The Extended Dangers of Alcohol and Drug Addiction

Alcohol and drug addiction bring health problems as it is, but have you ever considered all the extended dangers in suffering from the disease of addiction? Alcohol and drug addiction play a pertinent role within the family of an addict, not to mention the neurological effects of alcohol and drugs on the human brain drastically alter the decision making process of an addict causing the individual to make dangerous decisions they may not have made not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Needless to say, addictive drugs have no boundaries on the deterioration of the human body, often causing death. The added dangers in poor decision making while under the influence only heightens our concerns on substance abuse.

For a real-life harrowing account of what the controlling disease of addiction can lead to click here.


Tweet

More than Just a Revamp

A complete renovation and improvement..

Technology is always changing. Alcohol and drug abuse trends are always changing. Alcohol and drug rehab treatment programs need to keep up with those trends, and thus, are always changing...

What must a quality drug rehab and alcohol treatment center do to keep up with the dynamic world we live in, full of billions of people and millions of web surfers?—Answer questions, provide quality and up to date information, constantly update, utilize interactive mediums like social media, photos, videos, chat systems, search engines, etc.

We have done exactly that! Recognized the changes and updated our website to accommodate people of all demographics.

We've implemented a user friendly interface, including a search bar so users can find the exact information they are seeking much faster than before. We have linked our home website to our social world where people have a sense of ownership and connection with each other and with us. We have provided multiple ways to contact us directly in case our website doesn’t answer all the questions you may have, or to give you options in seeking the alcohol and drug addiction treatment you need for yourself or a loved one.

Find out what our past clients are saying about us with dozens of testimonials and Google Places reviews. Keep up with our blogs and subscribe to the RSS feed to get them sent straight to you. Or stop by to find resources like Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Family Groups in one easy-to-find location.

After weeks of brainstorming, developing, designing, and applying, the new "www.TheRecoveryPlace.net" has arrived and we are excited to share this valuable source with you! Please take a look and tell us what you think—it’s a source for you, so we want your feedback.


Tweet

The Lesson Behind Celebrity Relapse

“Amy Winehouse back in Rehab!” One of many headlines taking over the Internet, heard on the radio, talked about around the “water cooler” at work… Yet another celebrity is going back to rehab! How are we supposed to trust that rehab actually works if we are constantly inundated with headline after headline of celebrities that are going back into drug rehab time and time again?

Assuming you’ve been caught a gossip column or two, it seems as though celebrities are using drug rehab like a revolving door. If these celebrities, some of which are role models for today’s youth, and others respected by the masses, aren’t able to overcome their addiction is there any hope for the average person considering celebrity access to drug rehab facilities that are starting to resemble upscale resorts. With so many posh treatment facilities near Hollywood it is easier than ever for stars to check in and out, as if they were on a mini vacation. Yet as luxurious as some may seem, checking into a drug rehab facility often isn’t the first choice for a celebrity who’s in trouble. As Stacy Kaiser, Los Angeles-based psychotherapist and panelist on the reality TV show “Celebrity Fit Club,” says, "You really have to hit your personal bottom in order to get better. Sometimes these celebs are going into rehab simply to avoid going to jail, so they haven't really hit their bottom," Kaiser says. "Or else, they've been dragged in by the law or suggested by their agents or families and don't want to go on their own accord." For instance, in Amy Winehouse’s case, it was her father who pushed her back into rehab again; furthermore, Winehouse is entering drug rehab in order to be ready for performances in Europe this summer, not for her own well-being.

However, many of the celebrities that end up checking back into rehab time and time again, highlights the fact that in order to be successful one must fully commit to the drug rehab program that they are in for it to be effective treatment. According to research statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, patients in a drug rehab program will reach a milestone in their recovery after 3 months, however, that doesn’t mean that everyone’s recovery is done after only three months or that additional treatment will not be helpful. When people leave treatment early their chances for a full recovery drop significantly. Addiction is a chronic disease, something that since there is no cure for, needs to be constantly managed. While there are plenty of celebrities relapsing and reentering drug rehab programs, there are some that set a good example by fully acknowledging that you need to take control of your addiction in order to manage it. Take Mathew Perry for example, who pressured by a manager or parent, wasn’t forced to do so by the law, isn’t only trying to get ready for some new project, and didn’t even relapse; yet he has reentered a drug rehab facility to work on his ongoing recovery.

