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Friday, September 11, 2009

Drug and Alcohol Rehab Program - By Ras Reed

Illinois Drug Rehab

There are many people looking for a good and reliable drug and alcohol rehab program that can help them or a loved one quit addiction permanently. While it is true that we have many centers out there, it is sad to note that many of them don't have the right program to help addicts. A good program should not only help the addict quit, it should go further. It should make sure that the addict does not relapse. Any program that fails to achieve these two major objectives should be avoided. What are those things you should look for when searching?

One of the factors you must consider when searching for drug and alcohol rehab program is that length of stay. I urge you to stay away from any center that promises to get you off alcohol and drug addiction within a short period. You and I know that this is not possible. An addict did not get into the habit overnight. It happened gradually until the addict could no longer control his or her cravings for alcohol or drugs. So, it is advisable for you to look for a program with a long period of time. A long period in the center will help you get off the problem and adjust to your new life under the close supervision of the experts in the center. Experts advise that a 90 days stay in a rehab will help you get off and stay away from addiction.

Another thing you must look out for has to do with gender. There is need for you to register for only a program that is meant for you. In other words, if you're a woman, go for a center that specializes in that and vice versa. A center that specializes on a particular gender is preferable to a center that caters for every gender. When you attend a gender specific program, you can be sure of getting adequate personal attention.

Location is another factor you must consider when searching for drug and alcohol rehab program. It is highly recommended that the program holds in a location far away from the city life. This will help you concentrate on getting off addiction without being distracted. Also, ensure that the center is located in a large parcel of land. A large acre of land is highly recommended.

While the above mentioned factors are necessary, it is very important that the center is equipped with qualified and experienced staff that can help you or a loved one quit alcohol and drug addiction without stress. There is need to politely request for the educational background of the staff to know if you or a loved one will be in good hands.

Ras Reed provide more useful tips on christian rehab centers and cocaine addiction treatment on his website.

A Drug Rehab Program Makes Recovery Easier - By Jonathan Huttner

Recovery from drug addiction can be very challenging and because of this, a drug rehab program provides someone the best chance at recovery. Admission to a drug rehab can and will provide a person the opportunity to break their denial and begin to figure out why they have continued to use drugs and alcohol despite negative consequences. It is almost impossible for someone to overcome their drug addiction or alcohol addiction is they remain in denial of their problem.

A drug rehab program employs a clinical staff whose responsibility it is to teach the person various tools they can use to learn to better manage their emotions. Two of these emotions anger and depression are two of the contributing factors to drug abuse, alcohol abuse and drug addiction. It only stands to reason that when an individual can better mange those feelings, their chances of recovery and avoiding relapse are that much better.

In addition to learning how to better manage ones feelings, a stay in drug rehab or alcohol rehab will assist the person to grow spiritually and physically. Any quality drug rehab will provide the person with healthy, nutritional meals to offset the poor nutritional values they adopted during their drug addiction and alcohol addiction. Generally a healthy eating plan is developed for each patient in the drug rehab that will assist them in their recovery.

From a spiritual perspective, during everyone’s drug addiction or alcohol addiction principals were compromised, values were thrown to the wind and you have come to the point where if you had spiritual beliefs prior to your drug addiction, they were gone now. Most addiction treatment or drug rehab programs help each person address their spiritual void. This is accomplished in a variety of ways and each drug rehab is different. The point is, healing one’s spiritual life, also takes place in drug rehab.

As we mentioned the physical aspect of recovery, I would be remis if I didn't take a moment to talk about drug detox or alcohol detox. This is a crucial time in any stay in drug rehab. Detox is when you discontinue your drug abuse or alcohol abuse in a medically monitored setting. The drug rehab generally has medications dispensed to mange any withdrawal symptoms you may experience. Detox in any drug rehab is not easy, but a person can be made to feel comfortable.It is important that any detox unit have 24 hour nursing and is licensed in the state in which it operates and carries with it an accreditation from the Joint Accreditation of Healthcare Orginizations. This means that the drug rehab and detox is operating by the highest standards this industry has to offer.

The terms drug rehab and alcohol rehab are essentially the same thing. The addiction treatmentservices are the same, detox services are the same, the only difference is the words drug rehab and alcohol rehab.

Jonathan Huttner is with Lakeview Health Systems, a drug and alcohol rehab operating in Jacksonville, Florida.

