Binge Eating Disorder

I didn't realize it when I was growing up, but I had binge-eating disorder. For the most part, I ate fairly healthfully and fairly normal portion sizes. Then, suddenly, I would feel compelled to devour an enormously large portion of food. I think I realized that I ate more than a normal person the first time I devoured a large pizza... then scrounged the kitchen for something else to eat. Clearly I wasn't hungry at this point - in fact, it would be safe to say that I was quite full, but I kept eating nonetheless.

As time went on, I would binge eat more and more often. It was usually an emotionally-charged situation that propelled me to dive into food for solace. However, the binge-eating became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts: I became more aware of my overeating, and I was ashamed of it. As my feelings of shame (and anger and depression) of my actions took over, I would binge eat to try to numb those feelings. And so the cycle would perpetuate.

The further into the cycle I got, the more depressed about it I became. And the fatter I got. In three years I went from about 150 pounds to about 210 pounds. I hated food and wanted nothing to do with it, but I couldn't seem to pull myself from the binges that took over my life.

From there, I started to develop all kinds of disordered eating patterns. I tried every diet in the book to try to stop the weight gain, but nothing helped. Starving myself didn't help. (At one point I went three months without eating, for a total weight loss of about four pounds. That weight came right back on when I began eating again, of course.) I tried to learn to puke up my binges, but I was never successful at purging, so I resorted to laxative abuse instead. As you can guess, that method didn't help me lose weight either.

I was pretty much a poster child for binge-eating disorder.

Binge-eating disorder is actually the most common of all eating disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic. The disorder affects 3.5% of females and 2% of males in the United States. The exact causes of binge eating is unknown, but sources say that the causes can be biological (you're pre-disposed to the disorder), psychological (e.g., low self-worth), or environmental (social pressure to be thin).

Most resources claim that sufferers of binge-eating should avoid dieting because it can make binge eating worse. Cutting calories and not eating enough can cause a binge-eater to spiral out of control. Also, binge-eaters may find it more difficult than an average person to follow diet regimens, such as Weight Watchers, because of this trigger.

So what can you do if you're suffering from binge-eating disorder? Most sources would claim to seek psychiatric help to try to face the issues causing you to binge. However, this can be difficult; the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV) does not currently recognize binge-eating disorder as a formal eating disorder; therefore many insurance programs may not pay for psychiatric treatment for this.

Anti-depressants have been known to help those suffering. Anti-depressant medication certainly helped me begin to overcome the disordered eating patterns at time. Appetite suppressants may also help curb the desire to eat. Appetite suppressants need to be prescribed by your doctor and include Meridia and Adipex. I took Adipex for a while and found it to be helpful at first, but eventually the effects of the pill became less significant. Topamax has also been shown to help curb the desire to binge-eat. (Topamax is actually seizure drug).

I personally would argue that gastric banding surgery would greatly help binge-eaters. The band has been a highly effective way of limiting the amount of food I can consume. On the rare occasion that I slip into binge-eating patterns, the band has completely prevented me from overeating. Of course, the band doesn't do anything to deal with the emotional and psychological issues underlying the condition, but the band certainly helps to control the quantity of food.

My friend, Katie, has also been trying to grapple with her binge-eating disorder. She has found that keeping track of a meal diary each day has been beneficial in tracking eating patterns and trying to identify what emotions trigger a binge episode. Her meal diary looks like this:

Meal Diary

Breakfast
Hunger Level (0-5)
Emotions
Food Eaten
Fullness Level (0-5)

Lunch

Hunger Level (0-5)
Emotions
Food Eaten
Fullness Level (0-5)

Dinner

Hunger Level (0-5)
Emotions
Food Eaten
Fullness Level (0-5)

Snack 1

Hunger Level (0-5)
Emotions
Food Eaten
Fullness Level (0-5)

Snack 2

Hunger Level (0-5)
Emotions
Food Eaten
Fullness Level (0-5)

Also, it may help to join an online forum to talk to others that have dealt with this same issue in their life. Sharing strategies for overcoming binges is a great way to learn new coping mechanisms and forge relationships with people going through the same issues as you.

Psychostimulant Alternatives - How to Teach Your ADHD Child Life Skills

There are alternatives to psychostimulant drugs which are nothing more than a hyped up version of speed. The most common drug used and still prescribed in vast quantities across America is Ritalin, together with Adderall and Vyvanse, just to name a few. As the drug Ritalin is the most famous, I wanted to write an article which set out some Ritalin alternatives so that we can make a choice when it comes to treating ADHD within our own family.