Lesson to be learned—Effectively treating alcohol and drug addiction requires hard work and dedication; one cannot simply go through the motions to recovery expecting a miraculous “cure.” Celebrity or not, addiction is a disease which requires constant monitoring, and through a combination of individualized treatment and a dedicated work ethic, long lasting recovery is definitely possible…don’t let the headlines scare you from making the choice to live a healthier life!


Tweet

THE 40 DAY CHALLENGE

Catholics around the world are observing this particular Wednesday, March 9th, 2011, as Ash Wednesday. As many of us know, Ash Wednesday marks the starting point for the Catholic tradition Lent–a time of sacrifice for Jesus.  Lent is traditionally 40 days long, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter, where those participating in the tradition sacrifice something from their daily lives for the entire period. Common ‘sacrifices’ include meat, coffee (caffeine), or alcohol. 

Certainly, Lent is not a tradition everyone partakes in, as it is from Catholic origin, but the idea behind it is something we can all relate too. 

We all have our vices… Some more obvious than others, and all of which we could probably ‘sacrifice’ in becoming a better person. 

Many of you have spent the last few months challenging your will power and strength. Now in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction you can continue to test yourself and become the best version of you. 

I would like to challenge all of you to 40 days of sacrifice, even if it’s as little as cutting back on a daily “cuppa joe,” and then tell us about it. What are you giving up? What’s the hardest thing about giving it up and what have you put in place of those habits? Maybe instead of watching TV you've taken up reading and instead of fast food you’ve planned out your home cooked meals.  Either way, challenge yourself. 

As humans we are constantly growing—dare to flourish in the inevitable growth. 

View Original Post, The 40 Day Challenge 

Tweet

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

The National Institutes of Health Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has researched and documented what The Recovery Place knows, and has addressed, from the beginning:

Addiction is a family disease!

Comprehensive alcohol and drug rehab programs must support family members just as fully as the addict or alcoholic is being supported.  The Recovery Place exceeds the support most rehab programs offer.  

“Our commitment to including the family leads to higher levels of success for our clients and instills hope and guidance to the families that support them,” emphasizes Pamela Hand, Program Director at TRP. 


“The Recovery Place weekly family contacts, the weekly family support group, and the quarterly family weekend,” explains Pamela, “help to develop strong awareness and support for the client and their family.”  


At The Recovery Place this support starts from first contact and continues after discharge.  It is available whether family members live near TRPs alcohol and drug rehab center or in a far distant state.  


Weekly contact can take place via phone or internet, if loved ones are too distant to come to our Fort Lauderdale location.   We know that the more support we can provide family members, the better the chance of family recovery from the stress and problems that addiction causes both short-term and long term. 



View Original Post, All For One and One For All

Tweet

WINNING?

Charlie Sheen has been the trending topic of discussion for the past couple weeks. From his multiple rants via radio interview, countless articles about his drug addiction causing the demise of one of televisions top rated shows Two and a Half Men and his egotistical opinion of him  “winning” the battle (with both CBS and drug addiction). Needless to say he has been the highlight on American entertainment for quite some time. 

During this time we have also seen Christina Aguilera run in with the police for public intoxication and it seems we can’t get away from Lindsay Lohan’s messes. 

So when is enough…enough? 

I was listening to the radio this morning and the DJs were debating this very argument—should celebrities, entertainers, professional athletes, those who are supposed to be role models for modern day youth have a “three strikes and you’re out” clause? Should something be put in place affirming after three (or less) major blunders with the law, such as we’ve seen with Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan, that they can no longer work in the industry? Should athletes that assault women, go to jail on drug charges, get multiple DUIs or fight dogs no longer get signed to new teams or be able to renew contracts?

Kids, from the moment they turn on a TV find people to admire—to follow in their footsteps. Are we enabling destructive future generations by allowing people who act above the law to be admired and to make more money than those that don’t have records, or providing such extensive habit feeding salaries? Obviously this is a topic to never be touched within the entertainment industry, but worth a little debate. 

What are your thoughts? 




View Original Post, In Light of Recent Events

Tweet

MESSING WITH MOTHER NATURE

Drugs change, correct, add to, or take away from what Mother Nature already has set into place.  Stimulant drugs are a good example of a type of drug that can be helpful or harmful.

Stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and methamphetamine all affect how much of a substance called dopamine is saturating the cells of the brain.

Surprised to hear two drugs used in the drug treatment of attention deficit disorders coupled with a drug that is pretty much confined to the arena of drug abuse? Let’s explore why.

