Welcome to Drug and Alcohol Treatment
| ||
Alcoholism Treatment Program Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Alcoholism Treatment Program. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
from:
Alcohol and Drug Rehab: Triggers, Cravings, Relapse and Recovery
By Jonathan Huttner
It has taken some time but, researchers have come to the conclusion that drug addiction and alcoholism are diseases and like other diseases, are chronic and those afflicted are subject to relapse. From a medical perspective, addiction can be compared to diabetes in that it will require long term treatment, lifestyle changes, medication at times and if not monitored, relapse will occur.
Experts with The National Institute of Drug Abuse feel it is not reasonable to expect a recovering addict or alcoholic to maintain lifelong abstinence with just one treatment or rehab experience. Furthermore, Dr. George Koob, a professor with the Scripps Research Institute agrees. His research has shown that approximately 80 percent of the addicts and alcoholics who experience detox return to drug or alcohol use within a year.
Discovering why addicts and alcoholics are so prone to relapse is an area of great concern to all of us. One aspect we identified is that of craving. Craving is the incredible desire an addict or alcoholic still feels for the substance days, months or even years into recovery. Research has shown us that the cravings that the addict or alcoholic experience could be directly related to the long term changes in brain function, due to the drug and alcohol abuse. In essence, the brain has become conditioned to function under the influence of drugs or alcohol and does not function efficiently without it.
Secondly, it has been established that cravings can be a conditioned response to triggers that the recovering addict or alcoholic may encounter, for example old people, places or things associated with the person’s prior drug or alcohol use. Relapse triggers, as they are termed, can create powerful emotional and sometimes physical responses that can lead up to incredible urges to use drugs and alcohol again. It is for this reason individuals early in sobriety are urged to change so many aspects of their life. With all of this said, it is clear that a person’s relapse is usually preceded by other difficulties which result in the addict or alcoholic feeling angry, lonely, depressed or in self pity.
The issue with relapse that is infinitely grave is not necessarily the fact that the addict or alcoholic has used or drank again, but the quantity and frequency with which they use is almost identical to right before they began their recovery. Very few, ease their way back into their drug or alcohol use. They begin as if they never stopped.
An experiment performed by Dr. Koob demonstrated that when alcohol was removed from alcoholic or addicted rats for three or four days and then returned, the rats consumed 50 percent more drugs or alcohol as they consumed before. As common as this behavior is among the people that relapse, it is one of the most misunderstood.
There is good news and that is if a relapse is caught early, it can prove to be a very valuable educational tool. The recovering addict or alcoholic might then practice the principles taught to them in their alcohol and drug rehab program with more willingness and motivation than ever before.
It appears that for those people that are able to maintain long term recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism the solution is much greater than just abstaining from drugs and alcohol. The other part of the equation lies in being able to identify cravings, wait out the feelings and become aware of what actually triggered them. Through becoming aware of what triggers the craving, the recovering person can make effective changes in their “life style” which can result in fewer urges to drink or drug. Finally, there are a number of well-known alcohol and drug rehab support groups that provide much needed support to help addicts (and their families) cope with the long term issues associated with drug addiction and alcoholism.
Jonathan Huttner is one of the the principals at Lakeview Health Systems, an addiction treatment, alcohol and drug rehab facility. Addiction treatment information and free live help 24/7 is being provided online at RecoveryConnection.org.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Huttner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Alcohol-and-Drug-Rehab:-Triggers,-Cravings,-Relapse-and-Recovery&id=154938
Alcoholism Treatment Program Specific links
Alcoholism Treatment Program News
Jerriann Nelson: Inpatient alcohol treatment is best
Dear Editor: Wisconsin has the highest rates of alcohol consumption in the country, resulting in a battle against the bottle for many citizens. What would you do if you or someone you loved were suffering from alcoholism? My uncle has been battling alcoholism for years, and has tried many methods to stay sober. He recently admitted himself into a six-week treatment program.
Read more...Recovering and helping others recover
BRATTLEBORO -- As case manager for the RISE program at the Phoenix House on Western Avenue, John Colleran has recognized that look in his clients' eyes when they make the decision to begin turning their lives around.
Read more...Seen At 11: New Herbal Remedy Claims To Cure Alcoholism In 8 Weeks
Many people who suffer from alcoholism struggle for years to get sober. Now, the makers of an herbal product say that they can cut cravings, while still letting alcoholics have the occasional drink.
Read more...Top Addiction Medicine Expert Dr. A.R. Mohammad Urges Recovery Community to Keep Addiction Treatment and Religion ...
Pioneer of non 12- step model Dr. Mohammad differentiates between proper treatment and self-help in forthcoming town hall event.Malibu, CA (PRWEB) May 22, 2012 Dr. Akikur Mohammad, Founder of Malibu Horizon, recognized by many as one of the top addiction treatment centers in California, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern ...
Read more...Student Addicts Live, Recover Together at University Program
Drugs and alcohol are easily available on most college campuses in the United States. Now several American universities are offering separate substance-free housing and therapy for students recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. Rutgers University in New Jersey is the institution that pioneered such housing in 1988. At Rutgers University, one student was scoring in a game of virtual ...
Read more...Raging epidemic
A recent study at four schools in Wayne County found “alcohol is the drug of choice” for students, and the strongest predictor that a student would begin abusing alcohol is “parental attitudes favorable to drug use.”
Read more...BV Promise students begin fight against teen alcoholism
How do you know when teenage alcoholism has become a real problem? When the teenagers tell you so. Such is the case with the new Buena Vista Promise Youth Group - a teenage team that presented an...
Read more...Tailoring Treatments for Alcoholics
Some addiction experts envision a near future in which patients will be able to choose a drug that best suits them, and couple it with therapy and other tools to achieve long-term recovery.
Read more...Both sides now: Judy Collins on life after alcoholism
Singer talks about her drinking and her son's death It was April 1978, and singer Judy Collins hadn't had an inspirational thought in four years.
Read more...Passages Malibu & Passages Ventura Drug & Alcohol Treatment Centers Support National Prevention Week
Passages Rehab is proud to support SAMHSA's first annual National Prevention Week, which is held from May 21-25.Malibu, CA (PRWEB) May 17, 2012 Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura, the world’s leading drug and alcohol rehab centers, are proud to support the first annual National Prevention Week, which is held from Monday, May 21, 2012 through Friday, May 25, 2012. This health observance is an ...
Read more...