Explaining the Cycle of Addiction

Explaining the Cycle of Addiction

The cycle of addiction is created by changes produced in brain chemistry from substance abuse. It is perpetuated by physiological, psychological and emotional dependency. This cycle of addiction continues unrestrained, until some type of intervention occurs (self-intervention, legal, family, etc.).

What Is the Cycle of Addiction?

Cycle of Addiction
Cycle of Addiction

Drug and alcohol addiction research has clearly demonstrated that the addicted brain is chemically and physiologically different from a normal brain. The idea of addiction being a neurological disorder is critical to understanding its development and the recovery process.

Eventually, from internal turmoil and conflict or through outside interventions, a person can try to stop the addiction cycle and enter a healthier lifestyle called recovery. It may take months, years or decades before this process leads one to the path of recovery. An addict or alcoholic may understand the cycle of addiction, but will remain unable to break the repetition of the cycle until they develop the insight to seek help.

For some, entry into a religious organization, self-help group or simply developing a better way of life can help. However, the vast majority of addicts require outside help from counselors, physicians and drug and alcohol rehabs.

Addiction Defined

Addiction is defined as obsessive thinking and compulsive need for drugs, alcohol, food, sex or anything despite the resulting negative consequences. Addiction includes the development of tolerance combined with withdrawal symptoms. In addition to tolerance, an addict or alcoholic will experience intense physical cravings for the drug and an emotional obsession to take alcohol or drugs regardless of the consequences. Addiction develops over time and usually begins with misuse, moving toward abuse and resulting in addiction.

  • Misuse
    To alleviate emotional or physical pain, a person might experiment with drugs or alcohol. Alternatively, one may use drugs or alcohol in a social setting, and decide to try them again just to have fun. Relieved of feelings of discomfort, the person will continue to use drugs or alcohol a second time, a third time and so on.
  • Abuse
    Soon the person increases use to maintain the desired effects of euphoria and escape from reality. The original problems are left unattended and/or unresolved. If the person didn’t have problems at the onset of use, problems have now been created as a result of the use. Constant attempts to satisfy the body’s cravings for drugs or alcohol become the person’s new reality.
  • Addiction
    Great time and effort is spent acquiring the alcohol or drugs. After the addict or alcoholic is completely entrenched in the cycle of addiction, the health, financial, social and emotional consequences appear. The addict may just feel that they have been unlucky, or blame the consequences on others instead of their addiction.

Drug Addiction and Alcohol Effects on the Brain

Drug and alcohol use alters the way the brain and certain neurotransmitters function. These changes in brain chemistry create addiction, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, which all lead to cravings.

The neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine send messages to the brain and the rest of the body. The altered brain chemistry essentially requires constant, repetitive exposure to the substance or action to function psychologically and physiologically. This chemical dependence leads to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, two of the hallmarks of substance abuse addiction that most often require a professionally monitored alcohol and drug detox.

Addiction alters the brain chemistry affecting the process of thought and decision-making. The definition of addiction also includes strong references to denial, minimization and justification, all of which are primitive internal defense mechanisms. After the addiction is acknowledged, the addict may ultimately be forced to decide to stop using chemicals, thus breaking the cycle of addiction. The abnormal, addicted brain cannot tolerate that decision. The cycle of addiction is powerful, usually requiring outside interventions that include alcohol detox or drug detox and substance abuse treatment.

The Cycle of Addiction

The Cycle of Addiction Is Characterized By:

  • Frustration and internal pain that leads to anxiety and a demand for relief of these symptoms
  • Fantasizing about using alcohol and drugs or behaviors to relieve the uncomfortable symptoms
  • Obsessing about using drugs and alcohol and how his or her life will be after the use of substances
  • Engaging in the addictive activity, such as using substances to gain relief (acting out)
  • Losing control over the behavior
  • Developing feelings of remorse, guilt and shame, which lead to feelings of dissatisfaction
  • Making a promise or resolve to oneself to stop the behavior or substance use

After a period of time, the pain returns, and the addict begins to experience the fantasies of using substances again.

This cycle can rotate on a variable basis. For example, binge users rotate through this cycle more slowly. Daily users may rotate through the cycle of addiction daily or several times throughout the day. This cycle can be arrested at any point after the addict or alcoholic makes a decision or is forced to get help. Sometimes, the consequences that arise (legal, financial, medical or social) force the addict or alcoholic to stop using. However, in the absence of outside help, such as alcohol or drug detox followed by addiction treatment help, the substance abuse or addictive behavior is likely to return.

