Rehab Articles
1. Choose Your Holiday Season Events Carefully
If you are trying to have a substance free holiday season then it is important to choose your holiday events very carefully. Some parties are all about family and friends sharing time together, but others may just be an excuse for guests to get drunk or indulge in other ways.
2. Minimize Your Stress and Take Time to Relax
A substance free holiday season starts with good stress management skills. The holiday season is stressful for everyone, with so much to do and so little time to get it done. Making sure that you take time to relax and relieve stress on a regular basis is crucial to a substance free holiday season and relapse prevention.
3. Avoid People and Places Associated With Bad Habits
For a true substance free holiday season avoid old habits, and the people and places that are associated with your substance abuse in the past. If you attend a holiday party where everyone you know is drinking or using drugs you are more likely to fall back into these habits and end up abusing again.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Turn Down Invitations
Many people are hesitant to turn down an invitation because they do not want to hurt someone’s feelings or make the host feel bad. Your recovery needs to be the top priority in order to achieve a substance free holiday season, even if this means saying no to people. True friends and family members will understand your reasons and will not be upset.
Rehab Articles
A new research study has shown that spirituality can be essential for teens who are receiving substance abuse treatment, and this factor can help the individual abstain from drugs or alcohol and reach a permanent recovery. The research study was conducted by The University of Akron, with Case Western Reserve University and Baylor University researchers involved as well. After studying the approaches used for teen substance abuse treatment at New Directions, an adolescent residential program for substance abuse treatment, the importance of spirituality in rehab can be shown. Two different adolescent studies which are ongoing were used in order to determine the daily spiritual experiences and substance abuse patterns of almost 200 adolescents, all between the ages of 14 and 18 years old.
What this research study showed was that when adolescents in substance abuse treatment programs have a spiritual experience this makes them more likely to abstain from substance abuse and it increased their positive social interactions and behaviors. Abstinence was determined by toxicology screens. The spiritual experiences that were used in the study were not related to any specific religion, and were based on the 12 step program used by New Directions. The results may be very helpful in tailoring substance abuse treatment programs for teens that have higher success rates and lower relapse risks. The most effective rehab programs are typically those which include a spiritual component and spiritual counseling, and this study shows that spirituality is important for all ages when the goal is a permanent recovery and an end to the substance abuse.
Rehab Articles
Krokodil is a designer drug and heroin substitute that was first produced in Siberia, and this deadly compound has spread far and wide since first being created and has contributed to many cases of substance abuse. Is it a cause for alarm in the USA though? Until fairly recently the answer has been no, but that changed when the first cases of Krokodil abuse surfaced in Phoenix, Arizona. The horrible deformities and life threatening medical conditions that Krokodile can cause do not stop users from abusing the designer drug, and it can be made quickly at home with just a few common household chemicals and ingredients. The high that the user gets from this heroin substitute is short lived when compared to heroin, but it can be produced in just a few hours.
The designer drug and heroin substitute Krokodil may also go by the name Desomorphine, and the formula for the drug may include a range of harmful chemicals. Codeine is combined with iodine and also red phosphorous, and then additional substances are added. These can include paint thinner, turpentine, gasoline, hydrochloric acid, and other caustic chemicals that can eat or dissolve body fat and other tissue types. Krokodil users typically die within a few years of starting this designer drug, but abuse of the heroin substitute continues because it is so easy and inexpensive to make at home. With the first cases of Krokodil abuse being seen in America already this designer drug is a big reason for medical and law enforcement personnel in the USA to be very concerned.
Rehab Articles
Substance abuse treatment and alcohol detox can be found in a number of ways. The 5 most common substance abuse treatment and alcohol detox options include:
1. Medical Based Programs- These substance abuse treatment or alcohol detox programs take place in a hospital or medical clinic setting, and usually medical supervision is included. Changes in the types of programs covered by insurance make these options less popular than they used to be because most insurance plans do not cover the entire cost for this type of alcohol detox or substance abuse treatment.
2. Day Treatment or Partial Hospitalization- When there is a strong family support system then day treatment may work for alcohol detox or substance abuse treatment. The individual will go to the clinic or hospital for part of the day, usually 4-8 hours, and then go home each afternoon.
3. Residential Rehab- When alcohol detox or substance abuse treatment takes place in a residential rehab then the individual receiving treatment will reside at the facility until the program is completed. There is an around the clock staff on the premises and medical supervision is often provided as well. Some residential rehabs offer alcohol detox and substance abuse treatment at the same facility so there is no need to transition between facilities for different treatment phases.
4. Intensive Outpatient Treatment- This method for substance abuse treatment or alcohol detox is outpatient, but it is very intensive. Participants must perform many hours of treatment each week, and these programs can last up to a year or even longer in some situations.
5. Outpatient Treatment- Outpatient treatment for alcohol or other types of substance abuse usually involves individual or group counseling sessions. The number of hours required may vary by specific program, and this method may not be as effective as others.
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Anabolic steroids are substances made by man that mimic or boost male sex hormones in the body. There are some diseases and medical conditions that require anabolic steroids for treatment, including delayed puberty, low testosterone levels, and some cases of muscle loss. Illegal anabolic steroid use is a big problem in many larger cities, and teens who engage in sports may use these drugs in order to gain muscle mass and improve their performance as an athlete. The risks involved when anabolic steroids are abused or used without a valid prescription are many, and there have been news stories in recent years about individuals who abuse anabolic steroids and who have turned violent.
There are many medical risks with anabolic steroids as well. High blood pressure is common, and the testicles may shrink because of the artificial male hormones received by the body. Liver disease can occur, and liver cancer is also more common in people who abuse anabolic steroids. Usually teen boys and men are the ones who take these types of drugs illegally but there have been cases of women abusing anabolic steroids as well. Women may develop a voice that becomes deeper and they may see excessive growth of facial and body hair as well. Acne is typical in both sexes when anabolic steroids are abused and aggressive behavior is very common as steroid abuse worsens. Addiction to anabolic steroids is a very real possibility, and the user may experience withdrawal symptoms that are extremely unpleasant. Treatment for steroid addiction is crucial if you have a problem with these drugs, and continued use of anabolic steroids could be fatal.
Rehab Articles
1. Increase your sponsor contacts. It is possible to prevent holiday relapse with the right support, and your sponsor is an important part of your support system.
2. Leave any events or situations where your recovery may be jeopardized. If you feel a relapse trigger coming on then you have every right to leave. Politely say goodbye and go, without feeling guilty or letting anyone pressure you into staying.
3. Try to view alcohol and drugs as a deadly poison. If you think of poison every time you see alcohol or drugs then you are more likely to prevent holiday relapse and stay on the road to recovery.
4. Attend support meetings more frequently, daily if needed. In order to prevent holiday relapse you need to stay strong, and support meetings can help you do this. Find out where these are held in your area and go as often as you need to.
5. Remember to eat healthy meals and snacks. Good nutrition can help prevent holiday relapse triggers and allow you to stay sober. During the holidays the rush makes many forget to eat properly, and this can cause you to relapse.
6. Get plenty of exercise. When you exercise you relieve pent up stress and this will help prevent holiday relapse. Exercise also releases endorphins in the brain and provides a feeling of well being and contentment naturally.
7. Don’t forget to get your beauty rest each night. Plenty of sleep can be the best tool to prevent holiday relapse and keep you on the right path to a permanent recovery.
8. Make sure that any holiday gatherings will have non alcoholic drinks offered.