Ritalin alternatives are important because there are question marks about the safety and side effects of this drug. All you have to do is visit the FDA site and you will see there all the warnings and the infamous black box warning which is the maximum there is.

It is absolutely true to say that some 80% of children who are on stimulant medications such as Ritalin will get some relief from symptoms but there is also the uncomfortable fact that we are giving very young children a Schedule II drug! That means simply that there is the potential that the drug may be abused and that is very worrying. Snorting Ritalin has become a problem and there are many other dangers associated with its abuse.

So Ritalin alternatives are being eagerly sought by parents. There are treatments such as herbal remedies, yoga, equine therapy and biofeedback. But these are on the fringe.

Let us look at the mainstream for a moment. Child behavior modification is now the preferred treatment because that will teach your child life skills. It will also help us parents how to approach and deal with negative behavior and how we can reinforce positive and good behavior.

But is there an alternative type of medication which can be one of the Ritalin alternatives? I am happy to tell you there is and it is an ADHD homeopathic remedy which is free from side effects and there are no health hazards at all. In addition there is no risk of addiction nor is it a controlled substance.

Too good to be true? That is up to you to decide but you can check out my website for more details and then choose.

Solutions Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is now a major concern, and has a negative effect on society in general. Although students make up a large percentage of drug addicts, the adults die from drug abuse. There is a tendency among middle-aged people for the abuse of prescription drugs.

The first step in the fight against drug abuse, the author is aware of the damage caused by the body. Most addicts do not trust and should be taughtFind a master of the situation, not a slave.

There are many institutions and organizations to help addicts stop smoking. The support of friends and family is vital. First, abandon a drug offense committed. Doctors and therapists are the biggest allies in the fight against drug abuse.

People recognize what they are, can stop this dangerous habit of moving orAfraid to trust anyone. You may also fear that find themselves in trouble if they admit that could be the problem. Criminals should not talk about someone you trust.

solutions to drug abuse may take into account many points of view from. Nationally, the solutions discussed in the base and reducing the supply of drugs. Socially, solutions, usually in terms of prevention, early intervention and treatment are discussed.

Prevention is better than Healing. This adage also applies in the fight against drug abuse. Public awareness and stricter laws regarding the purchase and use of legal substances are the steps that Member States were adopted by the United States USA.

Many states have formed coalitions of business and community leaders for the problem of addiction. These groups implementing community programs that offer mentoring, tutoring, alternative activities, development and life skills for young peopleAreas> Drug exposed.

Drug Addiction and Alcoholism; A Treatable Illness

Drug addiction and alcohol addiction are comparable to chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension, and should be treated as such,according to an article published in a year 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Authors Thomas McLellan, Ph.D., and Herbert D. Kleber, M.D., conducted a
literature review of those illnesses, revealing that there are
underlying similarities between drug addiction, alcohol addiction and chronic diseases. Yet, say
the researchers, drug addiction is typically treated as if it is an acute
condition. Altering perceptions to think of drug addiction as a chronic
illness may change the way it is treated and insured.

The researchers found that drug addiction and alcoholism shares many of the characteristics
of other chronic illnesses. In the area of genetic heritability, for
example, studies of monozygotic and dizygotic twins have found
heritability estimates of .25 to .50 for hypertension; .80 for type 2
and .30 for type 1 diabetes; and .36 to .70 for asthma. Heritability
estimates for the drug addictions are similar, ranging from .34 for heroin
dependence, .55 for alcoholism, .52 for marijuana dependence, and .61
for dependence on cigarettes.

Typically, both medical professionals and the general public view drug abuse as voluntary activities. That people choose to use drugs
seems to set drug addiction and alcohol adidiction apart from other chronic illnesses. Yet, there
are many chronic illnesses in which voluntary choice affects initiation
and maintenance of disease. Salt sensitivity, obesity, stress level, and
physical inactivity, all within voluntary control, are important factors
in the development of hypertension.

Drug addiction and alcoholism also resembles other chronic illnesses in regard to treatment
response. The course that an drug addiction takes if left untreated is an
important issue in this regard. Studies comparing treated and untreated
populations of addicts have typically shown that untreated, addictions
do not remit.

At this time there is no reliable "cure" for drug addiction and alcohol addiction. Typically,
addicts who remain in addiction treatment and who attend follow-up have superior
outcomes compared with those who do not. If you are looking for an effective drug addiction treatment program or alcohol rehab, call the national addiction treatment helpline, 1-800-511-9225 or go to www.lakeviewhealth.com.

