Archive for November, 2008

 

How To Motivate Someone To Go Through An Addiction Treatment Program

Saturday, November 29th, 2008
Todd Lange

It is really a big task for an addict to come out successfully of an addiction treatment program, but to bring the addict to the addiction treatment center is even tougher. Most addicts deny that they are addicts and hence it becomes difficult for their friends and family members to bring them to suitable treatment programs. In every state in America, the rate of denial among addicts is quite high; about 90% of the addicts refuse to believe that they are addicts. That is the reason why the success rate of such addiction treatment is low. Most people who are with an addiction don’t think that they need to undergo such addiction treatments.

If someone you know is with a chemical dependency and you want to bring them to an addiction treatment center, then you will need to plan out an intervention program for them. The intervention program allows you to give moral support to the addicts and encourage them to enter a suitable mode of treatment. These programs are the best guides for addicts who are in the denial phase of their addiction. You can plan such a program with the help of other family members and some friends.

If you are organizing any such intervention program, then it is better to call an intervention specialist to guide you. This specialist will guide you properly about the steps involved in the addiction treatment. This specialist will also motivate the group by giving examples of people who have successfully undergone these treatments and living their lives happily without any addiction. With the help of the intervention specialist, you can make your intervention program more effective. Thus you will be able to motivate the addict for joining the addiction treatment program.

This is how a typical intervention specialist will help the group.

1. The intervention specialist will ask you to form a group of people, especially the family, who are willing to help the patient join addiction treatment. The family members are more willing to give support to the patient and thus it becomes easy for the addict to take a decision. Try to include close friends and neighbors of the addicted person into this group. It is also better to involve the employer of the addicted person in case he or she is working under someone. They can assure the affected person about some incentive in case they can come out of their addiction. You can even call your religious leader so that the person feels comfortable. Try to make this group short, maybe you can involve just four or five people into this group. If you will gather more people, then it might become troublesome, as the addict might feel disoriented.

2. After forming the group, you will need to inform the interventionist about it. It is better to decide the goal of this group beforehand. Your group can either have a goal of just motivating the addict to join the addiction treatment center or helping him or her until complete recovery. It is better to note down the role of each person from the group. The intervention program is a serious activity and each group member should know this. You are doing a great job of making the addict accept his or her illness.

3. The next step after deciding the goals of the intervention program and the role of each member of the group is getting guidance from the interventionist. The interventionist will guide you about the various ways in which you all can motivate the addict. You will be needed to prepare a speech, which you will read in front of the addict to motivate him or her. In this speech you will need to tell the addict about your love for them, also about the fact that the addiction treatment program is not difficult and also about the incentives that he or she will get if with an addiction program. All the group members will prepare their own speech, which will be unique and motivating.

4. Once you are through with writing the speech, the interventionist will check them and make them more effective. If you get any suggestions, do add them in your speech. You and your group members will be asked to rehearse the speech, so as to make it more meaningful and not mere dialogues. You will need to say the lines with correct emotions and your love for the addict should become visible too.

5. After all this, you will decide a day to meet the addict and you will speak with him or her either individually or in a group. If this is done well, there is a great chance that the addict will join the addiction treatment program.

Don’t expect that the addict will immediately get motivated and join the addiction treatment. There are chances that your first attempt might go wasted. Be ready for the next meeting too. With patience and persistence you will surely succeed in motivating the addict.

 

Alcohol Treatment-steps of Treatment

Friday, November 28th, 2008
Roberta Groche

Frequent intake of alcohol leads to alcoholism. In alcoholism, the individual has an irresistible urge for alcohol. Further, the continuation of consuming alcohol leads to physical and mental conditions. Alcoholism is a progressive and chronic disease, wherein individuals consume alcohol until the alcohol starts hurting their life.

Generally, individuals who have problems with their life, with their work or school start consuming alcohol. If you avoided any treatment while suffering from alcoholism, then it will destroy your physical as well as mental health, which may result in death. Alcoholism mostly affects pancreas, digestive systems, heart and nervous system.