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction

The stages of the cycle of addiction can be matched up with some of the stages of the model of behavior change and its relationship to recovery.

  1. Precontemplation -The addict has not yet considered stopping the behavior or use of substances.
  2. Contemplation – The addict is starting to consider making a change in behavior.
  3. Preparation – The addict is mentally and, possibly, physically preparing to make a change.
  4. Action – The addict has taken an action, such as seeking treatment, self-help groups or counseling. Treatment has been provided and the addict has stopped using.
  5. Maintenance – The addict is maintaining his or her new lifestyle and behavior, following a recovery program

Unfortunately, relapse can occur during the action or maintenance stage, which means the addict or alcoholic again enters the cycle of addiction.

The Drug Personality
The drug personality develops though continued, chronic use. There is a typical set of behaviors that most addicts or alcoholics exhibit. When taken as a whole, the following symptoms are strong indicators of addiction.

A Drug Personality May:

  • Have mood swings
  • Be unreliable
  • Be unable to finish projects
  • Have unexpressed resentment
  • Be dishonest and lie to family, friends and employers
  • Isolate and withdraw from loved ones
  • Appear chronically depressed
  • Begin stealing from family and friends
  • Engage in risky sexual behavior
  • Exhibit strong, primitive defense mechanisms (denial, rationalization, minimization, projection, justification, blaming)
  • Have difficulty paying bills
  • Have difficulty with interpersonal relationships
  • Have difficulty with work relationships or is unable to hold a job
  • Engage in illegal or immoral activities to obtain drugs

Substance Abuse Treatment Programs Help Break the Cycle of Addiction

Some substance abuse treatment programs focus mainly on spiritual talk therapy but without tackling the disease’s underlying physiology. Quality addiction treatment programs focus on correcting the neurological imbalances caused by substance dependence. Psychosocial counseling, addiction education, and a variety of therapies, counseling, relapse prevention and aftercare plans empower the patient with the tools to stay on the road to recovery.

How to Prevent Drug Addiction

two young women sitting on a bench talking to one another

How to Prevent Drug Addiction

You recognize that you cannot use drugs and alcohol like others and that you may need treatment and ongoing support to prevent relapse. Is it possible to prevent drug addiction altogether? Anything is possible, but if you are predisposed genetically to addiction your chances are greater for developing an addiction. This means that if drug or alcohol addiction runs in your family, then you too may be at risk.

Society may try to prevent drug addiction through education. However, if you are already struggling with substance abuse then you may need treatment to prevent continued use and consequences. If you are looking at this page, you probably are questioning whether or not you have a problem with substances. In that case, you may need substance abuse treatment rather than trying to reverse the snowball of addiction.

Steps to Prevent Drug Addiction

The best tool against developing an addiction is avoiding drug or alcohol use in the first place. But that’s easier said than done. Many people begin using as young as age 13 and are too young to realize the damaging impact addiction will have on their lives. If you are lucky to have recognized the addiction pattern early, then follow these steps to prevent drug addiction.

1. Understand Why People Use Drugs and Alcohol
  • Using addictive drugs (illicit or prescribed) for recreational purposes.
  • Abusing an addictive prescription medication.
  • Seeking out intoxication every time you use.
  • Self-medication
  • Genetics & Family History
2. Understand the Difference Between Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction

Alcohol and drug abuse and alcohol and drug addiction are defined differently. A person who uses heavily and then can abruptly stop is considered to be abusing alcohol or drugs. But addiction occurs when the body requires the alcohol or drugs to stop withdrawal symptoms. The line between abuse and addiction is not solidly defined because a person may be abusing alcohol and drugs and experiencing the negative consequences of addiction.

3. Avoid Temptations and Peer Pressure

You may have heard the expression, “You’re only as good as the company you keep,” and in reality, that statement is true. If you have friends or family members who pressure you to use alcohol or drugs, avoid them. Make new friends who practice healthier habits, who do well in school, who are motivated at work and who have goals.
Develop goals and dreams for yourself. Remember, alcohol or drug use can turn to addiction rapidly; no one plans on becoming a drug addict or alcoholic. While in active addiction, the only goal possible is to get drugs or alcohol to feed the addiction. Regardless of whether it is abuse or addiction with drugs or alcohol, both require professional addiction treatment.

