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There are many obstacles to recovery, and mothers who seek out substance abuse help face additional issues and problems that must be addressed as well. These women must work hard to overcome their substance abuse issues, but that is just the beginning. Mothers who have an addiction must also learn to face any past abuse and traumas in order to gain a permanent recovery. In some cases the state has become involved, and many mothers are also trying to fight to regain custody of children that they lost because of their substance abuse. Many people do not think about mothers using drugs or drinking excessively, and this subject is often seen as taboo even in a modern society where few subjects are off limits.
Mothers who seek substance abuse help may feel like they are facing an up hill climb on Mt. Everest. Sometimes it can take multiple attempts to get clean, and this shows the obstacles to recovery that addicted moms can face. In addition the women must work hard to reclaim families and rebuild lives that are often left shattered and in need of repair. Mothers who seek substance abuse help need understanding, compassion, and effective methods. Too often these women face stigma, and they can be socially ostracized for their past mistakes instead of being offered the support that they need. Addiction can cause anyone to stumble, and mothers are not the only ones who take this fall. Instead of being judgmental try offering compassion and support in order to help these women overcome their obstacles to recovery and succeed.
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Tramadol is a drug that is being prescribed more frequently today. It is a pain medication which is used for pain that ranges from moderate to severe, as well as being prescribed for certain other conditions. Tramadol is only available with a prescription from a physician. This drug is a central nervous system analgesic, and it does provide relief similar to narcotic pain medications. It is an opioid agonist and it has narcotic like effects. In fact according to medical experts and the drug literature Tramadol offers pain relief and other effects comparable to hydrocodone and morphine. The drug can be delivered orally, intravenously, rectally, and in other ways. Since this specific pain medication is not tightly regulated by the FDA many doctors are providing it instead of hydrocodone, codeine, or other opioid pain medications.
While many consider Tramadol to be a much better choice for treating pain it does have the potetial for addiction. Over time the effects of this prescription medication may start to lessen, and you may start taking more than the dose that your physician prescribed or taking the drug more often than intended. Tramadol is usually the most effective for the first 6 months, after this the drug starts to have less of an effect because a tolerance has developed. Since it is classified as a non narcotic many people believe than an addiction to Tramadol is not possible but this is not true. If you have been taking Tramadol and the prescribed frequency and dosage is no longer effective then this should be discussed with your physician.
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When it comes to mental illness early detection and diagnosis is imperative for the best possible outcome. The truth is that around 54 million people in the United States alone suffer from some type of mental illness. Early detection and diagnosis can help prevent any symptoms experienced from becoming more severe. For many people having a loved one with a mental illness can be devastating. When these conditions are detected early the prognosis is usually much better. Some of the early signs of mental illness include:
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Sudden changes in thoughts or behavior
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Extreme mood fluctuations
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Excessive anxiety or worry
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Confused thinking
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Withdrawing from social activities and friends
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Delusional thoughts or ideas
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Thoughts of suicide
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Prolonged sadness
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Extreme irritability
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Hearing or seeing things which are not actually there
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Substance abuse
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Changes in usual activity patterns
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Legal problems
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Difficulty at work or in school
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Excessive absences
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Financial difficulties
Any one of the mental illness warning signs above is not necessarily a cause for alarm. Early detection and diagnosis is important so that treatment can begin. If you notice several of the signs listed above then a consultation with a mental health professional is advised. We all have bad days or times when we are frustrated or sad. If any unusual thoughts, behaviors, or patterns persist then even one or two may be a reason to seek professional help. Family members are often the first to notice small changes because they are most familiar with the individual.
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1. What is alcoholism? This is a type of substance abuse disorder that involves alcohol. It is a chronic condition that is progressive. Someone with this condition has a problem with controlling their intake, and they continue to drink even though it has devastating consequences on their life and loved ones.
2. How is there a problem when I can hold my liquor? This type of substance abuse does not mean that you drink and black out every day. Some individuals can consume a larger amount of alcohol without showing the effects because of a variety f factors including body weight and frequency of alcohol consumption.
3. Can I have alcoholism if I don’t change after drinking? The truth is that alcohol affects different people in different ways. Some people become angry drunks, others may get giggly and happy, while still others may just feel tired and want to take a nap. The frequency and amount of alcohol that is consumed is an indication of whether you need treatment for alcoholism or not.
4. Does heavy drinking or regular drinking mean I have this condition? Not necessarily. Alcohol abuse is a form of substance abuse but this alone does not define alcoholism. In order to be diagnosed as an alcoholic you must have an addiction to alcohol. Some problem drinkers or those that abuse alcohol are not addicted in spite of this.
Alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse are treatable and it is possible to achieve a full recovery when the right treatment program and methods are chosen.
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Crisis management can be crucial if you or someone you care about suffers from schizophrenia. This form of mental illness can involve psychotic episodes and psychosis, and there have been cases where someone with this mental disorder has become aggressive and violent due to the voices and other symptoms that can occur. When someone with schizophrenia starts to slide downwards there is no immediate change that is drastic. It may be possible to deescalate things early in the episode so that a full blown crisis does not develop. One important tip is to speak softly and use simple sentences that are easy to understand. Yelling or being loud and aggressive will not help. In fact this will just make things worse by escalating the crisis and making the symptoms more severe.
Crisis management for a loved one with schizophrenia includes understanding what the early warning signs are. When these signs are recognized as soon as they occur it can be easier to prevent a full blown crisis with early intervention and treatment regimen adjustments. Signs of an impending crisis can include sleeplessness, suspicion that may be severe enough to be classified as paranoia, unpredictable behavior, sudden outbursts, and an increase in delusions or in auditory hallucinations such as voices to name a few. The goal of crisis management with schizophrenia is to help the individual regain control. This means not doing anything that agitates the individual or escalates the situation. Usually the individual is already fearful about the loss of control so it is very important to stay calm and to be as soothing as possible when a crisis is impending.
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1.One of the most effective coping tips for helping a loved one who has a mental disorder is to remember that these conditions can not be cured. There are treatments that can help but there is no cure available for a mental disorder right now.
2. Take care of yourself. Those who have a loved one with mental illness can find themselves run ragged and worn out if they are not careful. You must take care of yourself before you can be a caretaker for someone with a mental disorder.
3. Reasoning with someone who is delusional is pointless. No matter how hard you try to reason a delusion is not going to respond in a rational manner and will not go away just because of reasoning. Don’t try to bring the person back to reality or attempt to ground them to the present situation because this will not work.
4. Separate your loved one from the disorder that they suffer. It is common to feel negative emotions due to the disorder and that is okay. Love the friend or family member even while you hate the disorder that they have and the symptoms that they exhibit.
5. Other coping tips for mental disorders include understanding that no one is to blame and that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Unfortunately mental illness carries a stigma of shame, even though this is a medical condition no different from diabetes or a broken bone. There is nothing to be ashamed about and no one to blame when you have a loved one who has mental illness.
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What is an intervention? An intervention is a professional process used in order to make the individual with the problem face reality and admit that they need help. It is a meeting where friends and family address the ways that the alcohol or drug use by the individual affects everyone who cares about the person.
Why does substance abuse treatment need to be arranged ahead of time? The goal of this type of meeting is to get the individual to see that they have a problem and they need help. The chance of successful treatment and a full recovery are highest when the individual goes directly from the intervention into the treatment program. If there is any delay the individual could retreat back into denial and then refuse to go later on.
Why is a professional needed for an intervention? Professional assistance should always be used for an intervention. Friends and family members who have been negatively affected by the substance abuse may have some deep emotions that can include anger and resentment. Without a professional present the meeting can quickly turn ugly and escalate into something negative instead of having a positive influence that leads to change.
What role will friends and family members play in this process? Each person who will attend the intervention will usually be asked to draw up a letter to the target of the meeting. This letter should detail how substance abuse has caused harm to the family member or friend. During the meeting each individual will address the person at the center of the intervention in the hope that this individual will be willing to accept treatment.
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1. Discuss the problem with your family member. Any addiction is a cause for concern, and some may be deadly as well as devastating every aspect of daily life. If your loved one admits that there is a problem then professional treatment can be sought. If the individual is in denial then additional efforts may be necessary.
2. Arrange for substance abuse treatment and then present this as a fact to your loved one. It may be more difficult for them to refuse help when this is presented as a fact and the arrangements are already in place.
3. Do not enable your loved one with the addiction. We often want to take care of those that we love, and to make things easier for them. If you enable the substance abuse you are not helping your family member and you could make things worse instead of fixing it for them.
4. Arrange for an intervention. This step may help bring your loved one to their senses and make them realize what their addiction is doing to those close to them that they care about. Often the individual will not be honest about the complications that their drug or alcohol use has on others until an intervention is performed.
5. Seek professional assistance from your family physician. Discuss your substance abuse concerns and brainstorm with your physician about how to get your family member the help that they need and deserve. The physician may be able to come up with solutions that you have not considered up until this point.
