Why Is It Important to Start Addiction Rehabilitation Sober?

Recovery is not just about ending surface drug use. It is about true healing. Quality rehab treatment focuses on healing all aspects of an individual’s addiction including the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. In order for treatment to be successful individuals must be willing to work for change. This cannot be done if the individual is still under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drugs or alcohol can cloud a patient’s mind and hinder commitment to treatment. The psychological and spiritual treatment provided during rehab cannot begin until physical treatment is complete. Individuals must have a sound mind and body to benefit from a comprehensive treatment program. Therapy, counseling, skills development and physical activity cannot be effective unless an individual is sober and has already overcome the symptoms of withdrawal.

What Will Detoxification Be Like in Inpatient Rehabilitation?

Detox is not the only treatment required for addiction recovery, but it is the first step in a comprehensive recovery plan. Patients in inpatient rehab will detox immediately, so they will have the strength and soundness of mind needed to go forward with the rest of treatment. Withdrawal symptoms present themselves during detox, and these symptoms can be so overwhelming that individuals decide to give up in the middle of treatment. Quality inpatient treatment programs focus on patients safely detoxing at the beginning of a program in order to prevent failure and minimize the risk of relapse. These facilities offer medically supervised detox services with therapeutic support and professional supervision. This method of detox reduces patients’ discomfort, ensures their safety, and prepares them for the remainder of their rehab experience.

Find Inpatient Addiction Treatment that Includes Medically Supervised Detoxification Services

Rehab professionals understand that addiction treatment is a holistic process. Detoxing from drugs or alcohol is not a simple or pleasant procedure, and no individual should be required to go through detox alone. If you are searching for an inpatient treatment program that includes detox, please call our toll-free number now. Counselors are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week to answer all your questions about addiction treatment and recovery. We are ready to help. Call today.

Some TV shows depict some steps leading up to the intervention as well as the meeting. These steps can include the following methods:

• Planning. A licensed interventionist will gather an addict’s friends and family to create a plan of action. She will explain that the common goal is to heal their loved one. She will then instruct the family to write letters to the user, explaining how much they care for him and how his drug abuse has affected their lives. They must provide examples of how their relationships will change if the user does not seek treatment. This can help push addicts to seek rehab. The entire family must work together to save their loved one.
• The reveal. Once family members have made plans, written letters and agreed on their ultimatums, they must bring the user to them. Once the user realizes what is going on, she may react in a number of ways. Common reactions on shows (as well as in reality) include the user leaving, talking defensively and sometimes listening. Either way, it is never certain how she will respond to what can seem like a sneak attack.
• The intervention. If a user listens to his friends and family, he will hear the limitations the family will place. These can include stopping financial flow, no longer providing shelter, ceasing of communication etc. The limitations are designed to get the user to think of a life damaged so deeply by drugs that it almost seems unbearable.

These instances and experiences can be seen weekly on many TV shows. While the show Intervention is edited due to time constraints, it is not edited to appear friendly. This particular show depicts the correct steps, facts and common goals of addiction recovery. What interventions are like on this specific show are quite similar to what they are like in reality.

Help with an Intervention

Interventions are difficult and hard to navigate alone. Please call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline and get connected with recovery professionals. Do not hesitate to get help with an intervention.

Signs of Drug Use

A number of physical and behavioral symptoms may become apparent as drug use begins to affect one’s job performance, including the following:

• Red or bloodshot eyes
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Exhaustion
• Disorientation
• Changes in speech patterns
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Unexcused absences

How to Help Your Boss with a Drug Addiction

In order to protect yourself, it can be helpful to follow certain guidelines when you decide to seek help for your boss, including the following:

• Maintaining a written log of your boss’s physical and behavioral changes can help you to keep track of exact times and dates when these changes become noticeable. This can also help provide proof that your accusation is valid if you chose to reach out to another authority figure at your workplace for help.
• Continue to interact with your boss in the same manner as you would on a normal basis and hold him accountable for his usual responsibilities. If your boss cannot fulfill his obligations due to drug use, that may help confirm the existence of his drug problem to others at your company.
• Do not share your concerns with other colleagues, since that would appear to be spreading gossip. Instead, focus on handling the issue in the most careful manner possible.
• If you have a close relationship with your boss and he begins to ask you to lend him money or cover for him, do not enable the addictive behavior. Being part of the problem will not allow you to help find a solution.

