Drug Rehab Treatment Centers as an Experience, not a Punishment

Choosing a drug rehab treatment center is a decision that calls for both negative and positive emotions.  Nobody wants addiction to overtake their life to the point that rehab is the necessary step.  However, the decision to go to one is something to look forward to, as it is the decision to rebuild a healthy life.  It is the conscious realization of a problem, and it is the first conscious step towards healing.  Understanding what drug addiction entails and how it affects the user is important for healing substance abuse.  As well as understanding addiction, knowing what rehabilitation is will help the patient understand what he is going through and the purpose of the treatment. Lastly, the type of rehabilitation program is of vital importance for the patient.  Understanding that a rehabilitation program is as personal as the patient’s problem will certainly help to ascertain the treatment needed for the specific patient. Rehabilitation must be a positive program motivating the patient by his successes and discouraging him from relapses.  To reach the stage of being in a rehab center that positively works to heal addiction, the patient and all concerned must understand three things: what addiction is, what rehabilitation is, and what treatment can and should be like.

Drug addiction is much more complex than merely ‘too much drug use’.  Drug and substance dependence is beyond the control of the user - he is no longer in control and does not have much choice in the matter of continuing use.  In the short term, drug use affects the brain’s reward system, flooding the brain with dopamine, otherwise termed ‘a high’.  While the high is a short term effect, long term effects are to follow, which cause the addiction.  When our brain’s reward system is working, proteins activate which teach us to pursue the behavior which causes us to feel so good.  Naturally, this reaction is in response to food, exercise, and sex.  Due to the larger amount of dopamine released due to drugs, the protein reaction is stronger than normal.  As a result, drug use is quite addictive, and once the moment is reached that a person cannot control his use of drugs, this is termed addiction, or substance dependence.  While willpower is important to controlling anything in one’s life, in drug addiction a lack of willpower is not to blame.  Willpower is at play at the first stages of drug experimentation, but at a certain point in addiction, it loses its function.  Drug addiction is an illness, and rehabilitative treatment is the only means of curing this behavior.

Rehabilitation, then, is the path that leads to an effective treatment of drug use.  Research has shown that addiction is treatable.  Research has not shown, and will not show, that treatment is easy.  Rehabilitation is the recovery of diminished capacities due to injury or illness.  The word itself comes from the latin prefix re meaning ‘again’, and root habilitar meaning ‘to inhabit’.  Thus ‘rehabilitate’ literally means to inhabit yourself again - and that is the aim of rehabilitation: to return former capacities to the inflicted person.  This is especially true in drug addiction.  Freeing oneself from addiction is a type of homecoming to a life of control.

Rehabilitation aims at more than ending drug use.  As previously mentioned, rehabilitation cannot be a punishment for drug use. It must be the gradual process of ending dependence while also rehabilitating the patient into society.  This is often the most difficult aspect of rehabilitation.  It is important that the patient realistically understand that the future will consist of effort to reintegrate and rejoin society.  The patient is assisted by counselors throughout the treatment, but the patient himself is the main catalyst in rehabilitation.  The family and friends of the patient must also go through aspects of rehabilitation, for life after rehab will not be a continual sunny day.  The forecast predicts many rain clouds at first, with occasional storms down the road.  The family must know how to be supportive and helpful throughout the stormy weather.

The rehab treatment center can be considered the umbrella in the stormy weathers.  It cannot control the weather, but does shield and help the patient and family on their way through the tempest. While there is no one correct rehabilitation treatment, as each treatment must be tailored to the particular needs of the patient, there are means of ensuring that the rehab center chosen is one that will provide a positive environment to optimize the long term results of rehabilitation.  The personal treatment for the patient must be continually checked and improved, as different steps throughout the treatment call for different measures, and each patient needs a different length of time for treatment.  The personal treatment must also take into account the various problems beyond drugs which the patient faces.  Drug addiction is often the result, and not the core of the problem - this core must be dug up through various therapies, counselors, and activities, which all should be readily available through the treatment center.  A forced treatment is not necessarily a bad thing - again, depending on the treatment center.  With a good treatment center, a person who initially will not admit to his problem or the need for a solution can be fully rehabilitated. Extremely beneficial are experiential therapies, which, through their communion with nature help the patient gradually reintegrate into life, which will eventually ease reintegration into society.  A rehab treatment center must be rigid in its aims to help the patient, but cannot be rigid in its process.

Understanding what addiction is and why it happens is vital for the patient and the chosen treatment center.  Once this is established, there can be a mutual respect, in lieu of distrust and judgment.  The next step is to understand what rehabilitation is.  It is a dedication, again, on the part of both the patient and treatment center, to heal a drug problem and, more importantly, rebuild a life - to bring the patient home in the spiritual sense.  With these two concepts well understood and looked after, the patient has great chances of succeeding to overcome the addiction.  The treatment center that fully understands addiction and rehabilitation will be the center that offers a full and varied program that will be created and recreated for the particular needs of its patient, and that will guide the patient not only through his addiction, but through his reintegration into life and society.

Drug Rehab: Do You Need It?

Do you have an addiction?  The question shouldn't be hard to answer.  There are fairly clear lines between an addiction and a casual behavior.

According to substance abuse experts Chris and Pax Prentiss, founders of Passages Malibu, a residential drug rehab, addiction is caused by underlying problems in a person’s life that they are unable to cope with.  When someone is unable to cope with their circumstances they sometimes turn towards drugs and alcohol for relief.  In essence it is not the drugs that are the problem it is rather the underlying problems that need to be addressed and healed in order to cure the addiction.  When the underlying problems are no longer present the person will no longer need the drug.

People who don’t have the individual therapy it takes to become healed will most likely continue taking the drugs.


Tolerance. When you take a habit-forming substance regularly, your body eventually accommodates the substance. You don't get the same feeling you originally got, or at least not the same strength of feeling. This does not mean that you are getting stronger and can handle the drug. Instead, your body is becoming dependent on the drug. Some people addicted to certain drugs may even die if they stop taking the drug suddenly.
Withdrawal symptoms. Different addictions have different withdrawal symptoms. The list of possible withdrawal symptoms is very long, stretching from watery eyes to delirium and even death, depending on the substance, the length of the addiction, and the user.


In short, if you're not sure if you're addicted your best bet may be to ask yourself these three questions:



- Do I get the same experience from the substance I got when I first started on it?
- When I stop taking the substance on a regular basis, do I feel worse, emotionally or physically?
- Is there anything in my life that is causing me pain that I might be self medicating?



If you can answer yes to any of those questions, you are probably addicted.

So, you're addicted. Now what?

Abstention and the Risk of Relapse

According to Chris and Pax Prentiss, one of the biggest misconceptions about addictions is that they're a disease. Through years of research they have figured out that addiction is definitely caused by underlying problems in a person’s life that they are self-medicating.  The addiction will usually continue if the underlying problems are still present. In order to get sober and stay sober it is of utmost importance that the underlying problems be treated.

Every day, addicts everywhere decide to stop. That is, they abstain.  But unfortunately, most of those people will relapse. Why is relapse so common?  The Prentisses have a few insights:


Habit. Without realizing, you worked your addiction into the everyday rituals of life.

Dependence. The physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms can be brutal. In some cases of addiction, simply abstaining from a substance suddenly, without medical supervision, may cause the individual serious harm, even death. Yet many addicts who abstain are able to get past the withdrawal symptoms--and still end up relapsing. Why?

Underlying causes. Addictions usually have an underlying cause. There was a reason you took the substance in the first place. Once you are done fighting withdrawal symptoms, you will be back fighting whatever problem led you to addiction in the first place. Finding the underlying cause of your addiction will be the most important step in ending it forever.


Ultimately, then, the hardest part of overcoming an addiction may not be stopping, but not starting again. To do that, you need to find and resolve the underlying problems in your life.

Residential Rehab: Do You Need It?

According to the Prentisses, some people can get over an addiction without a residential drug treatment center. But given the challenges of overcoming an addiction, the support of a residential rehab program is invaluable. Have you tried to end your addiction without residential rehab? It might be what makes the difference this time.

Why Do So Many People Fail after Residential Rehab?

You've heard of all the people who went to residential rehab and then relapsed--even went and relapsed several times.  According to Chris and Pax Prentiss,  there are some common causes of residential rehab failure, causes you can avoid.

- Quality of the program. If your rehab program wasn't great to begin with, you won't be in good stead to avoid relapse. Before signing up, find out the success rates of past participants.

- Group rather than individualized therapy.  Post-rehab relapse is so common largely because most rehabs don’t have offer any individual counseling. When someone sits in group meetings all day they don’t get the therapy they need in order to get better. When they check out of a rehab like that they usually still have the underlying problems that they checked in with.

- Lack of aftercare services. When you leave residential rehab, the whole web of support that kept you out of addiction suddenly falls away. Only choose a residential rehab that provides aftercare support to make the transition easier.

- Need to change everything. Without realizing it, you wove your addiction into the fabric of your life. You need to pluck the threads of addiction out of your life, or reweave the fabric completely. If you can't transform your everyday life, you will likely relapse.


Regardless of the difficulties present in the rehab process, the experience can absolutely be a success unlike any other.  Please consider the rehab option if you think you or your loved one may be in need.  There is always someone there to help.

Alcohol and Drug Treatment

You find it everywhere, very often it's even a sign of "coolness" or a sign of quality life style. But you know...

Do you like an occasional beer, or maybe a sip of wine? It's no big deal in moderation. We all love to kick back with a fine wine or frosty brew. However, too many individuals take this perk to a whole new level. How much alcohol is too much? Well, if you don't know, then you might want to do a reality check. Don't make the mistake of becoming complacent with your social life. Too many college kids do this with drinking and partying. Suddenly they're downing a case a night just to stay satisfied. It's time to be aware, people. You have to control how much you drink and how often. If you don't, then you just may end up in an alcohol and drug treatment program. Sound good? I doubt it.

It's frightening how many people end up in such programs.

Back in high school I watched a number of kids drink like it was no big thing. Where were they getting all those booze? I mean come on; someone had to be supplying it to them. They were clearly underage at the time. Regardless of their source, they were chugging like there was no tomorrow. Some teens just think this is the only way to have fun. It works as an escapism I guess. It's their vehicle to a less stressful realm. Unfortunately it's not healthy. People need to focus their energy on more legal and safer routes to a good time. No one wants to end up in an alcohol and drug treatment program. Speaking of alcohol and drug treatment programs, a close friend of mine was in one. I met him about seven years back, while working at a video store. It took me a while to realize that he was only 20 years old. This shocked me when I found out because he was always carrying cases of beer in his car. He told me once that he drinks around 20 beers each night. I thought to myself, "God, this kid's an alcoholic, and he's not even old enough to buy it." That's nuts! However, there are many people out there in the same condition. Eventually he acquired the assistance of an alcohol and drug treatment program. These days he is alcohol free.

Do you or someone you love need the assistance of an alcohol and drug treatment program? If so, you can hop online now and find the answers you're looking for. There are alcohol and drug treatment centers in your area. Get that much-needed help today. This is your future we're talking about here.

You can beat alcoholism!

Alcohol And Drug Abuse In Mental Health

Alcohol abuse is overrated, while drug abuse is underrated. The DSM manual suggests that substance abuse there are differences in the definition of drug and alcohol use. To confuse matters worse the law has its own version of who is an alcoholic or drug addict. Some of the symptoms that help professionals determine if alcohol and drugs are a problem include, excessive drinking/drugging, problems with the law, withdrawal symptoms, shaking of the hands, and so forth.

If a person drinks everyday of the week and relies on alcohol, then you are probably dealing with an alcoholic. There are philosophers who claim if a person needs a drink at breakfast, that he or she is an alcohol. Some philosophers claim that if you drink more than six-pack weeks then you are an alcoholic.

The fact is, most of the people nagging or evaluating alcohol and drugs has a problem them self or has gotten help someone in their lifetime to treat their own problems. Therefore, as you can see addictions, dependant alcoholics, and other types of alcoholics and drug addicts may alter. First all, any chemical that causes harm is a potential danger to your being.

In other words if you start out drinking when you are fourteen and continue through your lifetime without alcohol causing you trouble, or else landing you a spot in jail, then you are probably not an alcoholic according to few. The fact is the ones that are drinking and driving and getting caught are alcoholics according to the system although the level of alcohol in the blood plays a role in the determination.

The truth is the law sometimes over dramatizes and the system is out to make all the money they can, so we all might be alcoholics by the time they are done with us. Alcoholism and drug addictions are complex, in the sense there are too many misconstrued inputs and often the label is placed on individuals according to culture and history. If you parents drank alcohol then the system sometimes will claim you as an alcoholic.

The fact is, Jesus drink wine in moderation, so drinking in moderation is not a bad thing. The problem becomes a problem when the person has difficulty putting down the bottle and/or increases their intake as well as combining drugs with the alcohol to get an affect they was had. If someone will steal or lie to get alcohol or drugs then you know they have a real problem.

However, most alcoholics and drug addicts have bigger problems than addictions and this is often ignored. For example, people with mental illnesses often resort to alcohol and/or drugs to find relief of their symptoms. Now if a professional is treating this person for his or her diagnose and progress is moving along the person often feels healthy and the alcohol and drugs are out the door.

In my studies and opinions, I disagree with alcoholism and drug addictions if the person is able to stop once the mental illness is treated. This means that the person was suffering and the substances was a mechanism to help them cope.

On the other hand, if the person is treated for mental illnesses and his or her drug and alcohol habits continue, then I think you had better get out the chair and start talking ‘one day at a time.’ Alcohol was once known as the “Devils Drink.” The White men are the originator of the source, and since its beginning it has caused serious complications, including death, abuse, and other related crimes.

Drugs are optional since the system often makes them available by teaching individuals what the drugs contain. The root of all-evil is money, and if a person sees that he or she can gain, they may take advantage, but fall into a snare in between. The system is overwrought, since they put alcoholics and drugs addicts in jail and not seeking help for them.

The solution to humankind’s problem is helping and not hurting or promoting. If we can’t get along now, what makes you think you are going to heaven?

Addiction in Any Form is Abnormal

“Psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice” – is the medical definition of the term addiction. An addiction is an uncontrollably strong longing for something -  an abnormal kinky obsession for things.  A person with an addiction is called an addict.

Addiction is in fact a hydra-headed concept having different facets.  Medical researches and studies have divulged that every individual to some extent has an addiction.  People who have an uncanny pining or obsession for anything, are indeed addicted.  Medical studies have also revealed other forms of addiction besides alcohol, nicotine and drugs.

According to the medical community, generally there are two forms of addiction.  First there is the physical addiction, or physical dependence and psychological addiction. The second type is called pseudo-addiction.

Physical dependence: An addiction in which the addict becomes physically dependent on intoxicating substances or drugs.  People dependent on tobacco or smoking suffer from nicotine addiction.  Dipsomaniac people suffer from alcohol addiction.

Drug addiction literally means addiction to certain drugs.  A drug addiction is an extreme state of addiction resulting from drug abuse.  Drug abuse is a common practice where hard drugs are abused – for example cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, opiates (heroin, morphine and codeine) and laxatives - drugs derived from narcotics. There is a debate over the idea that freely-sold substances like alcohol and nicotine should be classified as hard drugs, as the both are linked with high mortality rates.

Psychological addiction: The term literally means getting psychologically addicted to certain things or practices. Sometimes there are people who are highly obsessed with practices like gambling, food, sex, pornography, computer, work, shopping, spending etc.  Therefore as absurd as this may sound, these people actually do in fact suffer from gambling addiction, food addiction, sex addiction, porn addiction, computer addiction, work addiction, shopping addiction, and spending addiction respectively.  People addicted to food consumption are highly preoccupied with overeating and overeating is food addiction. These people are sometimes mockingly dubbed as “food alcoholic”.  Narcissism is also a form of addiction.

Pseudo-addiction is the state in which a patient manifests drug-seeking behavior similar to psychological addiction; however, the patient experiences genuine pain or other symptoms in such cases.  Normal behavior is resumed as soon as the pain has subsided.

The physical dependence on a substance such as drug addiction, nicotine addiction and alcohol addiction can sadly often have direly fatal results.

An addiction in any form is the sign of an abnormality that requires immediate treatment. An addiction is a disorder, but it is treatable. There are numerous addiction help centers or rehabilitation centers providing addiction treatment, all over the world.  Standard drug addiction treatment may include behavioral therapy, medication therapy, or a combination of both.

People experiencing any symptoms of addiction should go forward for treatment before their addiction becomes significantly advanced.