Drug Rehabilitation

Elderly Drug Abuse: A Real and Growing Threat

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation on January 19th, 2012

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there will be approximately 4.4 million cases of elderly substance abuse by the year 2020. This means that senior citizen substance abuse is a real problem and a growing threat expected to affect millions of seniors if nothing is done about it.

seniors drug abusePrevious studies made on the same subject have presented figures of substance abuse among elders. In 2005, there were 184,400 individuals aged 50 and above placed under drug rehabilitation programs. Earlier in 2001, there were 143,000, which means an increase of roughly 8% in just a few years.

Below are some facts on elderly substance abuse we need to be familiar about:

1. Interventions are considered more of a necessity for elderly substance abuse cases. Senior citizens don’t often admit to having problems as they are afraid of what other people might say about them. This is why intervention should be done as early as possible for such cases.

2. The most common type of substance abuse at this level is alcohol abuse. Yet at present, the trend is increasing towards prescription drug abuse in this age group.

3. The bright side of it all is that when senior citizens are placed under rehab, they usually are more successful compared to other age groups. They are highly motivated to finish the program and they can easily adapt especially when the treatment program is designed for them.

4. Other types of drug abuse such as heroin or cocaine use seldom happens for senior citizens.

It is very important that elderly addicts be separated from their younger counterparts. There is a big difference between a younger addict and an elderly addict. Unlike younger people with substance abuse problems, senior citizens don’t behave as extreme as those of other age groups. They even prefer to be on a treatment program which gives them more time to be on their own rather than interacting with others on the same situation.

No Comments

Parents Dealing with Child’s Drug Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing on January 5th, 2012

Statistics on drug abuse in the year 2011 proves to be very alarming especially for parents. For the fourth straight year, marijuana use among high school seniors increased. In the same student population, 50% of them admitted to using illicit drugs at some point in their young lives while 40% of them are already into one or more types of drug abuse in the past year alone.

child drug abuseUnfortunately, not all drug abuse cases get the necessary treatment or therapy. More than 23 million people in America are hooked on drug and alcohol use, yet only 2.6 million receive the help that they need to sober up again.

When this problem occurs in the family especially on kids, parents should be ready and equip themselves to be able to deal with the situation. When parents suspect their child is into drug use, it’s best to have him immediately tested. Parents can purchase drug testing kits for their children or acquire the services of professionals in doing the process.

Kids are not the only ones who need help with drug problems. Parents too need the proper information and support to better handle their kids’ problems. The more parents learn about the condition of their kids, the more they are able to help them get better. There are many organizations that offer their services to help parents in complicated situations.

It is necessary to have the parent-child talk, but it should be done at the right time and place. Do not attempt to talk to kids when they are under the influence or when there are other people that could hear your conversation. Yet it is important that the talk should be made at the soonest possible time before things get worse.

Parents should never let shame or fear get in the way of helping their child. After all, there are other families who experience the same problem and resolving the problem is much more important than keeping family reputation.

No Comments

RASE Project: Helping Addicts Recover from Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation on December 19th, 2011

Recovery, Advocacy, Service and Empowerment (RASE) has once again opened its doors to individuals who want to seek help and treatment for substance abuse.

drug abuse recoveryRASE started its operation in May 2001 when a group of treatment professionals as well as those in recovery for substance abuse started it in Pennsylvania for the benefit of those who are in need of the services they provide.

Executive director Denise Holden, who was once herself an addict but successfully overcame her challenges, said that RASE serves as an outlet for people who have the same experience as hers to help out in the community.

“When people get clean they disappear into anonymous recovery communities to protect themselves from the stigma,” she said. Through RASE, fully recovered victims will be given the opportunity to make a difference by volunteering to help others.

At present, RASE has established recovery centers for women in Cumberland and Dauphin counties; addiction treatment care facility for adults in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Perry, and Lebanon counties; and support centers and services at Lancaster and Dauphin counties.

The organization has also provided professional training and information dissemination and educational services throughout the areas they have covered. They also hold events that address the problem of substance abuse with ready resource speakers. Assessment and referrals as well as family interventions are also being done.

Funding is important for any organization, but RASE founders say, their advocacy will continue even if financial support is limited or completely runs out. The fact that they are able to save a lot of lives that might have been otherwise wasted by substance abuse is enough for volunteers and other members to continue each and every day of their operation.

For those interested to help and share, you may contact RASE Project at 717-232-8535 or visit www.raseproject.org.