Steps in Alcohol Treatment:

Grapes are the most natural source of alcohol, as it contains the purest form of alcohol. Thus, if an individual wish to quit consuming alcohol, then the individual must include grapes in their meals for a period of one month.

Dates are also included in alcohol treatment. Dates are one of the beneficial natural remedies in alcohol treatment. The individual suffering from alcoholism has to consume a glass of water mixed with the extract of Dates and needs to continue daily for at least one month.

The Bitter gourd leaves extract are very beneficial for intoxication. Generally, three teaspoons of bitter gourd leaves extract mixed with buttermilk is highly beneficial, as it helps in treating the damaged liver.

In alcohol treatment, you may take celery juice diluted with water for 2 times in a day, as it helps in removing toxic materials from stomach and reduces the damage due to alcohol.

The best method in alcohol treatment is addition of wild thyme extract diluted with water in alcohol, as it causes vomiting and nausea while consuming to remove the habit of drinking. In this method, add three tablespoons of wild thyme with a cup of boiling water. It is advisable to have a minimum of one tablespoon of extract of wild thyme for three times a day. If the alcoholic person refuses to consume wild thyme, then you may add the extracts of wild thyme in their alcoholic drink without their notice.

Carrot juice is another beneficial remedy in alcohol treatment. Carrot juice helps in reducing the urge of consuming alcohol. To decrease the temptation, it is advisable to consume a glass of carrot juice daily for a period of three months.

To keep the doctors away, consume apples every day. Apples also help in the alcohol treatment. It helps in removing toxic constituents from the body and helps in repairing the damage due to wines and various toxic liquors.

Not only adults are suffering from alcoholism, teenagers also suffer from the addiction of alcohol. Pressure may play an important role in the alcohol treatment of teenagers.

Alcoholic teenagers are at a greater risk than alcoholic adults suffering from alcoholism, as they may suffer from early serious addiction than adults, which may be difficult to treat. You may use the above-mentioned methods for treating alcoholism in teenagers. In addition, alcohol treatment for teenagers may require them to stay at rehabilitation centre for few months.

Overview:

You may use many methods in the alcohol treatment. Moreover, various alcohol treatment organizations are present in your locality. However, only an alcoholic’s determination helps in reducing the temptation of consuming alcohol. It is better to stop consuming alcohol before it’s too late.

 

What are some things that fascinate you about addictions?

Friday, November 21st, 2008
Novelti

What would you like to learn about concerning addictions? Such as gambling, drug and sex addictions?

Is there anything that you are curious about?
I plan on writing a paper about addictions so I wanted to know what would interest people to read it.

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Is there a common thread to my addictions?

Sunday, November 16th, 2008
The Naughty Librarian

I heard that you cannot stop a habit but must replace it with another one. I have found this to be very true. Starting when I was about 8 years old, I went to the gas station EVERY DAY and got a soda at least once. When I was 14, I replaced sipping soda with smoking. I smoked throughout the day and went to the store every day for a pack of cigarettes. Now that I (finally) quit smoking, I find that I go to get a Starbuck’s coffee every day, even though I can’t comfortably afford it. Anyone know what my strange series of addictions stems from or how I can overcome it? I’m tired of depending on outside things!

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How do we control our addictions? Like cigarettes, going to spa every day ?

Saturday, November 15th, 2008
SiteKing

How can we control addictions? Especially smoking. I try to quit all the time but some some activities in my daily life are dependent on it.

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What are the physical and mental symptoms of a female alcoholic?

Friday, November 14th, 2008
Lisa S

I know someone I believe to be an alcoholic.What is their emotional state?What is the source of their pain that makes them so alcohol dependent? Her behavior is inconsistent. She is quiet in the morning and loud in the afternoon.She flirts with me and when I flirt back she stops. I can’t figure her out. Now I wonder do I know her or the alcoholic her..Do alcoholics give up social activities to drink alone? Do woman alcoholics wear a lot foundation make up? Do woman alcoholics always look sad? Do alcoholics have a good memory?

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How many non-alcoholic beers would it take to fail a breathalizer?

