Drinking Habit Becoming A Drinking Problem ?

If you have ever battled an addiction, you know it can be a journey for the rest of your life. You must plan every day to fight against the addiction and work on your treatment plan. You also need to know that every journey starts somewhere.

Many addicts can point back to a specific time in their life that led to their addiction. It typically isn’t a single event in their life, but a combination of causes, such as genetics, events, and other reasons that led to them excessively drinking. Some of these reasons include the death of a loved one, depression, financial problems, work problems, a decrease in income, divorce, and just a general inability to deal with the problems of life.

Most people with a drinking problem start only drinking occasionally. As the stresses of life continue to build up, though, one beer suddenly becomes a six-pack. This is when it can become a drinking problem.

Do You Have a Drinking Problem?

Have you ever thought about how much is too much to drink? How can you determine if you have a drinking problem? Since no two alcoholics are the same, the answer can vary. Also, people are affected differently by alcohol, depending on factors such as their weight and tolerance level.

The main thing to look for to determine if you have a drinking problem is if your drinking is harming your life. If you are having problems with relationships and/or at your work, those should be considered red flags.

In 2015, estimates showed that among adults 18 and older, 15.1 million had a disorder with alcohol, where their drinking was causing distress or harm, per the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey also found that in the same year around 1.3 million adults were treated for that disorder at a specialized facility. And, let’s not forget the thousands of alcohol-related fatalities on our roadways. In 2014 alone, the number of road deaths due to alcohol was 9,967.

Getting the Treatment Needed

Each patient is different when it comes to treating alcoholism. There isn’t a simple prescription to help with this widespread disease. The first step, though, is admitting that there is a drinking problem in the first place. This is a lot harder than it sounds. Some alcoholics never realize and accept their problems with drinking.

The 12-step program is one of the most popular ways people fight against their drinking problem. These steps take longer for some than others. Part of the program is being honest when a lapse occurs and being accountable to others. It’s a process that must be worked on the rest of the addict’s life.

For any alcoholic to be successful in their recovery, they need the support of their friends and family. They also rely on accountability from fellow alcoholics and their sponsors. This helps them feel like they are not alone in the struggle to fight the addiction. Alcoholics tend to feel a lot of guilt and shame with their disease. Instead, they need to be encouraged, supported, and loved as they fight against the sickness.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Where Are Rehab Facilities Near Me?

Whether you have just started your recovery or are simply looking for extended care options, there are rehab facilities near me that can help you. If you are just starting your recovery and need medical treatment, alcohol detoxification may be exactly what you need. If you have already overcome your physical dependency and need further therapy, there are many rehab facilities near me that offer ongoing inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services that can help you further your recovery journey.

For alcoholics, some of the most common types of treatment available include:

• Alcohol detoxification: this type of treatment helps deal with the serious medical issues that may occur as the patient withdraws from alcohol. There are short-term and long-term programs for detox. Medications are typically administered under close medical monitoring to help with the detoxification process.
• Inpatient rehab: this provides a comprehensive solution to treating alcoholism. These rehabs typically include detoxification, psychotherapeutic treatment, and extended care. The inpatient treatment process allows the patient the time and seclusion needed to get their recovery underway.
• Outpatient rehab: this kind of rehabilitation allows you to continue working and keep your home schedule intact, as long as you follow the program’s rules.

Most traditional alcohol rehabilitation programs follow the 12-step program and provide a spiritual basis to help patients through their recovery and beyond. Holistic and alternative treatment programs are also available to offer the same programs as the traditional ones, but expand their services to include alternative therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, meditation, yoga, and other practices. Programs that are religious-based offer comprehensive treatments but focus their treatment philosophies and group sessions on teachings based on a specific religious belief system.

If you are looking for a rehab facility, it is important to find one that fits your personal beliefs. Find one that fits your spiritual views or your preferences. This will help you feel more comfortable as you walk through the process of recovery.

Tags: Treatment Centers

How To Help An Alcoholic

If you have ever been in a situation where you have watched a friend, family member, or coworker deal with alcohol use, you understand it can be difficult. You may wonder how to help an alcoholic in your life, or if the person even wants to be helped.

Alcoholism is when a person has a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol. They typically have a problem controlling their drinking habits and continue to drink even when it causes problems. Problems with alcoholism generally affect relationships, their work, and their own health.