4. Find the Support You Need

People struggling with emotional distress are at greater risk for developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Work on developing coping skills. If you have events or experiences in your past that affect your feelings, find a reliable and healthy source of support. If you have depression, anxiety, paranoia or other mental health problems, counseling or therapy and social communities such as religious or spiritual organizations can help you work through negative emotions and behaviors in a healthy, life-affirming manner. Remember that alcohol and drugs in combination with mental health disorders only make the mental health problem worse. Don’t try to self-medicate your feelings or physical discomfort.

5. Practice Healthier Living Habits

Exercise, eating well and meditation are excellent ways to avoid using drugs or alcohol. Quite often, the results you feel from living a healthier lifestyle can help you resist the temptation to use drugs or alcohol to escape. A healthy body helps you cope with daily stress. If you have practiced living healthy and managing stress, a trauma can more easily be managed.

Addiction specialists can advise you about addiction to drugs or alcohol, mental health issues and the combination of the two. This information can help you prevent drug addiction. Family-based drug or alcohol prevention plans are also highly effective at helping children avoid the temptations of drugs or alcohol.

Are you looking for help with addiction?

Call us at 866.812.8231 to speak with one of our addiction specialists. Our representatives can answer questions about what options you may have for treatment or additional support.

What is a Substance Abuse Counselor?

What is a Substance Abuse Counselor?

What is a Substance Abuse Counselor?

Substance Abuse Counseling
Substance Abuse Counseling

There are several classifications of addiction treatment staff. To be a licensed or certified substance abuse counselor, the therapist must possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree and have experience in addiction and substance abuse counseling.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor:

“A behavioral disorder and substance abuse counselor helps people who have problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. They counsel individuals to help them to identify behaviors and problems related to their addiction. Substance abuse counseling can be done on an individual basis, but is frequently done in a group setting and can include crisis counseling, daily or weekly counseling, or drop-in counseling supports. Counselors are trained to assist in developing personalized recovery programs that help to establish healthy behaviors and provide coping strategies.”

A Substance Abuse Counselor Must Possess One of the Following Credentials:

  • Certified Addiction Professional (C.A.P.). This certification requires a bachelor’s degree.
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (L.M.H.C.). This license requires a master’s degree.
  • Ph.D. or PsyD. This is the highest level graduate degree. A Ph.D. or
    PsyD

    can become licensed as a psychologist.

There is a significant difference in training and expertise of a therapist who has a master’s degree and certification and a person who has a certification alone. The quality of the therapist is dependent upon his or her knowledge and ability to empathize, be compassionate, challenge appropriately, support and guide the addict through a confusing, self-reflective, early recovery time.

A licensed or certified substance abuse counselor can work independently, in an outpatient clinic or as a member of a multidisciplinary team in a substance abuse rehab.

What does a Substance Abuse Counselor Do?

Quality treatment is generally dependent upon the treatment philosophy, the qualifications of the clinical staff, medical staff, program dynamics, the use of best practices and inclusion of 12-step workshops, as well as the facility’s ability to address specific demographic needs.

Addiction treatment grounded in best practices with a multidisciplinary team of addiction certified doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and master’s level therapists and clinicians can offer the patient the most comprehensive addiction treatment available. This multidisciplinary team approach generally relies on a variety of therapeutic modalities. While certified addiction physicians and psychiatrists can address physical health problems and emotional trauma, substance abuse counselors generally lead the individual and group therapy sessions. Because of this specialization between fields, a better educated and trained staff allow for a more in-depth therapeutic experience.

The complexity of addiction necessitates an intuitive, creative, caring, therapist. Dedication to the patient’s personal growth forms the foundation for good substance abuse counseling. Many times, counselors themselves are recovering.

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment?

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment?

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment?

Whether you buy illegal drugs on the street or you are prescribed painkillers or sedatives by your physician, you can quickly become an addict. If you are having trouble going to work, being at home without using drugs or just living life, drug treatment is right for you.

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment?

Drug Addiction Counselling
Drug Addiction Counseling

Drug addiction treatment begins with the detoxification process, which takes place in drug detox centers. Detox is not complete treatment and is not the same as drug rehab. If you go through detox without receiving drug addiction rehab, you are at greater risk of relapsing.