Friday, November 14th, 2008
glwstxboi

I’m not sure if the alcohol content varies from brewery to brewery or not, so lets use Becks N/A as a reference. At 0.5% alcohol by volume, for an average male, about say 150lbs, approximately how many non-alcoholic beers would cause someone to fail a breathalizer?

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Drug Addiction Counselling - Treating Drug Addiction

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
Rosemary Grace Brooks

Drug dependency has become a severe problem in most countries with millions addicted to substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, alcohol and others. In recent years, staggering information regarding the amount of drug use and abuse prevalent in society has raised much awareness about the problem; yet treating drug addiction has not received the same amount of press.

Many people who know someone with a drug or alcohol problem believe that some time in a rehabilitation centre will make all their problems go away and that the person will be cured following treatment. This is not the case, as drug addiction is not caused by the drugs; the problem lies within the addict.

For years, any type of substance abuse problem has been labelled a moral failing - that the addict is weak, lacks self-will and is a bad person. In the present day, a greater number of people are beginning to see addiction as a disease - that addiction is terminal and incurable, but can be arrested, treated and abstinence maintained. The disease is obsessive and compulsive in nature, leading to addicts obsessively and compulsively seeking drugs and other substances or experiences which will aid them in avoiding unwanted feelings.

Why do addicts use drugs?

Addicts are usually incapable of processing and expressing their feelings in a healthy way. Inner conflict and an inability to deal with life and the feelings which accompany it are the motivation for addicts to use substances. Getting high helps addicts to avoid their feelings; whether happy, sad, depressed or ecstatic, addiction thrives on an inability to cope with feelings, driving addicts to use.

When an addict uses drugs and engages in obsessive and compulsive behaviour, they soon begin to lose all power over their actions. This is the point at which their using progresses to a level where nothing will stop them - losing family, their jobs, houses and self-respect mean nothing compared to the desperation of getting the next hit. Addicts usually recognise their using as a problem, yet are unable to stop using drugs, despite their best intentions. They are powerless over their disease and cannot stop using on their own, even though they have the desire to stop. It is at this point that many addicts seek help for their problem.

How is drug addiction treated?

Treating drug addiction has progressed from the way the problem was previously dealt with centuries ago. Exorcisms and imprisonment in state mental hospitals were the normal way of dealing with addicts before more was known about the disease. These days, drug addiction counselling is based on helping the addict deal with their underlying issues in a caring and supportive way and in a safe environment. Individual counselling as well as group therapy has proved to be the best method of treating drug addiction through the positive results yielded by the combination.

For addicts that have the privilege of being able to attend a treatment programme in a rehabilitation centre and/or receive drug addiction counselling, the prognosis of maintaining sobriety is positive. However, an addict can only live a life of recovery if they are willing to help themselves. If an addict does not want to stop using, no amount of therapy or time spent in a treatment centre will help them, unless they are motivated to stop and to invest their time and energy in helping themselves.

An important part of recovery from any addiction is a daily programme of recovery for the addict to follow. Addiction is incurable and if left untreated will prove to be fatal, yet with a recovery programme which the addict applies themselves to daily, an addict can stay clean and sober for the rest of their life, one day at a time. No matter how much therapy and counselling an addict may receive, life will still present problems and uncomfortable feelings. If an addict is unable to process these feelings in an appropriate manner, they will not be able to maintain abstinence. Because addiction is a disease, it will not simply “go away” - it can be arrested and managed, but this takes effort and willingness on behalf of the addict in question.

A daily reprieve from drugs

A daily programme of recovery that is very successful is a Twelve Step programme as used in Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. These programmes are based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous which lead addicts through a process of admitting that they have a problem, establishing a belief in a power greater than themselves, dealing with life and feelings appropriately and helping other sufferers find recovery.

The programme includes suggestions such as meeting attendance (in which the Twelve Steps and programme are discussed), working with a sponsor (a more experienced member of the fellowship), reading programme literature, written work (exploring the Twelve Steps) and service to the fellowship and society.