Ritalin is a stimulant drug that increases the ability to focus on tasks and sharpens attentiveness and alertness. It is prescribed to children and adults to help them control impulsive behavior and increase attention in school or work, when they have been diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).   Other uses are for narcolepsy, a medical condition where someone falls asleep suddenly and uncontrollably, even when driving or walking the dog. 

Ritalin is ordered by a physician at lower doses, and is slowly and carefully increased over time until just the right effect is achieved for the patient.  This is where the difference between “use” and “misuse” begins.

Stimulants are misused by taking frequent and higher doses so that the brain is flooded with dopamine.  This creates a “high”, a pleasurable sense of well-being. 

Adderall is a combination drug made up of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine.  It, too, is a stimulant drug used to treat ADHD in adults and children.

Both Ritalin and Adderall can be misused and abused, and have become an increasing problem as more and more prescriptions have been written for legit uses and then turned into illegal ones. 

Methamphetamine is a bad guy in the stimulant bunch. Although it has some medicinal use, it is more widely abused in order to obtain the high that is achieved by the rush of dopamine to the receptors in the brain.

While cocaine, another stimulant, is removed from the body rather quickly, methamphetamine stays in the body much longer. From the addict’s perspective this is a positive, but there are severe consequences.

Recent studies on methamphetamine drug abuse shows that long-term users have actual permanent changes in the brain, none of which are good. These changes affect memory and emotion. 

Stimulants have a high potential for dependency and drug addiction.

They should only been taken under close and ongoing medical supervision.


View Original Post, Messing With Mother Nature

Tweet

SONG LYRICS AND STIMULANTS

Stimulants are a class of drugs that work on the brain to temporarily increase physical or psychological abilities and functions.

Stimulants make the user more alert and aware, talkative and energetic. There are many drug stimulants, including caffeine and nicotine, but let’s take a closer look at crack and crack cocaine.

Crack and crack cocaine are illegal and highly addictive stimulants, and quite often addictive from the first dose.  The original level and duration of pleasurable sensations are almost never achieved, no matter how much cocaine is used in the future.

During laboratory studies, all tested animals became addicted to cocaine.  In one study a monkey had to press a bar to receive a dose of cocaine.  After a dose was given by pressing the bar, no more cocaine was available by repeating the same action, but the monkey pressed the bar 12,800 more times until another dose was given.  12, 800!  Addiction. Sadly, humans become their own personal lab experiments when they become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

There are so many street names for cocaine that it would take paragraphs to list them all.  This alone indicates the widespread use and effects of cocaine. 

Cocaine can be sniffed or injected, smoked, or ever rubbed into the skin. Crack cocaine is the crystallized form of cocaine. 

Internationally know guitarist and balladeer Eric Clapton is a recovering addict and alcoholic.  He made famous the JJ Cale song “Cocaine”, but in his concerts makes clear that it was written as—and still is— an anti-drug song that emphasizes the physical, social and emotional destruction of cocaine, and that cocaine use will keep you from getting back everything that you’ve managed to lose in your life because of it:  family, job, security, friends, health or a future. 

Cocaine effects on the body over time

• Increases the heart rate, blood pressure and temperature, all of which cause heart and tissue damage
• Nose bleeds or holes in the partition that separates the nostrils:  sniffing cocaine causes scarring and damage to the nose tissues 
• Breathing problems—wheezing and even bleeding of the lungs (“crack lung”)
• Neurological damage that can cause body jerking, eye blinking and other symptoms (often called “crack dance”)
• Seizures and strokes 

Cocaine and crack cocaine addiction require professional detox and rehabilitation if a user hopes to regain physical and emotional health. Recovery is possible, but it can't be reached without specialized help. 

View Original Post, Song Lyrics and Stimulants


Tweet

NAME YOUR POISON

Body cells are very quick to snap up alcohol when someone takes a drink, particularly on an empty stomach.  This ability (disability!) of the cells to do this is what causes the deadly condition of alcohol poisoning. 

Alcohol poisoning occurs when multiple drinks are taken over a short period of time.  The level of alcohol in the blood (BAC) shoots up rapidly, as high as 0.40% or more.  Alcohol intoxication, or being legally drunk, is a BAC above 0.08%, so it is no surprise that 12 times this level can be deadly. 

Since hard liquor has a higher amount of alcohol per drink than beer or wine, someone who is rapidly drinking straight whiskey, vodka or other spirits can reach a dangerous BAC much more rapidly. 