This situation requires careful handling, so it may be beneficial to research the drug abuse policy for your workplace and find out who you should contact about it. Companies commonly have an anonymous helpline in place for employees to call and report situations such as this. You should not be afraid to speak with someone in a position of power at your workplace and present the information that you have recorded about your boss’s drug abuse. This can allow the proper authorities to intervene and provide your boss with the help he needs.

Finding Addiction Help for Your Boss or Coworker

If you fear that your boss or coworker is struggling with drug addiction, please call our toll-free helpline now. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you may have about addiction and drug abuse symptoms. Please call now.

When emotionally supporting a recovering addict, it is extremely important to remember that your loved one suffers from a disease. Addiction is a disease that takes over the mind and will of the afflicted person. As with some other diseases, patients may have made poor lifestyle choices that contributed to the onset of the disease, but that does not mean that he is a bad person. Furthermore, much of the addictive behavior that you may have witnessed can be attributed to the disease, and it is likely that your loved one will feel bad about his past behavior once in recovery. It is critical to be supportive and empathetic and to avoid the natural tendency to judge. Keep in mind that your loved one has made a difficult decision to enter treatment, is likely to be apprehensive at the prospect of an uncertain future and can use all the support you can muster.

The Challenges of Recovery

Addicts face many challenges while recovering from addiction. During treatment and recovery an addict will be compelled to do the following:

• Stop engaging in behavior that has become a strongly reinforced habit
• Stop using a substance on which her body has become physically dependent
• Undergo an unpleasant detox that may include severe withdrawal symptoms
• Engage in a possibly emotionally painful process of self-examination
• Admit the mistakes he has made that have led to this situation
• Learn entirely new ways of living and methods for coping with stress
• Spend an extended period of time away from home in the unfamiliar environment of rehab
• Emerge from the secure environment of rehab back into the real world where she is certain to be confronted with the temptation to relapse
• Avoid former friends and situations that may tempt him to relapse
• Make new friends
• Face old friends who may or may not be aware of or sympathetic to her situation
• Face people who may have seen the worst of his addictive behavior
• Apply the lessons learned in therapy to real world situations
• Form new habits
• Deal with life without the crutch of drugs

Support Is Crucial to a Successful Addiction Recovery

All of the challenges the recovering addict must face mean that recovery can be a challenging, unpleasant and downright frightening experience. The support of caring family and friends will help the recovering addict to feel that he is not alone in his efforts to overcome addiction. This can be a critical factor in a successful recovery.

Help Providing Emotional Support for a Loved One during Recovery

Call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline today for instant support. We can help you prepare for an addict’s homecoming, or teach you what behaviors to avoid while helping someone recover. Give us a call now and get help today.

• Flashbacks
• Anxiety disorders
• Nightmares and sleeplessness
• Emotional disorders
• Temper management problems and corresponding verbal or physical abuse
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Suicidal thoughts or actions

In many cases individuals suffering from PTSD unconsciously self-medicate their symptoms through drug or alcohol abuse. This kind of abuse quickly leads to a full blown addiction that can cloud an individual’s ability to recognize her own need for help.

The Psychological Effects of Addiction and Trauma

The most powerful aspect of addiction is how it affects a person’s psychological health. The same part of the brain that is the most impacted by substance abuse also manages a wide range of critical emotional functions, including the following:

• Anxiety control
• Impulse control
• Reinforcing behavior (forming habits)
• Memory

Drugs and alcohol provide short lived but significant relief from PTSD’s psychological symptoms. The brain will crave this relief and will use whatever it takes to maintain it. The resulting cravings happen in a part of the brain that directs behavior much more powerfully than rational thought or willpower. In many cases, an addict’s brain will simply reject the fact that he has a problem. In some cases holding a group intervention may be the only way to get through.

How to Hold an Addiction Intervention

Any time you talk with an addict about her problem, you are technically intervening; but, most people associate the term with the kind of surprise confrontations depicted in movies and TV shows. These group interventions can be very effective, but they are quite risky. Loved ones considering such a confrontation must know the essential elements of a successful intervention, including the following:

• Communicating your belief in the addict and committing to help him recover
• Careful articulation of your concerns about your loved one’s disease
• Establishing and being prepared to enforce healthy boundaries
• Understanding the nature of PTSD and its connection to addiction
• Knowing who to have present at the meeting
• Being prepared for every possible outcome, including denial, anger, avoidance, emotional collapse and acceptance
• Developing a detailed treatment plan, including transportation, financial planning and understanding insurance coverage

In many cases these interventions are best handled with a professional interventionist who can prepare loved ones in advance of the meeting and can manage the confrontation.