Sexual Abuse: Symptoms and debt

The effects of early sexual abuse last well into adulthood, affecting relationships, work, family and life in general. Adult survivors of incest show some of the following symptoms: anxiety, sleep alone, nightmares, night terrors,
negative body image, low self-esteem in general
Drugs, alcohol and compulsive behaviors, obsessions
Self-abuse, the size of the skin (and length)
Feelingsuicide
Phobias, panic attacks, anxiety disorders
Difficulties with anger / rage
Problems with trust, intimacy, relationships
Problems with boundaries, control, surrender
victimization new plan, able to say "no"
Signs of PTSD
Sexual abuse war, but it's my fault

Some themes are repeated several times. For example, normally the victim blame for rape, even though two or three yearsat the event. Guilt and shame are expressed, with intense feelings of rage8

While rape and sexual orientation were committed by someone of the same sex (ie, a man abused a child), the problems tend to occur in the patient ("I am gay, after all, a man of yo being raped. ") Women are often victims of sexual promiscuity lifestyles that are developed in an attempt to capture the situation and to bring under control. In other cases, individualslargely excluded from social interaction or sexual stimuli in order to avoid danger and affect the lives very isolated. The connection that links the victims of sex and pain (Love and humiliation, closeness and betrayal) is particularly disastrous.

Patients often express and / or a certificate of conviction that the only way to be loved and cared for when they are victims of violence ("I knew if I stayed with him not hit me, I always"). OftenIn extreme cases, physical and sexual abuse are still considered in danger of life as a normal part of everyday life. limits are not healthy for them, so they are not healthy relationships. The victim was in fact the sense of loneliness or sadness for the violence themselves (as self-mutilation) if the "significant other" is not available to do so.

Sexual abuse and guilt

One of the most difficult problems to be addressed,Memory, which some people experience some degree of physical pleasure during a sexual assault or incest. This adds significantly to a sense of guilt and "dirty means." Thus, a target for the treatment of survivors of the normal physiological response to educate. Understand that their feelings are / were a great help to ease the shame normal.

Even when speaking of their group before treatment for the abuse, notpleasurable aspects have been dismissed as a rule. The opportunity for those who have shared these feelings and experiences is part of the healing power of this form of therapy. The feeling of isolation, of being "different from everyone" starts to drop rapidly. Unravel the secrets and face the pain that survivors of sexual violence can come and go about their lives.

Prescription Drug Addiction and Abuse is Now Officially America's Number One Drug Problem

Is America playing into the hands of big pharma? According to the latest statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), prescription drugs have officially become the drugs of choice among America's youth. Why has prescription drug addiction and abuse become such a problem? And what can you do about it?

Drug abuse will always be a problem. Even if we lived in a Utopia, which we definitely don't, some people would be unhappy or stressed about life and would want to escape. However, drugs would be much less of a problem if we made the following changes.

Direct to consumer advertising is one of the first things that has to go. Drug ads on TV and in magazines promote the use of drugs, that's the long and short of it. And because it appears to be legitimate - you get the drugs from the doctor - you go for it. If big pharma was not presenting drugs as the answer to our problems, we would try to address them some other way. We'd have no choice; since we wouldn't be fed the solution, we'd have to come up with alternatives. Instead, we go for the easier, and very acceptable solution of taking a drug, and many wind up with a prescription drug addiction problem in the process.

For those who do have to take drugs to make life bearable - those suffering from chronic debilitating pain that has not resolved with other treatment, for example - make sure your drugs are kept out of the reach of others. They should be locked up, and the key should be on you at all times. You should also explain your situation to your kids so they know exactly why you're taking them, and you should also make sure they understand the drugs are a last resort and that taking them otherwise is undesirable. They should also be taught about prescription drug addiction in no uncertain terms, and be made aware of their dangers.

Parents should pay more attention to their kids' lives. It's been proven that kids whose parents talk to them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are 50% less likely to use them. Research has also shown than kids whose parents participate in their lives - their school, their sports, their interests - are less likely to get involved in drugs. Also, eating dinner together a few times a week is pivotal. Believe it or not, that alone could stop your kids from taking drugs. Prescription drug addiction and abuse is rampant with young people and, sooner or later, your kid is going to be offered some. Having a strong family and having been educated on the dangers of drugs may well be the factors that govern whether your kid will say yes or no.