Individuals suffering from the disease of addiction do not need to live a life of shame and self hatred anymore. Through counselling and adopting a programme to help maintain a healthy life, mentally and physically, an addict can live the rest of their lives clean from the use of drugs and alcohol. Recovery from drugs and alcohol takes effort and vigilance, but will allow addicts who have lost everything to begin to lead a normal and productive life again.

 

Fighting Addictions - How To Help A Person Overcome Addictions

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
Abhishek Agarwal

Addition to drugs, Alcohol and other substance abuse takes place generally at the time when your child joins college. For the college student, it is the first time when you are free of all restraint, and generally, you are part of a group of people who are experiencing freedom from all angles, since you have a limited college class time, and the rest of the time is yours.

Yes, in school too, in recent times, drugs, alcohol and other substance abuse has been reported.

There are two ways of handling such children and teenagers. One is to try and talk to them about the various effects it has on their life and how it affects their brains, and the ruin it leads to as a person. But such an effort by a parent generally is most of the time unheard, and the addition continues.

There are other methods like getting your child into a de-addition program. There are a number of institutions that specialize in providing treatment for addition to drugs, alcohol and substance abuse. But these are not enough.

First and foremost, it is the user, your child, who has to make up the mind to give it up. There may be a variety of reasons as to why they have become addicted. It can be to be part of a peer group, or simply because they may be frustrated with some part of their life. And to get to that part of their life which triggers such addictive behavior is quite difficult. It can range from a comment made by someone whom they considered close, a family which has broken up, siblings who have broken up with the addict, and so many causes.

In all these kinds of cases of additions, there are two parties who have to work together to wean them from this social and medical evil. Most people tend to treat these habit forming addiction as a social disorder. In fact, it is a disease much like the flu, virus, colds and ough. Itnstad of physical symptoms, the symptoms relate to psychology. Most people who suffer from such abuse come from broken homes, frustration faced by them in school, college or in social standing.

Most of the time they require lots of love and care. Once addicted, it is very difficult to break the vicious cycle. Any wrong use of words or even silence can drive them again back into the arms of that addiction. A great deal of tender loving care is required, and a whole host of supportive measures are required. Friends, neighbors, relatives need to rally around and help the addict. There are various community groups which help families to cope withthis kind of addiction, and generally there is a sociologist and psychologist who try and help.

But the real effort has to be made by the addict themselves. They need to understand that getting into addiction is a one way street, the end of which is the end of life itself. While the end of life is not in their hands, they would have ruined themselves. Not having enough money to buy more and more of that addictive substance,they would tend to lie, steal, or even selltheir bodies to get that addictive substance.

They are emotionally demoralised. They need love and affection. They need care. They need counselling. Teenagers generally rebel against any advice given. They need to realise themselves that the addiction is something that CAN be cured. All it requires is the will power to resist the urge. The urge becomes so strong that the patient, which the addicts are, can do anything to get the dope they want.

To get their self respect back, their will to be brought back, sometimes they need to spend time in special institutions which try to break their habits by certain restraints, apart from medication. This requires specially skilled people who are either addicts themselves earlier, and have now reformed.

For persons who still have not reached that stage, it is important for them to realize that the choice lies with them, and that while others can help, it is more important that they themselves make the choice to come back to the normal world, and to face it boldly.

In helping these people, their parents, siblings, neighbors and others need to exercise tremendous amounts of patience, undertanding, and be careful in their words for the withdrawal symptoms of an addict is such that anything slightly out of place WILL be misunderstood and back they go.. so it’s a balance that has to be struck. Most times, getting medical care in a facility is the best chance to get back into a normal life.

 

Addiction Disease Theory Misinforms Millions of Americans and Causes National Addiction Crisis!

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
David Roppo

The disease model has become a common methodology which has been adopted by the National Institute on Drug abuse (NIDA). This agency is solely responsible for substance abuse research and is funded to the tune of billions of dollars. If you visit the (NIDA) you will find countless CT Scans and cross sections of human brains displaying the chemical effects of drug addiction. Not  withstanding the fact that drugs, alcohol, nicotine and other substances are psychoactive in nature and do alter the brain, however, the findings show that not to be the root cause of addiction. To date there doesn’t appear to be one shred of clinical evidence to prove the brain disease conjecture! This demonstrates once again that the mainstream approach to overcoming addiction is not only fundamentally amiss, but it has also exacerbated the situation.