How to Help

Approaching someone about their alcoholism can be difficult. Below are some ways to help you approach someone you love with an alcohol use disorder:

1. Learn about alcoholism: before anything else, you need to know if your loved one has an addiction to alcohol. Alcoholism isn’t simply drinking too much occasionally. An alcoholic doesn’t drink in moderation. To learn more about alcoholism, a quick Google search should take you to many resources online.
2. Rehearse what you want to say: it is important for the alcoholic to know you truly care about them. Try to be supportive and positive rather than negative and hurtful. Instead of telling them they are an alcoholic, perhaps you can tell them how concerned you are about the amount they drink and how it can be harmful. Make sure you are prepared for any response. Regardless of their reaction, keep yourself calm and continue showing them respect and support.
3. Choose the best time and place: this is an important conversation, so it is imperative to choose the right time and place. Make sure you have privacy and quiet. Choose a place where there will be no interruptions and neither of you will be preoccupied. Most importantly, they need to be sober.
4. Be honest and compassionate: if the person is an alcoholic, your best bet is to be honest with them about their problem. They may react negatively, so be prepared. Allow them to have time and space to react, and listen to anything they want to say.
5. Be supportive: if your loved one doesn’t want treatment, you can force them. You can simply offer to help. They must make the decision themselves. Try not to be judgmental but, rather, imagine yourself in their shoes. Urge them to try a formal treatment program and work hard towards getting a concrete commitment. If they commit, follow up with them regularly.
6. Intervene: if someone is resistant to getting help, an intervention may be necessary. For this to happen, family members, friends, and coworkers confront the person together to urge them to get treatment. A professional counselor often helps with an intervention.

It can be difficult to watch someone you love deal with alcoholism. Anytime you confront an alcoholic, remember to be calm and supportive. If you need help learning more about alcoholism or with confronting someone in your life, give us a call today at Coastal Behavioral Health. We will be happy to walk you through it.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Addiction Counselors Are Ready To Help

If you deal with addiction, you may want to consider an addiction counselor to help you learn to live without your chosen drug. Even after you have gone through the detoxification process, you are at high risk for a relapse because of social and psychological factors. Some of these factors include life stresses, environmental cues such as visiting a certain neighborhood, and your social networks. Any of these factors can make your urges to use drugs nearly irresistible. In addiction counselor can come beside you to help you learn to escape those cravings and better cope with your life without drugs.

There are several types of counseling therapies available for addicts. The addiction counselor will help you find the one that works best for you and your situation based on your addiction and your needs. Below are some of the therapies available. These therapies can be done on an individual or group basis and be either an outpatient or a residential treatment. Coastline Behavioral Health offers many options to patients that is tailored to the individual.

CBT

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, will teach you how to recognize your situations, thoughts, and moods that may stimulate your drug cravings. Your addiction counselor can help you learn to avoid the triggers and replace your thought processes with ones that are healthier and more consistent with sobriety. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a powerful way to fight against addiction since the skills you learn in CBT last your lifetime.

Contingency Management Therapy

Positive incentives are used with addicts in the contingency management therapy. In a residential program, this often will be vouchers that can be used for goods and services. This method has been proven to be very effective in studies on drug rehab. It can be a high cost method, though, and once the positive incentives stop, many addicts return to their old ways.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing is a newer counseling method that has begun replacing confrontation. In confrontation, addicts are put into a position where they must accept their problems with their addiction. In motivational interviewing, the addiction counselor’s goal is to better understand the addict’s natural motivation to change. Whatever their motivation is, whether it’s the love of their family or something else, the therapy is focused around the motivation.

Couples and Family Therapy

When it comes to addiction, the entire family is affected. The most successful drug abuse programs occur when there are strong relationships. Many addiction counselors will include family members, or just the spouse, of the addicted person. This often helps the addict to stay motivated in therapy and lessens the rates of relapse. It is also a great way to help the family heal together.

Maintenance

Maintenance therapy is often used for addicts with a strong possibility of relapse. For instance, opioid addicts are often given medications that prevent them from getting a high from the drugs. Many of these drugs will be taken for years to prevent a relapse.

Though many people seem to think an addict can be cured after going through a drug rehab program, evidence continues to show that maintenance therapy is important as a lifelong treatment to help addicts overcome their addictions for life.