Prescription drug addiction is a greater problem than street drugs ever were. They are socially acceptable, are easily accessed just by going to the household medicine cabinet - if not yours, certainly your neighbor's - and they come from a doctor (doctors don't hurt people, right?). These factors have contributed to make prescription drugs the drugs of choice, and millions are risking prescription drug addiction because of them.

If someone you care about has a problem with prescription drug addiction or abuse, get them into a drug addiction treatment center as soon as possible. Of all the drugs they could take, these are among the most dangerous - contrary to what big pharma would have you believe.

How Addiction Affects the Brain

It was once thought that addiction was a result of being weak-willed, that addicts could stop using drugs if they wanted to. But research has shown that is not the case. In fact , after prolonged use of an addictive substance, the "circuits" in the brain virtually become "rewired."

When a chemical enters the brain, it is absorbed through receptor site. Drugs entering these receptors are believed to act on the brain like the body's natural chemicals (such as endorphins and dopamine) that are involved in producing the sensation of pleasure. When the body getting such chemicals from an outside source, the brain produces much less of its own and becomes dependent on the outside source. As the brain adapts to the drugs presence, the person using the drug builds tolerance and must continually increase the dosage in order to produce the initial pleasure sensations. However most addicts report that they never achieved that initial sense of euphoria or well being again. Thus begins the cycle of ever increasing intake of drugs to produce a constantly declining experience.

If the drug is stopped abruptly, it usually triggers a withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms may vary depending on the substance used and the length of the addiction, but common symptoms may include anxiety, irritability, chills and hot flashes, nausea, cramps and even death. As a person goes through withdrawal, the body "begs" for more of the addictive drug in order to escape the misery of withdrawal. Understandably giving up the drug is difficult.

This inability to stop using the drug is a characteristic of addiction. Although an addicted person may intellectually understand the destructive consequences of addiction, he may not be able to stop the compulsive use of the drug even after the effects of physical withdrawal have passed. This is because of a process which has been ingrained in the users conditioned responses. Over a long period of abuse, the poor judgment and self destructive decision making increases and these triggered responses become part of the automatic response system. The addict becomes overly reactive to changes in stimuli and fails to cope with minor stresses of life.

This is the primary battleground for those wishing to recover from addiction. Addiction ultimately is a "thinking problem" and the user must constantly check his decisions, his reactivity to events and circumstances, his motivations, as well as his perceptions of reality. In order to do this he needs a "normal template" to base good decisions on which is why a good support system is so essential to successful recovery.

Adopting a Non-Egoic Model For Therapy

Introduction:

Much of what is motivating for human behavior is action that serves the ego of the individual. The term as it is being used herein, may not relate directly to the psychoanalytic view of ego which is conceptualized as the buffer between the Id and the Superego, but more of ego addressed to a broader and more universal definition of all things related to the self of an individual. Therefore ego in this writing relates to the individuality and one's singular identity, which some may consider the foundation of personality.

Society has become increasingly "self-focused" and there exists in many arena of culture a fundamental tyranny generated by the supremacy of entitled selfhood. Some might call the entitled self, by negative labels such as selfish or self-centered, but for the purposes of this paper those labels are unhelpful and un-descriptive in nature. What is clear is that rampant entitled selfhood has created or supports many societal woes and personal tragedies. Entitled Selfhood, can play out in any number of possibilities in the lives of an individual, for example one might enter a helping profession to meet some need of their selfhood and when that need is not readily met through their labor with clients, they become fatigued and overly stressed, which may indeed contribute to burnout in professional service providers.

There exists a natural occurring psychological heuristic which each normally function human being possesses, that makes comparisons and judgments almost constantly while conscious and alert. The foundation of those comparisons and judgments are based in comparisons to the individual self, with those things that support the ego being "good or right" and those that do not support the ego as being "bad or wrong". This binary mental activity is most often in servitude to our selfhood. Herein lies a danger for the healer, it becomes very easy to apply our own evaluations to others and judge the goodness or appropriateness of their behavior based on what our individual measuring stick might be.

To function optimally it is essential for the counselor/healer to understand and effectively restructure their own ego dependency and demandeness, so that they are not burdening others with their judgments, biases and injunctions. Perhaps the most successful way to achieve this release from the tyranny of the entitled selfhood is to find avenues of compassion and charity that do not come with price tags. Price tags are the expectations that are often the companions of the entitled self. When one has the price tag of acknowledgement, recognition, or the price tag of being a savior to others, this makes the helping about the counselor/healer's ego needs.

