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Archive for the ‘Drug Addiction’ Category
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
Private drug rehabilitation programs are only as good as the California drug rehab facilities that administer them. Remember, drug rehabilitation doesn’t occur in a vacuum. The doctors and caregivers at a drug rehab center are essential to the success or failure of the drug rehab process, especially insofar as they help patients engage with their own drug rehab programs. No drug rehab center…not even the most exclusive drug rehabilitation center in Los Angeles…can heal you if you don’t want to be healed. But if you’re going to win the against drug addiction, you’re going to need the best allies you can get.
Sunset Malibu’s luxury drug rehab center can give you everything you need to get sober for good. Our expert staff and idyllic location are thoroughly conducive to the healing process, and our success of our drug rehabilitation programs speaks for itself. Again, though, your drug rehab destiny is ultimately for you to determine. Sunset Malibu is here for you. We’re ready to help. All you have to do is take the first step.
Posted in Sober, Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Rehab Center, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehab | No Comments »
Monday, September 17th, 2007
What makes a private California drug treatment center successful? Empathy, for starters. As should go without saying, drug addiction is an intensely personal disease, one that can only be overcome with an intensely personal effort. Drug treatment, then, is invariably a difficult process for drug treatment patients…and only those addicts who get plenty of support on the road to recovery stand any chance of getting sober for good. What that means, in a practical sense, is that drug treatment centers in Los Angeles have to care…really care…about each and every one of their residents. Anything less just won’t get the job done.
Sunset Malibu’s luxury drug treatment center was founded on the principle that the patient comes first. Sunset’s exclusive drug treatment programs are designed on a case-by-case basis, with special attention paid to the unique individual needs of unique individual residents. At Sunset Malibu, you’re the most important person in the world. As you weigh your drug addiction treatment center options, it’s hard to imagine how any criteria could matter more than that one.
Posted in Drug Treatment, Drug Addiction, Addiction Treatment, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Sunday, September 16th, 2007
You can’t rush private drug treatment. You just can’t. Some Los Angeles drug treatment centers advertise accelerated treatment for drug addiction, as if they’ve found some magic pill that makes the process anything other than what it actually is. They haven’t. The plain truth is that residential drug treatment in California…even luxury California drug rehab centers…are and must be a long-term undertaking. There are no short cuts. There is no easy way out. Drug treatment programs take time. If you get better in a drug treatment facility, it’s going to be because you have the patience to make it happen.
Sunset Malibu’s exclusive drug treatment center can help you develop that patience, first by giving you the support you need on the road to sobriety and second by ensuring that your drug treatment experience is as comfortable as it can possibly be. Sunset’s luxurious drug treatment facilities can’t make your drug treatment program any shorter, but they can ensure the process isn’t any more trying than it absolutely has to be. In the fight against drug addiction, simply stated, Sunset Malibu is the best ally you’ll ever have.
Posted in California Drug Rehab Center, Drug Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Friday, September 14th, 2007
If you or someone you care about is a victim of drug addiction, nothing in the world is more important than substance abuse treatment. Nothing. Some addicts believe they can get better without the help of California substance abuse treatment programs, or outside Los Angeles substance abuse treatment facilities. They’re wrong. The plain fact of the matter is that addiction is a disease, not a choice. You can’t just decide to get better. You need help, from the sort of exclusive substance abuse treatment program you can only find in a place like Sunset Malibu. With so much at stake, nothing less could ever be good enough.
Substance abuse treatment at Sunset Malibu will change your life. From its idyllic Malibu location to its five-star amenities, Sunset’s luxury substance abuse treatment center is the ideal environment for your recovery process. Substance abuse treatment at Sunset Malibu is never easy, don’t kid yourself about that much. But it works. It really works. Beyond that, it’s hard to imagine how anything else could ever matter.
Posted in Addiction, Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse, Drug Addiction | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
Recovering from chemical dependency requires making positive changes in reactions and behaviors across the board. A drug treatment center is an important means to doing so. These facilities provide comprehensive drug rehabilitation services to individuals whose lives have become unmanageable due to drug addiction and introduce them to a lifestyle that is free of drugs. Such centers offer places where individuals who have a drug problem and have difficulty kicking the habit at home can receive the help they need.
Drug treatment centers are staffed with people who understand and cater to recovering drug addicts’ unique needs. Depending on the treatment center, there are many programs supervised by doctors, nurses, and highly trained professionals. Many centers also have professional dieticians to help patients satisfy their nutritional requirements.
