Drug Rehabilitation

Marijuana has been legalized in some states in the USA. I can’t forget the time when that happened. I was astounded because I had known someone who used marijuana and I saw its effects on him. Needless to be said, it wasn’t pretty. First of all, you didn’t think smoking marijuana would have no effect whatsoever, did you? If ordinary cigarettes could cause lung cancer, then expect marijuana to be more harmful than them. The primary active component of marijuana is called THC which is short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

The chemical THC alters the way hippocampus, a part of your brain, works. The hippocampus is the part of our brain responsible for learning, keeping memory, connecting experience with emotions, etcetera. Which means that for a frequent marijuana user, these aspects are skewed and altered. The ability of the hippocampus to function deteriorates, hence affection mental and behavioral aspects of a person. Not only does learning and memory deteriorate, but one’s behavior is also altered. This especially holds true for heavy users who smoke marijuana every day or so.

With regards to one’s physical well-being, smoking marijuana greatly increases the risks of lung cancer. When one smokes marijuana frequently, cotton mouth isn’t the only side effect. Cough, phlegm, chest colds as well as display symptoms of chronic bronchitis. This is due to the fact that the tar inhaled by marijuana smokers is around five times as great as cigarette smokers since marijuana smokers tend to keep the drag of the marijuana inside their lungs longer than cigarette smokers do.

Marijuana could affect the every day behavior of a person such as causing one to have a short attention span and anxiety or panic attacks. In short, despite being legalized, marijuana is completely a health hazard. Proceed with caution and think hard before you decide to lay hands on it.

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We all know drug addiction is a rampant problem in today’s society. I’ve seen a neighborhood wherein buying illegal substance is as normal and as easy as buying candy from a store. That’s how bad it is. And most of the times, we find out that one of our loved ones are addicted a tad too late and by that that time, our only chance is in rehabilitation. And in truth, I know you can’t stop blaming yourselves. If only you found out earlier than you did, you could have done something about it sooner. If only you had enough foresight to see what will happen, you could have prevented it from happening.

Don’t blame yourself for everything that happened. When addiction happens, there are severe changes in a person you can’t just overlook. If only you knew what they were, you’re surely to find out earlier.

1. Physical Changes

Someone who’s been abusing drugs would undergo abrupt physical changes. One would be a sudden drop or increase in weight. Big circles under the puffy red eyes, thinning hair and a if one loses weight, a gaunt unhealthy appearance. Lack of hygiene and grooming could also be observed.

2. Changes in Temperament in Behavior

Symptoms include angry outbursts, instability, the predilection for risky undertakings, incoherent babblings, neglect, always being in debt or having money problems too frequently and in many cases, forgetting laws and norms in society.

If you happen to spot multiple signs of drug abuse in your loved one, it’s best if you try to find out if drugs are indeed involved. A drug addict might also be experiencing problems with his body. Nausea and frequent blackouts, for example, combined with any of the above could also indicate drug abuse. Use these signs as indications of abuse. After all, prevention is better than cure.

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Drugs aren’t only an adult problem any longer. Decades back, the thought of children using any kind of illegal substance is unheard of, even ludicrous. And I could only imagine how our great-great-grandparents would react to how society is these days. In more recent years, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is little in the real world which WON’T surprise me. I got a wide imagination, but thinking that what I’m imagining could actually be true is what surprises me. Sometimes I think I see the world through rose-colored glasses and there’ll always be a point in time, without fail, when those glasses are shattered by what’s truly going on.

I used to volunteer for feeding programs back when I went to school. We went to the most depressed areas imaginable — ghettos where residents could stick a knife on your flank without batting an eyelash to get to your wallet. That’s how bad it is in some places. My cousin was robbed by allegedly, a twelve year old kid last week. He pointed a knife at her throat. Needless to say, she gave in. That’s how bad it is in some places. The depression, the lack of guidance, poverty, hunger, abuse — all of these are factors why more and more underage children do drugs.

I remember when I interviewed a twelve-year-old drug dependent. I asked him why he does it, knowing full well why but wanting to hear it anyway. He told me doing drugs alleviates his hunger — he gets his dose from a friend, while no one would lend him money for food. Sadly, cases such as this are rampant all over the globe. You have to choose on what role to play — the observer or the mover. It’s either you stand back and watch or help do something about it. I hope you make the right choice.

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When someone goes into rehab, you make sure you find the perfect place. One of the gauges of choosing which rehab to use is knowing what you’re aiming for — long-term or short-term? True, most of us would prefer to find a rehab which would help us in the long-term, but there are times when people have short-term goals especially when monetary issues come into play. So, what are the factors of short-term and long-term treatment?