Healing begins when the counselor/healer find within themselves the ability to consistently invite the helped into a sanctuary of acceptance, compassion and charity. That singular activity can provide tremendous results even without techniques or skills. This is not a new idea in the field of helping others, but has remained a steady and supportable component of the philosophic fabric of creating healthy change in others.

Moving Toward Non-Egoic practice

The idea of NON-EGOISM may be a new concept, but hopefully it will be a concept that opens the windows of heaven and admits a light and warmth that has been missing in clinical work. In the changing clinical world where the practioners are focusing more on strengths, and helping clients move through their problems using the skills that they already possess, it is time to look at the Non-egoic models of therapy. It is herein postulated that one cannot truly be strength's based if one has not achieved a certain ability to be consistent in selfless charitable compassion. Some might say that love unfeigned by the demands of emotional or psychological price tags.

Perhaps a definition of this concept might serve to the reader at this point. On first hearing there have been a number of therapists that seem perplexed by the idea of non-egoic models of therapy, preferring instead to focus on the individual, and therapies that are designed around the egoic nature of the human condition. While it is thoroughly and completely apparent that all human beings are egoic there are certain practical considerations that must be equally apparent. Each individual possesses an abundance of unique history that has embedded particular meaning and value within the contextualized relational architecture of living life on a daily basis. Much of this meaning is in service of preserving the entitled selfhood of an individual. One of the challenges faced when adopting a non-egoic view of the helped is that is counterintuitive to our fierce though false sense of a separate individualism, seeing the entitled self as a unique and separate being from everyone and everything else around them.

Defining Non-egoic approaches to therapy falls into two distinct frames. One frame is the counseled and the other frame is about the counselor. The entitled selfhood which is a form of egotism in therapy has a long and well established history; it is easy to acknowledge that most of the traditional approaches of therapy, other than systems approaches have treated the individual as a unique entity, which is absolutely true. The challenge is that the traditional models tend to attend too little to the relational architecture within which the unique individual lives. Non-egoic models tend to look at the unique individual as an interacting agent with the relational environment or architecture.

The second and maybe the most important aspect of non-egoic models of therapy have to do with the clinician. Many times the clinician's entitled selfhood becomes an element in the therapy of the individual. Milton Erickson used to compare this to inviting a guest to dinner and then dictating what, and how they should eat. Many therapists want to control the kind and type of experience the client discovers as they participate in the therapeutic process. Still others have set semi-rigid ideas of how recovery and healing appear, and have in the past taken the stance that clients that did not fall into line with their "superior belief" of how it should be were guilty of resistance. This all communicates an interaction with compassion price-tags, of varied value and urgency for the counselor/healer.

Most Human beings possess the egoic view of life, seeing themselves as separate from everything and everyone else. Developmental psychologists cherish the stage named individuation childhood development as a profound and necessary step in one's ability to differentiate the self from the world. This differentiation creates a totally personalized and unique view of reality, what one might label as a personally subjective reality. This process of individuation is not complete in most people until they finish adolescence. Clearly there are many sound psychological and emotional reasons to see the self as separate from the world and environment within which one functions. The difficulty becomes that in the rush to cherish this egoic separatism a tremendous truth is lost. That truth is that all things are inseparably interconnected; therefore, we are never truly alone. In fact one might argue that many mental health issues are related to this feeling of separateness and aloneness live out in the lives of people who are interacting with a relational architecture within which they fell disconnected or disenfranchised.

In physics, the idea of Presence (heightened awareness of self and environment) is expressed in the theory of energy. In simple terms, the entire universe is composed of the presence of energy in various forms. Each cell in our bodies is a function of energy, each breath we take, every step, every movement, every relationship; every event is an expression of energy. It is impossible to consider that we might separate ourselves from the source of energy. Indeed, even after death, our energies transmute into other energetic forms. This idea is so elementary; a universe without energy is inconceivable and absurd. Egoic separatism minimizes and ignores the fact that while each person might be considered individual, the relational architecture within which the life of this INDIVIDUAL unfolds is an exchange of energy with everyone and everything they interact.

The therapist or counselor that understands the relational architecture of an individual, or at least as much of that structure as possible, will be more effective in helping the individual find recovery, hope, healing and connection. This professional views the relational architecture as a living organism that is in the business of exchanging energy within the framework of an individual's life. The therapist does not over focus on one individual element of the relational architecture, and therefore therapy will look and feel very different from individual therapies which are highly egoic in nature.

What is being suggested in this work is that it is possible to transcend the normal egoic dimensions of the individual and explore other realms that are mystical in nature. For example, a physicist can describe the mechanics of gravity, and these mechanics can be measured. It is recognized immediately that if there were no gravity, this universe would not hold together. Our normal experience of life is filled with ideas of multiple things that seem solid and separate. We have a strong intrinsic sense of the world as a binary production where there are clearly definable (this & that; here & not here; right & wrong) that encourages the development a perspective that distinguishes fundamental differences in shape, color, form, solidity, temperature, light, and so on. Therefore, when looking at a client it is easy to become deceived by the habituation of all the mental differentiations and distinctions that actually arise out of a basic limited ability to perceive the individual as a part of an interactive system rather than a standalone entity.

The therapist who manages to observe and attune to relationships and human beings as on-going acts of creation can be free from the rigid expectations of what healing should look like. Creation is an unceasing phenomenon. The important point, however, is that creation itself is a process. Generally it is impossible to know the starting point so exploring the mental archeology of a problem provides a limited benefit to the therapist in understanding the current creative process within which clients are involved.

A metaphor that illustrates this point is taken from the work of Rabbi Abner Weiss If we walk into a room with a light shining, we do not know when that light was turned on. Many people have taken the egoic stance that help cannot be derived until it is known when the light was turned on, or the history around the lighting. This does little for the light shining in the room. In much the same way, an individual is operating and has been for some time, looking at the process of what they are doing is much more productive than trying to plumb the depths of their collective histories. Returning to the metaphor of the light; it may have been turned on the instant before we walked in.

Imagine that the creation of the relational architecture works the same way. The therapist is a creator, in as much as they can help a unique individual reformulate the functioning of their relational architecture. Taking the stance that a client is in a constant state of creation suggests that it is never known if the existence of a certain form will persist, or if something will instantaneously take on a completely new form. Indeed, although there are few absolute truths in this creation, one of them is that things are constantly changing. This means that we never have certainty from one moment to the next if the sustained flow of creation will persevere.

The point of this is very simple, egoic focus on the individual thoughts, feelings and behaviors feel comforting and familiar to the therapist, but have limited effectiveness in understanding or clarifying the dynamic creational experience of an individual's relational architecture. Eckhart Tolle (2005) asserts in A New Earth that one of the greatest challenges facing a person is how he or she transcends the tyranny of the ego and it's endless striving to be gratified which tends to have the effect of influencing people to look for satisfaction out of themselves, be it material object or something conceptual which they may associate with increased worth, love, likability. Many helpers have been trapped by their ego strivings, looking to meet their needs through the helping relationship. These strivings can absorb attention, energy, effort and distract the helper from being fully present with the client.

drug rehabilitation - does not work as well as hospital outpatient clinics?

We often hear the question: "There is work, hospitals and outpatient drug rehabilitation?" It 's a legitimate question, because the increase of the total cost of treatment and may be inconvenient or impractical to have to leave your home and to work for 30, 60 or 90 days of stay in a rehabilitation center.

The purpose of alcohol or drug rehabilitation: a life of alcohol or drugs, with the rehabilitated former drug addict now free and capable of a normal childLife. Both inpatient drug rehabilitation and external models have shown excellent results in achieving this goal, but recent studies have revealed that most patients that the treatment has the advantage in outpatients.

The advantage of the rehabilitation center for patients is that it is a distraction-free environment and offers 24 / 7 care and attention, something that is not in outpatients. hospitalized patients have resolved their emotional problems, to maintain their nutritional needs, their lifeimproved skills in the field of special education under the supervision of their activities. All these services are alive in relapse prevention and the promotion of self-knowledge and the need for new and non-use of medicines.

outpatient treatment, are on display opposite the day began threatening the environment itself and its dependence with all its temptations and reminders. For the successful program of rehabilitation for addicts and the patient would not allow an orderWe offer all the benefits of patient care, but also effectively the environmental risks of the former drug addict who faces every day. And 'much harder to resolve its under these circumstances to maintain. In fact, one study found outpatient alcohol rehabilitation outpatient hospital, which were nothing less than equal, customers are four times more common errors of early treatment as regular customers. In other words, four times as many addicts forwardaddiction is treated.