Tags: Treatment Centers

The Substance Abuse Evaluation Process

A substance abuse evaluation is used to assess someone’s drug and alcohol use. This evaluation can be completed online before meeting with the certified substance abuse counselor. It may be required that you have a drug and alcohol screening. Typically, the evaluation is court ordered once a crime has been committed, like drinking and driving.

Questionnaire

The questionnaire will ask questions regarding your drug and alcohol use history. You will be asked if your finances, employment, and/or relationships have been affected by substance abuse. The questionnaire can help the counselor find the underlying reason for your drug or alcohol abuse, such as anxiety or depression.

The Interview

If you are required to have a substance abuse evaluation done by a court of law, you will need to have your court documentation for your interview. This includes your criminal history report, any arrest documents, and, if your evaluation is because of a DUI, a seven-year motor vehicle report.

At the interview, you will be questioned about the information asked in the questionnaire. The counselor will ask any other questions they may have about your drug and alcohol use. Though this may be uncomfortable, be truthful with your answers. This process is to provide help for you, not to embarrass you.

The certified counselor will also ask you to provide contact information for others that may be questioned about your substance abuse. You will need to provide their full name, all their contact info, and a good time to reach them. Though it can be uncomfortable knowing that others are being asked about your substance abuse, it is to further benefit you. Interviewing others may help you get the assistance you need.

Screening

The counselor may require you to provide a urine sample to test for drugs in your system. During the screening process, be honest if you have recently used alcohol or drugs, and let them know if you are on any prescription medications. The drug and alcohol screening will greatly influence the recommendations the counselor makes to the court.

Recommendations

Once the certified counselor has all the documents and interviews done, they will go before the court and make recommendations on your treatment. There are three categories the certified counselor may place you in:

1. Drug or alcohol dependent: if the counselor determines you are chemically dependent on drugs or alcohol, the court will require you to attend a rehabilitation center. You may be required to attend between eight months and two years.
2. Suffering from abuse of drugs or alcohol: if the counselor believes you are abusing alcohol or drugs, or if your usage is leading you towards addiction, the court will mandate you to attend counseling. Counseling is typically mandated by the court for 6 to 12 months.
3. Not enough evidence: if the counselor doesn’t have enough evidence to diagnose one of the above categories, the court will send you to a drug and alcohol school. This usually only lasts one day and teaches you the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.

If you are required to have a substance abuse evaluation, remember to be honest throughout the entire process. The evaluation is to help you, not to hurt you.

Tags: Treatment Centers

Dealing With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome, or AWS, refers to the symptoms that happen when someone who drinks heavily significantly reduces or stops their intake of alcohol. AWS may cause you to experience both physical and emotional symptoms. Symptoms can be a mild anxiety, severe seizures, or anywhere in between. In extreme cases, it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of AWS

The symptoms and signs of AWS can be seen in as little as six hours from your last drink. The symptoms can include vomiting, anxiety, headache, nausea, tremors, increased heart rate, confusion, sweating, nightmares, insomnia, irritability, and high blood pressure. The symptoms will typically worsen over time and can persist for several weeks.

Delirium tremens, or DT, is the most severe kind of AWS. The symptoms of DT include seizures, extreme agitation, extreme confusion, a fever, visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, and tactile hallucinations. If you or any of your loved ones’ experience severe AWS symptoms, it is a medical emergency so get help immediately.

AWS Causes

Your nervous system is irritated and excited by excessive drinking. When you drink regularly, your body forms a dependence on the alcohol. This keeps your central nervous system from adapting easily when there is a lack of alcohol. Significantly reducing or suddenly stopping drinking causes the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

People who drink heavily regularly or are addicted to alcohol are at a higher risk for AWS. Though it is more common with adults, anyone who drinks excessively may experience AWS. The most common form of heavy drinking is binge drinking. For men, binge drinking is when they drink five or more drinks in a short span of time. For women, it is when they drink four drinks or more in a short span of time.

Diagnosing AWS

To diagnose AWS, your doctor will first look over your medical history. He will also discuss your symptoms with you and perform a physical examination. Your doctor will look for signs of AWS that include an irregular heart rate, a fever, dehydration, and hand tremors. A toxicology screen may also be performed by your doctor to determine how much alcohol you have in your body.

Treating AWS

The severity of your symptoms determines how your AWS is treated. While some patients can be treated at home, others must be in a hospital setting where they can be supervised to avoid complications that can be potentially dangerous, such as severe seizures.