Residential drug treatment centers are popular because they provide a safe environment in which addicts are provided with quality assistance, counseling, and companionship. Such centers help addicts escape from the streets, detrimental consequences, and bad environments which accelerates the recovery from drug abuse. Education, training, and guidance are the central missions of residential drug treatment centers. As such, these facilities teach the skills critical to recover from drug addiction and live a healthy life. Many also provide private rooms, home cooked meals, smoking and non-smoking sections, and meditation and exercise courses.
Personalized treatment and assistance is considered essential to most residential drug treatment centers. Patients are encouraged to attend 12 Step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Cocaine Anonymous (CA), which are often incorporated into the treatment center programs. Aftercare is another advantage of most drug treatment centers. Treatment groups and individual treatment have an important place in the recovery process. Anonymous group sessions allow recovering addicts to talk candidly about their feelings with others who have similar problems. Such programs are particularly useful because drug addictions can often be overcome more quickly with the help of others struggling with the same issues. During these programs, residential treatment center doctors or counselors specializing in addiction disorders and recovery can provide invaluable help and advice.
Virtually all successful drug treatment centers have the following goals in common: providing individuals with substance abuse treatment services through their continuous quality improvement program; offering safe, supportive, and chemical free environments; achieving significant reductions in substance abuse and corresponding improvements in quality of life; and continuously educating and training their staff.
Beyond this, however, every drug rehab center has a unique set of specific methods of treatment and programs designed to achieve these objectives. With so many types of drug treatment centers and the variety of options available, choosing one may seem like daunting task. But finding an appropriate center does not have to be so difficult. The ever-increasing amount of treatment facilities actually makes it possible to select the best option for the individual needs of the addict in question. Most important is picking a program that provides both comprehensive and individual care and service. It is therefore critical to focus on a specific person’s needs and desires in locating an ideal drug treatment center. Concentrating on the following features of drug treatment facilities in light of an individual’s circumstances greatly improves this process.
Drug Detox
Drug detox is the first step in the drug rehab process upon entering a treatment center. Before one can begin to heal psychologically and emotionally, his or her physical dependency on the substance must be destroyed. Drug addiction causes the body to rely on harmful chemical substances. As time goes on, the body requires larger and larger amounts of the drug to feel normal. Detox interrupts this normalcy, and the body often reacts, sometimes in harmful ways associated with symptoms of withdrawal. Drug treatment centers provide professionals ready to handle complications that may result from these symptoms. They therefore ensure that drug detox is a quick and safe process.
Individualized Addiction Treatment
Following detox, actual addiction rehabilitation can commence. Careful and extensive counseling is required to ensure that patients remain drug free. As such, many drug treatment centers prioritize counseling arrangements. While groups greatly assist healing, they should be limited in relation to individualized attention, which ensures that no one gets lost in the crowd and everyone is given personalized care. Addiction treatment concentrates on the underlying causes of substance abuse. Thus, one-on-one confidential discussions about past and present experiences with specialists substantially increase the potential for full recovery. Combined with small group sessions and team counseling, individualized therapy provides the intensive treatment necessary for achieving a drug free life.
Holistic Treatment
Holistic healing is another critical component of drug treatment center programs. Drug addiction worsens the body’s normal stress levels exponentially. Cells are destroyed and nutrients are drained. The substance’s increasing importance severs the body/mind/spirit connection, leading one to lose his or her individuality. Longstanding interests and other parts of one’s identity begin to deteriorate. A drug treatment center that fosters holistic treatment includes the programs necessary to help not only individuals as addicts but each individual as a person. Holistic therapy starts with counseling and sometimes includes psychotherapy and hypnotherapy. Other forms of counseling such as family/marriage, spiritual, and life purpose counseling can offer even more treatment for each individual. Counseling that is tailored specifically for each person can usefully address each individual situation. Beyond the therapeutic benefits of counseling, other treatments, such as physical therapy, massage and bodywork, and acupuncture help relieve tension and enable the body to regain strength. Physical surroundings complete the holistic treatment plan. Comfortable and luxurious environments help those in recovery stay focused on healing.
Additional Individual Accommodations
Many treatment centers do not focus exclusively on the addict’s specific treatment needs but also consider his or her personal desires and interests. Accordingly, some centers offer features such as swimming pools, gyms, and entertainment centers or allow personal belongings such as laptops and cell phones. Indeed, becoming drug free is often a smoother process when addicts’ regular personal and professional lives are able to continue to the extent possible.