If you try to decide if hospital outpatient detoxification is best for your situation, keep in mind that long-term or severe dependence, the presence of problems in your life other than drug abuse, lack strong support from family, friends and colleagues work, or lack of commitment on their part are indications that hospital detoxification is necessary. all show that hospitalization may be the bestChoice. Finally, the patient requires treatment away from home and work for how long, and statistics show that more is better. Most dependencies are better with at least 90 days served, and became even more successful.

With this information, you should now have the answer to the question: "It is patient and steady work? If you manage time and take full advantage of its campaign to end their dependencePatients should be your first choice for a successful program of rehabilitation of drug addicts and drug-free life.

Drug abuse

The use of illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin and the abuse of prescription drugs responsible for the production of serious medical complications, the problems of the destruction of the lives of many families and created for schools and communities. Adolescents and young people are particularly vulnerable to abuse and when he succumbed to the temptation of drugs, which are involved in crimes and accidents that lead to poor school performance and society. He recalled thatThe law punishes drug users strong reckless.

Many people use the drug for adults to overcome the symptoms of aging, relieve stress and emotional problems. The drug, if taken during pregnancy can cause birth defects in children may show physical performance, mental, social and behavioral problems in the future. According to one estimate, about 40 percent of American adults, life has used an illicit drug during their. However, recent investigations have shown that mostAmericans against drug abuse and are willing to take a position accordingly.

Drug addiction should be treated for other diseases, such as an illness like any other. Unless the person has developed a strong sense of self-esteem and confidence will not be able to handle it. taken to prevent, through a combined strategy of prevention, intervention and treatment facilities for drug should be discontinued drug abuse. A sort of community outreachThe problem is always desirable. Help the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the notice must be sought in the rehabilitation program Nida and activities "can provide valuable assistance and support to the fight against drug abuse. He can be obtained with other drugs federal research agencies like the National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor.

Opiate Addiction Symptoms - Detecting Drug Abuse in Someone You Care About

Opiates are a group of drugs that are used medically to treat pain. This drug can have the potential to be highly abused by the people who are prescribed it. For example, these include drugs such as opium, morphine, heroin, and codeine. In addition, an opiate is a depressant and produces a euphoric affect on the user. Most users of the drug will become dependent with continued use of the drug. If the user becomes addicted then the main focus of life becomes getting high. Furthermore, this article will focus on determining opiate addiction symptoms in potential users.

The physical symptoms of opiates depend on the type, dosage and the method used to take the drug. Opiates tend to slow down the body with continued use. It can slow down the heart, breathing and brain activity. In addition, the drug can reduce appetite, sexual desire and thirst. Most people that use opiates gain a tolerance for pain. As well as, the dangers of using opiates increase when the drug is used with other drugs. A further complication is that using the drug with needles that are not sterile can lead to catching hepatitis, HIV or tetanus. If the person becomes a regular opiate user then the person will experience some withdrawal symptoms within four to five hours. Some of the symptoms are sweating, chills, irritability, uneasiness and stomach cramps.

Many pregnant women who are addicted to opiates are at high risk for a spontaneous abortion. In addition, the pregnancy can result in still born, miscarriage issues, premature births and breech deliveries. Many babies that are born addicted to opiates will share opiate addiction symptoms similar to adults. Also, the babies can experience withdrawal symptoms from a few weeks to months. Another problem is that babies born to opiate addicted mothers are at high risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Many heroin addicts tend to keep odd objects lying around the house. For example, a bent spoon, bottle caps, dirty syringes and eye droppers are some of the items used to prepare the drug for injection or smoking. Another sign of drug users is a person with a red,raw nostril from sniffing drugs. One of the more telltale signs are track marks on the body from injecting the drug with a needle. Many users have dilated or constricted eyes from drug use, if a person doesn't have immediate access to the drug then he will experience withdrawal symptoms such as excessive sweating, chills, shaking and vomiting.

Opiates are a very addictive drug and will require the help of a treatment center to overcome the addiction. In addition, the treatment of choice will depend on the type of opiates and the severity of the addiction. There are different types of drug treatment such outpatient drug counseling and inpatient drug rehab counseling. Addiction symptoms can be hard to detect in some people due to the lengths taken to cover up the problem, but having a serious talk with person can reveal the truth.

Drug, Alcohol and Rehab Article - Executive Intervention

It may be difficult to believe that doctors, lawyers, judges, airline pilots and Fortune 500 corporate executives suffer from addiction, yet it is important to understand that addiction is an equal opportunity disease affecting professionals in the same way as it does for everybody else.