1. When you speak of short-term treatment, you speak of detoxifying the body of harmful substances and trying to cut off the yearning for drugs completely. If your goal is to have short-term therapy, you will undergo detoxification so the drugs could be completely removed from your body. This is so you can forego the physiological need for drugs.

Whereas in long-term, you’re looking not only for the rehabilitation of the body but also of the psyche and soul. In long-term treatments, psychological therapies are included. You could also look at the option of continuing the treatment outside the rehab if you can’t afford to stay inside for a long time.

2. With short-term treatment, the environment and serenity of the rehab hardly matters. You’re looking at only the healing of the body. What matters is the rehab afterwards. With long-term treatment, however, environment is a big factor. You would want to find a place far from where anyone can get drugs. The aesthetic value is also highly important because feelings of calm and serenity are highly important for change. It might serve as the impetus to completely recover, so don’t devalue what the rehab might look like.

Bottom line is, you have to align your assessment with whatever your goal is. Afterwards, go with whatever you find that you think is best.

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When someone decides to go into rehabilitation, it isn’t always as easy as it sounds. You don’t just waltz into a rehabilitation facility and think, “hey, everything’s going to be fine from now on.” When people abuse their bodies, there’s always going be payment afterwards — most of the time on one’s physical aspect or condition. And I’m not talking about only WHILE they’re addicted to substance, even the process afterwards would take a toll on one’s body. When a huge amount of substance has entered your body, it’s going to take a big effort to remove all the toxins. Removing toxins is not only to remove any effects the drug might still have on you, but also remove your physiological need for the drug.

Drug detoxification is no cakewalk. It’s not as simple as draining all the substance residues from your body. When you decided to go to rehab, you should know that drug detox, if anything, would take a toll on your physically. It would hurt you and you’ll end up feeling physically exhausted — but that’s how it is. If you really are bent on overcoming addiction, you should be ready to go through anything.

Here are some examples of detoxification methods:

1. Use of Herbs and Medicine

Throughout the course of the drug detox, you would have to take herbs and medicines which induce vomiting.

2. Sauna and Steam Baths

You would spend long periods in saunas so you could literally sweat out the toxins in your body. Doing this, the toxin passes through your skin which might cause irritations, but you’ll live.

3. Proper Exercise and Balanced Diet

Just like everything else, if you want to live healthy; doing exercise and eating right are two regimens which are always mandatory.

Drug detoxification might be hard but it’ll be for the benefit of the addicted in the long run so it’s always worth going through it.

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It’s hard even just to get someone to admit that they need help and rehabilitation. It’s hard to try and understand what they’re going through and what they’re feeling. In the course of the events, you try your best to understand and help them. However, it’s all up to them whether they’d want to change their lifestyles. And then afterwards, you’re on a mission to the find the perfect rehabilitation center for your loved one. But how do you find one? Out of all the centers available in your country, how could you choose the right facility for you?

1. Through Referral

Since the first thing you’ll probably do is going to a doctor, you can ask for referral. Most doctors would refer you to a rehab anyways, even without asking for it. This is the best option in my book because the doctor would know best what the patient needs. You don’t have to do guess work anymore. Try to ask for more than one referral so you can compare and see which one you think would work.

2. Find Out the Facilities’ Strengths and Weaknesses

No two patients are alike. And we’re not just talking about the difference in addiction — you also have to consider the differences in character. You have to know what the methods of a facility are and if they would work on the character of the patient. What is the environment like? Is it conducive to change and betterment? And then of course, there’s the financial aspect — how much would it cost? Do they have good reputation?

You need to research about the facilities you’re considering before making a decision. Rehabilitation is a period marked by physical, mental and emotional stress for the patient. Finding the right rehab facility which could help with your loved one’s case is the least you could do.

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People can sometimes be harsh and judgmental. An addict or someone currently in rehab might be dismissed without preamble as riffraff — people lower in the “food chain” or something similar. That’s just the way the world goes — many aren’t usually too keen on examining other people’s character or delving too deep into the roots of issues, for example. As such, there are few who truly understand the formerly and currently addicted. Thing is, when you don’t understand what someone who’s addicted to substance feels, how can you help? To be able to truly be an effective way to help someone through rehab, one should be able to understand the person in question.

What goes inside the head of an addict? Let’s not get into the reasons why someone chooses to do substance abuse, instead, let’s focus on what someone who’s already become an addict thinks and feels. The one thing you should know about addiction is that it strips off emotion from a person. When someone is currently on drugs, expect that person to be “detached” from the real world. Imagine yourself watching a boring TV show. You sit down on the couch, chew your popcorn and watch TV without much interest. That’s how someone who’s currently on drugs feels. That is why many use drugs to desensitize themselves from life’s everyday vicissitudes.