Thousands of sufferers successfully recover from drug addictions every year. Drug treatment centers are a popular means for assisting individuals in overcoming addiction and living the rest of their lives drug free. Finding a center with the optimal recovery program is therefore an important part of the process.
Posted in Drug Rehab Center, Drug Rehab Los Angeles, Substance Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
The statistics on drug abuse in the United States are staggering. According to a study from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 112,085,000 Americans aged 12 or over report having used an illicit drug at least once in their life. That is 46.1 % of the US population aged 12 and over. Out of these people, the same study estimates that there are 30 million US citizens addicted to drugs, either prescription or illegal.
The rehab treatments available for addicts vary as much as the addictions themselves. The first step is to ascertain the severity of the person’s addiction and their drug of choice. Other issues, such as age, gender, race, sexual orientation and environment are also factored in to the mix. Once that information is gathered, the counselor can work to find the best treatment for that particular person. Most treatments begin with behavior modification to help people cope with their drug cravings while at the same time offer them suggestions on ways to avoid drugs This is sometimes the hardest lesson for people to accept as the first suggestion is usually to avoid known drug users, which often cuts the person off from their friends. There are many medications that have been used successfully in fighting drug addiction. These include, but are not limited to, methadone, naltrexone and Levo-Alpha Acetyl Methadol, known as LAAM.
Methadone has been an accepted form of detoxification from narcotics for over thirty years. The patient receives a carefully monitored daily dose of methadone, a synthetic narcotic suppresses the opioid receptor in the brain that is triggered by opiate use and allows addicts to change their addictive behaviors. It reduces the cravings and uncontrolled impulses seen with heroin addiction, but the patient must then be gradually weaned from the methadone, a process that could take years. However, since the harmful side effects of illegal drugs are gone, the patient can be helped to return to a normal life.
Naltrexone is not as well known as methadone, but it is highly effective in persons truly motivated to overcome their addiction. Naltrexone, when used in conjunction with clonidine, can shorten the detoxification time to one day as opposed to the two weeks necessary for the same results from methadone. This results in considerable cost savings. However, people using naltrexone have a higher relapse rate then patients using methadone. Doctors theorize that this is because naltrexone does not have side effects, such as the withdrawal symptoms experienced by methadone users, when it is discontinued.
LAAM is another alternative to methadone. It needs to be administered only three times a week, which, like naltrexone, results in significant cost savings. Studies have shown that patients on LAAM may need more counseling and support when they first begin treatment as their ignorance of the treatment causes more anxiety in them.
Besides behavior modification and medical intervention, there are many other forms of rehab that can be used concurrently with the former two treatments. These include substance use monitoring, support groups, counseling, family services such as childcare, housing and transportation, education, medical care, financial aid and legal services. These subsidiary services are needed to help the patient return to a productive life since many addicts have concurrent problems such as depression or other psychosis.
Posted in Pain Killer Addiction, Drug Addiction, Drug Abuse, Prescription Drug Addiction, Drug Rehab | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
Recovery from a drug addiction implies acknowledging the problem and being willing to seek help from a drug treatment center. Since denial is normal amid drug addicts, getting them to a cure center may involve aggressive pleading from relatives or friends. In spite of this, once an addict accepts treatment and starts detoxification, which clears the body of damaging toxins, they can begin the path to recovery.
Drug treatment centers are necessary because drug addicts are usually unable to overcome dependencies on their own. Many will attempt self-treatment. However, without support or supervision, a setback is inescapable. By entering a drug treatment center, patients go through continual mental evaluations. Before a patient can begin recovery, medical doctors must help the patient understand the origin of drug addiction. In some instances, deep mental distress from the loss of a loved one, unhappiness, failure, and so forth play a role in prolong drug use. Once a patient identifies the factor(s) that causes vulnerability, and discover ways to deal with these problems head-on, he or she can begin recovery.
Upon entering a drug treatment facility, patients are required to cooperate. Recovery does not come about immediately. Unfortunately, many patients become very impatient, and leave the treatment center before getting better. This is usual at some stage in withdrawals when a patient’s body strongly craves the narcotic. However, if patients can endure the symptoms and finish detoxification, the chances of a full recovery are higher.