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Research shows that ER visits can lower the rate of opioid deaths by providing overdose education and rescue kits. Emergency Departments across North America have an opportunity to educate patients who come through and provide a rescue kit in case an opioid overdose occurs. Early intervention can often mean the difference between an overdose that causes death and an overdose which is survived. In 1999 the number of opioid overdose deaths was 4,041. By 2010 this number had reached a staggering 16,651 people. Nasal naloxene rescue kits can be provided to patients and their families along with information about how to respond during an overdose situation. In 2011 there were an estimated 420,040 visits to emergency rooms related to an overdose of opioid drugs, and 258,482 overdose cases which involved heroin.
ER visits for possible overdose of opioids, and the number of opioid deaths, can be lowered when patients are provided with the right information and the rescue kit which can start to reverse an overdose before help can arrive. In many cases by the time that rescue personnel arrive it is too late because of how fast an overdose death can occur. When loved ones are taught the signs of an overdose and they understand what steps to take and how to use a naloxene rescue kit the odds of the individual surviving the opioid overdose are greatly increased. Many opioid deaths could be prevented if the medical resources and knowledge is available to those who are on hand when an overdose happens. Many police agencies and other first responders are also being trained and receiving the rescue kits as well.
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A new study by Case Western Reserve has shown that social activities may help with relapse prevention from teen substance abuse. The right social activities can help addicted teens recover and make a successful transition back into the real world. The study was performed by Maria Pagano, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry, and it involved a group of around 200 teens who had been admitted for residential substance abuse treatment in the northeastern part of the USA. The adolescents involved in the study had displayed moderate to severe social anxiety issues for a year or more before the teen substance abuse started. Around 42% of the participants studied admitted to severe social fears, and around 15% of the study participants met the criteria for a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder.
Professor Pagano discussed the study on relapse prevention and teen substance abuse, saying “Drinking and drug use relieved a pervasive sense of not fitting in for many youths addicted to alcohol and illicit drugs, and hypersensitivity to criticism is common. The incidence of higher rates of heroin use among young adults living in this region is distressing. A sense of belonging is important to live sober and to thrive, and 12-step service offers a venue for those impaired by social anxiety. Low-intensity service is a more gentle way for youths to feel like they belong and to connect with other people who are facing similar challenges. Getting active in helping others through AA motivates them to stay long enough to benefit from other AA activities and increase their chances of turning their life around toward a positive life trajectory.”
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An accurate diagnosis can be difficult when it comes to bipolar disorder, and there are a few subtypes within this disorder as well. The 3 main subtypes of this condition and the main characteristics of each subtype include:
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Bipolar I Disorder- This is also referred to as a mixed episode or simply mania. Usually individuals who have this sub category of bipolar disorder will experience the lows of depression along with the highs of mania. This category can include symptoms which can become very severe at times, and the condition can be devastating and take years for proper management and recovery.
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Bipolar II Disorder- This sub category may also be called hypomania and depression. These individuals do not experience manic episodes which are full blown and out of control, although they may exhibit some signs of the manic phase of the mental disorder. Severe depression is one of the most dangerous symptoms when an individual has this type of bipolar disorder and there is an accurate diagnosis.
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Cyclothymia- This sub category involves mild depression and hypomania, so the symptoms of both phases are not as severe or life changing. The mood swings and emotional changes experienced by these individuals are usually cyclical in nature.
Someone who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, regardless of the sub category used in the accurate diagnosis, can experience difficulty in every area of life. School, work, home, and relationships can all be damaged as a result of the mental disorder. With the proper treatment this condition can be managed and the individual can lead a full and productive life once more.
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Everyone has mood swings, and some may experience these with greater frequency or severity than others, but when do these ups and downs qualify as bipolar disorder? The difference between the usual highs and lows of life and this mental disorder is the severity and the frequency of the changes. Someone who has bipolar disorder will go from deeply depressed to being euphoric and full of energy, and treatment usually consists of mood stabilizer drugs in order to minimize the swing of the emotional pendulum. In order to be diagnosed with a mental disorder the episodes of unusual thoughts and behaviors usually must last days at least. Everyone is going to be somewhat depressed when certain negative events occur, and we would all be full of energy and excitement if we won a large amount of money in the lottery.
If you or someone you know suffers from severe mood swings and you are concerned that the problem may be bipolar disorder then there are a few things you can do. Start keeping a journal of your feelings, emotions, and activities. Record when you start to get low or when you seem to be full of energy and have an inflated sense of self esteem. This will help any mental health professionals that you consult for treatment come up with an accurate diagnosis of the conditions involved. If depression or the other extreme seem to create problems in your life then mental health treatment should be sought. Whether it is just severe mood swings or bipolar depression there is help available if you are just willing to reach out and ask for it.
