Substance Addiction Intervention

To decide whether a drug addiction intervention on your friend of family member has to be done or not is a very hard decision to make. If it is the case of a family member or a friend people get into a conundrum whether to intervene, or to just leave the matter without making it an issue hoping that the person will realize himself. This is a very important and a sensitive situation which should be treated with care.

Drug addiction intervention needs an expert interventionist to handle it with all the experiences. Addictions are of different types like the drug addiction, alcohol addiction, tobacco addiction, etc and the effects of these effects vary in different individuals. In performing a substance addiction intervention the support of family and friends is very important. The whole process of intervention can be successful with constant support of friends. The interventionist gathers information about the addict like the basic features about what addiction he is suffering from, how long he has been using the substance, how does the substance react in his personal and professional life. On basis of this vital information, interventionist prepares the treatment chart.

Interventionist should also enquire about their frequency of the substance used and whether he is a habitual user. The intervention process is started on the basis of the frequency of substance used. It is said that the addicts comes to know that they are suffering from an addiction in the end. They often deny the situation that they are addicted to substance. They never understand the harmful side of this and they try to make understand themselves that these addictions are not a big issue. They will not have any awareness about the health and legal issues they might face in future. In some cases, addicts themselves realize that they need to be out of this addiction and for them no medical treatment is needed but a counseling class will be enough.

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Exercise a Promising Treatment For Substance Abuse

It has long been known that exercise benefits patients going through drug and alcohol rehabilitation, aiding in stress reduction and overall mind-body health. But a new study is investigating whether or not exercise plays a role in reducing drug cravings, and if it can help people avoid relapse.

Researchers say that exercise helps those who abuse drugs by giving them something else to fill their time with, allowing them to reduce drug-using behaviors, while improving overall quality of life.

The study is assessing how exercise might improve brain function, and help people overcome addiction. It is being conducted in ten clinics across the U.S., testing more than 300 participants who are patients in residential type treatment centers. Half of the participants receive standard care, and are doing supervised vigorous exercise three times per week for three months. After three months, they will continue the program on their own for six months, supplying step-counter and heart rate monitor data.

The other half of the participants are receiving normal care and additional information on health related topics. Scientists will monitor relapse and drug abstinence via urine tests. They hope to see improved relapse rates, and improved sleep patterns, mood, weight control, increased energy levels, and overall enjoyment of life.

Researchers are optimistic about the outcome of the study, and say that the findings could revolutionize the way treatments and intervention are currently being done. Exercise is virtually free, or very inexpensive, and everyone can access some form of it, so it seems like a viable way to treat addiction.

Anyone fighting substance abuse can learn more about treatment options at MichaelsHouse.com. If a friend or loved one needs help, it’s never too early to intervene; offer moral support, and consider spending time together to exercise. Either way, it will have positive benefits on mind and body.

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Reality TV and Addiction

It’s official: America is obsessed with reality TV. And, in many cases, the grittier, and more “real” the reality the better. Many of the most popular reality TV shows chronicle people going through incredibly personal moments or spans of time in their lives, moments that traditionally have only happened behind closed doors or within the presence of a select group of family and friends. Now, some of these moments are captured on film and broadcast for the entire world of television owners to see.
Some of the most popular reality television shows follow people who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, adrenaline, or a constellation of dangerous substances or practices. While the people on these shows are aware that they are participating in a documentary about addiction, they are sometimes surprised when the tables are turned and, instead of telling their story, their friends and families step in to try and get them to go to rehab.
Some critics assert that, whether or not the people in these shows are willing to go on camera, and even if they know that rehab, therapy, or detox is part of the agreement, that the practice of filming these moments of their lives is exploitative. These critics often assert that the simple act of chronicling suffering and distributing it for the purposes of entertainment is an act of exploitation.
Whether or not these critics are right, many shows on addiction get good ratings and film season after season of episodes. In fact, there have now been many cases in which the people suffering from addiction are also people who have watched past episodes of the show. The morality, or questionably morality of these shows is a point of contention for some people, but one thing is certain: the television watching public is more aware of addiction and intervention, and perhaps more informed than before.
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How Much Does Rehab Suck?

Let’s face it – rehab is not a pleasant experience. You have just had either an intervention (in which you have to go through the humiliating experience of every person that’s important to you basically telling you to shape up or ship out), and then you get to this place. It may be a really comfortable place, but there’s still the discomfort of the unfamiliarity with it all. You’ve gotten used to being in a particular place (or being no place in particular, if you drift a lot), and now you’re a prisoner in everything but name. It’s definitely a different kind of experience, just from the outside.

But then there’s the actual detox process itself. If you’ve gone very long without your drug of choice in the past, you know what to expect. While there are the physical symptoms they talk about in books – tremors, sweating, pain – that stuff can combine with your whole reality getting all twisted up. After all, if you’re been looking at the world through junk colored glasses for half your life, seeing things as they “really” are (because reality is a weird, pliable thing) can be the biggest trip ever. The staff may understand, but it doesn’t seem like it at the time.

It’s true that a lot of people go through all that hurt, and then just get right back into their junkie ways once they hit the street again. And you’re always free to do that, if you really want to. But think about it – they won’t let you out of rehab until they think you’re clean enough and thinking straight enough that you might be able to keep it together out there. Not only do the people you really care about believe that you’re worth saving, the staff at wherever your rehab occurs think you have a shot at making it.

The real question is, do you really want to make it? Rehab sucks for awhile, but it can get a lot better afterward.

Filed Under: Addiction Intervention

How Much Does Rehab Suck?

Let’s face it – rehab is not a pleasant experience. You have just had either an intervention (in which you have to go through the humiliating experience of every person that’s important to you basically telling you to shape up or ship out), and then you get to this place. It may be a really comfortable place, but there’s still the discomfort of the unfamiliarity with it all. You’ve gotten used to being in a particular place (or being no place in particular, if you drift a lot), and now you’re a prisoner in everything but name. It’s definitely a different kind of experience, just from the outside.

But then there’s the actual detox process itself. If you’ve gone very long without your drug of choice in the past, you know what to expect. While there are the physical symptoms they talk about in books – tremors, sweating, pain – that stuff can combine with your whole reality getting all twisted up. After all, if you’re been looking at the world through junk colored glasses for half your life, seeing things as they “really” are (because reality is a weird, pliable thing) can be the biggest trip ever. The staff may understand, but it doesn’t seem like it at the time.

It’s true that a lot of people go through all that hurt, and then just get right back into their junkie ways once they hit the street again. And you’re always free to do that, if you really want to. But think about it – they won’t let you out of rehab until they think you’re clean enough and thinking straight enough that you might be able to keep it together out there. Not only do the people you really care about believe that you’re worth saving, the staff at wherever your rehab occurs think you have a shot at making it.

The real question is, do you really want to make it? Rehab sucks for awhile, but it can get a lot better afterward.

Filed Under: Addiction Intervention