Alcohol poisoning can occur in binge drinkers or long-term alcoholics.  

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning: 

• Confusion
• Vomiting (a person can die if they inhale vomit)
• Breathing less than 8 times a minute 
• Pale, bluish skin (caused by too little oxygen in the body)
• Cold and clammy skin
• Seizures
• Anger that is so uncontrolled it can cause harm 

Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency. If you think your loved one has these symptoms during a bout of drinking, call 9-1-1! 

Maybe you haven’t seen this extreme drinking in your friend or family member, but something is telling you that there is a problem. How do you tell the difference between social drinking and alcoholism? 

Here are some solid indicators that drinking has become a problem: 

• Responsibilities at work, home and school are no longer fulfilled
• Alcohol is drunk in risky situations, such as when driving or using machinery
• Legal problems come up, such as DUIs, fights or not paying bills
• Letting go of relationships with family and friends 

Here are some symptoms of alcohol addiction: 

• A strong and persistent craving for alcohol 
• Being unable to stop drinking,  even if it means losing a job or family member
• Not being able to limit the number of drinks one has
• Symptoms of withdrawal when unable to find a drink (in as little as 3-8 hours!)

Tweet

ALCOHOL CAUSES 4 PERCENT OF ANNUAL DEATHS

Startled by that headline?  It’s a fact.  

Early this month the World Health Organization (WHO) announced statistics on the primary causes of death in the world.  Alcohol-related deaths account for 2.5 million deaths a year.  The same WHO report shows that 15.3 million people of the world’s population have drug-addiction problems. 

In the United States 52% of adults state that they drink on a regular basis, and 14,406 people die from alcoholic liver disease—this isn’t even adding in the deaths caused in some way by injuries and accidents relating to alcohol.

“But I just drink beer.”

It isn’t the kind of alcoholic beverage, but many other factors that account for the effects of alcohol. Here are a few: 

• One 12-ounce beer has the same amount of alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1.5 ounce of hard liquor 
• Alcohol of any kind is rapidly absorbed through the lining of the stomach and goes to every tissue of the body.  Drinking on an empty stomach makes this absorption of alcohol even faster.
• The liver can only metabolize a half an ounce of alcohol per hour, so the faster someone drinks the more quickly, and longer, they experience the effects 

Short term or long term effects of alcohol—both can be deadly 

In this week’s blog well take a look at the short term effects of drinking alcohol.  Next time we’ll focus on the long term effects.

ETOH is the chemical compound for ethanol, which is the alcohol found in varying amounts in beer, wine or hard liquor.   ETOH abuse is the common medical term for alcohol abuse or addiction.

Ethanol has a direct effect on the central nervous system of the body.  It causes euphoria (another word for “high”) initially, but as the level increases in the body it tends to have a depressant effect.  Even when the blood alcohol level is low in the body, impaired judgment, poor physical coordination and a shortened attention span begin to occur. 

Judgment. Coordination. Attention span. Obviously these three things are crucial when driving, so it is easy to see the connection between alcohol and driving accidents.

Loss of inhibitions are also a short term side effect of ETOH, and this loss of inhibition and judgment can lead to behaviors (whether aggressive, promiscuous or risk-taking) that someone normally wouldn’t show when they aren’t drinking alcohol.

Beer and wine have been around for over a thousand years.  There are cheap to make, readily available, and have a long history of causing misuse and addiction.

Consumer watch groups have noted that children and teenagers are exposed to over 1000 beer or wine related commercials a year.  Although television commercials advertising hard liquor haven’t been around for years, there is no actual legal ban, like there is with cigarettes.  Many companies that make and sell liquor are pressing to advertise their products on television again. 

Do you think it is harmful to more freely advertise hard liquor on radio and television? 

Share your views with The Recovery Place blog!

Tweet

ANOTHER KIND OF DRUG VICTIM

In The Recovery Place blog addiction education series this week, we are taking a further look at the benzodiazepine class of drugs, or benzos.

If you or a loved one is fighting addiction, then you understand that drugs and alcohol have a wide and destructive reach.  Benzos claim another kind of victim that you may not have thought much about.

Rohypnol is a benzo that isn’t prescribed or even manufactured in the United States.  In the 1990s it began to be smuggled in by drug traffickers, and a new kind of victim was created by this “date rape” drug.