After an initial psychological exam, patients must consent to detox. On average, it takes about 3 days for a person’s body to rid itself of toxins and other substances. Withdrawal symptoms may become intense during this period. Long-term drug users experience the worst symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and sweating are common. In rare instances, patients may suffer a seizure, which can be life-threatening. For this matter, undergoing detoxification and withdrawal in a drug treatment center under the supervision of physicians is strongly recommended.
Following detoxification, patients begin therapy sessions. Counseling is purposely postponed until the completion of detox. This way, patients are in the right mindset. Individuals and group therapy sessions are effective with helping ex-addicts address and resolve hurt feelings. If family or friends become a road block to recovery, counselors may recommend a family therapy session. In some cases, drug abuse is the cause of deep rooted family issues.
Upon completion of a drug treatment program, patients are encouraged to attend support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous, or join online support forums. Aftercare is extremely important, and helpful with preventing relapses. If necessary, patients also have the option of continuing treatment on an outpatient basis.
Posted in Drug Detox, Rehab Center, Drug Treatment, Drug Addiction, Addiction Recovery, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
There are hundreds of drug treatment centers in the United States, each stating that it offers the best in treatment for an addicts particular needs. Some function on a holistic basis (a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual needs), some on a chemical needs basis, some focus more on psychological needs, and some strictly on abstinence and 12 step programs. Some are in-patient only, some out-patient only, some a combination of the two. The key to finding the drug treatment center for any addict is to find one that will build it’s treatment upon the needs of the addict, and not a set script or assembly-line method of treatment.
For an addict to be completely drug free, it is ideal that if at all possible, they enter a short or long term residential program first. This will give them the structure and medical supervision that stopping any drug use requires in a safe environment. Should they have severe symptoms of withdrawal, the staff is well trained to intervene and ease the symptoms and also trained to judge when it might be better for the interests of the addict to be moved for a short time to a hospital until the worst of the withdrawal issues and any complications resulting from withdrawal have been resolved. Needless to say, the heavier the drug use, the more important this becomes.
Then the addict and the addicts family or support group or counselor can sit down and determine which would be the best option for the addicts continued progress into recovery.
For the addict in serious need of psychological, medical, nutritional, and structural assistance, the long-term residential drug treatment center is the best choice. This offers a trained counseling and re-education staff for helping the addict identify and resolve any underlying emotional or psychological causes for the addiction, and education in how to live a drug-free life (such as avoiding triggers, environments that are associated with previous drug use, and rebuilding the self-worth and self-confidence to face the daily trials of living in the drug-available world without succumbing to temptation). This also offers rebuilding of the body through nutritional means, helping to repair the physical ravages of drug use. It offers medical staff to deal with issues of infections or diseases or physical ailments brought on or aggravated by drug usage, as well as medical treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, or any other psychological cause of the drug addiction. And it offers the structured environment an addict needs to rebuild his or her life after the chaotic spiral caused by addiction.
Short term residential drug treatment is best suited for those addicts who have plans to go back to work or back home to raise children/tend to family members. It offers the same medical staffing as the long term residential drug treatment centers, with an emphasis on abstinence and 12 step programs for support. It is, unfortunately, the justice systems idea of a “cure-all” for drug addicts”, and therefore tends to be crowded at all times.
The outpatient programs, both drug-free and drug-assisted, are more suited to those addicts who have other responsibilities, whether it be a job, schooling, or family that needs caretaking. It offers the support system an addict needs, some medical supervision while at the program, some counseling while at the program, and some re-education. It also works extremely well when combined with either long-term or short-term residential programs, further embedding the skills and tactics for remaining drug-free learned at the other facilities.
Once again, however, it should be noted. The final decision ultimately rests on the addict for which treatment they should use. Unless it is their decision, their chances of long-term success are drastically reduced.
Posted in Drug Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
There are many reasons why a person chooses to take drugs in the beginning. At first, they may be trying to avoid emotional or physical pain they are going through, which may work in the beginning stages of drug use. Drugs provide the user with a temporary escape from their reality, but over time, drugs will only serve to make their situation much worse. They will eventually get to the point where they are no longer able to able to control their impulses, and the drugs will take over every aspect of their lives. In this situation, a rehabilitation center is crucial in saving their lives.