Help Planning or Executing an Intervention

If you are considering holding an intervention for a loved one who is affected by PTSD and addiction, we can help. Call our toll-free, 24 hour helpline any time and our specially trained experts will answer any questions you may have. We can connect you with the best addiction recovery resources, including professional interventionists and the best rehab options for your loved one’s specific needs. You are not alone. Call today and let us help you hold a successful intervention for your loved one.

Length of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The length of alcohol withdrawal symptoms can vary from user to user, but with professional detox treatment your withdrawals should last between a few days to two weeks. This will be the most uncomfortable period of recovering from alcohol addiction, but you will no longer suffer from alcohol withdrawals when you leave detox. However, detox should not be the end of your treatment, because alcohol addiction is a larger problem than just physical withdrawal symptoms. Beyond that, alcohol addiction poses real physical, emotional, spiritual and mental problems that can only be resolved through further addiction treatment.

Beating Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

You may think you can wait your withdrawal symptoms out, but it will not be that easy. If you attempt to let endure alcohol withdrawal symptoms without professional help, you are quite likely to relapse. The urge to drink will become greater and greater each hour that passes without alcohol. If you are serious about getting past alcohol withdrawals and about quitting, seek professional help in the form of a detox treatment center. Remember, detox does not solve alcoholism. To overcome alcoholism you will need to continue treatment after detox. You may need long-term rehab, but the time and money will be worth it when you leave sober and capable of staying that way for good.

Getting Treatment for Alcoholism

You are not helpless against your alcoholism. If you would like to improve your life and get past alcoholism, call our toll-free helpline. We want to talk to you about the types of treatment available to help you with alcoholism, and we can direct you to a treatment center that can treat you. We are here 24 hours a day to answer any question you have about your addiction and to tell you if your health insurance will pay for rehab. Call our toll-free helpline today, because just one call may be what it takes to change your life.

Talking to Loved Ones about Your Addiction Recovery

When talking to loved ones about your addiction recovery, try to remember they may be curious, hurt, or just as uncomfortable as you are. Good communication skills and honesty will go a long way in mending damaged or broken relationships. Always consider others’ feelings, but don’t withhold truth. You can open up the conversation by discussing what happened while you were in rehab. Start by talking about the basics—this will help break the ice and will certainly be followed by questions. Make sure to reiterate your intentions of maintaining your sobriety and ask for their help and support. The rest of the discussion can go as you please. A few topics to think about discussing may include the following:

• Anything said or done while under the influence that may still need to be resolved
• What each person in the relationship can do to communicate their feelings in a healthy, open way
• How you will deal with problems, arguments or other complications
• How your friends and family need a zero tolerance policy for drug use
• Ways to help one another grow in the relationship
• A plan of action and a new lifestyle that will encourage sobriety

Talking to Your Children about Your Addiction Recovery Process

Talking to a child about addiction recovery can be one of the most difficult things you will have to do. Children may still have feelings of guilt, confusion, shame, hurt, disappointment, or anger. Before you start your discussion, pause for a moment to consider what you want to say and why you want to say it. Most children will not be fooled by an insincere apology, or a feeble attempt to lessen your own guilt. Children also do not want a lecture about how they should not repeat the behavior they have witnessed themselves. Before speaking to your children about addiction recovery, think about the ultimate goal of healing the strained relationship. A child doesn’t want to hear excuses, justifications or empty promises. Be honest and ask for forgiveness.

Ease Back Into Life after Addiction Treatment

If you, your family and loved ones need help readjusting after drug treatment, please let us help you. Call our toll-free helpline today to speak to a rehab professional about addiction recovery. We are here 24 hours a day to keep both you and your family on track with your recovery, so let us make the transition as easy as possible for you. Your relationships and life and waiting to spark again, let us help you find that.

Is Substance Abuse Common Among Soldiers and Veterans?

The Department of Defense’s Survey of Health Related Behaviors reveals that prescription drug abuse and heavy alcohol use has become a significant problem among active soldiers, returning soldiers and veterans. Prescription drug abuse rates have almost tripled from 2005 to 2008, it is estimated that 27 percent of soldiers who have returned home are at risk for alcohol abuse. Mental illnesses such as PTSD, TBI and depression are reported to affect close to 20 percent of active military personnel and 42 percent of soldiers who have returned home. These mental health conditions can trigger substance abuse problems. When someone is dealing with both a mental health concern and substance abuse, the results can be fatal. Behavior may be erratic, hostile, aggressive and unwarranted. Abuse, fighting, arguments, violence and suicide are all possible for a soldier who is dealing with co-occurring disorders. The Department of Defense’s survey shows that drug or alcohol use was involved in 30 percent of the Army’s suicide deaths from 2003 to 2009. Drugs or alcohol were also found in more than 45 percent of non-fatal suicide attempts from 2005 to 2009.