The best drug treatment centers provide 24-hour medical, psychiatric and clinical care. After you complete detox, drug addiction treatment and rehab should begin. The transition from detox to treatment can present you and your family members with another round of decisions. A quick transition from detox to addiction treatment provides you with the greatest likelihood of successful treatment.

The longer the time between detox and the start of drug addiction treatment, the less likely the drug addict or alcoholic is to continue treatment. Recovery Connection takes the stress of locating a treatment facility from you. They will find a detox center that will also have a drug rehab component helping you smoothly transition from detox into treatment for drug addiction.  Live Chat with an admission coordinator today and see how easy getting treatment can be!

What Should I Expect in Drug Treatment?

Some drug addiction treatment centers have a single type of program or a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Drug treatment centers that are founded upon a single philosophy without any other treatment components can be effective for some, but are not ideal. A facility’s philosophy, staff training and use of best practices can mean the difference between building a strong foundation for ongoing abstinence and not providing patients with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle life without drugs.

After a treatment center reaches a high standard of care and maintains a qualified staff, the facility can apply to be accredited. Significant standards of accreditation have been developed for the protection of the patient and the patient’s family.

Accreditation is used industry-wide to ensure that a healthcare facility meets or exceeds best practices and standards. The most significant national accreditation organization is The Joint Commission (JCAHO), whose mission is to “improve health care for the public.” The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 and is a patient advocate. It is the nation’s oldest and largest “standard-setting and accrediting body in health care.”

Accredited drug treatment centers understand how to work with insurance companies to ensure that you get the best care for your coverage. Drug treatment typically lasts between 30 and 60 days but it can be longer depending upon your needs.

Help Choosing the Best Drug Treatment Centers

Recovery Connection only works with the best drug treatment centers that have 24-hour medical and clinical supervision and where every patient receives individualized, ongoing evaluations and regularly updated treatment plans. If a patient has a psychological or psychiatric crisis at any point in the detox or drug treatment process, the patient and the family do not have to wait for it to be addressed.

Factors to be considered in choosing the best drug treatment centers include:

  • Medical staff certified in addiction medicine
  • 24/7 on-site medical team
  • Interdisciplinary medical and clinical team
  • Certified addiction psychiatrist
  • Credible dual-diagnosis program
  • Medication management classes
  • Supplemental education such as life skills, nutrition and exercise
  • Individual and group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Recreation, art and/or music therapy

The best drug addiction treatment centers offer dual-diagnosis treatment and specialty treatment programs. Drug treatment centers should have fully developed tracks (based upon best practices) that address the specific needs of particular demographics.

Drug Addiction Self-Test

Drug Addiction Self-Test

Drug Addiction Self-Test

Using Drugs
Using Drugs

If you are concerned about your drug use, it is advisable that you seek help from your primary physician or a drug rehab immediately. If you do not feel ready to speak openly with a doctor about your concerns, you may explore this simple series of questions. When we are honest about our using, we no longer hide the reality of addiction from ourselves through denial, anger, resentment or blame and become willing to accept  the assistance of a drug treatment center.

Are You a Addicted to Drugs?

If you answer yes or no honestly to the list of questions below, the result may guide you in the right direction.

  1. Do you sometimes think you have a problem with drugs?
  2. Do you use drugs weekly?
  3. Do you experience mood changes when you do not take drugs?
  4. Do you take more than one type of drug at a time?
  5. Have you ever taken a drug without knowing what it was?
  6. Do you get angry when someone talks to you about your drug use?
  7. Do you take drugs to wake up or go to sleep each day?
  8. Do you take prescription drugs for reasons other than as prescribed?
  9. Has using drugs caused trouble at school or work?
  10. Have you ever lied to a physician to obtain more drugs?
  11. Have you promised yourself you would no longer take drugs, but have been unable to keep your promise?
  12. Have you lost friends because of your drug use?
  13. Have you bought drugs despite the financial hardships?
  14. Have you gotten into trouble with the law over your drug use?
  15. Have you stolen to obtain drugs?
  16. Do you experience drug cravings (intense physical and psychological need for a drug)
  17. Have you ever overdosed?

If you answered yes to two or more questions, it might be a sign of a drug problem. If you answered yes to four or more questions, you likely have a drug problem and should seek professional help from a drug treatment center.