Roofies (a common slang term for Rohypnol) began to be slipped into the drink (often in an alcoholic drink in a bar or party setting) of the victim in order to make them unaware of what is happening or unable to resist a sexual assault.

Rohypnol, like many benzos, is a powerful hypnotic drug, meaning it causes sleep or sedation.

Roofies are also used as a “party drug” to enhance the effects of alcohol, or to counteract the side-effects of stimulant drugs.  Many cocaine or methamphetamine addicts use Rohypnol to soften the rebound “crash” of these drugs as they begin to wear off.

Recreational drug users use benzos for the side-effects that they have:  sedation, drowsiness, dizziness and a relaxed feeling.

Ativan (lorazepam is the generic name) is another benzodiazepine important to the treatment of a variety of medical disorders, but also very high up on the list of benzos that are misused and abused. 

Ativan is frequently used for anxiety disorders and specific kinds of seizures.  Physical and psychological dependency to Ativan can occur after only a few weeks of use.

Addiction to prescription drugs is on the rise in the United States, Canada and many other countries.  These addictions may come about from the legitimate treatment of a medical condition, or from the recreational use of a teenager who finds some leftover Ativan or Codeine in a parent’s medicine cabinet.

Benzos like Ativan are among the most highly misused and abused prescription drugs.  And withdrawal from these drugs can be tough, as tough as withdrawing from heroin, and should be done under a physician’s guidance.

Klonopin (clonazepam) is another frequently prescribed benzodiazepine that is very effective in treating anxiety, panic disorders and some types of seizures.  It has legitimate uses that have to be very carefully weighed against the hard fact that prolonged use can cause a physical or psychological dependency.

Known as “K-pin” in street drug terms, Klonopin abuse is on the rise among high school students in the United States.  It is cheap to buy on the street, and sometimes too readily available when friends or siblings have been prescribed Klonopin for anxiety or other problems.  It is often combined with Vicodin or other narcotic medications by teens

Tweet

DEPENDENCY AND ADDICTION ON DOWNERS

“Benzos” is an abbreviated name for the benzodiazepine class of drugs.  These are also called tranquilizers, sedatives or depressants.  In street drug terms you may also hear them referred to as “downers”. 

Benzodiazepine drugs have been openly of concern as drugs of misuse and addiction since the 1980s, when they were the most commonly prescribed drug class in America.  Even before the public became aware of the problems, the medical community began to weigh the benefits of the use of benzos against the potential for dependence to these drugs. 

There are more than 15 commonly prescribed benzodiazepine drugs in the United States (and even more internationally!). In this Recovery Place blog we’ll take a closer look at benzos in general, and the commonly misused Valium and Xanax. 

The same theme keeps cropping up in The Recovery Place’s alcohol and drug rehab blog series on addiction education:  good medical ideas gone bad.  Benzos also fall into this category.

First discovered in the 1930s, benzodiazepines weren’t prescribed medically until 1957 when Librium began to be prescribed for anxiety and tension. Initially it was considered somewhat of a wonder drug. 

Librium began to be over-prescribed as a “nerve pill” for many conditions, real and imagined.   Those using these “nerve pills” developed physical and psychological dependence of the drug.  

While benzodiazepines have important medical benefits in treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures and muscle spasms, the problems with tolerance and physical dependence to the drug is an issue even when used for legitimate medical problems.  

Tolerance means that increasing dosages of a drug are needed to get the same effect.  Dependence means that the body demands a certain level of the drug in the body, or withdrawal symptoms may occur.  Emotional dependence may also occur, with a person thinking they can’t relax or can’t sleep, unless they take a benzo such as Valium or Xanax. 

Valium (the generic name is diazepam) is often prescribed for anxiety disorders and short-term episodes of anxiety.  Valiumcame on the market in the 1960s and was originally thought not to be addictive, and therefore a better alternative to Librium. 

Street names for Valium include candy, downers, sleeping pills or tranks. 

Valium, ironically, has great value in treating alcohol and drug withdrawal symptoms, including medical detox of people who are addicted to other kinds of benzos.  This is related to how slowly Valium is metabolized by the body. 

Xanax (the generic name is alprazolam) is another common benzodiazepine.  It is most often used to treat anxiety and panic disorders but working in a particular way on the brain.  

Dependence and tolerance to Xanax is also problematic, and when used medically must be done under close supervision by a physician.  

Street names for Xanax include Z-bars, bars or sticks.

Tweet