An executive intervention is an excellent option for individuals who are highly productive and functional in the workplace and who suffer from the disease of addiction. In these cases, the employers or partners of the professional are faced with the reality that addiction is a progressive disease, and that it is just a matter of time before the addiction causes productivity to decline, a work related accident or incident to occur, or deteriorating health, leaving the employer/partner no choice but to dismiss the once highly valued worker.

In the case where the employer is fully aware of the substance abuse problem, they can be a highly motivating force in the executive intervention. While it is preferable for the addict to make the decision on their own to accept treatment, oftentimes the addiction may be preventing any level of rational thought necessary to make such a decision. If the message delivered by the employer/partner at the executive intervention is grounded in complete support and with the assurance that the addict's position of employment will remain, provided treatment is accepted, the addict has an added incentive to accept treatment and begin the process of recovery.

There are situations where employers may not be aware of the employee's substance abuse problems. The family and friends are painfully aware of the addiction, yet the addict has been successful at hiding it from the workplace. The family may be justifiably concerned that it is just a matter of time before the addiction causes problems at work and jeopardizes the addict's employment status. In this case, the family must exercise great care in the executive intervention. It is ill advised to announce to employers and partners of the addict the existence of the addiction and the desire to go forward with an executive intervention without first consulting with an intervention specialist and discussing the risks and issues relative to any such disclosure.

Another issue that frequently appears in executive interventions is ego. I've intervened addicts on every level of the economic spectrum, and, for the most part, they have been charismatic and highly intelligent individuals. In an executive intervention, egos may have been elevated to a higher level. Advanced education, financial status and professional degrees and licenses sometimes create an additional defense mechanism that interventionists face in an executive intervention. As an example, it would not be unusual to expect quite a bit of negotiating and outright objections when intervening an attorney. The executive or professional status of the addict should not be construed as intimidating or a deterrent from going forward with the executive intervention. It does, however, illustrate the need for considerable preparation in the pre-intervention meeting.

Perhaps the most important factor to consider if you have a friend or family member who is suffering from addiction, is that addiction is progressive (gets worse over time) and that it can be fatal (accidents and a multitude of health related issues). Simply put, good things don't happen to people suffering from addiction and the problem rarely goes away on its own.

College Culture - The Way to Addiction

Most college kids, being away from home are sucked up in the pressures of belonging, gaining friends, as well as being popular and invited to the frequent parties that come with college life. College is usually the time where the youth learn about drugs and at the same time experiment on drug use. Being in college also means drinking parties from left to right with no parents watching over or family members reminding the youth about what is right from wrong. This may result to drug abuse or being under the spell of alcoholism.

There are a lot of addicts who started their dependence on drugs and alcohol due to the following situations that are normal in colleges:

*Fraternity pressure - because of the student's need for being accepted, they join a fraternity and then succumb to the pressures of the organization. It is a reality that a lot of negative and sometimes deadly activities are being performed by fraternity members. One such activity is hazing which would range from being spanked hundreds of times by a paddle to being forced to drink gallons and gallons of water that at one time or another lead to the death of one or a couple of members. Most fraternities also encourage members to drink and do drugs and this commonly result to substance abuse. This is also the main factor for reported fraternity deaths.

*Binge drinking - this activity will never be absent from parties, especially fraternity parties. Some students are being forced to drink in order to be part of the cool crowd; this activity more often than not cause the youth to be inflicted with alcoholism and there were even some reported deaths caused by binge drinking. Most alcoholics under going treatment admit that their drinking habit started with a single or a couple of bottles of alcohol in school parties and that took them to where they are now: a rehabilitation center for alcoholics.

Using alcohol and drugs is viewed as normal activities and at the same time harmless during college. The fact that it is taken for granted leads the students to being addicts and before they know it, their lives are ruined. After all, nobody ever dreamed of becoming an alcoholic or an addict.

Education on alcoholism and substance abuse prevention should be reiterated by college campuses. Programs to fight off college addiction should also be part of the college activities. Remember that the youth headed on the path to college addiction will never admit it and would not want to seek help so it is up to the college to ensure that every student is aware of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug abuse. Preventive Measures on becoming addicts also need to be reminded to the students.

Drinking habits and drug intake habits may also be developed during college, leading to their use even after graduation especially because of the feeling of being freer now that they have graduated and will soon be working. A college addiction is never harmless. It should be stopped as early as possible.