Once a person has gone from being a drug user to becoming a drug addict, they no longer are in control of their actions. The addiction will cause them to behave in such a way that they will continue their cycle of destruction, even in the face of losing everything that they hold dear. Drug addiction can interfere with their normal way of life, and disrupt their homes, their jobs, and eventually lead to dire consequences to society as a whole. Drugs can even put the abuser at a higher risk of illness, thereby endangering their very lives.
Drug rehabilitation can alter the path they are on, and save their lives. Because drug addiction is so complex, treatment is not simple but it may be their last chance. Due to the nature of drug abuse, intervention by family and friends is often the first step to recovery. Drug addicts live in their own reality, and often times, they must be hit in the face with the damage they are causing to themselves and to those around them. If intervention is done properly, it can force the addict to face the reality of the situation they are in and make the rehabilitation process easier for them to agree to. Keep in mind that if you do choose this option, it is helpful to have a professional involved in the process. They have the experience in this area that is necessary to ensure a successful intervention.
When speaking about rehabilitation, it is important to understand that drug abuse is classified as a chronic condition. This means that long-term abstinence can sometimes require sustained and repeated treatment. Rehabilitation centers are by no means a quick fix. Rather, they are the best way to help get an addict on the road to recovery, which will eventually lead to a drug-free life. That being said, drug rehabilitation centers can and do work. In the three decades they have been around, it has been found that more people get off of and stay off of drugs in large part because of drug rehabilitation centers.
One of the important things that the past three decade has taught us is that in order for drug rehabilitation to be successful, there needs to be a variety of approaches to treat drug addiction. It isn’t a one size fits all situation. The type of rehab that will work depends on the type of drug being abused, the personality and background of the abuser and the support the addict has outside of the treatment facility. To this end, there are many different drug rehabilitation centers out there that offer a myriad of approaches to drug addiction problems.
Not all drug treatment programs are the same. They differ in staff qualification, credential, cost and effectiveness. Before you make a decision as to which program is right for you, you must ask questions. You will want a drug rehabilitation center that offers a wide range of treatment programs in order to endure they will meet your individual needs. Along with differing methods of treating drug abuse, there are also different types of rehabilitation centers to choose from.
Some of a drug addicts options when choosing a rehabilitation center include inpatient treatment facilities, residential treatment facilities and outpatient/or short-stay treatment facilities. The difference between a residential rehabilitation center and an inpatient treatment center lie in their credentials. Inpatient treatment centers are licensed hospitals, while residential treatment centers usually do not meet the same rigorous standards of medical care. However, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t highly successful in treating drug addiction. When a drug addict is seeking some type of residential or inpatient rehabilitation, their length of stay will depend on the severity and stage of their illness.
There are also outpatient or day treatment facilities to choose from. The patient doesn’t reside in the treatment facility, but they do go to intense treatment almost everyday of the week for anywhere up to 8 hours a day. One of the deciding factors when choosing a rehabilitation center may be the costs involved. Before you make a decision about where to go, you need to know how much your insurance will pay, what is included with the price you are quoted by the facility and what is considered fee-for-service. Although rehabilitation may get pricey, it is worth every penny because it can save the addicts life. Family plays a big role in rehabilitation, which only makes sense because drug addiction is effecting there lives as well as the addicts.
They type of involvement family members will have in the recovery process depends on the treatment facility the addict decides to go to. Some encourage many visits and family counseling, while others prefer less family interaction, at least for the time period that the addict is in the treatment facility. But, whichever way a rehabilitation center goes with regards to family, they all agree family involvement is vital to the ongoing recovery process. This is especially true when discussing aftercare.
Many treatment centers offer some type of aftercare program. However, some may only provide it at their center, which can make it difficult for the recovering addict to get to on a consistent basis. A good treatment center includes good aftercare because they understand how vital it is to the long-term prognoses of the addict.
Drug treatment and rehabilitation are not easy, but they are of the utmost importance when helping an addict get off the drug and return to a normal and productive life. The long range goal of any rehabilitation center is not only to get the addict off the drug, but also to ensure that they remain abstinent for their life time.
Posted in Rehab Center, Addiction, Drug Addiction, Addiction Recovery, Drug Treatment Center | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
You probably know a drug addict without even realizing it. When most people think of a drug addict, they envision a dirty, high strung; out of control individual that they fear may cause them harm. What most people probably don’t realize is that drug addicts can look and act as normal as your next door neighbor. In fact, your next door neighbor just may be a drug addict.