Breaking Heroin Addiction By Shane Dayton

While every addict to every addiction can feel shamed from receiving help, breaking an addiction to heroin is not a path to go alone as it is not an easy road. Multi-pronged treatments including support from family and friends, medications, life-style changes and in treatment detoxification centers are some of the many tools available to breaking heroin addiction.

Heroin is a very powerful drug derived from morphine, a natural compound found in certain species of poppy plants. Heroin affects the brain chemistry by driving out and replacing the neurotransmitter endorphin. Because of this addicts can build an intense physical and psychological need for the drug. As such, jail or prison has little to offer an addict trying to free themselves, and will power and family support aren't always enough to permanently break the addiction cycle.

Certain medications have been developed to reverse the physical dependency of heroine. Though methadone has been the bread and butter of medication treatments, the newest on the market is called buprenorphine. Short term substances have shown it to be less addicting than methadone especially when used in conjunction with other forms of therapy.

Treatment centers utilize multiple treatment options to overcoming heroin and other addictions, and they boast teams of physicians and therapists working together. Their first goal is detoxification, eliminating heroin from the body. Symptoms include muscle ache, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. The second goal is to utilize medications to restore a more natural brain chemistry to make the third goal more effective. The third goal involves rebuilding an addicts self esteem, helping them commit to lifestyle changes, develop a negative response to narcotics, and return to active and productive lives permanently drug free.

So for those burdened by an addiction to heroin, or for a family member or friend watching a loved one suffer please take heart. As knowledge of the science of drug addictions grows, so do the number of successes of those breaking a heroin addiction.

If you would like to learn more about breaking heroin addiction, please feel free to visit my page made to answer a request on the heroin use and HIV connection.

Thanks for Reading.

Shane Dayton

A Gay Drug Rehab Component in a Heterosexual Drug Rehab: The Best Of Both Worlds - By Jonathan Huttner

Treatment Aspects of Inpatient Drug Rehab

Generally speaking, a drug rehab or alcohol rehab is best described as an inpatient addiction treatment facility specializing in the treatment of drug addiction, alcoholism and dual disorders. Most of the individuals that attend drug rehab go through detox initially, to be followed by the inpatient drug rehab portion of treatment which is clinically driven. Historically, everyone with a variety of disorders or sexual preferences are treated together and expected to adapt. I feel this philosophy is flawed and the expectation placed on patients might be unrealistic. In far too many cases, the issues patients bring into drug rehab or alcohol rehab far exceed their initial ability to just "fit in". This is especially true with gay drug addiction and issues such as; internalized homophobia, coming out, gay relationships and a host of others.

Is a Completely Gay Drug Rehab Best

As advances have been made in the area of gay addiction treatment and gay drug rehab, two distinct philosophies seem to have been adopted. The first is a drug rehab or alcohol rehab which is totally focused on treating the gay, lesbian population. This gay drug rehab only admits gays to addiction treatment. While this might prove beneficial for some segment of the gay population, it might not be realistic for others. Addiction treatment or drug rehab should resemble the real world and an entirely gay drug rehab is not the real world. It is not what the the recovering gay person will face after they are discharged from their gay drug rehab. They will be discharged into a predominantly heterosexual world and all the challenges associated with dealing with heterosexual prejudice, discrimination, homophobia etc.

The Benefits of a Gay Drug Rehab Component

The other philosophy of providing addiction treatment for the gay population in a drug or alcohol rehab lies in developing an gay addiction treatment component within the drug rehab. This provides the gay addict or alcoholic with group settings specific to their population allowing them a safer place to discuss intimate issues they are not yet ready to discuss with a heterosexual. On the other hand, they will still be encouraged to participate in more generalized clinical activities with the rest of the drug rehab community. This drug rehab design allows for the gay person a "safe space" where they will not feel judged and at the same time allow them to practice what they have learned in their groups. To take things a step further, it will also allow the heterosexual to practice recovery skills such as acceptance, unconditional love and honesty.

If you are looking to locate a quality gay drug rehab, gay alcohol rehab or addiction treatment program with a gay drug rehab component, you can go to http://www.recoveryconnection.org or call their national helpline 1-800-511-9225

Jonathan Huttner is a principal in Lakeview Health Systems, a drug rehab which specializes in the treament of drug addiction, alcoholism and dual diagnosis.