When treating a patient with AWS, the first goal is to keep them comfortable. Counseling is also necessary. Your doctor will work alongside you to help you stop drinking in a manner that is both quick and safe.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Which Is The Best California Rehabilitation Center?

At the California Rehabilitation center, there is hardly a week that goes by without hearing of some celebrity checking into a rehabilitation center for an alcohol or drug problem. Of course, when a celebrity goes to a California Rehabilitation Center, it is normally one that is high-class with a full spa, ocean views, and marble bathtubs. This kind of treatment can give rehabs a bad name for addiction treatment.

In the past, it was common for addicts to stay in a rehab clinic for 30 days. Unfortunately, insurance companies cringe at the idea of covering rehabilitation these days, so many Americans are unable to take advantage of them. This can make it seem as if California Rehabilitation centers are only meant for the rich and famous. Luckily, this isn’t so.

If your insurance doesn’t cover an inpatient stay at a rehabilitation center, consider an outpatient treatment. Experts say these are equally effective for most drug and alcohol addicts. As you can see from celebrities, even the fanciest California Rehabilitation Center doesn’t guarantee a successful treatment. Success only comes when the patient makes a lifelong effort to stay clean.

Inpatient Care

As stated earlier, many insurance companies do not like covering the costs of rehabilitation. For years, hardly any insurer was willing to cover these treatments. These days, though, many insurance plans now cover most of the costs associated with inpatient rehabilitation at facilities that are relatively inexpensive.

Most experts agree that inpatient recovery is needed most by addicts who also suffer from a severe psychiatric illness or those that come from a chaotic environment. For instance, if the addict’s family is also abusing a substance, an inpatient program can remove them from the environment and teach them how to overcome their addiction. If the patient has a steady job and a stable family, an outpatient treatment plan is usually enough.

Conclusion

Whether your addiction requires inpatient or outpatient care, if you are looking for a California rehabilitation center, Coastline Behavioral Health is here to assist you. Give us a call today you can start on the road to recovery.

Tags: Treatment Centers

How To Find Rehabs Near Me

If you have already gone through an initial course of rehabilitation, you may be asking yourself if there are any extended-care rehabs near me ? Many patients require extended-care, which is available in many forms. Extended-care can range from a self-help support group, to private therapy, to a treatment facility where the patient lives, such as a sober living home where a recovering alcoholic may live to decrease the likelihood of a relapse upon returning home. These facilities offer extra support to patients before they go back to their normal living environment.

Long-term Rehabs

A long-term rehab typically requires a stay of 6 to 18 months in a traditional inpatient situation. A residential rehab is preferred for anyone suffering from severe addictions. It is also a great option for those dealing with chronic relapses. Most rehabs near me offer long-term programs with many resources, such as counseling, support groups, detox facilities, and classes that help prepare the patient to live a life without their addiction in the outside world.

The progress made by the patient determines the length of the program. Most rehab facilities will use a time-frame to gauge the overall progress of the patient. The patient will not move forward to another stage in the process of rehabilitation until they have achieved certain goals. This keeps the focus on the progress of the patient rather than focusing on a daily countdown.

Most long-term rehabs near me are set up in an environment that is more like a home than a hospital. Licensed healthcare professionals and qualified staff provide behavioral monitoring and 24-hour care while participating in the process of recovery.

These treatment programs are structured to help patients learn how to think and act differently. Patients will become more aware of their past behaviors and will help come up with a plan to keep them from falling back into their destructive habits and dependencies. These treatments are flexible so each patient can effectively progress through their recovery and reduce the chances of a relapse.

Many long-term rehab facilities also offer a 12-step program or peer support group that provides ongoing support to addicts dealing with their addictions. These programs are voluntary, but the benefits of joining these groups are great.

Finding the Best Rehab for You

It is imperative to find a long-term rehab that works for you and your needs. Finding rehabs near me is not difficult, but finding the right one can be. If you are unsure where to start looking for a rehab facility, talk with your physician or mental health professional. They will be able to offer suggestions that can help you with your addiction.

For more information about Coastline Behavioral Health and what we can do for you, contact us today. Our rehab specialists are here to answer any questions you may have about finding the best extended-care rehab near you. Don’t let anything stand between you and your recovery.

Tags: Treatment Centers

Detox Your Body From Alcohol

If you have become alcohol dependent, you need to detox your body. Alcohol detoxification uses medication that helps to prevent the symptoms of withdrawal. Typically, benzodiazepine medications such as diazepam or chlordiazepoxide are used for alcohol detoxification.