Drug Rehab Program Overview: Making the Right Choice

group of patients in a drug rehab program putting their hands in a circle

Drug Rehab Program Overview: Making the Right Choice

Drug addiction and alcoholism are serious diseases that can literally dismantle and destroy your life, piece by piece. If you’ve been struggling with either of these serious diseases or if you have a loved one who has been caught up with addiction, professional help is your only answer. One of the first questions that you will be asked when searching for a drug rehab program is how long you want to go into treatment. Residential treatment is the choice for most patients, but there are many different lengths of time for treatment. You should have some key information before you make a choice.

The best drug rehab programs are accredited facilities that provide 24/7 medical supervision by doctors, psychiatrists and licensed therapists specifically trained in addiction treatment. Treatment at a drug rehabilitation program always follows medical detoxification.

What Are Drug Rehab Centers?

Drug rehab centers combine detox and rehab programs in one facility. Before any drug treatment program can start, a person must successfully complete the drug detox program. These programs are designed to treat drug withdrawal symptoms while ridding the body of chemical toxins. Medically supervised inpatient detox facilities provide the best treatment for a patient because they offer constant observation and regular evaluations. After detox is completed, a patient can transition directly into a drug rehabilitation program.

Each drug rehab center is unique because there is no “right way” to treat drug addiction. Rehab centers provide detox and a variety of therapies for addiction treatment. Individualized treatment programs are developed to ensure that a patient’s needs are regularly being addressed through frequent re-evaluation.

Accredited drug rehab centers understand how to work with insurance companies to ensure that a patient gets the best care for his or her coverage. Rehabilitation generally lasts between 30 and 60 days, but it can last longer depending upon the patient’s needs. At Recovery Connection, our addiction specialists understand that not everyone can afford to pay for a drug rehab program. We aim to find a treatment center that fits your needs as well as your budget. Call us now 866-812-8231.

Choosing the Best Drug Rehab Programs

It can be extremely difficult to know where to turn when you’re struggling with an addiction. You may understand that a recovery program is what you need, but which program is right for you?

Many addictions require one important step before the actual counseling and therapy began. Before you can start working one-on-one with an addiction specialist to uncover why you became addicted in the first place, you might need to undergo medical detox. But remember that not all drug rehab programs offer medical detox.

In addition, you’ll naturally need to know whether you want to go through a 30-day or 60-day rehab program. You need a knowledgeable middleman to help you connect with the right program.

The best drug rehab programs provide patients with 24-hour medical, psychiatric and clinical care. After detox has been completed, rehab programs should begin. A quick transition from detox into early addiction treatment provides the patient with the highest chance of a successful treatment episode. The longer the time between detox and the start of drug rehab, the less likely the drug addict or alcoholic is to enter a rehab program. It is important to choose detox in facilities that also offer drug rehab programs. This reduces the stress of locating a rehab program and coordinating the transfer into another facility and decreases the chance of drug relapse.

Main Differences Between 30-Day and 60-Day Drug Rehab Programs

Individuals enter drug rehabilitation for different reasons. Naturally, all patients will be seeking help for addiction, but the differences are mostly in the backgrounds of the patients, and this is usually where the time period of your drug rehab program will be affected.

For example, if you have been struggling with addiction for a year or less than a year, you may be able to go through a shorter 30-day rehab program. Throughout this program, you will be offered virtually all of the same things that a 60-day program would offer, but the duration will be shorter because your struggle has been shorter, and you may be able to exit the program with more success after a shorter period of time.

On the other hand, for those who may have relapsed several times or who have been addicted to alcohol or drugs for years or even decades, a longer 60-day program may be what’s needed.

Quality drug rehab programs offer individualized clinical supervision, ongoing evaluations and regularly updated personalized treatment plans. If a patient has a psychological or psychiatric crisis at any point in the rehab process, the patient and the family do not have to wait for it to be addressed.

Consider these factors when choosing a drug rehab center:

  • Medical staff certified in addiction medicine
  • 24/7 on-site medical team
  • Interdisciplinary medical and clinical team
  • Certified addiction psychiatrist
  • Credible dual-diagnosis program
  • Medication management classes
  • Supplemental education such as life skills, nutrition, and exercise
  • Individual and group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Recreation, art and/or music therapy

The best drug rehab programs offer specialty treatment programs. These include LGBT treatment programs, Christian-based rehab and special programs for women.  Only the best rehabs have fully developed tracks based on the most effective treatment practices that address the specific needs of these particular demographics.

