, please go to www.recoveryconnection.org or call 800-511-9225.

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People who have had a dual diagnosis must learn to identify warning signs that may affect their recovery from drug addiction, alcoholism and accompanying psychiatric disorders. While many addicts and alcoholics pay close attention to not taking that first drink and drug, they often lose focus that a flare-up of psychiatric symptoms can leave them vulnerable to relapsing on drugs or alcohol. For this reason, it is important to have a close relationship, with your psychiatrist. You may want to view them as your psychiatric sponsor or medication management sponsor.

Alcoholism, Drug Addiction and Psychiatric Medication

When a person relapses and enters back into their drug addiction or alcoholism they generally do not manage their psychiatric medication in a responsible manner. Poor management of psychiatric medication, coupled with drug addiction and alcoholism rapidly leads to a relapse that is very complex and challenging to recover from. Alcohol and drugs can change the effects of psychiatric medications creating unpredictable results which are best treated in an addiction treatment center or drug rehab specializing in dual diagnosis treatment.

Dual Diagnosis Relapse Prevention Signals
• Altering medication levels on your own
• Stopping medications on your own
• Refusing to follow the advice of your physician
• Begin to self medicate
• Missing doctors appointments
• Not addressing change in psychiatric symptoms
• Start hanging out with old drug using friends
• Discontinue contact with recovering friends, discontinue going to meetings
• Failure to discuss thinking about using drugs or alcohol
• Failing to follow the aftercare plan designed in drug rehab or addiction treatment
• Believing that relapse triggers don’t affect you any more

Staying clean and sober and managing ones psychiatric symptoms constructively is an ongoing process. Abstinence and dealing positively with a dual diagnosis go hand in hand. By identifying things that put us at risk for relapse and using the various recovery tools on an ongoing basis, we try to prevent a relapse before it happens. We need to periodically review our relapse prevention plans with our doctors, treatment professionals and sponsors. If you went to an addiction treatment center or drug rehab for treatment, stay in contact with them.

If you require additional information regarding relapse prevention, relapse or addiction treatment, go to www.recoveryconnection.org If you require addiction treatment immediately, you might want to cal 800-511-9225, a national referral help line.

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The other day at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting I met one of our former patients, Robert E.. He was 8 months sober, thanked me for speaking at the treatment facility one day and shared part of his story relating to his addiction and alcoholism and interaction with the call center. It was absolutely hysterical. He knew he was nearing the end of his drug addiction. Every time he snorted cocaine he felt his heart was about to burst. So instead of stopping, he began to practice calling 911. He told me he would call 15 times in a row. He wanted to make sure he could do it as quick as possible and not make a mistake in case he was having a heart attack from his cocaine addiction. Now that is the true definition of insanity……don’t stop using, just practice calling 911 as quick as possible!! We both laughed and laughed, but beneath the laughter was a shared understanding of just how crazy we get and think it is completely normal.

Then he told me of his interaction with the call center. When he was speaking with someone and snorting cocaine at the same time the only thing he was worried about was that the person on the other end of the phone might here him snorting cocaine. Here he was practicing calling 911 minutes earlier and is now terrified someone he called for help might know he is using cocaine. Long story short, he listened. Some how that voice on the other end of the phone penetrated his high. Some how, he heard and listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, rather than his disease telling him to continue using.

He told me to say thank you to everyone that helped him find recovery. By the way, I will put him up against anyone in a quick dialing contest…..Let’s just leave 911 alone J

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