Archive for November, 2009

Drug Addiction: How Family and Friends Can Make A Difference

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on November 24th, 2009

The consequences of being addicted to drugs are many, and most, if not all of them, are adverse. So, what should you do when you find out that your friend or a member of your family is a drug addict, but wants out of the trap that he has fallen in? Can your actions, however small they are, make a difference in his life?

treatment supportThe answer is yes – your presence can make a big difference. Drug addicts often have no one to turn to regarding their problems, and this sense of isolation is one of the main motivations for prolonged drug use. Family and friends play a significant role in helping them get out of that rut and accept the reality of their situation. Remember that social connections can influence the individual’s perception of right and wrong, which can determine their decisions and actions later in life. By extension, the influence of these groups can help drug addicts change the way they see themselves. In this case, it’s to let them see that the drugs are in fact damaging their body, mind, and social lives.

The main thing you can do for your friend is to slowly convince and motivate him to undergo treatment, which becomes harder and harder as he becomes more and more dependent on the drug. In this case, social reinforcement becomes a vital component in motivating the soon-to-be patient. Also, involvement in a treatment program can help the individual come to grips with his situation, and can encourage him to go all the way through with the program.

Monitoring the individual’s actions is also important in order to avoid a relapse, which is the one thing that can waste the efforts done during treatment. It may take a very long time, but with your help, it is possible. And it also helps to believe that you can make that happen.

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Get Ready for the Usual Excuses for Drug Addiction

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on November 23rd, 2009

Those with drug problems often find excuses to continue with the habit. The natural tendency is to attempt to rationalize their drug addiction, stressing that there is a definite and valid cause to justify their drug use.  If true and lasting recovery is to take place, we must learn to sift through the excuses and look at the real heart of the problem.

drug addictionOne excuse that users give is that they feel that they have a sense of control over their drug use. They claim that they can stop anytime they want to. While this may be possible to some extent, prolonged use can lead to addiction, even if the time period of usage is not continuous. It is one thing to go back to it from time to time, and it’s another thing to completely cease from it.

Others may claim that they are not even using the drug enough to become addicted — a perception that is subject to a lot of doubts and debate. One thing we must remember is that tolerance to the drug can be built up from long-term drug use, and the amount of the drug required to achieve the desired effect, whether euphoria or placidity, also increases.

Somewhere along the line of their addiction, they may start to blame you for their habit, telling you that you never give them respect, acknowledgment, and love. That is why they say that they delve into drug use in order to simulate the feeling of being happy, or at least attempt to escape reality even for just a brief moment. It is thus very important to keep in mind that you, as a separate individual, are not the cause for his drug habit. Remember that it is the user’s choice, and not yours.

Knowing the excuses drug users usually dish out, it becomes easier to find the right responses and rebuttals for their claims. This can help in the long run, especially when on the long road to rehabilitation.

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How to Avoid Relapses During Drug Addiction Treatment

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on November 22nd, 2009

The whole point of undergoing drug addiction treatment is to escape the cycle of drug use and dependence. Hence, when the patient in question falls back into his old habits, the treatment can be considered a failure, and the chances are that the patient would grow more dependent on the drug than ever.

drug abuse treatmentSo how do we avoid relapses during the course of the drug addiction treatment? To do this, we must first remember that treatment is not a one-time thing. It is a continuous process that goes on for a certain length of time, depending on the length of the patient’s contact with the drug as well as the severity of the damage caused. We may be talking about weeks, months, and in some cases years.

A relapse can happen if the patient falls back into his drug habit, which must be avoided at all costs if a successful treatment is desired. Preventing this highly depends on proper and constant monitoring and testing of the patient, and in some cases direct intervention is required if he shows signs of being dangerously close to suffering a relapse.

Of course, relapses are more likely to happen when the patient has used drugs for a prolonged period of time. The longer they have taken drugs, the higher the possibility of them falling back to their old ways. Positive reinforcement during treatment plays a vital role, since this can encourage the patient’s active participation during treatment, which can increase the likelihood of being completely cured of drug addiction.

The success of treatment depends on the anticipation of relapses, and the intervening measures made during the process. These measures include proper and constant monitoring, direct intervention, and positive reinforcement during treatment. All of these measures are critical to ensure the patient’s independence from drug use.