Drug addiction controls your whole life and getting sober takes an enormous amount of energy and commitment. The end result of this investment in recovery is getting your life back. Drug addicts have to come to terms with many challenging issues to develop a strong foundation for recovery, emotional stability, and maturity. Getting clean and sober requires complete personal honesty.

Questions to ask yourself about your addiction:

  • Can you get clean and sober while you live at home?
  • Can you get clean and sober if you must pass your old liquor store or the place where you regularly used drugs?
  • Are you able to handle you handle cravings on your own?

The answers to these questions, based upon current research, are probably “no.” However, if you seek your recovery in a drug rehabilitation center away from home, you increase your chances of maintaining sobriety.

Let Us Help You Find a Drug Rehab Program

Drug addiction is on the rise in the United States. According to the government, 24.6 million Americans have used illicit drugs in the last 30 days. If you have been struggling with addiction, you need a top-quality drug addiction program to start your journey toward recovery.  

Finding one can be a challenge, but we are here to help. It’s important to act quickly if you’re struggling with addiction, so call us today at 866-812-8231.

Detoxification: Just the Beginning of Drug Treatment

Detoxification: Just the Beginning of Drug Treatment

Drug Detox
Drug Detox

Drug detox centers provide the medical staff, 24/7 supervision and facilities necessary for you to detox successfully. Drug withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening and put extreme physical and psychological stress on your body.

Using drugs recreationally or even as prescribed can leave you vulnerable to addiction. Depending on the type and amount of drugs used, addiction can progress gradually or rapidly. A combination of biological (genetic), environmental, psychological, spiritual, emotional and physical factors affect the speed with which drug addiction happens. After addiction takes hold of your mind and body, professional help from a drug rehab center is recommended to treat the disease.

The recovery process begins in drug detox centers. Without proper care in a medically monitored detox, you run the risk of giving in to cravings and returning to compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Successful detox depends on the quality of treatment and medical care available in detox facilities. Recovery Connection understands how uncomfortable detox can be. They only work with the best detox facilities that are licensed to use medications to make sure your detox is smooth and comfortable. Call us today at 866-812-8231 and we will help get you into the best facility for your needs.

Medically staffed drug rehab programs that include drug detox centers are the most effective means for treatment.

What Are Drug Detox Centers?

Drug detox centers aim to safely eliminate all toxins from your body and prepare you for addiction treatment. During the detox process, you may experience withdrawal while your mind and body readjust to being without drugs. Emotional, psychological and psychiatric complications may arise when going through drug withdrawal. Intensive medical and clinical care in a drug detox center can address drug cravings and psychiatric changes (such as anxiety and paranoia) as they occur.

Medical problems that may arise from substance abuse, such as malnutrition and organ malfunction, must be treated and stabilized in drug detox before an addict can enter a drug rehab program.

The best drug detox centers have:

  • 24-hour medical supervision
  • Medications to ease withdrawal
  • Up-to-date withdrawal protocols
  • Individualized treatment plans
  • Medical staff experienced in multi-drug detox
  • Psychiatric care
  • Updated evaluations

The length of stay in a drug detox center depends on a variety of factors including the type of drugs used, the frequency and amount of use, coexisting medical or psychological issues and the patient’s motivation. A patient should immediately enter drug rehabilitation after detox because the risk of relapse increases with the amount of time rehab is delayed.

Detox Comfortably and Get Treatment Today!

Drug withdrawal can affect the health of your heart, lungs, brain, and other vital organs. Withdrawal symptoms begin shortly after the drug was last taken and can last 3 to 10 days or longer. During this time, a person can experience many symptoms that require immediate medical attention.

Are you trying to stop using drugs but having trouble getting through detox? Recovery Connection is here to help. Call 866-812-8231 for immediate entry into a comfortable detox center. Our helpline is available 24/7.

Detoxing at home is dangerous because of the inability to respond to medical complications immediately. Medical personnel familiar with the drug detox process can moderate and manage withdrawal symptoms as they arise.

Complications that arise from drug withdrawal are:

  • Panic
  • Agitation
  • Insomnia
  • Shakes
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Aggression
  • Violent behavior
  • Heart rate and blood pressure changes
  • Psychosis
  • Numbness
  • Seizures

Completing a drug detox program does not ensure that an addict will abstain from drugs. An addict should enter a drug addiction treatment program after the detoxification process is complete. Drug detox is only the first step in a long process and it does not address the combination of issues that may be the underlying factors behind addiction.

Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug Addiction Treatment

Whether you buy illegal drugs on the street or you are prescribed painkillers or sedatives by your physician, you can quickly become an addict. If you are having trouble going to work, being at home without using drugs or just living life, drug treatment is right for you.

What Is Drug Addiction Treatment?

Drug addiction treatment begins with the detoxification process, which takes place in drug detox centers. Detox is not complete treatment and is not the same as drug rehab. If you go through detox without receiving drug addiction rehab, you are at greater risk of relapsing.

The best drug treatment centers provide 24-hour medical, psychiatric and clinical care. After you complete detox, drug addiction treatment and rehab should begin. The transition from detox to treatment can present you and your family members with another round of decisions. A quick transition from detox to addiction treatment provides you with the greatest likelihood of successful treatment.

The longer the time between detox and the start of drug addiction treatment, the less likely the drug addict or alcoholic is to continue treatment.

What Should I Expect in Drug Treatment?

Some drug addiction treatment centers have a single type of program or a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Drug treatment centers that are founded upon a single philosophy without any other treatment components can be effective for some but are not ideal. A facility’s philosophy, staff training and use of best practices can mean the difference between building a strong foundation for ongoing abstinence and not providing patients with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle life without drugs.

After a treatment center reaches a high standard of care and maintains a qualified staff, the facility can apply to be accredited. Significant standards of accreditation have been developed for the protection of the patient and the patient’s family.

Accreditation is used industry-wide to ensure that a healthcare facility meets or exceeds best practices and standards. The most significant national accreditation organization is The Joint Commission (JCAHO), whose mission is to “improve health care for the public.” The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 and is a patient advocate. It is the nation’s oldest and largest “standard-setting and accrediting body in health care.”

Accredited drug treatment centers understand how to work with insurance companies to ensure that you get the best care for your coverage. Drug treatment typically lasts between 30 and 60 days but it can be longer depending upon your needs.

Help Choosing the Best Drug Treatment Centers

Recovery Connection only works with the best drug treatment centers that have 24-hour medical and clinical supervision and where every patient receives individualized, ongoing evaluations and regularly updated treatment plans. If a patient has a psychological or psychiatric crisis at any point in the detox or drug treatment process, the patient and the family do not have to wait for it to be addressed.

Factors to be considered in choosing the best drug treatment centers to include:

  • Medical staff certified in addiction medicine
  • 24/7 on-site medical team
  • Interdisciplinary medical and clinical team
  • Certified addiction psychiatrist
  • Credible dual-diagnosis program
  • Medication management classes
  • Supplemental education such as life skills, nutrition, and exercise
  • Individual and group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Recreation, art and/or music therapy

The best drug addiction treatment centers offer dual-diagnosis treatment and specialty treatment programs. Drug treatment centers should have fully developed tracks (based upon best practices) that address the specific needs of particular demographics.

Are You an Alcoholic?

Are You an Alcoholic?

Are You an Alcoholic?

Are You An Alcoholic?
Are You An Alcoholic?

Alcohol self-tests are an easy, private way to examine your relationship with the substance. The differences between alcohol abuse and dependence are determined by a person’s physical, emotion, mental and social relationship to alcohol. Chances are, if you are wondering if you’re an alcoholic, you might have a problem.

You may believe that you have a problem with alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. The difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in some people is not great, for others it is significant. Generally, when a person has an alcohol abuse problem, he or she will drink excessively at times but has not yet developed tolerance that leads to severe withdrawal symptoms. However, the consequences may be just as severe for an alcohol abuser as they are for a person who is an alcoholic. An alcoholism self-test will help you find the answers

There are alcoholism tests that can help lead you to a clearer answer on your drinking behavior and the need for professional help. Alcohol abuse and dependence self-tests are done in the privacy of your own home. Healthcare professionals can administer more advanced alcoholism tests. Regardless of whether a person is abusing alcohol or is alcohol dependent, intensive alcohol rehab is beneficial.

Call Recovery Connection confidentially at 866-812-8231 at any time. Our staff is specially trained to answer your alcohol addiction and treatment questions and help you get into treatment to begin reclaiming your life.