Now, knowing this, knowing that someone who’s taken drugs is detached from the real world, what does it mean for the rest of us? For one, it means that if we want to help someone out of their addiction, it’s important to understand that in order to do so, you must help them regain emotions lost. Only by regaining humanly emotions can you set them straight and make them see that’s what their doing is destroying their lives.

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Most of us might have experienced a little dose of party drugs while partying or clubbing.

all know well that it is not dangerous and is commonly used in recreational parties. A small amount of GHB is used in the drinks to increase the level of ecstasy and enjoyment. At this level it is difficult to find out the drug as it dissolves in water or any drink without any odor or color to differentiate.

“Unfortunately we are all unaware of the facts behind some of the dangerous drugs that are being used by us intentionally or unintentionally.”

The so-called Date-Rape drugs, GHB, Ketamine, and Benzodiazepines, which are used in increased quantity in drinks or alcohol, may cause serious effects. The common perception is that these drugs cause inability to resist any sexual assault in the victim, and also produce “anterograde amnesia” which causes temporary loss of memory. This causes the victim forgets about what had happened under the drug influence.

This is often used in parties by mixing in alcohol or soft drink or even in just plain water. On mixing in water it gives a little salty taste but difficult to find the difference when mixed in alcohol or in any other drink.

The most frightening fact that is discovered recently about these Date-Rape drugs is that the victims, on whom Date-Rape drug like Rohypnol is used, cannot conceive in her lifetime.

Unfortunately, most of the men who use these drugs to sexual assault doesn’t know the effects and continue to use. The drug Rohypnol is easily available and can be obtained even from a vet is becoming popular among teenagers.

Some of the companies are producing testing kits to test these Date-Rape drugs which can be used to detect any small amount of the drug used. But it is always advised to follow that “prevention is better than cure”, as some of its effects are permanent. In the life of partying and clubbing, it is difficult to cut the party out of life, it is always possible to choose your friends and keep a good company.

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It is evident that family plays an important role in making or breaking a person’s life. I too experienced it.

We find it difficult to cope up with our parent’s expectations and their control but when it comes to our children however, we forget about our pains and treat them in the same way as our parents did. And once our child gets in to this drug abuse, we start controlling and restricting them instead of giving them more love and care.

“Before finding the Drug Rehab, it is necessary to know about some treatments we need along with the Drug dependant person.”

Research shows that treatments that involve family and the Drug dependant person often get positive results faster than expected.

Whether it is a Multidimensional Family Therapy or a Multifamily Educational Intervention or an Adolescent Group Therapy, it is essential for the parents of the Drug dependant person to analyze themselves and their relationship with their Drug abused adolescent.

With three stages of treatment and five stages of assessment, the Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) is a powerful method to bring back a drug abused person to a normal life. The interactive sessions between the parents and adolescents with the counselor individually and together help them understand each other’s problems and know each other.

By extending out love and help upon understanding is much easier and this helps in breaking the wall between you and your child. With such support and help they stop looking for alternative methods to satisfy their needs and the feeling of belongingness.

• With the interactive assessment sessions, we too get the chance to know us better and rectify any backlogs that we may not realize otherwise.

In most cases, I see, there are many families that reinvent themselves and start a new bonding with each other. However, it looks smoother than it is. But it is also not so hard to know our mistakes when then life of our loved ones is at stake. So go ahead and look for the best rehab to change your and your loved one’s forever.

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Relapse after the treatment if going on very well is frustrating.

You may think otherwise but it is more than common in most of the cases. Druggies often find it difficult to control their need to have just one time. After all it is the result of the chemical substances that are working in their brain and it takes a lot of control to manage it.

“Family and friends should help them in sustaining their control and continue their treatment.”

In many cases, it is found that women are less prone to relapse than men. This may be because women attend the counseling and sessions more regularly than women. it may also be the support or the will to get - back – to - normal is more in women than in men.

• Relapse can be commonly seen in alcohol addiction cases, where people try to stop drinking but return back faster than they think. Now we can imagine the level of control that a chemically imbalanced person might have to control the urge.

• Along with the treatment, counseling sessions, family and individual meetings, it is also necessary to find the drug rehab that provides long term care and support for the drug dependant person. This helps in permanent sobriety and control.

A good rehab is a decision of life if you care for your loved ones. It is not only necessary to find good facilities but it is also necessary to find rehab with people who care, the treatments, both physical and psychological and also the long term relation of the center with the clients. Take a little pain and do enquire about the best Drug Rehabilitation centers. This will save a lot of time, money and most importantly Drug dependant person’s future.

It is often proved that it takes 6 to 7 such treatments to become a normal person. You wouldn’t want this to happen with your Drug dependant person, so pack up all the inhibitions and clarify your doubts. In a place where you can find as many Drug rehabilitation centers, it is not tough to find a good one. You can make a difference to one life by doing so.

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