Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Definition
Alcoholism is the layman’s term for alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association and commonly called the DSM-IV, the essential feature of substance abuse (in this instance, alcohol abuse) is maladaptive use of the substance with recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to its repeated use. Dependence is a physical addiction with psychological, social and genetic components. Despite damage to health, finances, reputations, and relationships, the alcohol dependent person will continue to drink unless an intervention occurs. Abuse, distinguished from dependence by retaining some control over the use of alcohol, nevertheless carries many of the same consequences over time, and certainly increases risk of dependence.

Today, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are often associated with abuse of, or dependence on, other substances including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, sedatives, and anxiolytics (antianxiety drugs). Alcoholism is more common in males than in females, with an estimated male-to-female ratio as high as five-to-one. A United States study conducted between 1990 and 1991, using DSM standards, found that 14% of the adult population (ages 15-54) had, at some time, met the criteria for alcohol dependence; and 7% had been alcohol-dependent in the past year. An earlier, similar study showed that about 5% of Americans qualified for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse at some point during their life. According to a 2002 report by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 14 million Americans abuse alcohol, and 100,000 die annually of alcohol related preventable causes. Though it is difficult to develop accurate statistics worldwide, it is known that the incidence of what we call alcoholism has been steadily rising around the globe for several years.

Description
The effects of alcoholism are quite far-reaching. Alcoholism affects every body system, causing a wide range of drinking related health problems, including lower testosterone, shrinking gonads, erectile dysfunction, interference with reproductive fertility, weak bones, memory disorders, difficulty with balance and walking, liver disease (including cirrhosis and hepatitis), high blood pressure, weakness of muscles (including the heart), disturbances of heart rhythm, anemia, clotting disorders, weak immunity to infections, inflammation and irritation of the entire gastrointestinal system, acute and chronic problems with the pancreas, low blood sugar, high blood fat content, and poor nutrition.

Its mental health implications include marital and other relationship difficulties, depression, unemployment, poor performance at school or work, spouse and child abuse, and general family dysfunction. Alcoholism causes or contributes to a variety of severe social problems: homelessness, murder, suicide, injury, and violent crime. Alcohol is a contributing factor in 50% of all deaths from motor vehicle accidents. In fact, 50% of the 100,000 deaths that occur each year due to the effects of alcohol are due to injuries of some sort. Alcohol costs the United States over $150 billion yearly in lost productivity and alcohol related medical expense.

If you are looking for alcohol rehab or alcohol treatment program you can go to www.lakeviewhealth.com or call 1-800-511-9225

Bookmark to:

Drug addiction rehab, you have to be kidding me. After years of smoking pot and using cocaine I fiially agreed to go see a therapist to shut my mother up. I knew I didn’t really have a problem, nothing really bad had ever happened and this was the time of my life to party and have fun. After an hour with the therapist she looked at me and said she reccomended that I go to a drug addiction rehab. Of course I told her she was crazy, that I didn’t need a rehab of any kind and everything was cool.

The intervention Before Drug Addiction Rehab
Three days after seeing the therapist I came hoe to find her and my parents waiting for me. They told me that either I go to a drug addiction rehab or I would have to move out and receive no more financial support. I got pissed, packed my stff and on my way out the door told everyone else they needed an addiction rehab not me. A week later I woke up in jail for a DUI. I of course called my parents and they told me they would not get me out of jail unless I went to addiction rehab. Grudgingly I agreed.

Drug Addiction Rehab Saved My Life
Don’t get me wrong, I hated being in the drug addiction rehab for the first week, but after that my eyes started to open. to cut the story short,addiction rehab saved my life. I am cool with my parents and even thanked the therapist. I still see her today. The lakeview drug addiction rehab staff were great and really smart. Their family rehab program brought me and my family so close I couldn’t believe it. What a jerk I was.

If you aare looking for a drug addiction rehab, you might want to call the addiction rehab at Lakeview. The helpline number I called was 1-800-511-9225 and if you are smart you will do it before you end up in jail like me.

Bookmark to:

I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida but spent most of my time in Savannah, Georgia. Traveling back and forth from Jacksonville to Savannah was a problem but became less of one when I realized a drug connection in Savannah and I could make money driving the drugs back to Jacksonville, Florida. This was great for several years, but I soon began to dip into the drugs and before I knew it, the crystal meth I was making so much money on became a crystal meth addiction. I immediately went into a drug rehab in Savannah, did fairly well in the drug rehab, but couldn’t get the thought of fast money out of my head. Of course I blamed that on the drug rehab, so I completed the drug rehab program and tried to sell crystal meth without using it. Within weeks I was back into it and had another full blown crystal meth addiction.

This time I went to a drug rehab in Jacksonville, Florida called Stepping Stone Center. Certainly I was more ready, but this drug rehab program was different. They seemed to know me from the start. I found out that many of their staff, including some doctors, were in addiction recovery and knew what I was going thru. I couldn’t fool the. The drug rehab had a great detox center right next to the drug rehab center. They confronted me on my reservations of fast money and I understood this time. The drug rehab center staff was caring but confrontive. This was a real drug rehab center.

After 6 weeks, I felt like a new man and was even afraid to leave the drug rehab center. I was never scared of addiction recovery before, probably because I never had any intentions to focus on my addiction recovery. This drug rehab center encouraged me to stay in touch with them and come to aftercare, designed an addiction recovery plan for me and said that I should come back to speak to the patients in the drug rehab center when I had a few months clean. This was cool. Me speaking to others in a drug rehab center, who would of thought!

For addiction recovery call the helpline at 1-800-511-9225, any time day or night!

Bookmark to:

Gay Detox Program Provides Safety for Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgender

Some professionals working in drug rehab and addiction treatment programs would tell you that detox is detox, regardless if you are gay or straight. Every person is provided access to detox equally, is provided with a comprehensive medical examination and prescription medication to manage any symptoms associated with withdrawal. Basically, the only responsibility the patient has is to allow the prescription medication to take affect, remain in detox and all will be well. If the medical component was the only component in detox, than that statement might be correct.

The Psychological Component of Gay Detox

Another component of detox is psychological in nature. While it is true that the medical component is the primary component and we must be very concerned that proper prescription medication is dispensed to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, it is extremely important that the patient feel safe and secure. It is equally important that the patient develop relationships with other patients in detox. For the gay, lesbian community this can be quite challenging in a heterosexual detox , drug rehab or addiction treatment program. When the addict or alcoholic begins to feel frightened, uncomfortable or alone their tendency is to run right back into their drug addiction or alcoholism. This dynamic is no different for the heterosexual community. For this reason, whether in detox, drug rehab or addiction treatment, the gay population tends to feel more comfortable and take better advantage of the addiction services offered in a gay rehab or gay detox.

Bookmark to: