Alcohol Addiction

Many people seem to think alcoholism is the same thing as alcohol dependence, or an addiction to alcohol. There are many people, though, that are not dependent on alcohol that are problem drinkers. If you have a problem with alcohol dependency, the best way to stop drinking is through detoxification.

When it comes to drinking alcohol, there are four basic levels. The levels are social, heavy, problem, and dependence. The higher the level you are own, the greater the risk to both your health and your safety.

Social Drinking

Most American adults drink some form of alcohol. It is important to recognize that even a small amount of alcohol can be harmful when driving, operating machinery, or taking it alongside some kinds of medication.

Heavy Drinking

Heavy drinking is when you consume more than what the Department of Health recommends as a safe limit. Below are the guidelines:

• Men should drink less than four units a day, less than 14 units a week, and have at least two days a week that are alcohol free.
• Women should drink less than three units a day, less than 14 units a week, and have at least two days a week that are alcohol free.
• Pregnant women, or those trying to become pregnant, should avoid alcohol. If they decide to drink, they should drink less than two units once a week.

The above recommendations are based on how your liver processes alcohol. Your liver cells can be damaged by drinking more alcohol than your liver can deal with. It is hazardous to your health to drink more than recommended as a safe limit. Doing so will greatly increase your risk of heart problems, certain cancers, sexual problems, damage to the pancreas, liver damage, and other diseases. The more alcohol you drink, the greater you are putting your health at risk.

Problem Drinking

Problem drinking is also considered harmful drinking. This is when you drink continually even after causing problems or harm to yourself, your family, or to society in general. Some examples of this include:

• When you are spending more money on alcohol than you can afford.
• When you often get drunk or binge drink. Doing so can cause you to behave anti-socially or lose time at work.
• When you’re drinking causes problems at work or in your relationships.
• When you have an alcohol-related condition such as cirrhosis.

Many people with a drinking problem are not alcohol dependent. They can stop whenever they want without any withdrawal symptoms. They will typically continue to drink heavily, though, for whatever reason.

Alcohol Dependence

When you give alcohol a high priority within your life, it can become a serious situation. This is when you are addicted and need to drink daily to keep from going into withdrawal. We will look more into alcohol dependence in a later article.

Conclusion

As you can see, drinking alcohol can become a major problem over time if you allow it to progress. If you find yourself having a problem with drinking alcohol, talk with a counselor today to start overcoming your problem.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Withdrawal From Alcohol – What To Expect

If you are dealing with withdrawal from alcohol, you need to understand that your condition may be life-threatening. Alcohol withdrawal happens when someone who has been drinking heavily for long period of time completely stops or significantly reduces their consumption of alcohol.

The symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol can start as soon as two hours after your last drink. The symptoms may last for weeks and range from shakiness and mild anxiety to more severe complications such as delirium tremens, or DTs, and seizures. DTs have been estimated to cause a death rate of 1 to 5%. The characteristics of DTs are a rapid heartbeat, confusion, and a fever.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can quickly worsen, so it is important to immediately seek medical attention. Getting the right treatments for alcohol withdrawal can greatly reduce your chances of developing DTs or seizures.

Withdrawal from alcohol can create a medical emergency. Anyone dealing with irregular heartbeats, hallucinations, severe confusion, fever, or seizures should be taken to the emergency room immediately.

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Assessment

If your doctor suspects alcohol withdrawal syndrome, he will ask for your medical history and an estimate on how much you drink. He will also need to know how long you have been drinking and the time of the last drink you had. You’ll also need to inform your doctor if you have a history of alcohol withdrawal, if you have any other medical conditions, and if you partake of any other substances.

Your doctor, during your physical exam, will look for any symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as well as other medical conditions such as pancreatitis, nervous system impairment, liver disease, infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and irregular heartbeats. Blood tests may also be ordered to measure your alcohol levels and liver function. The results of the physical exam and medical history will help your doctor determine if withdrawal from alcohol is what you have and, if so, how severe it is.

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Treatment

If your alcohol withdrawal is mild to moderate, your doctor may decide to treat you with outpatient detoxification, especially if you have a great support network of friends and family. This method has been proven to be effective, safe, and more affordable than inpatient detoxification which is done in a hospital or other facility.

If you do not have a good support network, or if you are pregnant, you may require inpatient detoxification. Inpatient detoxification is also best for anyone with a history of certain illnesses, several previous detoxifications, withdrawal DTs or seizures, or severe withdrawal symptoms.

With alcohol withdrawal syndrome treatment, the goals are to immediately reduce withdrawal symptoms, prevent complications, and promote alcohol abstinence through long-term therapy.

There are many medications used to help with alcohol withdrawal treatments. Benzodiazepines are typically the prescription drug of choice. The active ingredient in these medications can reduce your risk of DTs and withdrawal seizures and help control the confusion, anxiety, and shakiness associated with alcohol withdrawal. If your alcohol withdrawal syndrome is mild to moderate, your doctor may prescribe a carbamazepine anticonvulsant drug. These drugs are not sedating and have less of a chance for abuse.

Conclusion

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be a serious matter. If you or someone you love is dealing with alcohol withdrawal, get help immediately. As always, you can contact us at Coastline Behavioral Health with any questions or concerns you may have.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

How To Stop Drinking

We all know the alcohol is not good for our bodies. A lot of us have been in the situation when a pounding headache or a hangover makes us swear off alcohol. Of course, most of us are back in the same situation within a matter of time. There are many things that can happen to your body, though, when you stop drinking that may encourage you to put the glass down forever.

24 Hours After Your Last Drink

Immediately after giving up alcohol, your body will begin detoxing, normalizing your sugar. This will help you feel less depressed and more clearheaded. You also have the immediate benefit of saving money.

Within a Week

Alcohol is not good for your sleeping habits. Though it may help you go to sleep initially, it is more likely you will need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Alcohol can also make you dehydrated, meaning you will wake up needing to drink some water. By simply giving up alcohol, your sleep may improve within a week’s time.

Within Two Weeks

Alcohol irritates the lighting in your stomach and can cause reflux. Giving up alcohol can remove all symptoms of reflux.

Within two weeks, you will likely begin losing weight. Alcohol has a significant number of calories. These calories include no nutrition, too, making them worse for you. By taking alcohol out of your diet and living a healthy lifestyle, will see the weight drop off quickly.

Within a Month

Your blood pressure can be raised by drinking too much alcohol. Then the calories can also cause you to gain weight, thus increasing your blood pressure more. Simply quitting alcohol can reduce your blood pressure.

Your skin will also greatly benefit when you stop drinking. Alcohol is toxic to your skin and causes it to be less elastic, aging your skin quickly. When you stop drinking, your skin will look better.

Within Two Months

Within two months, your liver will drastically improve. Drinking excessively can cause your liver to become inflamed. This can lead to a silent disease known as alcoholic hepatitis. This disease is not felt its early stages, but it can lead to a permanent condition known as cirrhosis. You can also develop fatty liver, a condition that occurs when the liver begins turning glucose into fat. When you stop drinking, your liver function will be improved and began functioning normally, if it has not been damaged severely.

Within 3 Months

Drinking heavily can cause your blood cells to enlarge, restricting them from efficiently transporting oxygen throughout your body. This can cause you to become tired. Within three months of giving up drinking, your blood cells will begin renewing. This will give you more energy and help you be healthier.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many benefits to stop drinking. If you need help, Coastline Behavioral Health can give you the tools you need to stop drinking. Give us a call today.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Recovery Center Benefits For Those Who Take Action

Like a lot of other problems in life, many people deny their drug abuse. Not only does the addict deny it, but often, close family and friends do as well. The addict typically believes they have their problem under control. Their family and friends may believe their usage is not as bad as it actually is. Even when an addict recognizes their need for recovery, they may avoid a recovery center for any of the following reasons:

• Social stigmas associated with a recovery center.
• Fear of their employer firing them over their addiction.
• Financial issues that can make it hard to afford treatment.
• Fear of being vulnerable and sharing with others.
• The belief that they can overcome their issues on their own.

There are many positive benefits you can attain through attending a recovery center. These benefits include improving your confidence, health, finances, and social life.

In 2015, 21.7 million people ages 12 and older abused drugs or alcohol, per the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Unfortunately, out of those users, only 14% received treatment.

The fear of treatment programs often scares off many people from taking help from professionals. Just remember, treatment programs are typically not how they are portrayed in movies and on television.

The effectiveness of addiction treatment has been studied by researchers for many years. Their studies have shown that rehabilitation programs help people decrease their abuse of drugs and alcohol and live a life that is more productive and healthier. Rehab also reduces the crime rate among addicts. The studies by researchers have determined that addicts with a good aftercare plan in place are a lot more likely to be successful in their recovery.

In the 1990s, a study was performed by the government that compared how different outpatient recovery centersperformed. The initial goal was to discover which treatment options work best. Their study found that every program being used helped the addicts. The conclusion was that the kind of treatment chosen wasn’t what determined if the treatment was successful or not, but the addict making the original decision to attend treatment was.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction, Recovery, Treatment Centers

Alcohol Drug

For many people, it can be hard to know for sure when drinking alcohol becomes a problem. When you drink too much at one sitting or drink too often, it becomes alcohol abuse. The alcohol begins to impact your life negatively, interfering with work or school and ruining relationships. An alcoholic, despite the negative consequences, will continue to drink.

Plain and simple, alcohol is a drug. It usually doesn’t take long before someone who drinks regularly to become addicted to the alcohol drug. The addiction soon leads to dependency. When someone becomes dependent on alcohol, they become an alcoholic and have a constant urge to drink more alcohol.

Are You an Alcoholic?

There are several signs to look for to determine if you are an alcoholic. Some of these include drinking alone, being intoxicated often, making excuses for drinking, having blackouts, having a tolerance to alcohol, hiding alcohol, and missing work or school. There are many other signs and symptoms of being an alcoholic.

What Causes Alcoholism?

There are many factors that can increase your risk for alcoholism. Many scientists believe genetics play a role. This, of course, doesn’t mean you are doomed to become an alcoholic if someone else in your family is. Mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can also lead people to alcohol as they try to self-medicate. The availability of alcohol and stress levels are other factors.

It can take a while to become physically addicted to alcohol. Certain brain chemicals that are affected by chronic drinking are associated with pleasure, so your body will begin craving alcohol to feel good.

Available Treatments

Many effective treatments for alcoholism are available. There are several factors that determine which treatment is best for an individual, such as the severity of the problem. When someone is physically dependent on alcohol, they will require detoxification to flush the alcohol out of their body. Medications are used to help with the withdrawal symptoms.

Psychotherapy has also been shown effective in treating the underlying issues that typically accompany alcohol problems. They can also help a patient to better understand their addiction and learn the triggers while also learning strategies for coping that are healthy.

There are some medications a doctor may prescribe for treating alcoholism. Some of these medications reduce your urge to drink, while others cause an adverse physical reaction when you do drink alcohol.

Counseling has been proven to be one of the best ways to help an alcoholic. This can be done one on one with a counselor, in family counseling, or in support groups.

Conclusion

If you are addicted to the alcohol drug, the first step is to seek help. There are serious complications with untreated alcohol abuse or dependency. You can contact us at Coastline Behavioral Health for assistance. You should also practice healthy habits. It is vital to take care of yourself by exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep. This will help you cope with stress better as well. Surround yourself with people who are supportive. Avoid those who put you down and make you feel guilty. By following these steps, you can overcome your alcohol addiction and dependency for good.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Getting Drug Addiction Help

If you are struggling with a drug addiction, it may seem impossible to get sober. Regardless of how hopeless your situation may seem, though, recovery is just around the corner. With the right support and treatment, and getting to the root of your addiction, change is possible. Even if you have attempted to quit before and failed, don’t give up. Recovering from your addiction will often involve setbacks, pitfalls, and bumps. By simply realizing you have a problem and considering changing, you have already taken the first step.

Deciding to Make a Change

The toughest step towards recovery is making that decision to change. People normally feel uncertain about whether they truly want to change or not, or if they have what is needed to quit. Once you decide to make that change, though, you are committing to changing the way you deal with stress, how you think about yourself, what you do in your free time, and who you allow in your life.

Many people will feel conflicted when it comes to giving up their addiction, even when they know it is the root cause of many problems in their life. Recovery takes a lot of time, support, and motivation, so it is normal to take everything into consideration before committing to change.

Things to Consider about Changing

Many addicts believe they have their drug use under control. There are several things that need to be considered to determine if you are ready to take that road towards recovery. First, determine how much you use drugs. Keep track of all your drug use with notes on when and how much you use. Next, make a list of the pros and cons of quitting. Consider the costs associated with using and any potential benefits of continued use. Third, consider the people and things in your life that are important to you and how your drug use affects them. Think about your friends, family, career, health, or anything else that comes to mind. Fourth, talk with someone you trust and ask how they feel about your drug use. Last of all, ask yourself if something is preventing you from pursuing change. If so, is there anything that can help you with changing?

Treatment Options

Once you have decided to take the road to recovery, you need to begin looking at your treatment options. Remember, there’s no treatment that works for everyone. Any drug addiction program needs to be customized to you and your needs. You also need to find a program that you feel comfortable with.