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Link Between Drug Addiction and Crime Is Real

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on November 21st, 2009

Using drugs may not have a visible impact on your life at the start (or so you think). Sooner or later, though, you may find yourself having trouble coping with the habit. As the craving intensifies, so does the body’s dependence on the drug itself. Sometimes this can drive you to do things that you have never even thought of doing. These things are done under the impression that you must have the drug by any means necessary, even if it means you have to steal from a store, mug someone, or even kill someone.

theftThe sad truth of the matter is that this kind of scenario is not an exaggeration. Criminal behavior and drug addiction are closely related, since the compulsion for the drug makes the individual forget about norms and proper modes of behavior. All that matters is the immediate satisfaction of their craving, and everything else is put at the periphery. As the amount of drugs required to satisfy the perceived need increases, so does the cost of each “fix”.

Most of the time, the expenses can’t be covered by the individual’s meager allowance or salary, so they resort to more extreme methods like stealing, shoplifting and burglary just to have the money to sustain their lifestyle. The more drugs they need, the greater amount of money is required.

Therefore, the probability of an individual to engage in criminal modes of behavior is dependent on his urge to satisfy the craving for the drug, which only intensifies the more times he uses drugs. Here, it is also safe to say that their criminal behavior is generally money-related, and the severity of the crime is also directly proportional to the user’s sense of desperation, which constitutes a great part of their motivation.

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How to Motivate Drug Users to Undergo Treatment

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment on November 20th, 2009

While it is easy to say that being in a treatment program can solve the problem of drug addiction, it becomes especially hard to do as more time passes by, as the cravings grow stronger and the withdrawal symptoms slowly begin to drive the user near insanity. For treatment to be successful, they must undergo the whole length of the program, and this is an especially difficult task.

confusion and isolationSo how can you motivate them to stick to it until the end? One possible motivation that you can give them is emotional support. Show them that they are not alone during the recovery period. Be there for them when the craving strikes. Prevent them from using drugs, even when their bodies scream for using them. Isolation can be one of the greatest threats to a successful treatment, since it would only make them find another reason to continue with their drug use.

Support groups are also important. While you can help users by preventing and discouraging them from going with their habit, those with similar experiences can often serve as the inspiration for others. It would also give them a sense of awareness that they are not alone in going through with the process of drug withdrawal, drug testing and drug abuse treatment, and that there are people who have successfully made it.

Of course, encouragement will always be the best motivator. The lack of self-confidence can be deterrent in treatment, and some just drop out of the race thinking that there is no possible way that they could do it. Give them courage to go through with treatment. If they believe that they can recover, the results of the program would be relatively better than if they didn’t. Furthermore, if you give them that kind of confidence, half the battle has already been won. The other half lies in his endurance and perseverance to go through with the process from start to finish.

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Behavioral Symptoms of Drug Abuse According to Drug Type

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on November 19th, 2009

Perhaps the greatest effect of drug abuse lies in the various adverse changes that it gives to the brain, and this can affect the way the individual thinks and acts within social situations. The behavioral changes attributed to drug use can vary according to the type of drugs taken.

So, what are the things that you need to watch out for if you think that your friend or loved one is using drugs?

STIMULANTS
If the individual used stimulants such as cocaine and meth, he may experience an episode of restlessness since stimulants give an artificial feeling of “being energized”. This restlessness can manifest itself through being overly cheerful, talkative, and being too excited over even the smallest of things.

drug abuseDEPRESSANTS
Depressants such as marijuana have the opposite effect on the body, and the user may become more lethargic when he is high. If the individual shows signs of being too placid, or if his responsiveness and attention span wanes, chances are that he may be taking depressants. Depression is also another side-effect of this type of drug, and the individual can also show signs of voluntary self-isolation because of it.

HALLUCINOGENS
Hallucinogens have the most unusual effect on the body, since it allows the user to experience hallucinations. If taken in high doses, the drug can cause a feeling of hallucinating that may persist even long after the user has taken it, and this can compromise his relationships with the people around him. The user can also show signs of preferring to be in his make-believe world rather than deal with reality itself.

While drugs may have a general effect on the body, the behavioral changes can vary according to the type of drug taken. Stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens may each have their corresponding consequences, but this does not make any less dangerous than the other.

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