The authors of these articles wrote them based on their
own perspectives that they acquired while struggling with their own
addictions, their experiences as treatment providers after recovering
and researching the written materials of other treatment providers and
medical professionals. Also, from working with many recovered (and some
not so recovered) addicts. This combination can deliver some insight
into the world of addiction and recovery that can't be found in many
places.
Click on any title to read the entire article.
Finding
Suitable Drug Treatment Centers
Drug addiction knows no geographic, age, gender or ethnic boundaries.
It can strike anyone and everywhere! So one might argue that an addiction
is an addiction and they all need to be treated the same. If it were
only that simple! The disease of addiction is the only disease a person
can have that tells you that you don't have it. Also, when an addict
finally realizes that he does have a serious problem, this disease assures
him it's going to be okay, just do some more and everything will be
okay. Addiction is a cunning and baffling foe and your chances of beating
it without help are slim to none.
More About Meth
The acute effects of methamphetamine include increased heart rate and
blood pressure, vasoconstriction (constriction of the arterial walls),
pupil dilation and hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar). A person who
ingests meth will experience an increased focus and mental alertness,
the elimination of the subjective effects of fatigue and a decrease
in appetite. Continued high doses of methamphetamine produce anxiety
reactions during which the person is fearful, tremulous and concerned
about his well-being; an amphetamine psychosis in which the person misinterprets
others' actions, hallucinates and becomes unrealistically suspicious;
an exhaustion syndrome, involving intense fatigue and need for sleep
after the stimulation phase; and a prolonged depression, during which
suicide is possible.
Alcohol
Withdrawal Symptoms
When someone who has become "alcohol dependent" stops drinking,
they will experience some level of physical discomfort. This is why
it is extremely difficult for them to stop drinking "on their own"
without assistance and support.
Safely
Managing Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
Heroin addiction, as well as all opiate addictions, usually require
medically monitored detox for the severe withdrawal symptoms the drugs
produce. Heroin use causes a strong physical dependence and therefore
withdrawal can result in serious complications when the use of the drug
is stopped abruptly. Cold-turkey heroin detox and withdrawal symptoms
can include seizures, heart irregularities, vomiting, insomnia and the
sweats. Once the body has adapted to the presence of the drug, withdrawal
symptoms may occur if heroin use is reduced or stopped.
Cocaine
or Crack Cocaine
The effects of cocaine normally occur immediately after ingestion and
can last from a few minutes to a few hours. The duration of the drug's
effects depends on how it is ingested. Snorting cocaine produces a slow
onset of effects that can last from 15 to 30 minutes, while the effects
of smoking cocaine last from 5 to 10 minutes and produce a more intense
high. Cocaine produces euphoric effects by building up dopamine in the
brain, causing the continuous stimulation of neurons.
Guide
To A Successful Intervention
Persons suffering from alcoholism and other drug addictions are prone
to serious denial about the harmful effects of their behavior on themselves
and others. Efforts to reason with them and convince them to stop causing
such damage are frequently met with denial, defensiveness, justification
or minimization and sometimes even attacks upon the loved-one that is
trying to help.
Many
Types of Alcohol and Drug Rehabs
Alcohol and Drug Rehabs can differ greatly in the types
of services that they provide. If you're attempting to
locate a suitable rehab for yourself or a loved one, this article
will give you an overview of the different types of alcohol and drug
rehabs that are available. Some are fairly expensive, running as much
as forty to fifty thousand dollars for a 30-day program, while others
are county funded, county contracted or accept Medicaid, Medicare and
insurance for payment. Others don't accept any insurance, but their
fees are moderate, so they are reasonably priced alternatives for those
with limited or no insurance coverage at all.