Let’s examine the disease theory by beginning with the definition of disease!

Disease - a condition in humans, plants, or animals that results in pathological symptoms and is not the direct result of physical injury.

Now let’s break disease down to three models that are recognized by the medical establishment and society:

Physical Disorders

This model is generally comprised of illnesses and afflictions that can be pathological diagnosed and treated such as bacterial and viral infections, cancers, or any malady creating a physically adverse change in the body.

Mental Illness

This model is comprised of varying degrees of mental disorders ranging from psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, and factitious disorders. If you examine these disorders you will find that none of the can be pathological diagnosed. Diagnosis is purely a matter of opinion based on the behavior of the patient.

Addictions

Addiction is unlike a physical disorder such as cancer, and is also unlike a mental disorder such as schizophrenia since the first is pathological diagnosed and the second is diagnosed by disordered thinking. The addiction model strays furthest from the original definition of disease because addictions are known purely by the behaviors they describe! One cannot tell if a person is addicted in the absence of habitual behavior, so when a person that has been labeled as an alcoholic hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol in 5 years why are they still an alcoholic! Plain and simple, addiction does not fit the description of a disease, nor should it be listed in this category!

Unfortunately, most psychologists, psychiatrists, interventionists, drug and alcohol abuse counselors, and specialists still believe that addiction is a disease, and an incurable one at that! They believe that there is no cure and there is no such thing as completely overcoming addiction. However, I have a different take on addiction, and I have proven time and time again that addiction is not a disease! And, I believe that treating it as such is not only counterproductive to recovery, but it prevents people from getting help with addiction. Think about it for a moment. If someone is given the grim prognosis that they have an incurable brain disease, what motivation do they have to find the courage to stop their behavior?

In my opinion, treating addiction as a disease has not only exacerbated this health crisis, but it has in turn fostered another disease, which I like to call “wounditis!”

I have proven time and time again that addiction is a psychological and emotional issue that is rooted in a low self-esteem, so accepting this disease prognosis only worsens the situation. This problem is further exacerbated by support groups and 12-step groups that teach people they are powerless and helpless over their addiction! Quite the contrary, you have all the power in the world to stop your habitual behavior. So, what exactly is “wounditis?” Well, it’s no secret that most people feel an incredible amount of shame and guilt for their behavior. Without question, partaking in habitual behavior not only causes you pain but, it inflicts pain on the people around you as well. However, do not allow what you have done in the past, to cause you to wallow in your own misfortune and to seek comfort from others who share your plight. The past is the past, it is over, and living in it does not serve anyone well. Live in the present moment, be kind to yourself, and learn to love yourself. How can you love someone else if you don’t love yourself? The answer is you can’t!!! It isn’t a big secret that you’re feeling shame and guilt for what you’ve done. In fact, you’re probably questioning right now as to whether you should be punished for your past actions. Well guess what, its ok! God doesn’t punish people, we punish ourselves. God is a loving and forgiving being. So if you thought that you would continue to punish yourself with shame and guilt before God gets a hold of you, you can stop right now! We do not have defects of character, are not full of shortcomings, and we certainly are not powerless! On the Contrary, we are all the same, we are all connected, and we all have the same power to change!

Consequently, addiction is not the disease that the medical community has deemed it to be. In fact, it is not a disease at all! Addiction is a choice, or what many view as a solution to temporarily remove their underlying emotional pain! Someone that is suffering from addiction merely has a co-dependency to a substance or compulsion in response to removing their emotional pain. This temporary solution quickly becomes a trap because the body and mind adapt requiring more and more of the addictive behavior or substance to remove the pain! However, if you understand why you made this choice in the first place, you can make another by choosing a better solution that will remove the pain, permanently! Yes, there is a better solution! One that you can work through in the privacy of your home, and one that will give you what you truly desire, happiness!

 

For more information on how to overcome addiction subscribe to my free 5 step E-guide below……..

 

http://www.5stepstoaddictionfreedom.com