Regardless of what program you decide to use, make sure they focus on more than just your drug abuse itself. Your whole life is affected by addiction, including your well-being, health, career, and relationships. Successfully recovering from drug use depends on learning a new way of life and addressing the reasons drugs were used in the first place. For example, if your inability to manage stress led to your drug dependency, it will be important for you to learn new ways to deal with stressful situations.

Conclusion

Once you decide to get drug addiction help, give us a call at Coastline Behavioral Health so we can get you started on a treatment plan that will work for you.

Tags: Drug Addiction, Meth Addiction, Opiate Addiction

How To Stop Drinking Alcohol

If you are an alcoholic, going to recovery may seem impossible. While fighting against alcoholism is difficult, it certainly is attainable. You must be willing to stop drinking alcohol and seek support, though. If you try to quit alone, you will likely be unsuccessful. Having support from friends and family is essential, but you must also strongly desire to quit for your recovery to be successful. At Coastline Behavioral Health, we believe you can be successful at overcoming your addiction without experiencing rock bottom. Most alcoholics wait until their health has been massively damaged, as well as relationships and their career, before they seek help. Of course, it is better to seek help before you reach that level.

Below are some ways to help you through your recovery process:

1. Know your triggers and how to best avoid them.
2. Avoid anyone who encourages your addictive behaviors.
3. Attend a facility for residential treatment while you detox and are rehabilitated.
4. Attend support groups.
5. Find someone to sponsor you.
6. Eat well and exercise regularly to improve your health.

While each of the above steps will help you in your recovery process, you need to remember that recovery is an ongoing effort. Learning to stop drinking alcohol is a lifelong pursuit, but you can begin working on it today by following the above guidelines. Of course, the first obstacle to recovery is overcoming denial. Denial is the biggest obstacle in any alcoholic’s way. To overcome denial, you must admit to having a drinking problem and understand that drinking does not solve anything in a positive way.

You can stop drinking alcohol today with the right support and treatment plan. Give us a call today to get on the road to recovery and a better, healthier you.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Ways To Help Quit Drinking

Almost everyone who has become dependent on alcohol needs help to quit drinking. If you are dependent on alcohol, it is best to gradually cut back before stopping completely. Otherwise, you can have severe withdrawal effects. On the other hand, if you have a condition due to alcohol consumption, such as liver damage, it is best to completely cut out alcohol.

If you need to slowly reduce your alcohol intake to quit drinking, try some of the following tips:

• Don’t drink lagers or beers that are strong. Instead, try drinking beers with low alcohol levels.
• Pace your drinking rate. Alternate alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic drinks.
• Reduce how many social activities you are attending where drinking is involved.
• Avoid people who constantly encourage you to drink a lot of alcohol.

To be successful and quit drinking, you must be determined and committed. No one else can make you do it. Though the process to quit drinking can be hard, the following ideas should be able to help you on your way.

Accept You Have a Problem

Too many people deny they have a problem in the first place. They often think they can quit drinking whenever they choose. They believe their problem isn’t that bad. That is why the biggest step to help you quit drinking is admitting that you have a problem. Once you admit it, you can begin to seek help.

Self-help

There are some websites, books, and leaflets that many people have been successful with in helping them quit drinking. It is believed that 33% of people dealing with problems related to alcohol can stop drinking, or at least return to sensible drinking, without the help of a professional.

Counseling

One of the most successful ways to quit drinking is with the help of a counselor. You can begin your treatment by discussing your problems with your doctor. They should be able to refer you to a counselor that specializes in addictions. A counselor can help you talk through your issues in depth and help come up with ways to help you quit drinking.

Getting Treatments for Other Illnesses

Many people use alcohol to relieve the symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, or other problems. Unfortunately, the alcohol only gives a short-lived effect and can sometimes make problems worse. If you feel that one of the above problems is an underlying condition for your alcohol consumption, it is important to talk with your doctor about it.

Detoxification (Detox)

If you are alcohol dependent, quitting cold turkey is not a very good option for you. This can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. Your best option is to go through a detoxification process. Your doctor can discuss detox options with you.

Whatever your reason to quit drinking, don’t go to the process alone. You can join an alcoholic anonymous group for support. Even if you don’t want to join the group, talk with your friends and family about supporting you through this process.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Detox, Treatment Centers

Finding The Right Rehab Facilities

If you are trying to overcome an addiction, you may be overwhelmed at the number of rehab facilities available. There are several factors you should consider as you evaluate each program. Not every program will be right for you, but as you look closer into the rehab facilities available, you should be able to find one that meets your needs.