The definition of alcoholism encompasses the behavioral and psychological problems caused by chronic drinking. After the body has become dependent upon alcohol, the alcoholic is unable to avoid drinking despite the con

sequences and health problems caused by excessive drinking. Drinking alcohol despite negative consequences is a hallmark of addiction.

Am I an Alcoholic? Take the Alcoholism Self-Test

The earlier alcohol addiction is stopped the better. Are you an alcoholic, do you straddle the line between abuse and dependence? Here are several questions to honestly ask yourself. Remember, denial doesn’t help you regain control of your life. Take the alcoholism test below and move toward the first step and admit to yourself that you have a problem and need help.

Alcoholism Self-Test:

  • Do you wake up and need to drink to get your day started?
  • Do you feel angry when others speak to you about your drinking?
  • Do you drink more than you promise yourself you will at any given time?
  • Have you lost friends because of your drinking?
  • Have you gotten into trouble because of your drinking?
  • Have you missed work because you were drinking excessively the day before?
  • Do you regularly “binge” drink?
  • Have you gotten into fights because of your drinking?
  • Have you ever awakened in an unknown place after drinking?

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions you should consider seeking help.

Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal

woman sitting with doctor for an assessment for alcohol detox

Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal

 

woman sitting with doctor for an assessment for alcohol detox
The Best Detox Centers Utilize Modern Medicine for Maximum Comfort

Alcoholism is a debilitating disease that is as powerful as drug addiction. Help is likely needed to stop drinking. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be eased when detoxing from alcohol occurs in a medically supervised facility. Untreated symptoms can be life threatening. It is best to transition into a treatment facility directly after you complete the detox program.

Drinking more than you should? Drinking when you have promised not to? Getting angry when others comment about your drinking? These are signs that you may have an alcohol addiction problem. If you can’t stop drinking, get help now. Recovery Connection will help you or a loved one find an appropriate detox center for your needs.

Alcohol detoxification is the first step in the recovery process and should be followed by an alcohol rehab program. Entering a medically supervised facility is strongly recommended rather than attempting to detox at home.

Alcohol Detox

Alcohol detox is the first step to living a healthy, sober life. These programs help patients prepare for the hard but rewarding work of recovering from alcoholism. Research demonstrates that people who do not immediately enter rehab following the detoxification process are at greater risk of returning to drinking. Once that happens, the alcoholic will pick up where he or she left off. Negative consequences can rapidly worsen once an alcoholic returns to drinking.

The average alcohol detox procedure lasts 3-7 days. Medically monitored and supervised detox programs are staffed 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and ensure that a patient’s medical condition remains stable. There are certain medications for the treatment of alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal which are administered in  treatment centers. In medically monitored detox, all physiological and psychological changes can be addressed immediately. When alcoholics try to detox on their own or medical supervision is not round the clock, they place themselves at great physical and emotional risk. Alcohol detox is dangerous and extraordinarily painful when not properly managed.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

If you have become dependent on alcohol, please seek medical attention. It is not advisable to stop drinking on your own because your body will go through withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can be extreme and should be monitored by medical professionals familiar with the signs and symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms begin within 5-10 hours after a person’s last drink but sometimes peaks after several days of abstinence. Medically supervised detox can handle any medical and psychological complications of alcohol withdrawal. These may include:

Psychological Symptoms:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Nervousness
  • Emotional instability
  • Emotional fatigue
Physical Symptoms:

  • Nausea /vomiting
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Sweating
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Hand tremors
  • Involuntary movement of the eyelids
  • Loss of appetite
Severe Symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Blackouts
  • Convulsions
  • Seizures
  • Severe agitation
  • Delirium tremens

Withdrawal symptoms worsen before they begin to subside. Not everyone suffering from alcohol withdrawal experiences the same symptoms or intensity of symptoms. Symptoms vary depending on the alcoholic’s age, the amount of alcohol consumed and the length of time an alcoholic has been drinking. Withdrawal symptoms intensify if a person has previously gone through detox multiple times, especially if the detox processes were not medically monitored.

Why Go to Alcohol Rehab after Detox?

Alcohol detox is not enough to keep an alcoholic sober. Alcohol rehabilitation centers provide the alcoholic with detox as well as the necessary skills to maintain sobriety after treatment. Alcohol treatment programs provide a solid foundation from which alcoholics can personally grow in recovery.