Getting a Soldier or Veteran into Rehab through an Intervention

Substance abuse and mental health disorders affect each soldier and his or her family differently. However without proper treatment both addiction and mental health issues will progress. They perpetuate one another and lead to a number of severe consequences to one’s physical and psychological health. The earlier a soldier or veteran finds help, the better the chances are that he or she will find lasting benefit from treatment. Getting a soldier or vet into addiction recovery treatment can be difficult. Families may be frightened or unsure of how to approach the subject. The soldier or vet may have shown aggression, hostility or denial at earlier suggestions of finding help or reducing drug or alcohol use. However these thoughts, actions and feelings are not controlled by the subject. He or she is a victim to the disorder or addiction and may need caring family and friends to gently push him or her into treatment. This is why an intervention may be the best route for finding help. Soldiers are able to see how their disease is affecting their loved ones, and they may be motivated to get help. Staging an intervention is a complex process, and families or friends should get help from a professional interventionists to make sure the event runs smoothly and is as effective as possible.

Help for Families Affected by a Soldier’s Substance Abuse

Families or loved ones of a soldier or veteran may also reap the effects of combat, deployment and injury. When getting help for a loved one, families and friends may need treatment too. Quality treatment programs will offer individual or family counseling and therapy for everyone who has been affected by the situation.

Stage an Intervention

If a loved one has returned home and is facing a mental health and/or substance abuse issues, please get help now. The longer you wait, the more devastating the consequences become. Call our toll-free helpline to get information on interventions, treatment programs and recovery services. We are here 24 hours a day to answer any questions you may have. Don’t risk losing a life that means so much to you. Please get help now.

How Do I Make an Intervention Run Smoothly?

One factor of an effective intervention is preparation. You cannot prepare enough. Every last detail of the intervention should be planned out ahead of time. Whoever wants to speak should always write out ahead of time what he wants to say, no matter what. The group should include only a small number of the addict’s closes friends and confidants (no larger than 10) and they must all be on the same page. The goal of the intervention is to get the addict into treatment and there is no room for excuses. Yes, an intervention can be nerve-racking, intense and even scary. To ensure that the intervention runs smoothly, most families hire an intervention specialist.

Ways to Keep Your Cool during an Intervention

If you feel overwhelmed with your emotions, you might try the following to help keep your anger under control:

• Focus on the big picture
• Focus on the positive
• Forgive
• De-stress
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques

Do I Need Professional Intervention Help?

If you are considering having an intervention for a loved one you will want to do it right; an intervention gone wrong may result in the addict not getting the treatment help that she so desperately needs. To avoid this, you can get help from the experts in the field. Call our toll-free helpline today to speak with a rehab professional who can answer your questions about staging an intervention and can also connect you to an intervention specialist. Whether you are looking for information or would like to meet with a specialist who can assist you through this process, we can help. We are here 24 hours a day to assist you with your addiction recovery needs. Your call is free and it could be the catalyst to your loved one’s recovery. What are you waiting for? Call us today.

Getting Addiction Help for a Friend or Family Member

The following are a few of the ways that you can help an addict get professional recovery care:

• Reach out to the addicted person’s closest friends and family members, and discuss your concerns
• Engage in conversations about staging an addiction intervention
• Hire an interventionist who can provide you with guidance and support
• Research the intervention process so that you are prepared and informed
• Reach out to a quality rehab facility to learn more about available programs

When you work with professional interventionists, you will learn all there is to know about the intervention process including what you should share with your addicted friend or family member. You will also be prepared for the reactions that you may receive from your loved one during the process. Many addicts react defensively which can lead them to say and do things that would otherwise be completely out of character for them.

After a successful intervention a rehab program will use a variety of beneficial treatments and therapies to treat your loved one’s addiction. Integrated treatment plans will work to understand the root cause of the addictive behavior and also treat the addiction itself. Many addicts develop their addiction as a direct result of trying to self-medicate the symptoms of another issue. A mental health concern like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or even posttraumatic stress disorder can be the root cause of their addiction.

Get Confidential Addiction Help

If you are worried about an addicted friend or family member, please call our toll-free helpline. We are available to help you 24 hours a day. Our counselors can help you to find interventionists or determine the next steps in getting your loved one the quality addiction care he or she needs.