When evaluating rehab facilities, consider the following questions to determine which one is best for you:

1. What addictions does the facility treat? This is a big factor in determining which rehab facility you use. For instance, if you are an alcoholic, you may prefer using a facility that focuses on alcohol rehabilitation rather than one that deals with all other types of addictions. There are also different types of treatments available for different addictions. If you are addicted to prescription drugs, you may need a facility that offers methods for detoxification.
2. Is the rehab program for a specific group of individuals? Some rehab facilities are specifically for men, women, high-level executives, or even LGBT individuals. Most programs, though, deal with a diverse population of patients. If you identify with a specific community, you may be able to find one that caters to your demographics.
3. What accommodations are provided? Though the accommodations are not as important as the treatments provided, it is important to feel comfortable where you are. It is best to find a rehab facility that is positive and pleasant since you will likely reside there for at least 30 days. Some rehab facilities, such as luxury inpatient facilities, offer extra amenities and services that make them feel more like a resort than a hospital.
4. What treatments are available? Typically, most rehab facilities offer individual and group therapy. Other programs may require family members to attend therapy sessions. You also need to consider if the rehab facility is equipped to handle other conditions you may have.
5. Does the rehab facility fit your budget or insurance plan? Depending on what is offered, most inpatient rehab facilities cost between $2000-$25,000. You will need to determine if your insurance company will cover any of the costs first. Will you be able to pay the balance after insurance? If you find the price of rehab is still too expensive for your budget, there may be other options for you. Some rehab facilities offer a sliding scale payment or financing plans. Others may be able to offer you an outpatient program that is cheaper.

Deciding to overcome an addiction is a huge step in recovery. Before you decide which facility is best for you, evaluate the factors above to determine which facility will meet your needs best. And, as always, you can reach out to us at Coastline Behavioral Health if you have questions or concerns about options available.

Tags: Treatment Centers, Recovery

Drug And Alcohol Counselor Help

Many people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol go through a detoxification to cleanse their body. Though this first step is crucial, a drug and alcohol counselor can help you through the real work of rehabilitation. The benefits of counseling do not provide a magic cure for substance abuse, but they can help you overcome your destructive thoughts and habits that led you to rehab initially. A drug and alcohol counselor can help you learn coping skills through individual or group sessions that assist you in maintaining your sobriety and leading a life that is positive and healthy.

Increase Your Motivation

One of the biggest challenges faced by rehab patients is finding the motivation to fight against their addiction. Most times, your substance abuse is obvious to your family and friends, but you may believe you can quit at any time or that you are not really addicted.

During early rehab, one of the most important therapeutic techniques is motivational interviewing. With motivational interviewing, the addiction therapist takes on the role of a collaborative partner or coach and encourages you to find your source of motivation to quit your addiction. This can help you overcome the fear of getting clean.

Changing Your Behaviors

You may feel completely out of control of your addiction. You have likely done many self-destructive things because of your need for drugs that have hurt your relationships, self-esteem, and health. Your counselor will help you identify the thoughts, habits, and behaviors that surround your drug use during your sessions. During the process known as CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, you will learn how to replace the compulsive behaviors with approaches that are more constructive and healthier.

Relapse Prevention

It is very common for a recovering addict to relapse. You will likely feel compelled to go back to drugs at some point in your life, whether it’s months or years after you stop using. Despite all your hard work at recovery, many people return to substance abuse because of personal hardships, social cues, stress, and emotional pressures. A drug and alcohol counselor can help you prevent relapse by:

• Helping you recognize relapse warning signs.
• Helping you learn coping strategies.
• Helping you develop networks for social support.
• Providing you with the resources you need to overcome a small slip up.

Whether you have been clean from drugs or alcohol for a short while or a long time, the urge to relapse tends to come from nowhere. There are several warning signs you can look for, though, such as isolation, lack of planning, fear of the future, depression, and faltering self-confidence. A drug and alcohol counselor can help you recognize these warning signs so you can prevent a relapse.

Create Relationships that are Stronger

Addiction can take a toll on relationships with family and friends. One of the most valuable benefits of counseling is rebuilding those broken relationships. Most rehab facilities provide opportunities for families to participate in counseling. Your drug and alcohol counselor can walk you through steps to mend relationships damaged through your addiction.

The addiction specialists at Coastline Behavioral Health understand the vital role counseling plays in your journey of healing. Give us a call today to start your process towards recovery.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction, Treatment Centers