Welcome to Drug and Alcohol Treatment
| ||
Drug And Alcohol Addictions Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Drug And Alcohol Addictions. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Alcohol & Drug Addiction: Why the "Detox-Rehab Cycle" Doesn't Work
from: Patricia is a 30 year old woman who started using methamphetamine in her last year in college. She found that it gave her "an edge" in studying and on tests. The problem was that she soon found that if she did not have any "meth", she couldn't function at all. She tried many times to shake the habit, and even went through "rehab" three times. However, after a while no matter what she tried, the depression and lethargy was too much to take and she would relapse. At her lowest point, Patricia weighed 80 pounds, was unemployed, and her health was failing. She finally moved in with her parents and sought help and support.
This story describes the lives of many addicted persons in our society. They are not "Bowery Bums." They are middle and upper class folks, who suffer from a deadly condition that is resistant to treatment. In fact, about 15% of the population suffers from some type of substance dependency or abuse (not counting smoking).
The typical detox/rehab system that John experienced has a success rate of less than 15%. Yet the response to failure is to put people through the same process again and again. Repeating something over and over, and expecting a different outcome has been described as a form of insanity.
What's wrong with the Detox/Rehab Cycle?
The current predominant system of treatment stresses the social aspects of this all-encompassing problem. The usual treatment is to "go to "rehab". While this is differs from place to place and program to program, what usually happens is that after medical "detox", the affected person is sent to a residential program of varying length and luxury or is sent home to a relatively brief outpatient program. After this, the person is released to their previous life and lifestyle to be supported by local 12 step programs, like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous (AA and NA).
This assumes that once an addicted person gets through the first few weeks off their drug they eventually return to normal. This is a fallacy. The withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, and muscle aches, and can go on and on, sometimes indefinitely. (This is a HUGE problem with methamphetamine use). This condition is called the Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAW). In addition, there are psychologic triggers for cravings that can themselves cause the return of these physical symptoms. Eventually, almost all of these people succumb and restart using. Here's why..
Top 7 Reasons Why the Detox-Rehab Cycle Doesn't Work
1. It fails to recognize and treat the brain disease that causes drug cravings using amazing new medical advances, including the Prometa protocol and buprenorphine (Suboxone)
2. Most detox-rehab programs don't diagnose and treat underlying psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder. The usual medications used to treat these problems may not help addicts and may actually make the problem much worse.
3. It fails to analyze each person's individual situation and to work with him or her to realize the extent of his or her problem. Addiction counselors should use tools like the Readiness to Change Quadrant Evaluation and then follow up with advanced counseling techniques such as motivational interviewing.
4. Most detox-rehab programs do not effectively evaluate and treat the nutritional aspects of substance abuse using a variety of supplements that vary from person to person.
5. The current detox-rehab cycle does not include treating alcohol and drug addictions on an ongoing and personal basis for at least a year using the Recovery Maintenance Model.
6. Current detox-rehab programs allow addicted persons to return back to their homes and lifestyles after the acute treatment is completed without modifying their environment.
7. The treatment is for "Substance Abuse" and everyone gets basically the same treatment regimen. The person must admit that they are an addict and submit to the program's mandates, even if they do not buy into the process. Many folks do what Patricia in the story did. She "shined it on" until she could get out. Others check out early and return to using very quickly.
Abstinence based programs that keep patients in residence for a specific period and then have them go back to their prior lifestyles are doomed to fail.
About Author
In his book, A New Prescription for Addiction, Dr. Richard Gracer outlines a better way to treat and attack the difficult and chronic problems of drug and alcohol addiction. Now you can discover new revolutionary treatments for drug and alcohol addictions many doctors don't know about yet. Get Gracer's new book, "A New Prescription for Addiction" at: anewprescriptionforaddiction.com and stop spinning your life out of control!
Source: ArticleTrader.com
Related Articles for Drug And Alcohol Addictions
Drug And Alcohol Addictions Specific links
Drug And Alcohol Addictions News
Rare Opening at Luxury Executive Drug And Alcohol Treatment Center in Malibu, CA
The exclusive executive Alcohol rehab center is an inviting destination for change. People come from around the world to participate in the cutting edge treatment programs for rehabilitation and recovered living. There is rarely an opening at Inspire Malibu from the usual waiting list to enter.Malibu, CA (PRWEB) February 09, 2012 Inspire Malibu is not like other rehab centers. The executive drug ...
Read more...Source: Rangers' Hamilton has alcohol relapse
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addictions, had a relapse with alcohol on Tuesday, according to a source.
Read more...Rangers' Hamilton sorry for alcohol relapse
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addiction, acknowledged he had consumed alcohol this week and apologized in a press conference at the Ballpark in Arlington.
Read more...Los Angeles Drug Rehab, Prominence Treatment Center, Announces the Launch of Their New Website
LOS ANGELES -- For any of the countless California residents that suffer with drug or alcohol addictions, knowing which doctor or organization to turn to can be confusing. Medical sources around the world ...
Read more...Fire sweeps Peru drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, killing 27 and critically injuring 5
LIMA, Peru - A fire swept through a two-story private rehabilitation centre for addicts in a poor part of Peru's capital Saturday, killing 27 people and critically injuring five as firefighters punched holes through walls to rescue residents locked inside.
Read more...Josh Hamilton Suffers Addiction Relapse
Texas Rangers’ outfielder Josh Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP who has battled alcohol and drug addictions for over a decade, has suffered a relapse with alcohol. ESPN reports that Hamilton, 30, drank alcohol at Sherlock’s Pub and Grill in Dallas on Monday. Teammate Ian...
Read more...Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions
LONDON (Reuters) - Drug addicts and their non-addicted siblings share certain features in the brain, suggesting a susceptibility to addiction is inherited but is also a flaw that can be overcome, scientists said on Thursday. Researchers who scanned the brains of 50 pairs of brothers and sisters of whom one was a cocaine addict found that both siblings had brain abnormalities that make it more ...
Read more...Your Brain May Be "Wired" For Addiction (But You Don't Have To Surrender)
Addiction is one of the most common mental health problems there is: Drug use alone affects tens of millions of Americans, and that's only the illegal ones. Even more people deal with addictions to other things ? alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, food, and various behaviors. People who are familiar with addiction, and certainly the researchers who study it, may wonder whether their brains are ...
Read more...Merced school program aims to help students with addictions
When local high school students commit drug- or alcohol-related offenses, the usual penalty is a fiv
Read more...Rangers' Hamilton on relapse: 'It was wrong'
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addictions, had a relapse with alcohol on Monday.
Read more...