Prescription drugs are hooking millions of Americans and causing devastating consequences to their lives and the lives of their families. It starts off innocently enough, you have an accident and a doctor prescribes medication to stop the pain, before you know it you are taking more and more because the pain just won’t go away. That is the insidious nature of prescription drug abuse. It works fine in the beginning, but you begin to build up a tolerance to the medication and the next thing you know you are in constant pain unless you take the medicine. It is at this point that addiction has set in.
Prescription drug addiction is reaching epidemic proportions. Approximately nine million Americans used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes in 1999, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA.) And the problem has only gotten worse. Many people who are addicted to prescription drugs don’t even realize that they have a problem. Because it is medication prescribed by a doctor for a legitimate medical condition in the beginning, they feel as if there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. As long as they aren’t taking hard street drugs like cocaine or heroin, they don’t recognize themselves as drug addicts.
In cases where prescription drugs are being abused, the patient may notice that they have to take more and more of the drug just to feel normal, without ever understanding that it is the effects of the addiction that is causing this viscous cycle. On top of that, once the drugs enter their system there are other chemical reactions going on that in the beginning, are pleasant and hard to give up; feelings such as relief from anxiety, false feelings of self-confidence and increased activity and energy levels. Sadly, the elderly is one group that is at a higher risk for becoming dependant on prescription drugs.
Because the elderly are often on many legitimate drugs for ongoing health issues related to their age, they have a higher risk of becoming addicted to prescription drugs. The elderly are also often isolated and lonely, which only raises their chances of falling victim to drug abuse. Women are also in the high-risk category. With all of the work women do inside and outside of the home, they often suffer from anxiety and/or depression. In order to combat this, their doctors prescribe antidepressants or antianxiety medication, and these can become addictive. There are several risk factors to becoming addicted to prescription drugs that should be looked at.
The risk factors to a prescription drug abuser can include; medical conditions that require pain medication, family history of addiction, fatigue and overwork depression, dependency, or poor self-esteem. Any doctor prescribing prescription drugs should pay close attention to any patient who falls into these categories because they are at an increased risk of becoming addicted. In fact, a doctor should monitor any patient that is on prescription drugs very carefully to ensure that they aren’t abusing them. But, even in cases where doctors are diligent about maintaining the proper use of the drug, some patients will circumvent that by doing what is called, “doctor shopping.” In doctor shopping scenarios, patients will go from doctor to doctor complaining of pain in order to get more prescriptions. There have been cases where patients were found with hundreds of prescriptions from different doctors. The problem has become so pervasive that NIDA has launched a national initiative to educate the public about the dangers of non-medical use of prescription drugs, and the potential for abuse.
The frustration, when dealing with prescription drug addiction, lies in the fact that these drugs are beneficial to the health and well being of millions of people every year. So, how does society balance the need for these drugs with the potential for danger? This is a problem law enforcement faces almost on a daily basis. Indeed, it can be a very delicate balance of curbing criminal behavior related to prescription drug addiction and making sure people with legitimate health concerns are still able to access the care they need.
If you or somebody you love thinks they may be addicted to prescription drugs, ask yourself these questions: 1) am I taking more than was originally prescribed, 2) has my doctor refused to give me anymore of the drugs even though I’ve told him I’m still in pain, 3) have I had to go to more than one doctor in order to keep getting my prescription filled, and 4) am I running out of my prescription before I’m due to another one? If you answer yes to these, you probably have a problem with prescription drugs.
If you do find yourself in this situation, you need to get help. There are plenty of places you can go to help got off the drugs. The first thing you may need to do is to go through detoxification. Detoxification, or detox, is when you physically begin to withdrawal from the drug. It is best to go through detox under the strict supervision of a medical professional. Detoxification is an unpleasant state to be in and can cause moderate to severe physical side-effects; for this reason, it is not advisable to go through it alone. You may need medical intervention at some point in the first few days. That’s why most detox is done in a hospital, or a treatment facility that has a medical staff.
Prescription drug addiction is suburbia’s shameful little secret, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are addicted to prescription drugs, you are not alone or unique, unfortunately it is happening everyday and all over the country.
Prescription drugs can be a medical miracle, but only when taken safely and under the strict supervision of your doctor. If you find that you are taking more than you should, or taking it for a longer period of time than was first recommended, seek help. Talk to your doctor to ensure you are taking your medication properly, and advice him of any fears or concerns you may have about becoming dependant.
Posted in Drug Detox, Pain Killer Addiction, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Addiction | No Comments »
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