No Comments

Types of Drug Abuse Intervention

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on November 27th, 2011

When a drug crisis happens in the family, immediate interventions are important. Interventions are done to be able to help and save a family member whose life is being destroyed by his or her addictions. The process will allow drug or alcohol addicts to admit that they are in trouble and that they will have the courage to voluntarily get into treatment facilities.

drug abuse interventionThere are three basic types of intervention: simple, classical, and family system.

Simple intervention happens when a person asks the drug or alcohol addict to simply stop his or her addictions. This type of intervention needs to be done repeatedly, though, to be effective in most cases. You’ll be surprised on what a simple request can do. This type of intervention should be the first to be considered before going into more advanced methods.

Classical intervention has been used for the longest time to help addicts. It happens when the element of a drug and alcohol treatment facility is involved. The goal for this type of intervention is to persuade a troubled individual to seek the help of professionals to control his addictions.

The family system of intervention is usually focused on the family and not only on the addict. The whole family gets involved in helping their troubled family member fight off his addictions. This will require changes in the whole family’s behavior to have a positive influence on the addicted member. These changes will help an addict consider getting help from drug rehabilitation centers to be sober again.

Yet the family’s involvement in the healing process is vital, whether their addicted family member goes into a rehab center or not. This is why proper education and the correct information or knowledge should be shared to the whole family so that each member will know how to deal with the troubled individual.

No Comments

Drug Abuse Therapy for the Family

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Rehabilitation on November 26th, 2011

Drug abuse is a reality that could affect every member of the family. When parents become dependent on drugs, there’s a big chance that children in the family will also learn to use drugs, and the result is a very grim picture of a family destroyed by drug abuse.

family recoveryWhen a family is in trouble with drugs, the best way to address the situation is through family counseling. This is where families will be able to get in touch with professionals that will help them overcome their addictions. In facilities that offer family counseling, everything that is needed for treatment is available, and both adults and children will be dealt with accordingly by counselors.

Family counseling also evaluates the whole family as to how deeply rooted their drug problem is. They use tools such as Addiction Assessment and even Alcohol Evaluations, as alcohol is closely linked to drug problems. The most important part of the family service is the behavioral treatment. Family members who undergo behavioral treatment will learn how to cope with life’s challenges without using drugs. This is where they learn to control their cravings and how to avoid situations that will trigger drug use or relapse.

As each individual is unique, family counselors usually use combined treatment methods like individual or family counseling coupled with cognitive behavioral therapy. Hopefully, families will be able to rebuild their personal relationships that were destroyed by drug use and they will be able to restore their roles in the community with these combination therapies.

If you think drug addiction does not happen in very young children, you can be very wrong. For family therapists, it isn’t a surprise when they encounter very young drug addicts in a family where the adults battle drug addiction. The therapists will help these children by providing them with the age-appropriate methods of treatment and behavioral counseling, and include the family as a whole to have a stronger family support as they go through the treatment process.

No Comments

Best Self-Help Books for Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on November 2nd, 2011

People who are recovering from substance addiction certainly need all the help and support that they can get. Those who had successful journeys had effective recovery programs, the full support of their families, and formed meaningful relationships with other recovering addicts.

They may also had printed works or books that helped them better understand their situation. Here are some examples of books worth one’s attention in their mission to get better.

A Gentle Path Through the Twelve Steps1. A Gentle Path Through the Twelve Steps: The Classic Guide for All People in the Process of Recovery by Patrick Carnes – This is one of the best self-help books that illustrate the different processes in treatment. It has a workbook form that will make a patient integrate the twelve steps into their daily lives towards full recovery.

2. Alcoholic Anonymous by Alcoholic Anonymous – Known as the ‘Big Book’ which contains the basics from Alcoholics Anonymous, this includes a number of testimonies from AA members who have triumphed in their battles.

3. The Harder They Fall: Celebrities Tell Their Real-Life Stories of Addiction and Recovery by Gary Stromberg and Jane Merrill – When it comes to things that could perk up one’s interests, celebrities make for useful tools, even for addicts. This compilation features Richard Pryor, Mariette Hartley, Alice Cooper, Steve Earle, and Grace Slick, all sharing their honest and affecting essays.

4. Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide for Managing Drugs and Alcohol – Instead of forced abstinence, this book will help a person develop the skills and understanding for harm reduction which they can turn into positives that will help them mend their ways. It also offers support and comfort, and the solace that every troubled individual needs.

No Comments