Medications for Detoxification

It is usually not difficult to get your general practitioner to prescribe detox medications. The typical course of action is to start with a high dose of medicine when you first start with the detox. Over the next 5 to 7 days, the dosage is gradually reduced. These medications can greatly reduce your symptoms of withdrawal as you detox your body. Your general practitioner will have you agree to avoid alcohol while taking the medication. It is important to have the support of your friends and family during this time.

If you have a hard time with detoxing, you may be referred to a unit that specializes in drug and alcohol detoxification. This method is typically better for those who have previously failed attempts at quitting alcohol, those with severe withdrawal symptoms, and those that have little support. The specialized units prescribe the same medications, but they are also able to provide the expertise and support needed. Occasionally, some people need to be admitted into the hospital for their detoxification.

Though many wish the medications were a magic pill, they cannot make you stop drinking. You must make that decision for yourself to stop. These medications will simply help your body readjust to not having alcohol. Once the detoxification is over, you may still have cravings for alcohol. You will need good coping strategies and willpower to help you fight the temptation.

Other Alternatives

There are a few other things that can be used for helping with alcohol problems:

• Vitamins: vitamin B1 can help greatly during your detoxification. Many people who are alcohol dependent do not eat a proper diet, so their bodies are lacking in certain vitamins. Vitamin B1 is the most common lacking vitamin and alcoholics. This lack can cause some serious brain conditions.
• Naltrexone and Acamprosate: these medicines can help alleviate cravings for alcohol. They are often prescribed after detox for this reason.
• Nalmefene: this new medication is used with people who are alcohol dependent to help reduce their alcohol consumption. This treatment is typically given by a specialist.
• Disulfiram: this medication tends to be used after a detoxification. It can act as a deterrent to keep you off alcohol since it brings along very unpleasant symptoms when you drink.
• Baclofen: medical studies have reported that this medicine has helped them stay away from alcohol or to reduce the amount they drink. It can also reduce cravings for alcohol and the anxiety typically felt by those who are alcohol dependent.

Unfortunately, many people who go through detoxification successfully end up as heavy drinkers again. Counseling has been shown to lessen your chances of returning to heavily drinking. Self-help groups are a tremendous help with this, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

If you have gone through the detoxification process and later returned to heavy drinking, there is still hope. There are many people that attempt to stop drinking many times before they are successful. Don’t give up.

Tags: Alcohol Addiction, Treatment Centers

Crack Addicts & Dependency

Crack cocaine is a very addictive drug that stimulates the brain and can be very pleasurable to the user. This drug is very dangerous, though. There’s a very thin line between occasionally using crack cocaine and being a Crack addict. Some users, after a single hit, will become addicted. There are a few signs to look for to determine if you or someone you love is a crack addict. These include losing interest in activities that were formerly enjoyed, spending a significant amount of money on the drug, or believing that using crack cocaine is the only way to beat depression and feel normal. A crack addict may also begin withdrawing from family and friends.

Addiction To Crack 

Crack cocaine is physically and psychologically addictive. A crack addict will have a difficult time trying to stop the addiction to crack on their own. By immersing themselves in a treatment program, such as the one at Coastline Behavioral Health, an addict can successfully overcome their addiction.

Dependency and Tolerance

Dependency on crack cocaine can develop on the first use or over time. By repeatedly using the drug, the normal reward system of your brain is altered, creating a physical dependence on the drug. In the brain of someone who is not an addict, dopamine is released from the cells when something pleasurable is encountered. This only lasts for a few minutes, though, so the brain can respond to something pleasurable later. The dopamine is interrupted by cocaine so the pleasurable stimulant lasts longer. Unfortunately, a cocaine user must increase the amount of crack cocaine they are using to get the same effect over time since the brain adapts to the cocaine and builds a tolerance to it.

Psychological dependence can happen when an addict associates crack cocaine with their preferred lifestyle. Since most crack addicts use the drug with others, crack cocaine is associated with them having a good time.

Conclusion

Most crack cocaine users begin using the drug to have a good time. There many psychiatric problems that come along with the drug, though. These include delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, agitation, violence, as well as thinking that can be homicidal and suicidal. If you are a crack addict, give us a call today so we can help you on the road to recovery.

Tags: Drug Addiction, Treatment Centers